Additives or Alcohol? The Truth About Those "Wine" Headaches

I read a very good article today in the Weekend Australian written by Max Allen regarding wine additives.  In the article he quotes some of his readers stating they ended up with a headache from drinking wine because of the preservatives or additives.  Some were honest and said it was because of how many glasses of wine they had to drink to really appreciate the wine. I have deliberately included the following paragraph from the article to assist you with forming an opinion about wine additives.
"Creina Stockley, health and regulatory information manager for the Australian Wine Research Institute, hears similar concerns all the time. And she points out that while a few people are genuinely allergic to some wine additives (primarily sulphur dioxide), by far the primary cause of adverse reactions is - ahem - the alcohol, present in far higher concentration than any other component in wine. In other words, she says, it is highly unlikely that processing aids or additives are the wicked culprits they're often made out to be."
I can't put the whole article here, obviously, but another very interesting point Creina Stockly goes on to say is, "...you'll find more (preservatives) in supermarket sausages or burgers, and much more - 10 times the amount - in dried apricots or sliced apple".
Interesting don't you think?  I would really like to hear what you reckon.  'Till next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Sparklings!! Get Your Sparklings!! New Years Eve is a Comin'

As is well known amongst the wine, beer or spirit drinking community, the drink to see out the old year or see in the new one is of course, sparkling wine. I'm not one for Champagne normally but, with BWS currently having a 25% sale on sparkling wine (for 6 or more) it is the perfect time for me to purchase something different to squeeze in between the Shiraz, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. In all honesty, I reckon there could be a sparkly red cracked at lunch & dinner. Oh and ladies, don't forget to try a Moscato with your breakfast instead of a sparkling white. They are a little bit sweeter with a slight spritz instead of the acidic full on fizz of the other brekky wine. And please, please, please buy Australian. There are some very good Aussie sparklies at half the price of Moet and Billecart-Salmon (French stuff). Happy New Year and remember live simply,laugh often, wine alot.

Extolling The Virtues of Tasmanian Pinot Noir

I realise it has been a while since I posted a special, well anything for that matter but, I have been pretty darn busy of late and time was an issue. Unfortunately, there haven't really been any great, or even good, specials to crow about.  As we get closer to Christmas and New Year I'm sure there will be plenty.
Anyway, this time around I want to bring to your attention the under-rated, regularly forgotten but very rewarding Pinot Noir (that's pee-no nwah) variety.  It may come as a surprise to you but Pinot has been cultivated in Europe for at least 2000 years and, it first came to Australia in 1831 with the first cuttings planted in the Hunter Valley.  Let's just say, it was not successful and as such, other areas of the country were tested and the cooler areas proved to be ideal.  Tasmania's renaissance began in 1956 at the Providence vineyard east of Launceston with Claudio Alcorso starting Moorilla Estate in 1956 on the outskirts of Hobart.  Since then a number of areas of Tasmania now grow Pinot and is rapidly asserting itself as the best region for this variety.  Don't get me wrong, I love my Barossa Shiraz and Coonawarra Cabernet but cool climate Pinot is just as interesting and cellar-worthy.  At the recent Royal Hobart Wine Show, there were a record number of entries for the Pinot classes with Tassie drops being awarded 8 Gold, 21 Silver & 40 Bronze medals.  To top it off, a Tassie Pinot from a winery called Blustery Banks took out the Wine Show Trophy and top gold medal in it's class.  Okay, so they can be expensive sometimes but, wait until the bottle shops have their pre-Christmas sales and buy some and give them a try. You will not be disappointed.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

The Best Shiraz In The World...Cheap!!!!

How would you like some of the best shiraz in the world?  What if I told you it has a RRP of $220 a bottle.  That would surely put you off I reckon.  But, Get Wines Direct have it for $30 a bottle (plus delivery).  To quote their website, it beat "...9632 wines submitted from 1487 producers out of 36 nations".  It is called The Colonial Estate Exile 2009 Barossa Shiraz.  I have some of this, tried it and believe me, it is a big wine.  You definitely need to decant it for a couple of days.  Okay so that was an exageration but it will need some air before you drink it.  If you don't have the time to decant it, grab a knife and fork to "consume" it with a rich osso bucco.  Stop the Press!!!  My advice is to decant it while the osso bucco is cooking.  How's that?  Sometimes I surprise myself.  Might have a drink to celebrate.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Chardonnay, Yes, Chardonnay for $45 a Dozen

Okay, Okay.  Don't panic.  I realise I have said the Chardonnay word.  There you go, I said it again. But at $45 a dozen plus $8 postage I am sure you have become a little curious.  I know that chardonnay has become a little old fashioned because New Zealand Sav Blanc is so trendy but the good ole Chardy is so, so bloody reliable.  The bloke who made this has only been in the wine industry since 1995 but has worked in some pretty shmick places which gives him some vineyard cred as far as I'm concerned.  This normally retails for $168 a dozen so, at this price makes it a nice cheap summer white to have on the deck (or other outdoor entertainment area you have) with some BBQ scallops with a fresh rocket, roasted pine nuts and parmesan salad. Oh, and by the way, there ain't much of it.  Log onto Winemarket.com.au/WHITES/AU-SEA-CHARDONNAY-2009-12 to pick up some of this classic Aussie white.  Go on. You know you want to.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Wine Is Good For Weight Loss

Here we go again.  Scientists and their "studies".  Results say...  What is going to be next?  Wine is not good for you.  Wine is good for you.  Wines is good for weeds.  Somebody please sort this stuff out.  What we need is a scientist or a school teacher or a pilot or a tribal elder to tell us something else.  For pete's sake, what next?  So many studies.  I reckon it is just a "scientist" coming up with an excuse to check out what wine does to us.  No doubt he has a "couple" of bottles so he can have a glass or two every day during the 20 year study to qualify the study.  What the?????  The only thing that has been proven is that wine, or for that matter alcohol, in moderation is good for us.  If it is of any help, they say that one standard drink for females and two standard drinks a day for blokes is what is deemed to be good for us.  A little bit of advice.  It doesn't count when you save them up for a rainy day.  When they say, "a day", they mean a day.  The only way I can see that it contributes to weight loss is because you have a glass of wine in your hand instead of a cheese and chilli hot dog.  I don't do studies, I don't do research into studies.  I enjoy wine, and beer, and, well...the liberating beverage called alcohol.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

A Couple of Reasonable Bargains For A Couple of Excellent Reds

Okay, I have to admit these aren't great bargains (compared to some recently) but would be excellent additions to anybody's cellar at the price.  The Eaglehawk Inn has specials on a regular basis and it is always worth a look.  The "Couple of Excellent Reds" are the Penfolds Bin 407 for $35.00 (RRP $55+) and the Bowen Estate Cabernet & Shiraz for $20.00 ($33).  Assuming the Bin 407 is the 2008 vintage, it is a wine that is fine to drink when young but cellars very well.  I bought some of this through a different (on-line) outlet AND, it was on special AND, it was more expensive than this AND, I had to pay postage.  Hopefully both of the Bowen Estate Reds are from the 2009 vintage because I had the pleasure of tasting them at a Coonawarra Roadshow a couple of months ago.  The 2009 vintage was an absolute ripper in Coonawarra, plus, with Bowen Estate (BE) being a family owned winery and not a large corporation churning out homogenised (but sometimes good) wines, I expect great things from these two wines.  I opened a 2001 vintage of the BE shiraz about 3 months ago and it was very, very good...still.  Anyway, as I said earlier, I realise it is not a massive 75% off bargain like I picked up recently but, it works out to be about 33% off and you know they will be bloody good wines.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Looking After Those Precious Bottles of Liquid

Firstly, sorry about the boring blog today but, after the strange weather we have been having, I thought about how those 750ml bottles of palate pleasure would be coping. The cooler weather isn't such a problem, it's the warmer days that could pose a problem. You don't have to have a fancy cellar or room to give them a chance of surviving summer (if you don't drink them obviously). My advice is not complicated. Keep them out of warm/hot areas, out of direct sunlight and out of your living areas. If you like to have them handy, the pantry or at the bottom of a kitchen cupboard is fine but keep them in a cardboard box. Cardboard, believe it or not acts as a thermal barrier and, while in the pantry or cupboard, is in darkness. If you're lucky enough to have heaps of bottles, this advice still applies except you need a bigger cupboard. Don't be afraid to walk into a bottle shop & ask for a box because they have heaps of them & are more than happy to get them out of the way. Besides, it's a form of recycling isn't it? The other advice I have is much more practical, enjoyable & less of a bother. Drink 'em of course. 'Til next time and remember, live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

A Great Bargain To Start The Week

Dan Murphys have an on-line only off of Rex Watson McKie 3 Coonawarra Cabernet or Chardonnay for $3.90 a bottle with a flat $7.00 delivery fee. I have had Rex Watson reds before and they are excellent wines. I have not had the Chardonnay but I have had Coonawarra chardy and, believe me, there have been some good flavoursome wines come out of the district. Note from DM's email says, "The Cabernet shows limitless mint, plum and blackcurrant while the Chardonnay has mouth-watering characters of citrus and fresh lime". My advice if you want some of the red is to get in early because the last time this was offered it sold out pretty quickly. 'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

A Classic Penfolds Bin Red

When it comes to the Australian wine scene, everybody knows Penfolds right? If you don't, you must be living in a Tibetan monastery (and probably wouldn't be reading this anyway). Last night I had the last glass of a 2002 Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz which I had been trying over the last week over three different nights. First night it was black-fruity & dry and lucky I had it with a steak (cooked perfectly I might add). Two nights later it was much smoother & more mellow fruit characters. The dryness was still there but, it was softer (best description, sorry). Now, last nights glass. I can honestly say I have learnt something from this. Decant this wine 2 hours (minimum) if you intend serving a bottle at a dinner with friends. It was still a magnificent colour in the glass, no specific flavour/s dominated, silky smooth to drink & the taste lingered. The whole experience was like driving on the Midlands Highway, then the Pacific Highway and finally a German Autobahn. The last journey being the best & the one you wish you could do again and again. 'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

A Sparkling Tassie Special

Jansz NV $16.99. Again. Jansz NV $16.99. Kemenys.com.au have this special at the moment & they say RRP is $30 but I have seen it as low as $22 locally but never under 20 bucks. Needless to say I have ordered a case along with four others for friends. I don't know how long the deal is on for so, if you want to stock up for a special occasion or get some quality Christmas bubbles early, now's the time. I am more than happy to grab some for you or otherwise, go to their website or ring them on 138881. 'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Bargain Barossan Beauty

Here is an absolute beauty of a Barossan red worth "investing" in. It is ideal as a BBQ quaffer, to accompany steak or Roast Beef or stir fry beef or, strangely enough, old gold chocolate. This is truly an excellent wine from an excellent vintage in the Barossa. $60 a box & $8 delivery to your door when normally it would be $240 + delivery. I've ordered 9 cases for friends, colleagues and myself of course. Go to Winemarket.com.au, reds, Shiraz then Naked Owl. When I last looked the were only 149 cases left from about 550 so either let me know if you would like me to get you some or get on the website yourself it's an easy place to navigate through. 'Til next time and remember, live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Wine South White Wine Weekend 15th & 16th October IXL Atrium

Wine South Tasmania is hosting the White Wine Weekend this Saturday and Sunday at the Henry Jones, IXL Atrium.  It costs $20 to get in and it is a very inexpensive way to try many excellent Tassie whites.  12 midday to 5pm both days.  I am pleased it is at a different venue.  As much as last years venue was fine, the IXL Atrium is much more spacious to better cater for the numbers that will attend.  A "not to be missed" event for my money.  'Till next time and remember, live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Some Wines Tasted & Shared Over The Last Few Days

Had some friends for dinner on Friday night (7/10/11).  Home made pizzas were on the menu with three different types of shiraz from three different produces from three different areas.
Pizza 1.  Wholemeal pitta bread, tomato paste, shaved ham, capsicum, cherry tomatoes, red onion, low fat ricotta cheese, fresh basil and baby rocket leaves
Pizza 2.  Similar to the above but also had caramelised onion, mild salami, Italian herbs, a touch of garlic, bocconcini and a mix of shredded cheeses.
The wines were a 2002 Journeys End Arrival Shiraz from McLaren Vale (RRP $49.50), a 2005 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz (RRP $15) from various SA vineyards, and a 2007 Craneford Barossa Shiraz (RRP $30).
Needless to say the pizzas were excellent and healthy as well (okay so salami isn't so low-fat).
The Journeys was the surprise.  No aged characteristics at all. Still sort of fruity, plummy and silky smooth in the mouth which to me means very well integrated tannins (wine-wanker speek, sorry). Shame it was my last bottle.
The Penfolds was okay but probably didn't help tasting it after the Journeys.  Pretty basic wine to be honest. If you have any, drink up would be my suggestion.
The Craneford was obviously pretty young.  When I smelt and tasted it there were lots of blackberries, black currant jam, blood plums with a certain fruit sweetness to it. I really enjoyed this wine.  Just a pity I don't have any more to put away to see how it develops.
Till next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Bargain Reserve Shiraz Auction Purchase

What a bargain!!!  6 bottles of 2005 Talijancich (pronounce Tally-are-nich) 'Peter Talijanicich' Reserve Shiraz for $9.00 a bottle.  The current release is $29.95 a bottle.  This wine is made from vines planted in 1932 in the Swan Valley.  It may take up to three weeks to get here (apparently) but, I reckon it will be worth the wait.  These guys have been making fortified wines for a long time and if their table wine is made with the same precision, it should be spot on.  'Til next time and remember, live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

A NZ Sav Blanc for the lady in your life maybe?

I have found a Sav Blanc that sounds pretty good value for money.  Now, I am not a New Zealand Savvy man at all so I am not normally the right person to listen to.  However.  Malborough Sav Blanc, normally $20 down to $7, free delivery.   Tasting note from the website, "This is more than just an average Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, it is a defining example that stimulates the senses and is amazingly satisfying!"  What more could you ask for?  It even sounds good to me.  If you want to know more just ask. 'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

2001 Journeys End Ascent Shiraz

Anybody heard of Journeys End Ascent Shiraz?  Had a 2001 yesterday watching the AFL Grand Final with simple finger food and it was fine.  The wine was like drinking freshly picked blackberries off the bush and eating them.  There were those berry flavours but it had an earthy, dusty character to it.  For a 10 year old McLaren Vale shiraz I found it to be in a perfect place of drinkability without being too fruity nor past it's best. 'Til next time and remember, live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Enthusiastic Consumer Enters The Blogging World

Hello all wine drinkers. I am not a grape grower, wine maker, wine journo, wine seller, wine expert(far from it) or wine wanker. I am an enthusiastic consumer and hoarder nothing more than that. This blog will give you news of wine bargains, basic wine tasting notes (with very little use of wine jargon) and simple food & wine matching successes and/or failures. Please let me know about any good or bad wine experiences regardless of the nature of them. Oh and as an aside, I don't mind a beer either.  'Til next time and remember, live simply, laugh often, wine alot.