Austrian Red with Aussie Influence

2009 Mac Forbes Blaufränkisch,  Carnuntum  Austria

There are so many good value international wines out there at the moment.  It's great to try something new wherever it comes from, but shouldn’t we be supporting the locals?  How about meeting half way, a European wine from Austria but made by a talented Aussie..

Mac Forbes was born and raised in the Yarra Valley.  His wines are always fresh, pristine and mineral driven and there is a fine acidity across the range.  He has worked in Portugal, Burgundy, Italy, Austria and of course Australia where he was winemaker for Mount Mary. His mentors have been the late John Middleton from Mount Mary, Dirk Niepoort from Portugal, and what he has learned through Austrian producers with his overseas consultancy work. Mac’s wines definitely display a European edge, they are perhaps more light bodied than some, but no less intense.  He has been a leader in definining sub-regionality in Australia, letting the wines speak of their home, and has created a specialist range of pinot noirs to drive this idea forward.

Carnuntum lies south east of Vienna and Mac makes the wine every year over there. Blaufränkisch is a smart red variety indigenous to Austria. It is German for blue "Frankish" grapes, and is a dark-skinned variety, late-ripening, with the perfume of Pinot Noir but tannins that are more comparable to that of Cabernet Sauvignon. There is definitely some kick in the intensity department.

•  this punchy little number has brambly black fruits with dried herbs on the nose.
• the palate is medium bodied with cherry-pith acidity and a gamey/smokey edge.
• try it with BBQ lamb chops or some gruyere style cheese.

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For a bottle you are looking around $36 AUS.  To buy this wine online click here

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As head sommelier at ARIA in Circular Quay,  I see customers face-to-face on a daily basis.  There are plenty of experts writing wine reviews, but I think I can offer something unique.  Not only do I have knowledge of wines, but I'm lucky enough to be able to get feedback from customers about what they're into and what trends and styles are striking a chord with the wine drinking public. It’s a great challenge to create wine lists that are accessible and give customers what they want, but at the same time to also take people on a journey, where they are taken in by a moment, or transported to a different place.

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