couriermail.com.au, June 9, 2009, 'First Drop do things a little differently.' - Ken Gargett

THE boys at First Drop do things a little differently.

They are determined to shake up what they perceive as a moribund industry. Their website opens with Dean Martin in full voice for a start.

First Drop is a collaborative effort between winemaker Matt Gant and marketer John Retsas. Originally from England, Gant did explain exactly how he got into winemaking.

It involved a spell in hospital and trying to catch a frisbee (perhaps not in that order) and a lecturer who was more interested in wine than in the geography he was teaching Gant at the time. This all led to Gant heading off to make wine around the globe, finishing with a seven-year stint at St Hallett in the Barossa, from which there was no escaping.

He and Retsas now source the best fruit they can find for their line of wines. An invite to taste with the boys was never going to be straightforward. First, it came via DVD, which actually so confused some of the writers that they didn't even realise what was intended.

We all met early one morning at a cafe in Adelaide with no idea what to expect. A few minutes later, the largest stretch Hummer you've ever seen pulled up and Gant and Retsas, tuxedo-clad, spilt out. First stop was a shooting range. To the disgust of the others, I chose to duck the guns and occupied myself with coffee and a fishing magazine.

They were less condescending when it transpired that the only woman on the trip had thoroughly outshot most of the guys. The rest of the day included an "Iron Chef" cooking competition, an afternoon of Texas hold-em and a chopper flight into the Adelaide Hills for an excellent dinner.

In between all this, we did manage a look at the wines. Perhaps most interesting is the way the guys are exploring the sub-regionality of the Barossa. It is a theme we are encountering more and more and raises such issues as whether or not the winemaker has more influence than the terroir in a warm region. The continual paring down to the basics, whether it be a sub-region or a single vineyard, is very much the way of the future. Of course, France arrived there years ago but these things cannot be rushed and it is a debate that will be on-going for decades.

Regions aside, my two favourite First Drop reds fall either side. The "everyday wine", Mother's Milk 2007 ($25), is a Barossa shiraz that is a joy to drink. The boys have maintained the alcohol at the relatively low level, for the Barossa at least, of 13.5 per cent so drinkability is key. It is a ripe, plush style with some smoky notes and a lovely supple texture. Delicious. A wine that drinks well above its price tag.

At the other end is the flagship, The Cream. At $100 a bottle, hardly for every day. It is made from the best of the three regional shirazes and the current 2006 (there will be no 2007) is superb. It exhibits black fruits, spice, ironstone, plums and chocolate, all finely balanced, with a very long and ever-so-soft finish.

The three sub-regional Barossa shiraz are from Seppeltsfield, Ebenezer and Greenock. Current wines are all 2006. They fall under the "Fat of the Land" label and retail at $75, which I find very much on the hefty side, but they do provide a fascinating exercise. The Seppeltsfield is black fruits and sour plums and fades a touch sooner than expected. Ebenezer is plush, ripe and generous while Greenock is a leaner wine with noticeable acidity. My preference is for the Ebenezer just ahead of the Greenock.

Take note of First Drop. It may be unconventional but the quality of the wines ensures that it is here to stay.

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