Wine, food, friends and love…
In the past, the Bendigo wine region had a reputation for producing big bold styles of red wine and not producing white wines at all. Well good readers, I am here to tell you that this is not the case.
Although big and bold wines can be produced, and still are by some, it is not a style that we want to make here at Killiecrankie Wines.
Big, bold reds
Producing a big bold red in this region generally means a decision has been made to leave the grapes on the vines longer, thereby producing a wine of higher alcohol and jammy/stewed-type flavours. This style of wine was sought after and fashionable in days gone by, and maybe still favoured by some but those wines don’t match food very well.
As for the region’s white wines, like the reds, the trend now is to pick them earlier and produce a medium-bodied style with subtle complexity, gentle tannins and maybe a touch of oak.
Yes, the region does produce some wonderful whites with the newish variety of Viognier, a shining example.
Recently, Bendigo and surrounding regions earned the title of UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Which in our mind reinforces the importance of producing food-friendly style wines.
Wine and food are all about balance
We have all seen the cooking shows on television where the constant comments from the judges always refer back to balance. A balance of sweet, sour, salty, bitterness and umami. Wine is the same, a balance is sought between fruit flavours, oak, tannins, alcohol, acid and sweetness.
Wine has always been a wonderful partner with food and should be produced with that in mind. A big bold Shiraz is limited to what food it can be matched to, as the wine will dominate over most foods.
Currently on tasting at our cellar door is our 2017 Killiecrankie Shiraz. It is a wine with flavours of red berry, plums and spiciness, a medium body and a slight oak smokiness. Matching with a variety of foods, not too heavy for a charcuterie platter and wonderful with duck – yes I said duck – Pinot Noir can’t have that match all to itself!
Just as wine and food are a perfect match, add friends and love and you are on top of the world. Sharing wonderfully matched wine and food with friends is a joy, one of life’s great simple pleasures. Which will lead to a wonderful afternoon or evening of conversation, frivolity and at the end great memories are created.
Wine and love?
I mentioned love, because there is a lot that goes into the making of wine and food that is purchased from a family run winery or restaurant/café. Small wine and food businesses are owned and operated by people with a passion for their product. Whether it is the vigneron who works the vineyard all year then during vintage is harvesting, processing, fermenting, pressing and finally filling barrels for maturation. To the restauranteur who sources the ingredients from as local producers, maybe grows some food themselves, creates the menu, creates the right atmosphere, starts early, finishes late and much more. The common theme is they all have a passion and love for their industry. Why would they do the hours and hard work if they didn’t love what they do? Lunacy you say? Well maybe a little.
So remember wine, food, friends and love.
Share with your friends the wine and food that has been made by the local family producers. Taste the love, because there is definitely no love to be found in the offerings from franchises or corporations.
Cheers, John
