Edgebaston is no longer just the home of Warwickshire cricket

David Finlayson, winemaker of Edgebaston at the Finlayson Family Vineyards, is the latest of a bloodline of prominent movers and shakers in the SA wine industry.  A distinguished family heritage, formative training at Elsenburg and work experience in France, California and Australia have given him a unique and skilled approach to the art of making wine. 

The Chardonnay, for instance, a food wine with great fruit and subtle wood, is made up of fruit that is matured in New, 2nd fill and 3rd fill French oak, as well as a portion in concrete (Nomblot) eggs.  These are relatively new to the world of winemaking with the main benefit being the continuous flow of liquid, keeping fermentation temperatures constant and negating the need to fiddle with the wine.





Edgebaston's 'Rock Stars' are the Pepper Pot and the Berry Box red and white blends.  The Pepper Pot, my palate's particular favourite, is a complex and wonderfully balanced Rhone-style blend of Shiraz, Mourvedre, Grenache, Viognier, Cinsaut and Tannat.     

 

The Berry Box red, a Bordeaux style with a bit of Shiraz, seems incredibly popular, as is the Sauvignon Blanc dominated Berry Box white blend.  The Rock Stars are widely available and most importantly really good value for money. 


Something that David says will go well with his Chardonnay.

Tuna Carpaccio

Ingredients:

1. 400g sashimi-quality tuna (or yellowtail)
2. 1 lemon
3. freshly ground rainbow peppercorns
4. a small handful of fresh coriander leaves
5. a small handful of fresh red basil leaves
6. 80 ml extra virgin olive oil

Method:

• place the tuna in the freezer for 30 minutes until firm
• using a very sharp knife, slice the tuna into paper-thin slices  
• arrange the slices on a serving plate
• squeeze the lemon over the fish and leave for 10-15 minutes (the fish will turn opaque)
• sprinkle the fish with ground rainbow peppercorns to taste and garnish with coriander and basil leaves and drizzle with olive oil