Euro Smash

Once again I have been steered in a thoroughly delightful direction by my favourite boutique wine store, Europa Cellars.

The brief was; a staff dinner for members of my Fine Wine team, a gourmet pizza restaurant and I wanted something textural, old world, about $40.

Then my favourite thing happened. My host at Europa lead me around the shop picking bottle after bottle and extolling its virtues, first a 2008 Barbera D'Alba from Glicine, not a producer I was familiar with, his notes were floral aromas, dried herbs with a soft tannic finish. This triggered an opera of singing wine-angels in my head but we continued on. A Heathcote producer (yes, they do Aussie wines too) Called Galli Estate doing a funky little Nebbiolo, a new Chianti Classico (the name of which escapes me) which was going for the baergain price of $28 and yes, they did still have that incredible cleanskin Pinot Noir from Macedon that I had thoroughly enjoyed two bottles of over Christmas.

As the shadows seemed to grow longer on Wellington Parade I thought I would put the young man's decisiveness to the test. If you had $40, were going to a pizza joint and wanted old world, what would you pick?

In a poetic unison which potentially sealed the man-crush for good we chorused THE BARBERA!

There wasn't much doubt in my mind that this recommendation would be spot on but I have been disappointed by Barbera D'Alba before, they can be quite acidic and have a confectionery character that simply isn't pleasant and can finish quite sour. The Glicine has 15% Nebbiolo which assured me of some nice texture and a potential roundness and balance that I couldn't wait to test out.

And the verdict?

Well, the tasting notes provided were spot on, lovely herby quality backed by vibrant fruit and tomato leaf but it was the structure that made the wine; a juicy mouth feel with a moreish, grippy finish that awarded it wine of the night unanimously over a 2006 Barolo, a 1998 Cahors, a Marlborough Pinot Noir and a 2001 Evans & Tate Reserve Cabernet. It simply made them all look clumsy.

Man-Crush, followed by Wine-Crush. Tops.

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Europa Cellars

150 Wellington Pde, East Melbourne 3002

(03) 9417 7220

www.europacellars.com.au