Regional wine expert, Paul Phillips, names his top six vinos for the holiday period
CHRISTMAS time is the time to drink good
wine. Getting the right vino to match your
Christmas feast is like icing on the Christmas
cake.
Wine expert Paul Phillips, who runs
Shepparton’s Phillips Cellars and Regional
Wine Centre on Corio Street, has shared his
top picks for both red and white wines this
Christmas.
According to Paul, it’s easy to celebrate
winemakers throughout the local rich, grapegrowing
regions.
The reds Paul has named as his top picks
all pair well with red meat dishes such as rich
casseroles and steaks. When pairing wine with
red meat recipes, the wine should stand up to
the richness of the food. A good rule of thumb
is to pair red meat with red wine. The whites
will compliment any seafood or poultry dishes.
REDS
Maygars Hill 2018 Shiraz
$30, Strathbogie Ranges
From the winemaker: “2018 was a season
that rained hard in the beginning and then
stopped. Occasional showers saved the day
enabling a tiny crop of deliciously small
berries.
“We fermented some of the bunches of
berries to add to the complexity. It yielded a
wine with dark chocolate earthy varietal fruit
characteristics. It was then carefully matched
with French oak where it matured for 14
months. This is a complex wine with a good
balance and long finish on the palate.”
Wine by Sam 2018 Heathcote
Shiraz – The Victorian
$22, Heathcote wine region
From the winemaker: “It has a deep red
colour, and is quite aromatic with blackcurrant
and sweet spice aromatics. There is also a
chocolatey note – this is partly from oak
maturation, but also a regional characteristic
associated with good Heathcote fruit. The
tannins have a lovely ripe plushness to them,
and the wine feels rich and full bodied.”
Bogie Panther 2019 Pinot Noir
$25, Strathbogie Ranges
Cool climate, single vineyard, hand-picked,
partial whole bunch ferment. Basket pressed
after 14 days. Oak maturation for 10 months
prior to bottling. Unfiltered and un-fined.
WHITES
Antcliffs Chase 2020 Riesling
$25, Strathbogie Ranges
Antcliff’s flagship wine, and winner of the
2020 Dookie Wine Show’s Wine of the Show:
Pretty and perfumed, showing lifted orange/
citrus aromas with delicate power. On the
palate there is mouth-watering limey/fresh
apple flavours, coupled with taut acidity, and
fabulous length. A European-styled Riesling
that is produced off-dry that always has great
ageing potential.
Longleat Murchison Cuvee Brut
$19, Nagambie Lakes
This Australian classic style is a blend of
three select parcels of Chardonnay wines to
provide a balance of delicate fruits and yeasty
notes with a firm acid backbone. The fruit
flavours reflect white stone fruits and citrus.
The Brut style is fresh and crisp with just a hint
of sweetness. Enjoy chilled on any occasion.
Allira 2019 Sauvignon Blanc
$15, Strathbogie Ranges
A single vineyard wine that features lifted
aromas of passionfruit, pears, guava and
citrus fruits with a hint of herbaceousness. The
same flavours are evident on a refreshingly
zesty palate. Crisp, clean and very drinkable.
Estate grown and made high in the hills
