10 PRECIOUS DROPS Five of Australia’s leading sommeliers tell drinks writer CHRIS MORRISON about the local and international wines they can’t get enough of (literally).
TO DISCOVER WINES that are truly rare, you must venture deep into the list of a good sommelier — someone who has developed relationships over time with domaines, chateaus and wineries. But even the most established somm has their unicorns: wines so elusive they can take decades to track down. Here, we ask five of the country’s best about the allocations they thirst for, tomorrow’s unicorns and must-haves for the modern collector.
1.
Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino
PIEDMONT, ITALY Xavier Vigier, who was recently awarded Australia’s Best Wine List, has a passion for the nebbiolo-derived wines of Italy’s Barolo region. “The winemaker Roberto Conterno is, for many, the most outstanding ambassador of the region,” says Vigier, the head sommelier at Ten Minutes by Tractor’s cellar door restaurant on the Mornington Peninsua. “He produces the most ethereal expressions of nebbiolo and Monfortino is a cuvée only made in the best vintages.”
2.
NV Domaine Jacques Selosse Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Initial
AVIZE, FRANCE Vigier’s next wish-list wine has a cult following among sommeliers and comes 14
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from one of the world’s most exclusive Champagne houses. “Anselme Selosse is a role model in the world of wine,” Vigier says of the producer who learned his craft in Burgundy rather than Champagne. Not only is Selosse a pioneer of sustainable viticulture, he uses oak and oxygen to make his wines and employs the solera system, a method of ageing and blending commonly associated with sherry. “His wines are the most potent and intense expressions found in the region,” says Vigier.
3.
Domaine Francois Raveneau Montée de Tonnerre Chablis Premiere Cru
CHABLIS, FRANCE It’s the allocation every sommelier wants and with recent vintages affected by frost and hail, this Chablis will become rarer still. “Montée de Tonnerre is the estate’s most sought-after wine,” Vigier explains. “It can age for decades in your cellar. You can drink it young but it will offer so much more with age.” Pierre Stock, sommelier at the South Yarra bistro France-Soir, also names Raveneau. Stock has probably handled more bottles of rare French wine than anyone in Australia and his understanding of the country’s up-and-coming producers is unparalleled. “I love the classical wines of France,” Stock admits, “but we also champion new and emerging producers, and vignerons who are breaking new ground.”
As for Raveneau, it’s an established winery in a region whose success is relatively recent by French standards. Its holdings comprise almost exclusively Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards.
4.
1962 Penfolds Bin 60A Cabernet Shiraz
COONAWARRA & BAROSSA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA Today, Alex Kirkwood is the food and beverage director at The Point Group, which owns hip venues in Sydney and Bali, but he was previously the head sommelier at Sydney’s Aria restaurant, where he oversaw the fine diner’s legendary wine program. When asked about his unicorn, Kirkwood selects a Penfolds vintage that is not only one of Australia’s rarest and most-awarded bottles, but is also considered an icon of modern Australian winemaking. “This was my favourite cellared wine at Aria,” he says. “It was an honour to have it and sell it.” It is a true unicorn but it can still be sighted in the wild, at fine wine auctions around the world.
5.
Giaconda Estate Vineyard Chardonnay
BEECHWORTH, VICTORIA “We try to hide these ones for as long as we can,” Kirkwood jokes of Aria’s small annual allocation of Giaconda chardonnay, which is an incredibly popular wine among
