| Over the past couple of years I have been trying to | | | | of classic Nebbiolo is hot tar and roses, which sounds |
| share my enthusiasm for wines made from | | | | a bit off. When you smell a good example you will |
| non-mainstream grape varieties.Most of my friends | | | | realise how pleasant the smell of hot tar can be. The |
| are wine drinkers who enjoy the good life. If I | | | | flavours are quite complex, cherries and plums, cedar, |
| suggested that they should eat lamb chops with | | | | spices and hints of mushrooms and rotting |
| mashed potatoes and peas for dinner every day | | | | undergrowth. If you enjoy Pinot noir you probably |
| they would be appalled. But almost every bottle of | | | | find Nebbiolo to your taste. Finding a good Nebbiolo is |
| wine they open is Shiraz, Cabernet sauvignon or a | | | | like the search for the Holy Grail, difficult but worth |
| blend of one of these varieties."But doesn't taste like | | | | the journey. The foods to pair with Nebbiolo wines |
| Shiraz," they say after I give them a glass of wine | | | | are hearty winter stews, game and mushroom based |
| made from an uncommon winegrape variety.Exactly, | | | | dishes. Strong and ripe cheeses such as Gorgonzola |
| that's the point. The thing that makes wine such an | | | | also demand a wine with the sort of complexity and |
| interesting thing, apart from being a wonderful drink, | | | | depth that Nebbiolo sometimes achieves.Barbera is |
| is the endless variation wrought by grape varieties, | | | | Nebbiolo's lightweight cousin, more approachable |
| wine styles, regions, vintages and winemakers | | | | when young and it does sometimes resemble a |
| skills.Australian winemakers are now using varieties | | | | lighter style Shiraz. Better examples will have well |
| like Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Nebbiolo, Barbera, and | | | | developed cherry flavours. Barbera's high acidity and |
| Petit verdot to make impressive red wines. However | | | | low tannin combine to produce lighter, fruity styles. |
| many wine consumers are still only vaguely aware | | | | Again match this variety with antipasto and tomato |
| that a wonderful new world of choice is opening up | | | | based Italian dishes.Tempranillo is the mainstay of the |
| for them.So what are some of the things to look for | | | | famous red wines of the Rioja region in Spain. It can |
| in these new varieties?The first thing to realise is that | | | | be enjoyed young and fruity when its flavour is |
| the main reason why the winemaker is using a | | | | reminiscent of strawberries, but with some age it will |
| different variety is to give the consumer a different | | | | improve. The colour is deep prefiguring flavours of |
| taste experience. The aroma, flavour, texture and | | | | blackberries, mulberries and cherries. The soft tannins |
| mouthfeel will all be different, so you need to expect | | | | and moderate acidity in many Tempranillo wines give |
| and enjoy the difference.The thing I like best about | | | | a lush texture for easy drinking, but you can match |
| Sangiovese is the finish. It leaves you with a slight | | | | them with ham, smoked meats and sausages, or |
| tomato and oregano hint in the aftertaste. So it's | | | | with roast lamb. You may like to try some with soft |
| obvious what foods you would match with | | | | ripe cheese such as Camembert.Petit verdot is rapidly |
| Sangiovese. Many Italian wines have obvious acidity | | | | becoming popular in Australia as a varietal wine, |
| and tannin, rather than upfront fruit like Australian | | | | surpassing its traditional role as a minor blending |
| Shiraz. Thus the sound advice "drink Sangiovese with | | | | variety with Cabernet sauvignon. Look for the violet |
| food". This applies to most Italian red wines. Some | | | | aromas in Petit verdot. The flavours are best |
| flavours to look for in Sangiovese wines include bitter | | | | described as spicy, with hints of aniseed or liquorice |
| cherries, all manner of herbs and that tomato | | | | added to the fruit, maybe even bring to mind your |
| aftertaste. The obvious food matches are pastas | | | | mother's favourite Christmas cake. Lighter wines |
| and pizzas, or perhaps with veal cutlets or Italian | | | | from the warmer wine regions can be enjoyed |
| sausages.Nebbiolo is a difficult variety in the vineyard, | | | | young but the richer more tannic wines need a few |
| in the winery, and for consumers to come to grips | | | | years in the bottle. Try them with barbecued meats |
| with. To overcome these hurdles the variety must | | | | or pastas with meat-based sauces.Don't get me |
| eventually produce good wine, and so it does. The | | | | wrong, I still like Shiraz, but I don't drink it every time |
| first thing you notice about Nebbiolo is its colour. | | | | I have a red. Life is much more interesting than that. |
| Even as young wine Nebbiolo is brownish. The nose | | | | |