SPECTATOR WINE CLUB
Distinguished rather than common
Auberon Waugh
Brown Brothers furnished me with my first glimpse of serious Australian wine, when I tasted their 1980 Milawa Chardon- nay in Battersea six years ago. Since then, I have never looked back. Punters may be surprised to find an all-Australian offer this time without a chardonnay. We had the brilliant Hungerford Hill Pokolbin Char- donnay last month from Corney & Barrow, and I have no sympathy with anyone who neglected to order it, but the real reason why there is no chardonnay (or sauvignon) this month is simple. While the standard Brown Brothers chardonnay from King Valley, Milawa, continues excellent, we decided that by the stern standards of value for money, the four slightly eccentric varietals we have chosen were even better.
First the Dry Muscat (I) which won the highest marks of all the wines in the offer. Every member of the panel raved about it, and on the strength of this tasting it was chosen as the standard white wine sold by the glass or bottle at Beak Street's Academy, where it has been served for seven months now to a rising chorus of praise. Those lucky enough to be members can go and taste it there. It is an extraordi- narily full and satisfying wine at £4.86, with a wonderful smell of honey and sweet, fresh melon and masses of delicious taste; others found ripe lemon in it, unless they were trying to write 'melon' and grew confused. It is a major discovery for which everyone will thank me. Next, the Late Picked Muscat (2) is more controversial. It is not quite sweet enough to pass as a pudding wine at £5.10. It is untouched by botrytis or fortification — in fact quite unalcoholic at 10.5° — but far too sweet to be anything but a sweet wine. The muscat taste is unmistakable — surely the crowning dessert grape of them all and, if one is honest, one will have to admit that like last month's peach beverage, it is a delightful experience, whether as an aperitif or as a tarts' tipple table wine. Light, sweet wines are not fashionable, but drink it chilled and defy anyone to say it is not good. The Victorian Semillon 1987 (3), clocking in at a hefty 13.5° by volume, is not cheap
at £6.20, but it is a rich wine with some of the dry syrupy taste that a Laville-Haut- Brion acquires after about 15 years. It is
obviously an expensive wine, and I think an unmistakably high-class one, although I brooded about its slightly scented quality for a minute or two before deciding it was distinguished rather than common. Next the Colombard 1987 (4) which reminds me of Dame Freya Stark's lauda-
tory description of some wine I had served here as being 'the purest essence of water'. The price of £5.54 may seem steep for the essence of water, but it is an impressively proper wine, very refreshing in hot weath- er (much more so than water) with nothing astringent or sour about it. Equally good as an aperitif or with meals.
Now for the reds. The Cabernet Sauvig- non (5) which includes about 15 per cent shiraz, as all Australian cabernet sauvig- non should, in my humble opinion — is a good, high-class Australian example, full of blackcurrant fruit and leaves, without too much bite, well-rounded and easy to drink now. I wish it could be cheaper than £5.75, but that is what good Australian cabernet sauvignon costs nowadays, and you continue to get three times the r ,,,- tration of the equivalent price from France.
Finally, the 1986 Cabernet Franc & Merlot (°) which weighs in at a hefty 13.5 as a thoroughly good example of the burned Oz taste — not too aggressive but strong tasting, rustic, robust. With its dark red colour and slightly hard finish, it might be worth keeping for a year or two, but we were drinking it cold and I have no doubt it will soften up with food. This one costs £5.49 delivered, for a sound bottle of good, strong wine.
The sample case, two of each, works out at £5.47 the bottle. It may be that with the spiralling cost of delivery, the Wine Club's main usefulness will prove to be a notch or two up-market of its previous position, but
I will try and find some exceptionally cheap wines before Christmas. These wines may not be as cheap as I would like, but I believe the quality represents good value.
Previous page
