The Age, July 19, 2008, 'Wine' - 'Young and Plum' - Jane Faulkner, page 9

There's one called "Mother's Milk", a soon-to-be released "Mother's Ruin" or you could try the Big Blind, the "Minchia", which tends to make Sicilians chuckle because it's a slang, a "Fat of the Land", even "Matador" and a "2%".

Clearly, these are not your everyday wine names. Then again, Barossa winemaker Matt Gant, 33, better known by the moniker "Gantos" and business partner John Retsas ("JR") are not in the average mould. And thank goodness because they are making wines from varieties that are very exciting and easy to drink.

OK, so there are a few Barossa shirazes in the mix including the single vineyard wines known as the Fat of the Land and a blend known as the "Cream". There's also a McLaren Vale single-vineyard cabernet called the "Grail" Semillon 2006 but the others are mainly Italian, Spanish or Portuguese varieties.

Matador is an albarino - a terrific wine but sold out and the next release is a year away, the Big Blind is a nebbiolo-barbera blend and the Minchia (pronounced min-kia) is a superb montepulciano showing excellent varietal character. Just to avoid confusion, montepulciano has nothing to do with that town in Tuscany producing sangiovese. This is a variety in its own right and an excellent grape for Australian conditions. While delicious to drink, if it is a mouthful to pronounce, call it "Monte" as Gant does.

"Monte has great potential in Australia because it has the intensity of shiraz," Gant says. He says another variety with big potential is the juicy, naturally acidic barbera. He's blending it with heady nebbiolo, ageing it in old oak and calling the wine the Big Blind. Again, the tannic nebbiolo is tamed by the barbera to make a wine that is not too taxing. All of them fall under Gant and Retsas' less quirky label, First Drop. And there's more exciting stuff to come including aglianico, an awesome variety, says Gant, a cabernet-touriga nacional blend known as "JR-Gantos", a tempranillo and more.

Gant spent years at St Hallet before leaving last year to concentrate on his own label and, although he was born in England, he has a penchant for Mediterranean varieties; Barossa has seeped under his skin. Barossa Valley shiraz will always be part of the First Drop line-up. While Fat of the Land and the Cream are powerful, less forgiving and difficult-to-drink-now wines (they're not my style) the Mother's Milk shiraz is different. "As the name suggests, Mother's Milk is all about drinkability and approachability," Gant says. Gant is just one of the many winemakers putting excitement back into the industry. For wines, try Prince Wine Store, King and Godfree and South Melbourne Cellars.

janefaulkner@winematters.com.au

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