REINFORCED DESIGNER WORK
The first five generations were mostly grape growers, but very good ones. Don Oliver provides grapes for Penfolds Grange, one of Australia's most admired wines. But his niece, Corrina Wright (formerly Rayment), the sixth generation, wanted to make wine. She did for Gallo in California and in Australia for major labels like Lindemans. But once back on her native soil in McLaren Vale, she gave more and more attention to her own 'hobby wines’. Now about 20% of the grapes go to Oliver's Taranga, although still her small but already acclaimed wine label.

The small house that around 1850 gave shelter to two families of grape growers, is not so long ago transformed into a modern-rustic cellar door where every morning at ten o'clock the first bottle are opened. The delicious sultry Viognier 2008 (already a favorite grape to me). The even though sensually berry like 2007 Grenache. The Corrina's Blend from 2006 with its Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz combination is a very fine, subtle  wine. The 2005 HJ Reserve, named after grandfather Bert Oliver, which tastes deliciously drenched.

I love them all very, but I'm especially surprised by something I usually have less focus on: the Fortified. A fortified wine which, now that the name is protected, no longer can be called Port. The wine pioneers of Australia widely produced fortified wines, but they were rather fallen out of favor in the last decades. Nowadays, new winemakers do experiment with it. This glass of fortified wine, made from Grenache grapes, I find very special: tobacco, cinnamon, chocolate, brown sugar, almond ... Each sip of this slightly viscous, light brown wine is different. And even that bottle! A tough piece of designer work.

Opening hours
Seven days a week from 10.00 to 16.00 hours.

This article was created on March 30, 2009 by journalist Remke de Lange. For more wine articles: www.remkedelange.nl. This article is copyrighted