While the world and I continue to figure out what day/month/year it is… I’ll be kind and not give you too much to think about in this week’s blog.

Hopefully, by next week, my brain will have surfaced from this holiday fog!

I’ll get to the results of the quiz in a sec, but before I do let’s have a very quick look at what’s happening in the vineyard…

 

VINTAGE UPDATE

Most Advanced

E-L 29    Berries pepper-corn size (4mm diameter), bunches tending downwards.
Macclesfield Chardonnay

Flowering has progressed well, and only late varieties have not yet completed cap fall.
Chardonnay at Macclesfield is currently one week behind 2021 and three weeks behind 2019.

Least Advanced
E-L 25    95% caps off.
Sauvignon Blanc Lenswood

Sauvignon Blanc at Lenswood is currently just over one week behind 2021 and just under three weeks behind 2020. 

We’ve had a few hot days over the last couple of week. It’s come as quite a shock to the sytem given we were still lighting the fire just a few weeks before that!

And we’re not the ontly ones feeling the heat.

Although not meeting the BOM definition of a heatwave (three or more days of unusually high day and night temperatures), vines have not yet been acclimatised to hot weather this season.

So, growers have been busy making sure their vineyards are prepared for the hot weather.

 

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Now, onto the results of our Annual Festive Season Quiz!

But before I announce the winner of the Shiraz and Sparkling twin pack, let’s take a look at the answers…

 

PART 1

1. How old did Somerled Cellar Bar turn this year?

(cheat notes can be found here)

a) 12

b) 21

c) 70

d) 80

 

2. How old did Rob turn this year?

a) 12

b) 21

c) 70

d) 80

 

3. Which hit movie was linked to a decrease in Merlot sales (and rise in Pinot Noir sales) in the wake of its release?

a) Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

b) Sideways

c) Bottle Shock

d) The Sound of Music

 

4. How many wines on the current Somerled List are made from Pinot Noir?

a) one

b) two

c) three

d) four

 

5. Why does chocolate not always pair well with wine?

a) chocolate has tannins too  – pairing them in the acidic environment of your mouth can highlight the astringent flavours

b) when consuming chocolate and wine together, the sweeter one will increase your perception of bitter flavours in the other

c) Cocoa butter is a fussy, complicated, high-maintenance fat! It’s designed to taste best at body temperature, not wine temperature.

d) all of the above

 

6. What needed to be removed from our old bathroom to make way for the fancy new bathroom in our Club Room?

a) a spa bath

b) a bidet

c) various wildlife

d) several Jockey Club members waiting for their new Club Room

 

7. True or False: Heather was a high school German teacher back in the day.

a) True

b) False (she was a French teacher!)

 

8. What percentage of the population are “supertasters” (having a heightened sensitivity to bitterness)?

a) 5%

b) 20%

c) 25%

d) 40%

 

PART 2

1. Which wine variety was Rob talking about when he (supposedly) said… “ I have nothing against xx… I’ve just never had one I liked”

a) Shiraz

b) Riesling

c) Grenache

d) Pinot Gris

 

2. Which wine did Rob reluctantly agree to bring back in time for Champagne Shopping morning this year?

a) 2012 Reserve Sparkling

b) 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon

c) 2001 Shiraz

d) 2010 Fume Blanc

 

3. What did Rob blend with Tempranillo to produce our 2020 Picnic Races Red?

a) Graciano

b) Grenache

c) Shiraz

d) Merlot

 

4. Which is not a method to make Sparkling wine?

a) Tank Method

b) Transfer method

c) Ancestral Method

d) The Moody Method

e) Continuous Method

f) Carbonation

 

5. What does “persnickety” mean?

a) fussy or difficult

b) easy-going

c) quick to anger

d) easily bored

 

6. True or False… During his long career, Rob hasn’t managed to fall in a fermenter once.

a) True

b) False – he’s fallen in once!

 

7. Which Somerled wine is made from grapes grown in Mclaren Vale?

a) Sauvignon Blanc

b) Pinot Noir

c) Shiraz

d) Picnic Races Red

 

8. The Adelaide Hills wine region is officially classified as…

a) warm climate

b) cool climate

c) cool climate, moderately maritime

d) continental climate

 

And the winner is…

Scott Graham!

Congratulations Scott! Thanks for entering and I’ll be in touch soon to discuss collection of your prize. Well done!