Chris On Wine

Delatite Dead Man's Hill Gewurtztraminer, Central Victoria, 2010

2011-08-09T06:35:00.000-04:00

The wine of the week in today's SMH Good Living section is the 2010 Delatite Dead Man's Hill Gewurtztraminer from Central Victoria.

Huon Hooke writes:

Delatite gewurtztraminer has for years been one of Australia's best; grown and made at the Ritchie family's Mansfield vineyard, which recently took on the Vestey family as a business partner. It's a restrained style but delivers surprising richness as well as delicacy. The floral and spicy aromas have more detail than the pungent but simple, bath-soapy styles I so often see. Refined yet intense, juicy yet clean-finishing, with terrific line and length. The farewell is a lasting impression of richness, harmony and style. Drink now to 2016, 12 per cent alcohol. 93/100

Food: Salade composee of assorted leaves, grilled scallops, lychees and avocado. Or any grilled or fried fish with hollandaise or beurre blanc.

Head Wines Head Red Shiraz Viognier, Barossa Valley, 2010

2011-08-02T06:36:00.001-04:00

The wine of the week in today's Good Living section of the SMH is the 2010 Head Red Shiraz Viognier from Head Wines in the Barossa Valley.

Huon Hooke writes:

Alex Head, who worked in Sydney wine retailing and auctioneering previously, hit the ground running with small-quantity Barossa reds.After four vintages, he's established quite a name and is showing some established Barossa identities how to suck eggs. Entry-level Head Red delivers astonishing value. The 2010 is a modern Barossa shiraz, with a glowing purple-red colour, violet, black fruit and cool-smelling spice aromas. It is medium-bodied and proportioned elegantly, with soft tannins and a rounded shape, helped along by succulent fruit. A lovely wine. Drink now to eight years. 14 per cent alcohol. 91/100.

tFood: All mature hard cheeses, especially parmesan, pecorino, cheddar, manchego and older beaufort and gruyere styles.

Also mentioned today ...

Alkoomi Sauvignon Blanc, Frankland 2010 - bargain of the week

Heemskerk Coal River Valley Riesling, Tasmania 2010 - for the cellar

Veuve A. Devaux "D de Devaux", Champagne NV - best sparkling

Louee late Picked Nullo Mountain Riesling, Rylstone 2010 - top Aussie white

Elderton Command Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2007 - indulge yourself

Longview Red Bucket Shiraz Cabernet, Adelaide Hills 2009 - top Aussie red

Phillip Shaw The Idiot Shiraz, Orange 2009

2011-07-26T02:10:00.001-04:00

The wine of the week in the Good Living section of the SMH this week is the Phillip Shaw The Idiot Shiraz, Orange 2009.

Huon Hooke writes:

Phillip Shaw's second ranked shiraz turned heads earlier this year in the Sydney Royal Wine Show when it won three trophies, capped by best red wine of the show. It was a shock as the wine is $20 and its big brother, the No. 89 Shiraz 2008 ($50 and marketed two years older), is arguably a better wine. The Idiot is a little beauty: light-to-medium bodied with superbly silky texture thanks to light, supple tannins and a gentle hand on the barrels. It's fruit driven, with a spicy, meaty personality, intriguingly complex and entertaining to the last drop. Best now to six years. 13.7 per cent alcohol. 95/100. The just released 2010 is also excellent, a shade lighter, more peppery and with similar drinkability.
Food : Veal saltimbocca, brie-style cheeses.

No need to cellar this for too long before you open and enjoy it.

John Duval Plexus Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre, Barossa Valley 2009

2011-07-19T05:46:00.000-04:00

The wine of the week in today's Good Living section of the SMH is the 2009 John Duval Plexus Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre from the Barossa Valley.

Huon Hooke writes:

John Duval seems able to weave more detail and elegance into Barossa reds than most and this is an exemplary GSM style. Being shiraz-driven, it's darker and more powerfully structured than many of its genre, with dusty, earthy and savoury spice aromas, a hint of meatiness and suble black fruits.

Intense, deep and layered in the mouth, it has a lovely core of fruit sweetness and a clean, dry and very long finish. It's concentrated without being overdone and is not a Barossa blockbuster. Delicious. Drink now to 2025.

Food: Most red meats, especially casseroled beef cheeks, ossobuco and stews; and hard cheeses such as asiago, gruyere and beaufort.

Sounds like a great winter wine! And one for the wine cellar.

Leeuwin Estate Prelude Chardonnay, 2009

2011-07-12T08:37:00.000-04:00

The wine of the week in today's SMH Good Living section is the 2009 Leeuwin Estate Prelude Vineyards Chardonnay from Margaret River.

Huon Hooke writes:

Playing second-fiddle to the most famous chardonnay in the land hasn't always been easy but the Prelude has improved enormously in recent vintages. With the '09, it's breathing down the $96 Art Series Chardonnay's neck. A rich bouquet offers roasted hazelnut and toasty aromas together with lemon juice, grapefruit and fresh herbs. It's full-bodied, rich and deep, combining fruit sweetness with lively acidity, lots of power and palate impact. This is great value chardonnay. Drink now to 2016 onwards. 13 per cent alcohol. 93/100

Food: Ripe brie cheese; prawn and saffron risotto; cold prawns and mayonnaise; scallops with rocket salad.

This is a wine to cellar.

Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache

2011-07-05T04:37:00.002-04:00

Huon Hooke's wine of the week in today's SMH Good Living is the 2009 Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache from the Barossa Valley.

He says: "Bush vines are the preferred way to grow grenache - as opposed to the orderly rows of trellis wires that support most vines. Grenache is grown as a bush in Provence and the Rhone Valley as well as the Barossa. Yalumba has a range of grenaches, this one being its cheapest. It's not a complex wine but is very accessible in its youth, thanks to a combination of soft, light tannins and sweetly juicy fruit. The shape is round and the texture seductively smooth. There's a hint of confectionery about it. You don't have to wait for it to mature. It's ready young - like pinot noir. Drink now to 2017. 14% alcohol. 90/100.

Food suggestion: Hearty winter pies, especially steak and kidney; pasta with a game ragu; barbecued kangaroo fillet.

So this is not one for the wine cellar.

1995 Houghton Jack Mann Cab Sauv/Shiraz/Malbec, Frankland River W.A.

2011-04-22T05:38:00.000-04:00

This was a birthday present from my wife ten years ago and we figured it was time to bring it from the cellar for my birthday dinner in 2011.

We tasted it with a whole thick piece of farm bought steak cooked over direct heat in the charcoal Weber, then thinly sliced and served with crunchy roast potatoes, pumpkin and broccoli.

Wow!, sublime joy in a bottle - could I have talked her into just a couple more at the time?, I wish I had; here are some thoughts.
Colour: Deep rich red with garnet with a touch of tawny. Cork disintegrated on extraction but after filtering the wine still looked good.
Nose: Luscious and sumptuous with chocolate, blackcurrant, cassis and a touch of caramel.
Palate: As above - rich and silky with just a touch of jam early on . Silky and sumptuous structure with a velvet mouthfeel. There are notes of mulberries, plums, the cassis and all under an umbrella of velvet elegance.

The coup de gras that stops this vinous treasure from possibly going over the top are gorgeous savoury, silky and drying tannins. To complete the picture the finish goes on and on and down and down seemingly for ever - surely the only suitable conclusion to a wine like this.

2007 Chateau De Dauphine Fronsac France

2011-01-02T21:18:00.001-05:00

Fronsac is an appellation that lies just to the north of the Dordogne River before it becomes the true right bank of the Gironde River.

This wine is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The right bank soil is principally clay which supports the Merlot grape, where the left bank soil is mainly gravel in which the Cabernet Sauvignon grape thrives. That’s why the left bank wines are Cabernet Sauvignon prominent and the right bank wines are Merlot prominent.You can cellar this wine for at least another 5 years to gain more complexity, just keep an eye on the corks.

The wine opens up with a nose of violets and dusty earth with some blackcurrant. There is also a funky, slightly off aroma that fades after opening but in any case is probably just grape and terroir talking.

The palate is soft, round and ripe with a great mouthfeel. There is a salt, mineral edge to it as well as savoury earthy characters to go with the blackcurrant fruit. It finishes well with soft ripe tannins and some spice and funk.

This Chateau is one of the highly respected wine houses of Fronsac, and the wine is available at 1st Choice liquor stores around Australia.

Food: Mushroom risotto, or anything with mushrooms.

2006 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay

2011-01-01T01:46:00.004-05:00

From one of the coolest vintages in Margaret River's history comes this remarkable wine, a wine that some experts have described as the best white wine made in Australia.

Well since there was just the two of us at home for this New Years Eve, we easily conjured up an excuse to bring a bottle of this masterpiece from the cellar.

The food was miso salmon with cucumber and mint salad, a great dish for a hot NYE dinner outside. The food was almost overrun by the wine, such is its power and intensity; but no matter, we happily ran out of superlatives and drooled on every last drop.

Rather than tire you with my amateurish description of this great work of art, it may be worth looking at what some of our leading wine scribes have had to say about this gem over the last couple of years.

Matthew Jukes and Tyson Stelzer, Taste Food & Wine 2009
"2006 Art Series is one of the very greatest vintages of one of Australia's top Chardonnays ever made. On a world scale, this is as good as Chardonnay ever gets anywhere outside of Burgundy. It strikes the quintessential balance between control and concentration, power and finesse. Its length is so heroic that minutes later nothing has changed the slightest bit in the mouth. As far as 'art labels' go, we would prefer this to a bottle of Mouton-Rothschild."

97 points, Ray Jordan's WA Wine Guide 2009
“There is great depth and power in the tight structure, with stacks of grapefruit meal and subtle roasted cashew. The cool year resulted in one of the highest malo contributions in Art Series but has added immeasurably to the wine. Need I say it, but this will be another great Leeuwin.”

Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Age, Epicure, June 2009
“ART Series is on most lists of the top chardonnays and this '06 edition doesn't disappoint. It exemplifies Leeuwin's rich Margaret River style via seamless integration of concentrated stone fruit, creamy and nutty characters, a hint of burnt mach, and skilfully handled oak. It has poise despite high alcohol, and long, fine finish.”

97 points, Campbell Mattinson, Winefront Monthly, February 2009
“…this is as good as a young Art Series gets. It's a fantastically restrained, lengthy, elegant wine, its mass of flavour coiled so tight and intricately that it almost presents as delicate. It tastes of grapefruit, fresh-cut lemons, toast, sawdusty oak and green apples. It is very, very long. This vintage was very cool, and it has produced an exceptionally tight, reserved, sophisticated wine that should age for a good long time. Not in-your-face and obvious, but classic.”

97 points, James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2010
Bright and youthful colour; a complex array of nectarine, grapefruit and spice, particularly cinnamon, is offered on the bouquet; the palate exhibits understated power, with grilled nut supporting the very generous, yet refined, level of stone fruit and oak; the finish is staggeringly long, fine and complex…”

Your honour, I rest my case, safe in the knowledge that the overwhelming evidence shows that this really is one of the most wonderful white wines I have ever been fortunate enough to drink. We went to wine heaven.

Next case!!

White Winemaking Masterclass

2010-11-05T03:18:00.005-04:00

A friend has just given me a bottle of Muscat from Rutherglen Estates. In the bag with the bottle was a copy of their Spring 2010 newsletter that included the following article on the making of white wine. I thought I'd share it with you.

White wines require attention to detail.

Step one is the pick date, which is vital ... and this window is small. It is important to pick the grapes when their varietal flavours are at their optimum, and in the spectrum we are looking for. For example, we pick Fiano when the ripe fruit flavours have started to appear, but before the flavour starts to broaden and the natural acidity drops out.

The grapes must be picked when the temperature is at its coolest, usually on dawn. We then crush and press the grapes as gently and quickly as possible to avoid any oxidation, so that we preserve the maximum amount of flavour and freshness.

After pressing, the juice is chilled and any solid grape matter falls to the bottom of the tank. Usually with white wine we only use the cleanest juice, although we do add some of these solids to wines like our VRM, as they add texture and mouth feel. We then 'rack' off the clean juice and ferment it as slowly as possible to help maintain freshness.

After fermentation has finished, most of our white wines are cleaned up and prepared for bottling. Pinot Grigio and Arneis are two exceptions, as they mature on the yeast lees. When fermentation has finished the yeast dies and falls to the bottom of the tank. For theses wines, we pump the lees over the top to mix them back in every two weeks. This helps build texture into the mid-palate without losing too much varietal definition. Our aim is to produce good food wines, so the trick is to get the balance right.

Final processing involves ensuring they are heat and cold stable, which means they won't drip a deposit or form a haze in the bottle, if the wine is stored in hot or cold conditions. As you can imagine, consumers do not like to find a deposit in their wine. We also add some fining to the wine to take away any bitterness on the back of the palate. These finings may be skinny milk or isinglass (which is a fish product), which fall out of suspension once they have reacted with the bitter phenolic compounds, and do not remain in the wine.

The last step is to filter the wine to ensure it looks great and make sure the sulphur dioxide levels are right. When we are happy with the white wines, we add the finishing touches to prepare them for bottling. All this requires tests and trials in the lab, as well as fastidious work in the cellar when oxygen is avoided at every step. After bottling and giving them time to settle, it is time to enjoy the new release whites!

Reproduced with permission from Rutherglen Estates, ReVive Newsletter, Spring 2010 edition. www.rutherglenestates.com.au

2002 Seppelts Chalambar Grampians Shiraz

2010-09-07T04:40:00.001-04:00

This has to be one of the cellaring stars of Australian wine; it just grows another leg after 5 to 10 years in the cellar. Having said that, as we eagerly opened one of these recently, we quickly discovered it had been monstered by TCA. So after tipping that one down the sink I retreated back to the cellar to test another of the only 3 that were now left. And BINGO! here was another cracker.

Colour is a deep and dark cherry and the nose is a riot; stewed plums, cedary oak, cigar box, a bit of camphor. gently spice, and sweet fruit.
The palate has a beautiful silken texture, entwined with cherry, dark plum, and these super fine grained savoury tannins. The whole thing is only medium bodied, but the balance and harmony are really starting to shine through.

Cork permitting, this will easily lope through another 5 to 10 years in your cellar. We had this with BBQ lamb rump steaks and vegies and all was good.

If you consider that this (2002) wine was purchased for less than $15 and current releases are often under $20, you just have to put 6 of these in the cellar every year. And now under screwcap you won't have to tip any TCA affected bottles down the sink.

The current release is the 2008 and it already has great reviews; seek it out and reap the rewards. Halliday gives it 95 points and says it will coast through two decades at least.

2005 Yalumba The Signature Cab Sauv Shiraz

2010-09-07T04:03:00.001-04:00

This wine has a long lineage, having been made since 1962, and a distinct place in Australian wine history. This vintage is still available in major liquor stores at around $40 which is wonderful value for a beautiful wine with some of the cellaring done for you.

On the nose we initially got some briary notes and a tinge of greenish fruit, but after settling, that gave way to blackcurrants, redcurrants, cassis, dark plums, cherry and chocolate, and some sweet vanillan oak.
The palate is gorgeous and elegant and the wine is only medium bodied despite the 14% alcohol. There is all of the above plus some sour cherries with a spicy lift on the back palate. A lovely long finish with supple but assertive tannins finish this off superbly.

Jeremy Oiver gives it 95 points and says drink from 2017 to 2025+.

The wine is mellowing beautifully and (cork permitting) will easily gobble up another 5 to 10 years in your cellar.

2008 Yalumba The Cigar Cabernet Sauvignon 13.5%

2010-09-07T03:07:00.003-04:00

This wine is named after the Terra Rossa cigar shaped piece of Coonawarra from where this comes. The wine made a headline recently by being named 'Wine of the Year' in 'The Big Red Wine Book' by Gary Walsh and Campbell Mattinson. They Describe it thus:

'A dark and inky depth tasting of blackberries, raspberries, dried herbs and cedarwood, a nice turn of tannin and impressive length'. Then they talk of falling in love with Coonawarra all over again as they are inclined to do.

I think these guys are pretty good reviewers and I follow their lead quite a lot. I tried a couple of these recently and noted:

Deep, dark, inky colour with a purple edge despite only 13.5% alcohol. the nose was plush and lush with some sweet oak and lots of rich fruit such as the aforementioned blackberries and raspberries.

The palate has a lovely silky mouthfeel, with ripe fruit and is medium bodied but sumptuous. There are fine soft tannins and quite a long finish.

Only thing holding it back right now is that it is a bit fruit forward, but just 12 months more in the cellar should put that right. After all that we should remember that this is freely available at just a tick over $20.

Tar and Roses Heathcote Shiraz 2008

2010-04-16T03:45:00.003-04:00

Huon Hooke's SMH wine of the week this week is the Tar and Roses Heathcote Shiraz 2008.
Huon writes:
"Mitchelton's former chief winemaker of many years standing, Don Lewis, and Narelle King are responsible for the excellent Tar and Roses wines, none better than this Heathcote shiraz. It's a more savoury, less grapy style of shiraz in which spice and ripe blackberry aromas and flavours mesh beautifully. It's particularly intense and packed with flavour but manages to retain elegance and style, the palate having good line and a long aftertaste. It deserves to be on everyone's table as the house red. Drink now and for at least 10 years. 94/100.
Food: Grilled steak or lamb shops, roasted red meats and hard cheeses, especially an aged manchego"

Wine Club Delivers Hard-To-Find Wines

2010-01-22T23:39:00.003-05:00

Uncorked Ventures is a new wine club launched in the northern summer of 2009 and based on the concept of delivering high quality, hard-to-find wines from top and emerging wineries at a fair price to customers who can't readily access such wines.

Founded by brothers-in-law Matt Krause and Mark Aselstine Uncorked Ventures focuses on wines from California, Washington and Oregon. Current offerings from Napa Sonoma include Alpha Omega, Audelssa, Copain and Larkmeade, and from the California Central Coast: Alta Colina, Caliza and Pithy to name a few.

Wines ship monthly or quarterly and there is no long-term commitment.

Check out Uncorked Ventures here.

Uncorked Ventures

2007 Woodlands 'Margaret' Reserve Cabernet, Merlot, MalbecTasting Notes

2009-12-03T01:51:00.006-05:00

As I have noted previously, 2007 is shaping as a vintage vintage in Margaret River; I have now tried several Cabernet's and Cabernet blends, and from the sub-$20 right up to the big guns the wines have been remarkable. For the sub-$20 market you must try the Voyager Estate Girt By Sea Cab Merlot, and the Ringbolt (Yalumba) MR Cabernet Sauvignon.

Now to the 2007 Margaret. This is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 16% Malbec. It spent 18 months in French oak, of which two thirds was new and one third was one year old. The alcohol is 13.5%. Suggested cellaring window is 2015-2020.

The colour is deep crimson red and the nose has cassis, smoky cedar, plum, light chocolate and some leafy and savoury notes.
The palate is smooth and silky with blackcurrant, spicy oak and soft ripe savoury tannins. The finish is long and spicy with a lovely savoury/sour note at the end. It's polished and plush and gives a gentle nod to the Bordeaux Left Bank.

Jeremy Oliver in the 2010 Wine Companion gives it a whopping 97 pts. and waxes thus:
'A long term classic, with finely honed power and exceptional balance. It's heady, brambly scents of violets, cassis, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries are underpinned by smoky cedar/mocha/vanilla oak with undertones of dark cherries.

Remarkably long, smooth and focused, it's plush and polished, saturated with intense fruit and tight-grained oak and tightly knit with firm , but silky-fine tannins, offering a tightly controlled measure of voluptuous depth and expression rare in Australian Cabernet.'

The wine is still available around the known traps, and for somewhat under $40 AUD - your Honour I believe the case is proven!

Try it with a rack of lamb, preferably cooked in the charcoal weber with maybe a touch of hickory smoke, you will be suitably impressed.

Yalumba The Cigar Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra 2006

2009-12-02T03:09:00.005-05:00

This weeks SMH wine of the week is the Yalumba 'The Cigar' Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra 2006. Huon Hooke writes :-

'A new label from Yalumba, this wine won three trophies including best of show at the 2009 Limestone Coast Wine Show. While the grapes come from the Menzies vineyards, it should not be confused with Yalumba's flagship $55 Coonawarra cabernet, The Menzies.

It's a slightly lighter-framed wine than its big brother, The Menzies '06, with a brilliant combination of bright cabernet fruit and structure. The Menzies may well pull away from it into the future but right now The Cigar is hard to resist.

I wrote one sentence on my trophy judging sheet at the Limestone Coast show: "A complete wine" Drink now to 10-plus years. 94/100.

Food: Braised meats and characterful white-mould and washed-rind cheeses.

2002 Brothers In Arms Shiraz Tasting Notes

2009-10-13T04:09:00.004-04:00

This has been sitting in the cellar with its twin 'Brother' for long enough; although the back label says hang on for up to 20 years tonight was the night.

This is another Langhorne Creek wine that happily sails under the radar and excels in all respects. We bought this wine at way less than $40 at the time and it is still available online from the winery at not much more. Not a bad prospect because it now has some age and is perfectly ready to drink right now. Langhorne Creek area is seriously under threat from lack of water so you should make an effort to get your hands on some LC wines before you miss out.

This has a colour of deep red with just a touch of brick appearing.
The nose has dark chocolate, stewed plums and rich, sweet vanillan oak.
Palate has the chocolate, vanillan oak, plums and lovely soft spices and sweet fruit. Soft, savoury tannins gently coat the mouth, and the 15% alcohol is perfectly hidden. There is a supple and silky texture and the finish is smooth, rich and long.

In the 2007 Australian Wine Companion James Halliday writes ' Deep dense red-purple; layer upon layer of black cherry, plum, bitter chocolate, ripe tannins and oak-carries the 15% alcohol very well. 95 points.'

So it has moved on over the years from the the purple colour and black cherry and ripe tannins to the beautiful example of Langhorne Creek shiraz that it now is. Many of the back labels of our Aussie wines suggest cellaring for up to 10 and 20 years and sometimes more. I suggest that, unless perfectly cellared, go a little early rather than late.

2007 Ringbolt Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting Notes

2009-10-10T04:11:00.004-04:00

Just another Margaret River Cabernet from the 2007 vintage that, although not rated as a 'best ever' vintage, is nonetheless turning up some extraordinary wines. The bonus for us lovers of cab and cab blends is that several of these wines are on sale at less than $30, this wine at less than $20. The other advantage is that, generally speaking, they will improve in your cellar for at least another 10 years.

Ringbolt is actually from the giant Yalumba stable although you would not find out by reading the label.

Colour is deep plummy red. The nose has blackberry, cedar, some savoury spice with oak in the background. There is a lovely tinge of violets overlaying all of these.
The palate is medium to full bodied, elegant and smooth. a lovely mouthfeel with all of the above and the bonus of a long and satisfying finish. The tannins are fine grained, smooth and mouth coating, providing the structure and balance that sets this number apart. There is also an alluring savoury edge to the wine that adds another appeal to every mouthful.

In the 2010 'Australian Wine Companion ' James Halliday writes "A poised bouquet of cassis and cedar and a lovely note of violets; equally as attractive on the palate, the balance between fruit, acid, oak and tannin is impeccable; very long and varietal, with refreshing tannin and fruit. 95 pts."

After reading Halliday you can go back to the wine and certainly find the cassis (ribena)

This wine has flown in somewhat under the radar so my advice is get yourself some while the price is still under $20. After Halliday awarded 97 points to the Forest Hill Cabernet it suddenly became hard to find, and also suddenly jumped from $20 to $30, an overnight rise of 50%. I have managed to get some of the Forest Hill and will review it on the next blog.

Voyager Estate Girt By Sea Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2007 Tasting Notes

2009-08-18T01:53:00.004-04:00

Huon Hooke's SMH wine of the week this week is the Voyager Estate Girt By Sea Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2007. Huon writes:

'Long-serving winemaker Cliff Royle and viticulturist Steve James made a great double act at Voyager, until Royle departed recently. But he's left this gem as his legacy. It's a seriously good red and great value at the price.

Quality cabernet aromas of blackberry and blackcurrant laced with spice; oak is barely perceptible and the fruit does the talking. It's deep and elegant with fine balance and intensity. Markedly varietal but properly ripe and of pristine quality. From a very successful red year in the Margaret River region. Drink now to 15 years-plus. 94/100.

Food - Pink roast leg of lamb; vitello tonnato; casseroled kid; hard cheeses such as parmesan, compte and cheddar.

Mt Pleasant Maurice O'Shea Shiraz 2003 Tasting Notes

2009-08-14T00:35:00.003-04:00

You know which your favourite wines are when you are always looking for an excuse to bring one out of the cellar for some dinner guests.

This was tasted with said guests, and a seasoned webber roasted whole fillet of beef accompanied by a roast vegetable one-pot.

The wine is deep red in colour and has a nose of earth, leather, spices and blackberry.
The palate is surprisingly elegant, but with wonderful structure and texture. It has all the above spice, leather, earth and blackberries, overlaid with fine grained tannins. The finish is long, luscious, graceful and velvety. Alcohol at 14.5% is in harmony with the whole.

This is just another in the long line of Maurice O'Sheas that are a sheer joy to drink. Sure there has been some vintage variation over the years (James Halliday in his Wine Companion once pointed it higher than Grange), however these wines are really the very essence of Hunter Valley and a perfectly true reflection of that region.

Wanted Man Shiraz/Dolcetto 2006 Tasting Notes

2009-08-14T00:15:00.003-04:00

This was tasted recently Prior to a dinner, so it was quite a price to pay for a pre- dinner quaff.

The colour is deep crimson with purple hue. Nose has some pretty evident sweet vanillan oak right up front which might need some time to get soaked up by the fruit. There are some plums, jube-like blueberry, and some pleasant soft spices.
The palate reflects the nose; there is a little raspberry/lolly note, as well as some lovely soft tannins and the finish is quite long. Alcohol is not an issue, at 13.8% and quite restrained (for the Heathcote area).

While very enjoyable to drink, I would question the rather high price tag on this wine. This probably needs to left alone in the cella r for a couple more years to see what happens.

Pikes Gill's Farm Viogner, Clare Valley 2008 Tasting Notes

2009-08-13T20:18:00.004-04:00

This week's SMH wine of the week is the Pikes Gill's Farm Viogner, Clare Valley 2008. Huon Hooke writes:

'Gill's Farm is the old name of the Pike family's vineyard property in the Polish Hill River sub-region. Neil Pike is the winemaker and brother Andrew tends the vines.

This is a delicious viogner, spice and apricot aromas mingling with nutty lees-derived perfumes and some old-barrel nuances that takes the wine into a more interesting realm than the standard apricot jam-smelling viogners. Neither does it suffer from the common affliction of an alcoholic afterburn: the 13.5 per cent listed in the label rings true, with a nicely soft, delicate, seamless palate that flows evenly from start to finish. High on drinkability. Best now to two or three years. 95/100.'

Food - Bollito misto, cantal cheese, crab omelette, chicken poached in stock with truffles.

Brand's Laira Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 Tasting Notes

2009-08-06T20:42:00.002-04:00

This was tasted recently to welcome the arrival of a new grandchild - keep them coming kids!

The colour is still red/crimson with no show yet of any brick or tawny traces. The nose has blackcurrant, mulberries and a little mint.

Palate is medium to full bodied with some plummy flavour, the blackcurrant and mulberry, and a lovely smooth and long finish. There are lovely fine grained and velvety tannins, and the oak has receded completely into the background.

For well cellared examples, there are still many years ahead for this wine. There is plenty of sediment in the bottle so it needs to be double decanted ready for tasting.

d'Arenberg The Last Ditch Viogner, Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale 2008 Tasting Notes

2009-08-06T07:49:00.004-04:00

This weeks SMH Wine of the Week is the d'Arenberg The Last Ditch Viogner, Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale 2008. Huon Hooke writes:

'Viogner is a difficult beast: the good ones are few and far between but d'Arenberg's Chester Osborne nails it more often than not. This is a subtly complex example with hints of barrel ferment and yeasty characters adding extra interest.

Toasty, bready yeast, nut and stone-fruit aromas are nicely balanced and layered: it's a far cry from the shrill, one dimensional apricotty viogners. The palate is soft and round, with fresh acid in balance, and good drinkability, thanks to modest alcohol (13.5 per cent) and not too much oily glycerol. Lovely drinking now. 94/100.

Food - Poached chicken, deep-fried fish and chips, vegetable lasagna, washed-rind and white-mould cheeses.'

La Linea Temperanillo, Adelaide Hills 2008 Review

2009-07-30T21:04:00.003-04:00

Huon Hooke's pick for the SMH wine of the week this week is the La Linea Temperanillo, Adelaide Hills 2008. Huon Hooke writes:

Produced by former Nepenthe winemaker Peter Leske and master of wine David LeMire, this is one of the most delicious Australian temperanillos to come my way. It's medium-bodied and doesn't try too hard to impress. Instead, it glides over the palate with elegance and harmony, inviting another sip.... and another. Toasted-nut, vanilla and cherry/plum aromas lead into a soft, smooth palate with flesh and charm, No sharp edges, just terrific drinkabilitiy, And it compliments food well. Best now to six years, possibly longer. Moderate alcohol (13.5 per cent); screwcapped. 91/100.

Food - Lighter casseroles with lamb or goat; veal parmigiana; vitello tonnato.

Turners Crossing Shiraz Viogner 2006 Tasting Notes

2009-07-26T06:38:00.007-04:00

This is another wine recommended by the young and enthusiastic team at 1st Choice Liquor Naremburn. Not sure how this slipped under the S/V radar but now we are on to it!

This is a remarkable wine, and must be placed among the very best shiraz viogners being made in Australia. We now have a wonderful spectrum of this style, from the etherial, elegant and savoury, to the rich, luscious and bold; this wine belongs towards the latter end of the scale.

Colour is deep red/purple. Nose shows chocolate, plums, savouriness, and a slight floral tinge of violets.
The palate is opulant, rich and full bodied. There are blueberries, ripe plums, a slight tang of apricot, savouriness, chocolate and peppery spices. The whole is supported by velvet smooth, but firm, powdery and drying tannins. The finish is long and and luscious, capped by the drying tannins and soft peppery spice.

The wine is astutely matured in old oak so that the fruit complexity is allowed to retain centre stage. It's a full bodied wine, at 14.5% alcohol, that discreetly manages to avoid any overt jammy fruit characters. This wine comes from the Turners Crossing 40 hectare vineyard at Bendigo that was planted in 1999.

You could expect a wine with such stylish and delicious characters to cost at least twice the price of this; that's why this wine is an absolute must have for your cellar.

Food: Try it with a daube of beef, or lamb shanks, with mash and vegetables.

Zema Estate Family Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Tasting Notes

2009-07-25T21:28:00.004-04:00

I came across this wine courtesy of the enthusiastic and knowledgeable guys at the Naremburn 1st Choice Liquor Store. If you are in the area pop in and ask for Alex or Andrew. These guys don't just sell wine - they live it; and they know most of the wines first hand. You might even catch me in there on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

Having said all that, you will need to move fast as the 04's are nearly gone; the 2005 will be released in August and will carry with it a whopping 15.5% alcohol that may pose some questions.The 2004 is 14.5% and spends 2 years in small French oak, it's now at its peak but could live another 5 to 10 years in your cellar. It comes of course from the very heart of the Terra Rossa soil of Coonawarra.

Colour is deep, dark red/crimson. The nose has blackcurrant and exotic spices with some lovely cedary oak. Earlier reviews commented about oak prominence, however I think now at 5 years in the bottle the fruit is eating it up beautifully.

The palate is rich, appealing, luscious and developed, medium to full bodied, with blackcurrant and cassis; this all encased in a web of superfine tannins and French oak. Here the fruit, acid, tannin and oak balance is now a Masterclass in four-part harmony. The finish is luxurious, long and satisfying that leaves you asking - 'where is my next glass?' Alas there is no more!

We tried the wine with a herb and garlic encrusted butterfly leg of lamb with roast seasonal vegetables and gravy. In truth the food was entirely incidental to the wine - a standout.

De Bortoli Gulf Station Pinot Noir 2008 Tasting Notes

2009-07-21T22:05:00.004-04:00

After a couple of slightly disappointing versions of this usually reliable wine, some big reviews are starting to appear about the 2008 model.

So we duly grabbed a bottle and tried it with a super quick stir fry of sliced beef, vegetables, mushrooms, soy and oyster sauce and roasted cashews; not bad for a total preparation and cooking time of 20 minutes - and the wine went fine.

Colour is bright cherry/ruby.
Nose shows soft spice, red fruit, light cherry with a lovely mix of earthy/savoury notes to add extra interest. Elegant and pretty could describe it.
Palate is medium bodied with a silky texture. It avoids the rasberry, confectionary spectrum very well with some lovely savoury or undergrowthy characters, tannins are savoury and soft and entirely appropriate for this wine.

It is elegant and you could say 'pretty' but in the nicest way. It retains a lovely structure and texture and the finish is soft, spicy and quite long. Alcohol is 13.5%. I think Steve Webber and the DB team have come up with another cracker here so I advise getting your stocks in the cellar now while the specials are on.

With the heat wave stricken 2008 vintage much talked about, we are still able to find wines like this; perfectly made with restraint and clearly superb fruit quality.

Paringa Estate Pinot Noir 2007 Tasting Notes

2009-07-20T20:46:00.004-04:00

This wine was tasted recently with a one pot winter bake of pork fillet, pear, potato and red onion with garlic, cloves and lemon juice.

The colour is vivid deep ruby red, the nose shows plenty of spice, dark cherry and plums.
The palate has huge depth, intensity and a wonderful structure. It is a substantial wine (14.5% alcohol) with dark fruits, charry oak, ripe and firm tannins, huge depth and great length.

It is a great match for the dish; but if you get to cook this one make sure you don't go over time by even a minute or it will end up too dry - the price we paid for reminiscing in the cellar.

There is no doubt this is a great wine and perfectly made as expected by Lindsay McCall. It will repay some years in the cellar if you can leave it alone. It is well and truly at the full bodied end of the pinot pile, so a Burgundian look-alike it certainly is not. However it loses nothing for that; this is the Lindsay McCall style of pinot and you pretty much know what you are going to get every time - brilliance!

Pewsey Vale Prima Riesling 2008 Tasting Notes

2009-07-20T20:24:00.003-04:00

Wine reviewer Huon Hooke's SMH wine of the week this week is the Pewsey Vale Prima Riesling 2008. Huon writes:

'This is the alter-ego to Yalumba's regular Pewsey Vale riesling. It's a low-alcohol (9.5%), early-harvested, slightly sweet style from the same Eden Valley vineyard that yields the regular Pewsey Vale and aged Contours rieslings. It's a respectful tilt at Germany's Mosel Valley styles. Tropical, herbal, lightly pineapple aromas are captivating while the taste is light but intense, gently off-dry rather than sweet, with great tension between fruit, sweetness and acidity. Utterly delicious and a worthy follow-up to the '07 Prima. Best drunk now or within a couple of years. Sealed with a glass Vino-Lok stopper. 93/100.

Food : Lightly spiced Thai food, especially fish and seafood. Or by itself as an aperitif.

Tapestry BG&V Shiraz 2007 Review

2009-07-14T22:24:00.005-04:00

Huon Hooke's SMH Wine Of The Week this week is the Tapestry BG&V Shiraz 2007. Huon writes:

'BG&V stands for Bakers Gully and Vignerons, the two vineyards where the grapes were grown. Very low yields resulted in intense flavours in McLaren Vale in 2007 and you can find modestly priced reds that really over-deliver.

Typical plummy, chocolaty, earthy regional aromas, a hint of licorice; oak nicely understated. In the mouth, it has a pleasing balance of savoury and fruit flavours, good fleshy texture and a hint of chewiness, the tannins and flavours already starting to mellow. Well balanced, it's good to drink now and should age gracefully for at least a decade. 91/100.

Food - Red meats and game, casseroles and pasta with meaty sauces. Also hard cheeses such as Cheddar and compte.'

Evohe` Garnacha Vinas Viejas 2006 Review

2009-07-10T01:19:00.005-04:00

This Spanish beauty comes from the appellation of Vino de la Tierra and the sub-region of Bajo Aragon. The winery is Bodega Laceranas. The Spanish Garnarcha is the similar grape to the Aussie Grenache.

This was tasted at a new pizza and tapas restaurant in Noosa called 'Is'. It IS a fine addition to the Gympie Terrace strip and with wines like this on the menu, and great food, we will be back.

The wine sees no oak and is fermented in large concrete vats that actually date back to 1912. The average age of the vines is 70-80 years. There has been a heavy depopulation of the area over many years so that most of the concrete vats at this winery were empty for many years; the only thing that saved them was the loving care of the remaining local villagers. The wine is not meant for long term cellaring but a few years in stock will do no harm.

The tasting notes from the maker I think are spot on and a better coverage than the scribble I wrote on the night:

'Color: Inky red color.
Nose: On the nose, dry red raspberry, cherry, red currant, smoke, white rock, red slate.
Palate: On the palate, fresh raspberry, bright red juicy fruit with great minerality, good
acidity, grippy tannins, medium body and a long finish.'

Food - It goes perfectly with tapas, as it would with lighter meats like pork chops and chicken. I should say that it is also a most enjoyable drink on its very own.

Starvedog Lane Shiraz Viogner 2007 Review

2009-07-10T00:41:00.005-04:00

This was tasted recently at home, feeling compelled to try one after reading all the hype. The following is a review by Campbell Mattinson and Gary Walsh following its trophy at the Sydney Royal. I think they have it covered far better than I could; and I must say I agree with it all. This is just one very appealing wine to drink, and will gain even more appeal with a little time in your cellar. The alcohol is a pleasing 13.5%

“It announced itself as the wine of the year the instant we tasted it. We wanted a red that best captured the essence of the year – a wine that combined both quality and value better than any other…Wow. What a fabulous drink.
Just a ripper of a wine. A drink and a conversation in a bottle. They made 2000 dozen of this, and they are going to fly – get in quick. Brilliant wine. Sure, we rated a few reds higher, but this Adelaide Hills beauty slays them for value and, more simply, tastes fantastic. It has so many things going for it: complexity, charm, moderate alcohol and a vast array of flavours. It is a beautiful wine, full of X-factor. Welcome to centre-stage, Starvedog Lane – you deserve it.”
Value ***** 95 Points,
The Big Red Wine Book;
Campbell Mattinson & Gary Walsh

Heemskerk Chardonnay 2007 Review

2009-07-09T23:40:00.003-04:00

The SMH Wine of the Week this week is the Heemskerk Chardonnay 2007. Huon Hooke writes:

Foster's has revived the Heemskerk brand with a snappy etched-label design and a trio of fine Tassie wines, this one from Coal River Valley grapes. It's shy and a little closed at first but responds to warming and time in the glass, with a fine and subtle fruit-led aroma of great intensity, freshness and subtlety. In the mouth it is lean and pure-fruited, with bud-waking acidity and liveliness that coexists with a marvellously soft, smooth texture. Very drinkable now but also very likely to age gracefully. A tight slow-developing, modern Australian chardonnay. Now to eight years-plus. Just 13% alcohol. 95/100.

Food - All white-fleshed fish, crayfish and prawns, salads and shellfish. Try a mixed salad with mango and chargrilled scallops.

Gemtree Obsidian Shriaz 2005 15%

2009-07-07T07:13:00.004-04:00

While meeting winemaker Mike Brown at a Gemtree tasting in North Sydney was a fascinating experience, he simply added a further layer of interest to the already compelling wines on show. Much has been written about the albarino wines and their vinous autheticity and Gemtree has a large investment there. Needless to say we have some Gemtree albarino (or other name) in the cellar and it still tastes great.

This Obsidian invokes no doubt of origin; it could only hail from the very best McLaren Vale fruit. Only about 1% of the shiraz fruit that comes into Gemtree is used for the Obsidian Shiraz.
The colour is deep, dark and inky.
Nose is complex and intense; dark chocolate, spice, stewed plums and dusty but sweet vanillan oak.
Palate is full bodied, rich and complex; with all of the above plus liquorice, the structure of the wine is powerful and enveloping. Tannins are firm and grippy and will give this wine life for many years to come. Finish is long and satisfying. Bottom line is the wine needs 5 more years in the cellar and I think it will be a great Australian wine and good for 20 years if you are.

Pierro Margaret River Cab Sauv/Merlot LTCf 2005 14.5%

2009-07-07T06:37:00.008-04:00

This wonderful wine was tasted with anchovy basted BBQ cooked rack of lamb with oven roasted vegetables.
The colour is deep ruby red, clear and inviting.
Nose has blackcurrant, a whiff of MR mint, soft spice and is invitingly restrained and elegant.
Palate right up front feels luscious, harmonious and rich. An outstanding example of MR Cabernet Merlot with the added complexity of a little cab franc, petit verdot and malbec. Tannins are soft and ripe and add just the right structure and balance to the mouthful. There is a seductive savoury and dry finish to the wine that inspires a Bordeaux comparison.
And the wine does give a nod to Bordeaux (Left Bank) and loses nothing in the contest. It feels like it will age gracefully for at least another 10-15 years but even another 2-5 will see some exciting development.
This is the second string to the Reserve wine that retails at roughly twice the price. More power to the elbow of Michael Peterkin for one of the best examples of a second tier wine I have tasted in many years.

Charles Melton The Father In Law Shiraz 2006

2009-07-01T20:39:00.010-04:00

The SMH Wine Of The Week this week is the Charles Melton 'The Father In Law' Shiraz 2006. Huon Hooke writes:

Charlie Melton dedicated this terrific, everyday drinking red to his father-in-law, Sydney Weckert. Melton advised him against taking up grape-growing in his retirement. Weckert, who was in his 70s, was told to "just play lawn bowls" but his Teutonic stubbornness prevailed.

The wine is great value and can be bought for as little as $19. Blended from Barossa, Clare and Southern Flinders Ranges grapes, it's rich and meaty, deep and fleshy, with some spice as well as blackberry flavours, the tannins ample and supple throughout the palate. It has the structure to age well, although it drinks superbly now. Best now and for 10 years. 90/100.

Food - Most red meat dishes and all cheeses except blues. Meaty casseroles and stews are especially recommended.

Bream Creek Reserve Pinot Noir 2005

2009-06-15T21:00:00.004-04:00

After managing to survive a few years in the cellar, this highly regarded wine from the supreme 2005 Tasmanian vintage was tasted recently with pancetta wrapped pork fillet with sage and apple, accompanied by roasted vegetables.
The wine is a deep crimson colour and has a nose of dark berries, spice, some earthiness and some fine sweet oak.
Palate is complex and rich with wonderful texture. There are dark cherries, fine spices, plums, a lick of sweet oak and some super-fine tannins. It's medium to full bodied and is now superbly balanced with superb mouthfeel and a very long and fine finish. The complexity builds with each minute in the glass. This is more confirmation, as if we needed it, of the truly wonderful pinots that were able to be made in Tasmania from that best ever 2005 vintage.

Willow Creek Vineyard Tulum Pinot Noir 2007

2009-06-15T20:32:00.008-04:00

This week's SMH Wine of the Week is the Willow Creek Vineyard Tulum Pinot Noir 2007. Huon Hooke writes:
Willow Creek's premium '07 Mornington Peninsula pinot is a real lip-smacker. It wins you over with its perfume and finesse, balance and beguiling sweet fruit, rather than bigness or power. It has well-concentrated flavour, which gives it intensity and persistence but it's very elegant and fine, long and balanced. Aromas of cherry and strawberry, with some spice and smokiness, contribute to its allure. There's fleshiness and richness too. Good with lighter meats, poultry and cheeses but don't overpower it with heavy sauces or strongly spiced food. Drink now to five years. Sold at Annandale Cellars and Vine Providore in Redfern. 94/100
Food - Coq au vin; mushroom risotto; pasta with duck ragout; softer cheeses like buche d'affinois, taleggio and Red Square.

Paringa Estate Peninsula Pinot Noir 2008

2009-06-09T20:46:00.003-04:00

This week's SMH wine of the week is the Paringa Estate Peninsula Pinot Noir 2008. Huon Hooke writes:
One of the Mornington Peninsula's stars, Paringa Estate, makes outstanding pinot at three levels. This is the cheapest and the only one not made solely from Lindsay McCall's estate-grown grapes. I can't recall a better vintage. The restrained nose has sweet red-and black-cherry aromas, oak is relatively low-key and the finish carries some firmness from well judged tannin. It's a smidgen leaner and more angular than the Estate pinots but it's a lovely drink at a more than reasonable price. The fruit ripeness is excellent and with this kind of structure it will age well fro several years. Drink now to five years-plus. 90/100
Food - Grilled lamb shops; veal saltimbocca; vitello tonnato; milder cheeses, from asiago to ripe brie.

San Raffaele Valpolicella Superiore, Monte Tabor, 2004

2009-06-06T21:03:00.003-04:00

Colour is brilliant deep ruby red.
Nose has leather aromas accompanied by sweet oak and a multi-layered array of delicate and elegant aromas of savoury and some raspberry; aromatically intense might be it.
Palate is medium to full bodied with supple mouthfeel and great structure. There are fine and focused tannins with a rich amalgam of fruits like dried cherries, plum and raspberry. Then also some hints of chocolate and cloves, a touch of sous bois; the whole lot wrapped in a cloak of velvet. It all ends in a savoury and super fine finish that is long and very elegant. Alcohol is 14% and it could easily handle another 5-10 years in the cellar.

This was tasted with osso bucco, however it really needs something lighter, perhaps a regional dish from Veneto.
With its 'Superiore' moniker this wine may be of the Ripasso method (passing over the lees of a recently fermented Amarone), or Apassimento method (inclusion of some Amarone juice). I suspect the former, however whether in contact or in concert this is one lovely wine.

Woodlands Margaret River 'Margaret' Cabernet Merlot 2004

2009-06-02T21:00:00.005-04:00

Time to taste and test this great wine now some ten months since we opened the last one. This was tasted with butterfly lamb basted with olive oil, garlic, crushed anchovies, parsley, salt and pepper. Lamb was cooked in the Weber so another degree of flavour was added. The wine was double decanted which really helps to open it up and also to dispose of the build up of sediment that is now beginning to appear.
COL: is deep dark cherry/ brick red; very clear and deep.
NOS: Blackcurrant, a veil of dusty oak, plums, chocolate, silky sweetness (vanillan oak).
PAL: Medium-bodied, the palate covers all of the above. It is elegant and spicy, still vibrant flavours of fresh fruit, fine and refined smooth tannins, plummy fruit with the above blackcurrant, cassis, also an intriguing briary note. All of the components are integrated into a rich mouth filling wine of wonderful texture with a fine and long finish; the touch of mint now absorbed into the whole. A beautiful wine with still many years of development ahead; it will be interesting to see it evolve over the next five to ten years. Maybe try it next time with a roast fillet of beef.

Geoff Merrill Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale & Coonawarra 2002

2009-06-01T22:23:00.004-04:00

This week's SMH wine of the week is the Geoff Merrill Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale & Coonawarra 2002. Huon Hooke writes:
'Geoff Merrill has a thing about properly aged red wine and is fighting an increasingly lonely battle in defence of well-cellared red. In a world drowning in raw, infantile red wine, it's a relief to find something as deliciously complex and mature as this lovely seven-year-old cabernet. The bouquet is full of roast meat, smoky, almost truffley aged complexities but still retains some primary fruit aromas. In the mouth it has intensity, depth and length: delicious and eminently drinkable. A wine of character and interest, drinking beautifully now and for at least another decade. 93/100.
Food - Aged cheeses such as reggiano, asiago, cheddar, beaufort and gruyere; braised meats and casseroles; osso bucco.'

San Raffaele Amarone della Valpolicella 2000

2009-05-27T06:29:00.007-04:00

After some years in the cellar, the remarkable 2000 San Raffaele Amarone della Valpolicella was tasted with a superb rich beef casserole in red wine, though a large chunk of hard cheese would be just as good.

I must say I'm slightly disappointed to say it was not quite what I expected; I was ready for a wave of raisins and portiness overpowering the senses. Sure there is the hint of raisins along with a cacophony of gorgeous flavours, but the most delicate and controlled raisins covered by a velvet coating of dark chocolate.

Why am I disappointed? because I was hoping it would be too monstrous for my palate and I could retreat gracefully to the much more affordable Valpolicella Superiore previously enjoyed.

Colour is somewhere between brick and purple, dark, deep, hinting at treasure below. Although sitting at 15.5% alc this wine is a superlative exercise in restraint with power - an iron fist in a velvet glove if ever there was. Drinking this is somewhat akin to gently sucking the dark chocolate off the gentle raisiny body. There are some prune and black fruit flavours and layer upon layer of sweet and savoury sensations.

The final impression is a wine that has the near perfect texture and mouthfeel; velvety, slinky, sexy, voluptuous and luscious with perfect body and long finish. Not often a wine stops you in your tracks but this is one. The bottle will be gone long before you are ready to accept the fact; drink with a very special friend!

A LITTLE VALPOLICELLA TRIVIA
Valpolicella means in english 'Valley of many Cellars'. The region lies just to the north of Verona, itself a truly lovely city made more so by being home to a wonderful wine bar called 'Antica Bottega del Vino'. This must be your first stop as soon as you have checked in to your hotel. Many wines are listed on a huge blackboard available by the glass, a very good cucina is just a bonus.

Amarone (della Valpolicella) came about probably by accident and as a result of a traditional method developed by the Romans called Recioto. With Recioto (which is still made in white and red styles) the grapes are dried on racks and vinified with a percentage of residual sugar remaining. In the drying process, called Apassimento, the grapes lose up to 40% of their moisture. In the Amarone process fermentation is continued so all of the sugar has been converted. What remains, as you can guess, is very intense grape juice; the trick then is not to let the process go too far so as to bring in too much of the porty, raisiny elements. Amarone comes from 'Amaro' meaning 'Bitter'.

Valpolicella Superiore (or otherwise called Classico), which is the lesser sibling to the Amarone, can be made by either of two methods; one is called 'Ripasso' and involves passing the wine over the lees of a just fermented Amarone adding another level of richness and complexity. The other method is called 'Apassimento' and involves adding some of the Amarone juice to achieve a similar richer wine.

The principal grape in a Valpolicella wine is Corvina, followed by Rondinella (these two must be a minimum of 60% of the blend but are usually much more). After these two there are a number of others, the main one being Molinara, although this is being increasingly phased out.
Just to add to the confusion there is the basic Valpolicella, which should have had nothing added to it and therefore will retain the bright red fruit qualities of the grape varieties (the perfect tomato-based pizza wine).

So what is Valpolicella? Some observers say that even the makers of the wines are not sure what they want it to be, so we mere drinkers have our work cut out for us.
My advice is to continue your relentless research; buy them and try them and revel in the pursuit of knowledge. Just make sure you read the label carefully to best ascertain the particular version that is in the bottle in your hand; price will help here.

Hungerford Hill Tumbarumba Chardonnay 2008

2009-05-27T02:10:00.001-04:00

Huon Hooke’s SMH wine of the week is the Hungerford Hill Tumbarumba Chardonnay 2008.
Huon writes
‘Michael Hatcher and Phillip John are doing terrific things with Hungerford Hill’s wines. Their two 08 Tumbarumba chardonnays (the reserve won’t be released for a few months) are a case in point. Both are exceptional. This one had just 40% barrel fermentation in new French oak and is very subtly oak influenced. The main aromas and flavours are of lemon and grapefruit, with a subtle underlay of peach and nuttiness from the oak. It’s fruit-driven, and a large part of the wine’s finesse comes from the acidity, which tastes very natural- that is, unadjusted. This gives a seamless flow to the very finely textured palate. Now to five years. 94/100.
Food – Ripe runny brie, creamy goat’s cheeses, crustaceans and most fish dishes, as well as stuffed, roasted chicken.

Watershed Margaret River Senses Sauvignon Blanc 2008

2009-05-11T20:56:00.006-04:00

Wade Out Of the NZ Sauv Blanc Lake- Support Aussie Stars And Drink Better Wine.
This weeks SMH wine of the week is a stunning Sauv Blanc from Margaret River, a region more renowned for its wonderful blends of Sauv Blanc with Semillon.
Huon Hooke writes:
'Standing out like a beacon among a sea of dilute, weedy and pungently herbaceous wines in a recent blind tasting, this was a very impressive wine of some power and complexity. It has a clean, nutty, sur lie overtone to its fully ripe fruit, with the merest hint of creamy oak providing an extra layer. There's also what I call a balsamic overtone that could reflect some wild-yeast fermentation (50% of it was fermented in French barrels). This all adds subtle layers of complexity without losing the distinctive fruit character of the grape variety. Gold medal, Sydney Royal Wine Show 2009. Best within a year or two. 95/100.
Food - Goat's milk cheeses, ceaser salad, nicoise salad, a wide range of vegetarian dishes'

Plan B Frankland River Shiraz 2007

2009-05-05T02:41:00.004-04:00

This weeks SMH wine of the week is the Plan B Frankland River Shiraz 2007. Huon Hooke writes:

In case things don't work out you need a plan B. So says veteran West Australian winemaker Bill Crappsley, who makes the Plan B wines in cahoots with two other well-known Margaret River identities. This very well-priced red is a good example of Great Southern shiraz. Spicy and slightly floral, it has a lot of power on the palate (helped by 15% alcohol) and a long, emphatic finish. There's a slightly lactic element to the bouquet but, for under $20, it has generous depth of flavour and concentration, finishing with an authoritative grip. It would come into its own with protein-rich foods. Drink now to eight years plus. 91/100.

Food: All red meats and sausages, roast venison and hard cheeses such as good parmesan.

Simon Majumdar "Eat My Globe"

2009-05-04T22:04:00.006-04:00

I'm sure enough people have already responded to this man's take on the Sydney food and, especially, Hunter Valley wine, but I just can't resist adding my bit to the list.

It's the following passage that mostly interests us oenophiles.

"There was a passable lunch thrown in and I got to sample enough wines to give even my jaundiced liver a bit of a buzz. But therein lies the problem. The wines were just not any good - awful, in fact. By 4pm I had tasted enough over-oaked chardonnay and figgy semillon to last any number of lifetimes and if one more person had offered me a "fruity red", my trip would have ended in ignominy there and then as I drowned them in a barrel of reprehensible 15 per cent alcohol slop. What can I tell you? I still think Australian wines are lousy."

As a point of interest, the other night we accompanied a Chinese meal with a bottle of 2002 Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon; and guess what - yep!, not a fig in sight. I'll let James Halliday put it to words - 'Pale straw-green; a very fresh and tingling wine, with exeptional thrust to the juicy lemony palate and finish.' I could add that the alcohol is 10% and the wine is a thing of startling beauty. We also noted the amazing acid on the tongue, almost salty; a nervy tingle of oyster shells and a rich, smooth and endless finish - with each mouthful hoping the bottle would never end. This will live in the cellar for many years and is still a baby. How can all this happen in a wine of 10%v alcohol? Well don't ask Simon because I fear he will never get it!

I also think that if Simon had been serious about his tasting trip to the Hunter then he would have been spitting the wines and saving his liver, and us, from any more of his ill informed rubbish.

As to the 15% fruity red wines, I'm not sure I could actully find one if I tried, although I must admit the levels have crept up to the 14% to 14.5% level in many of the sharazes. I am still drinking the last of my 2000 Mount Pleasant Rosehill Shiraz, and my last notes were as follows:

'NOSE: spice, cigar box, tea, earth, leather, savoury/forest floor notes, even funky; loses some funk as it opens up.

PALATE: pepper and spice and all things nice. Still plenty of rich fruit and that Hunter savoury earth. Medium bodied (despite 14.5%) and still complex and mouthfilling. Some dusty oak and super fine and persistent tannins. Finish is long and savoury.

This wine is now reflecting what aged Hunter reds can be like - WOW! The slightly suspect corks may cause some bottle variation down the track.'
There - I feel better already; I think I might try the Maurice O'Shea next!

Chateau Doyac Haut-Medoc 2005

2009-04-29T20:15:00.004-04:00

This is a wine that was available through Vintage Cellars; I say was because it may now be pretty hard to find. I discovered this little treasure at a Bordeaux masterclass at the recent Vintage Cellars Wine Fair at Darling Harbour. This was tasted alongside some of the Bordeaux greats including one that retails for around AU$1,000 a bottle. It is drinking beautifully right now but would easily live for another 10 years in your cellar. When purchased at the recent 30% off sale this came in at under AU$20.00 a bottle - do I have your attention?
The notes on the bottle say 'Intense purple robe. Nose of red fruits and a twinge of vanilla. Fruit driven, concentrated palate with cherry, cedar and boxtree flavours, silky tannins, good structure and nice long finish'. I would agree with all of the above.
Also found the following notes from UK wine merchant Gerrard Seel; 'What a great bottle for the money. Max de Portales the owner and wine-maker used to be a broker in Frankfurt before falling in love with wine and his passion really shows through in this stunning petit chateau. Deeply flavoured with a firm core of fruit this is a great partner to all red meats and game.'
The wine is 70% merlot and 30% cabernet sauvignon, and Haut-Medoc is in the southern part of the Medoc.
2005 was a stand out year for Bordeaux; I say forget the fuss of the 2008 En Primeur and go all out chasing as many of these bargain 05's as you can fit in your cellar.

Penfolds Grange 2004

2009-04-29T06:16:00.004-04:00

In this week's SMH Huon Hooke comments on the new release of the great Australian icon shiraz, Penfolds Grange. Huon Hooke notes:
'This is a great Grange, one of the greatest ever. It's probably the best since the '96. Stunning balance and harmony; soft tannins, moderate oak, fragrant violets, cedar, walnuts, dark chocolate, dark berries, masses of fruit, great power with elegance. Now to 50 years. 98/100.'

I have not yet tasted this wine, however it is becoming obvious that reviews of this wine, such as the above by the most respected Huon Hooke, will increase and multiply in glowing praise of this remarkable wine. It does begin to appear that we may have here one of the greatest wines produced in this country; I will not be surprised to see a 99/100 sometime this year. So should we buy some to put away in our cellar? Well yes of course we should if we can afford it; if the $550 is a touch frightening why not arrange 3 or 4 of your friends to combine to buy one or two bottles, this is one time we may be suitably astounded.

By the way, I have just tasted the 2006 Penfolds Bin 389; I won't burden you with tasting notes here but suffice to say it is an astonishingly beautiful wine and in 2 to 10 years will be among the best ever of the 389 marque. Chief winemaker at Penfolds, Peter Gago, is going to gain some exposure and notoriety over the above two wines, not to mention the rest of the range as it is released. This guy might yet be one of the best they have had.

Making Wine At Home

2009-04-29T04:23:00.002-04:00

I've received quite a few questions lately from readers of my wine cellar mini course about making wine at home.

Now I have to confess right up front that I've never tried to make my own wine although I have enjoyed friends' homemade wine from time to time. I should probably add that I've tasted some quite awful homemade wine, too.

Anyway, since I was receiving questions from readers who wanted to try making their own wine I did a bit of research on the net to find out how difficult it was likely to be.

My research has led me to several instantly downloadable eBooks on the topic and I'll give you a brief review of two likely candidates.

First is Michael Goettenauer's "How To Make Perfect Wines & Spirits From Home". Michael describes this as the ultimate resource for anyone who wants to learn how to make outstanding wines and spirits in their own home and it doesn't matter whether you're already an experienced winemaker of if you're a complete newcomer to the art of winemaking. The eBook contains over 70 pages of information, tutorials, recipes and home wine-making secrets. So if you like the idea of making perfect, flavorsome wines in many different styles then you'll find this eBook enormously beneficial and well worth the price.

Check out "How To Make Perfect Wines & Spirits From Home" here.

The second book is Brian Cook's "Making Great Wine". This book contains over 160 pages and includes detailed and easy-to-follow instructions for dozens of wine recipes including fruit-based wines like raspberry, blackberry, strawberry and grape, dried and stewed fruit wines, root vegetable wines and favorites like peach brandy and ginger wine. This is a useful resource for anyone interested in making fruit-based wines and it is unusual to find so many recipes compiled into one book.

Check out "Making Great Wine" here:

Both of these eBooks come with a 100% money back guarantee, so if you're not completely satisfied with your purchase you have nothing to lose.

Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz, 2006

2009-04-23T22:10:00.005-04:00

This weeks SMH wine of the week is the 2006 Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz. Huon Hooke writes:
Bin 28 has long been one of my favourites in the impressive and constantly expanding Penfolds portfolio. It bears the name of Penfolds Barossa vineyard but is not pure Parossa, taking in several South Australian regions. The aromas contain more spice and pepper than usual, amid the warm-earth savouriness. It has richness, fleshiness and very good depth and length on a medium-to full bodied frame. Far from being a fruit-bomb, it has a lot of secondary flavours and is starting to build appealing complexity. Excellent drinking now and can be cellared for a good 20 years. 93/100.
Food - Roast duck, roast leg of lamb, meaty casseroles, cheeses including beaufort, compte, cheddar and reggiano.

Vines And Their Wines – Old Takes On New

2009-04-12T19:26:00.010-04:00

The headline comes from a dinner we had recently for my birthday; a quiet affair where we had just a couple of wine loving friends to join us and a chance to select some wine cellar specials. Although not planned, it transpired that we seemed to be following an old or old world wine with a new and new world wine and the wine tasting results were enlightening. We started with some homemade pate` and a bottle of 2003 Maison Champy red burgundy from the appellation Savigny le Beaune. Although double decanted the nose was still restrained; some hints of violets and cherries and a little earth and forest floor. The palate is another matter and here the wine begins to sing its beautifully balanced song; cherry, raspberry, a little red current and those violets in the background, all underpinned by superfine tannins and a real acid presence providing solid backbone to the whole package. All agreed it was a sheer delight. We followed this with one of our finest Aussie pinots, a 2005 Diamond Valley Reserve from Yarra Valley. Amazingly it simply did not compete; against the Burgundy it was almost like a fruit bomb, although it was clearly well made and highly rated. Halliday gives it 95 pts and says 'the bouquet is ripe and sweet with the palate showing abundant plum and black cherry, with years of development'

Then it was onto the main course of roast lamb with red wine jus and vegetables. We commenced here with a wine that had been waiting a long time in the cellar, a 1994 Orlando Lawson’s Padthaway Shiraz. After major cork disintegration problems, this was filtered and double decanted. When we got down to the wine it was nothing short of a dream. The colour was still bright red and the nose a wonderful array of earth, chocolate, cooked plums and super soft spice. On the palate it just got better with all the above plus some silky tannins and a long, complex and lingering finish. Of course the thing that keeps coming through in an older wine like this is the way the oak and tannins move to the background and become so rounded and integrated. We could not resist the temptation to compare this to something more recent, so we opened a 2004 Seppelt St. Peters Shiraz, a wine rated 96 in glowing terms by Halliday. Sure we’d had a few by then, however none of us could rave about its qualities after drinking the 94 Orlando Lawson’s. We left half for me to look at the following night. So tucking into the balance of the bottle next day I could clearly see why Halliday rates it 96 pts and waxes thus; 'Great colour; elegant and long, with black pepper, spice and blackberry; literally sings on its lovely finish; 40% new oak, wild yeast, etc. screwcap, 13.8% alc, rating 96, to 2016'.

Yep, it is a gorgeous wine, utterly seductive, fine, refined, superb line and length, supple tannins that weld it together superbly, taste stays in the mouth for some time and the finish is sweet and long. The fruit is just there as part of the wonderful mix; the difference amazing when not comparing it to the older wine.

A dessert of flourless chocolate espresso cake with raspberries and vanilla ice cream was matched with my last bottle of 1994 Seppelt Show Sparkling Shiraz. All we could say was 'Wow what a wine!!' winemaker notes put it simply 'The world's flagship Sparkling Shiraz, beautifully balanced, showing great finesse, multiple layers of fruit and abundant flavour.’ In the 2007 Aus Wine Companion Halliday rated it 95 and noted 'A complex array of spicy, savoury, blackberry and liquorice aromas and flavours; best balanced and driest for some time; will continue to develop in bottle'. Ours was not a crown seal but the wine was pristine and a wonderful match for the dessert; probably the wine of the night.

A wonderful night of lovely food and wonderful wines from the cellar; the way the new world and new wines compared so unfavouably with their matches was a fascinating insight. Perhaps next time we will do it all in reverse order.

2003 Knots Wines 'The Bridge' Shiraz

2009-04-10T01:29:00.004-04:00

This wine is from the Heathcote region and has been sitting in the cellar waiting for another taste test. I had it at a Manly cafe with smoked salmon and peas risotto; no fancy wine glasses here so we did our best.
The colour is crimson while the nose has some exotic spice (not pepper). It's quite savoury and earthy with some chocolate to finish it off.
The palate shows rich fruit and chocolate and plum flood the mouth. There are also some meaty or leathery notes, some said truffles or mushrooms - in other words some funky characters. There is some real acid that hits the centre of the tongue and certainly eliminates any chance of this wine being fat or flabby. Grippy and mouth coating tannins are slightly coarse but certainly aid to cementing the whole thing together. This can safely be left in the wine cellar for another 5 to 10 years. Time will tell if this gets to be a super wine but it will be interesting to see.

1997 Huntington Estate Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

2009-04-10T01:16:00.004-04:00

This great wine was tasted recently with slow cooked Greek lamb and potatoes and sliced mushrooms and gravy. A truly wonderful wine drinking superbly right now but will cellar for another 10 easy. This wine belies the 14.5% alcohol and indeed is refined, reserved and above all in superb balance. It seems only medium to full bodied and has a nose of dark fruits and some earth, leather and chocolate. The palate is as clear and clean as a bell with great structure, great length and the greatest of complex and balanced flavours. Tannins are now completely settled and integrated. If only we could get another dozen of these; this shows what wonderfully expressive wines can be made from this area with the right approach.

2006 Domaine Henry Pelle Menetou-Salon

2009-04-10T00:34:00.005-04:00

Clos Des Blanchais from the appellation Menetou-Salon.
Domaine Henri Pelle has its vineyards on the hillsides near the charming village of Morogues. This wine is near the top of the tree of their Sauvignon Blanc range. There is also a small vineyard in Sancerre where a more finely structured wine is made - a lovely contrast to this one.
The wine was bought at the Vintage Cellars 30% off sale after we had tried it at their Wine Fair in Darling Harbour. These are not wines to be left in the cellar, they are generally best enjoyed with the fresh excitement of youth still in the bottle.
We tried the wine at home with poached salmon, bok choy and potoatoes and special sauce. A very good match with this dish. The standard Au/NZ flavours of grass, goosberries and such are so much more restrained in this wine, yet it has so many complex and intense flavours. At the reduced price I doubt I will buy any more from down under - it can be a little one dimensional. This has a slightly oily nose and palate and there are smoky notes too. Ultimately it is the sheer restrained but intense balance of all the elements of this wine that make it great. It may not be quite THE perfect wine for this dish, however it is very close - right to the last mouthfel this is a wonderful wine.

A Use For Old Wine Bottles

2009-04-09T23:50:00.006-04:00

If you enjoy wine you probably have a lot of empty wine bottles to get rid of. I know we do. We have a very good recycling service in our area so our wine consumption is not adding to the landfill but I've recently come across another use for empty wine bottles – the bottle tree.

The history of the bottle tree can be traced back to its African origins where bottles were suspended from trees in the belief the glinting of the bottles in the sun would attract and trap evil spirits.

We might not believe that bottles can trap evil spirits, however, the bottle tree has evolved into a unique garden decoration. A bottle tree provides you with the opportunity to be creative in your garden and use your empty wine bottles. A bottle tree can be placed almost anywhere and can be moved whenever you like.

And best of all a bottle tree requires no watering or feeding and it won't die!

Order your bottle tree now.

World Wine Consumption Dropping

2009-04-08T02:27:00.001-04:00

According to this article from ABCNews Australian & American wine consumption is holding up well but French and Italian Wine consumption is down as a result of the sad state of the economy …

Shun that bottle and save your euros: That's what French and Italians are saying as the recession cuts into wine consumption in traditional lands of the vine.

An industry group says the crisis hasn't choked off everyone's thirst, however. New World drinkers are still sipping steadily and Brazilians "are really starting to believe in the vine."

After years of non-stop growth, global wine consumption started to retreat last year, along with the rest of the world economy, The International Organization of Vine and Wine said Tuesday.

The overall drop isn't too dramatic: The group says its initial estimates for 2008 show consumption down 0.8 percent, at 243 million hectoliters (6.4 billion gallons) compared to 2007's 245 million hectoliters.

But the latest figures on wine making and drinking around the world reveal a few key shifts.

For the first time, the United States surpassed Italy in terms of total wine consumption, with 27.3 million hectoliters compared to 26 million for Italy, the group said.

Clairault Sauvignon Blanc, 2008

2009-04-06T21:32:00.004-04:00

The Clairault Sauvignon Blanc is the wine of the week in today's SMH. Huon Hooke writes:

Clairault is one of Margaret River's big improvers. Across the range, its wines show well in my tastings and this won a gold medal at last year's Royal Adelaide Wine Show. Pale in colour, it has a powerful aroma of gooseberries and citrus fruits, fresh and vital in the mouth, with echoes of lemon zest on the tongue.

Very lively on the palate, it has bracingly crisp acidity adding to its serious length and drive. A lick of sweetness is well withing the bounds of balance. A benchmark sauvignon blanc, 12.5 per cent alcohol and screwcapped.

Wine and food pairing: fresh goat's cheese on witlof; caprese salad; feta in garlic olive oil; most salads and vegetable dishes.

Heartland Directors' Cut Shiraz, 2006

2009-03-24T01:17:00.003-04:00

The 2006 Heartland Directors' Cut Shiraz is the wine of the week in today's SMH. Huon Hooke writes:

This is the flagship red of Ben Glaetzer's Heartland range – a blend of Langhorne Creek and Limestone Coast grapes. It has a great deal of flavour and richness at a price that is affordable, as flagship shirazes go.

The colour is deep and concentrated, the nose is full of coffee-mocha richness, betraying serious oak treatment, while the mouth is decadently fleshy and dense but at the same time smooth and supple of texture.

The tannins are ripe and round and the finish persists well. Best now or a wine to cellar for 10-plus years.

Food pairing: all red meats, especially beef and venison. Also hard cheeses such as cheddar and parmesan.

Building A Wine Cellar

2009-03-12T03:53:00.003-04:00

We had always planned to build a wine cellar in the basement of our house to store our growing wine collection and a year or so ago it was finally completed.

I may not have provided the link to the photos previously but they are at the website if you'd like to see step-by-step photographs of building a home wine cellar.

Peter Lehmann Eden Valley Riesling 2008

2009-03-09T22:21:00.004-04:00

The wine of the week in today's SMH is the 2008 Peter Lehmann Eden Valley Riesling.

"Peter Lehmann makes three rieslings: a cheapie Barossa riesling (about $11-$13) the Wigan Reserve (released a few years older) and this one, which is in the middle. It is always a smart wine and a tremendous bargain, the '08 being right up to par. The aromas recall a bouquet of dried wildflowers - classic Eden Valley - while the taste is light-bodied, fresh and delicate with abundant flavour of great charm. It perhaps finishes a touch short but who's counting? Clean, fresh and subtly fragrant, it's a very gluggable dry white wine and an excellent accompaniment to a wide range of seafood dishes. Best now and over the next five or six year.

Food and wine pairing: Any pan-fried or steamed white-fleshed fish; also shellfish and crustaceans, especially prawns and oysters, and fresh goats cheese.

Craggy Range Calvert Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007

2009-03-09T20:35:00.003-04:00

The 2007 Craggy Range Calvert Vineyard Pinot Noir was last week's wine of the week in the SMH. Huon Hooke wrote:

From Central Otago's Bannockburn district, this is just one of a clutch of outstanding single-vineyard pinot noirs from one of New Zealand's top wineries. It has a deepish colour and a profound layered bouquet of plum and cherry, underlined by foresty and oaky scents. In the mouth it's fleshy, weighty and long-lasting, with great intensity of concentrated fruit but also more mysterious forest and earth characters that announce this as a pinot of a serious caste. More Burgundy-like than most New World pinots. Drink now and for at least six years.

Food and wine pairing: all game birds -- duck, pigeon, quail and guinea fowl -- but also pink lamb and washed-rind cheeses (suck as Pont l'Eveque) through to cooked cheeses (Comté, for example).

Which wines to cellar …

Mitchelton Blackwood Park Riesling, 2008

2009-01-28T03:51:00.004-05:00

The 2008 Mitchelton Blackwood Park Riesling is the wine of the week in yesterday's Good Living segment of the SMH. Huon Hooke writes …

Mitchelton has proven over many years that its home in Victoria's Goulburn Valley is a great place to grow riesling, and this is one of the best of their vintages I've had in years. It's intense to sniff: dried flowers, dried herbs, cured had and minerally side-notes. The tast is refined, intense and yet delicate, with seamless harmony and well-integrated acidity.

It's the sort of refreshing wine to serve with seafood, cold meats and salads in warmer weather. It will also age well: drink now and for seven or eight years if well cellared.

Recommended food pairings: shellfish, crustaceans, most fish and many vegetable-based dishes.

No More Sherry In Australia

2009-01-28T03:33:00.003-05:00

Would you buy a bottle of wine called apera or topaque? This is the question that is posed in an article in the Sydney Morning Herald on 27/1/09.

"These are the new names for Australian-made sherry and tokay. The international wine agreement, signed between Australia and the European Commission, outlaws the traditional European terms. Use of the word "sherry" must end by 2010 so the first bottles of apera will be seen later this year. Tokay drinkers have another 10 years before they desist.

'The majority of fortified wine producers see this change as an opportunity to reinvigorate Australia's fortified wine sector,' says Colin Campbell, chairman of the Winemakers' Federation of Australia steering committee, which is overseeing the project and approved the new terms. 'These new names … mark the first stage of our plan for the industry.'

Campbell says names to describe the various apera styles (fino, oloroso) should be announced next month.

How To Drink Wine For Free

2009-01-23T03:14:00.002-05:00

In this article from Examiner.com Gerald McConway discusses how you just might be able to drink wine for free with your own home wine cellar …

"If you are looking for an excuse to build a wine cellar, you just got it! If done properly, you can eventually be stocking and drinking your wine for FREE! Now this is going to take a little bit of work and a few years of stockpiling, but it can be achieved. And don't think that you have to have some monstrous basement or large facility to do this either, it is completely up to you as to how far you take this little endeavor.

The one thing you are going to have to have, is an actual controlled environment to properly age your supply in. You can go on-line to many different sites for a do it yourself wine cellar, you can buy wine refrigeration units or you can pay someone to come in and turn a portion of your basement into a real life cellar. That choice will probably be dictated by your wallet more than anything else. After you have accomplished this, it is time to start buying some wine.

Purchasing your wine is where the work comes in. As discussed yesterday, you are going to have to do some work and see what wines are going to age well, check pedigrees and of course do all this within your budget. You are also going to have to buy wines in quantities. Buying one or two bottles of a wine if you are going to try and make a profit back is not feasible. You will need to purchase about 6 bottles of each wine that you are looking to store. It is also not expected that you would be able to fill up your cellar all in one shot either. That would be extremely expensive and is probably unrealistic in mosts cases. Divide your cellar up and fill it according to how you want to sell it off. In essence, if you figure you can stock your cellar up in 5 years, divide it in fifths as you will have it completely stocked in 5 years and can start rotating wines out."

read the rest of the article …

Fermoy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, 2005

2008-12-16T21:41:00.004-05:00

The 2005 Fermoy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River is this week's wine of the week in yesterday's SMH. Huon Hooke writes:

Fermoy is next to Moss Wood and the vineyard is mature, so you might expect it to make great reds. I've often been disappointed over the years, however, but lately things are much improved. The '05 Reserve Cabernet is a ripper of a wine and this isn't far behind. Good deep colour; bright red and dark berry aromas with fruit uppermost and oak tucked nicely in the background. It's medium to full-bodied with very good depth and flavour and well-measured tannin grip, the palate youthfully robust, concentrated and vibrant. The fruit aromas reflect ideal ripeness. Smart stuff and good value wine.

Drink now or add to your wine cellar 10+ years.

Food pairing: all hard and semi-hard cheeses; casseroled and braised meats; rare steak; pink lamb chops.

Summerfield Shiraz, Pyrenees, 2006

2008-12-09T01:53:00.002-05:00

This week's wine of the week in today's SMH is the 2006 Summerfield Shiraz from Pyrenees. Huon Hooke writes:

This is not a wine for everybody. If you have an aversion to American oak, look elsewhere. However, in its bold, full-frontal, uncomplicated style, this is a really generous mouthful of red that will please a lot of people. Plum, spice and chocolate aromas, vanilla and coconut as well, which translate onto the richly fleshed palate. Choc-mint and red-fruit flavours pervade the mid-palate and the fully-ripe grapes give an impression of sweetness.

Alcohol at 14.5 per cent is not too high; Summerfield have been making an effort to tame it. Riotously decadent stuff. Drink now to 12+ years.

What the winery says of the 2006 shiraz:

2006 Shiraz
Shiraz is such an expressive wine with plums, spice, mocha and violets filling the nose in this stylish wine, while black and red fruits fill a palate with long soft tannins finishing a delightful experience. Drink 2008 to 2018.

West Cape Howe Shiraz, 2007

2008-12-02T04:48:00.004-05:00

This week's wine of the week in today's SMH is the 2007 West Cape Howe Shiraz. Huon Hooke writes:

This West Australian company has figured strongly in my reviews this year and it's because it is delivering consistently tasty wines at remarkably low prices.

This has the sort of spicy, cool-grown shiraz aromas that lead you to expect an elegant, balanced, interesting drink that won't assault you with alcohol, tannin and oaky astringency. And it delivers. It's been astutely designed to drink young. The taste is soft and again spicy, with a nice balance of fruity and savoury flavours with a grape character that's at once cool-grown-zesty and properly ripe.

It's young but it's more than a simplistic fruit-bomb. Drink now to five years.

Food matches: Vitello tonnato, lamb navarin, ripe brie or camembert, or Heidi tilsit cheese.

Technorati Tags:
west cape howe shiraz, west australian shiraz, western australian shiraz

Forrest Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, 2008

2008-11-12T05:25:00.003-05:00

The 2008 Forrest Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is the wine of the week in today's SMH. Huon Hooke writes:

From one of New Zealand's finest producers, this is about as good as Marlborough sauvignon blanc gets. They haven't messed around with oak or malolactic or other technical frills; this is the pure sauvignon blanc flavour the world has come to know and love. There are some confectionery and faintly yeasty aromas over kiwi fruit, gooseberry and lightly tropical aromas, while in the mouth it has more depth and concentration than most. It's crisp and alive; juicy and well balanced, with delicious texture and mouth-feel. Fine, fragrant and invigorating. Drink young.

Food suggestions: steamed snapper fillets with roasted red capsicum puree; cold seafood platter of mussels, oysters and prawns. Fresh goat's cheese on witlof.

Build Your Own Home Wine Cellar

2008-11-12T05:09:00.002-05:00

Your wine bloggers have been in the US for several weeks with a few opportunities to taste wine – especially pinot noir – in the Santa Barbara area and also the Russian River region of California. More about that later from Christopher. In the meantime I've found some other blog posts about building a home wine cellar that might be useful if you are looking for ways to store your wine collection.

Building A Home Wine Cellar - Building a home wine cellar is the ideal way to store your wine collection. A cellar should be designed to correctly store wine as it ages, ensuring that the wine develops depth and complexity and does not spoil. ...
Building A Home Wine Cellar | Build A Home Wine Cellar - If you’re a passionate wine collector you’ll find that a home wine cellar is essential for preserving the quality, integrity and taste of your wine.
Building A Home Wine Cellar » Home Brewing Club Blog - Building a wine cellar is the perfect way to store your valuable wine collection. A cellar should be designed to ...
Building A Home Wine Cellar - A cellar should be designed to correctly store wine as it ages, ensuring that the wine develops complexity as the winemaker intended. Building a home wine cellar from scratch may sound like a daunting process, but the first step that ...
Wine Storage Options for Serious Wine Collectors | Quick Recipes ... - Wine asset management, as serious wine collecting and storage has come to be known, is available in a variety of configurations depending on what a wine lover's needs are. Storage options include vault-like facilities where a customer's wine has a room all to itself, facilities that catalog and store wines all together in a cave or warehouse, decorative custom racks and cellars for the home and even wine storage lockers at local restaurants. There are many reasons to store wine, and the longer you plan to store it, the more important environmental conditions are.

Villa Wolf Pinot Gris, Pfalz, Germany, 2006

2008-10-13T21:04:00.004-04:00

The 2006 Villa Wolf Pinot Gris from Pfalz, Germany, is the wine of the week in today's SMH. Huon Hooke writes:

"This expression of pinot gris reminds more of Alsace than any other place, no doubt because the Pfalz region lies just across the Rhine River from Alsace on the German side of the border. In the best Alsace style, it has some sweetness and a heightened aromatic edge to its bouquet. Ripe peach and nectarine aromas combine with a suggestion of honey in a very expressive nose. The palate is rich and seamless, with ripe fruit balanced by sweetness and, while the acidity is not obvious, it's there, helping to keep the palate fresh. The texture is smooth and graceful, combining generosity and subtlety. Lovely stuff. It's from the J.L. Wolf Estate, owned since 1996 by one of Germany's greatest riesling producers, Dr Loosen."

Wine and food matching suggestions: Quiches, patés, washed-rind cheeses; fish and white-fleshed poultry in rich creamy sauces.

Josef Chromy Botrytis Riesling 2007

2008-09-30T21:12:00.004-04:00

The wine of the week in yesterday's SMH is the 2007 Josef Chromy Botrytis Riesling. Huon Hooke writes:

"This remarkable Tasmanian sweetie wasn't out of place alongside $250 German and Austrian trokenbeerenausleses at a recent wine tasting, despite being less sweet. Great purity of aromas and good clean botrytis are its hallmarks. The aromas are floral and honeysuckle, the palate clean and tight, refined and pure, with high natural acidity and plenty of sweetness, although the winemaker deliberately opted not to make a very sweet, very rich style – which could be overpowering after one glass. The palate has great length, line and balance. This is a wine that drinks well now and will probably do so for a decade or more.

Food suggestions: fruit salad and other fruit-based desserts; pavlova; and the softer, less-pungent styles of blue-mold cheese.

2006 Glaetzer Wines Anaperenna

2008-09-24T02:29:00.007-04:00

Bought as a single bottle to try at home with wagyu steak with mushroom and red wine jus. The wagyu was disappointing but the wine was not. The winemakers notes below pretty much sum it up -
'A vibrant plummy red in colour. On the nose, there are lifted BlackCurrant and briary fruit, expressive of Cabernet Sauvignon, with pure cinnamon and chocolate spice. The palate has leafy, herbaceous notes and rich dark fruit flavours. Well-rounded and velvety, the tannins are ripe and focussed.'

And our notes were.........
COL; very deep red, almost black.
NOSE: cedary oak, dark plums, chocolate, whiff of pepper and some licorice; did not get the blackcurrant.
PAL; rich and luscious, silky velvety smooth. Some lovely savoury herbacious notes, chocolate with ripe tannins and a gorgeous finish.
Would not mind a few in the cellar. Wish had taken the 6!

2005 Dalrymple Estate Reserve Pinot Noir

2008-09-24T02:04:00.004-04:00

My cellar program says drink now but this has years ahead in the cellar if you can keep your hands off it. This wine has the backbone and structure of a good Burgundy (albeit the bolder Pommard version). Unfortunately the '05 has long since run out and it was just about the best year ever for Tasmanian Pinot noir. However the '06 is beginning to shine a little more than when first released so it may get there in the end.
A tasting in May saw the wine as good as ever. Notes at the time said "I think the structure, complexity and intensity are the hallmarks of this wine. It really is a stunner. So glad we still have 9 left."
Another tasting in August where the notes said "A nose of ripe dark cherries overlaid with some sweet vanillan oak, fruit more subtle on the palate and integrated with the tannins and oak. Tannins are soft and supple as is the oak. Good long finish. The 14.4% alcohol does play a part in the ripe and rich feeling in the mouth.
It really is just another example of the many great pinot's that were made in Tassie that year.

Cumulus Climbing Shiraz, 2006

2008-09-16T07:23:00.004-04:00

The 2006 Cumulus Climbing Shiraz is this week's wine of the week in today's SMH.

Huon Hooke says:

"Of the Cumulus winery's two labels, Climbing is from Orange grapes while the cheaper Rolling is from the wider Central Ranges. This is possibly the most impressive wine I've tasted from Cumulus. It's a splendid shiraz that tastes as though it's been built up with some good smoky, charred oak. It's bigger and more opulent than expected from the cool Orange region, with some liquorice, blackberry and plum aromas and a faint whiff of jam. In the mouth, it has a generous helping of flavour, rich and satisfying, with ample tannins providing a good structure and clean finish. It's remarkable value at about $20. Best now to 10-plus years. 93/100

Food pairings: most red meat dishes and hard cheeses. Try rare grilled steak, beef bourguignon and cheeses such as Pyengana cheddar and comte."

Maude Wines Central Otago Pinot Noir 2006

2008-09-10T07:29:00.004-04:00

This wine was tasted alongside a 2005 Provenance Pinot from Geelong that actually lost little in the contest, the Provenance being lighter and softer but also delightful to drink.

Below are the winemakers notes on the Maude; and we agree. It is a quite stunning wine that probably needs to be cellared for a couple more years.
colour -- Vibrant scarlet
nose -- Dark berry fruits, ripe plums, subtle char with lifted hints of violets and wild thyme.
palate -- A full rich Pinot Noir with complexity. Typical of Central Otago Pinot Noir, this wine has ripe concentrated dark fruit flavours. However, more interesting is the complexing characters in this wine evident as the forest floor and dried spice flavours. Combining these with savory long fruit tannins and well integrated oak has given rise to a wine we feel will reward careful cellaring.

This is still available in Sydney but the 06 is pretty hard to find. We have tried one of the 07 model and while very fine may not quite be as intense as the 06.

Huntington Estate Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

2008-09-10T03:20:00.004-04:00

This living treasure from Mudgee was enjoyed recently with slow cooked Greek lamb, potatoes, sliced mushrooms and gravy.

A truly wonderful wine drinking superbly right now but will probably cellar for another 10 easy. This wine belies the 14.5% alcohol and indeed is refined, reserved and above all in superb balance. It seems only medium to full bodied and has a nose of dark fruits and some earth, leather and chocolate. The palate is as clear and clean as a bell with great structure, great length and the greatest flavour. Tannins are now completely settled and integrated with the beautiful fruit flavours. If only we had the foresight to get a dozen of these at the time; this shows what wonderfully expressive wines can be made from this area with the right approach.

Shelmerdine Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, 2006

2008-09-08T20:55:00.002-04:00

The Shelmerdine Yarra Valley Chardonnay is this week's wine of the week in today's SMH. Huon Hooke says:

The Shelmerdine wines are more and more impressive and represent great value at their moderate prices. They are made by award-winning Steve Webber and his team at De Bortoli's Yarra Valley winery, and Webber has great respect for Stephen Shelmerdine's vineyards. This has nutty, creamy lees-derived aromas with a touch of acceptable cheesiness and a beautifully streamlined, elegant palate, which is smooth, fine and dry with good line and texture. It's complex but unencumbered by excessive oak or malolactic influences. A lovely drink at a more-than-fair price. Best within four years.

Food Suggestions: Crustaceans or fish with butter sauces; prosciutto and melon; runny white-mould cheeses.

Atticus Margaret River Chardonnay, 2006

2008-09-02T03:14:00.004-04:00

I've missed a few weeks posting having been in Perth visiting family but I'm back at the computer now so here is Huon Hooke's wine of the week from today's SMH:

Atticus Margaret River Chardonnay 2006

A star is born in Margaret River. The 2005 and 2006 chardonnays and several reds from this maker, Chapman Grove Wines, have turned my head recently. This one impressed the most. It is a complex, multi-layered and quite Burgundy-like chardonnay, smelling of lightly roasted nuts, nougat, toast and honeysuckle. It is delicate and subtle in the mouth, with savoury as well as primary fruit flavours that will keep you entertained. Although it feels lovely in the mouth and is delicious now, it leaves me with the impression it will improve or at least maintain its quality with keeping. Best now to five years.

Moss Wood Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, 2005

2008-08-14T03:10:00.003-04:00

This week's wine of the week in the SMH is the 2005 Moss Wood Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River. Huon Hooke writes:

"The Wine of the Week concept involves a value-for-money consideration, so reviewing such an expensive wine here is indulgent. This is my idea of a beautiful red wine. It's an essay in elegance and harmony: the flavours build on the palate the more you sip and the wine continues to give more, whereas many modern reds pall rapidly. Perfectly ripened fruit yields aromas of rasberry, blackberry and a subtle trace of mint (of which less is more). It strikes a perfect balance between concentration and restraint, resulting in elegance and intensity, with none of the syrupy, over-alcoholic or extracted mouth-feel of many mod Oz cabernets. This is cabernet I want to drink, either today, in 25 years, or any time in between. It has 14% alcohol.

Food pairing: Practically all red meat dishes, hard cheeses and many soft ones (but not blues)."

Xanadu Dragon Chardonnay, Margaret River 2007

2008-07-29T02:14:00.004-04:00

The2007 Xanadu Dragon Chardonnay from Margaret River is this week's Wine of the Week in today's SMH.

Huon Hooke says:

"The Xanadu wines are much improved since the Rathbone family (of Yering Station) have been in charge. They are more polished and are unusually keen value for money. Perhaps it's because the brand needs rebuilding but it's time for you and me to cash in. This is an unwooded style that is somewhat chablis-like: very crisp with a minerally, fine-boned intensity that relies on fruit, not sweetness. You can drink a couple of glasses without gagging on timber. Great value and probably available even cheaper if you shop around. Drink over the next year or two."

Food suggestions: crab and avocado or smoked salmon and avocado entrees; prawn cocktail, fish and chips; chicken caesar salad.

Shelmerdine Yarra Valley Sauvignon, 2007

2008-07-22T06:56:00.004-04:00

The 2007 Shelmerdine Yarra Valley Sauvignon is the wine of the week in today's Sydney Morning Herald Good Living section. Huon Hooke says:

"The Shelmerdine range is impressing more and more. As at De Bortoli, where the Shelmerdine wines are made, sauvignon blanc is made in a French style with fermentation in seasoned barrels, so it's not a simple fruity, herbaceous style. In fact, the bouquet is nutty and complex, with varietal character, but also much more than that. It's fresh and lively in the mouth with good fruit and acidity, but also depth and weight which sets it apart from the pack. It could even improve more with time. Drink now to 2013."

St Hallett Faith Shiraz, Barossa Valley, 2006

2008-07-15T01:56:00.003-04:00

The St Hallett Faith Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2006 is the wine of the week in today's SMH Good Living.

Huon Hooke says:

"Faith could be named after a Lutheran school in the Barossa, or chief winemaker Stuart Blackwell's wife. It doesn't matter. What it stands for is great value for money, especially as it's often discounted well under $20. The 2006 is even more seductive than usual - it was a very good year. Bright raspberry and blueberry fruit aromas are joined on the palate by anise and mixed spices. There are lashings of flavour and supple tannins. It's gently oaked compared with the more expensive St Hallett shirazes, Blackwell and Old Block.

This is a terrific buy, even at the full price. Drinks well now and will continue to for at least six years."

Chanson Pere and Fils Le Bourgogne Pinot Noir, 2006

2008-07-08T07:17:00.003-04:00

The 2006 Chanson Pere & Fils Le Bourgogne Pinot Noir is the wine of the week in this week's SMH Good Living. Huon Hooke writes:

"Bollinger has owned Chanson since 1999, boosting its fairly ordinary reputation enormously in that time. Vineyards have been revived and winemaking improved.

This is a basic burgundy that punches well above its weight. The colour is medium-full red-purple and the clean, typical pinot nose suggests dark cherry and spices. It has very good weight, grip and flavour for the price.

Only about 20 per cent of it saw the inside of a barrel but that's no handicap. A very good wine and a great entry point to start appreciating burgundy. Best now to three or four years."

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Pindarie Shiraz, Barossa Valley, 2006

2008-06-30T23:58:00.003-04:00

The 2006 Pindarie Shiraz from South Australia's Barossa Valley is the wine of the week in today's SMH.

"Former Penfolds viticulturist Wendy Allan and a sixth-generation South Australian farmer, Tony Brooks, have a vineyard in the Barossa Valley which produces two very good, inexpensive reds (the other is Bar Rossa Tempranillo Sangiovese Shiraz).

This shiraz has a dense dark colour and concentrated bouquet of blackberry, like a boiled-down essence of shiraz. It's a big and rich, sweet in fruit and with generous, layered tannins all served in a velvety, textured mouthful. Decadent, juicy stuff, 14.5 per cent alcohol and remarkable value.

Drink now or cellar to 2016"

Food suggestions: braised meats and casseroles, osso bucco, all hard cheese and most soft, white-mold cheeses such as Red Square.

Stella Bella Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, 2005

2008-06-16T20:55:00.004-04:00

Huon Hooke comments on the 2005 Stella Bella Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot in today's SMH Good Living...

"With its stylish, colourful labelling and modest pricing, winemaker Janice McDonald's Stella Bella range is excellent and arguably undersung.

This is a pristine Margaret River cabernet merlot in the tight, fine-grained, elegant, vibrant-fruit style that is the trademark of the maker. The colour is brilliant red-purple, with the intense and very clean aromas of blackcurrant, mulberry and blackberry with subtle oak. The palate is very intense and taut, with unobtrusive but definite fine-grained tannins giving good structure and a nice grip to finish. Youthfully vital, not yet showing great complexity but its future seems assured. Best in a couple of years but it can be drunk from now until, say, 2025."

Suggested food pairings include cooked cheeses such as beaufort and gruyere; red meats from veal to rare beef and pink lamb roasts.

1997 Huntington Estate Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

2008-05-23T18:35:00.003-04:00

This Huntington Estate Special Reserve Cab Sauv was gleefully consumed recently with slow cooked Greek lamb and potatoes and sliced mushrooms and gravy. A truly wonderful wine drinking superbly right now but will cellar for another 10 years easily.

This wine belies the 14.5% alcohol and indeed is refined, reserved and above all in superb balance. It seems only medium to full bodied and has a nose of dark fruits and some earth, leather and chocolate. The palate is as clear and clean as a bell with great structure, great length and the greatest flavour. Tannins are now completely settled and integrated. If only we could get another dozen of these, this shows what wonderfully expressive wines can be made from the Mudgee area with the right approach.

Wirra Wirra Church Block , 2006

2008-05-20T01:38:00.006-04:00

I think I've mentioned the Wirra Wirra Church Block blend previously and it has just turned up as wine of the week in today's SMH. Huon Hooke says:

"Rarely have I been so impressed by this familiar blend of McLaren Vale cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and merlot as I have by the '06. Under a screwcap, its nose opens a little shy but reveals more as it airs, with soft berry-like aromas with cabernet uppermost, and oak playing a back-seat role.

The drinkability and balance are exemplary in a drink-now red designed for restaurants and bistros. It has backbone but the tannins are soft and the texture smooth, with richness, depth and charm. It's a really nice surprise: 2006 is indeed a good red wine year in South Australia.

Drink now or age six years or so."

Tulloch Private Bin Pokolbin Dry Red Shiraz

2008-04-23T00:25:00.003-04:00

The Tulloch Private Bin Pokolbin Dry Red Shiraz, 2006, is Huon Hooke's wine of the week in the SMH 22/4/08...

"This vintage is dedicated to Sydney restaurateur J.K. Johnnie Walker, who helped put this famous Hunter Valley wine family on the map in the '50s and '60s. An outstanding Hunter shiraz, it has a whiff of smoke over dark-plum, earth, leather and charred-oak characters, while the palate is elegant and harmonious, with smooth ripe tannins and balanced alcohol of just 13.5 per cent.

It is a wine that's made to go with food and will impress even more at dinner than in a blind tasting. It's quite regional but retains plenty of bright, clean primary shiraz fruit. Drink now to 20+ years."

Now here's a bottle to put in the wine cellar.

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Biodynamic Wine

2008-04-22T22:11:00.005-04:00

From the SMH 22/4/08 ...

"Cape Jaffa, the South Australian winery and vineyard, has joined the growing list of Australian wine producers using biodynamic practices in the vineyards. The entire vineyard has been certified biodynamic, and the winery organic, by Australian Certified Organic.

Cape Jaffa, established in the Mount Benson region by the Hooper family in 1993, is one of a small number in the state to achieve this status. A certified line of wines will be released later this year. General manager Derek Hooper says: 'A lot of overseas markets don't allow products to be labeled or marketed as organic or biodynamic unless they are certified and it's likely that Australia will follow suit and tighten regulations sooner rather than later.' "

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Penfolds Thomas Hyland Chardonnay

2008-04-15T20:03:00.003-04:00

Penfolds Thomas Hyland Chardonnay, 2006, is Huon Hooke's wine of the week in today's SMH Good Living. He says:

"The big companies have come a long way with their inexpensive chardonnays. They're subtle, light and refined yet intense, are not woody yet have undersated complexity - more than ever before.

This wine, often priced below $20, is a lovely, lovely drink. It's fresh, subtly fruity with understated but evident oak adding a layer of character over the peach-nectarine fruit. It retains delicacy and subtlety on the palate while being well concentrated and intense, lingering and with restrained power.

A model chardonnay and, because of its low-key oak, all the more digestible and wide in its appeal. Drink now to three or four years."

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42 Degrees South Pinot Noir

2008-03-26T21:21:00.004-04:00

Huon Hooke's wine of the week in the SMH on Tuesday was 42 Degrees South Pinot Noir, 2004.

He says, "This label is the new focus for Wellington Wines produced by Andrew Hood and his team just outside Hobart. It won a gold medal and topped the 2004-and-older pinot class in January's Tasmanian regional wine show. It's in great nick for its age. Spicy red- and black-cherry aromas give it a fruit-driven bouquet of complexity and style. It's quite big for a Tassie pinot: smooth and lushly fruited in the mouth, with generous flavour, length and harmony. A totally delicious drink, now and for the next three or four years."

Food recommendations: barbecued quail, Chinese duck roll-ups, crown roast of hare with roasted beetroot.

Put some in your wine cellar.

Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Quartage 2006

2008-03-24T05:23:00.003-04:00

This is Huon Hooke's wine of the week from last week's Sydney Morning Herald.

The Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Quartage is always an elegant style of cabernet for the Barossa Valley and I suspect there's a fair bit of high-altitude fruit in it. the dark-berry flavours are explosive and the wine combines elegance with power. Oak plays a secondary, supportive role and the fruit has brightness and great charm.

It's a far cry from the dead-fruit, overripe style of some Barossa makers. The tannins are fine-grained and beautifully modulated, adding just the right firmness to a clean finish. An excellent red, blended from the five Bordeaux grapes: cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, malbec, merlot and petit verdot.

Can be drunk now to 12+ years, but best cellared a year or two at least.

Recommended food pairings: Roast leg of lamb, osso buco, rabbit casserole, all hard cheeses - especially cheddar and pecorino.

Wyndham Estate George Wyndham Shiraz Grenache

2008-03-10T19:37:00.003-04:00

Huon Hooke's Wine of the Week in today's SMH is the Wyndham Estate George Wyndham Shiraz Grenache, 2005.

He says: "Its two trophies at the Sydney Royal Wine Show, including best red wine not exceeding $20, were well deserved. Though named after the man who founded Wyndham Estate in the Hunter Valley in 1828, it's not a Hunter wine - the grapes most likely came from South Australia (Orlando Wyndham is very shy about the source of grapes, even in its best wines).

The wine is deliciously soft and fruit-sweet to taste, with raspberry and cherry-like aromas, fruit driven and not obviously marked by oak. At nearly three years old, it's good drinking now and will continue to be for eight to 10 years. It's widely distributed and easy to find."

Suggested food pairings: Steak and kidney pie, shepherd's pie, all casseroles, stews and braises.

Sounds like a delightful wine for winter and one to keep in the wine cellar for a few years.

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NSW WINE WEEK

2008-03-03T21:46:00.003-05:00

Local wines are often overlooked in favour of produce from other states. NSW Wine Week 2008 aims to change that... SMH 4 March 2008

What's On:

Good Living Sydney Cellar Door. 103 wineries from 14 regions showcase their best wines in Hyde Park south from 11am to 6 pm on Sunday. Pay $5 for a glass, then $3 for each tasting and place orders direct with the winery for your favourites. There will also be food stalls and live music.

NSW Wine Region Dinners. Top Sydney chefs have worked with five regional chefs to produce degustation menus to complement a selection of local wines. Five dinners will be held between Monday and Thursday next week, each with a celebrity MC and a panel comprising the chefs and regional winemakers.

Dine With NSW Wine. All week, 49 Sydney restaurants featured in the Good Food Guide will match a specially prepared dish with a glass of NSW wine.

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Elderton Barossa Merlot, 2005

2008-03-03T21:11:00.002-05:00

Huon Hooke's wine of the week in today's SMH is the 2005 Elderton Barossa Merlot. He writes:

"Regular readers will know I'm not usually a fan of merlot, which imbues this Wine Of the Week with special meaning. It is a ripping red and also good value (again, not often true of merlot). It's of the full-bodied, rich and fully ripe, warm-climate style and is probably not a wine that will gain great complexity or subtlety with age, but it's a delicious drink while young.

Sweet fruit, vanilla and a touch of hummus to sniff; fleshy and full-throttle in the mouth with rich, ample fruit flavour and soft, supple tannins that clean and gently dry the finish. An easy drinking wine now and for at least five or six years."

The food suggestions to accompany this wine are hard and washed-rind cheeses; casseroles, stews and braised meats. A good thing autumn is upon us.

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Huon Hooke Receives A Corker Of A Review

2008-02-19T16:51:00.003-05:00

Huon Hooke, whose wine reviews are often included in this blog, has been awarded the prestigious 2007 Australian Wine Communicator Award.

The Wine Press Club of Australia assembled a panel of judges that included James Halliday and British wine writer Jancis Robinson. Huon Hooke was their unanimous choice.

"There was no question that Huon would be the recipient. There are few in his league when it comes to respect, influence and breadth of knowledge," said the club's president and judge, Darren Jahn.

SMH 19/2/08

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Bay of Fires Riesling, 2007

2008-02-19T16:34:00.007-05:00

Bay of Fires Riesling, Tasmania, 2007

Huon Hooke's Wine of the Week in the SMH 19/2/07...

Bay of Fires is the Tasmanian winery of the Hardy group; Fran Austin is the winemaker. This riesling is a thrilling wine that really leaps from the glass. It is fresher, more aromatic and livelier in the mouth than most 2007 Aussie rieslings - generally not a great riesling year. Green limes and lemons, a twist of honey, turning juicy in the mouth with a touch of sweetness well balanced against frisky acidity. It finishes quite firmly but really sings on the palate: a captivating wine. Just 12 per cent alcohol, too. Drink now or cellar for seven years.

Suggested food pairing: abalone, scallops, crayfish and most white-fleshed fish, pan-fried and served in a buttery sauce.

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