Welcome to my first {Crash Test Wine} series!
I’m a woman, according to my Facebook insights it’s pretty likely that you’re a woman, so I thought over the next six weeks I’d crash test some wines made by women. Hey, why not?!?
Sarah Fletcher, winemaker for Alta
First up is Sarah Fletcher, maker of Alta wines from the Adelaide Hills. I met Sarah recently at a Spring Soiree Cocktail party held at MIFA (Melbourne International Fine Art) Gallery in Melbourne where she was invited to talk about her wines. Also a mother, she was excited to exchange her Blundstones for heels, attend a swanky event and wake up on her own time in a lovely hotel room. Wouldn’t we all!
It was a fantastic event showcasing Alta wines, Sisko chocolates and e.g.etal contemporary jewellery as well as gorgeous spring racing millinery and accessories. I’m really bad at remembering to take photos, but here’s one of the chocolate butterfly wall which we were able to break off and eat!
Wall of chocolate butterflies - yum!
Luckily Melbourne Weekly was there taking photos, so I’ve posted their gallery of photos from the event to my Facebook page for you to check out.
Sarah makes a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio, and a Sauvignon Blanc – all perfect wines for the Spring/Summer season. They are clean, crisp and dry with no residual sugar (bonus!). Any of the three would be right at home at a picnic, a barbeque or at an event like the races. For this tasting I’m focusing on the Rosé.
2011 Alta ‘For Elsie’ Pinot Noir Rosé
2011 Alta 'For Elsie' Pinot Noir Rosé
Sarah named this Rosé for her daughter Elsie. If you’ve had Rosé before you’ll know it’s the pink stuff. The wine gets its colour from the dark skins of the Pinot Noir grape.
Whilst it smells a little like a Strawberries & Cream Chuppa Chup, there is little sweetness in the taste. Just like strawberries can be a bit acidic, this wine has a nice edge to it. I enjoyed it more when drinking it with a meal, than just on its own. You could drink this versatile little wine any night of the week and it stands up to most food pairings, even the seafood pizza I threw at it.
My photography doesn’t really do the lovely light strawberry colour justice!
Would I recommend it?
Well, of the three Alta wines offered to guest at the Spring Soiree, the Rosé was the only one they ran out of due to everyone loving it so much! At around $20 retail it definitely has a place in my picnic hamper this summer.
Where can I get it?
You won’t find this wine in the big supermarket chain liquor stores. Try you favourite independently owned wine store, or even some IGA supermarkets. Unfortunately Alta wines are not yet available in NZ (which means the Kiwis will miss out on this particular giveaway, but don’t worry I will be featuring an NZ winemaker soon!)
How will I remember the name?
Here’s a few tips for remembering the name of this wine:
- Start humming Beethoven’s Fur Elise!
- ‘A’ is for Alta and Adelaide Hills
- It is a wine made by a woman
That should be enough of a tip for the wine store staff to find the wine for you!
Giveaway
I have a 3-pack of Sarah’s wines to give away to a lucky reader:
- 2011 Alta ‘For Elsie’ Pinot Noir Rosé
- 2011 Alta Sauvignon Blanc
- 2009 Alta Pinot Grigio
To enter:
- You must be 18 years or older to enter
- To qualify you need to be following Crash Test Mummy via RSS or Email or on the Facebook page.
- Ask me a question about wine in the comments below.
Don’t be shy about asking a question. It could be about Rosé or anything to do with wine. Let’s get a bit of a discussion going where we can learn something. Even me! If I don’t reply straight away it’s because I’m having to ask CrashHubby the answer ;)
I’m using Rafflecopter (scroll down) so once you’ve followed me and commented, make sure you click “I did this” next to each. There are also options for extra entries. Entries close at 3pm on Thursday 20th of October.
Meet me back here on Friday 21st of October for and I’ll announce the winner before moving on to the next wine in the series.
Disclosure: I received a bottle of wine for this tasting from Mezzanine Wine, the distributor for Alta. Mezzanine are also providing the 3-pack for the giveaway.
Laney
How chilled do you server your Rose?
or even serve it :)
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Definitely make sure it’s ‘fridge’ temperature. If you’re taking it out and about and it has warmed up a bit, I would just pop an ice cube in your glass. The wine is robust enough not to taste watered down.
What is the best type of wine to drink with a hot pie dessert?
I guess it depends on what is in your pie, I’m assuming fruit of some sort? Definitely not red wine ok? I’d take my cue from the type of fruit. Orchard fruits match better with wines like chardonnay and viognier. But you might want a slightly sweeter wine, but not too sweet. There are some lovely Moscatos about that might be the right pair for you pie!
OK this rafflecopter thing was way more challenging than I am used to especially on a friday LOL – i could not figure out the tweet thing, but did the others.
My question – I am making a Spanish casserole (that has Sherry, potatoes, olives, beef etc) tonight for my anniversary – do you think this would go with it? if yes I will see if I can get it nearby!
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If the casserole is quite rich, the Rosé might work. It is quite lean with a bit of an edge, so it can definitely handle food. It could be quite refreshing in your weather too, rather than trying to match with a rich Rioja. Hope you can find it! I’ve not been able to figure out the tweet URL when I’ve entered other giveaways using the iPad. Will look into it.
Is it really such a faux pas to add ice to white wine, or chill red wine? I mean, really….I love me some (lots) wine, but I like it cold. #1 Hubby is mortified when I do this, so I admit that part of the attraction is in annoying him – but I prefer it cold. Am I taking away from the flavour or anything technical like that?
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Ideally no. But sometimes your wine is warm and what’s a girl to do? I think it really depends on the wine. This Rosé is fine with a cube or two because it is so punchy and doesn’t taste too watered down. Preferably you’d chill it down in the fridge ;) As with red wine, I wouldn’t recommend drinking it chilled. When wine is allowed to sit at room temp for a while, it ‘opens up’ and you get much fuller aromas and flavours ie the ‘character’ of the wine is more on show. Chilling it down will mean losing some of this. In saying that there is an aperitif made in France called Pineau. It is a red or white wine fortified with Cognac. It is best served chilled, maybe it’s the drop for you! I’ve tried it when we were in Bordeaux and it is lovely and refreshing.
This is the coolest idea, Lane – bravo you!
For the longest time, I’ve been an ‘ABC’ (Anything But Chardonnay) drinker, preferring riesling and sauvignon blanc to chardonnay. That’s because I have bad memories of those huge, over-oaked chardies in the 1990s. I’d love to know if that trend of over-oaking has passed and whether I should try it again. If so, can you recommend a good one?
J x
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Here’s one from your neck of the woods! Try 42 degrees South from Frogmore Creek, they have a grange of cool climate Chardonays which are lighter in their use of oak. They even have a lovely unoaked Chardonay. Other regions with similar lightly oaked Chardonnays are the Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Valley. Good luck!
Woops – I just made a boo-boo. I don’t subscribe by email but by RSS only. Sorry about that! J x
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Can you give me an easy tip for pairing a wine with meals?
I drink Moscato with everything! I am a wine bogan like that! I would love to get a bit more adventurous with my wine selection, but I am to scared to waste my money on a crappy tasting wine! I am showing my age here aren’t I?!
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Before I answer, let me remind everyone I am not an expert on wine! I guess the most basic food pairing tip would be white wine with white meats and red wine with red meats. Taking it a step further, Chardonnay is good with chicken, crisp dry whites like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio are nice with fish, a red juicy steak is a good paired with a red juicy wine like a shiraz, or for something softer go for a merlot. Duck is always great paired with a Pinot Noir.
Given that you drink Moscato I’m guess you find Sauvignon Blanc smells and tastes like cats pee?!?! In white wines a good next step might be to try a Reisling, but make sure it is a German, or made in the German style. There tends to be a little more residual sugar left in traditional Rieslings, whereas the modern versions made in Australia are often a lot leaner with a limey or more acidic finish. Then a nice step between that and a Sauvignon Blanc would be a Semillon or a Semillon Sauvignon Blanc. Definitely not sweet, but not as astringent as a straight SB. If you’re keen to try a red wine I would suggest a blend with Grenache in it. This is a softer and sweeter grape that makes for a nice juicy and slightly sweeter red. And there’s always a Merlot as a good stepping stone before you venture into Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Definitely give a Rosé a go, some are slightly sweeter than others. Right, I’ll shut up now ;)
I only just remembered to come back and check for your reply!
I do enjoy a Rosé from time to time. Thanks for the reccomendations, I will venture out tomorrow and see what I can find… now to think of the next question to ask you for this weeks giveaway!
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I want a wine that’s sweet but not dessert wine. Ideas?
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Give Amy’s favourite a go – a Moscato. Campbells and All Saints both make a nice juicy and slightly fizzy Moscato which is actually quite yummy. I don’t like really sweet wines, but I enjoyed these. Moscato is also a low-alcohol wine at around 5%.
I want a great wine not overly sweet but really nice to go with Trout
Is the trout smoked?
Is the wine gluten free? Most wines i have found are however i have been told there are some that do contain Gluten products.
Oops, sorry Leila, I missed your question earlier. All wines should be gluten free. Other than grapes the only other traces you might find are from the products used to fine (remove sediments from) the wine. Often this can be things like (believe it or not) eggs or fish guts! CrashHubby and I couldn’t think of anything that might contain gluten.
Frankly, I don’t know enough about wine to enter – but I’d really like to win some so I can think of some good questions.
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Caz, you don’t need to know anything about wine to enter! My aim with Crash Test Wine is to provide some non-pretentious plain speak info about wines in a friendly space, where there is no such thing as a stupid question. I’m having fun brushing up on my wine knowledge and hopefully we can all learn something along the way ;)
I like the Cape Mentelle Zinfandel, but it is very very very expensive. Please can you recommend some other Zinfandels.
There are not many other Zinfandels made in Australia. I definitely needed CrashHubby’s help with this one as the only Zinfandels I’ve tried was when I lived in California – and I certainly don’t remember the names! You could try Beringer from California, or hubby’s other suggestion was to look for wines made from the Primitivo grape in Italy (which is essentially the same grape as Zin). Two South Australian Zindfandels are Kangarilla Road and Nepenthe, both a bit cheaper than Cape Mentelle. Good luck!
What a great idea i love wines for all occasions Its my birthday soon my day of indulgence can you recomend a lighter in alcohol wine for a special birthday breakfast/brunch? My birthday is on a weekend by the way so a glass of wine in the morning isn’t too bad.
Moscato seems to be the answer to everyone’s questions this week! Moscato would be perfect for you brunch. It’s low alcohol (5% or so) and slightly bubbly. Or you could try a German style Riesling at around 8%. Have a great birthday!
What is the best way to keep leftover wine?
Sorry, I’m not sure I understand your question. Leftover wine? Just kidding! There is a great product called winesave which is an argon gas which you spray into the top of the bottle before putting the screwcap back on. The gas is heavier than air and forms a protective layer over the wine to stop it oxidising. The gas is also inert so you don’t have to worry about any smell or taste from it. Here’s the website http://winesave.com/
hahhahax! thanks for the tips=)
How do you feel about sparkling red wines?
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Sorry, Tenille, I missed your question! I love sparkling reds! Especially for Christmas breakfast or brunch. They are lovely and savoury but still light and refreshing.
I follow you on FB!
My question is this… Are there any red wines that are good with fish?
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It would be hard to match a red wine to a white fish fillet, but if you’re eating something like salmon or smoked trout a light and fruity Beaujolais might work nicely.
I am not a big drinker of wine, but…. do you have any hints of how not to get a headache the next day??
Only drink 1-2 glasses! Also drink water in between and lots before you go to bed.
My question is ‘How is this fair to post when I’m up the duff?’ LOL
Mmm, I love my white wines, we went through some of the vineyards in Malborough NZ quite some time ago…. LOVE LOVE LOVE Nautilus Estate!
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Sorry Carly, I know how hard it is! Then if you’re breastfeeding you have to be careful too! I only drink 1-2 glasses each week now, so I make sure it’s a good wine. Marlborough makes some outstanding wines, one of which I’ll be featuring later in the series.
Hi how long can you keep an open bottle of Rose in the fridge for?
Something like a Rosé can do two nights in the fridge and be OK. A Sauvignon Blanc with it’s sharper aroma and taste would not fare so well, one night max. You can also get a product called Winesave which helps extend the life of your opened wine. I’ve talked about it on another comment on this post with the link.
Love this idea of learning more about wine together – and you giving away some wine to help us learn is an even better idea! I haven’t been drinking much wine over the last few years while pregnant and then breastfeeding, so I am looking for a light, semi-sweet and CHEAP white or sparkling to stock up for summer. Something that I can open just to drink any night, for no particular reason.
Any suggestions?
I’ll ask CrashHubby, because I’m hopeless with prices. I rely on him so often don’t need to go out and buy a bottle – lucky me! Watch this space :)
This is so funny, everyone seems to have similar tastes so yet again I’m going to recommend a Moscato. It’s light and fresh, with a touch of sweetness and a bit of a fizz. It is also low alcohol so great any night of the week. The two Moscatos I recommended in a an earlier comment are Brown Brothers at around $12 and All Saints at around $16. Happy shopping!
It is sad I don’t know much about wines especially that I love drinking them. I want to enter the contest. I definitely want to try a wine made by a woman. It sounds like it suites my taste. What is the alcohol content For “For Elsie”?
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{Crash Test Wine} is all about learning a little more so we can continue enjoying wine! The alcohol percentage for the “For Elsie” Rosé is 12.5%. Good luck!
Is it right that it’s now OK to experiment with white wine and red meat and red wine and fish etc?
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Sure, you can experiment. At the end of the day it’s about personal taste. Lighter reds like Beaujolais can work with fish, but white wine is a bit of a challenge with red meat. You could drink Riesling with pork.
Well, I dont know much about wine. I am just wondering is champagne considered wine?
Sure is! Champagne is just a sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France. The main grapes used are chardonnay, pinot noir and sometimes pinot munier.
I am a red wine fan; I find whites too sweet or too dry (not that I havd tried many). What white wine would you recommend I try to change my mind about whites?
Sweet and Dry are the two opposite ends of the white wine spectrum so you’re making it hard to recommend something! You could try a more full bodied wine like a Chardonnay or a Viognier, if it is the ‘weight’ that you like about red wine. Give this Alta Rosé a go too you might be surprised.
I’m a sucker for rose wine and chocolate! But given my current situation (losing weight for my wedding) I’ve had to give the chocolate the boot! What is something I can have with a glass or 2 rose that’s not going to make my dress burst at the seams?
Hmm, a favourite snack of mine is sliced apple and slices of cheese. I think it would go nicely. Not too much cheese though ;)
Is Rose generally a sweeter wine than a Sav Blanc? I have never been a Rose gal, but it looks like such a yummy summer drop.
Rosé used to be made in a sweeter style, but not so the more modern versions. Funnily enough, because Sauvignon Blanc has become so popular, it is sometimes made a little sweeter to suit general tastes than it’s normal dry astringent style. Confused? The Alta Rosé is very dry ie not sweet.
I love the idea of a glass of wine with friends. As a non wine drinker, but wanting to try what would be the best wine to start with?
The answer de jour seems to be . . . . Moscato! Perfect for summer, light and refreshing, low alcohol and a touch of sweetness. A very friendly wine. Scroll through the comments for some of the labels I’ve recommended ;)
Im a facebook liker :) I am not very much of a wine drinker yet :) How do you know which glass to drink which wine out of? <3
oooh I love this giveaway! My whole family are wine lovers & it’s a huge topic of conversation ALL THE TIME. I’m going to love telling them about female winemakers for a change :) I didn’t know that Rose was made from Pinot Noir grapes. Are they the only grapes used to make Rose?
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Rosé can be made by pretty much any red grape: Shiraz, Merlot, Sangiovese, Grenache the list goes on ;) All grape juice is clear, it’s the skins from the red grapes that add the colour.
I love dry white but it tends to turn quite quickly if not drank how long is the shelf life generally and are you best just buying the year you are in?