S.W. and Rich Hermansen
Guest Writers
wine@lbknews.com
Southern Hemisphere red wines occupy very limited shelf space in wine shops and receive 
fewer reviews in the press than they deserve.
The 2021 vintage down under offers many wine buys that merit the attention of serious wine drinkers, Here we recommend Australian and New Zealand wine regions that have bottled outstanding wines in 2021. We also mention a few wines from these regions as examples of highly rated wines.
The Southeastern Australia Shiraz wines, from the Australian clones of the classic red Syrah grape from the Rhone Valley of the South of France, compete head to head with the best of French Bordeaux and California Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The old vines in the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale regions near Adelaide are as old or older than the vines on the Chateau of Bordeaux or. the estates in the Napa Valley. The heat and long winter days around Adelaide rival summer days in France and California. The Shiraz grapes make boldly tannic wines that stand up to lamb, game, and aged beef in their youth, and soften and mellow with age in the bottle. Look for these wines both for pairing now with grilled meats and to hold for five years or more:
The 2021 Langmeil Hangin Snakes Shiraz Viognier Barossa Valley ($21) and the 2021 deNegoce Lot 355 McLaren Vale Shiraz ($13) have the intense cassis (black current) and plum flavors of wines from these regions. The bargain prices make them options for everyday meals.
The small Coonawarra (the aboriginal word for “honeysuckle”) wine region in extreme Southeastern Australia has become a national favorite for Cabernet Sauvignon. Wine Australia calls it “A flat region famous for its terra rossa soils (thin iron-oxide based top soil over limestone)” and notes its temperate climate. The 2021 Stonehaven Limited Vineyard Release Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon ($30) has the dark fruit, herbal, and spice flavors that Cab fans love. The terra rossa soil adds whiffs of sea salt and iodine.
To the east of Australia in New Zealand, the Pinot Noir grape has taken footholds in the Central Otago and Marlborough regions on the South Island. Cold summers and temperate winters favors Pinot Noir wines as much as the leading wine export from New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc. Plots of Pinot Noir alongside larger expanses of Sauvignon Blanc in Malborough help grape growers to diversify. Central Otago wine grape dry land farmers have improved Pinot Noir ratings steadily over the last decade, and Malborough growers have followed suit. The Central Otago and Marlborough Pinot Noir ratings for the 2021 vintage exceed the best of the French Burgundy parcels and California regions except for the matching Anderson Valley ratings. The lovely 2021 Peregrine Pinot Noir Central Otago ($22+) and the 2021 Pa Road Pinot Noir, Marlborough ($19) represent balanced cominations of intense fruit tastes and tight tannic structure. The former pleases the tip of the tongue, and the latter lingers in the back of the mouth. New Zealand Pinot Noir tends to be difficult to find in the States, and in most other areas of the world as well.
Keep an eye out for the 2021 vintage top rated Syrah/Shiraz and Pinot Noir. Climate changes mean more variation year to year in the climate events either favorable and unfavorable to grape growing in any one location. It pays to look for wines from regions that have been blessed during a vintage year.
S.W. Hermansen has used his expertise in econometrics, data science and epidemiology to help develop research databases for the Pentagon, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Agriculture, and Health Resources and Services. He has visited premier vineyards and taste wines from major appellations in California, Oregon, New York State, and internationally from Tuscany and the Piedmont in Italy, the Ribera del Duero in Spain, the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale in Australia, and the Otego Valley in New Zealand. Currently he splits time between residences in Chevy Chase, Maryland and St. Armand’s Circle in Florida.
Rich Hermansen selected has first wine list for a restaurant shortly after graduating from college with a degree in Mathematics. He has extensive service and management experience in the food and wine industry. Family and friends rate him as their favorite chef, bartender, and wine steward. He lives in Severna Park, Maryland.
