Let me start this week’s reviewing by stating how excited I am by the 2021 white wines from the Yass Valley region that are starting to get up & about. Judging by my early foray into the 2021 whites so far, there are plenty of gems to quench our white wine thirst.
Sixty Second Swirl by Brent Lello
Clonakilla needs little introduction. It’s the oldest winery in the Yass Valley region and knocks up a half-century this year, having been established way back in 1971.
Their wines are always first class, and their quality is highly regarded and widely recognised both nationally and globally. The subject of this week’s ‘swirl’ – the Clonakilla Viognier ‘Nouveau’ 2021 – is a great example of their craft and commitment to quality wine.
This jazzy white is pale straw in colour. After a swirl, aromas bounce around of freshly cut apricot, ripe peach, and a hint of tropical guava. On the palate, the wine is lively and vibrant with a lovely tang of soft acid and an uplifting finish.
We enjoyed our bottle with tomato, basil and garlic bruschetta (pictured) with shaved sheep and goats cheese sourced from Yass’s “Thyme to Taste”.
The tang and vibrancy of the wine was a great match for the freshness of the dish and the umami grip of the cheese. I sourced my bottle from “Thyme to Taste” too but you can buy it for $25 online and for a limited time Clonakilla is offering free shipping Australia-wide.
At Clonakilla, we understand that our task as winemakers is simple: capture what is good and true in the landscape and bottle it for people to enjoy. It is a task we take seriously.
We work to craft beautiful, evocative wines from the ancient granitic soils of the hills around Murrumbateman and the red volcanic soils in the Hilltops region around Young.
We celebrate the continental climate of inland New South Wales and delight in the warm days and cool nights. Our cool evenings in particular are a powerful quality driver that frame the development of our fruit flavours with elegance, freshness and purity.
We pride ourselves on our crisp, fresh, aromatic whites and perfumed, spice-laden, medium-bodied reds.
All our wines are available from our online shop and for a limited time we are offering free shipping Australia-wide.
