Wine Talk from Margaret River

Wine Review: Swings & Roundabouts Chardonnay 2010

After a year off, Wino's Margaret River's Mike Gadd is back in the saddle to review a few wines for your tasting and reading pleasure.

The first cab off the rank is a 2010 Swings and Roundabouts Chardonnay.

In a nutshell, this wine is a “go-to” wine, and a go-to wine is a wine that you have lurking in the fridge.

Maybe a few in the old wine rack, couple tucked under the bed and a few stashed in the garage for good luck.

It’s the wine that you break out from the glass box marked “Use In Emergency”.

It’s the wine that you use when unexpected friends drop round.

It’s the wine that you come home to from a hard day at work, on a hot summer’s day, when your feet are dangling in a pool, or when you just want a cold, refreshing wine for no apparent reason.

This is that wine — good Margaret River chardy at about $20 a bottle.

It’s got fantastically refreshing characteristics.

Fresh fruit salad with a big citrus squeeze over the top, a dollop of cream, a vanilla wafer and a finish.

That’s as refreshing as skinny dipping in July and you have that quintessential go-to wine.

Hot days ahead? Bung a few of these in the fridge.

Grapevine warns of brand misuse

The Margaret River Wine Industry is calling on its members and the public to alert them to any misuse or misrepresentation of the Margaret River wine brand.

In the association’s weekly e-letter, Grapevine, a spokesperson said concerns had been raised by several people about the maltreatment of the Margaret River wine region brand.

“Over the holiday period the office has been contacted by … members about instances whereby there is some ambiguity up to and including possible misuse of the term Margaret River,” the spokesperson said.

“For example, an internet online sales business based in Australia was offering to the public wine from Margaret River when it was clearly produced in another wine region.”

The spokesperson said although some mistakes could be made by marketers and sellers new to the wine industry, instances of misuse would be investigated by the MRWIA.

“While we all acknowledge the absolute power and marketing pull of the Margaret River wine brand and can understand why some businesses wish to be seen as part of it, even if from a distance … there is a clear legal definition of exactly what Margaret River wine is as laid down by the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation’s Label Integrity Programme regulations,” he said.

The group encouraged anyone who had information of a breach of brand name to contact Nick Power on ceo@margaretriverwine.org.au.

MRWIA gong

The MRWIA has received the nod from a recognised Australian wine journalist for its efforts to protect the region’s agricultural real estate.

The Sydney Morning Herald’s Jeni Port handed the MRWIA her top Companions of the Order of Australian Wine prize for defending the region from the proposed Osmington coal mine project.

“The association steadfastly protested and lobbied against the proposed Vasse Coal Project at Osmington, near Margaret River,” she said.

“The voices of vignerons and the people of Margaret River were heard and the EPA brought down its decision in their favour.”