A Wizard of Oz
John Quarisa, winemaker and international wine
show judge inspects 50-year-old vines.
“Passion is everything,” is the motto of lively and enthusiastic wine-maker John
Quarisa. Born in Australia of Italian heritage, John has consistently been
recognised for his winemaking skills for over twenty years. He has received some
of Australia’s top wine honours and in 2004, was awarded the Jimmy Watson Trophy
in Melbourne and the Stodart Trophy in Brisbane, reaching the pinnacle of
Australia’s wine show circuit.
On completing his Wine Science degree, John (who also
believes that “you just can’t take life too seriously”) has continued to work on
expanding his wine-making experience. He’s made wines for some of Australia’s
largest and most well-known brands and developed a reputation as a committed,
quality winemaker who knows how to make a wine that people will love to drink.
Over the last decade, John has made a huge contribution to improving Australian
wine through his work as a wine show judge. Today, he focuses on developing his
Quarisa range of wines (including the successful “Johnny Q” range), as well as
wine consulting and judging. Here are two relatively new additions to the
Quarisa family of wines.
30 Mile Shiraz 2008 (red),
Australia (Wine Connection Bt. 449)
This really looks the part; a real Shiraz (SHEE-raz). It’s a
rich, dark crimson with hints of purple and a slightly oily appearance, which
always seems to me a good sign. The aroma is quite complex. Rich black cherries,
spices and fresh pepper come through first. If you really concentrate you might
pick up wine gums and raspberry jam. I thought I could pick up a faint whiff of
licorice too. Open the bottle about half an hour in advance, so that the wine
has a chance to reveal its aromatic secrets.
The wine showed every sign of being a turbo-charged Shiraz
and I was expecting it to hit the palette like a torpedo. To my surprise and
delight, it has a beguiling gentle touch. The wine is dry of course, but has a
soft, almost silky mouth-feel and a satisfying smooth foundation of tannin with
beautifully balanced fruit flavours. There’s a lovely long and soft, dry cherry
finish too. This is a real beauty, no doubt about it. If you like a big, bold
and luscious Australian Shiraz with over 14% alcohol content, give this a try.
You will not be disappointed. Neither were the wine professionals, for it has
already won several prestigious awards. Try it with grilled red meat or bring it
out for that special barbeque.
30 Mile Sauvignon Blanc 2010
(white), Australia
(Wine Connection Bt. 449)
This is a smooth, delicate straw-gold colour and looks very
inviting in the glass. The aroma is rather soft and restrained. Actually, it is
a bit shy at first, but I prefer a wine that reveals itself gradually, not the
“in-yer-face” aromatic style of some New World wines. There’s a lovely fresh
grassy smell of sweet gooseberries, typical of Sauvignon Blanc (SOH-vihn-yohn
BLAHN) with a hint of mandarin oranges and a faint peppery aroma in the
background. Once the bottle has been open for a while, the aroma blossoms
superbly. So I’d suggest that to get the best out of this wine, chill it in the
fridge and then remove the screw closure about half an hour before you need to
drink it.
The wine is dry as the proverbial bone, with just the tiniest
hint of seductive sweetness. It has a firm, medium body with a full and
satisfying flavour of gooseberries and a long and refreshing citrus aftertaste.
It’s only 12% alcohol, but there’s quite a dash of acidity, typical of this
grape variety. It gives the wine a lively, zesty quality.
This really is a well-made wine and seems to suggest food
(especially seafood, chicken or Thai dishes) but I’d be quite happy to drink it
on its own if you twist my arm. You won’t need to twist it very hard.
