Fretting over the cost of dry firewood? I concur. However these three wines will warm your cockles and shiver your timbers and won’t overheat your wallet…
Riverby Estate Marlborough Grüner Veltliner 2014 $23
You should SO make it your mission to sip Grüner Veltliner (grooner-velt-leener) this season. Aromas of white flowers, almonds, crushed seashells and lemon lead the way to white flesh peach, soft citrus and tantalisingly textural layers on the finish. Grüner is native to Austria, it’s their signature white wine – their sauvignon blanc if you will.
Sip with spice roasted cauliflower
Kirrihill Clare Valley Shiraz 2014 $16.50
Saturated with inky-dark garnet red, this Clare Valley shiraz oozes classic cocoa, prune, pepper and blackberry characters. Hearty, ribsticking and velvety-smooth, this is a plump, plush, buxom example that’ll have you rooting around in your freezer for home kill and the pantry for your crockpot.
Sip with sticky lamb shanks and polenta
Distributed by www.mthillary.com
Swan’s Flight Marlborough Semillon 2013 $18.50
Crafted by Georges Michel’s winemaker daughter Swan, this is a superb ‘cheese board’ wine for those late afternoon loungearounds. Toasted, smoky notes indicate a touch of barrel fermentation across freshly-baled hay, dried herbs and soft, lemony, limey flavours.
Sip with a chunk of sheeps milk pecorino or tangy goats cheese
