Grape to Glass – The Majestic Wine Blog

The 2008 Young Wine Writer of the Year competition, run by the Circle of Wine Writers and sponsored by Wine Australia, Qantas and Anova Books, was won by Andy Lloyd, Manager of Majestic Covent Garden.

It started with a kiss. Not really, that’s another story, but I rather like it as an opening line. It really started with a trip into the Regents Canal but I’m not telling that story either, I have a Marketing Director to think about. I told it to the competition judges in the guise of a wine article and they liked it enough to make it the winner. Let’s just leave it at that.

So I was off to Australia. Two-weeks, expenses paid, touring vineyards. I tagged on a week of holiday for good measure and suddenly April was shaping up very nicely, thank you very much.

My itinerary was based on the length and breadth of the industry, a mix of boutique, middle-sized and monstrously large wineries. Or as I put it, “Just show me everything!”

Ten years after backpacking, I was back in Oz. I discovered back then that south-west Australia was a very beautiful place indeed and that the town of Margaret River was central to that. It had barely changed at all, still bustling to an eclectic mix of wineries, surfboards and coffee-shops. It still felt like home.

Suddenly I was touring the wineries, a Special Guest, no less. What a life! Tasting, drinking and long lunches sat on sunny balconies overlooking swathes of vines. I’m not used to such high living.

Pleasant cool breezes drifted in which are the key to this region. Their coolness helps the grapes strike a superb balance. Wines here have a far more delicate touch than you often expect from Australia. After two days it was off to Adelaide, which is either a big town or a small city, depending on your outlook on life. However it is indisputably surrounded by wine regions.

The Barossa Valley is arguably the most famous, the heartland of full bodied Australian Shiraz. The wines are packed with fruit and richness and are incredibly smooth. The oldest vines in Australia are planted here, which gives even greater intensity to some of the wines. Further up in the Eden Valley aromatic Viognier finds a home.

But strike out in another direction, and it’s a completely different story. The Adelaide Hills are cool and often cloudy, or frankly, grey and chilly on the day I visited. These lighter conditions make for far more refined and elegant wines, especially with Chardonnay, and more gently weighted, pepper-pot styles of Shiraz.

The picturesque McLaren Vale is different once more. Diversity reigns supreme in this colourful part of the world. Shiraz and Cabernet are joined by many Rhône varietals, Grenache, Mouvedre, Marsanne and Rousanne, and then Italian Sangiovese and Spanish Tempranillo too. A European cocktail of grapes given an Australian twist.

For Easter I drove along the Great Ocean Road to Melbourne. What a road it is too. Sweeping along as the ocean pounds in, along beaches, over cliffs and round the headlands. Stunning.

But then straight back to work, in the very loosest sense of the word. I struck up toward Rutherglen, buried deep in the warm interior. Rustic and charming little town, it is known for its glorious, luscious, sweet wines but they still surprised me even here. I found Zinfandel, Fiano and Portuguese reds all ticking over very nicely.

Back on the coast the Yarra Valley was my final port of call. I found it one of the most dynamic areas of all, with producers serious about making great wine, especially from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The best wines were very fine indeed, restrained, subtle and elegant. It seemed a suitably fitting place to finish.

As I sat on the plane home I considered everything I had seen. The simple truth is that I felt utterly re-engaged with Australian wine. New Zealand and Chile have such momentum in the UK market that it is easy to pass over the Australians.

Variety, depth and quality is key. But the underpinning strength, the core asset that holds everything together, and that lends enormous promise to the future of Australian wine, is the sheer quality of the people. Energised, creative and passionate, not to mention competitive. They showed magnificently.

I smiled to myself as the memories flitted past. An airhostess caught my smile and returned it suggestively. Not really, of course, but I like it as a finishing line.

Manager’s Picks – Andy Lloyd, Covent Garden

Vasse Felix Cabernet Merlot 2006,Margaret River
(£9.99*)

Virginia Wilcocks at Vasse Felix was one of the most inspiring winemakers of all. This wine is full of fresh blackcurrants, spice and a touch of vanilla, all on a restrained, balanced body. I love it.

Shaw and Smith M3 Chardonnay 2007, Adelaide Hills
(£18.99 or £17.99 when you buy 2 bottles*)

This family owned business pioneered winemaking in the Adelaide Hills. This is their benchmark, their bread and butter, and always impresses. A Chardonnay of the most elegant and restrained style.

Yering Station Pinot Noir 2005, Yarra Valley
(£10.99 or £9.99 when you buy 2 bottles*)

Always a favourite. Black cherry and plum flavours with a silky, intense mouthfeel. Absolutely delicious.

Green Point Vintage 2004/05, Australia
(£18.65 or £13.99 when you buy 2 bottles*)

One of the original, and best, New World sparklers on the market. Citrus, melon and apple match up with classic vintage sparkling notes of toast and nuttiness. The finish is quite superb. Interesting, complex and great value.

*All prices valid until 29th October 2009