Brokenwood 2009 Cricket Pitch Red

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It's not quite as stunning as the 2008 vintage which we zoomed through in just a few months but it's still very smart - particularly at the price.
It's a hide wine to tag as it's multi varietal, multi regional and even multi state. But it is a Hunter winery and there is shiraz in the blend so that will do for now.

Our Price: $12 per bottle by the dozen

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Peel Estate 2011 Verdelho

Tasting notes from the Peel Estate website
"Verdelho's great virtue is its intense fruit flavour - it makes some of the fruitiest white wines in Australia. Peel's Verdelho is dry, even though its rich fruitiness can sometimes make it taste quite sweet.

The pale straw colour is shot with green tints, always a good sign in Verdelho.

On the nose there’s pungent tropical fruit aromas, full of mango and guava. The palate is full and rich with loads of sweet fruit flavours, but finishing very dry. There’s also heaps of spice on the finish, which makes the wine complex and satisfying."

Our view: Apart from totally agreeing with Will Nairn's notes we'd just like to add that this is a truly fascinating wine. Wonderful complexity and zing on the palate and a whopping 14+% a/v which is only detectable on the back label. Very highly recommended if you're looking for something just a little different that we're confident will impress.

Our Price: $15 per bottle by the dozen

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Buller Fine Old Gift Twin Packs

How's this for a handy stocking filler or just a great gift to have on hand at anytime of the year.
Contains one 375ml Fine Old Muscat and one 375ml Tawny.

Our Price: $20 per twin pack.
COMES IN BOXES OF 6 TWIN PACKS, SO
$120 per box
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Wither Hills 2008 Pinot Noir

Apparently there have been serious question marks over the quality of the 2008 vintage. In which case this is a classic example of why each wine should be judged on ITS merits rather than grouped with others from a vintage which may have been less than perfect.
This is a pinot noir of enticing flavour and perfect balance with an unusually deep intense colour for the variety. It's picked up a few Gold Medals and easily delivers quality in the $30+ realm.

I particularly love this quote from Ben Glover, Wither Hills Chief Winemaker

For me, making Pinot is the holy grail! It's the prince of all the classic varieties. It is notoriously fickle, yet worth all the blood, sweat and tears when you get it right. New Zealand Pinot Noir is the next global star and Marlborough will be at the forefront of this assault.

HE GOT IT RIGHT!

RRP: $27

Our Price: $22 by the mixed or straight dozen
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Zema Estate 2005 Family Selection Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon

It only scored 94 points in Halliday and I'd tell Jim he was dreaming. This has got to be 99. There are so many layers of flavour in this that every sip is an adventure. Given that many flagship wines are in the $100+ realm this is a joke at this price. It's the most exciting cabernet I've tasted in years.

And interesting to note that the winemaker is Greg Clayfield who was the prodigy behind brilliant Lindemans' Coonawarra's of the '80s, before the winery was taken over by a brewery.
Sad that, but this wine more than makes up for it.
Our Price: $39 by the mixed or straight dozen
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Buller Wines Victoria Muscat

The deservedly esteemed Jancis Robinson once claimed that there were three unique Australian wine creations: Hunter Semillon, Sparkling Reds and Rutherglen fortified muscat.

So here's a bargain intro to the third.

Once again this delivers well above its price with an intense raisin flavour that you'll just want to sip and savour
Our Price: $10 per bottle by the mixed or straight dozen
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Buller Wines Victoria Tokay

Like all the other wines in this range this is exceptional value and a truly economical introduction to the joys of this Rutherglen treasure.And it's hard to go past their own tasting notes:

"Colour/appearance: amber with orange tints.
Aroma/bouquet: scents of toffee, caramel and malt form a harmonious bouquet.
Palate: the sweet taste of toffee fills the mouth, followed by honey and malt flavours. Viscous, smooth and mellow.
Our Price: $10 per bottle by the mixed or straight dozen
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Buller Wines Victoria Tawny

When it comes to fortified wines the Buller family of Rutherglen have consistently over delivered. This comes from their entry level range and is as good a "what we used to call port", under $15, as you're ever likely to sip


Our Price: $10 per bottle by the mixed or straight dozen

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The Len Evans Theory of Capacity

I've been carrying an A4 piece of paper with Uncle Len's 10 Commandments around for years. I thought it was worthy of a retype into a more public forum so I can now relax about losing that faded sheet.
What do you reckon?

1,2 and 3 are indisputable. 3 is what keeps me inspired
4 is a bit suss but is saved by linking it with 8. That bottle a day shared with friends is what it's all about.
5 is a truly interesting concept and I'd add people who drink the same wine over and over again.
6 I know these people. It's a glorious obsession that impresses me far more than philately
7. Len wrote this before the era of pre-mixes, but he'd feel the same way about them.
8. This just about sums it up for me and combined with 3 explains why I'm in this business
9 and 10 are both decidedly suss, but to leave them out would be tantamount to censorship and 8 points doesn't quite have the same ring as 10.

The Len Evans Theory of Capacity
1. There is an awful lot of wine in the world, but there is also a lot of awful wine.
2. No sensible person drinks to excess, therefore any one person can only drink a certain amount in a lifetime.
3. There are countless flavours, nuances, shades of wine; endless varieties, regions, styles. You have neither the time nor the capacity to try them all.
4. To make the most of the time left to you, you must start by calculating your future total capacity. One bottle a day is 365 bottles a year. If your life expectancy is another 30 years, there are only 10,000-odd bottles ahead of you.
5. People who say: "You can't drink the good stuff all the time" are talking rubbish. You must drink good stuff all the time. Everytime you drink a bottle of inferior wine, it's like smashing a superior bottle against the wall. The pleasure is lost forever - you can't get that bottle back.
6. There are people who build up huge cellars, most of which they have no hope of drinking. They are foolish in over-estimating their capacity but they err on the right side and their friends love them.
7. There are also people who don't want to drink good wine, and are happy with the cheapies. I forgive them. There are others who are content with beer and spirits. I can't worry about everybody.
8. Wine is not meant to be enjoyed for its own sake; it is the key to love and laughter with friends, to the enjoyment of food, beauty and humour and art and music. Its rewards are far beyond its cost.
9. What part is wine of your life? Ten percentum: Ergo, 10 percent of your income should be spent on wine.
10. The principle should be applied to other phases of life. A disciple kissed a beautiful young lady and she demurred. He was aghast and said "Don't get the wrong idea.I've worked out I can only make love another 1343 times. I'm bloody sure I'm not wasting one on you"

Shaw Vineyard Estate 2008 Premium Riesling

Nothing will beat this as the Riesling of the Year

This is the latest arrival from the late July Trade Days. An absolute classic Australian riesling from Murrumbatemen. Vineyards are 640m above sea level which also helps explain how good this. Incredibly complex this is a very serious wine that is worth considerably more than $18.

I'm glad a few others agree with me.

Grapegrowers & Vignerons Magazine, April 2010
Made from 100pc Riesling, much of the unique character of this wine is developed in the vineyard from low yielding spur pruned vines. The fruit is crushed and drained, and only the free run juice is used to produce this elegant wine. The wine has a floral, limey bouquet with a long crisp and citrus dominated palate. Well balanced acids will contribute to the aging potential of this wine.

James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2010 Edition, August 2009
Lime juice, spice and minerally acidity are seamlessly woven together on a perfectly balanced and very long palate; drink any time over the next five to eight years. Screwcap. 12% alc. Rating 94 points. To 2017. $22.

Chris Shanahan, Canberra Times, 28 December 2008.
Many of the 2008 vintage rieslings offer terrific, drink-now fruit flavour and seem more advanced than usual in their ageing. These are three good, subtly different examples of that style - two from the Clare Valley and one from Canberra. Tim Adams's wine is surprisingly soft and full-bodied for such a low-alcohol wine (11.5 per cent), but it's fresh, crisp and a pleasure to drink now. Knappstein is classically floral with a juicy, delicously fresh palate. And Graeme Shaw's wine pips the other two with its deep, super vibrant flavour.



Our Price: $18 per bottle by the mixed or straight dozen

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