Morton's "Above Par" WineWhen golfer wines were first released, the knee jerk response from the majority of the industry was that they were just another form of ‘critter wines’. You know…the bottles that cost less than $8 with a cute critter on the label to help it sell? A few years ago, the market was flooded by critter wines. However, these days, after a few years in the marketplace, golfer wines have been gaining their deserved reputation as high-quality juice.

If you think about it, these golfers are very precise people and aren’t likely to put their name on just anything. They pride themselves on their reputations, their wines, and the winemakers they have chosen to represent them. That being said, it only made sense that Morton’s feature the highest quality golfers wines, especially once we became the Official Steakhouse of the PGA TOUR! The three “Above Par” golfer wines on our Sommelier Selections list include:  Jack Nicklaus, “Private Reserve, ” Meritage from Napa, Ernie Els, “Signature,” Bordeaux Blend, Stellenbosch and Greg Norman, “Reserve,” Shiraz, Limestone Coast .

So for the next three issues of “Wine Wednesday,” we’ll be featuring these incredible wines and telling you more of the story behind the label. We’ll start off the series with Mr. Greg Norman of Greg Norman Estates.

Mr. Norman got into the wine business out of passion for wines. The more he traveled, the more wine he tasted and the more knowledge he gained. His conceptual idea of wine is that the “Experimentation is the best path to understanding and appreciating wine.” The winemaker for the Australian wines of Greg Norman’s portfolio is Andrew Hales. He has made wine in Sicily, Tunisia, Moldavia, France, New Zealand and Australia. His travels have given him the experience and skill to make elegant, well-balanced wines that express the terroir of the Limestone Coast. Incidentally, the Reserve Shiraz is one of Mr. Norman’s personal favorites. “It has such a deep, intense flavor, filled with tannins that are pronounced but not overbearing, with a hint of blueberry.”

But Mr. Norman’s commitment doesn’t stop at the golf course or in the tasting room.  He also created a charity back in 1987, The Greg Norman Foundation. Its aim is to “bring out the best by promoting the very highest standards for junior golf, to prepare young golfers for the future and to bring professional golf tuition within the reach of interested people in Queensland.”

We’re proud to feature the wine of such an accomplished and reputable golfer, and we look forward to continuing our “Above Par” series next week with Mr. Jack Nicklaus!

Cheers!
Sara Fasolino
Certified Sommelier
Morton’s Beverage Manager