Wines

Grape Expectations by Max Crus It’s not easy being green

Everyone wants to do their bit to save the planet, except coalition voters of course, but people who admit to that now are as rare as the many species of mammals we’ve put on the endangered list.

But it’s not easy being green, as a little, green, muppet made universally known, and no, we’re not talking about Barnaby Joyce or David Little-tobe-proud of.

Take coffee making for instance.

Every morning I make a coffee in a 30-year-old Bialetti stove top espresso maker (yeah way ahead of the current coffee pack I know, thanks) on the same electric ceramic cooktop we’ve had for years.

Yesterday, for the first time, I noticed that the inner element of the ‘dual element’ was actually smaller than the two ‘small’ elements.

I’d always thought this was an optical illusion, but the realisation was an epiphany.

The inner circle element is 20 per cent smaller than the ‘small’ ones and perfect for the coffee-maker, with almost exactly the same diameter at the base as the element and therefore less wasted heat escaping into the environment.

Yoohoo, how green can you get?

Well, I could have noticed it three years ago I suppose.

However at the first attempt, the coffee seemed to take a little bit longer to brew.

Subsequent scientific testing with state-of-theart equipment (a mobile phone) revealed the worst; it took 20 percent longer to brew, therefore 20 percent longer drawing on the electricity network, melting glaciers and killing endangered species. Dang.

Sure, the other element was bigger and drew more power, but how much more?

That’s going to require some serious scientific testing and I’m not sure my phone is up to the task.

See how hard it is?

Another stove top quandary, which is more efficient when boiling your water for pasta: Cold water straight from the tap, already heated water from the hot tap, or boiling the kettle to get an even better start?

And everyone knows a watched pot never boils so what else can you do while waiting?

Have a glass of wine of course…but should we buy stuff that is produced locally to save on green miles, or simply buy ‘lighter’ bottles trucked from further afield?

Is a bottle weighing 400grams trucked 50km greener than a 200g bottle trucked 100km?

See it’s not easy is it?

Well, actually it is, because in the end we just do what almost everyone does, whichever is more the more expedient.

Maybe I should just vote coalition and get it all over with as soon as possible.

Max Crus is a Clarence Valley-based wine writer and Grape Expectations is now in its 26th year of publication. Find out more about Max or sign up for his weekly reviews and musings by visiting maxcrus.com.au

Yeringberg Yarra Valley Marsanne Roussanne 2020, $90. There’s more going on here than there are letters in the grape names. Bit too much for a casual lunch wine, so chill it a bit and have it with Four Corners. 9.4/10. Calabria Family Wines Riverina & Barossa Durif 2019, $? A celebration of 75 years of winemaking for the Calabrias, this durif is one of those deliciously fragrant wines that make you wonder why there isn’t more of it. 9.5/10. Calabria Family Wines Barossa Valley ‘Three Bridges’ Shiraz 2019, $25. Classic Barossa shiraz at a classic price. Very egalitarian so have it at a left-leaning election party or a save-theenvironment party. 9.3/10. Deep Woods Margaret River Reserve Chardonnay 2021, $65. This is quite a green wine, and even more so if you don’t put it in the fridge, which will dull its delightful characters somewhat anyway. Of course for maximum greenness you also need to turn off the fridge. 9.5/10. Deep Woods Margaret River Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, $90. Like saving the environment, it is hard to appear impartial sometimes. Knowing this wine has been judged World’s Best Cabernet makes it tough, but appearances are important, so one does one’s best, until no-one is watching. Beautifully fragrant, coconutty and characterful, one can easily ignore the wine miles. 9.7/10. Yeringberg Yarra Valley Viognier 2020, $50. There are many fans of viognier out there, and this wine is why. It’s as full as any chardonnay but with a completely different swatch of flavours and characters and without that overwhelming chardonnay-ness that can wear you down. 9.5/10.