JIM BARRY WINES, CLARE VALLEY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The Jim Barry Cellar Door is an absolute MUST to visit. For me they are to Riesling in the Clare Valley, like Tyrrells are to Semillon in the Hunter. Their tasting lineup is more a priceless education than an enticement to buy. With extraordinary generosity they offer the opportunity to taste their current vintages, from a variety of diverse riesling vineyards, with old vintages from the same vineyards. 

Their reds are equally impressive with a $40 offer on the McCrae Wood impossible to resist. You''ll also be offered a taste of back vintages. It really is a WOW experience

You'll have no trouble finding their 2018 Watervale Riesling pretty much everywhere. It's the one with the distintictive W label and the 2018 features a substantial amount of gold bling

GRAPE VARIETIES: Riesling, 2018 vintage
REGION: Watervale,Clare Valley, South Australia
A/V: 12.5%
PRICE: $20 maximum
FROM: just about everywhere
RATING: 5/5 from me

Our first taste of 2019 and it's a beauty

                                          JACOB'S CREEK 2019 RIESLING

This is a dazzling little crisp dry white that I picked this up at Liquorland in Broome for just $8. I then did a search and discovered Dan Murphy have it and the range on at a mere $5,95. That really is ridiculous but make sure you are buying the new vintage. It's very possible they may still have the 2018 on their shelves. I haven't tasted that but it would be unlikely it's better than this.

A/V: 11.7% 
PRICE: $5.95 - $8
FROM: Dan Murphy/ Liquorland
RATING: 5/5 from me at anything under $10

TAYLORS WINES, CLARE VALLEY SOUTH AUSTRALIA

If you're planning a visit to a wine area make sure you visit one of the big producers. They set a benchmark against which the smaller winemakers can be evaluated. Sometimes the big guys surprise you and often they disappoint. Which is why we had to visit Taylors and we are so glad we did. This family owned winery has achieved so much in 50 years and with what we tasted the future looks outstanding. 

Most wine drinkers would be familiar with their Estate Label featuring the sea horse logo. Sadly it's become a  label at the mercy of the volume retailers who manipulate the market with huge variations in price. Their Jaraman range is far more obscure but even that is currently on some retail shelves for 60% of their cellar door price. The vintages we tasted were outstanding.

Our Cellar Door visit highlight was tasting their two ranges that aren't on retail shelves: the TWP and Taylor Made Range. Contact the winery for these on 08 8849 1118 or email cdsales@taylorswines.com.au.

We tasted a lot of wines. Here are the ones that scored the 5/5 rating from us. It's a long list  with their cellar door prices. Be careful of the vintages, the ones listed are what we tasted. Insist on those.

ESTATE RANGE [$20]  lowest I've seen in the last 12 months is $11

2018 Sauvignon Blanc [Adelaide Hills] 

2018 Tempranillo

JARAMAN RANGE [$25 for chardonnay, $32 for reds] Currently $20 to $23 at Dan Murphy, but check the vintages.

2017 Chardonnay

2017 Pinot Noir [Yarra Valley]

2017 Shiraz 

2016 Cabernet Sauvignon [Coonawarra/Clare Valley]

TAYLORS WINEMAKER'S PROJECT

2017 Riesling $25

2015 Tasmania Pinot Noir $40

2017 Shiraz $25

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon $25

TAYLOR MADE [$25]

2016 Pinot Noir [Adelaide Hills]

2017 Malbec

2017 Shiraz

2017 BDX [Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Malbec/Cabernet Franc blend]

DAN MURPHY'S "SECRET SELECTION" NUMBER ONE

CLAYMORE "GOD IS A DJ" 2017 RIESLING 

I recently placed my first on line order with Dan Murphy. It was an interesting experience. The 4 dozen order was split over two deliveries which partly explains the 18 emails I received advising the evolving status of my request.
I ordered a number of their "Secret Selection" wines available on line. They tell you the vintage, the area and the grape varieties as well as a vastly inflated original price. That's unfortunate because overall the wines have been quality drinking at a very reasonable price. They're just not the huge bargains that Woolworths would like you to believe.
This is a very drinkable riesling. Crisp and dry with a little bit of age creeping into the palate. Enjoy at this price.
GRAPE VARIETIES: Riesling
REGION: Clare Valley, South Australia
A/V: 12% 
PRICE: $8.90
FROM: Dan Murphy
RATING: 4/5 from me

ANOTHER OUTSTANDING BARGAIN FROM ALDI

FREYA & JULES 2018 WATERVALE RIESLING
This is the best budget riesling buy in Australia that we've seen in a long time. It's understandably fresh and lively as it's one of the few 2018 wines on retail shelves. [and we're just about to hit the end of the year!] Yes, there could be a wine glut out there!
The label is a bit whacky and could be confusing. Watervale is an area within South Australia's famed Clare Valley. It's renowned for Riesling. 
If you're looking for a low cost alternative to the ubiquitous sauvignon blanc this is the wine for you
.
REGION: Clare Valley, South Australia
A/V: 12% 
PRICE: $7.99
FROM: Aldi, Australia
RATING: 5/5 from me 

STEINACKER 2016 RIESLING

Nicely presented dry white on the sweeter side of the spectrum. Half trocken or demi sec would describe it. Well made and could handle being served with ice.


GRAPE VARIETY: Riesling
REGION: Wurtemburg, Germany
A/V: 11.5% 
PRICE: 3.79 euro 
FROM: Lidl, Germany
RATING: 4/5 from me 

THIS IS WHEN IT'S WORTH PAYING MORE

This is a delicious quality riesling in the dry style. It has appealing floral fruit balanced by crisp minerality. On Lidl shelves this is quite expensive. For what's in the bottle it's very cheap.

WACHAU RESERVE RIESLING
GRAPE VARIETY: Riesling
REGION: Austria
A/V: 13% 
PRICE: 6.99 euro 
FROM: Lidl, Austria
RATING: 5/5 from me 

PRUM 2017 RIESLING

Attractive, slightly off-dry white without being dazzling.

GRAPE VARIETY: Riesling
REGION: Mosel, Germany
A/V: 11.5% 
PRICE: 3.99 euro 
FROM: Aldi, Germany
RATING: 4/5 from me 

RIESLING RHEINHESSEN HALBTROCKEN 2017

I wanted to see what a not so trocken Riesling tasted like. It's nowhere as sweet as I feared and would be perfect chilled right down with spicy food. The ideal compromise for experienced wine lovers to share with anyone who likes their wines a bit sweeter. Also perfect to mix with half a glass of ice.


GRAPE VARIETIES: Riesling
REGION: Germany
A/V: 11% 
PRICE: 1.99 euro 
FROM: Lidl, Germany
RATING: 4.5/5 from me 

ONE LITRE OF ALMOST OUR FAVOURITE RIESLING

It's not quite as mind bogglingly stunning as Aldi Spain's German Riesling raved about in January but Aldi Portugal's offering is pretty damn good. 
As compensation it's a little cheaper plus it comes in a litre bottle WITH A SCREWCAP!!!! Happy days.  If you're looking for a medium dry white with definite varietal flavour this one is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser. Very highly recommended.


FEINHERB 1000ml Riesling
GRAPE VARIETIES: Riesling
REGION: Pfalz, Germany
A/V: 10.5% 
PRICE: 2.99 euro 
FROM: Aldi, Portugal
RATING: 4.5/5 from me 

THIS IS JUST ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING

R Blanco Seco 2016 German Riesling 
There is an understandable tendency in Spain to regard any wine above 2 euro as an unnecessary luxury. That's unfortunate because for not much more they could savour a wine that is one of the greatest bargains I have ever tasted. If I was retailing this in Australia it would be $20+ whereas it's on the retail shelves in Aldi, Spain at the equivalent of $5.20. 
This is a dazzling dry white with crisp acidity, lean citrus floral fruit and an intense minerality. Impossible to recommend highly enough.



GRAPE VARIETIES: Riesling
REGION: Alemania, Rheinhessen
A/V: 11.5% 
PRICE: 3.49 euro 
FROM: Aldi, Spain
RATING: 5/5 from me 

ALBERT SCHOECH 2016 VIN d'ALSACE RIESLING

There's a lot to like about this starting with the gloriously busy, bright retro label. It's classic Alsace riesling, dry appealing, though slightly, subdued fruit. A crowd pleaser. 


A/V: 12.5% 
PRICE: 4.75euro 
FROM: E.Leclerc
RATING: 4.5/5 from me 

WHEN ALSACE RIESLING TASTE LIKE HOME

REBMANN 2016 VIN D'ALSACE RIESLING

This equates to well under AU$7 so forgive me for getting so excited. It's a little more developed than I'd expect from a 2016 but that's easy to forgive. This is DRY with a steely lip smacking minerality that has you reaching for the glass. It's so quality ageing Clare Valley with a combination of youth and bottle development. Beautifully balanced and the absolute perfect lunchtime companion.

A/V: 12.5% 
PRICE: 4.29 euro 
FROM: E.Leclerc
RATING: 5/5 from me 

A really difficult wine to score

MARKS AND SPENCER 2016 CLARE VALLEY RIESLING
With a minimalist front label that had the three magic words of clare, valley and riesling we were drawn to the back label for more information. Made by Pikes!! Oh happy day. You don't see many OZ rieslings in the UK and this has been one of my favourites for many years. 

Sadly it was a disappointment and the back label description was way off. It was one of those glycerol laden rieslings that have never enjoyed much of a market that I could find. Of its style it's a perfect example. It may be flavoursome but it's certainly not crisp and fresh. And where the back label author got the idea of "an uplifting hint of sweetness" is beyond me.


2.5/5 rating from me  
£13  from Marks and Spencer

TWO "BETTER BE QUICK" £3.99 BARGAIN CLEARANCE WINES FROM LIDL

I  spotted these two during today's grocery shop. I've got the boxes I want and I have no idea how much they have left but both were really good value at their £6 original asking price. Both have a silly geographical labelling theme and are imported and bottled for Off-Piste wines. I hope they're not too piste off with what's happened to their wines:

LA MERIDIONALE GRENACHE MOURVEDRE TANNAT £3.99

750ml Western Cape South Africa 14% a/v

"LM wines are inspired by the French settlers who arrived in the Western Cape of South Africa in the 17th century" Really? I'd be far more interested in knowing what percentage there was of each grape as an explanation for the final result. It's a surprisingly soft wine with plenty of complex spice. Great drinking now and has enough acid to warrant a place in the cellar at this price. 4/5

AXIS 2015 CLARE VALLEY RIESLING 

  750ml Clare Valley Australia 12% a/v £3.99

"Australia's Clare Valley lies on an axis of 274 degrees from Botany Bay where the first European settlers arrived in the 1700s" That's all kind of true but if you want to be really accurate they rejected Botany Bay and settled in Port Jackson [Sydney] in 1788. My goodness, almost the 1800s!

And the wine? It's past its first flush of youth and has developed a slightly cloying palate weight. It's still dry with zesty fruit zing but for me this is either drink now with spicy food or cellar for 5-10 years when it should develop into a toasty gem.

4.5/5

Stolen Block 2014 Clare Valley Riesling

We were impressed with both the 2012 and 2013 releases of this but this is a step up in quality that easily qualifies it as BEST ENTRY LEVEL RIESLING we know.
The back label nails it:
"lifted floral bouquet of blossom and honeysuckle. With flavours of crunchy green apple, fresh lime and lemon, this wine is finished with crisp balanced acid."
VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and a star at this price.

Dave agrees! Visiting from South Australia, he and his riesling fanatic wife bought a couple of bottles to share with friends at the local Thai. This photo is Dave returning for more.


Our Price: $9 per bottle by the dozen

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