![\"Seville](\"https:\/\/travisschultz.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Seville-Hill-Tempranilla-300x250.jpg\")
<\/p>\nIt could simply be logistical challenges and the tyranny of distance, or perhaps because Australian made wines offer such good value for money, but lovers of Old World wines aren\u2019t exactly spoilt for choice in our local bottle shops.<\/p>\n
The term \u201cOld World\u201d simply refers to regions that are considered to be the birthplace of winemaking: so broadly that\u2019s Europe and the Middle East. So I guess it shouldn\u2019t be surprising to find that the shelves of our local outlets are so sparsely populated by Old World styles.<\/p>\n
Generally speaking, the European styles tend to be less fruit forward, leaner and more constrained by body than their Australasian counterparts. But their reds are undoubtedly built to last and many styles will cellar well for decades.<\/p>\n
And if Italian reds are the order of the day, rather than taking your chances with unknown imported labels, there are some savvy Australian winemakers who have embraced these varietals and are now turning out very approachable wines that also offer cellaring potential.<\/p>\n
One of the best I\u2019ve found is Seville Hill in Victoria\u2019s Yarra Valley. There, winemaker and co-owner John D\u2019Alosio is making some of the finest Cabernet and Shiraz that I have seen in the region, but also dabbling in some Old World styles like Sangiovese, Barbera, Nebbiolo and Tempranillo. John tells me that he\u2019s the only producer in the Yarra Valley of \u201call four Italian red grapes\u201d though I am not sure that the Spanish would agree that Tempranillo can be claimed by their Italian friends as their own!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Tempranillo ($35) is softer than many I\u2019ve tried and oozes chocolate, cedar and tobacco through the palate. Some 18 months spent in French Oak has certainly mellowed it somewhat. The tannins are obvious but far less chewy than you see in the Spanish styles like Rioja.<\/p>\n
John\u2019s Barbera ($35) is similarly constrained in body and delivers hints of strawberry, aniseed and molasses before tannins appear across the finish and leave a dry but juicy conclusion. You could easily substitute this Barbera for a cool climate Pinot and it would work just as well in a<\/p>\n
food pairing with any duck or game dish.<\/p>\n
The Seville Hill Sangiovese ($35) is also relatively light in body and exudes ripe cherries on the nose before flavours of raspberry and dark plums appear through the middle. It\u2019s enjoyable now but will likely improve over the next five to 10 years.<\/p>\n
But the superstar of the stable is the Seville Hill Nebbiolo. John concedes that its\u2019s \u201cstill in nappies\u201d but already is hinting at its potential. The Nebbiolo grape is used in Italy to make what is arguably their flagship red, Barolo. In the Piedmont Region, the local winemakers use the Nebbiolo grape to craft a dry, tannic red that is light in colour but typically all about \u201ctar and roses\u201d. While the Seville Hill version shows hints of violets, prunes and a herbaceousness right now, it is still youthful, and I suspect could be a standout in 15 years\u2019 time! If only I could be that patient?<\/p>\n
A taste of Italy is certainly a treat for the palate, and with clever producers like Seville Hill within our shores, now it\u2019s closer than you might think!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It could simply be logistical challenges and the tyranny of distance, or perhaps because Australian made wines offer such good value for money, but lovers of Old World wines aren\u2019t exactly spoilt for choice in our local bottle shops. The term \u201cOld World\u201d simply refers to regions that are considered to be the birthplace of…
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