Aramis Vineyards Shiraz The Governor 2003

Winery: Aramis Vineyards

Varietal: Riesling

Riesling grapes have produced some of the finest wines of the Old World over the past couple of centuries, and are quickly becoming much loved by New World audiences as their influence continues to spread across the globe. They are generally grown and cultivated in colder climates, as is found in their native Germany, where they have the remarkable ability to pick up and express interesting features of their terroir, or the ground on which they are grown. As such, wine enthusiasts generally find Riesling one of the more interesting white grape varietals, as they produce aromas which are highly floral and perfumed alongside both fruit flavors and refreshing notes of stone and alpine water, depending on where they have been grown. Furthermore, Riesling grapes produce a large variety of fine wines, from still to sparkling, sweet to dry, and wineries which work with this grape have long since been experimenting with both frozen and rotten grapes to find out just how versatile and exciting this varietal can be.

Region: Fleurieu

Made up of five distinct provinces, thanks to the range of micro-climates the region offers, the Fleurieu Peninsula has proven to be one of the most exciting and unique of all Australia's wine regions. Displaying excellent Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon vines, amongst many others, Fleurieu's superb Mediterranean style climate allows grapes to grow and ripen to their fullest. Typically, Fleurieu wines express plenty of fascinating features and delicious, fruit-forward flavors that come about from the brilliant sunshine, tempered by cooling oceanic breezes. Vintners in Fleurieu are renowned for their innovation, and for taking advantage of the range of topographical and geological features in the region, and as such, wines from Fleurieu have gained much attention over the past few decades for their excellence, and their fascinating characteristics.

Country: Australia

Whilst every Australian state has some level of wine production, it is in South Australia and on the island of Tasmania where the finest wines are made to the highest quantities. Here, the scorching Australian sun is a little tamer, and the heat is tempered by brisk oceanic winds, making the climate of these regions ideal for vineyard cultivation. The Tamar Valley on Tasmania has been making waves internationally in recent years, as both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grape varietals are thriving there and resulting in hugely flavorful wines, which are at once distinctly Australian, yet remain unique and interesting enough to surprise and impress. Elsewhere in the country, the Syrah grape (known locally as Shiraz) reigns supreme, as the long, hot summers allow these grapes to ripen fully and lend their intensely fruit-forward character to the ruby red Australian wines, which have such international appeal.