A bottle of wine, a bowl of freakishly delicious sea food, and a great movie on a Wednesday night. Me and my boyfriend decided to stay at home this evening and as the oenophiles we are, we chose a movie dedicated to wine and of course, watched it along with a bottle of one superb Riesling. The movie was titled Mondovino, a documentary about the chances of survival that small wineries have against the fast globalization that has taken over the wine world. Pretty interesting story – worth the watch for anyone interested in knowing how hard it is for small wineries around the world to thrive in the presence of large multinational wine producers.
As I said, I’m a huge wine lover, and buying wine is always number one on my shopping list. What can I say, I enjoy indulging in good wine along with my dinner; it makes the food tastier and my mood better. This movie got me thinking about the wines I drink every day; I’ve never actually gave much thought about who produces my godly drink. I just love the taste of it and enjoy it. So now, I decided to do a little research on this evening’s choice: a Tim Adams Riesling.
The interesting and most important detail in Tim Adams’ story is his persistence. He entered the wine world in 1984 along with some friends and started producing great Shiraz. The partnership did not last long unfortunately, but Adams refused to give up. He continued to work on his dream to own a winery and just after getting his daughter in 1987, everything in his life turned around; the grapes were getting better, the wines tastier and more popular, and Tim Adams was slowly starting to become a brand. Every bottle that came out of his small winery in Clare Valley has a dose of elegance and class, perfectly contributing to the worldly fame of some of his most fabulous wines:
- Tim Adams Riesling – The one I have opened on the table. Unbelievable taste, with very accentuated tones of lime and a meyer lemon finish. You will feel a chemical aroma similar to petrol; it is very acidic, which is why I combined it with sea food – its perfect companion.
- The Tim Adams Shiraz – a red wine so bold, so perfectly crafted in an artisan manner, you will instantly fall in love with it. It is a full-bodied red with firm tannins, a companion for hot plates and heavy meats.
- The Tim Adams Semillon – as a variety that is so hard to grow and understand, Tim Adams made a pretty good job with it. I decided I will give a try to the Semilon, and luckily realized how amazing it is: flavours ranging from zesty lemon to a sweet papaya and something very waxy you will feel after the first sip that most wine connoisseurs describe as lanolin. The finish of it can remind you much to a zesty Sauvignon Blanc or a creamy Chardonnay.
Apparently, Clare Valley has a secret of its own: highly fertile soil and a perfectly moderate climate: continental, with cool to cold nights, warm days and rain mainly in winter and spring time. That combination of conditions makes the area perfect for growing white varieties, especially Riesling and red varieties, predominantly Shiraz. Now I know for sure what’s the next choice I am going to stack my wine shelves with, and I hope you got a few fresh ideas as well. Chin-chin!
