SCENIC RIM DISTILLED A guide for thirsty travellers s c e n i c r i m SCENIC RIM DISTILLED A guide for thirsty travellers Climate and geography dictate most behind at the higher extremes are agricultural pursuits. Both are hard some platinum standard cabernet to fool. sauvignon, shiraz and petit verdot. Grape vines fail in wet and vigorous Verdelho is the region’s eternal love soils and prefer the rain shadow of child. Grown in any Queensland the Great Divide. vineyard it just expresses so well. Wherever it is found the verdelho Recently I have travelled around the grape makes excellent white wines visually-stunning Scenic Rim region, for everyday locavore drinking. tasting the wines, liqueurs, craft beers and coffee which are produced here. Of great significance for red drinkers was my discovery of mouth- It has been an enlightening enhancing, jaw dropping bottles experience and I have discovered a of shiraz, mourvedre and durif grown burgeoning industry emerging in this in the warmer Scenic Rim climes. fertile, volcanic region at the base of These are the bolder style of reds the Great Dividing Range. showing much similarity to the The Scenic Rim is a vast location earthy, plummy and gratifying red covering 4248 sq km and the change varietals of Bandol and Languedoc in climate and typography of the along the French Riviera. And one growing regions is referenced in the treasure was to find this style of aroma, taste and body of the local round, rich red offered exclusively to drinks. B&B tourists staying under the cliffs of the imposing Mount Barney in the As I visited the region’s many southern border area and grown on beverage producers I expected the same property. new experiences and was not disappointed. I was impressed to Craft brewing is expanding in the discover several gems to drink. Scenic Rim, and the beer quality and innovation continues to rise. High class chardonnay sold from Micro-lot beer is actually as Tamborine, grown on the Granite compelling an experience as Belt, is among some of the best premium varietal wine tasting. Beer in this country, and indeed rivals diversity: mid-strength, lager, IPA, premier cru Burgundy. Not far PAGE 2 | SCENIC RIM DISTILLED - A GUIDE FOR THIRSTY TRAVELLERS APA, other ales and stouts are made from the western Scenic Rim. Both with confounding ingenuity and styles are perfectly acceptable. intuitive composition. One Ipswich The Scenic Rim’s cellar doors brewer uses Kalbar carrots to create revealed sommeliers, staff and a unique, earthy Belgium-style saison. winemakers who are all passionate Also compelling, is how small and highly-educated in their taste brewers have developed their presentations. Take your time combined fermentation and café exploring this diverse region. Sip product with a visitor-led focus. an artisan local beer, liqueur, spirit, Tamborine Mountain is home to both coffee, or wine, in many charming a coffee plantation and a distillery- places set within the stunning liqueur producer, who draws on landscape. the bounty of local, indigenous Peter Scudamore-Smith MW ingredients which flourish on this volcanic plateau. At 550m above Founder and director of Uncorked and Cultivated, Peter holds the prestigious Master sea level the mountain is one of of Wine award – recognised as the highest the lowest altitudes where coffee achievement in the global wine community trees will grow, but the proof is in – and is the second person in Australia to be awarded this honour. the drinking at this organic coffee plantation. The trees, with their oily leaves, obviously enjoy deep red volcanic, free-draining soils. Another distillery on a shiraz vineyard at Peak Crossing is capturing the growing interest in artisan spirit making. The Scenic Rim’s wine producers are selling wines with two personalities - warm and cool. Visitors will encounter wines with two speed textures; the fast and racy are light-medium bodied from the Granite Belt origin, while the obtuse and rounded are medium-full bodied A GUIDE FOR THIRSTY TRAVELLERS - SCENIC RIM DISTILLED | PAGE 3 A Guide for WINES thirsty travellers WINE STYLE CLIMATE BRAND SECOND NAMING YEAR RATING OUT PALATE TASTE DESCRIPTION FOOD PAIRING OF 100 STRENGTH Sparkling cool Sarabah Brut Reserve NV 90 * pinot, chardonnay, chenin, colombard, third disgorgement, fruity, flaky, crunchy hard cheese, for example Towri aromatic, very bubbly, biscuity yeast, dry style, sugar 10 g/l, 12.2% sheep pecorino Sparkling warm O’Reillys Lona Semillon 2014 87 * pale, lemon, vanillin, lanolin, wax, sweet limes, very tangy, sugar 35 creamy, dry style cheese, old cheddar, from g/l, light bodied, 11.7% Pure Artisan Cheese Sparkling Rose warm O’Reillys Lona Blush 2015 87 *** beautiful pale, strawberry pink, rose petal, nice aromatics, fruity, hummus, salsa, Elite Meat smoked meats, wild bright, light, drying to sweetness, sugar 15 g/L, 12.3% mushrooms Sauvignon or SSB or SBS cool Witches Falls Coinoculated 2016 90 ** very wild, lemon fruit, taut, interesting mouth texture, uncommon steamed mussels, cockles or Aratula freshwater Sauvignon Blanc style 12.9% crayfish tails, lemon jest dressing Sauvignon or SSB or SBS cool Witches Falls Wild ferment 2016 90 *** pale, wild yeast, taut palate, wild aroma, cinnamon style oak, seed smoked pink fish,lemon pepper or myrtle Sauvignon Blanc spices, 13.1% garnish, wasabi cream Sauvignon or SSB or SBS cool Mason Wines Semillon Sauvignon 2016 89 * equal blend, very green, cut grass, very lean, taut, racy, lots of acidity oven roasted king prawn, lemon pepper butter Blanc 12.5% Sauvignon or SSB or SBS warm Cedar Creek Semillon Sauvignon 2015 89 * cut grass and lemon fruit style, light body, fleck of smoke, taut, 12.1% warm marinated Rathlogan Grove Olive mix Blanc Sauvignon or SSB or SBS cool Mason Wines Sauvignon Blanc 2016 89 * first edition of straight sauvignon, cut grass, more tannin, more baked trout or white flesh fish, lime butter and dryness, more weight, no oak, has good extract, 13% Lime Caviar Company finger limes Sauvignon or SSB or SBS cool O’Reillys Semillon Sauvignon 2016 88 * pale, nectarine style, lean, racy, light bodied, good sauvignon calamari, baby squid or cuttle fish, crumbs, lime Blanc Platypus Play intensity, 80% semillon, 13% mayonnaise, chicory salad Colombard cool Sarabah 2008 88 *** pale gold, honey, brulee, aged white, rare to see this, palate honied, north or west african flavours, likes hot sauces, light bodied, rich flavours, sugar 30 g/L, 12.1% chili or native pepper Verdelho cool Witches Falls Cofermented 2016 92 ** very pale, green, lovely aromatic, passionfruit, slight oyster shell cold shellfish, crumbly cheese, Scenic Rim 4Real complexity, very pristine, fruit sweet, excellent 12.8% feta Verdelho cool Mt Tamborine 2016 92 ** very pale,lemon, lime, passionfruit, rich and fruit sweet, delicious, whole baked snapper, dill, labneh, Scenic Rim tingly palate, 13.0% Olives olive oil Verdelho cool Witches Falls Wild ferment 2016 90 **** lots of colour, funky, textural, pressings, long taste, lees, has flavour BBQ freshwater crayfish, cherry tomatoes and weight, 13% zucchini slice Verdelho warm Normanby 2016 90 * very pale green, nice tropical, light body, austere, riesling style whole bbq prawns, Beaudesert pumpkin, baby direction 12.0% squash Verdelho cool Heritage 2016 89 *** very pale, quite perfumed, great flavour yet restrained, melon, good shellfish pasta, egg noodles, spanner crab meat, Estate persistence, totally dry, good crunch, 12.5% sweet chilli Verdelho cool Mason Wines 2016 88 **** pale, full flavoured, extract, power, not rich, chunky, more mouth than steamed crab wontons, water chestnut, spring nose, tropical 14% onion Verdelho warm Cedar Creek 2016 87 *** pale colour,nose of honey dew verdelho fruit, medium-sweet palate, steamed mussels, Elite Meats chorizo, spiced medium bodied 12.4% tomato salsa Verdelho warm O’Reillys Vince - estate grown 2015 86 **** pale, honey style, pungent in fruit, full bodied, little lean, dry, very honey soy chicken drumsticks, coconut rice powerful style, 12.1% Vermentino warm The Overflow 2016 90 *** pale, passionfruit, estery yeast, green skin fruits, nectarine, has texture, beer battered red or spangled emperor, Estate 1895 unwooded 13% Tamborine Mountain salad greens, evoo, Lime Caviar Company finger lime dressing Chardonnay cool Mason Wines Cellar Collection 2015 95 *** very pale, citrus, complex oak, oyster shell, lees fun, stylish, nice and warm smoked trout fillet, apple salsa, balsamic, taut, length, oak under, acid long, textural, 13% dill mayonnaise PAGE 4 | SCENIC RIM DISTILLED - A GUIDE FOR THIRSTY TRAVELLERS PALATE STRENGTH DEFINITION: One * light, simple or delicate flavours; best for cocktails Two ** mild flavoured drink, lost with strong flavours Three *** modest drink, some intensity, pair carefully Four **** strong flavoured drink, medium body+, weighty food Five ***** full flavour, full body, often bitter, strongest foods WINE STYLE CLIMATE BRAND SECOND NAMING YEAR RATING OUT PALATE TASTE DESCRIPTION FOOD PAIRING OF 100 STRENGTH Sparkling cool Sarabah Brut Reserve NV 90 * pinot, chardonnay, chenin, colombard, third disgorgement, fruity, flaky, crunchy hard cheese, for example Towri aromatic, very bubbly, biscuity yeast, dry style, sugar 10 g/l, 12.2% sheep pecorino Sparkling warm O’Reillys Lona Semillon 2014 87 * pale, lemon, vanillin, lanolin, wax, sweet limes, very tangy, sugar 35 creamy, dry style cheese, old cheddar, from g/l, light bodied, 11.7% Pure Artisan Cheese Sparkling Rose warm O’Reillys Lona Blush 2015 87 ***