Tales To Tell

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday April 2, 2008

JOHN LEWIS

Tales to tell

THERE are interesting backgrounds to two wines the Sevenhill 2007 White Spider Semillon-Chardonnay and Sevenhill 2007 Lost Boot Rose that I reviewed on March 19.

The semillon-chardonnay is named after the rare white beauty spider orchid found on the beautiful Sevenhill Jesuit estate in South Australia's Clare Valley.

The white beauty spider is an extremely endangered species of Australian native orchid and Sevenhill has the single largest colony of surviving plants thanks to the protection provided by the brothers for the past 157 years.

The Lost Boot Rose gets its name from a small hand-made child's hobnail boot found recently deep within the walls of the Jesuit buildings. The campus once housed a boys' boarding school and the boot is believed to be more than 130 years old.

Both the wines sell for $14 a bottle and were made by resident winemaker Liz Heidenreich, the first female and non-Jesuit to preside over the Sevenhill winery.

Pretty funky

WENDY and Bill Lawson will launch their 2007 wines with a complimentary lunch on Sunday at their pretty little Catherine Vale vineyard at 656 Milbrodale Road, Bulga.

The event will begin at noon with live music provided by the Funky Do Das and the chance to play a game of bocce.

The Lawsons will have their chardonnay, semillon, verdelho, barbera, dolcetto, late-harvest semillon and an eight-year-old madeira for tasting and purchase.

Bookings close today and can be made on 02 6579 1334 or by emailing wine@catherinevale.com.au.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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