What We're Drinking

Last week I had the opportunity to try the 2006 Kiona Lemberger as part of WA Wine Report's monthly virtual tasting. Kiona was the first winery in the country to produce Lemberger and has been doing so since 1980. I had never tried a Lemberger prior to this, and I was pleasantly surprised. It's a medium-bodied, easy to drink red wine, that packs a spicy punch at the finish. I was really really into the peppery sensation at the end. It helped to round out the mellow fruitiness of the wind and gave it a bit more complexity. Participants in the tasting were pairing it with anything you can imagine - pasta, pizza, chocolate strawberries - the winemaker even chimed in and said that it even goes well with BBQ. This is a very versatile wine that will complement a variety of dishes, and will offer an interesting alternative to the more standard table wines.