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.