BIG FINE GIRLS AND HUMMERS
Provocatively we can read the following at the back label of the Jeanneret wines ‘None of the fruit used to make this wine has been irrigated with River Murray water’ It took a long time to get to speak Ben Jeanneret, who took over the winery of his suddenly deceased, Swiss father in 1992. But I had tatsed one of his excellent wines in the hotel restaurant in the Clare Valley where a few days ago I had some kangaroo and the cheerful bartender was so enthusiastic about 'Ben' I insisted on meeting him. He is quite inaccessible because there is the pressure of the harvest, but when I got his interest in the cellar door I could talk to him. So finally I did meet the real Ben Jeanneret, his hands deep purple of shiraz grapes which were just pressed.

Ben stands for the typical Australian men (but I almost never see): slightly sun burnt, slightly heavy, messy hair, funny T-shirt, shorts, straw hat and relaxed. Hippies at heart. Now I know Australians do not let them describe as hippies: most are dressed in drab clothing and drive around in the latest family cars or a 4x4. Forget about nice, old rusty barrels.

In reality, Ben sounds gentler than the labels suggest, as for the water is concerned: "There is enough over production of grapes. Irrigation will only make it worse. I have nothing against producers in the Riverland, but against the huge companies that buy up huge tracts of land for huge vineyards. "The only thing he likes to use for his vineyards is groundwater. But really, "you have no need for irrigation, we've got good winter rains. A few years ago I built a new vineyard with shiraz grapes. I did not even irrigate young plants." Ben Jeanneret works the biological way and he has the certificates to prove it for those who really like to know. But no, that's not label material. "The important thing is that people appreciate my wines, as a lifestyle."

With that lifestyle he probably means the sometimes greasy, but usually cheerful and original names its wines receive. The graceful, fresh citrus 2008 Riesling is called Big Fine Girl, the very nice, great soft Cabernet Sauvignon 2005: Red Curly. The fruity 2006 Merlot is adequate baptized Dilly Dally  and the tough 2006 Shiraz, which has cloves and chocolate taste, Rank & File. The highlight for me is the single vineyard Shiraz 2004 which is named after Ben's father, Denis. The only one I like less is the 2005 Merlot which is (can you believe it) Jeannerets flag ship. It has probably got something to do with the name: Hummer (this way you are never gonna be a hippie!). All silly names aside, the best label is: Cowboys & Indians.

Opening hours
Every day except Christmas and Boxing day from 9.00 to 17.00.
On weekends from 10.00 to 17.00.

This article was created on March 28, 2009 by Trouw Journalist Remke de Lange. For more wine articles: www.remkedelange.nl. This article is copyrighted