Adventures with Spell Cheque*

I love the spell check tool on my mail programme
Not only does it easily highlight those clumsy little typos but it provides some of the funniest moments in my day.

Usually in the rush to send out a newsletter I skim past the alternative suggestion but when Croser was replaced by CARESSER [wonder what Brian would think of that?] in the recent fizz newsletter I was prompted to record the rest of its suggestions:

BOLLINGER became BLUNGER
CLICQUOT became COLLOQUIQUIA [I kid you not]
HEIDSIECK was replaced by HADES
RUMBALL became RAMBLE
and for some very strange reason it wanted to replace WINERY with WEANERS

* a message to all copy writers on ABC and SMH websites - spell check won't fix their/there or its/it's. Let's all be careful.

Henschke 2006 Hill of Grace

WEBSITE SUPER SPECIAL

Our Price: $499 per bottle

SOLD OUT

Calabria 2013 Private Bin Aglianico

HAVE YOU EVER SIPPED AN AGLIANICO?
It's probably unlikely but it's about time you did and at just $12 a bottle it's not a particularly expensive new experience.Aglianico [drop the "g" and you have a fair grasp of the pronunciation] is an old, old red grape that may have been brought to Italy by Greek migrants long before they ever considered Melbourne as an option.
Vines were brought to Australia by the Calabria family where they've flourished in the Riverina to produce one of our finds of 2011.

My tasting notes were very simple: Whacky retro label contains a funky new age wine. Dry, spicy intense fruit, lovely tannins - will cellar. 5* rating. Now several bottles later I really can't recommend this highly enough. Everyone who's tried it has raved and been astonished by the price. Simply a very fine red wine at a ridiculous price.

Our Price: $12 per bottle by the dozen
SOLD OUT

Westend 2010 Cool Climate Series Tumbarumba Pinot Noir

Most of the Pinot Noir grown in the heady heights of Tumbarumba is earmarked for sparkling wine production so it's really interesting to see a straight varietal red from the region. It's a lighter structured pinot that offers definite varietal fruit.

Our Price: $12 per bottle by the dozen

SOLD OUT

Westend 2010 Cool Climate Series King Valley Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

This classic blend that stars in WA has a new home in the high country of Victoria.
Beautifully balanced combination of the two grapes that work so well together.

Our Price: $12 per bottle by the dozenSOLD OUT

Westend 2013 Cool Climate Series Eden Valley Riesling

The Calabrias are the family who supply us with two long term favourites the Richland Sauvignon Blanc and the Three Bridges Durif. They also produce a range of cool climate wines under their Westend label and the joy of this is they, like many Riverina producers, tend to greatly undervalue their wines.

This is yet another bargain that offers a lovely combination of citrus and minerality. Top drinking now and will cellar.
IWSC Gold Medal 2013

Our Price: $12 per bottle by the dozen

SOLD OUT

Westend Cool Climate Series 2009 Shiraz

From the cool climate Hilltops region of NSW this is a star!
Imagine buying Barwang for this price and you've got some idea of the quality and its extreme value. Grab a dozen, try some and then stick as much as you can in the cellar for the next 5+ years.
And yes, it did win a Gold Medal at the 2011 San Francisco Wine Challenge.

Our Price: $12 per bottle by the dozen

SOLD OUT

Paynes Crossing 2010 Semillon Verdelho

A NEW CANDIDATE FOR "MOST DRINKABLE WHITE WINE OF THE YEAR"
Semillon and verdelho is rarely blended but after tasting this I wonder why not. What an absolutely delicious, beautifully balanced dry white with virtually universal appeal. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying this and at the price it's the perfect everyday white to have in the fridge over the next 12 months

If you're a bit over Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs and want to revitalise jaded taste buds this is the perfect alternative. Unwooded, crisp, clean and dry with delicate yet overt fruit this has deservedly been our cellar door "White of the Week" - for the LAST MONTH.

Our Price: $9 per bottle by the dozenSOLD OUT

Quarram Rocks 2010 Pinot Noir

Quarram Rocks is a beach near Denmark, WA and the label depicts that. While it may be a beautiful beach I just think this wine deserved more - maybe King Kong.

Yes, it may well put hairs on your chest.I tasted it blind and the initial non-winespeak reaction was "WOW! This is terrific" and then it suddenly dawned on me it was possibly a pinot. It was. And while we have plenty of quality, high value mainstream pinot noir this one one is for anyone who wants something very left of centre, very impressive and once again extreme value.

Our Price: $13 by the dozen
SOLD OUT

Ridgecrop Estate 2010 Watervale Riesling

I've addressed this issue before.
There are some extraordinary bargains to be had in the unlabelled wine market - and I'm not talking about the ubiquitous under $5 cleanskin
offering. I'm far more interested [and I know you are too] in $30 - $20 quality wines that we can offer for half that price. We're supplying a lot of
these nowadays to restaurants and pubs who want to have their own labels on a range of wines.

Our latest find is a 2010 Clare Valley from Watervale - the riesling heartland of the Valley. It's a beauty on the citrus side of the spectrum rather than minerality. It's deliciously dry, fresh and lively and a perfect alternative to sauvignon blanc.

Once upon a time we all used to say how undervalued rieslings were. Not any more so this is a rare offering of such quality at such a low price.

Our Price: $10 per bottle by the dozen

SOLD OUT