Easter food and wine pairings

Easter is a busy time of year in the winery, but for most Australians, it means an extra long weekend and a road trip to visit friends and family. 

We’re lucky to enjoy Easter at home, hopefully Adam will be able to duck out of the winery for at least one meal!

What wine do you pair with your Easter feast? We’ve put together a few suggestions. 

Good Friday: Fish 

Fish is traditionally served on Good Friday. We love grilled fish (with a little seasoning – see below), especially Snapper or Barramundi. We often serve it with homemade fries, tartare sauce and some home grown lemon. 

While Chardonnay is frequently recommended as a pairing suggestion with fish, we enjoy our Grampians Viognier (textural with crispness, richness and body). 

Easter Sunday: Lamb 

We’re lucky, the Grampians is also lamb country! On Easter Sunday, we’ll be serving Lamb rack with roast veggies including home grown chat potatoes (first time success with growing potatoes!) and tomato and onion bake

Rich, structured wines work well with lamb as the tannin helps balance the fattiness of the meat. Our SubRosa Nebbiolo, Grampians Shiraz or Grampians Cabernet would pair beautifully. 

Enjoy making memories with those you love this Easter. 

Buy our Easter Feast SubRosa wine six-pack

  • 2021 SubRosa Grampians Viognier x2
  • 2018 SubRosa Nebbiolo x1
  • 2018 SubRosa Grampians Shiraz x 1
  • 2019 SubRosa Grampians Shiraz x 2

$245 + free shipping 

Limited availability. Available for purchase until 10am, 6 April, or until sold out.

Our favourite seasoned flour mix: 

  • 1 tbsp. oregano (can also add tarragon, marjoram and/or sage)
  • 1 tsp. ground chilli (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tbsp. black peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp. paprika
  • 1 tbsp. onion flakes
  • 1 tbsp. rock salt
  • 3 tbsp. of dried garlic
  • 450 g plain flour 

Blitz the herbs and then mix with the flour. 

This seasoning can be used on fish or chicken, grilled or baked and can be kept in the pantry in an air tight container for months. 

📸 Lamb rack by SubRosa wine lover Kate McClure

Chocolate and wine pairing

Red wine and dark chocolate make a wonderful pairing

When you love chocolate AND wine, you naturally find a way to make them work together!

Adam is a chocoholic. There is barely a day that goes by that doesn’t include chocolate! Mostly cadbury dairy milk.

As Easter is just around the corner, we thought we’d share with you why chocolate and wine pair beautifully and which wines we would enjoy with chocolate.

Characters of chocolate

Dark chocolate

Dark Chocolate is intense thanks to 70 – 100% cacao (Nancy loves 70% but is not a fan of 100% cacao chocolate!). You will find a combination of fruit, earth, wood, ash and nut notes. The intense flavours of dark, rich chocolate call for bolder, denser wines. Big and big work.

Varietal matches: We enjoy rich dark chocolate with our newly released 2019 Malakoff Estate Shiraz. This bold Shiraz from the warmer climate of the Pyrenees has bright yet rich fruit flavours. Our 2017 Grampians Cabernet would also pair beautifully.

Milk chocolate

Milk chocolate (Adam’s favourite) is higher in milk and sugar and has a smaller percentage of cacao than dark chocolate. This makes it sweeter and milder with flavours including cocoa, cream, nuts, malt, vanilla and honey.

Varietal matches: Milk chocolate characteristics pair well with wines that are lighter, savoury and/or fruity. We enjoy our 2019 Pyrenees Nebbiolo or 2019 Grampians Pyrenees Shiraz as the complex savoury characteristics of our SubRosa wines complement milk chocolate.

White chocolate

White chocolate isn’t a true chocolate as it doesn’t include cocoa, but its rich sweet flavours of cream, honey and vanilla make it a great pairing with bright aromatic and fruity wines.

Varietal matches: Our 2021 Grampians Viognier would be our go to as the apricot, stonefruit and ginger notes enhance the flavours of white chocolate (or chocolate mousse). Crisp sparkling is also another favourite pairing in our house.

What’s your favourite chocolate and wine pairing?

We all have a unique palate, likes and dislikes. So give it a go. Experiment with chocolate and wine and discover what works best for you. Have fun!

Wine offer, with free shipping, for your Easter Feast

Like to conduct your own wine and chocolate pairings this Easter? We’ve put together an Easter Feast 6-pack. It includes wines in this article, as well as our new release 2019 Grampians Shiraz.

Order by April 5 to receive free shipping. (Enter code: SREaster6)

Top 10 things to do with kids in the Grampians wine region this Easter

Bunjil Shelter in the Grampians
Bunjil Shelter

Here are our top ten things to do with kids in the Grampians wine region this Easter.

We love living in the Grampians. We live here because Adam is passionate about working with Grampians grapes (especially Shiraz). It’s a spectacular part of the world and worth exploring. We never leave home without a picnic rug, scooters, a footy, snacks, jackets and our water bottles.

  1. Hike the beautiful Grampians National Park. Our favourite hikes are Venus Baths and Silverband falls. They are both easy walks – even with toddlers and grandparents. Our kids love playing on the rocks and in the water.
  2.  Eat ice cream in Halls Gap. And then walk to the playground in the centre of town.
  3. Eat, drink and play at the Halls Gap Hotel. Playground, it’s all about the playground. The Halls Gap Hotel has an indoor AND outdoor playground for the kids. They also serve great pub grub and local wines.
  4. Relax at Pomonal Estate. With views of the Grampians plenty of of outdoor seating and games for the kids to play – this is a great spot to enjoy a glass of local beer or wine with local produce.
  5. Stretch your legs or use the facilities at Ararat’s Alexandra Gardens. The Gardens Cafe serves coffee, milkshakes, snacks or something more substantial. The walking track around the lake is great to scoot along, there’s a playground, plenty of wildlife to enjoy and in summer the 50m outdoor pool.
  6. Visit Victoria’s largest regional zoo Halls Gap Zoo.
  7. Discover an aboriginal rock art site. The Grampians is home to more than 80% of south-eastern Australia’s aboriginal rock art. Bunjil shelter is just off the main drag near Stawell. It’s easy to access from the car park (max 5 min walk) and is one of the most significant sites in the region.
  8. Drink in the view at Fallen Giants winery, just out of Halls Gap. Sit on the deck and enjoy the spectacular Grampians mountain range with a glass of wine and cheese platter while the kids enjoy the playground.
  9. Swim. There are several pools in the region. We visit the Ararat indoor pool weekly, and in the warmer months, we love Lake Fyans (you’ll need a drill to get your CoolCabana in the hard sand!) the Ararat or Halls Gap outdoor swimming pools.
  10. Stay in. Stay in the accommodation that you have booked. Enjoy the big open spaces and nature at its best. Nature is abundant. From echidna’s to emus, stumpy tail lizards and cockatoos, kangaroos and wallabies – you’ll see it all. Just make sure to visit one of the local wineries or our friend Simon at Grampians Wine Cellar in Halls Gap to stock up on local wine.
Toby enjoying the playground at the Halls Gap Hotel
Toby enjoying the playground at the Halls Gap Hotel

SubRosa stockists in the Grampians:

How to enjoy red wine in summer

SubRosa wine at sunset

On hot days, we often reach for a cool drink, but you don’t have to wait for the leaves to change colour to enjoy a good red. Red wine can be a great match on a balmy summer night or for those countless BBQ’s with friends.

Here are our top tips for enjoying red wine in summer.

  1. Avoid big, bold wines that are high in alcohol. Heavily oaked wines with high tannin are not as enjoyable as lighter bodied wines in warm weather. Save the robust red for a rich, winter dish.
  2. Lightweight clothes work in warm weather, just like lighter bodied red wines. Our favourite red varieties to enjoy in warmer months include Nebbiolo, Grenache and cool-climate Shiraz. Rosé is also a hit (especially with Nancy). Made from red grapes in the style of a white wine, Rosé that is bright, flavourful and textured is delicious. Rosé is best enjoyed within two years of bottling.
  3. Chill it. Red wine should be served at 15 – 18C which is cooler than Australian-summer room temperature. Place your bottle of red wine in the fridge for about 15 – 20 minutes before serving. Before pouring, touch the side of the wine bottle. The wine should feel cool to the touch, but not cold. Rosé should be chilled and removed from the fridge 15 minutes before sharing.
  4. If your wine starts to warm-up as you drink it, pop it back in the fridge for five minutes, but don’t let it get too cold. Serving a red wine too cold masks aromas and flavours. Serving red wine too warm makes it unbalanced. The alcohol gets its party shoes on and leaps out of the glass.

So the secret sauce, wine selection and wine temperature. Cheers to more red wine on summer days!

Adam’s favourite summer red: Cool climate shiraz. Try our 2018 SubRosa Grampians Shiraz.

 

Why decant wine?

Why decant wine?

You don’t need a fancy decanter to get the most out of a bottle of wine.

What does decanting do to wine? Let’s break it down.

Wine smell and taste can be improved from exposure to air, oxygen to be specific.

According to Adam, when you decant a wine you let it breathe. And in doing so, the aromas come out. It opens up. “You get more out of your wine,” says Adam. Try this with our 2016 SubRosa Malakoff Estate Pyrenees Shiraz.

Young wines with high tannin can benefit from decanting for as little as 30 minutes. Wines with a little bottle age not only open up from the air exposure, but by decanting you can limit the sediment making it to your glass.

A red wine stored in a cooler location can reach ideal drinkable temperature by decanting.

Decanters don’t need to be expensive crystal, the same effect on the wine can be achieved using a glass or ceramic jug (our favourite when travelling) or the winemaker’s go to – a flask!

“If you are buying wine of a high quality, there is a good chance your wine will benefit from decanting,” says Adam.

A little secret trick of the trade…decant the wine in a jug, and pour it back into the bottle to serve. Voilà.

Toast to the Host: simple dukkah recipe

It’s holiday season. Time to visit friends, relax and celebrate.

I’m a big fan of dukkah. I always have it in the pantry. It’s a great for a grazing platter, with eggs on toast, salads or even a stir fry (I picked up that idea from my sister-in-law Brittny). It’s also very easy to make, and is a simple, but great gift.

Here’s a recipe I recently discovered.

simple dukkah recipe
📸 Sophie Hansen

Simple Dukkah Recipe
Prep: 5 minutes, Cook: 10 minutes

½ cup (75 g) Hazelnuts, toasted
½ cup (80 g) almonds toasted
1 tsp sea salt
⅓ cup (50 g) sesame seeds
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
2 Tbsp cumin seeds

Place the hazelnuts in a food processor or mortar and pestle with the salt.

Combine the sesame, coriander and cumin seeds in a frying pan and toast until fragrant and the sesame seeds are golden. Add to the nut mix and blitz or bash to combine into roughish crumbs. Once cool, store in a clean jar for up to a month. In Good Company by Sophie Hansen (p99)

Make sure to try it once you are done. Grab some fresh bread and olive oil, pour a glass of SubRosa wine and relax and enjoy! A simple dukkah recipe for you and those you love!

Have fun,

Nancy

ps. There are plenty of other spices or nuts you can use – so have fun with it.

pps. I always love to make my dukkah a little spicy with some white pepper or hot paprika.

Why wine temperature matters

SubRosa Viognier ice bucket

All whites go in the fridge right? Well, not exactly.

Before you fill the bathtub with ice, or buy a second drinks fridge for your next party consider these wine temperature tips.

According to Adam, Viognier is like Chardonnay, but more exotic. Like Chardonnay, Viognier is best served at just below room temperature (11-13C). If it’s too cold, the texture, flavour, acid balance and aromas will be masked. If room temperature in your neck of the woods is more than 15C, pop your Viognier in the fridge to chill it slightly, but make sure to get it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you plan on serving it.

Like a good Brie or Camembert cheese, straight out of the fridge aromatic whites like Viognier are palatable, but not delicious. If you have patience and time to let it come to room temperature you’ll be rewarded with flavour and aroma.

Try it for yourself, pop a bottle of SubRosa Viognier in the fridge and pour a glass. Take a sip immediately after it comes out of the fridge and then try it again after 10-15 minutes, and again after about 30 minutes. What do you think?

2017-Settler-and-Sons_Rosé_Credit_@sophie_iam

Rosé on a sunny day? Yes please! Adam suggests serving Rosé chilled, but not straight out of the fridge. Give it at least 10-15 minutes to come closer to room temperature so you can enjoy its aroma, flavour and texture. It’s amazing the difference 10-15 minutes makes! Ideal serving temperature for Rosé is 10-12C.

Nebbiolo, like Pinot Noir, should be served at room temperature which is widely considered to be about 14-16C, while Shiraz and Cabernet thrive at a slightly warmer temperatures of 17-19C. On summer days when you are serving Shiraz, don’t let it get too hot or it will lose its complexity for which SubRosa is known.

Top wine temperature tips:

  1. Take your favourite white or Rosé out of the fridge at least 15 minutes before serving.
  2. Store your wine in a cool dark place, not on top of the fridge which is likely to be warmer than many other places in your home.
  3. Keep wine out of the sun when entertaining outside.

New release 2021 SubRosa Grampians Viognier

It’s here! Our eagerly awaited new release SubRosa 2021 Grampians Viognier.

“It’s absolutely delicious, a beautiful wine to drink. Our 2021 Grampians Viognier is bright, yet rich. There’s minerality, some acidity and so much texture. And then there’s the aromas of stone fruit…so good,” says SubRosa Co-Founder Nancy Panter.

“It makes me want to throw a garden party. There is so much beauty and colour to enjoy in Spring in the Grampians (if it would only stop raining!).”

“I’d absolutely share this wine with smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwiches or BBQ prawns and chicken with a salad of pomegranate, goats cheese, toasted nuts and home grown lettuce and rocket.”

We like to serve Viognier at room temperature, much like you would a good soft cheese. In our house, Viognier is the go-to wine for roast pork, or, thanks to the versatility of this wine, is also a great pairing for heartier dishes like lamb!

Drinking beautifully now – or if you can, hold on to a couple of bottles/cases and see how it evolves over time (from five to seven years), this special, Grampians Viognier is a lovely wine to watch evolve.

We are renowned for producing some of Australia’s top Viognier (we only craft Viognier when the grapes are the highest quality). Our SubRosa 2020 Grampians Viognier 2020 (sold out) was reviewed by Huon Hooke, the master of Australian wine journalism, and rated as #2 Viognier in Australia with 95 points.

SubRosa Grampians ViognierSubRosa 2021 Grampians Viognier

We had a cool – mild summer in 2021. This long and slow slow grape ripening season produced beautiful complexity in our Viognier grapes.

Our 2021 SubRosa Viognier is crafted with 100% Grampians Viognier and was naturally fermented and matured in French oak for 12 months.

Only 200 dozen. Contains sulphites. Vegan. Limited availability – four bottles/order.

RRP: $48

Each year this release is highly anticipated and it will sell out. Secure yours today.

BUY HERE

SubRosa wine new releases – 2021

They’re here! Our SubRosa new release wines for 2021.

2020 SubRosa Grampians Viognier

The eagerly awaited 2020 SubRosa Grampians Viognier has finally arrived! We’re thankful to those who have patiently waited for our 2020 vintage release.

We produce Viognier when the grapes are the highest quality, which is why we did not produce a vintage in 2019. We are very proud of our 2020 Grampians Viognier.

This wine is a cracker. Beautiful aromas of stone fruit with great texture and complexity. We like to serve this wine at room temperature, much like you would a good soft cheese. In our house, Viognier is the go-to wine for a Sunday roast chicken, or, thanks to the versatility of the wine, is a great pairing for heartier dishes like pork, veal and even lamb!

Drinking beautifully now – or if you can, hold on to a couple of bottles/cases and see how it evolves over time (from five to seven years), This special, Grampians Viognier is a lovely wine to watch evolve.

RRP: $30

100 cases produced.

Naturally fermented and matured for nine months in French oak. Vegan-friendly.

Limited availability – two bottles / order.

BUY HERE

2018 SubRosa Pyrenees Nebbiolo

Jenni Port of Halliday Wine Companion describes our 2018 SubRosa Pyrenees Nebbiolo as a “pretty complex picture”. And recommends you “give it time in the cellar”. We agree, but it’s also drinking really well right now. We enjoy our 2018 Pyrenees Nebbiolo with pizza or pasta and as the weather gets warmer with friends as we BBQ.

RRP: $45

190 cases produced.

Matured for 16 months in French oak.  No fining or filtration. Vegan-friendly.

Huon Hooke describes our 2018 Nebbiolo as:

Like a pinot with tannin.

BUY HERE

2018 SubRosa Grampians Shiraz 

Ah Grampians Shiraz. It’s why we are here. This vintage of our Grampians Shiraz is best summed up by Huon Hooke who awarded it 96 points.

Deep, rich, bright colour, with a smoky-char and earthy-ironstone shiraz nose, surprisingly complex for its years and savoury, the palate likewise supple, mellow, savoury and multi-layered. Toasty, pepper-spicy, the palate elegantly crafted and refined, with a core of fruit sweetness and finishing with lovely balance and completeness. Harmony and charm. A really superb shiraz, and great value.

RRP: $30

100 cases produced.

Naturally fermented and matured for 16 months in French oak.

Drink by 2028. No fining. Vegan-friendly.

BUY HERE

Coming soon: 2021 SubRosa Pyrenees Nebbiolo Rosé

What are vegan-friendly wines?

SubRosa produces vegan-friendly wine – but what does that mean?

Vegan or vegan-friendly wine is made without animal products.

You may wonder how or why animal products are used in the fermentation of grapes?

Winemakers can use a processing aid like bentonite (clay), egg whites, casein (a protein found in milk) or isinglass (a fish derived product), to remove tiny particles of sediment in a wine that cannot be removed by filtration. This process will give the wine a distinct clarity and is called fining.

Adam Louder, SubRosa winemaker, starts the winemaking process with some of the best quality grapes in the region. He nurses the grapes through fermentation with aim of producing the highest quality wines from the Grampians and Pyrenees.

Adam will only fine a wine if it will improve and enhance its quality. He uses bentonite (clay) to fine SubRosa’s Viognier and Rosé, if he didn’t the wine could lose its clarity, or look hazy in your glass!

Raise a glass of vegan-friendly SubRosa wine today – happy world vegan day!

How to get your Chardonnay drinking friends to try Viognier

SubRosa Viognier poured into a wine glass“Viognier is like Chardonnay – but more exotic,” says SubRosa’s winemaker Adam Louder when he introduces the variety to wine lovers at tasting events like Grampians Grape Escape in Halls Gap (first weekend in May).

Every wine drinker has tried Chardonnay and will know if they like it oaked, unoaked or not at all. But Viognier is a different story. Most Australians are new to the variety that is originally from the Rhone region in France.

Today, Viognier is also well known in the new world regions of California and Australia.

Viognier in Australia

While many vineyards in Australia grow Viognier, it is not often made as a stand-alone variety, instead, it’s blended with Shiraz to add complexity (and not always listed on the label). Some of Australia’s best known Shiraz Viogniers are made by Clonakilla (Canberra wine region) and Serrat (Yarra Valley).

SubRosa’s first Viognier was crafted by Adam Louder in 2015, drawing on his extensive experience making the variety at Araujo Estate in Napa Valley (acquired by Chateau Latour in 2013 and now known as Eisele Vineyard).

“Viognier is an interesting variety,” says Adam. “I love its exotic flavours and texture and as it ages it shows flavours that are honey, toasty and nutty”.

Red wine drinkers who don’t like white wine are often surprised by its full body and age-ability. It has less acidity than other white wines and more complexity than varieties like Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc.

Adam likes to mature SubRosa Viognier in French oak for more than 12 months, like Shiraz, which adds texture, depth and complexity.

Why is Viognier sexier than Chardonnay?

Chardonnay shows characteristics of citrus, while Viognier is an aromatic wine with expressive floral aromas and flavours of stone fruits like peaches, nectarines and apricots.

Best food pairings

While Chardonnay is often paired with white meat (fish or chicken) Viognier is more versatile. With its rich full body and array of flavours it can be paired with seafood (rich buttery prawns), creamy sauces (from korma to alfredo), pork and even lamb. For the vegetarians, try pairing it with pumpkin, sweet potatoes, carrots and squash or a simple tomato, garlic and herb pasta.

How cold should I serve my Viognier?

Just like a good Brie or Camembert cheese, serve Viognier closer to room temperature. If it is too cold, the aromas and flavours will be masked.SubRosa 2018 Grampians Viognier

Best in its class

Since SubRosa began producing Viognier, it has been recognised as one of the best in Australia and top value by reviewers James Halliday, Huon Hooke (Real Review) and Mike Bennie (Winefront).

#subrosamoment

What are you eating with your SubRosa Viognier? Share your #subrosamoment with us on social.

Buy here. 

The National Wine Centre hosts Grampians and Pyrenees wine tasting

National Wine Centre NWC at HomeThe National Wine Centre is giving wine lovers the chance to visit Australia’s wine regions from home with online masterclasses.

Throughout 2020, the NWC at Home program will work through the A-Z of Australian Wine Regions with masterclasses featuring six wines from six wineries.

Tonight’s event features the Grampians and Pyrenees and SubRosa’s winemaker Adam Louder along with Grampians Wine Cellar’s Simon Freeman will be available as part of the Zoom experience to answer questions.

The wines featured are:

  • 2019 Fallen Giants ‘FG’ Riesling $30
  • 2017 The Story Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier $29
  • 2017 Best’s Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir $45
  • 2018 Pyren Vineyard ‘Franc’ Cabernet Franc $35
  • 2015 Sally’s Paddock ‘Sally’s Hill Cabernets’ Cabernet Sauvignon Blend $38
  • 2015 SubRosa ‘Aristocracy’ Grampians Shiraz $45 – Contact winery direct for purchase
  • Mystery Wine $25

The National Wine Centre is located in Adelaide and is the national showcase for the Australian wine industry.

2018 SubRosa Grampians Viognier rated #1 Viognier in Australia*

SubRosa 2018 Grampians ViognierLeading independent wine writer Huon Hooke has rated the 2018 SubRosa Grampians Viognier #1 in Australia. He awarded the wine 94 points along with Top Value and Top Rank for The Real Review in April 2020.

SubRosa winemaker Adam Louder appreciates the accolade for the little known variety in Australia.

“Viognier is a great white variety for red wine wine drinkers. It’s more full-bodied and has complexity that evolves over time,” said Adam.

SubRosa prides itself on making delicious wines that are value for money, and it’s wonderful to see reviewers like James Halliday, Huon Hooke and Mike Bennie recognise this.

Viognier is a very versatile wine, it can be paired with white meat, seafood and with even lamb.

Huon Hooke, The Real Review, April 2020:

Medium yellow, bright colour, with a complex and expressive aroma of spiced honey and poached stone-fruits, the oak component evident in the spiciness of the palate as well. There is richness and body, texture and fruit, but also delicacy and refinement. The varietal character is well in evidence but not overpowering. A superb viognier, the finish long and elegant.

In 2019, SubRosa was awarded a Real Review Certificate of Excellence and named in the Top Wineries for Australia.

A complete list of the top 20 Australian Viognier’s (2018 vintage) is available at The Real Review.

Buy SubRosa 2018 Grampians Viognier here.

Find Nancy’s recipe for Chicken Pesto Pasta paired with SubRosa Grampians Viognier here.

Want to know what temperature to serve your Viognier? Find out here.

*On 29 April 2020.

The Real Review The Real Review SubRosa Grampians ViognierThe Real Review silver ribbonThe Real Review Top ValueThe Real Review Top Rank

Enjoy SubRosa wine at home | FREE shipping

It’s a bit of a strange time for everyone right now. I’m a people person, so I’m finding this time of social distancing very challenging.

I’m grateful for the technology we have today that allows us to communicate with our friends, family, work colleagues, clients, suppliers and customers.

SubRosa is continuing to operate as best we can under the current guidelines. Our grapes didn’t get the memo that the world has changed – so our SubRosa harvest is continuing. Adam is working around the clock to make wine that you can enjoy for years to come.

Adam Louder cleaning shiraz grapes in bin during harvest
Credit: Wine Australia

Sadly, our biggest event of the year, Grampians Grape Escape, has been postponed until May 2021. So unfortunately we won’t get to see many of our regulars and wine club members face-to-face. But we are often online and always happy to answer SubRosa wine, or any other wine, questions you may have. 

Our restaurant customers are no longer allowed to serve you at their place, but many can deliver to yours – so please support them when you can. You will be rewarded with a tasty meal that you didn’t have to cook. 

And as for delicious wine to accompany your take out or home cooked meal, we can ship it to you for FREE.

We are preparing orders with the highest level of hygiene and shipping our award winning small batch, handmade wines every few days. 

FREE shipping is available with any order of six or more bottles of SubRosa wine. You can order online, via email, or call us on 0478 072 259.

When shopping at our online store please use the SubRosa wine free shipping code: SubRosa2020

We greatly appreciate your support of our small family-run business.

All the best during this challenging time.

Cheers

Nancy 

ps – if you are looking for ideas for a quick and easy home cooked meal – check out the chicken pesto pasta recipe in our previous blog.  

Packing SubRosa Viognier wine
Credit: Wine Australia

Chicken pesto pasta paired with SubRosa Viognier

Chicken Pest Pasta's core ingredient - BasilBasil. It’s all about the basil.

I fondly remember visiting a dear friend of Adam’s in Switzerland in 2018 and every night we harvested basil from his window sill as he prepared dinner for us. It inspired me.

After a struggle (too much water, not enough water, too much sun etc.), I got my own basil crop this summer. And it was a bumper!

Now I’m not normally a pesto fan, but with an abundance of basil I thought why not make Chicken Pesto Pasta for our family.

Alice Waters The Art of Simple Food I searched our plethora of recipe books for a pesto recipe and settled on Alice Waters’ The Art of Simple Food. A gem I picked up while living in San Francisco after dining at her Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, California. Alice Waters is a champion of local sustainable agriculture and is known for pioneering California cuisine using locally grown organic ingredients.

Here’s my variation of Alice Waters’ Pesto.

Pesto ingredients:
2 bunches of basil to yield 2 lightly packed cups
2 garlic cloves, salt
1/2 cup pine nuts lightly toasted
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 a cup good quality olive oil (I use Red Rock olives‘ extra virgin olive oil from the Grampians)
4 x chicken thighs
500gms fusilli pasta (I like the spirals as the pesto sticks to them nicely)

Method:
Using a food processor, blitz basil, garlic and toasted pine nuts before adding Parmesan. Pour in the olive oil as you blitz and season to taste.

Now you have the pesto, it’s easy.

Cook the pasta.

Dice the chicken in bite-size pieces and pan fry in oil. Add the pesto and stir through. Add the cooked pasta a spoon at a time until you have the desired pasta/sauce consistency!

Extra Parmesan to serve. We also like to serve garlic bread!

We enjoy our SubRosa Viognier with our chicken pesto pasta. Adam says that the weight of our Viognier works well with the chicken and the Parmesan and pine nuts in the pesto.

Taste-tested on a winemaker, grandfather and two growing boys.

Enjoy!

Nancy

Winemaker tip: don’t burn the pine nuts!

 

Halliday Wine Companion magazine: SubRosa profile

We’re very excited to be featured in the 50th edition of Halliday Wine Companion magazine (Feb/Mar 2020). Read on to find out why Adam’s nickname in Bordeaux was Monseigneur and how Grampians Shiraz brought him home to Victoria.

HOME AND HOSED

WORDS NATASHA MIROSCH + PHOTOGRAPHY WINE AUSTRALIA

After a career spent making wine in various regions here and overseas, Adam Louder has returned home to Victoria’s Grampians, establishing SubRosa with partner Nancy Panter.

ADAM LOUDER is a quintessential Aussie winemaker. He’s got the drawl and the bone-dry sense of humour, and he’s got the yarns. These include tales about his time in Bordeaux, where top chefs were flown in to create extravagant 12-course dinners, and how he picked up the nickname, Monseigneur.

These days, Adam is chief winemaker at Mount Langi Ghiran in Victoria’s Grampians and also has his own label, SubRosa, with partner Nancy Panter. Adam knows these mountain ranges and escarpments well – he enjoyed a barefoot childhood in the region, which is home to some of Australia’s oldest wine grape vines. Nancy grew up in more humid climes, within a cooee of the Gold Coast’s beaches, but in 2011, a chance meeting brought them together in the US, where Nancy was working in corporate communications and Adam was winemaker at cult Napa Valley winery Araujo Estate, which was later bought by France’s Chateau Latour.

Adam admits that he originally fell into winemaking. “I grew up around the corner from Mount Langi and would go there on weekends to shoot birds during the growing season when I was 12 or so,” he says. “I also did holiday work at Best’s Great Western, where my uncle worked.”

In 1998, at the age of 18, Adam was employed by the late Trevor Mast – considered one of Australia’s pioneers of cool- climate shiraz – to work in the cellar and vineyards at his winery, Mount Langi Ghiran.

For the next eight years, Trevor was Adam’s mentor, encouraging him to follow his instincts and believe in his abilities. He helped Adam to develop his sensory evaluation skills by tasting and discussing wines with him from Australia and across the Old World. Adam also gained from his other experiences in cellar operations, harvest and winery management.

With Trevor’s encouragement, Adam, while still a fresh-faced 20-year-old, embarked on his first overseas vintage – a four-month stint at Napa Valley’s Chimney Rock. This experience not only confirmed that he wanted to make wine, but also that he wanted to work with small wineries and vineyards that grow exceptional fruit. The experience highlighted the fundamental differences between winemaking styles in Australia and the US.

SubRosa wine Halliday Wine Companion magazine profile

“Napa has the best of everything to work with, including equipment and a much cheaper labour force, which means they can hand-pick and hand-sort everything,” Adam says. “In the early 2000s, we were machine-picking everything in Australia. And the work wasn’t as physical in America because they had automated pumpovers with irrigators.” He also found Australian winemakers had a more relaxed approach.

Back in Australia, Adam returned to Mount Langi and worked with Trevor for another five years before the Rathbone Wine Group bought the winery, appointing Dan Buckle to the winemaking helm. By this time, Adam had worked with Dan for several years, learning to innovate and push boundaries. Dan then organised the first of Adam’s five harvests in France in 2005, at Bordeaux’s Chateau Carsin, where he gained that nickname – and five or six kilos, he says.

“I rocked up at harvest and the owner tried to make a big deal of my arrival, so of course the full-time staff took the piss out of me, calling me ‘Monseigneur’,” he laughs.

Chateau Carsin is owned by Juha Berglund, the son of Finnish violinist and conductor Paavo Berglund. Juha was also a well- connected bon vivant and publisher of Viini, a prestigious wine magazine. “He would fly in different Michelin-starred chefs each week to prepare meals every evening – French, English, German, Finnish. It could be five- to 12-course degustation dinners, with some pretty first-grade Bordeaux, of course,” Adam says. “One time it was a bottle of 1959 Chateau Palmer – Juha’s birth year.” Inevitably, Adam became enamoured with the lifestyle. “I loved everything about Bordeaux – the weather, food, lifestyle and access to great wines,” he says. When he wasn’t eating and drinking, Adam spent time polishing his French and Finnish, and making a lot of botrytis whites.

The inconsistent weather during these French vintages taught him to deal with disease and remain agile – skills he could transfer to Napa’s Araujo Estate, when it rained during his time there in the 2011 harvest. Adam also proved his worth at Araujo when one of their cabernets received a coveted 100 points from US wine critic Robert Parker.

In 2013, Adam decided to head home to the familiar landscapes of the Grampians, inspired to make his own wines. By then, he had an impressive 33 vintage stints under his belt from five wine regions, including time spent at Western Australia’s Xanadu and Pierro.

“It was a lifestyle choice,” Adam says of his return home. “There’s a more relaxed approach here. Although you can take it as seriously as you like, there isn’t the pressure there was in Napa and you can make the wines you want to make.”

And I love Grampians shiraz – I love the flavour profile, the pepper and the minerality. You can make an elegant style of wine here, and if I could only make one wine, it would be Grampians shiraz.

Adam first made his own Grampians wines in 2013, bottling 400 cases of chardonnay, nebbiolo and shiraz, the fruit gently coaxed along with minimal intervention. In 2015, he released the wines under the label SubRosa – the name chosen by Nancy, meaning “under the rose” in Latin. “In ancient times, a rose was hung over the table as a sign of secrecy, meaning that what happens at the table, stays at the table,” Nancy says. “We thought it was a great analogy, given we want people to share good food and good company with our wine.”

With so much experience in both the Old and New Worlds, Adam aims to make wines that bridge the two. So, how does he sum up his range? “Food friendly, approachable wines, but with complexity and ageability,” he says.

It wasn’t long after those early releases that accolades came in. Winefront’s Mike Bennie said SubRosa was“one to watch, with wines that were striking for their regional verity, [affordable] price points and deliciousness.” Adam has since added a viognier and a rosé to the range, with an inaugural cabernet about to roll out.

“Honestly, I think we as winemakers are all aiming to do the same thing – to make the best, site-specific wines from fruit picked at the right time. As long as you get good fruit into the winery, most of your work’s done. It kind of takes care of itself. What we aim to do is get the fruit off at the right time and nurse it through.”

SubRosa wine Halliday Wine Companion magazine profile In the 2019 Halliday Wine Companion, James Halliday rated SubRosa exceptional and named them one of the best new wineries, scoring each of their wines between 92 and 96 points. In the 2020 guide, SubRosa again retained their five-star winery rating. As for the future, in addition to raising their two young children Toby and Charlie, and continuing Trevor Mast’s legacy at Mount Langi, Adam and Nancy will soon have a small vineyard of nebbiolo and shiraz of their own. Adam is also particularly excited about the release of their new cabernet sauvignon. “I think Grampians cabernet is an overlooked variety,” he says.

Our Monseigneur Cabernet is from old vines in Great Western – fruit I was excited to get my hands on. I look forward to pulling this one out of the cellar in years to come.

3 TO TRY
2017 SubRosa Monseigneur Grampians Cabernet Sauvignon $45
2017 SubRosa Nebbiolo $45
2016 SubRosa Grampians Shiraz $30

In the 2019 Halliday Wine Companion, James Halliday rated SubRosa exceptional and named them one of the year’s best new wineries, scoring each of their wines between 92 and 96 points.

BUY NOW

SubRosa features in Wine Australia’s “Made our Way” campaign

In April this year (only five weeks after Charlie was born), Wine Australia visited SubRosa in the Grampians wine region to photograph and film for their marketing campaign Australian Wine Made our Way.

The new campaign is capturing Australian’s working in wine and sharing their stories across the globe.

The first image of SubRosa’s Nancy Panter has been used on their social media channels accompanied by the caption…

I love the idea of having a great wine, great food and great company. And everyone enjoying a time where they don’t worry about what they say or what they do but just enjoy the experience. That’s what SubRosa is all about.” – Nancy Panter, SubRosa Wine

Stay tuned for more to come.

 

Winter news: Rave reviews, guilty pleasures + changing nappies

Winter in the Grampians. Green grass, cool sunny days and wood fires. Hearty beef stew, lamb shanks and ragu…all with a glass of award-winning SubRosa shiraz.

Sounds relaxing, but there’s no time to hibernate at SubRosa HQ this winter – we’re busy bottling, exporting, hosting tastings, oh, and changing nappies. More about our bundle of joy later…

We’re also celebrating! It’s official, James Halliday loves our wines. We’ve got great big silly grins plastered all over our shiraz stained faces because James Halliday awarded our wines fantastic scores in his 2020 Wine Companion. You can buy all the wines featured in our online store or search for stockists here.

This is a big deal for our small winery, but wait, there’s more: we’re also thrilled to be named in The Real Review’s Top Wineries of Australia 2019 list; and have our humble 2016 SubRosa Nebbiolo declared by one industry expert as his “guilty pleasure wine”.

Winemaker Adam is out and about with tasting events in Sydney and Melbourne but before he heads off, it’s time to throw another log on the fire and pour ourselves a nice glass of shiraz while we have a quiet moment. Join us? Order our 2016 SubRosa Malakoff Estate Shiraz now!

Stay warm x

Nancy and Adam

Read the latest enews from SubRosa here.

SubRosa wine – now available in Japan

Konnichiwa (hello) Japan!

We’re really excited that SubRosa wines are now available in Japan thanks to our partner Down Under Inc in Osaka.

Eight members of the Down Under Inc and G’day Wine restaurant team visited us in the Grampians in January for a tasting. Six months later…we now export wine to Japan – just in time for the 2019 Rugby World Cup Japan and the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020!

Wines available in Japan include:  2017 SubRosa Grampians Viognier, 2018 SubRosa Grampians Rosé, 2016 SubRosa Nebbiolo and the 2016 SubRosa Grampians Pyrenees Shiraz Viognier.

We look forward to visiting Japan soon!

Heading to Japan? Check out G’day Wine restaurant in Osaka.

Want our wines in Japan? Contact Cosy at Down Under Inc.

Down Under Inc
+81 6-6123-7768
cosy@down-under.co.jp
www.down-under.co.jp
www.facebook.com/GdayWine
2-3-14 Aoyamadai, Suita-City, Osaka, Japan

Where should we export to next?

New release: 2017 SubRosa Grampians Viognier scores 94 points

SubRosa Viognier ice bucketOur first Grampians Viognier, released in November 2018, is delicious. Adam sourced Viognier grapes from the Grampians region in 2017 and has crafted a “complex, highly drinkable” wine according to Winefront’s Mike Bennie.

Viognier is an aromatic white wine that has plenty of texture, acidity and flavour and pairs well with almost anything! It’s a very versatile variety for sharing with friends and family. Try pairing it with seafood, spicy Asian dishes, pork, chicken or even lamb.

Red wine drinkers often enjoy SubRosa Viognier as it is a fuller-bodied white wine, has plenty of texture and has had some time in French oak. Viognier is sometimes used to blend with Shiraz to provide additional aroma, texture and complexity.

“Viognier is similar to Chardonnay, but more exotic,” says Adam. “Our 2017 Grampians Viognier has flavours of ripe stone fruit, spicy notes and a touch of citrus.”

Order today to have a bottle on hand for your next gathering.

Top Tips:

  1. For greatest flavour, make sure to take your Viognier out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before your first glass as it should be served at 11-13C.
  2. If you have the willpower, try cellaring a few bottles and observing how the wine evolves over the next five – six years.
  3. Viognier is known as one of the most versatile food pairing varietals as its acidity can complement a wide variety of foods – especially those with a high fat content. Surprise your guests by pairing it with your next lamb roast.

Mike Bennie – Winefront 94 points
Slick texture but keeps things fresh and the finish is surprisingly tight, saline and peppery, at once. Has plenty of pear and apricot going on, but never teeters into nectar or overt, instead, tight and heightened with light nutty-woody spice. It’s awesome. Complex, highly drinkable, should also cellar well.

Points : 94 points
Tasted : NOV 18
Alcohol : 13.5%
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2018 – 2022