Bottle of wine, fruit of the vine, what’s not to like about this nectar of the gods? Especially when Geelong and the coast host a stunning array of wine ties and wine experiences. Noel Murphy takes a sip …
“WINE is bottled poetry,’’ wrote the great penman Robert Louis Stevenson in one those moments when he wasn’t scribbling about piracy, buried treasure or dead men’s chests.
He was partial, his maxim suggests, to the occasional ‘yo ho ho’ and to the subtlety not just of wine’s literary impact but its inherent artistic qualities.
If ever there’s evidence of that bottled poetry to be found anywhere, it’s right under our increasingly bouquet-tuned noses here in the Geelong region.
The triple whammy of good fortune that’s blessed the Bellarine, Surf Coast and Moorabool Valley wine sub-regions with continental and cool seaside micro-climates and loamy, dark volcanic soils on a limestone base makes for a viticultural wealth richer than any sunken pirate booty.
Lyndsay Sharp, who runs two labels – Leura Park and Jack Rabbit – is effusive about the region’s strengths. And as marketing executive of Geelong Winegrowers Association, she’s a dedicated ambassador for the region’s winemakers.
Lyndsay’s also more than a little chuffed about their latest showing in the industry stakes, with a class showing in the latest Aussie wine bible, the Halliday Wine Companion for 2013.
“Geelong continues to forge its standing as an iconic and dominant force in the Australian wine industry, with local wineries receiving unprecedented, outstanding ratings,’’ she says proudly.
“More than 91 per cent of Geelong wineries reviewed gained a four plus star rating. In
addition, 46 per cent of reviewed wineries achieved the highest-possible five-star rating for outstanding winery.
“Geelong wine stands tall against the best. Connoisseurs from around the world now seek Geelong’s offerings out.
“It has evolved into a multi-award winning wine region of renowned diversity and innovation, which commands attention on the national and international stage.
”The exceptional representation at the top end of Halliday Wine Companion ratings categorically showcases and reinforces the calibre of the grapes, winemakers and wines of the Geelong region.”
