Koonara Coonawarra Wines - Limestone Coast, South Australia

Koonara Vino Report

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Last of the Grapes are off - and by George did we get bugger all. Don't expect too much red wine from this year. On the plus side, it looks like we have a cracker Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling coming up in the next few months. Stay tuned...

Great friends Sam Martin married Caroline Stockman on Aldinga beach recently; I know I say this every wedding I seem to go to lately, but this really was a cracker of a day weather-wise, as you can see for yourself. Perfect beach setting - I think Nicole was jotting down ideas for our wedding later in the year....

Note the nosy old timer in the background - everyone loves a wedding.

The reception was held at Penny's Hill, in McLaren Vale - if you get a chance, try their Chardonnay Viognier; I am a firm believer (putting my Molly Meldrum hat on here) that this blend is going to be a bit hit - The buttery peach of the chardonnay goes well with the apricot of the Viognier. Do yourself a favour, get out there, grab a bottle.
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3 NEW WINES!
The Temptress & The Seductress 2004 - Tempting & Seducing all who came into the cellar door this Easter - sold out, we had to get some more sent from where it was still at the bottlers in Adelaide. Both are sealed with a Diam corks, which are guaranteed against cork taint. Super-soft tannins, and nice, sweet oak vanillin's at this young age.

Single Wing Sauvignon Blanc Semillon: Wine is all about balance: One wing - the Sauvignon Blanc - has big aromas and zesty acid, balancing the other wing - the Semillon - with it's soft, subtle, and rich flavours.
"We are each of us angels with only one wing. And we can only fly by embracing each other" - Luciano de Crescenzo, Italian writer

New Segment:
Cooking with Macgyver
Breakfast in a Hotel Room
You wake up and realise you forgot to put in your breakfast order the night before. What would MacGyver do?

1. Heat the iron.

2. Cut bacon strips in half, then place between foil sheets with the edges crimped together to seal in grease. Iron the bacon, opening one side of the foil packet every few minutes to check for doneness and allow steam to escape. Slightly crisp bacon takes about 10 minutes.

3. Place eggs whole in the kettle, and boil. Keep turning on the kettle (or hold it down) for at least 4 min (soft cooked) or 6 min. for medium cooked. Add an extra minute for extra large eggs. Tip out water and start again for your coffee.

WIN A 6-PACK OF WINE: Come up with the best handy hint for cooking in a hotel room, bush, car, etc - Best recipe will win a 6-pack of our new wines The Temptress, The Seductress & Single Wing (2 of each). Runners up will get 20% off their next wine order.

You can quote me:
"If wishes were grapes, I would stomp on your wishes. Then, after some fermentation, I would drink them and later possibly throw your wishes back up." - Hallmark Card

Place-which-stocks-Koonara-wine-of-the-month: The Exeter
Rundle St, Adelaide - This place is hard enough to get on the wine list, let alone by the glass. Only the very best make it, which is why they have such an awesome reputation for their wine list - and why they picked us, of course.

Events:
Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival
MAY 2007, 18-20
Celebrate our regions rich history and artistic talents over three days with working artists, performances, exhibitions, workshops, walking tours, fabulous food and fine wine. www.artsfestival.com.au

Cellar Dwellars: All of July
Come to Coonawarra, snuggle up with some log fires, and relax with some aged wines from the cellar of Coonawarra's best wineries. Start looking for accomodation at http://penola.org/stay.htm

For the foodies:
I'm changing things around here. Like our cellar door, I want everything for the perfect dinner party. Each month I'll vary it up depending on how many people are coming, and even include the music for the night. All advice on tips warmly welcome HERE

The ultimate Dinner Party:
Autumn Table for 4
To Eat:
Teriyaki Steak with Wasabi Mascarpone
Loving Mascapone cheese at the moment! Add some Wasabi zing to your steak.
Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
4    200g scotch fillet steaks, fat-trimmed
4 tbsp   teriyaki marinade
2 cloves   garlic, crushed
1    hot red chilli, finely chopped
50 g   Mascarpone cheese
2 tsp   wasabi paste
1 tbsp   finely chopped chives

Asian salad to serve:
1    red onion halved and thinly sliced
1    punnet baby beans, steamed
8    small radishes thinly sliced
      mixed salad leaves

Method
1. Combine the teriyaki marinade, garlic and chilli in a shallow dish. Add the steaks and coat with the marinade. Cover and place in the fridge for 3-4 hours or overnight.
2. Combine the Mascarpone, wasabi paste and chives and put back in fridge.
3. Preheat the grill or non-stick frypan (if using frypan, coat steaks in a little oil).
4. Cook the steaks for 3-4 minutes. Cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
5. To prepare the Asian salad, combine all salad ingredients in a bowl and toss well.
6. Place the steaks onto 4 warm plates and top each with 1/4 of the wasabi butter. Serve with the Asian salad.

Tip: for medium rare steak, turn the fillet as soon as you see juice rising to the surface.

And for Dessert: Lemon Cake
Goes Perfect with Sticky wine - can add cream, ice-cream or fresh fruit.
Cake Ingredients: 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 Tsp. baking powder 1 cup sugar 4 eggs 2/3 cup sour cream 4 TBSP lemon juice Zest of one lemon 2/3 cup vegetable oil or canola

Syrup: 4 TBSP powdered sugar 3 TBSP lemon juice

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 170 C.
Lightly grease and flour an 8 inch cake pan. Set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.
Stir in the sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, lemon rind, lemon juice, and oil.
Pour the egg mixture into the dry mixutre and mix well until evenly combined.
Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake at 170 C for 45-60 minutes or until risen and golden brown.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice to make the syrup. Stir until bubbly and syrupy. When the cake comes out of the oven, prick the top of the cake all over with a knife. Then brush the top of the cake with the syrup. Let the cake cool completely before turning out and serving.

For the Wine:
De Iuliis Hunter Valley Chardonnay - pronounced de-oolius Ignore the year - all of their wines from all years when we visited recently were very smart, with very smart prices too - all around the $16 - $25 mark.

The Seductress Coonawarra Shiraz 2004 - $15.95
Super smart wine - only 250 cases made, and found in our Cellar Door and restaurants only.

Dessert Wine: Rymill June Traminer - oh my Lordy - I could live on this stuff. Brilliantly balanced sweetness, this is a wine has an oiliness which clings to your tongue and doesn't want to let go. Around the $18 I think, which is way too cheap considering the amount of work that goes into this wines.

Music for a cruzy dinner party for 4:

Saint Germain Café- The Finest Electro-Jazz Compilation - Great background music. If you can't find this, then any St Germain is fine. Good for setting the scene with a group of 4 to 6 people after dark.

Good for all ages too, in case your inviting the in-laws around.

"Here's to a long life and a merry one.
A quick death and an easy one.
A pretty girl and an honest one.
A fine wine-- and another one."

Dru Reschke
Head Honcho
Koonara Coonawarra Wines
O: (+61) (0)8 87 373 222
M: (+61) (0)408 101177
F: (+61) (0)8 87 373 220
dru@koonara.com
www.koonara.com
Box 5 Coonawarra
South Australia 5263

Silver medal - SA Tourism awards
"One of the smallest & best wineries (in Coonawarra) is Koonara - A highlight and a must to check out."
- Ray Jordan, The West Australian