D'Arenberg The Hermit Crab McLaren Vale Viognier Marsanne, 2018

This blend of Viognier and Marsanne is pure Australian and never, to my knowledge, used in the Rhone Valley of France where the two grapes originate. Viognier is a young beauty, full of flowers and ripe fruit. Marsanne is somewhat earthy and plodding, often revealing its true charm after many years of aging. In this wine, the combination works beautifully.

Bright gold. Has the Viognier fragrance--fresh flowers and ripe apricots. Beautiful. The Marsanne provides a rich, full bodied texture and joins with the Viognier to add depth of flavor--ripe pears and spicy skin tannins. What I like most about this wine, thoiugh, is its crisp acidity, a quality often missing in Australian whites. Beautiful on its own but it also matches well with both fish (tilapia) and pork.

At $15, this is a good wine to have in your cellar when you want something other than Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.