Chili de Moira + Beelgara Winery Estate Shiraz 2017 #WorldWineTravel

This month the #WorldWineTravel bloggers are looking at the red wines of New South Wales and I am hosting. Maybe it's because it's summer and people are traveling and busy. Or maybe it's new restrictions on wine shipping. But we have a tiny showing this month with the posts. I did hear that sourcing was an issue in some states. Boo!

But you can read a bit more about our New South Wales' exploration...albeit a small serving of delicious inspiration.

• A Scruffy Shiraz with Urban Smoked Short Ribs by FoodWineClick!
• Aussie Meat Pies and a Bottle of Hope by Somm's Table
• Chili de Moira + Beelgara Winery Estate Shiraz 2017 by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Yellow Tail Wine is from NSW, Who Knew?? by A Day in the Life on the Farm

New South Wales

I did have to chuckle when I saw the titles of my fellow writers. I think I got my hands on those bottles as well. So, I can't wait to hear what they paired and thought. But, first, a little bit about the region...

New South Wales is brimming with well-known wine regions - such as Hunter Valley, Mudgee, Orange, Hilltops, Canberra and Riverina - but distribution into this country is oddly limited. The region was also the site of the very first vineyard planted in Australia. In 1791, Arthur Phillip, then governor, rooted vines from settlements in South Africa. But the vines didn't thrive in the humid, hot climate of the region. Eventually growers honed their skills and the region accounts for thirty-percent of Australia's wine industry.

Beelgara Winery Estate Shiraz 2017

Though I was lucky enough to find three bottles of red wines from New South Wales, I opted to feature the Beelgara Shiraz because Nicole was writing about HOPE and Jeff was pouring Nugan's Scruffy. Here's what I learned...

The Beelgara Winery was started in the village of Beelbangera by Italian immigrants in the early 20th century. Located in the Riverina Wine District of New South Wales, the winery sources fruit from parcels all across the country. And the winemaker, Rod Hooper, has worked as winemaker for Penfold’s, Hardy’s, Goundrey, and Leasingham.

With a suggested retail at under $16 per bottle, this is great mid-week wine. On the nose, there are robust stone fruit aromas with hints of cracked black pepper. This wine is full-bodied, well-balanced with soft tannins.

Chili de Moira

On the night I was pouring this, I had initially planned to grill some lamb sausages, but a friend delivered us a beautiful pot of chili. Done! It paired beautifully with the wine and Cat was gracious enough to share her recipe with me. See!
 

Jake loved it, so I have made this twice already though I have tried it with ground beef and ground pork.

That's a wrap on my offering for the #WorldWineTravel red wines of New South Wales event. We'll be back next month with the white wines of New South Wales. Though with the sourcing challenges of this month, host Robin of Crushed Grape Chronicles is opening up the theme a bit. Stay tuned!