Discovering Down Under
Australian Taste Discovery, has recently completed it's tour of Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing, offering samples of some of the best wines from Down Under, including the chance to taste wines from some smaller wineries in lesser known parts of the country. Of note were the offerings from Plantagenet Winery, from the southern part of Western Australia.
While WA's best-known wine region, Margaret River, in the southwest of the state, is famed for its reds, the cooler climate in the lesser-known Great Southern produces some very fine whites.
The 2012 Plantagenet Riesling is excellent - light and dry with lovely citrus flavors, it would pair well with white fish or a leafy green salad.
From the other side of the country, the 2012 Moscato Blush from Ballabourneen Wine Co, a winery in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, provided a point of difference. The sweet rose with low-alcohol is a perfect for the hotter weather, a good accompaniment for a casual picnic or an elegant breakfast.