They say the more you know about a subject, the more you enjoy it and nowhere is this more true than with the wonderful world of wine. Understanding what makes a Chardonnay (for example), from one region of a country different to one from another is not just the key to finding - and remembering - your favourite styles of wine; it is the thing that turns wine drinkers into wine lovers. Chardonnay is never just Chardonnay. Cabernet is never just Cabernet. The exact combination of natural elements in the vineyards where the grapes were grown such as soil type, topography and climate, will add a unique characteristic to the final wine, be it in aroma, flavour, texture or all three. The word that sums up all these unique elements is ‘terroir’; a word that once understood, opens up a world of delight to anyone who enjoys wine as they explore grapes and bottles from all over the world.
Wakefield Wines and their terroir
Australia is well known for its wine making prowess with numerous, diverse wine regions, each with its own distinctive style thanks to its unique terroir. One family-owned, Australian wine producer called Wakefield, has long understood the importance of this and have created a range that showcases the distinctive characteristics of some of Australia’s iconic wine regions using the grapes that region is well known for. This is their Jaraman range, named after the Indigenous word for ‘seahorse’, as fossilised seahorses were found in Wakefield’s Clare Valley property from when the area was submerged by an inland sea eons ago.
What is the Wakefield Jaraman range?
The Taylor family, based in the Clare Valley with their own vineyards, have owned Wakefield for three generations. For their Jaraman range, the winemakers source parcels of the best fruit available from their vineyards in Clare Valley, but also from other iconic regions such as Coonawara and Margaret River, gently hand crafting them into wines that preserve and enhance the distinctive characteristics from those places.
The Jaraman Chardonnay
The Jaraman Chardonnay takes grapes from Margaret River and Clare Valley and blends them to create an unbelievably delicious drink when the whole is even greater than the sum of its parts. With a searing, lime citrus, freshness and intense aromatics of ripe melon, nectarine and pineapple together with an almost flinty, mineral core, this is an incredibly complex wine that manages to say so much, but quietly. Elegantly. The Clare Valley fruit offers a characteristic fleshiness, while the Margaret River Chardonnay throws in moreish, guava and fresh figs notes. A gentle amount of oak brings everything together and adds a light, creamy texture and a hint of warm spice.
Find it at Majestic for £17.99 (£15.99 mix six price).
Read about the Jaraman Cabernet Sauvignon here.