Wine Tasting Events

Those who know me will not be surprised to hear I enjoy drinking wine but, I also like tasting it, and, I much prefer to taste before I buy.  It makes sense surely.  In Tasmania there are regular wine tastings ranging from the Taste Festival down to the weekend tasting at the local bottle shop.  All of which have their place. This weekend in Hobart, Wine South Tasmania (WST) conducted the White Wine Weekend at Henry Jones IXL Atrium. There were 60+ white wines including sparkling, riesling, gewurztraminer, pinot gris, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and a couple of sweet ones to finish off.  This is an annual event and WST also conduct the Red Wine Weekend earlier in the year.  I have to say, these are excellent events (I am not a participant nor a relative of any of the participanting wineries).  My wife and I have attended both events since they started and, every time we have, the winemakers and/or owners of the vineyards have been very engaging and happy to answer questions about their wines or just have a chat about anything really (sadly, two or three remembered me from previous events.  I wonder if that's a good thing or a bad thing).  We were there for over 3 hours and, some of these people served tastings the whole time without a break (that I saw) and still managed to appear enthusiastic.  I take my hat off to them and the organisers for a magnificent event that we will certainly continue to patronise and promote to our friends. 'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot

Wine & Food Blogging Sites

Being a recent convert to certain social media sites, I was pleased to come across some very informative wine & food blogs and not all by 'experts'.  The tasting notes for wines, the wine & food matching and the (sometimes) basic attitude to the (sometimes) indulgent pastime makes for interesting reading.  A very good one which provides a great insight into the different types of grape varieties in Australia is vinodiversity.com.  Another that caught my attention for the easy 'readability' of the tasting notes and the "passion without the pretentiousness" approach is Qwineblog.  When it comes to a web/blog that makes it clear what it's aim is, brotherhoodshiraz takes all the guess work out of it.  Yes it's about Shiraz (duh!) but it is also about different Shirazzes (spelling?).  Another one I have to mention is vinofreakism. This blog is extremely diverse in its make up as it is with it's content.  There are many more in the blogging world that will and can suit everyone's needs.  Being a blogger myself, I find them also educational in extending and developing my knowledge of the wine world.  Check these and other blogs out to satisfy your own wine & food curiousity.  You never know.  There may be a hidden blog talent somewhere inside you.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Wine Glasses for Wine Varieties

If I told you, by using the correct wine glass for a particular wine variety, you will get more of everything out of the wine.  Don't believe me?  I can understand that.  A few years ago I was told the same thing and scoffed at the suggestion and, decanting a wine, HA!!!  That would have seemed like a waste of (drinking) time.  Well I'm a convert on both accounts.  Recently my wife and I were lucky enough to be involved in a structured tasting by the General Manager of Riedel Australia.  The way this was conducted was amazingly educational. There was a Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Cabernet Sauvignon glass containing about 30ml of each of those specific varieties.  The idea was to try each different wine in a different glass which we did...of course.  Well, I'm telling you right here, right now, you can tell the difference.  If you are not into your wine as much as someone like me, (with respect) there is no point in this.  If you are (and I assume that is why you are reading this) then do yourself a favour and give it a try.  You will be pleasantly surprised believe me.  Prior to the event, I had trouble convincing my wife of the value of forking out a few extra dollars for good wine glasses.  Not any more. She was literally stunned by the difference.  Not that I have been given carte blanche to spend a fortune on wine glasses.  We came away from the event with a box containing four varietal specific glasses each and we already have a pretty good stock of Riedel glasses so, we are right for a while.  Anyway, give it a try...please!!! 'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Cellar Door Experiences

The first contact you have at a winery cellar is the people who will pour you a taste of their product.  It is no different to any customer service experience you may have at a cafe, clothes store or gym.  It will leave a lasting impression.  Recently, in the company of others, I visited six cellar doors in the Barossa Valley and one in McLaren Vale.  All of which left positive impressions on us all.  The people were very engaging without being over the top, they were happy to answer our questions and even provided us with a tasting of something special that "...just happened to be open".  Yes, we were tourists, but I think the difference was, we were not a bus load of tyre kickers going from one cellar door to the next just to get smashed.  If it is a small boutique winery, there is a good chance the person who is pouring the wine is the winemaker and/or the owner.  He/she has put a lot of time and effort into their wines and enjoy telling people about them.  They welcome questions from the enthusiastic amateur and the self-appointed expert so, only pick 3 or 4 cellar doors a day, and soak up the experience.  You won't realise you are also soaking up some fine wine, hand-made with enthusiasm and passion.  Oh, and, don't forget to eat somewhere along the way.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Degustation Interpretations

I recently had the pleasure of experiencing two wine & food degustation dinners hosted by winemakers.  The first dinner was a degustation in the true sense of the word.  Waiting staff brought out plates of food for all to share and poured the wine or wines that were matched by the winemaker and chef.  It was very well done and, yep, worked perfectly.  If you get the opportunity, go along to one.  The other not so degustational (if that is a word) but excellent nonetheless.  There were bottles of different varieties of wines placed on the table (and plenty of them I might add) and then plates of food were brought out periodically for everybody to share.  On this occasion, the winemaker encouraged us to try different wines with the different types of food to get an idea of how flavours worked, or didn't work, together.  I am not sure you would call this a degustation but the experience was interesting and educational.  Rather than be told (for want of a better word) which wine to have with our food, we were able to work it out ourselves and/or, get other "non-winey" people's opinions.  This type of scenario is also much easier to do at home and can be fun, and interesting, at the same time.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Rusden Wines - A Gem of a Discovery

As you may have noticed, I previously have only specifically featured a winery once in my blog.  I mostly alert you to specific wines because they are bargains or specific wines I have tasted.  On this occasion, I had the luxury of sampling four excellent wines from one winery.  Rusden Wines in Vine Vale (Barossa Valley).  I had never heard of them before but I had heard of the Black Guts Shiraz.  It is a small family run winery consisting of (owners) Christine and Dennis Canute and their winemaker son, Christian, and some devoted support staff whose philosophy is certainly worth reading about.  The winess I was fortunate enough to taste were their Driftsand Grenache/Shiraz, Full Circle Mataro, Chookshed Zinfandel and the Black Guts.  I am a fan of Barossa shiraz and who isn't but, not everybody likes the big gutsy styles that smash your palate with high alcohol and drying tannins and take years to mature.  All of the Rusden wines I tasted, and I mean all of them, were very approachable now.  You know how sometimes you taste a wine and think, "that is fruity" or "it's dry" or "it's a bit bitey", well, these wines didn't have any of those in isolation or otherwise.  Imagine these characteristics all together, integrated and balanced.  That is what these wines were, or are, all about.  It's fair to say a couple of them are not cheap but, sometimes it pays to fork out a little bit more for a quality wine that doesn't have the "bulk wine" corporate stamp all over it.  If you get the opportunity, try them, you will not be disappointed, trust me.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Basic Explanation of Tastes and Flavours of Wine

I tend to look for wine reviews in newspapers, magazines, on television or online and it has baffled me on a number of occasions about tasting terms the "wine experts" use.  Some examples; For a Heathcote Shiraz..."belly of the hare", a Coonawarra Cabernet..."dirty filter pads" and for a Pinot Noir..."a peacock's tail of flavours".  I can picture how the flavours of a good Pinot can open up (to use another wine term, sorry) but, I have never tasted the belly of a hare and I definitely do not want to taste a dirty filter pad.  These sort of descriptions are, admittedly, not the norm.  There are literally hundreds of words used but the most common include ones like cherry, blackberry, blueberry and plum for reds and grassy, gooseberry, citrus and fruit salad for whites.  You are probably wondering how a grape can seem to have the flavours and/or aromas of other fruits.  Basically (and boy do I mean basically) certain grape varieties have the same flavour and/or aroma compounds as other fruits and, as such, can taste and smell similar.  The Olfactory receptors on the tongue send a signal to the brain which says (work with me here please people), "hello hello, I've tasted that before when you ate (for example) plums".  Regardless of the scientific jargon, many things can alter our taste buds.  There are some fruits we may have never eaten so would not recognise it's flavour in a wine and let's not forget food brings out flavours, and certain textures, in wine.  As I have said before, wine is, and always will be, personal.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

The Great Freight Debate Continues

Very recently, in the local newspaper, there was a full page advertisment of a large liquor chain, selling Beer Wine and Spirits, offering 20% off all wine if you purchase 6 bottles or more.  The same company is offering 30% off in their mainland outlets with the same conditions.  I decided to contact the company and, after leaving two messages, somebody eventually returned my call.  The answer to my question of why the difference in the discount was, words to the effect of, "we maintain an everyday low price Australia wide in our outlets but due to shipping costs to Tasmania, we can not offer the same level of discount as our mainland states.  Our store operators would not be able to carry the cost".  When I mentioned that Tassie wines would have little or no freight costs he maintained his stance on the "...everyday low price...".  Most of the places I source my bargain wines from are on the mainland.  The most I pay for postage is $10 a carton & if I buy multiple cases (for friends of course) they offer free postage.  Some places will give free postage if you spend a certain amount of money with them and, for people like me (again for friends), that is often quite easy to do.  I wonder how many large companies use the shipping cost as an excuse to take advantage of a certain demographic and sometimes I am sure we don't even know we are being ripped off in this kind of circumstance.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

A Beer Maybe? Mad Brewers Hoppy Hefe

I have been told on several occasions that there is more to life than wine.  This is true.  Every now and then I enjoy a beer or two before I take the screwcap off a bottle of fermented red grape juice.  These days I like to try different beers whether it be Australian or not.  On the way home yesterday, I called into my local bottle-shop because I know they have a very good selection of boutique and imported beers.  I selected a Mad Brewers Hoppy Hefe.  Mad Brewers is part of Malt Shovel Brewery which brings us the James Squire range and they bring out special release beers on a regular basis.  I am not a great wheat beer fan normally but, when I read the label, it seemed this wasn't going to be your normal bananary, pale-cloudy German Hefeweizen style so, home it came.  When I poured it, I was surprised at how dark it was, similar to a lighter coloured Newcastle Brown Ale.  I deliberately left it out of the fridge for a short time so it wasn't so cold when I tasted it (being too cold can mask the flavours of the beer).  It was citrusy but not overly so, yep the banana was there but fitted in nicely with all the other flavours without dominating and it was a touch sweet.  Actually, 'she who must be obeyed' liked it and it didn't receive the comment of "tastes like beer to me".  This is not a summer beer, there's more to it than that, especially at 7.0% alcohol, but it wouldn't fit the requirements of a stout in winter either.  Enjoy it for what it is.  A nice, rich, flavoursome gem of an Aussie boutique beer.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine (or beer) alot.

Wine South Tasmania Red Wine Weekend, 26th & 27th May 2012

Hands up those who enjoy Wine.  Keep your hands up if you enjoy Tasmanian Wine and, keep your hand up if you enjoy Tasmanian red wine.  By now you're probably thinking, "what is this idiot going on about?".  Well, on Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th of May, Wine South Tasmania is presenting the red wines from almost all the wineries in southern Tasmania.  If is has been like the others I have been to, it will include sparkling reds, merlots, cabernets & blends, shiraz and of course, pinot noir.  The cost is $20 if you purchase your ticket online or $25 on the day which gets you a plumm tasting glass to keep and a taste of as many of the wines as you like.  It is happening between 11am and 5pm on both days at Princes Wharf Shed No 1, (PW1) Castray Esplanade, Hobart.  There are other events on both days including a Pinot Noir Master-Class, a Gold Medal/Trophy Tasting of Tassie Pinots and a couple of others worth looking into as well.  Check out the website at www.winesouth.com.au/RedWineWeekend.html.  If you want to pre-purchase tickets go to www.eventfinder.com.au/2012/tasmanian-red-wine-weekend/hobart.  It really is a good opportunity to have a look at some excellent (and under-rated) Tassie red wines that you have either never heard of normally or wouldn't think of trying and, there are some very good new wineries popping up that are definitely worth a try.  For fear of stating the obvious, I'll be there (both days if I can convince the designated driver).  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

2007 Penfolds Grange & Icon Wines Release for 2012

I doubt it very much that those who enjoy their red wine have not heard of Penfolds Grange (Hermitage).  The latest vintage was released a week ago with less fanfare, believe it or not, than I expected.  Grange has been around, unofficially, since 1951 (it began as an experiment) and the owners of Penfolds at the time believed it was a dreadful wine according to its creator, Max Schubert.  The wine community, in general, thought, "What is this strange big drink?  Is this Port?".  It was first put in a wine show (Sydney) in 1955 and immediatley won a gold medal and to be honest it has never looked back.  It is now one of the most famous wines of the world.  As a matter of fact, its annual release is highly anticipated by wine investors.  The 2007 vintage is, as expected, the show-pony of the 2012 Luxury & Icon Release for Penfolds/Treasury Wine Estates.  At RRP of $625.00 a bottle, it is out of  reach for most of the wine drinking population, including me.  It is not as good as the 2006 vintage and will definitely live in the shadow of the 2008 vintage but is indeed still a good wine judging by the many reviews already available on the internet.  Let's not forget about its siblings, however.  The 2009 RWT Shiraz is also available for RRP $175.00 a bottle and the 2009 Magill Estate Shiraz RRP $130.00 a bottle are both excellent wines as well not requiring the cellaring time Grange does.  My pick, if I were to purchase any of this range of wines, would be the 2008 St. Henri shiraz at RRP $95.00 a bottle.  All of these wines can be found alot cheaper than these prices at the usual big liquor chain outlets so, if any of these take your fancy, have a good look around.  Oh, and google them first because, there are some interesting, informative and entertaining tasting notes available for the discerning buyer.  I have tasted previous vintages of all these wines so, if you want to know anything about how well they can become with cellaring, feel free to ask.  'Til next time and remember, live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

A Plethora of Specials For One & All

Most wine drinkers in Hobart would have, at the very least, heard of the Eaglehawk Inn and the specials they advertise in Mondays paper.  It is usually about a third of a page consisting of a dozen or so bottles of wine and sometimes spirits.  This week it is a full page with wine from different parts of the globe, sparkling wine from all over the place and some very well priced spirits.  If you buy a dozen you only pay for 11 plus you get a bottle of 15yr old Drambuie Malt Whisky Liqueur as well.  I have decided to pick out half a dozen wines that I think are the standouts.  Not just for price but for the fact they are also very good wines.
McWilliams Hanwood Shiraz $8.00.  An excellent, reliable, value for money quaffer.
Kingston Estate Chardy or Pinot Grigio $8.00.  Bulk wine producers who consistently get it right.
Brands Laira Cab Merlot or Shiraz $12.00.  The pick of the specials for me.  Quality Coonawarra reds at this price are rare indeed.  Stock up.  You will not be disappointed.
Pewsey Vale Reisling $15.00.  This is made by the talented team at Yalumba who have access to some of the best Reisling grapes in the country.  I have been collecting this myself for little while now simply because it is an excellent Reisling for the price.
Seppelt Sparkling Shiraz $17.00.  You will not find a richer, more flavoursome or yummy (do you like that term) sparkling red, believe me.
Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 $35.00.  I have featured this wine before at this price and if you didn't take advantage that time, do so this time.  The current release is about $65 a bottle and isn't as good a vintage as this one.
'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

NZ Sav Blancs for Bargain No.15

I better make something clear from the start.  I am not doing this while being held at gun point, I am not on any medication, I am not being paid to post this and it is not a hallucination.  Most people who know me know that I am not a fan of NZ Sauvignon Blanc and I'm yet to find one I like.  But, when it comes to posting a bargain, I can't only think about my red wine drinking friends and colleagues.  Believe it or not, I have had a number of requests to source some good, cheap Savvys and not just from the ladies.  Anyway, here are three that are, at the very least, from reputable wineries and from an excellent vintage, available from Kemenys.com.au for the next week.  Boy, am I going to cop some flack for this.
Giesen Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011, RRP $23.00.  Sale Price, $10.00.  Giesen, a family-owned winery, has been around for many years and making Savvy long before it invaded the world.
Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2011, RRP $23.00.  Sale Price, $10.00.  Everybody knows Villa Maria, having been around for just over 50 years and these guys know how to make good wine not just Sav Blanc.
Wither Hills Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2011, RRP $24.00.  Sale Price, $10.00.  Okay, so it doesn't say Malborough but it so darn close it doesn't matter.  Where they are situated, the climate and soil lends itself perfectly for sauvignon blanc and, apparently, it shows in this bargain for savvy lovers.
'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

A Serious, Fantastic Wine for Bargain No.14

Received an email about 10 minutes ago from Winemarket.com.au with a bargain.  Okay so it's not exactly a cheap one but it is a good one.  They have called it a Mystery Coonawarra Cabernet Merlot, normally $62.50 down to $31.25 a bottle by the six pack.  Looking at the pixelated photo and reading the guff about it, it is not difficult to work out what it is.  I am pretty sure it is the 2003 Petaluma Cabernet Merlot and it is indeed a very good wine.  Well respected winemaker, Brian Croser, is the man who built it and is also well known for the Croser sparkling wines and the Tapanappa label. James Halliday says, "...long and very well balanced", gives it 93/100 and says it will last until 2016 so it still has plenty of life in it yet.  I have tasted a slightly younger version of this wine and that one was medium bodied but still quite powerful.  By that I mean it has lots of flavours but not so much that you feel you need a knife and fork to get through it.  Sorry but that is the best way I can describe it.  They have 265 six packs and I have no doubt it will sell out.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Watering Hole to Wine Bar. Options for Everybody

I was thinking the other day just how people's preferred drinking 'establishments' have changed over the years.  I mean that in a good way.  It was only a couple of years ago a mate and I went into a 'pub' in the Hobart area that reminded me of places my dad used to take me as a kid.  The beer on tap was served, for me anyway, at the ideal temperature, the wine selection was very basic but fitted the needs of those that frequented it and the 'pub grub' menu looked great.  But what got me was that it was, and probably still is, a 'public house' in the true sense of the word.  No pokies, no Sky TV, no horse racing, no Keno.  Simply, but perfectly, a place for people to meet, talk, joke and laugh without the aforementioned distractions.
The contempary wine bar of today is a necessity as well because of the generational changes we see among the masses.  Generation Y are more comfortable with the settings of these types of places because they are able to identify with the modern decor, the trendy drinks on offer (whether it be boutique beer, the latest wine fad or cocktail list), the tapas or antipasto platters, the more convenient location and the staff are generally around the same age.  I have been to these types of places and find they have a relaxing atmosphere, friendly knowledgable staff and a great selection of wines from all over Australia and the world (sometimes).
I am of the belief it is good to have both of these types of places, and all those in between of course, to give the diverse range of people and generations the option of somewhere they are relaxed and comfortable to imbide in their favourite beverage, whatever that may be.  'Til next time but remember, live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

What's in a Name. Wine Marketing at it's Best

I was wandering around my wine storage area yesterday and saw stuff written on some of the labels that made me wonder about the names and descriptors used on some of them.  I have no doubt some companies use gimmicky names to catch a person's attention and some use more sophisticated, additional words to make the wine seem better than it may be.  Examples?  There are plenty of those.
Greedy Sheep, The Red Baron, The Derelict Vineyard, Cock & Bull, Bowlers Run, Red Truck, Inheritance, Queen Adelaide and Stamps of Australia, just to name eight.  All of these wines, bar one, is in the lower end of the quality scale and as such may need the 'interesting' name to attract a buyer.  Now the 'sophisticated' end of the scale.
Single Vineyard, Hand-picked, Basket Press, Show Reserve, Limited Release, Traditional, Winemaker's Selection, No.1 and Cellar Reserve.  Let's be honest.  The snobbish connotation to these words are used to indicate a better quality wine and, overall, they usually are.  However, when it all boils down to it, no matter what words are used, it is still just a sales pitch isn't it? "Buy this wine because it has a funny name" or "No, no, no, buy this wine because it is a Limited Release".  The bottom line is, they need to sell a product and they can, and will, use any ways or means to do so.  Regardless, you would be pretty unlucky to buy a dud bottle of Australian wine at the moment.  'Til next time and remember, live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Celebrating 100 Years of d'Arenberg

In this modern era of winemakers flitting about the world honing their craft in places like California, France, Germany and South Africa, there are still winemakers about who have stuck to the one winery for many years.  Names such as Andrew Wigan (Peter Lehmann Wines), Father John May (Sevenhill), Grant Burge, Vanya Cullen, Alistair Pubric (Tahbilk) and Bruce Tyrrell to name but a few.  There is a gentleman (and I mean that in the true sense of the word) who is about to do his 70th vintage at his family owned winery in McLaren Vale, SA.  Francis d'Arenberg Osborn, better known as d'Arry is 86 years old, still helps out at vintage, travels Australia and the world promoting his wine at tastings and occasionally pokes his head in at cellar door for a chat.  I have been a fan of d'Arenberg wines for some years now and have many of their different reds tucked away.  The Dead Arm Shiraz, Coppermine Road Cabernet, Footbolt Shiraz, Derelict Vineyard Grenache and Ironstone Pressings GSM are but only a few of the (roughly) 60 different wines produced by d'Arenberg, all of which are available for tasting at their cellar door.  There are also names such as; Broken Fishplate Sauvignon Blanc, Lucky Lizard Chardonnay, Cenosilicaphobic Cat Sagrantino Cinsault, Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier, The (controversial) Noble Botryotinia Fuckeliana Semillon Sauvignon Blanc.  To be in a position to be able to celebrate 100 years in the industry and still be a family owned winery is a testament to the d'Arenbergs and to their wines.  If you haven't yet tried one of the range, do so.  If you haven't been to their cellar door, do so.  If you get the opportunity to meet d'Arry, go up to him and say g'day.  'Till next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Wine Bargain No. 13. A "Cleanskin" Shiraz

Call me a wine snob but, when I see the word "Cleanskin" being used to sell a 'reserve' or 'limited edition' or 'premium' wine I am very sceptical about the wine.  I always wonder why a winery would sell off these level of wines as a cleanskin but, I suppose it could be for a number of reasons.  It still makes me do some research regardless.  I received an email today from Get Wines Direct (GWD) about a cleanskin wine, and I quote, "Single Vineyard Pyrenees Reserve Museum Release Shiraz 2006 Cleanskin".  They say it is normally $39.99 a bottle but they are selling it for $12.99 a bottle.  And so the research began.  From what I can work out it is from Taltarni (very reputable winery), James Halliday (the doyen of Australian wine writers) gave it 94 points (pretty darn good score) and describes it as, "...an unusually elegant, medium-bodied shiraz", and, yes, it's RRP is what GWD has quoted.  All in all, I reckon it is worth the risk and gives the die-hard, big and bold Shiraz drinkers another red wine option for autumn drinking.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Colonial Estate Exile is Back. Shiraz & Cabernet

Good Afternoon all.  Firstly, I have to tell you this is no April Fool's joke.  The Colonial Estate has released the 2010 Exile Shiraz and 2009 Exile Cabernet.  Yep, that's right.  An Exile Cabernet which is made in the same meticulous way the Shiraz is. 
The shiraz first though.  The Barossa shiraz vintage was rated 9/10 by James Halliday and the bulk of the grapes were sourced from the Maranga region which has some very old vines.  This 2010 Exile Shiraz is, apparently, better than the 2009 and we all know how good that is (or was for those of you who have already polished theirs off). 
Now, the 2009 Exile Cabernet Sauvignon.  2009 was also a very good year in the Barossa and, even though it is an area known for shiraz rather than cabernet, this wine was produced from grapes grown in the Greenock sub-region.  I am very familiar with this area and purchase wines from a boutique winery in the same area and their cabernet is perfect every year. 
Get Wines Direct have both of these wines, plus other Colonial Estate releases, at the moment.  The Exiles are the usual, $29.99 a bottle and my guess is, they will sell a damn lot of it.  If you have some of the 2008 & 2009, then you should get some of this/these.  I intend to...eventually.  After some recent purchases, I just have to wait a little while until the heat dies down in the kitchen, if you get my drift.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

A Wynns Mini Vertical Experience

I had one of the best wine experiences recently.  Picture this if you will.  12 wine enthusiasts, a big outdoor entertainment area, a great view and a line up of Wynns Coonawarra Shiraz from 2000 to 2008 (except 2007. Don't know why I didn't buy that vintage).  We started from the 2008 and worked backwards of course and finished with a 1986 of the same wine.  It was something I had never done before or experienced before and to taste this 'bulk' wine like this gave us all an idea of how a middle of the road wine can age very, very well.  Generally there were no duds whatsoever but, the favourite was the 2002 closely followed by the 2005 & 2006.  Unfortunately, the 2001 had to follow the 2002 and as such tasted a bit flat.  The 2000 displayed all the characteristics of an old shiraz but, the 1986 was the big surprise.  The cork came out easily and didn't crumble, the colour was a brick red with no browning, it still had some sweet fruit flavours, not heaps but enough to give it some flavour in the mouth.  The mistake I made was I probably should have decanted it about 20 minutes before hand just to see if it had something else to show us.  None-the-less it certainly capped off an excellent wine tasting experience for one and all.  Stand by for the next one, coming to a big outdoor entertainment area near you.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Wine Bargain Post Number 12 (I think)

Rex Watson.  A name not familiar to most avid wine consumers I am guessing.  Well, I'm not surprised.  He doesn't get out much these days and for somebody who looks around for a good buy, I haven't seen him around at all for some time.  I am happy to say, he has decided to pop his head up in a big but very cheap way.  Dan Murphy's currently have the Cabernet Sauvignon for $55 a dozen delivered.  The next best price I can find on the internet for the same wine is almost $152 a carton delivered.  Okay, so it ain't no premium Coonawarra red wine but I have had it in the past and it is really good value for money.  Here is what the Watson Wine Group have to say about it.
"This Cabernet Sauvignon in vibrant red in colour with attractive plum hues, this wine displays classic Coonawarra cabernet aromas of red berry fruit, leaf and lightly spiced oak. These flavours carry through to the front palate accompanied by an earthy nuance which complements the soft sweet tannin finish. 13.5% Alc."
This special is only on until the end of today so log onto the Dan Murphy's website and scoop up some of this bargain basement, quaffable red nectar.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Bargains & Great Value Reds for the Week

Every now and then I get an email from an internet wine retailer and I think to myself, that sounds too good to be true so, I do some investigating.  I received two such emails today with very, very good reds at very, very good prices; and, after much investigation, here they are.
2007 Taltarni Heathcote Shiraz.  RRP $40 a bottle.  This week it has been reduced to $30 a bottle and if you buy six you get six free.  This is a restrained, medium body shiraz which is not common for shiraz from the Heathcote area.  That makes it the ideal wine to introduce to the person who is not sure if they like shiraz.  You can find it at www.kemenys.com.au.  They charge $10 postage which is very reasonable indeed.
The next two come from www.winestar.com.au and include a shiraz and a straight cabernet.  They have free postage to certain areas including the Hobart metropolitan area.
2010 Teusner The Riebke Shiraz. RRP $20 a bottle, now $17.  This is not necessarily a bargain but great value for money when it comes to Barossa shiraz.  James Halliday gave it 96 points.  If you want to know more about how good this wine is, go to the winestar website and read the guff on it.  I warn you, it will take a few minutes that is why I am not saying too much here.  This is, seriously, a wine that is batting well above its average.
2009 Tyrrell’s Vat 70 Hilltops Cabernet.  RRP $30 a bottle, now $15.  Almost everybody knows how good Tyrrell’s are when it comes to making good wine.  Combine that with the superb 2009 vintage in the Hilltops of NSW and a $15 price tag and it all adds up to a bloody good red at a bloody good price.  This one is only available until Friday.
'Til next time and remember, live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

The Chances We Take With Old Wine

If you have ever had the opportunity to taste and/or drink old red wine you know it can be hit or miss.  Well, I decided to try a 1987 Orlando Alexander's Coonawarra Cabernet.  Believe me this was a huge miss.  I have to admit, looking at the bottle I thought there was a small chance it could be okay-ish.  The cork came out fine.  Didn't crumble but there was definitely staining right to the top.  When I poured it in the glass it looked brick red which is expected for an old red.  I swirled it in the glass like the typical wine wanker to 'give it some air' of course.  I can tell you here and now it did not need air.  It needed resuscitating.  It was dead, kaput, lifeless and it smelt terrible. Regardless, I decided to taste it.  Guess who need resuscitating after the taste.  I really can't describe the taste except to say it was not good and if you happen to have some, try it now, and I mean get off your computer and try it now.  You may be lucky enough to have a couple of good bottles but be prepared to do what I did and pour it down the sink.  There is always a risk that older wines will be 'over the hill' but believe me, when you get the chance to taste old red wine, do it.  It could well be a hit.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Gold, Silver or Bronze. Let The Consumer Decide

Reading the local rag today, the results of a wine show were published indicating which wines won a gold, silver or bronze medal.  In case you didn't know, in the wine show world this doesn't mean a wine came first, second or third.  It is based on a point scoring system.  The more points, the better the medal.  Surely there must be some good wines amongst the ones that didn't win a medal...surely. Believe me there are. These wine shows have their place, but the judges are normally experts about wine whether it be the technical side of making the stuff, being able to identify flaws with it or how it is supposed to taste.  They make a decision on how good the wine is in their opinion only.  How often do people go into a bottle shop and see a heap of medals stuck to a bottle and think it must be good so, they buy a bottle?  They totally disregard the bottle sitting beside it because it doesn't have the same amount of bling or no bling at all.  My opinion is that the medals must influence a persons decision about a wine.  I challenge any wine judge or even a wine journalist to tell me I should like a wine because he/she likes a wine.  Do yourself a favour.  If you get the opportunity, go along to wine tastings at your local bottleshop or visit a couple of wineries, taste a few different wines and form your own opinion.  Taste is a personal thing, don't you think?  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

A Red Wine Special & A White Wine Special

A wine special can mean different things to different people.  It all comes down to income, mood, if it's a gift, if it's to match a particular meal or simply cheap.  Either way we are almost always on the look out for the special wine at a special bargain basement, rock bottom, value for money, not-to-be-missed price and, they are definitely out there.  Today, I have a couple to suit a white wine & a red wine consumer.  One at the bargain basement price.  The other, great value for money.  The first is a Chardonnay from the cool climate Adelaide Hills area. Those who look at my blog know about Naked Owl reds.  Well, this white reads just as good as their reds. A 2011 version so, obviously very, very young and lean which makes it an easy drinking style for a 25+ degrees day outside, on the deck with your chicken caesar salad lunch.  Winemarket have it at $62.00 a dozen (plus postage) which makes it worth a crack.  The other is a shiraz from, the well known family of Hardy's.  It is their 2007 HRB(Hardys Reserve Bin) D641 (no idea but it looks impressive) Shiraz. It is a blend of McLaren Vale and Clare Valley shiraz so you are definitely on a winner there.  RRP for this is $40 a bottle but, Kemenys have it at half price. James Halliday even tempts you to "...keep your hands off it" and gave it 94 points. Did I mention it has won 5 gold medals at various wine shows?  If it wasn't for my latest purchase from a little boutique Barossan winery, I'd be on to both of these. 'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

Shakespeare. Playwright, Poet or Plonko?

Correct me if I'm wrong but, William Shakespeare was a poet and playwright, right (did you like that?)?  It appears he didn't mind a wine or two either.  He is quoted as saying, "Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used".  Well used.  What does that actually mean?  I realise there are scientist out there that say how much wine we should or can drink a day without doing too much damage to our bodies but, everybody is different and every body is different.  I used to drink copious quantities of beer with reckless abandonment and wake up the same day wishing I hadn't done that to myself and vowing never to do it again.  So have a large percentage of the population over the age of 18.  I reckon I am at an age where I know how much I can drink without going to bed and the room spinning.  I don't need a scientist to tell me how much I should or should not be drinking.  Music soothes the savage beast, they say but, alcohol is the social lubricant.  Okay, so there are those that do not know their limitations and those that get drunk deliberately.  But surely it is a personal conscientious decision?  I think everybody knows the consequences of drinking too much without being lectured to by scientists, friends or their mum & dad.  Enjoy it. Surely that is what it is all about.  'Til next time but remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.

A Bargain!!! About Time I Hear You Say

Every now and then we all buy that "special" bottle of wine that costs just a little bit more than we would normally like to pay then put it away for a "special" occasion. There is absolutely nothing wrong that of course but, what if it is the only bottle you have and friends or rellies drop by unexpectedly? Never fear BWS is here!!! Okay so they are everywhere which means you can grab an excellent bargain they have on offer until Tuesday. They are Penfolds Rawson's Retreat and Lindeman's Bin Range for $5.00 a bottle (6 or more) which is better than half price. Both of the ranges are very reliable wines and represent excellent value. My only advice would be, if you are looking at the Lindeman's Bin 45 Cabernet, try and find the 2009 vintage. Don't get me wrong the 2010 is good too but, if you are thinking of buying a dozen, the 2009 has two or three years cellaring potential. 'Till next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.