When the time calls, it must be Box 5

“I chose a wine that I thought was worth more than $ 50, but had no proof of value, as shown in my spreadsheet as a freebie. Mystery giver, I thank you very much… ”, wine columnist writing RICHARD VEAL.

DURING lockdown, many of us try to cheer up family, friends and colleagues, sometimes with uplifting affirmations.

For example, a friend said to me, “Well done buddy, you could be a lot worse, like you’re stuck underground in a hole full of water. I know he wanted to.

So, to recharge my batteries, I plunged into Box 5 of my cellar (a cupboard, nothing extraordinary) where I keep my 104 bottles of wine. Box 5 is where I keep the dozen or so wines that I have purchased or that are valued at $ 50 or more.

From that pool of extravagance, I chose a wine that I thought was worth over $ 50, but had no proof of value, as shown in my spreadsheet as a freebie. Mystery giver, I warmly thank you for the 2016 Viognier Shiraz from Capital Wines Kyeema Vineyard.

I called Capital Wines to post my consumption of this sumptuous wine first to inquire about its subsequent production and to inquire about its cost. Bill Mason, one of the four new owners of Capital Wines as of February 2020, spoke to me. He confirmed that the wine, when available, cost $ 52 a bottle, but that Capital Wines no longer produces this wine because Kyeema Vineyard was sold to the Four Winds winery before he and the other new owners did. buy Capital. I indicated my appreciation for the quality of the wine up there with the Canberra District Clonakilla and Ravensworth examples of this blend. Unfortunately, I had not been able to compare the local examples of shiraz viognier with the French brands of Côte Rôtie, mainly because I backed down from the price. I had seen, behind a safety glass at Vintage Cellars in Manuka, a French Côte-Rôtie for $ 700 a bottle and my lockdown madness didn’t extend to that hellish level perhaps.

Bill explained that they produced a range of 2021 wines, not counting a Viognier de Shiraz, but that the first year of piloting the Capital Wines vessel saw bushfires “putting us under a cloud, literally a cloud of smoke. “. I wished Bill good luck and said I would make it a priority after the lockdown to visit the Hall de Capital cellar door to taste their new range of wines.

In the meantime, I have chosen an affordable McLaren Vale viognier shiraz as a useful comparator. I bought a 2016 Arenberg Laughing Magpie for $ 33 from BWS Kingston.

The d’Arenberg was complex. But the finish wasn’t the liquid velvet the Kyeema featured. Both wines had a very pleasant floral and dark fruit bouquet, but the mouthfeel of the Canberra District wine was fuller, richer, and the finish was longer and smoother. The Laughing Magpie had a peppery element. The white viognier added to the mass which is the shiraz, tempers the big, bold flavors of Australian shiraz and provides a wine that reminds me more of fine Pinot Noirs than the meaty styles we’re used to, especially Barossa. It is a type of wine that sings the influences of the cold climate of the Canberra district and the Kyeema (hopefully the Four Winds version as well) is the crowning skill of the local winemakers.

In addition to doing comparative wine tastings, I decided to search the internet for some uplifting examples of self-care to be applied during lockdown. My advice is to stick to the comparison or even the consumption of wines rather than follow some of the advice offered:

“Remember to take care of yourself: take a walk, meditate, try yoga, paint a picture, murder someone, burn a body, clean up a crime scene…” – Mum Ramblin