Intrepid adventurer he’s not, but David Pike says a weekend in the bush needn’t preclude a few creature comforts.THE life of a wine writer takes many twists and turns.
Intrepid adventurer he’s not, but David Pike says a weekend in the bush needn’t preclude a few creature comforts.
THE life of a wine writer takes many twists and turns. During the Australia Day weekend just gone, for example, I found myself camping in a tranquil setting among the karri trees of our spectacular South West at Chapman Brook, 20 minutes or so south of Margaret River.
Not that camping is my number one recreational choice, mind you. Rather, I ventured forth into the wilderness after six hours of badgering by a friend who, having recently started a month-long holiday, was eager to try out his new tent and various other camping toys.
Now, I’m a creature of leisure, about that there can be no doubt. But I was a little unsure of how I would perform without my home comforts. The last time I had pitched a tent was about a decade ago, and even then it was more out of financial necessity that desire (no money, southern French coast).
To put it bluntly, I had serious reservations, and they weren’t tent site reservations. No. My concerns centred primarily around my daily glass or two of wine. What should I take? Which wines would match the gourmet delights we had packed away in the esky? How was I going to keep the white wine cold and stop the reds getting ambushed by the heat of the sun?
I made my wine choices carefully and decided to rely on the natural surroundings to regulate the temperature of my selection of whites, reds, dessert wines – and a bottle of Muscat for good measure. As I arrived at the campsite I set about my task of storing the small collection of wines that were to help us enjoy our time in the bush. I could have used the conventional method for keeping the whites cold and packed them in ice, but decided on the bush tucker method instead.
There was a river adjacent to our campsite, I sealed the wine in a black plastic bag and weighed it down with a small rock. I then tied the stash with a rope to an overhanging branch and dropped the bag in the river. During the course of our stay this method proved flawless, providing wine of a perfect drinking temperature at 7pm each evening, just when we were ready for our first glass.
As for the reds … well, I was going to dig a hole and cover it with branches (yet another bushman’s trick) but instead settled on a more modern method – I dropped our reds off at a winery down the road and asked them to baby sit the bottles for me.
We may not have had a solar-heated shower and we forgot to bring tongs for the barbecue, but we had a fine selection of wine to drink. Sitting on a log chair drinking from Riedel glassware may sound a little pretentious –you’re right, it is – but camping doesn’t mean you have to go without.
Many of the tasting notes for the wine we enjoyed during our stay are recorded below.
Browns of Padthaway 1998 Family Reserve Shiraz (limited release) 18.5/20 rating rrp $25
This wine was immediately seductive, opened as we carved into a scotch fillet with a spiced sweet potato mash. The nose showed some spicy oak characters with a per-fumed pepper and ripe black-berry hint. Once on the palate you find soft supple fruit that is plentiful right through the wine, with integrated oak and acidity with silky tannins. There was a Rhone-like character that attracted me to this wine, which is well worth seeking out.
Brown Brothers Liqueur Muscat 18/20 points rrp $26.99
The only shame about this number from Brown Brothers was that we only got to drink half the bottle. With tempting aromas of Christmas cake and molasses, the palate will have you desperately seeking more. Rich complex sweet fruit will ensure you grab another taste.
La Lalla Rookh Grenache Shiraz 1995 17.75/20 points rrp current release $24.99
I believe this was the first release of this wine. It’s ripe and ready if you have some in your cellar. Funky nose, old saddle leather, prunes and spice, slight coconut, musty, The palate is still showing some sweet spicy fruit, prunes and savoury brambles/plum characters.
Still showing some spicy acidity and length of flavour, displaying pedigree as the first wine released under this label.
This wine opened up as the night progressed and would have benefited from decanting.
Vasse Felix Noble Riesling 2000 17/20points rrp $17.99
Another camping treat, lifted from its cooling cocoon in the Blackwood.
We enjoyed this with some lemon merangue pie. There are attractive floral aromas with touches of cumquat.
The palate displays plenty of lively acidity with citrus characters and finishes with very good length.
Chapel Hill Unwooded Chardonnay 2001 rating 17.75/20 points rrp $18.99
This wine blew me away with its distinctive varietal characters. It is not often I would admit to enjoying an Australian unwooded chardonnay, but here is a ripper.
Aromas of citrus and white peaches, the palate has masses of flavour and structure with a balance of very good acidity and fruit weight. An absolute cracker right through to the end.
The only downside was that we didn’t have another bottle.
THE life of a wine writer takes many twists and turns. During the Australia Day weekend just gone, for example, I found myself camping in a tranquil setting among the karri trees of our spectacular South West at Chapman Brook, 20 minutes or so south of Margaret River.
Not that camping is my number one recreational choice, mind you. Rather, I ventured forth into the wilderness after six hours of badgering by a friend who, having recently started a month-long holiday, was eager to try out his new tent and various other camping toys.
Now, I’m a creature of leisure, about that there can be no doubt. But I was a little unsure of how I would perform without my home comforts. The last time I had pitched a tent was about a decade ago, and even then it was more out of financial necessity that desire (no money, southern French coast).
To put it bluntly, I had serious reservations, and they weren’t tent site reservations. No. My concerns centred primarily around my daily glass or two of wine. What should I take? Which wines would match the gourmet delights we had packed away in the esky? How was I going to keep the white wine cold and stop the reds getting ambushed by the heat of the sun?
I made my wine choices carefully and decided to rely on the natural surroundings to regulate the temperature of my selection of whites, reds, dessert wines – and a bottle of Muscat for good measure. As I arrived at the campsite I set about my task of storing the small collection of wines that were to help us enjoy our time in the bush. I could have used the conventional method for keeping the whites cold and packed them in ice, but decided on the bush tucker method instead.
There was a river adjacent to our campsite, I sealed the wine in a black plastic bag and weighed it down with a small rock. I then tied the stash with a rope to an overhanging branch and dropped the bag in the river. During the course of our stay this method proved flawless, providing wine of a perfect drinking temperature at 7pm each evening, just when we were ready for our first glass.
As for the reds … well, I was going to dig a hole and cover it with branches (yet another bushman’s trick) but instead settled on a more modern method – I dropped our reds off at a winery down the road and asked them to baby sit the bottles for me.
We may not have had a solar-heated shower and we forgot to bring tongs for the barbecue, but we had a fine selection of wine to drink. Sitting on a log chair drinking from Riedel glassware may sound a little pretentious –you’re right, it is – but camping doesn’t mean you have to go without.
Many of the tasting notes for the wine we enjoyed during our stay are recorded below.
Browns of Padthaway 1998 Family Reserve Shiraz (limited release) 18.5/20 rating rrp $25
This wine was immediately seductive, opened as we carved into a scotch fillet with a spiced sweet potato mash. The nose showed some spicy oak characters with a per-fumed pepper and ripe black-berry hint. Once on the palate you find soft supple fruit that is plentiful right through the wine, with integrated oak and acidity with silky tannins. There was a Rhone-like character that attracted me to this wine, which is well worth seeking out.
Brown Brothers Liqueur Muscat 18/20 points rrp $26.99
The only shame about this number from Brown Brothers was that we only got to drink half the bottle. With tempting aromas of Christmas cake and molasses, the palate will have you desperately seeking more. Rich complex sweet fruit will ensure you grab another taste.
La Lalla Rookh Grenache Shiraz 1995 17.75/20 points rrp current release $24.99
I believe this was the first release of this wine. It’s ripe and ready if you have some in your cellar. Funky nose, old saddle leather, prunes and spice, slight coconut, musty, The palate is still showing some sweet spicy fruit, prunes and savoury brambles/plum characters.
Still showing some spicy acidity and length of flavour, displaying pedigree as the first wine released under this label.
This wine opened up as the night progressed and would have benefited from decanting.
Vasse Felix Noble Riesling 2000 17/20points rrp $17.99
Another camping treat, lifted from its cooling cocoon in the Blackwood.
We enjoyed this with some lemon merangue pie. There are attractive floral aromas with touches of cumquat.
The palate displays plenty of lively acidity with citrus characters and finishes with very good length.
Chapel Hill Unwooded Chardonnay 2001 rating 17.75/20 points rrp $18.99
This wine blew me away with its distinctive varietal characters. It is not often I would admit to enjoying an Australian unwooded chardonnay, but here is a ripper.
Aromas of citrus and white peaches, the palate has masses of flavour and structure with a balance of very good acidity and fruit weight. An absolute cracker right through to the end.
The only downside was that we didn’t have another bottle.