Scotch College

Personality Wines

"Exciting, tasty and informative." So ran the flyer for the Wine and Food Society's Big Winter Reds night in the Boykett Room on 12 August.

Cathcart Ridge Estate's winemaker, David Farnhill ('67) and his assistant, Anne Brennan, presented seven red wines of different vintages and all fairly substantial in nature.

Not one to blind his audience with oenological science, David described each wine in a very down-to-earth fashion and responded to questions in much the same way, indicating that he had no wish to hide behind the myths of winemaking or the legends of wine writers.

The evening started with the 1998 Rhymney Reef Merlot, produced from Goulburn Valley grapes. It is a bright ruby red wine with herbaceous character which could cellar for a long time. This was followed by a wine of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Mornington Peninsula, also bearing the Rhymney Reef label. Both of these wines bore the fruit-driven Merlot characteristic and were very pleasant indeed.

David went on to explain the extent of trading in the industry, indicating the degree to which good blending skills are essential in an industry where red material is hard to obtain.

The third and fourth wines presented were Cathcart Ridge estate-grown wines. The 1995 Cabernet was a soft and gentle red with a minty palate although, not being a fan of Cabernet,

I found the "cattle pavilion" nose a little overpowering. The 1995 Merlot, on the other hand, was magnificent. It has a superb colour with a spicy nose and a dry finish. No wonder it is considered a classic of the region.

The 1994 vintage won the World Wine Championship in Chicago.

Questions were asked about "breathing" and David's audience was somewhat surprised to learn that he believes red wines are at their peak two or three days after opening!

The fifth offering was a 1994 Rhymney Reef Shiraz/Cabernet which would complement a veal, chicken or pasta meal. The label indicates cellaring until 2006 but I would be inclined not to leave it quite that long. The last listed wine was the 1994 Shiraz, some of which contributed to the previous blend. To my mind, it was the wine of the evening: a big, peppery red, grown entirely from Grampians fruit, which should cellar well for another ten years.

David closed the evening with a taste of a 1998 unfiltered Shiraz, giving a hint of what might turn out to be a really fine wine.

Questions came from the floor on a host of topics ranging from artificial "corks" to some of the myths perpetuated by so-called wine experts. David presented his responses as he did his wines - in a forthright way and with passion. It was a lively night!

David Thomson