“My favourite of the Warrabilla wines is its durif. The next course, of sirloin with leek and black garlic, was served with a 2022 Reserve Durif and a 2021 Reserve Durif.” Wine writer RICHARD CALVER finds himself at an expensive wine lunch. 

I recently attended the annual Warrabilla Boat House Luncheon with a few friends, all of whom are interested in following the winery that bills itself as “home to Australia’s most powerful red wines”. 

It was $190 a head so expectations were high. They say money talks and mine has a special trait: it keeps saying goodbye. 

Costs must have been on my mind because, over entrée served with an unusual 2024 Grenache Blanc, that had a distinctive stone fruit taste and a fine acid structure but wasn’t my kind of wine, I asked my neighbour if she’d heard the joke about the fun accountant. When she said “no”, I responded, “me neither”. 

I cheered up when the slow-cooked beef came and was served with a 2022 Reserve Cabernet and a 2021 Parola’s Cabernet. 

The 2021 had a gorgeous blackcurrant complexity and a slightly spicy finish. It matched the beef very well, although the smoked broth served with the beef engulfed the taste buds, so that it wasn’t my favourite course. 

To get a decent feel of the wine meant many swigs of water between sips of the high tannic wine that makes you thirsty. 

Next came the opportunity to compare a 2023 Parola’s Shiraz with a 2021. These wines were served with lamb and beetroot, the latter somewhat overpowering. 

Both wines had a big tannic structure with the 2021 a jam jar of power, just what you’d expect from a big red. This was a wine for a long winter’s night in front of an open fire. I just didn’t like the match with beetroot; two flavours of earthiness that, in my view, failed to harmonise. Generally, I avoid dishes that feature beetroot.

When principal winemaker Andrew Sutherland Smith spoke of the 2023 vintage, he said that it was one he’d not want to see repeated, with rain at the wrong time. 

But the 2023 shiraz tasted of potential, with good texture and a bold finish. Put this one away for at least two years. 

My favourite of the Warrabilla wines is its durif. The next course, of sirloin with leek and black garlic, was served with a 2022 Reserve Durif and a 2021 Reserve Durif. It was another chance to compare the effect of different weather on grape characteristics with 2021 being described by Smithy as interesting as there was no day over 40C. 

These wines displayed the intensity that you get from Rutherglen-grown durif grapes that like a hotter drier climate. They both were of intense colour but on the nose quite different. The 2021 had a bouquet that featured musk and caramel with a ripeness to the fruit. The 2022 was equally complex on the nose with a fresher cherry presence and a hint of the spice cupboard that’s been opened after you return from holiday. 

These wines were supple, mouth filling and worthy of a good sirloin. The day just got much better and the attentive staff were excellent in keeping our glasses full. 

The final course was hazelnut fudge with bay leaf ice cream and caramelised quince, quite a complex mix of sweet and savoury flavours. With this dessert, we were served the Grand Rutherglen Muscat, a drink that drips with its own complex sweetness, toffee and raisins and a hint of allspice. 

Usually, I’d be delighted with a muscat and a dessert of this quality but by this point I was just wanting something clean and palate cleansing like a sorbet. I drank lots more water. 

In all, the Warrabilla experience was noteworthy; good bold reds, experimental whites and a great way to spend an afternoon. 

Experience is the comb that nature gives us after we are bald. –Anon.