Moore’s Hill – great location and atmosphere
by Ben Nuttall (WSET® Level 3 Award in Wines and Spirits)
Professional learning in Bordeaux, at Millesima Fine Wine Merchants
Going for something a little Moore.
I have recently spent a very pleasurable winter’s afternoon at a little vineyard in the Tamar Valley and I think the experience is worth sharing.
It was a sunny but not overly warm day and a vineyard visit was on the cards – might as well enjoy the sunshine! I ended up at Moore’s Hill Vineyard (about 40min north of Launceston along the west bank of the Tamar river) for the afternoon.
I was greeted at the door by Fiona (one of the owners) and Otto (4 legged and very friendly, just push him out of the way if you don’t like dogs) and welcomed into their beautifully presented tasting room. The immediate impression was fantastic – roaring wood fire in the corner, shelves of great local produce and of course a wide selection of wines to taste! There was even a stand of Tasmanian whisky to taste if that’s more your speed.
I settled down on a couch near the fire with one of the local produce tasting plates on offer (I went with the meats selection, highly recommended) and nibbled at that while tasting some of the wines available.
While all the wines were very nice, there was one stand out that really impressed and somewhat surprised me that day – their Pinot Gris. I’m normally not much of a fan of the Pinot G’s (Gris and Grigio), the reasons for which I will no doubt talk about in a later blog update, but this one was particularly enjoyable. It had all the varietal aromas and flavours (think pear, subtle spices, a hint of musk) backed up by a fantastic texture and enough acidity to carry the flavour across all your taste buds and balance the texture.
A glass of this, the pate and cured meats from the platter, a roaring fire behind you with sunlight streaming in the window across your legs – now there’s a recipe for a very relaxing and enjoyable winter’s afternoon well spent!
