The guy knows his grapes

Fans of the grape were treated to an exceptional wine dinner on Tuesday hosted by Neil McGuigan, chief winemaker at McGuigan Wines and head of Australian Vintage.
Declared International Winemaker of 2012 in the London-based International Wine and Spirit Competition last year, the fourth-generation member of the family behind McGuigan Wines was in Thailand for the first time still full of celebratory cheer.
The feast he concocted at Zense Gourmet Deck & Lounge Panorama was wall-to-wall hearty dishes and wines of heavenly body.
Coming from the family that claims to have created “the original taste of Australian wines”, McGuigan has amassed 30-plus years’ experience in the industry, stretching from the Barossa Valley in South Australia to Hunter Valley in New South Wales. Ears perked up in 1985 when restaurateur and wine merchant Johnny Walker called him “the most brilliant young winemaker of his time”.
He lived up to expectations, making McGuigan Wines Australian Producer of the Year and International Winemaker of the Year in 2009, 2011 and 2012 – the first time any firm had scored thrice in the competition’s 44 years.
Easygoing and open-minded, Neil McGuigan simply wants to make wines that people like. He’s ready to dispense with the rigid traditions that have produced exactly the same Old World wines for two centuries. McGuigan experiments and evolves in synch with changing palates and the world’s evermore diversified cuisine.
Guests on Tuesday were greeted with a refreshingly crisp and fruity McGuigan Black Label Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir, which went exceptionally well with tasty chicken kebab and crispy shrimp wontons.
The first course – grilled prawn served with avocado timbale and citrus salsa – was paired with Private Bin Chardonnay 2011. Suitable for creamy dishes and chicken, the wine of a pale straw colour is blessed with rich stone-fruit flavours and caramel oak and has a clean, delicate and lingering finish.
Next up, delectable black ravioli filled with lamb ragout was served with bright-red Private Bin Merlot 2011. With complex red-berry and vanilla flavours, this smooth tipple was especially enjoyable with the savoury lamb – and on its own.
The main course was slow-cooked Australian beef rib, and it came with rich and slightly spicy Shortlist Shiraz 2010. This wonderful Shiraz smells of savoury mulberry, plum and cherry with a hint of spicy cinnamon. The luscious feel in the mouth and the fine finish make it suitable for red meat and heavily spiced dishes.
The highlight for many guests was the last wine of the night – McGuigan Shortlist Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 – which accompanied the cheese and dried fruit. The red is wonderfully complex with aromas of blackberry, plum and mint, making it a perfect match for creamy and tasty cheeses.

Make a toast
McGuigan Wines are distributed in Thailand by Siam Winery.
Find out more at www.McGuiganWines.com.au.