On Friday the 23rd of August, Brisbane’s own Shiraz Club was proud to host a very special lunch with Yalumba’s Louisa Rose at Bar Barossa. The eloquent and talented Rose won the International Wine & Spirit Competition’s Women in Wine award in 2004 and was named Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller Wine in 2008.  Despite all the accolades being thrown her way, Louisa remains humble and centered, pointing out that ”at Yalumba, we don’t make wine to win awards, we make it to be enjoyed.” And the wines that were served over a long lunch that day were certainly enjoyed by all in attendance.

The afternoon began with a glass or two of an extremely youthful and fresh 2002 Yalumba D Cuvée, a rare sentimental favourite of the winery. Following the bubbles it was on to some delicious Bar Barossa Plates and the first flight of three superb Shiraz based wines. Rose fielded questions on the wines, explaining that the fruit sourced to form the backbone of the 2006 Shiraz Viognier was chosen for its aromatic & floral intensity even before it was co-fermented with 5% Viognier. “The Viognier is included for added textural complexity as much as anything else.”

The next few wines were all part of Yalumba’s highly acclaimed Single Site series, crafted with the intention of exploring the different qualities that sub-regions within the Barossa can impart. Each wine spoke of its place with conviction whilst also pairing beautifully with chef JJ. Smith’s Whole Roasted Eye Fillet, Gruyere Rosti, Baby Vege’s & Shitake Cream. Louisa spoke with a passion that seemed not to have dimmed over 18 years with the family owned winery. A sense of palpable excitement pervaded her discussion of the task ahead; investigating Barossan terroir in more detail.

Finally, it was onto the famous Options game. Most of the audience guessed correctly that the unidentified wine in front of them was from the Barossa, but the wheat was separated from the chaff when it came to guessing whether the Shiraz was from the Valley floor or the elevated Eden region. Eventually it was revealed that we were tasting a rare Magnum of 1987 Henschke Hill of Grace. A very special treat indeed and a fitting end to a spectacular gathering. -Jeremy Pringle

On Wednesday night we held our 3rd annual Barossa in Boardshorts wine tasting, an event which brings the best of the Barossa to Brisbane. Another Paint the Town Purple success saw around 200 wine enthusiasts turn up, all eager to explore the diversity of the region through the small producers we aim to support.  For many it was chance to discover the superb wines of  Linfield Road, Domain Barossa, Balthazar, Russell wines, Moorooroo Park and other boutique producers from the region. Some people were even lucky enough to get a taste of a rare 2002 MDV Wines Eden Valley Riesling which was drinking beautifully and had many years ahead of it.

The night also marked our move to a special new tasting venue; The Strand at Rugby Quay. It’s fantastic place to enjoy our Paint the Town Purple events and we appreciate your support as we continue to grow. Our special congratulations go to Brandon Wortley from Ray White who won a magnum of  great wine and Kerry Grant of Teneriffe, winner of a unique Penfolds Grange tasting worth $900. We look forward to seeing you all next time!

Tony Love has interviewed Purple Palate wine expert Darren Davis on the challenging subject of matching wine with Indian Cuisine, with the story published in today’s Courier Mail Taste Magazine. Love acknowledges that Davis is “working on dispelling the myth that the only wine that region does is a big, rich shiraz.” Darren suggests considering Barossa Rosé, Riesling or Sparkling Shiraz to accompany the complex flavours and spices found in these dishes. “Having a touch of sweetness is not such a bad thing when you’re talking about curry and chilli,” he notes. Read more of Love’s article here

Davis will be presenting wines to match the southern Indian dishes created by Latchuman Supramanian from the Hilton Kuala Lumpur at the much anticipated Hilton Brisbane Masterclass Weekend next month.

Join the Coast’s favourite wine guru Darren Naylor for an amazing tasting of over 100 great wines.

Featuring boutique and iconic back vintage wines from across Australia and New Zealand along with new releases from Laughing Jack, Poonawatta and Radford & many others.

Enjoy tasty canapes, prize draws & all the fabulous fun on the night.

Where: The Esplanade, Mooloolaba

When: Friday July 9th from 6pm-9pm

Bookings:  darrenn@purplepalate.com or ph: 1300 1GRAPE (1300 147 273)

Tickets:  $30pp and strictly limited

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Wine writer Travis Schultz has sung the praises of Soul Growers in a recent article, having discovered that these old vine wines are a unique combination of value without sacrificing quality. “I’m sure it’s not just me who has champagne taste on a spumante budget, so if it’s you too, I’ll share a recent discovery,” Schultz wrote before recommending the 2006 Soul Growers Shiraz Cabernet and Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre as his pick of the bunch.

Shop for Soul Growers wines

2009/10 Wine Communicators Australia Journalism ‘Young Gun’ winner Andrew Graham has noted that the 65 gold medals given to Australian wines entered in the prestigous 2010 International Wine Challenge constitutes a “33% increase on the 2009 result.” Check out the big winners and Andrew’s comments here and remember, if Purple Palate doesn’t have a wine in stock we’re happy to get it in especially for you.

On his new site, “Glass: Clear About Wine”, wine writer Tyson Stelzer offers some advice on choosing red wines from the less heralded 2008 and 2009 vintages in the Barossa Valley. Whilst it can be of worth looking at how a region performed as a whole during the course of a year, it pays to remember that each patch of soil is different, as is the way in which it is treated.

“Don’t listen to premature reports that the heatwave of 2008 wrote off the vintage. Those winemakers who harvested before it have made some of their best reds in years. What of the heatwave of 2009? It’s still early days, but this could be one of the best seasons for Grenache and Mourvèdre in a very long time,” Stelzer says. Our helpful Purple Palate staff are also on hand with the knowledge to guide you through some of the best wines these vintages have produced. Read More