In Vino Veritas – Moorilla and Domaine A
Claiming that I harbour a weak spot in my left chest for anything related to Tasmania would be an understatement par excellence.
At least twice a year I carve my way to Hobart for their annual winter festival Dark Mofo, which we have covered extensively throughout the years, as well as new exhibitions and the indulge in what the island has to offer.
MONA comes with many things outside the confines of art and Moorilla Estate complements their offerings on the vino front. Being the second winery to be established in Tasmania in the twentieth century, the estate is not only iconic because of its affiliation with MONA but also because of the fact that it is situated next to the actual site of MONA in a manner that leads into the Derwent River.
The vineyard has established its name as one that consistently produces quality textural drops with its head honcho Conor van der Reest having set the ship on course for a route that is paved with (inter-)national accolades.
Needless to say that MONA’s aesthetic DNA is tangibly present in every fact of the label designs, the bottles, down to corkage, which are not merely superficial features but ones that significantly accentuate and enhance the indulgence.
One of the favourites from Moorilla is their shiraz, or “Syrah” with a complexity that covers the spectrum from peppery smokiness via meaty berry-heavy fruitiness to tannins that are calibrated at just the right level of textured chalkiness. If you like reds and breadth of flavour, chances are that you will fall in love after a dance with Miss Syrah.
The other stalwart drop is their sparkling rose?. Now, the fact that rose? is normally not exactly my chalice of wine should give an indication of how good this one must be if it materializes amongst my faves. I love the acidity, which embeds its Pino Noir-esque fruitiness and recommend it as an aperitif to transition proceedings eventually to richer drops.
Should you have the privilege of visiting MONA, you should try the wines alongside a meal at MONA’s hatted flagship restaurant The Source, a place that has become infamous for many a debaucherous party and that is fronted by the Moorilla Wine Bar, which offers seasonal treats, share plates, and house-made breads and pastries with Moorilla and Domaine A wines.
Established in 1973, Domaine A is the winery MONA recently acquired and a perfect match for Moorilla as its wines grow on ancient soil and revel in a temperate cool climate, which is then embedded by the best practises and best features of old and new world styles and approaches to wine making.
Case in point:
Lady A 2016, a grande old dame whose golden hues are complemented with a bouquet of citrussy and vanilla aromas, which tickle the nostrils with an array of woody and oaky nuances. What materializes on the palate is creamy and continues down the lemony route before culminating with a lingering finish that adds nutty and chocolatey flavours to the mix.
A drop that is subtle yet leaves one smacking one’s lips – be it an accompaniment to fish or on its own.
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photo from company website
