Crisp and refreshing dry whites

Last night I was watching the sun set over the beach at Glenelg, in Adelaide’s west. There were gorgeous colours on the horizon literally dancing before my eyes: reds, pinks, purples; textural and kaleidoscopic. My thoughts were interrupted by a cold glass of copper pink tinged wine.

“Didn’t you wash the glass properly?” I asked. Dumb male question. “Nope,” came the reply.

Ha, it was Pinot Grigio! Bugger, I should have known that. It comes from the well-known dog area of France, Alsatian.

It’s a strange variety this Pinot Grigio. Its alter ego, aptly named Pinot Gris, as if someone had twins, can be pink/purple tinged. It doesn't matter, the skins are the same colour. What does matter is that it's a great drink – crunchy, with flavours of pear skin (Beurré Bosc if you need to know), walnuts (Tasmanian of course) and pink apples (I don’t really care what type). It’s juicy, textural, vibrant and long, with a zippy acid finish. Our Nottage Hill Pinot Grigio 2009 is a great blend of warm and cooler climates. Enjoy it at the beach with a freshly made terrine of wild game.

Our Nottage Hill Riesling 2010 is another one of my favourite dry whites. It is spicy, floral, aromatic, terroir expressive and adorned with folly in youth. It displays complexity and wisdom with age and is truly one of the great varieties.

Riesling has had an interesting history in this country. There have been lots of awful sweet wines made from this variety, but not so the Nottage Hill Riesling 2010. It is made from fruit grown in the renowned Clare Valley region. It displays lemon, lime and citrus notes, and is soft and rounded with a lovely balance of acid. It is proving great drinking now, but will amply reward a couple of years in the cellar.

– Paul Lapsley, Hardys chief winemaker
 

Hot Nottage Hill deals!

Nottage Hill Pinot Grigio 2009 and Riesling 2010

Purchase any 6 bottles for just $48!

Offer includes complimentary delivery to an Australian address

To take advantage of this amazing offer, click here

From the Kitchen

Pinot Grigio is relatively new to our shores and palates. It’s unusual and different, mainly due to its lack of rich aromatic fruit, its soft texture and naturally low acid palate.

The Nottage Hill Pinot Grigio 2009 is made in the classic Italian style: soft and medium bodied and beautifully neutral. This wine shows a hint of pear but it has more in keeping with the texture of ripe pear rather than pear flavour. It is the texture of this wine that makes it ideal for pasta, so we have chosen Spaghetti Marinara to match.

Try it with wider, flatter pasta such as fettuccine or pappardelle. These pasta types serve to further soften the texture of the dish and make it even more compatible with the wine.

Spaghetti Marinara

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to toss
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup (250ml) dry white wine
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 x 410g cans crushed tomatoes
500g spaghetti, fettucine or pappardelle
500g of seafood, including prawns, calamari, scallops, whiting and oysters OR 500g marinara mix
300g black mussels, washed, de-bearded
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Optional: capers, kalamata olives

Method

1/ Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened.
2/ Add garlic and wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Add paste and crushed tomatoes and simmer for 15-20 minutes further, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened. Season well.
3/ Cook pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and toss in a little olive oil.
4/ Add seafood or marinara mix and mussels to tomato sauce, cover with lid and cook for 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat, discarding any mussels that do not open.
5/ Stir in parsley, capers and olives if using, then toss the sauce through the pasta and serve with garlic bread and a fresh leafy salad.