The Wine thread

[year of the roo]

Being a cheap ass i purchased a bottle of jacobs creek pinot grigio for 7 dollars..must say you get what your pay for

If you have to drink white wine, Pinot Grigio is the way to go. Mind you, Jacobs Creek is absolute junk.

 

[Macca19]

Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris is alright, but a lot of Aus ones can be very bland and lacking in character. Bird in Hand (Gris), Primo Estate (Grigio) and Tim Adams (Gris) do the best ones ive tried. Personally I much prefer Riesling, Semillon, and something a bit different in Albarino for Whites. Probably about 40% of my cellar would be Riesling.

Ive had a few organic wines. Some are nice. Others are pants. Salena, Thistle Hill and Kalleske do some nice ones. Paxtons are great if youre into biodynamic wine.

 

[Upgrayedd]

Woolworths thanks you for the plug But seriously, I don't know why people would pie cheap French plonk when Australia produces some sensational and affordable wines that are widley available. Bloody frogs
.

Try something new?

 

[year of the roo]

Just realised I wrote pie instead of buy. Classic freudian slip!

 

[Crimson Azure]

My mate's family winery is Majella in Coonawarra. Go and see Prof and Yabs to get a great deal! I don't know much about wine but they have picked up many awards and I enjoy a drop with a nice steak, roast meat or pasta.

If that is your mates family winery I'd be taking advantage of that, they have great wines.

I was there in 2007 during harvest time just for a tasting & they gave us a tour of the whole joint just because we showed a bit of interest in what they were doing. Nice bunch of people.

PS: If he asks you to put you head in a vat & take a smell don't, talk about potent C02 it was like a kick in the face.

 

[J-Train]

If that is your mates family winery I'd be taking advantage of that, they have great wines.

I was there in 2007 during harvest time just for a tasting & they gave us a tour of the whole joint just because we showed a bit of interest in what they were doing. Nice bunch of people.

PS: If he asks you to put you head in a vat & take a smell don't, talk about potent C02 it was like a kick in the face.

Great family, I went to school and Uni with "Yabs". One of their more prolific bottles "The Musician" is a tribute to his brother who tragically died in a hit-run accident in Robe years ago. He was just 19 and got knocked over by a drunk driver. The sillouhette of the "musician" on the label is actually the young fellow playing his guitar.

http://www.majellawines.com.au/

 

[bigburger]

Great family, I went to school and Uni with "Yabs". One of their more prolific bottles "The Musician" is a tribute to his brother who tragically died in a hit-run accident in Robe years ago. He was just 19 and got knocked over by a drunk driver. The sillouhette of the "musician" on the label is actually the young fellow playing his guitar.

http://www.majellawines.com.au/

Yeah the Musician is a really good wine. We sell bulk.

 

[Crimson Azure]

Bump for more.

 

[DidakDelight]

When the wallet allows for it there's nothing like aged Barolo.

For some recent vintages I'm loving Renato Ratti

 

[no orange peeler]

if your looking for a good red go for a Bobbie Burns Shiraz (campbells wines Rutherglen) goes for about $17 a bottle good stuff. Mrs loves the White blends particulary the Jacobs Creek Three Vines Sav Blanc Semmilion. The D,Arenberg Footbolt Shiraz is also a personal favourite for about $20 a bottle

 

[DeanoT]

Anything by Charles Melton, but especially Nine Popes.

Anything by Cape Mentelle.

 

[Caesar]

I love big reds, so I just pick up whatever's going at a reasonable price. Used to live within spitting distance of the Hunter Valley, so plenty of good stuff to choose from there. Whites I drink less of, but when I do I prefer the drier stuff. Riesling is my preference.

My favourite? I've drunk some excellent stuff, mainly French, none of it mine. Mainly raiding dad's cellar when I'm home for a momentous occasion. If I'm spending, a splurge would be Penfolds Bin 389 Cab Shiraz, but that's pretty rare.

When it comes to stuff for regular quaffing, I rarely spend more than $20 a bottle - there's plenty of eminently drinkable stuff around in that price range. With the grape glut in recent years I've occassionally got quite nice stuff for as low as $10 a bottle, although it gets a bit hit-and-miss at that point. That said, my tastes are not particularly sophisticated and I'll happily drink pretty much anything that's a grade above paint stripper.

 

[Crimson Azure]

My favourite wine at the moment that is reasonably prices is Bowen Estate Coonawarra Cab sav is really good for the price. Used to drink it 4-5 years ago but stopped & just had an 08 that was young but still really nice.

At Dan Murphy's Bowen estate is about $27.

 

[Crimson Azure]

Just bought a dozen of these MFC branded wines off a melbourne sponsor Tyrrells:

http://www.tyrrells.com.au/charity/about.aspx?charityid=11&charitycode=7d62c

Have to click through sadly.

 

[Hill2Pav]

Anything by Charles Melton, but especially Nine Popes.

Anything by Cape Mentelle.

The same here, plus Vasse Felix, Leeuwin Estate and Voyager Estate are my favourite wineries and wines.

 

[Caesar]

I've bought 2 bottles of Penfolds Bin 389 every year since I turned 18. In two years I will start drinking them.

Tis going to be awesome.

 

[PAUR]

How long have they been left alone for? 5, 7, 10? Not after your age btw

strong stalk.

------------------------------------------------------

Starting to get into wine more and more, recognising different flavours and differences between regions. It's really just an experience thing, so get more wine into you kids! GF is much more knowledgeable than me about wines and she's starting to lock away the bottles, where as I usually can't help but knock them off on the night of purchase.

Last decent purchases were from Margaret River tastings - Cullen, Saracens & Brookwood were the bottles we came away with (price range cut off). Semillon, Shiraz & Cab Sauv respectively

Really regretting not visiting more wineries when I was based in Adelaide as I generally like the big reds but only appreciating what was surrounding Adelaide now that I have left.

Anyway keep the thread going as it helps me sound more like a w***er when purchasing wines.

Anyone able to put together a list of wineries that typify producer regions in Australia? I'm personally interested in east coast ones as I haven't tried many. Next challenge would be for ones from some of the other major producer regions (that can be found semi-easily in Australia) like France, Chile, South Africa, California - you get the drift.

 

[Caesar]

First vintage is 2003. I figure I will drink one bottle at ten years old on my birthday each year, and save the other for a special occasion.

I'm quite partial to Yering Station as a good example of a Yarra Valley Pinot Noir. Sticks also make a great one, reasonably priced too.

I will recommend a couple of good Hunter Valley Semillons when I'm next on the computer... Brokenwood is my favourite. Tempus Two does a good one, but it's very expensive.

If someone has a recommendation for a good Clare Valley Reisling I'd be interested.

 

[DeanoT]

If someone has a recommendation for a good Clare Valley Reisling I'd be interested.

Grosset is the only name you need Caesar. They make the best Australian reislings, IMO. I have a 2004 Grosset Watervale and a 2004 Polish Hill, both of which shall be consumed soon. Not cheap ($45 - $50 each today), but worth it.

 

[bullish23]

Re: Favourite Win

I've bought 2 bottles of Penfolds Bin 389 every year since I turned 18. In two years I will start drinking them.

Tis going to be awesome.

When I was living in London my local sainsbury's sold 389s for 13 quid. Could not believe when one trip back to oz I saw it retail for $54

 

[Caesar]

Re: Favourite Win

When I was living in London my local sainsbury's sold 389s for 13 quid. Could not believe when one trip back to oz I saw it retail for $54

Domestic prices have become quite inflated in recent years as the wine has become more collectible. Up until a couple of years ago you could regularly find it for under $40 a bottle.

I get it direct through Penfolds and pool buy with others, so I don't pay that much, but it still stings. If I was starting to collect today I'd probably pick another label.

 

[dbcrow]

Re: Favourite Win

Just spent a weekend in Clare. Haven't been there for ages.

Was fantastic.

Admittedly I'm not a white drinker at all, and there are some apparently some amazing Reislings in that area (Watervale etc), but the reds were great.

Tim Adams produce some great wines, but the best as far as I'm concerned is Stephen John. Bought a dozen Cab Merlot for $13 each, which I reckon is terrific value for money, especially since it was through the Cellar Door. Their Shiraz is terrific as well.

I love Clare.

 

[Macca19]

I'm quite partial to Yering Station as a good example of a Yarra Valley Pinot Noir. Sticks also make a great one, reasonably priced too.

Yering Station was ok, loved Sticks though - the whole range. Who wouldnt love a winery started by a former Port Adelaide premiership player

Giant Steps made the best Pinot that I tried when I was in Yarra

I will recommend a couple of good Hunter Valley Semillons when I'm next on the computer... Brokenwood is my favourite.

Brokenwood is fantastic. Their single vineyard Chardonnays are fantastic as well. Ditto Tyrells, love their single vineyard Sems.

If someone has a recommendation for a good Clare Valley Reisling I'd be interested.

I work in Clare and there will be a number of top notch Riesling released in 2011. It was a disaster vintage as everyone saw the best grapes grown for 25 years turn to rot with big rains right before picking, but the grapes that did survive are top notch. Plenty of great Riesling will be made in 2011 but there wont be a lot of it.

Grosset make the best wine in the Valley so if you have the money, then splurge on as much Polish Hill Riesling, Springvale Riesling and Piccadilly Chardonnay as you can afford. His Pinot is great as well.

Of the cheaper $15-25 Rieslings, I'd recommend Crabtree (Making the best wine in the Valley at the moment), Kilikanoon, Stephen John (great wine), Skillogalee (the 2011 is a cracker), Pauletts, Knappstein (make a great Lager too) and O'Leary Walker would make the best examples of Clare Riesling. Pikes as well.

 

[Aussie Assault]

Ok guys I'm after a few recommendations here. I have always had a few wines here & there but only after returning from Europe last last year that I really started to appreciate how good reds can be (Italy in particular)..

I am keen on any types of red (Cab Savs, Merlot, Shiraz, Pinots, blends) in the $10-$20 range. I often find myself trawling through the stands at Dan Murphy's reds but always tend to leave with the bigger named brands for fear of getting a horrible thing from a smaller estate that I have never heard of.. It is these smaller types I want recommendations for please? Not particularly fussed over the regions or anything like that as I would like to broaden my tastes and learn more about them while I'm at it.

I did work at a bottlo for a couple of years while at uni, and I kick myself that I didnt learn more about it then, but was totally against wine at that stage.

Planning to drive over to the Barossa in the spring with the missus for a look.. Cant wait.

 

[Crimson Azure]

Re: Favourite Win

Anyone able to put together a list of wineries that typify producer regions in Australia?

I'll try to do one later for you. If your new to wines the Langtons wine classification list really help me when I first started to look into premium wines. Great site for vintage wine if you can never keep it long enough yourself.

I'm no guru but I know a little.

Domestic prices have become quite inflated in recent years as the wine has become more collectible. Up until a couple of years ago you could regularly find it for under $40 a bottle.

I get it direct through Penfolds and pool buy with others, so I don't pay that much, but it still stings. If I was starting to collect today I'd probably pick another label.

Whoever started calling 389 the "baby grange" I blame, I remember gertting it for $35-37 a bottle then it just jumped to $50+ overnight.

probably that Haliday or Penfolds marketing to justify a price rise.

Wait fo the 128 to be called "fetus grange" to go up to $40.

Koonunga hill to be "glint in the winemakers eye grange."