There is nothing better than a cooler evening, a bowl of Wild Mushroom Risotto and a bottle of pinot in hand. Well, the glass in hand but the bottle pretty close to hand too. It's a cracking match. This week thanks to my buddy Dan at winedirect.com.au, I am sipping a Picardy Pinot Noir. This Pinot comes out of Pemberton in WA. In fact, it's my first Pinot from WA. Thanks Dan, you gave me my first. 

A good burger doesn’t simply just require beer – especially one of this caliber!! For me, I am ALL about a good shiraz with my burger. Something bold, beautiful, and powerful (but not to the point where I can only drink 1/2 the bottle). 

Ingredients

Method

Sharing a winemaker with Dandelion Vineyards is Heirloom Vineyards, which began its life in the 2000 vintage with the intention of making exceptional wines from primarily old vineyards, planted to the best clones and embracing organic and biodynamic principles. They create wines from the McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, Adelaide Hills and Coonawarra which almost always pick up a bunch of gold medals and often trophies.At time of writing our selection of these fabulous wines has a tally of 32 gold medals and 3 trophies.

The first wines were released in 2007 and since then Heirloom Vineyards has picked up the following accolades: James Halliday Wine Companion - 5 Red Star producer, Melbourne International Wine Show 2017 - Adelaide Hills Chardonnay Winery of the Year, Barossa Valley Wine Show 2015 - Best Wine of Show, San Francisco International Wine Competition 2018 – Best Winery of Nation. We love these wines! 

You might remember the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes - in which a couple of impoverished tailors convince a preening peacock of an Emperorthat they can make him the most fabulous set of threads in the universe. They also tell him that those too stupid or unsuited to their roles within the court won’t be able to see his new clothes. They don’t actually make any clothes and the King is too insecure to call them on it, as is his court and the populace before whom he parades in front of starkers. Nice kit champ! 

That’s the Grenache story, especially in Australia – except it works in reverse... 

From its beginnings centuries ago in vineyards across Spain (where it is said to have originated) and France (featuring as the main act in many Châteauneuf-du-Pape and southern Rhône wines), Grenache is one of the most widely planted varietals in the world, yet it has never received the adulation

Less than 40km south of Adelaide, McLaren Vale is another one of South Australia's renowned Shiraz producers, accounting for roughly 50% of grapes crushed annually. The climate is markedly different from the Barossa, being much more Mediterranean with four clear seasons and higher rainfalls. McLaren Vale reds reflect this, showing deep complexity and power along with the ability to cellar for decades. While Shiraz grabs the most attention, chocolate-rich Cabernet Sauvignons, Chardonnays and Viogniers are worth sampling.

The climate is influenced by ocean breezes coming in from the Gulf of St. Vincent to the west and the altitude of the Sellicks Hill Range to the south. Soil type is varied, ranging from red-brown loam and sand to dark clay and the often-mentioned terra rosa. A misspell of the Italian phrase "terra rossa" (meaning "red soil"), this ruddy-red stuff is left behind when limestone breaks down, and any viticulturist will tell you it's great stuff to grow vines in due