It makes sense to have a wine from the Coonawarra region, or Limestone Coast, like the 2012 Koonara Pinot Noir, when discussing dinosaurs and fossils with Professor Flint.
As we discovered in episode 204 of The Adelaide Show podcast, that part of South Australia has more than its fair share of interesting fossils.
It also has more than its fair share of interesting wineries, and Koonara Wines is no exception.
Steve noted that this week’s show will be one of great discovery because we only had the wine before us because Steve had “discovered” Sally from Koonara at a recent tourism marketing workshop he was running, and she then sent him a couple of samples which allowed him to “discover” the Pinot Noir that is being featured this week. Let alone the discoveries about dinosaurs and megafauna that followed in the show!
2012 Koonara Pinot Noir tasting notes
Steve’s opening remarks were that he is not a pinophile because they’re never quite to his palate but this Desolate Soil Pinot Noir he described as “superb”.
He asked Professor Flint to name a fertile period in the Earth’s history because to him, this wine was like the jungles of that era – thick with berry briars across his palate.
Professor Flint simply agreed by declaring the wine as “delicious”.
Steve then presented his next description.
Imagine being in a stone cottage in the Coonawarra where a wood fire has been burning while somebody else is baking an apple and blackberry pie. I’m getting a waft of the fruit from that pie while leaning against the blackened brick wall near the chimney and getting a hint of smoke of fires past and my feet are warm and dry thanks to the gentle, drying tannin that rounds off the experience.
Professor Flint retorted, “I’m just getting delicious.”
Nigel noted that this is surprisingly rich for a Pinot because he normally finds them wimpy.
Steve continued with observation that this wine was burrowing deeply into his palate, creating a type of Naracoorte Cave system, at which point the others suggested it was time to move on.
You can hear the live wine tasting about three minutes into episode 204 by downloading the episode free via iTunes or in your favourite podcast app, or by using the player below.