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Ollin, aka Jaysen Collins and his daughter Fin, make incredible wines, Fin recently finished her winemaking degree and has a superb palate. Jaysen founded Massena and is a consultant for some exceptional Barossa producers, inc one who makes a slew of Shiraz and Grenache wines at prices north of $200 a bottle - he’s an absolute gun.
Notorious hard markers, the Wine Front, had the following to say of the new venture…
On the Winery: A new project is born. And what a thunderous start.
Of the Oleta White: This is a wickedly good, fancy-feeling wine. Right on. Ludicrous value
Of the Balto Shiraz Grenache: Far out. This is outrageously delicious. Almost an Italianate feel to elements in the wine, as a positive. It should turn anyone on looking for dark fruited, proper Barossa red wine of vitality, drinkability and charm.
Of the Shiraz: This is Outstanding. Lavish scents and flavours … lusty, gnarly older vine depth and then energetic and vibrant in the same breath. The bottle went, mea culpa.
These are incredible wines made in tiny quantities.
Region
Adelaide Hills, SA
Considerably cooler than the surrounding plains, the hills are washed in rain during winte ...
Considerably cooler than the surrounding plains, the hills are washed in rain during winter months, and the peaks wrapped in fog. It is considered a high rainfall region compared to other Australian regions, but outside of winter the climate is warm and dry. Night time temperatures are the feature - notably cooler than the day when the sun sets. Worth noting is how the average rainfall increases the higher you go, with Mount Lofty picking up 1400mm on the old splash-o-meter compared to 850mm just 10K down the road in Charleston. This range of moisture and altitudes results in a variety of soils, but in general are sand and clay loam over clay subsoils. ... Read Full Article
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Variety
Chardonnay
Chardonnay sits on the fence of many a wine enthusiast. Versatile, kind in nature and oh s ...
Chardonnay sits on the fence of many a wine enthusiast. Versatile, kind in nature and oh so compliant, however for most it's still dressed in attire that's so distinctly... 90s. Shoulder pads, overalls and bike shorts saw this particular version of white wine with such a wooded vengeance, we were practically asking the chefs to take the butter out of the meals to make way for it. Thankfully however, times are a changin'. Underneath all that 90s getup reveals elegance and sophistication and Australia is doing its bit to make Chardy interesting again. Read Full Article
As the weather gets warmer, I find the appeal of fresh and crunchy vegetables with citrus flavours gets just that little bit higher. This dish is really easy, quite cheap to prepare if you shop at an asian grocer and you can adapt as you wish.
Shellfish and butter... never a bad thing, right? Right! Pair it up with a Chardy from Pemberton for a truly local experience...
Ingredients
2 whole marron (or crayfish)
If they are still alive, place the marron into the freezer for 5 minutes to put them to sleep. Sliced in half lengthways and clean out the head and veins.
2 ripe peaches (cut into wedges)
6-8 cherry tomatoes (halved)
Fish stock:
This will make approximately 1 litre of stock and you can freeze what you don't use.
1 litre water
1 white fish (head & frame only, ask your local fish monger)
1 brown onion (diced)
1 tbsp fennel seeds
To Finish:
50g chopped butter
2 courgette flowers (halved)
2 tbsp chopped chives
2 tbsp Yarra Valley Salmon Caviar
Method
Prepare the fish stock. Wash fish frame, place into a pot with water, chopped onion and fennel seeds, bring to the boil, skim, simmer for 20 minutes then strain through muslin cloth.
Heat a pan & add a good splash of olive oil (very hot pan please) then add the marron with flesh
Not a fan of carbonara? Odds are you've never had a good one. Tricky to get right, but so rewarding when you do.
Ingredients
For one portion:
60 to 80gm spaghetti freshly cooked al dente
1 tb Extra virgin olivae oil
30g flat pancetta or guanciale
1 or 2 eggs, beaten
25g freshly grated Pecorino Romano and/or aged Italian Grana Cheese (Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano)
freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Mix the beaten egg with grated cheese and grounded black pepper.
2. Slice the pancetta 7 to 10 mm thick and cut in 2 cm rectangular bites.
3. Slowly fry the pancetta in the extra virgin olive oil in a non stick pan until crispy. If the pancetta has enough fat you will not need to add oil.
4. Add the spaghetti with some of the cooking water, do not fry the spaghetti but rather just let it absorb the flavour of the pancetta.
5. Simmer gently until the water is almost gone.
6. Remove the pan from the stove.
7. Add the egg, cheese and pepper mixture to the pasta and stir quickly making sure
Chardonnay sits on the fence of many a wine enthusiast. Versatile, kind in nature and oh so compliant, however for most it's still dressed in attire that's so distinctly... 90s. Shoulder pads, overalls and bike shorts saw this particular version of white wine with such a wooded vengeance, we were practically asking the chefs to take the butter out of the meals to make way for it. Thankfully however, times are a changin'. Underneath all that 90s getup reveals elegance and sophistication and Australia is doing its bit to make Chardy interesting again.
Considerably cooler than the surrounding plains, the hills are washed in rain during winter months, and the peaks wrapped in fog. It is considered a high rainfall region compared to other Australian regions, but outside of winter the climate is warm and dry. Night time temperatures are the feature - notably cooler than the day when the sun sets. Worth noting is how the average rainfall increases the higher you go, with Mount Lofty picking up 1400mm on the old splash-o-meter compared to 850mm just 10K down the road in Charleston. This range of moisture and altitudes results in a variety of soils, but in general are sand and clay loam over clay subsoils. A bit of shale and ironstone can be found, and the soil is acidic on average and rarely acidic.
The combination of climate and soil lends to superb cool-weather whites like Riesling (if you watch for mould), Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and crisp Chardonnays. Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon can also be found, with the grapes maturing
