Western Australia is the largest of Australia's eight administrative areas and territories. In 2020, it accounted for only 2% of the nation's wine production, but has already produced up to 20% of the country's fine wines. Covering the entire western third of the vast island-continent, "WA" (as it is commonly known) stretches 1,600 kilometres (1,000 miles) from east to west. This makes it the second largest administrative subdivision of any country in the world, larger than Alaska and Texas combined.
Western Australia's wine regions are clustered in the cooler, coastal Southwestern Part of the state. The northeastern two-thirds of Western Australia is too hot to support quality viticulture. The northwest corner is the hottest region in all of Australia, with summer temperatures exceeding even those of the country's famous semi-desert 'Red Centre'. In contrast, the Climate in southwest WA is relatively cool, tempered by the presence of the Indian Ocean to the west and the Antarctic Ocean to the south and east.
The vermentino grape variety was widespread in Italy, Sardinia and Corsica. Today, Vermentino is grown in the regions bordering the Mediterranean, mainly in Provence (Côtes de Provence, Bellet), Corsica (Corse Calvi), Languedoc (Côtes du Roussillon, Costières de Nîmes) and the Rhône Valley (Côtes du Luberon). Because it ripens late, Vermentino requires a warm climate for its development and can only be grown in regions with good sun exposure. Conversely, cold or temperate climates do not allow it to ripen properly. Vermentino is only susceptible to powdery mildew. When vinified on its own, Vermentino produces a single-variety dry white wine that is light and full-bodied with a pale yellow color. It can also be blended with other grape varieties such as Ugni Blanc, Cinsault and Grenache, in which case its low acidity makes it light and fresh. Vermentino belongs to the grape varieties of Ajaccio, Corsica and Corbières. The aromas released by this variety are multiple. One can detect notes of fresh apple, green almond, sweet spices, hawthorn, ripe pear and fresh pineapple.
white wines from the region of Australie de l'Ouest go well with generally quite well with dishes of pork, rich fish (salmon, tuna etc) or vegetarian such as recipes of stuffed peppers, mackerel fillets (quick bake) or magic cake cheese quiche.
On the nose in the region of Australie de l'Ouest often reveals types of flavors of grapefruit, jalapeno or stone and sometimes also flavors of cheese, earth or minerality. In the mouth in the region of Australie de l'Ouest is a powerful with a nice freshness.
A methuselah of Romanée-Conti 1976 from Burgundy’s vaunted Domaine de la Romanée-Conti was among the highlights in a two-day series of Sotheby’s wine and spirits auctions in Hong Kong last weekend. The six-litre bottle sold for HK$1.25m (US$159,350), against a pre-sale estimate range of HK$1m to HK$1.4m. In a separate spirits auction, a single bottle of Yamazaki 35 Year Old Japanese whisky fetched HK$1m (US$127,440). Rare white Burgundy was also in-demand during the weekend event. Top lot in a f ...
Tina Gellie, Content Manager and Regional Editor (Australia, South Africa, New Zealand & Canada) It was a big year of Decanter travel for me, heading to Napa and New York in June, South Africa in October and most recently a week each in Margaret River and South Australia. These trips have formed the basis of my festive selections. Christmas lunch on North Stradbroke Island (reunited with my family after four years, no thanks to Covid) always starts with oysters, followed by a bucket of prawn ...
Twenty-five producers joined forces to create a non-profit called Save the Family Farms, which lobbied the Napa County Board of Supervisors to create the new category. In March 2022, the board unanimously approved the ‘micro-winery’ ordinance, providing craft producers in the region with a vital lifeline – it will make it easier for them to bring their wines to market, while also permitting them to host tastings for the first time. The ordinance came into effect in May, and the region’s sm ...
