February 23, 2011
Our girls had played touch rugby the whole day and were very hungry when they came home. It was a wonderful mild tropical day, with sunshine and blue sky. Why not have a Spanish meal: Paella came to mind.
Paella in the pot
Paella on the plate
We had just the right wine to go with the spicy and robust Spanish dish. From our Christmas holidays on the farm in Glenburn we had brought with us a bottle of ‘2010 Sauvignon Blanc’ from the Run Rabbit Run series of Yering Farm.
2010 Sauvignon Blanc by Yering Farm Wines
Alan Johns the ower-wine maker of Yering Farm is also making our own wines (Two Hills Merlot). In 2010 Alan bought our Sauvignon Blanc grapes, and these grapes went into the ‘2010 Sauvignon Blanc’ of the Run Rabbit Run series. So we were quasi drinking our won stuff. I do not know what other grapes went into this vintage but I am very proud that Alan made such a good wine with it.
The back label
The Sauvignon Blanc is just the way I like it, fresh, young, zesty, full of flavour with fibrant acids and a good finish. I wish I would have access to this wine here in Bangkok. I urge you to try it if you can.
Address:
Yering Farm Wines
St Huberts Rd
Yering
Victoria 3770 Australia
Tel.: +61 3 9739 0461
Fax: +61 3 9739 0467
Email: info@yeringfarmwines.com
1 Comment | 
food, Vineyard profile, vineyards, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: Alan Johns, Australian wine, Run Rabbit Run, Victoria, Yarra Glen, Yarra Valley, Yering Farm Wines | 
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Posted by themanfrommoselriver
February 19, 2011
On the farm in Glenburn, Australia we get our drinking water from the roof of our dwelling. It is stored in galvanized iron tanks. Our old tanks started to leak a couple of years ago. One of them collapsed almost completely last time we were there.
We needed new tanks. They were delivered last week. Jack and Dave, two local blokes made it all happen. Michael was there to make sure it went well. He also took the pictures below. Next time we come, we will have new water from new tanks. Thanks folks for helping.
No tanks being delivered
Newly installed water tanks
Out go the old ones
PS: Photos courtesy of Michael Meinhold. Thanks Michael.
Leave a Comment » | Vineyard profile, vineyards | Tagged: Australia, Glenburn, Two Hills Vineyard, Victoria, water | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
February 9, 2011
Flat vineyards around the St. Urbanshof winery in Leiwen
There are not only steep slopes and stony vineyards along the Mosel but also flat bits, as in the picture above which shows the vineyards around the winery of St. Urbans-Hof in Leiwen, Mosel.
St. Urbans-Hof Oekonomierat Nic. Weiss Estate is member in the prestigeous VDP, the association of the top wineries in Germany. I visited the cellar door on a bleak November morning last year.
The winery
The entrance to the estate
Cellar door
Cellar door
Cellar door
My purchase
Wine box with label
2009 Laurentiuslay Riesling GG St. Urbans-Hof
The tasting of German “grand cru” (GG=grosses Gewaechs) Riesling wines by the German wine magazine “Weinwelt” awarded 91 points to the ‘2009 Leiwen Laurentiuslay Riesling GG’ by St. Urbans-Hof. I bought a couple of bottles, one of which I openend with a meal of game prepared by my friend Heinz. The wine is a wonderful specimen of Mosel Riesling and shows all the marvelleous characteristics they posses.
My conclusion is that any visitor to the Mosel river should visit the wine village of Leiwen, and – ergo – the fantastic wineries and vineyards to taste these georgeous Riesling wines.
Address:
Weingut St. Urbans-Hof
Urbanusstraße 16
D-54340 Leiwen/Mosel
Tel.: +49 65 07 / 93 77-0
Fax: +49 65 07 / 93 77-30
www.urbans-hof.de
5 Comments | vineyards, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: German wine, Leiwen, Mosel, Mosel Riesling, Riesling, St. Urbanshof, wine | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
January 29, 2011
Since quite some time I was contemplating about a garden bench but never found the time to build one. During the last holidays at the vineyard I finally succeeded. It was one of these summer projects of a paper pusher.
I learned a lot. First, I should have made a drawing of my bench before starting to work on it. Second, there is room for change even if you have no or an unclear plan. Third, I am not very clever. Fourth, I still succeeded and will make a better one next time, promise (maybe with a back rest).
And here it is: my bench, a very simple one, but good enough for resting a few minutes and enjoying a glass of wine.
The first bench I ever made
That’s the view you’ll could have while sitting on the bench
It attracts the first visitor: Thank’s Michael for sitting on my bench and for the photo.
2 Comments | vineyards | Tagged: Australia, Australian wine, Glenburn, Two Hills Merlot, Two Hills Vineyard, Victoria | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
January 28, 2011
2007 Four Buckets Shiraz, Touriga, Grenache
On a cools summers’ night, red wine is my wine of choice. We had bought half a dozen of reds offered by Sevenhill Cellars through the Family and Friends Wine scheme (we had bought white wines too).
The stylish 2007 blend of Shiraz, Touriga and Grenache called “Four Buckets” is a very nice wine. It goes with and without food. We had it after dinner to enrich our evening when we were sitting in front of our shed enjoying the sunset.
Dark red colour
The blend is rich and luscious. Lots of red berries, full bodied with a good structure and a long finish. We loved the wine. It made our evening. Look out for it. You might download the order form from the internet and send it to the winery.
Leave a Comment » | vineyards, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: Clare Valley, Four Buckets, Grenache, Neville Rowe, Sevenhill, Sevenhill Cellars, Shiraz, South Australia, Touriga | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
January 27, 2011
2009 Nolan Pinot Rosé
Rosé is always a nice wine for the hot summers days. We had the chance to taste the ‘2009 Pinot Rosé‘ from Nolan Vineyard, near Badger Creek in Healesville, Yarra Valley.
John and Myrtle Nolan are passionate about their wines. With 2 ha under vines Nolan Vineyard is a so called boutique vineyard. The site at the bottom of the valley is very cold. The vineyard is non-irrigated.
Back label
The wine has a salamon-pink colour. It is a luscious wine with strawberry aromas and a hint of lemon and honey. It is a truly refreshing drink, enjoyed with or withour food.
Address:
Nolan Vineyard
217 Badger Creek Rd,
Healesville VIC 3777
Tel.: +61-3-5962 3435
Leave a Comment » | vineyards, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: Australian wine, Badger Creek, Healesville, John Nolan, Nolan Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Rose, Yarra Valley | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
January 20, 2011
Un-attended vines
A mothballed vineyard is not a pretty sight, especially not after downy mildew had gone through it. It was so humid this spring that mildew was a real problem and we missed to treat the outbreak in good time. Luckily it was only downy and not powdery mildew. The difference is shown in the next picture.
The two mildews (with a spelling mistake)
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Downy_and_Powdery_mildew_on_grape_leaf.JPG
Mothballed vineyards react forcefully to being chopped off at the top. If no spurs or canes are left there, the vines respond to the brutal treatement with increased and vigorous growth of side shoots all over the place. These need to be removed.
So what did I do during my holidays on the farm?
I was “desucking”, as it is called colloquially. Every morning from about seven to nine I walked through the Sauvignon Blanc and the Merlot blocks of our vineyard and brushed the suckers (side shoots) off.
The work is easy. It is ritualistic and has an almost religious quality. You bend down in front of the vine (and show your respect) while breaking out all the shoots except the ones on the top.
After my work of “de-sucking”
The fruit of hard labour: clean vines everywhere
Unfortunately, I could not finish the two other blocks, the Pinot Noir and the Chardonnay. Next time I will be smarter and take longer holidays.
Leave a Comment » | vineyard management, vineyards | Tagged: Australian wine, Australian wine industry, Glenburn, Two Hills Vineyard, Upper Goulburn Wine region, Victoria | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
January 5, 2011
What a beautiful red snapper
My friend Brett Travis had given us the above red snapper before leaving on a fishing trip to Samoa. This was a wonderful opportunity for another wonderful lunch at our vineyard. We prepared the fish for a six persons meal.
Yummy veggies
It was a beautiful summers day. The fish was “crying” for a white wine too. We took the opportunity to open one of the recently acquired bottles from Sevenhill Cellars in the Clare Valley in South Australia where our mate Neville Rowe is the general manager.
The ‘2009 Inigo Riesling’ is a typical Clare Valley wine. It is young and fresh and lively. Of course I prefer German Riesling wines, and it is my view that Australian Riesling cannot reach that ultimate Riesling level which I love so much.
Sevenhill Cellars is the oldest wineries in the Clare Valley. It was founded by Jesuits in 1851 to produce sacramental wines. We enjoyed the “sacrament” with the delicious fish, and thank all our benefactors. Cheers mate.
2009 Inigo Riesling by Sevenhill, Clare Valley
Leave a Comment » | food, vineyards, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: Australian Riesling, Australian wine, Brett Travis, Clare Valley, Glenburn, Inigo Riesling, red snapper, Riesling, Sevenhill, Sevenhill Cellars, South Australia, Two Hills Vineyard, Victoria | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
December 12, 2010
Pasta ai funghi porcini
A pasta ai funghi porcini needs a strong wine as accompaniment. Therefore I selected a ‘2003 Carta de Oro Crianza Rioja’ by Bodega Berberana, one of the oldest Rioja wine producers.
The ‘2003 Carta de Oro Rioja’ by Berberana
I believe it is high time that the 2003 vintage is consumed. The wine’s colour is already changing from dark red to the brick brown. But it has still the strength, the flavour and the body which makes this Rioja wine so superb. This blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Grenache is just the perfect wine for a “heavy” pasta. It is velvety and smooth with a long finish, a complex wine for every day drinking. Just honest and good stuff.
The back label of the Berberana Rioja
The colour is slowly changing
4 Comments | vineyards, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: Bodega Berberana, Crianza, Grenache, Rioja, Spain, Spanish wine, Tempranillo | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
December 1, 2010
‘2009 Dr. Mayer Riesling’, Remstal, Wuerttemberg, Germany
We were lucky that Timo Mayer, vintner and wine-maker of the Mayer Vineyard in the Yarra Valley, Victoria, carried with him a bottle of the ‘2009 Dr. Mayer Riesling’ with him when he dropped by recently here in Bangkok.
Timo came back from a wine making and wine selling visit to Germany where he had also made his ‘2009 Dr. Mayer Riesling’ from fruit sourced from his native Remstal (to be precise from a village called Grossheppach) in Wuerttemberg.
The dry Riesling has 12.5% alcohol
The wine is under a glass enclosure which gives it a very elegant appearance. It’s a beautiful dry Riesling, elegant and fruity with a good structure and a long and intensive finish, in short a treasure of a wine.
Mussels and clams with chorizo sausage
We saved the bottle for a special occasion, and surprise, surprise, the occasion should arrive very, very soon: a beautiful tropical Saturday afternoon lent itself for a delicious meal consisting of mussels, clams with chorizo sausages. This is a yummy dish and ideal light lunch.
The bad news is, one cannot buy this wine in Germany, the motherland of Riesling wines.
The good news is one can buy it from Timo Mayer in the Yarra Valley and the outlets carrying his wines in Victoria.
Timo got only about a pallet, so you have to be quick. Better rush.
Leave a Comment » | vineyards, wine | Tagged: Australian wine, Dr. Mayer Riesling, German wine, Remstal, Riesling, Timo Mayer, Timo Mayer Wines, Victoria, Wuerttemberg, Yarra Valley | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
The Man from Mosel River 
