Armadale Cellars: Armadale Cellars Wine Blog...

Giaconda 2010 En Prem Offer

Mon, 02 May 2011 14:00:00 GMT

Giaconda's Rick Kinzbrunner, year after year, delivers what are some of the greatest wines on planet earth from a unique terroir; high up in the Beechworth region and we be

Rick's notes on the 2010 vintage: "It came as a great relief to finally have a really model vintage again, beautiful weather conditions have given us some great wines. The Chardonnay represents almost exactly where I like to be with this variety - focused and characterful, highly refined and elegant. All the 2010 wines are the first ones to be totally aged in our new underground cave and their tightness and elegance reflects these great ageing conditions - stable low temperature and high humidity".

You can read more about our Giaconda En Prem offer here.

We hope to see you at the Cellars soon,

Regards,

Phil

Mac Forbes Gruyere Syrah 2008 - As Featured in Epicure 29/3/11

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:00:00 GMT

We are huge fans of Mac's work here at Armadale Cellars, and so we were delighted to see one of his finest featured in this week's Epicure 'Uncorked' section. The 2008 Mac Forbes Gruyere Syrah is described as featuring "subdued spicy and floral touches, with raspberry and cherry fruit introduce a delicate fragrant style, yet it's deliciously intense, with silky mouthfeel, great length and impeccable balance".

To order this wine contact us on 9509 3055.

Armadale Cellars Price: $36.75

The Case for the Right Stemware

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I am not writing specifically about wine, instead I am choosing to write about something equally important.

Why buy a great bottle of wine and then drink it out of a sub-standard glass that does nothing to bring out the best in each and every drop?

The Armadale Cellars Riedel Masterclass has been very successful at demonstrating to our many wine enthusiasts that an average glass has the ability to make a great wine look equally average. Likewise, an appropriate Riedel stem has the power to reveal all that is glorious in your favourite wine.

For an investment of $149 per person, you can attend the next Riedel Masterclass, taste six boutique wines in their appropriate stemware, and receive over $195 worth of Riedel Stemware to keep!

We believe that this Masterclass is an important addition to our wine education focus and we hope to see you there!

For bookings and enquiries contact us on (03) 9509 3055 or by email.

Europe Wine Tasting Tour 2010 (sans Boss!)

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 03:00:00 GMT

Working at AC certainly has its upsides. Aside from being able to taste a large array of boutique wines any day of the week, Phil often takes a staff member with him to Europe on his annual tasting tour. As it turned out, Phil couldn't make it this year, and so I ventured off alone, on my first tasting trip, notebook at the ready and 'marketing hat' on, to meet with some of the industry's best producers.

Paris (and most of France) resembles a ghost-town in August when the locals flee to the coast for their summer break. An open patisserie in our arrondissement was nowhere to be found, and the wine bars I'd carefully researched were all closed. All was not lost though, as it's almost impossible to be served a bad French wine in France, even at brasseries.

Our first official stop was in Reims, Champagne - only 45 minutes from Paris by train. Reims is pretty, and will be prettier once the new tram network has been installed. The city very much looks like a construction site at the moment but its charm is apparent despite the rubble.

Our first appointment was with Henriot. Established in the 15th century, the team at Henriot place a great deal of emphasis on the company being a family-run business, right down to their grape suppliers (as is often the case in Champagne, where obtaining fruit from growers is a highly competitive business between champagne houses). Many houses own a certain percentage of hectares themselves and source the remainder of their fruit from adjoining/local vineyards. We were met by Antoine and Anne who represented Henriot's export division and were humbled to learn that they'd been on the same train as us from Paris, especially for the purpose of our appointment. Overall, the Henriot style of wine is elegant, subtle and balanced with the Blanc de Blanc in particular representing the house style. We were also fortunate enough to taste the 1996 Cuvee Des Enchanteleurs, made from Grand Cru Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and named in honour of the cellar workers who historically were allowed the privilege of making their own cuvee each year from the best fruit. The '96 Enchanteleurs had the most amazing nose and was beautifully rich, yet balanced on the palate. My favourite from the tasting was the 1998 Brut Millesime, a blend of 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir. The wine spent eight years on lees and was disgorged late in 2008, producing a very aromatic Champagne with a good bead, fruit that dances across the tongue and subtle hints of smoky caramel on the palate. We left the offices of Henriot loftily vowing to pair Champagne to food often from now on rather than merely enjoying a glass as an aperitif.

From here it was back on the train to Epernay and our appointment at Moet and Chandon. Moet and Chandon need very little in the way of introduction, being the largest and one of the most successful houses in Champagne, with a history dating back to 1743. For me, the 28 kilometre chalk cellars beneath the Epernay head office were of particular note. It seems that below the surface, much of Champagne exists in the form of one cellar or another. We tasted the 2003 Imperial Brut and Rose which, considering the difficult vintage conditions in '03, were an interesting choice for Moet to produce. The vintage in fact was said to be the most difficult since the 1800s and the wines therefore are not representative of the usual house style, although vintage wines are always influenced somewhat by vintage conditions. The Imperial Brut features a generous bead, grilled nuts on the nose and yellow peach on the palate and is softened somewhat by the addition of Pinot Meunier. The Imperial Rose is an intense deep peach colour with a spicy, blood orange, dry palate. Both wines almost appeared to be fruit dominant and new world in style.

The next appointment was with Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin, the head office being a marketing dream! Veuve, while being established by the 'La grande dame' has a modern, fresh marketing approach, and the office is filled with all kinds of POS material ranging from trolleys, to fridges, signage and so on. Also of note were the kilometres of roman cellars, which housed not only the wines but also citizens when Reims was heavily bombed in WWI. We tried the Brut, 2002 Vintage Veuve, and 2004 Rose with cheese which was an interesting experiment.

Back on the train we headed east to Strasbourg and then on to Colmar. Our first appointment was with Marchel Deiss in Bergheim, and what a revelation it was. Deiss was established in 1744 and is a wholly biodynamic producer. I had not known a great deal about 'companion planting' before this visit and was in awe of the 'vin de terroir' category of wines produced by Deiss (whereby the wines are labelled by site and consist of several varietals). Each wine was beautifully structured and balanced, with the characters depending on the varietals used in blending. My favourite was the Mambourg '06 Grand Cru which is produced from fruit sourced from the driest and warmest site, where drying wind limits the growth of botrytis. The wine was ripe and rich, yet dry with a good acidity, floral, and smooth (barrel aged), and complex.

From Bergheim via Riquewihr we headed to Kayserberg for our appointment with Domaine Weinbach. The domaine was established in 1612 by Capuchin monks who saw great potential in the soil of the local area. In 1898 it was acquired by the Faller brothers and today Colette, Catherine and Laurence Faller continue to produce high quality Alsatian wines. Weinbach too is a biodynamic producer and the fruit is 100% estate grown. Due to the influence of botrytised fruit, the wines were often beautifully luscious, yet balanced by acidity and in structure.

Our last stop in Alsace was with Domaine Josmeyer in Wintzenheim. Josmeyer was established in 1854 and again is a 100% biodynamic producer. Isabelle Meyer, following on from her father Jean Meyer, is responsible for upholding the title as one of the elite producers of 'Vins'd Alsace' Alsace. My favourites here were the Hengst Grand Cru 2005 Pinot Gris and the Hengst Grand Cru 2005 Samain Riesling, the commonality in the two being the wonderful balance between buttery sweetness and acidity.

Lastly, we headed to Beaune in Burgundy and later the village of Puligny-Montrachet. Bouchard Pere et Fils was established in 1731 and concentrated on acquiring many premier vineyards within the region. As of 1820 they have been based in a fortress built from the eleventh century and completed in the fifteenth century by King Louis XII in Beaune's town centre. The cellar walls beneath the fortress are seven metres in thickness, protecting the wines from stress of any kind. Bouchard now own 130 hectares of vines, including 12 Grand Cru and 74 Premier Cru sites in some of Burgundy's most renowned villages. It is now owned by the Henriot group. The stand-out for me during this tasting was the Puligny-Montrachet Les Champ Gain 1er Cru 2007 which featured a beautiful minerality, balanced by fruit weight and creaminess and can cellar for up to 80 years.

Our final destination was Domaine Olivier Leflaive in the village of Puligny Montrachet, established 1984 by brothers Olivier and Patrick. As well as running a successful wine business, Olivier has branched out and developed a tour, degustation lunch and hotel concept for guests to enjoy, with both himself and Patrick on hand to answer questions. My favourites from the lunch were the 2007 Village Chassagne-Montrachet and the Chassagne-Montrachet 1er 2007 Cru Clos Saint-Marc. The premier cru version shows more complexity, but both were delightful.

We travelled home via Singapore (where I learned just how heavily taxed wine was there). If you'd like to see some of the photos from my trip, check our facebook page.

Next stop: Portugal and Spain (hopefully sometime in the future)!

Dannielle's Wine Tour

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:00:00 GMT

Our lady of making-the-shop-run-behind-the-scenes, Dannielle, is taking a break from Armadale Cellars for a few weeks of well earned rest and international wine touring. She has promised to e-mail us some images of the regions she visits and we plan to share them with you, our wine community, as she does.

To involve everyone in the trip Armadale Cellars has uncovered this transcript of a pre-recorded message from Dannielle's airline hostess.

"Good evening passengers and welcome to flight Clone444 from Melbourne to Paris.

From Paris we will be travelling a short distance North-East to the lovely wine region of Champagne, and the towns of Reims and Epernay. Here we shall celebrate the start of our trip with the most celebratory of all sparkling wines; but be careful not to be too seduced by the glamour and fame as this is only the beginning.

From Champagne we will continue East, with a bit of South, to the picturesque region of Alsace and the town of Colmar where the gastronomy is regarded as some of France's best. The stunning architecture is influenced by that of Germany, which lies close by across the boarder, and importantly to Alsace both German and French cultures partner to inspire remarkable wines made particularly from Gewurztraminer and Riesling.

You will then move South-West to the town of Beaune. This is Burgundy and like Dijon, where you shall end your wine journey, the region may not be regarded as the most scenic in France (all be it amongst tough competition) but with its undulating fields of vines, grand Domaines and, at times, unparalleled wine excellence for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay it certainly is worthy of its acclaim as one of the worlds greatest wine regions.

We hope you enjoy your trip."

And all of us at Armadale Cellars hope you enjoy this trip Dannielle and while we are jealous we shall look forward to your tour update.

Le Tour De Phil

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 03:00:00 GMT

I've been riding from North Balwyn to Armadale most mornings. You may have spotted me in my Hawthorn FC jumper wobbling down Doncaster or Glenferrie Road. The commute takes 45 minutes and is a nice alternative to being stuck in traffic but has its own problems. My top worries are:

- motorists that drive too close
- the small snakes sighted in Glenferrie Rd gutters
- broken glass on the road
- foggy mornings and low visability
- the windchill factor

There's been mornings lately where I've had to stop at my favourite cafe (Ionsky's in Glenferrie Rd) for a coffee, just so I can defrost my fingers around it and often, by the time I arrive at work I'm almost ready for a stiff drink to settle the jitters!

All this aside, I hope that now the tour has concluded that I'll continue riding to work and hopefully atone for my overindulgence of fine wine and food. I hope you've enjoyed our Tour De France special offers this month and if you see me on the bike, keep a wide berth! (but drop into the store anytime!).

JJ Prum '04 vs. '08

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

JJ Prum is regarded as one of the great producers of the world, let alone German producers. The family history dates from the 11th century and the estate, while small, has a large component of ungrafted vines (phylloxera could not survive in the slate soils). The reason these wines are so highly regarded relates to fastidious fruit selection and non-interventional wine making practices, additionally, the site is a great example of the principal of terroir; with the slate terraces producing stunningly distinctive wines.

The new 2008 vintage is a classic, and comparable to the esteemed '04 vintage. I was fortunate enough to look over some '04 and '08's recently and was taken by the youthfulness and intricate characters still displayed in the 2004 range.

The 2004 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett displayed incredible persistence and vibrant Jonathan apple freshness with stone fruit character on the back palate.

The 2004 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese is an incredibly textural and crafted style of Spatlese, showing light aromatic fruit with beautiful minerality and incredible length on the palate.

The 2008 I was most taken with was the Joh Jos Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese. At its price, it is one of the best wines to cellar and will last a lifetime for anybody who is currently reading this! I would advise that you put 3-6 in the cellar over 5, 10, 15, 30 or even 50 years and your only problem would be holding back from enjoying it as it currently is; which is a wine with refreshing brightness, a myriad of fruit, an almost tangy character, and at sub-10% alcohol, living proof that wines need not have a high alcohol level to benefit from cellaring. With a little foresight you will be able to enjoy one of the great wines of the world as it evolves and shows immense beauty and pleasure.

To enquire about these wines contact Phil on 9500 8259

Barossa Shiraz needs your vote - Decanter magazine online poll

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 03:00:00 GMT

Can Barossa Shiraz ever compete at the ultimate level of fine wine?

That is the question being put to visitors on the homepage of www.decanter.com in their monthly poll right now.

Although we disagree with the premise of the question, we're urging everyone with an interest in promoting Barossa Shiraz to visit the site and vote yes! As you know we have lots of mates in the Barossa that we stock proudly;Torbreck / Rockford /Soul Growers / Tuesner /St Hallets / Ringland wines but to name a few!! We think Barossa is great so tell the Yanks how good it is too (I'm sure there are plenty of them who love it, as I know a few!!)

You can only vote once, but please help spread the word.
Comments can also be sent to the editor@decanter.com

The Problem of Oxidised Wines at Cellar Door

Thu, 27 May 2010 05:00:00 GMT

A mate of mine, James, wrote in after a recent wine tasting trip to express his concern at the number of oxidised wines he was presented with at cellar door tastings.

Many cellar door formats do sell inferior wine that has been oxidised or is (god forbid) TCA affected. It's a real problem and I don't understand why wineries don't address the issue, either by aiming to get through these bottles more quickly or in using a gas system. Granted the gas system doesn't always show the wine in its ideal form but it is certainly better than showing oxidised wine.

Ultimately, this issue comes down to the matter of education. We already host a number of educational wine courses here at AC and with the opening of the new Armadale Cellars Tasting room look forward to doing regular classes and tastings each day with the aim of providing further education.

2008 Tapanappa Foggy Hill Pinot - Ralph Kyte Powell

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:00:00 GMT

Below is the review as featured in this week's Epicure magazine. I believe that this wine represents exceptional value for what is a stunning wine. Email me or call one of the team on 9509 3055 to order.

The Age, Tuesday 16 March 2010. Epicure.Ralph Kyte Powell

"Tapanappa Foggy Hill VineyardPinot Noir 2008 $49.95

From the highest, coolest vineyard on South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula, this pinot is a product of a high-powered Australian-French collaboration. Fragrant and delicate floral and undergrowth aromas give lift to sour cherry fruit and malty richness. It has a silky texture, complex flavour and an aromatic finish.

Very stylish. (14 per cent alcohol; cork.)

Ageing? Drink over four years.

Food ideas Rabbit with prosciutto;roast duck.

Phil on 'A Current Affair'!

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT

Despite proclaiming that 'he has a good head for radio', Phil recently took part as a panel member in a blind wine tasting session. The aim was to see which of the panel members could discern cheap wine to its more expensive counterpart.

Follow our link to see the result!

http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-AU&brand=ninemsn&vid=07b1d64f-30dc-4577-ad08-4dba2a11537a

Sav Blanc For Free - Get It While It's Hot!

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:30:00 GMT

Armadale Cellars are off-loading the sav-alanche of Sauvignon Blanc ! Simply purchase a mixed or straight dozen of the top-selling nominated Sauvignon Blanc below (remember, mixed or straight) and receive a FREE bottle of Cloudy Bay Sav Blanc valued at $36.95 . See offer details below!

Offer available until January 15th or while stocks last.No other case rate or special discounts of any sort apply. Free Delivery to anywhere in Australia!

Follow this link to download the order form:
http://www.armadalecellars.com.au/Special-Offers/Sav-Blanc-For-Free-Get-It-While-It-s-Hot1.aspx

Epicure Bargain Bin - Levin 2008 Sauvignon Blanc

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:30:00 GMT

Suffering from a sav-alanche of New Zealand sauvignon blanc, the guys at Armadale Cellars are fighting back with a terrific bargain from the home of the grape, France's Loire Valley. They are offering the 2008 Levin Sauvignon Blanc at just $19.95; it's normally about $25.

David Levin is well known in British food and wine circles as the man behind the Capital Hotel in London. His winery in France is also well known for being shipped directly to Australia (it was relocated by Australian workers) and using an Australian-trained French winemaker. Levin likes New World wine making but his wines remain resolutely French. His sauvignon blanc has a striking herbal scent and a thread of wild herb flavour, with a touch of honeysuckle and spring flower. Its hallmark is alwast strong minerality. It's definitely more Sancerre than Cloudy Bay and is an exceptional wine with food.

Armadale Cellars Price: $19.95 per bottle or $18.35 per bottle case rate.

Hospitality Initiative Provides a Lifeline to Troubled Teens

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:30:00 GMT

Armadale Cellars are supporters of HEAT, a local hospitality training initiative for disaffected youth. They have recently launched a new website and cookbook which we'll be selling instore this Christmas. Top chefs Guy Grossi, Andrew McConnell, Luke Mangan and Ian Curley have given their time and recipes to help produce a new cookbook, HEAT - The Way Forward is Good Food, a collection of 42 recipes and full colour photographs of easy-to-prepare recipes for the modern home. Find out more about the HEAT program and how you can support it by logging onto http://www.heat.org.au/. Or watch this video!

Incredible Value Spanish Wines - rated by Peter Forrestal

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:30:00 GMT

Our mate and wine critic Forrie (Peter Forrestal) knows a bargain when he sees one. As the author of Quaff, Forrie has done Master Classes with us highlighting the bargains of the industry and this wine has been a great hit based on the sales we've had in recent months.

If you're looking for a big chunky red with a twist, this is for you. Great drinking over the next few months and perfect for BBQ's!

Case rate: $13.75 per bottle

2007 Toscar Monastrell

This is sourced from the Toscar winery in Alicante in Spain's South-East and comes from the Alicante appellation. There's heaps of concentrated ripe plummy flavours, restrained brooding aromatics, smooth texture and tongue coating tannins which are noticeable without being intrusive or aggressive. It's nicely savoury with some interesting complexities and easy drinking, with food.

There's also a 2007 Toscar Tempranillo (also $14.95 and also from Alicante) that is labelled Crianza and so has spent one year in oak. It's youthful, soft, round and pleasantly lifted with lightly floral perfumes, red cherry and redcurrant flavours, silky smooth, fleshy texture, medium body and neatly balanced tannins.

Both represent very good value. I'd rate the Monastrell as Bloody Good for its extra depth of flavour.

Rating:

2007 Toscar Monastrell Bloody Good

2007 Toscar Tempranillo Good

Cost: $ 14.95

Limited availability in all Australian states.

Hurley Vineyard '06 Pinot Noir - Featured in Epicure

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:00:00 GMT

We're excited to see this wine featured in this week's Epicure. Kevin Bell and Tricia Byrne work their Mornington Peninsula vineyard with uncompromising dedication. This could be their best Pinot Noir yet.

Concentrated and meaty, with plum and earth aromas, it has velvety mouth-feel, excellent length and poised tannins.

Drink over three years.

Available now at Armadale Cellars!

You can't go wrong with this stellar Pinot!

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2006

Clear and bright ruby red appearance. A youthful, lively lifted nose, showing raspberry and rhubarb fruit, cloves and cedary oak influences. Also, some interesting aromas just starting to emerge - game and forest floor. Nose carries through to the palate with juicy cherry, plum and raspberry fruit. A restrained, youthful palate with texture, weight and smooth fine tannins to give a long lingering finish.

"?It has excellent even-tempered weight, a nice spot of coffeed oak,
excellent tannin structure and the balance to age truly over at least the medium term. This is a seamless wine with whispers of dried herbs, sweet red fruit and oak - but for the most part it's dry, elegant and controlled. It's a pinot noir to cellar. Drink 2012 - 2017".
Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front. 12th.August 2008

The release of the 2006 is seriously sought-after and is seriously limited.

I can spare a 6 pack per client at best , but am happy to charge the case rate of 49.99

(Our shelf would be $55.00).

Please let me know at your earliest convenience if you are interested as my allocation will only please a few lucky customers.

Email us to order.

Wine tasting conundrum solved!

Wed, 13 May 2009 06:00:00 GMT

The Enomatic is an innovative tasting machine created in Italy that dispenses wine in tasting and " by-the-glass " format by use of a special credit card that counts (in dollar terms) what you have drunk and allows you to enjoy various bottles without supposed wastage by the venue. I trialed this concept at fifth element bar in Brisbane and considering I was drinking 1988 Grange, 1999 Moss Wood Cabernetand 2005 Alsatian Riesling, the machine seemed to hold all the organoleptical correctness of the wines and none of the wines were "too forward", or showing oxidative characters resembling tiredness.

Worth a look!

Domaine A Wines now available at Armadale Cellars!

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Domaine A continually excel at their craft, vintage after vintage and we're excited to now be stocking their wines.

Peter and Ruth Althaus purchased Stoney Vineyard in 1989. The vinyard was planted in 1973 by the former owner with the noble grape varieties Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Sauvignon Blanc.

Stoney Vineyard is a small property of just 20 hectares with only 11 of those under vine. The vineyard is maintained in a very old world fashion, with a high density planting of 6000 vines per hectare. Yield is less than one bottle per vine. Located on Tasmania's East Coast in the small area known as Coal River Valley (just 30mins drive north of Hobart), this region is considered to be a marginal climate. The painstaking care and meticulous attention provided by the Althaus' to the vineyard is what makes this estate something special.

Domaine A is the premium label of Stoney Vineyard. The Stoney Vineyard wines are perfectly enjoyable now, or with aging in the medium term. Domaine A wines however are wines that yearn for bottle age. The Cabernet Sauvignon is held back for several years more than most wines before it is released. Both Domaine A and Stoney Vineyard wines speak of the grape varieties and the terroir that they are grown. Natural acidity is a trademark of their wines.

The Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of the noble Bordeaux grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It possesses a great depth of colour, typical blackcurrant, cassis, cedar and leafy undertones. It is dense but elegant with fine tannins and endless length. A quintessential cool climate Bordeaux-style Cabernet blend.

Domaine A Pinot Noir is a brooding wine that demands time in bottle. A beautifully fragrant and perfumed wine with liqueur cherries, rose petals and a decided duck meat-like savouriness. Fine tannins ensure a long lived wine that will show in a very Burgundian way as it reaches its peak.

Domaine A 'Lady A' Fume Blanc is a gorgeous oak aged Sauvignon Blanc. Based on a left bank white Bordeaux, this wine displays spicy oak, stone fruits with musk and herbaceous undertones. Mineral-like acidity keeps the rich palate in check. Unique and enticing, this is a wine that needs several years in bottle to really show its best.

The Stoney Vineyard Cabernet is a similar blend to the Domaine A, but is geared more towards immediate consumption. It will however, still age very well in the medium term.

Stoney Vineyard Pinot Noir is a moreish and savoury drink, with earthy, mulchy undertones over warm compote like fruit.

All in all, the Domaine A/Stoney Vineyard wines are unique, handcrafted and lovingly tendered masterpieces.

Click here to order today!

The next big thing - Albarino

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:25:00 GMT

The Adelaide Magazine (Adelaide Advertiser), March 2009Spanish Invasion, Louise Radman discovers the next big thing in wine: Albarino

After diving head long into the tide of New Zealand sauvignon blanc and mastering the art of pinot gris and grigio (yes, it's the same grape variety, except the former is French and the latter Italian), wine-savvy drinkers have turned their attention to Albarino.

Pronounced 'al-bah-rin-yo', this stylish grape variety is set to be the darling of the Australian wine scene. Native to the coastal region of Galicia on the Iberian Peninsula, in north-west Spain (also native in Portugal), it's the country's most highly regarded white wine. Warmed by the Mediterranean sun and soothed by cool ocean breezes in the evening, it is a fruitful variety with tightly wound minerality and mysterious depths. The strength of the wine comes from the way it manages to suggest the fullness and generosity of a fine chardonnay, yet remains tightly focused and pure on the palate.

The structure allows for wonderful flavour development white retaining giddy heights of natural acidity and freshness; scented florals, peach, pear, citrus and almond are at the heart of the grape. And remarkable balance means albarino performs well in a range of conditions, giving a lean and highly aromatic silhouette in cooler climates, with richly vivacious tropical and stone fruits and spice in warmer regions. The top Spanish examples can be breathtaking and expensive with compelling intensity and opulent texture from lees stirring techniques (try the Pazo San Mauro albarino or the Castro Martin albarino).

Australia's first albarino vineyard was planted by Damien Tscharke in 2001 at Marananga, Barossa Valley. A passionate viticulturalist, Damien was impressed with the quality and sophistication of the Spanish wines he tasted and he saw the suitability of albarino to our Mediterranean climate.

Plantings have since sprung up at McLaren Vale, Eden Valley, Tasmania's Tamar Valley and Heathcote in Victoria. Look out for albarino from Irvine, Gemtree, Kellermeister, Tamar Ridge and Brown Brothers, and try their versions of the style. Enjoy it with dishes like linguine vongole or seafood paella.

Louise Radman is an award -winning wine writer, consultant and show judge.

VINO Louise's top pick

2008 Tscharke Girl Talk Albarino, Barossa Valley

Picked just before the 2008 heatwave, this is an exciting wine from Australia's original albarino vineyard in Marananga. Ripe fruit flavours and opulent structure, loaded with juicy peach, pear and tropical kiwifruits. Rounded richness and creamy texture from stirring of the yeast lees.

Other reviews:

WBM 100, February 2009

Emerging Whites, Nick Stock

Tscharke Girl Talk Albarino 2008, 90 points

This ripe Albarino is deep gold and smells of fresh stone fruits, quince and pear. A spell on lees has nicely enriched the palate with additional mouthfeel, making this an ideal accompaniment to just about any seafood imaginable.

The Adelaide Review January 2009, Nick Stock,

2008 Tscharke Girl Talk Albarino, 90 points

As you settle into the new-year's warmth and inevitable poolside relaxation, the need for white wines is going to hit and hit hard. This is another of the growing armada of the Spanish grape, albarino, being produced by Australian winemakers and certainly one of the richest. Winemaker Damien Tscharke has delivered a deep gold-coloured '08 with fresh stone fruit, quince and pear aromas. A spell on lees has nicely enriched the palate to bring additional mouth feel and richness to the wine, making it an ideal proposition for a plate of grilled prawns. Tidy yellow kiwi fruit finish.

Caught without a bottle opener? Don't despair.. simply try this!

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:00:00 GMT

I recently had a situation where I was caught without a bottle opener (imagine!) and someone showed me this trick. Fantastic!

Hit the bottom of the bottle firmly and evenly against a reasonably flat, vertical surface (such as the wall, or even a tree). To protect the surface, wrap the bottom of the bottle in a towel, or place a phone book on the surface in the spot where the bottle will be hitting it. You can lean the phone book on the floor, against the wall, so that no one has to hold it for you, but you'll need to be sitting down while you hit the bottle against the wall. The pressure of the wine against the cork will gradually nudge it out. Once it's sticking out partially, you can pull it out with your hands, or pliers, or continue hitting the bottle rhythmically until the entire cork comes out (but be careful about wine spilling out, since you're holding the bottle sideways).

Armadale Cellars on Facebook

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Well, along with adding a web 2.0 - we've finally decided it's time to get on Facebook.

Several of you are already our friends - but if not, please feel free to find and add us on - just search 'Armadale Cellars' and add us as your friend - (go figure!)

We'll be posting videos, pictures, last minute updates for courses and events, etc... so tune in!

Beware of the dreaded leaker during these hot days

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Had a quick glass of Taltarni T-series Sparkling (God, it's great value Fizz) with a friend who just got a new unit and she mentioned about temperature in her unit and how even it was (even without cooling).

One of the dirty secrets of the wine trade is that a proportion of product is damaged during the supply chain through exposure to high and variable temperatures. Of course, it's hard to get people to go public on this sort of information, but one anecdotal report I heard concerned the placement of a temperature data logger in a container of wine sent to the UK from Australia, bound for a major chain.

As you might expect, the temperature wasn't a constant 11 ? Centigrade. In fact, it wasn't a constant anything, peaking in the 40's.

Just an anecdote, of course, but also relevant to your home storage.

Any Melbourne home will fluctuate by 20-25 centigrade during a year which means that a lot of wine is being prematurely aged. And then (if with cork enclosure) potentially leak.

Please consider Liebherr cabinets or off-site storage if you have medium to long term cellaring wines . This hot period is the most wine-destroying time and will cause irreparable damage to your "babies"

Bleasdale Malbec... be quick!

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Bleasdale's pedigree as a producer of the highest quality Malbec is unquestionable.

Traditionally, the winery has produced limited quantities of their Premium Malbec and offered them to Cellar Door customers only, but we have been fortunate to secure some small parcels to offer to our valued customers without adding a premium to the price.

There are limited quantities of museum release 2003..........And it is a cracker !!

The Malbec Pedigree won a GOLD MEDAL at the McLaren Vale Wine Show, Oct 2006.

Judges said "... an excellent example of what the variety can produce. Velvety smooth tannins ensure a soft, lush finish."

We have been spoiled with some good Cahors wines from France at the $35.00 - $50.00 range but this blows them all away.

At $90.00 a six pack ( $15 bottle by the case or $16.95 single bottle ) this is easily the best red buy we've seen in some time.

But, be quick AS THIS IS LIMITED and outstanding value !!

Katnook Wines....

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Today I'm off to Coonawarra with an intimate group of wine lovers. First stop, Katnook Estate. For those of you who don't receive our weekly newsletter - we've got an in store competition happening this January. Buy any 2 Katnook wines and go into the draw for a 72 bottle wine fridge.

While we'll be dining personally with winemaker Wayne Stehbens tonight, for those of you who weren't lucky enough to join in, you still have the opportunity to enjoy this classic Coonawarra winery - we represent a good number of their wines instore and have a new order coming along tomorrow, so act fast, before these are gone too!

Henschke Lenswood NV Blanc de Noir

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 13:00:00 GMT

The Henschkes have done it again with another fabulous line extension that, as always, offers great quality and value.

In 1997 Prue and Stephen decided to select fruit from certain sites and clones which were just colouring, at veraison, for sparkling production from their Pinot Noir vineyard at Lenswood, rather than using these components for a dry red table wine.

They had originally thought about releasing a wine for the millennium, however as the year 2000 got close they realised that the wine needed more time to develop complexity on its lees. They continued to make the sparkling base wine in most years when the fruit quality was ideal. With nearly 10 years of vintages on lees it seemed an appropriate time to look at a complex blend.

Multiple vintages from 1997 to 2005 were blended in an assemblage-style blend in April 2008, as a mature disgorged non-vintage Blanc de Noir. Extremely careful selection of only the best fruit has meant that it is a very limited production wine.

With most French Champagnes rocketing up to $80-100 bottle with the exchange-rate meltdown, this is a great substitute at $45.95 btt ( case rate) or $49.95 single.

My tasting notes were:
"Complex yeast, autolytic nose with lemon, stone-fruit and complex tertiary characters; roasted popcorn & cr?me caramel hints. Has a cremant style palate with layers of spicy strawberry/raspberry flavours. As intense as a James Bond chase scene with lovely structural crunchiness. This is a cracker to be had this Summer"

TECHNICAL DETAILS
Assemblage Date: 9 April 08
Alcohol: 12.5% | pH: 3.24 | Acidity: 6.7g/L
Residual Sugar: 7.8g/L

CELLARING POTENTIAL
Celebration wine, drink now.

12th (and Final) day of Christmas - Boutique Stars Premium Mixed Dz

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:00:00 GMT

You've been drinking the Best for a while now, but are always on the look out for other top drops from Australia's Boutique producers? Why not try this fantastic foursome featuring some of Australia's Boutique wineries at the peak of their game.

3 Bottles each:

Jasper Hill Shiraz; 95 points
Mac Forbes Woori Yallock Pinot Noir 92 points;
Wild Duck Creek - Alan's Cabernet Cabernet Sauvignon; 92 points
Grosset Polish Hill 93 points

This is a perfect last minute Chrissy gift for any wine aficionado when only the best will do.

RRP $715

ONLY 6 AVAILABLE!!!!!

$569.95 until Sold Out!

11th Day of Christmas - Boutique Stars

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:00:00 GMT

If Boutique Wines is your thing, you'll want to take note. Here are some exceptional value Boutique Wines that will never fail to create conversation at your next dinner party.

Get 3 bottles each of the following 4 wines:

Wild Duck Estate - Gerogery East Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon;
Cirko V Merlot;
Mac Forbes Rose;
Forest Range Road Chardonnay

Want to know more about these delicious (and rare) wines? Ask our friendly wine consultants in store today!

9509-3055

RRP $315

Christmas Special - $199.95

10th Day of Christmas - 'A Little Something Different'

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Love your wine and always looking to try something new? Why not go out on a (safe) limb with this 6 pack of lesser known varietals.

There's nothing standard about this Christmas Special. Our wine consultants have chosen six wines that you may not yet be familiar with, but that they're sure will knock your socks off.

This special includes:

Belrose (Bass Phillip) Pinot Noir;
Levin Gamay;
Flynns Verdelho;
Castro Martin Albarino;
Domaine Bernard Defaix Petit Chablis; and
Marcarini Arneis

RRP $195

For you (assuming you're one of the first 12) - only $149.95

9th Day of Christmas - Sauvignon Blanc 6 pack

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Like zingy, zangy, zesty Sauvignon Blanc.... or have a wife or friend that does? Then this Special is for you!

6 bottles, ranging across the Adelaide Hills and Marlborough to Tasmania, this 6 pack will wow you with how diverse Sauvignon can taste - but all still have that quintessential Savvy B character.

Enjoy 1 bottle each:

Devil's Corner, (Tasmania)
The Ned, (Marlborough)
Giesen, (Marlborough)
Hunter's, (Marlborough)
Savvy B, (Adelaide Hills)
O'Leary Walker, (Adelaide Hills)

A fantastic gift for the person in your life who loves this easy-to-drink wine.

RRP $110

Today - (and for the first 12 purchasers) - only $89.95

8th Day of Christmas - Sample the World Red/White Mixed Dz. $199

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:00:00 GMT

12 different wines from all around the world; Featuring France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Australia and New Zealand

The perfect Christmas gift for the true wine-aficionado. The 'Sample the World' Mixed dozen showcases a stunning array of Red and White wines that are sure to impress.

Featuring 1 bottle each of the following sensational wines:

France:
La Serre, Chardonnay; Guigal CDR, Syrah

Italy:
Balbi Soprano, Moscato d'Asti; Poggerino, Chianti Classico;

Spain:
Castro Martin, Albarino; Vino Especiale, Temp / Monastrell;
&Toscar, Monastrell

Germany:
Dr L, Riesling

Australia:
Windy Peak, Pinot Grigio; Provenience, GMS

New Zealand:
The Ned, Sauvignon Blanc; & Earth's End, Pinot Noir

Only $199 - but only for the first 12 people to reply on 03-9509-3055!

Watch this Blog space until Christmas for our '12 days of Christmas Special'. Only 12 Specials will be available each day - so set the alarm to remember to check back.

Don't forget, or chance missing out as once they're gone, they're gone, never to be repeated!

7th Day of Christmas - 'Taste the World' Red 6 pack - $99

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Love red but want to look past Australia alone? Or have a wine friend who loves World Travel? Here's the chance to try 6 very different kinds of wine - from 6 different countries.

Only $109.95 for the first 12 customers

(RRP $145)

France: Guigal CDR, Syrah
Australia: Provenience, GMS;
Italy: Poggerino, Chianti Classico;
New Zealand: Earth's End, Pinot Noir;
Spain: Vino Especiale, Tempranillo / Monastrell;
Spain: Toscar, Monastrell

Call us at the Cellars (9509-3055) now to grab this bargain for yourselves!

Watch this Blog space over the next 11 Business Days (Mon - Sat) for our '12 days of Christmas Special'. Only 12 Specials will be available each day - so set the alarm to remember to check back.

Don't forget, or chance missing out as once they're gone, they're gone, never to be repeated!

6th Day of Christmas - Taste the World - $99 White 6 Pack

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Are you the adventurous type? Enjoy white wine but haven't ventured much past Australia and New Zealand? Why not try this assorted 6 pack featuring wines from across the world.

Our wine consultants have pulled together 6 of what they feel, are the best representations of the diverse world of white wines.

New Zealand: The Ned, Sauvignon Blanc (RRP $20)
France: La Serre, Chardonnay (RRP $17)
Australia: Windy Peak, Pinot Grigio; (RRP $13)
Germany: Dr L, Riesling; (RRP $27)
Italy: Balbi Soprano, Moscato d'Asti; (RRP $18)
Spain: Castro Martin, Albarino (RRP $30)

But don't pay $125 for these bottles! The first 12 customers to call in will receive these wines for only $99.95!

Makes a fantastic Chrissy gift for Aunt Mary or Sister Sal.

6 wines, $99.95 for the first 12 customers

5th Day of Christmas.. Taste the World - Sparkling - $109

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Enjoy the tastes of the World - or want to get a sampling of what else there is to try without to much investment? Why not enjoy our 'Taste of the World' Sparkling 6-pk.

You'll receive 1 bottle of Sparkling each from the following countries:
France - Grandin Sparkling and Simmonet Febrve Brut;
Italy - Balbi Soprani Moscato and Canella Prosecco;
Spain - Valformosa Brut MVSA (Cava);
Australia - Taltarni Brut Tache

RRP $135

$109.95 for the first 12 customers
9509-3055

Watch this Blog space over the next 11 Business Days (Mon - Sat) for our '12 days of Christmas Special'. Only 12 Specials will be available each day - so set the alarm to remember to check back.

Don't forget, or chance missing out as once they're gone, they're gone, never to be repeated!

On the 4th Day of Christmas.... Red and White $99 Mixed Dozen

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

12 different wines; 6 red, 6 white at $50 off RRP!!

Grab our Christmas Red and White Mixed Dozen Special and have the perfect wine ready for any occasion that comes your way this Holiday Season.

Featuring 1 bottle each:

Windy Peak Pinot Grigio
Recession White Chardonnnay/Semillon
Chateau Hude Viognier
Savvy B Sauvignon Blanc
Forest Range Rd Chardonnay
Chateau Hude Brut Sparkling
Windy Peak Pinot Noir
Recession Red
Chateau Hude Tempranillo
Hudeys Sparkling Shiraz
Taltarni T-Series Shiraz
Toscar Monastrell

Only $99 - but only for the first 12 people to reply on 03-9509-3055!

Watch this Blog space over the next 11 Business Days (Mon - Sat) for our '12 days of Christmas Special'. Only 12 Specials will be available each day - so set the alarm to remember to check back.

Don't forget, or chance missing out as once they're gone, they're gone, never to be repeated!

3rd Day of Christmas - $99 Christmas Red Mixed Dozen - An Amazing $50 off!

Sat, 13 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Even though summer is more a 'white' type of season, you'll no doubt need some reds around this summer. This mixed dozen also makes a great gift for your brother or good mate.

Features 6 fantastic value for money Reds that pack a lot of punch, at $99.95, over $50 off RRP, this Mixed Dozen is one of the bargains of the year!! Act now, because you won't see another bargain like this.

Your mixed dozen includes 2 Bottles each:

Windy Peak Pinot Noir
Recession Red
Chateau Hude Tempranillo
Hudeys Sparkling Shiraz
Taltarni T-Series Shiraz
Toscar Monastrell

RRP for this mixed dozen is over $135

The next 12 people to ring in (or come in) to the Cellars will receive this mixed dozen for $35 off. Don't hesitate - call us now, 03-9509-3055.

$99.95 for the first 12 customers

Watch this Blog space over the next 11 Business Days (Mon - Sat) for our '12 days of Christmas Special'. Only 12 Specials will be available each day - so set the alarm to remember to check back.

Don't forget, or chance missing out as once they're gone, they're gone, never to be repeated!

2nd Day of Christmas - Save $35!! Christmas White $99 Mixed Dozen!!!

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Need some quaffable whites around the home for the Silly Season and summer? These are some fantastic value for money wines that offer a lot of bang for their buck. And truly, at $99.95, this Mixed Dozen is a steal!

You'll receive a delicious range of White Wines, including
2 Bottles each:

Windy Peak Pinot Grigio
Recession White Chardonnnay/Semillon
Chateau Hude Viognier
Savvy B Sauvignon Blanc
Forest Range Rd Chardonnay
Chateau Hude Brut Sparkling

RRP for this mixed dozen is over $135

The next 12 people to ring (or come in) to the Cellars will receive this mixed dozen for $35 off.

$99.95 for the first 12 customers

Watch this Blog space over the next 10 Business Days (Mon - Sat) for our '12 days of Christmas Special'. Only 12 Specials will be available each day - so set the alarm to remember to check back.

Don't forget, or chance missing out as once they're gone, they're gone, never to be repeated!

On the 1st Day of Christmas.... 'Champagne Mixed Dozen'

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

If you've got a taste for the 'real thing' - this French Champagne mixed dozen is something you don't want to miss.

RRP - $905

Now through Christmas (unless sold out) - $789.95

This is a Mixed Dozen special unlike any we've ever done featuring 2 bottles each of 6 different Champagnes.

Veuve Clicquot NV
Pol Roger NV
Larmandier Brut 1er Cru Blanc de Blanc
Moet & Chandon NV
Jean Pernet Brut Tradition NV (Phil's 'Wine of the Month')
Agrapart NV

This Mixed dozen retails for over $900 but we're selling them off at over $115 off!

Pick them up and have a tantalising Christmas and New Years, or hold on to them for future special celebrations, but either way, act fast, as there are only 12 mixed dozens of this Champagne available.

Watch this Blog space over the next 11 Business Days (Mon - Sat) for our '12 days of Christmas Special'. Only 12 Specials will be available each day - so set the alarm to remember to check back.

Don't forget, or chance missing out as once they're gone, they're gone, never to be repeated!

Syrahmi 07 Don Shiraz

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Adam Foster is an interesting guy. Back at the Lakehouse this Sommelier has joined the ranks of winemaker cross-breeds in the industry who vertically or horizontally integrate. His marketing acumen is second-to-none.

Read his release sheet below!
- Phil

A Personal Note:
I always hope to make wines that can be enjoyed with great food in the company of true friends and family. The 07 vintage is in homage to my grandfather - Donald Foster whose own passion for food and wine inspired me to get into the industry and kept me fired up and motivated all these years. He has always been my strongest supporter and I wanted us to be able to enjoy together something that he has inspired and I have created. Here's to you Don, cheers.

On the vineyard
In 2007 my quest to find some of the best growing areas in Heathcote, led me to a new spot in the Mt Camel Ranges roughly 25 km north of the Heathcote Township. Named Camel Back; it's a relatively young vineyard with great potential planted out with Shiraz clone PT23 on a mix of rootstock and own roots. Soil types vary ranging from red clay intermixed with ironstone on Block 2 through to a narrow strip of ancient pre-Cambrian soil 550 million years old on Block 5. Furthermore - Viticulturist Stuart Wareham, his eye for detail and understanding of the vineyard and land is I believe sets this vineyard apart in the Heathcote Region.

On the Vintage
2007 was the earliest vintage on record in Heathcote with the first grapes being picked on the 20th of February and the last coming in the first week of March. It was such a warm growing season; a freak you could call it! Grapes however showed great flavour and texture with fine tannins and were picked with lower potential alcohol (13.2 to 13.8) than in previous years.

As a result the 07 Syrahmi Don Shiraz is lighter then you might expect, it's intensely focused, black-red colour, wonderfully fragrant with ripe raspberries and cherries, black pepper, Asian spiced aromatics with savoury smoked meat complexity. Finely textured, medium bodied palate, refreshing acidity finishing with fine velvet like savoury tannins.

Facts on Syrahmi Don

Handpicked grapes < 1.7 tonnes per acre
Single Vineyard, single Shiraz clone PT23 used
5 day cold soak < 8?C
Wild yeast ferment and malolatic fermentation
Only whole berry with 35% whole bunch
Hand pigeage and or pumping over of juice only
Fermented at low temperatures to keep fruit driven flavour
Extended time 21-25 days on skins before pressing
Fourteen months in 100% French oak, 20% new with no racking
Unfined & unfiltered bottled in June 08
Limited release - Only 340 cases & 60 magnums released

$44.95 per bottle or $41.35 by the case

Gold, Gold, Gold

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:00:00 GMT

The 2008 Lengs & Cooter Riesling won a gold medal at the Clare Valley Regional Wine Show, in Section A - "Current Vintage Wine" Class 1 " Riesling 2008 Vintage".

Of the 62 Clare Valley Rieslings entered only 4 Golds were awarded.

This is considered quite an accolade since the Clare Valley is the home of Riesling.

Judges comments:
Silver and Gold medals were awarded to finer bottle ageing styles and richer current drinking wines

At $ 18.35 a bottle (mixed or straight case rate), this is the bargain of a century with a great cellaring prospect, and personally I think dinner parties are much more interesting with aged Rieslings than other whites from current release.

Best Chrissy Wine

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 13:00:00 GMT

For a wine to be labeled as being from a geographical area, 85% of the fruit used in manufacturing must be from that area.

The 2006 McPherson Chapter Three Shiraz Viognier from Central Victoria follows the normal regime of SV blends even though only a small portion (about 3%) is the white wine grape, Viognier (pronounced Vee-on-yay).

I think this wine will be the "present-giving" hit of 2008 Christmas as it has brilliant packaging along with a "very yummy punter-palate" style that makes this far too drinkable now but with the choice of a few years in the cellar rewarding the patient.

My tasting note was; "Deep purple hues and dense, opaque colour with a nose redolent of dark fruits and maraschino with hints of blueberries. A well-integrated, soft, "velvet-glove" style palate of bramble, blackberries and five-spice/pepper notes. Lots of expensive French oak that has been seamlessly woven into the rich, mid-palated fruit bomb with a warm but balanced finish of mocha, chocolate and ripe black plums".

Certainly will fix a few of my friends with this for Chrissy!!

Buy in store now for yourself or as a Chrissy present.
An exceptional buy at $29.95.

The exporting of Aussie wine

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:00:00 GMT

The wine industry is the Australia's third largest food category export after meat & grains. Exports of wine total about $2.66 billion *per year accounting for over 46% of industry revenue. South Australia and Victoria produce a higher proportion of premium wines than other states (although Tasmania and W.A. would argue with this one!!). Expect exports to slow and start to see greater chunks of "some" premium wines return to domestic shores. Hopefully the government will realise how important the industry is and show some care and thought into helping our wineries in their exporting process and giving incentive (like most other wine-producing countries) to our important industry. (Source; IBIS World wine manufacturing report #02183)

Katnook 2001 Cab Sav and L.A mates.

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:00:00 GMT

There is nothing worse that not being able to sleep. I write this at 2.55am due to insomnia but the love of something makes you commit strange acts. I wanted to see if the Katnook Cab Sav 2001 I had shared with my friend Alby, the night before, had stood up as well as it drank the previous night. I poured the slightly browned prize from the Rubenesque-shaped Tyrol Riedel decanter into a fresh vinum Bordeaux stem. Its large-fruited berry regime has been stripped and a slightly fruitcake and teak-wood veneer character had replaced the "monstrous nose " that Alby had experienced (Alby is from L.A. where everything is monstrous; hummers, Governors, bushfires, T-bones, reputations, Costco stores) and had belted our olfactory on the previous sitting. It had held well and still looked incredibly together considering its aeration and age. (winemaker, Wayne Stehbens; take a bow). This wine would go under the heading of "Could have drank later but loved it anyway" in my tasting schedule.

Exquisite Grosset Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:00:00 GMT

The other night I enjoyed a bottle of the 2008 Grosset Semillon Sauvignon Blanc (new release).

As always, this is a terrific expression of new world fruit packed into a white Bordeaux facade. Grass and flint stone balancing passion fruit flesh and ripe papaya with fresh, clean acidity. The epitome of freshness, this classic Semillon blend is available now. The wine is light, fragrant and tightly coiled, soon, time will offer more voluptuous fruit weight and rounded edges, but it is now that the purity is on display, and it is now that it will bring life to winter taste buds.

The Grosset Sem/Sauv has always been a highly sought after wine, and we only have about 12 left in stock as I write this.

Should you be interested, you won't be disappointed.

RRP 33.95 / Our rate $27.55 (mixed or straight case rate )

Forty paces...

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Forty Paces may hold the record for smallest production emanating out of Macedon at 70-80 cases but the quality is definitely on the high scale and Jason Peasley (the winemaker trained under the tutelage) is attaining amazing results seen only in Pinot Noir at twice-to-three-times-the-price.

The amazing 2006 (not released till December) is easily the best Pinot Noir seen. It has true seductive "five-spice ", fennel and "Red jubes and cream" that sees the wine evolve every time you visit it.

The tonnage of less-than-a tonne to the acre makes Grange look ten-times overpriced and the Siruge oak at $2500 (supplied by Rick Kinzbrunner) applied in the most integrated way sets this wine up to become a "chosen star". Length, persistency and the 'peacock-tail' all reign supreme with what must be a "must-have" for Pinot-philes who are lucky enough to snare some of this beauty.

Sangiovese... one of the most noble and joyous varietals given to planet earth

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Mmmmmmm !! "Cepparello" as a name even sounds appealing and fun.

This brilliant Sangiovese is the masterpiece of Paolo di Marchi who created an expression of a Chianti-based vineyard (but marketed as a table wine due to DOCG wine laws) based on his experience in California and his training at Torino University which is not matched in value/quality terms.

Sure, in the $70-90 range this is not a Tuesday night pizza wine, but the brute structure and savoury fruit melded around sinewy tannins that elongate the wine to the very back of the tasting palate make this wine well worth the price.

This is a wine to bury in the cellar and pull out on a very special night (a Crust meatlovers pizza on a Wednesday night !! What fun !!) to see why Sangiovese is one of the most noble and joyous varietals given to planet earth

A bit 'Baby poo', but still just lovely

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Tasting with Brian Walsh (Director of winemaking at Yalumba), James Godfrey (fortified winemaker at Seppeltsfield) and David LeMire (MW) is a real treat but when you have six fortifieds from 8-50 years of age then life is bliss. Especially when one is your birth year (1964) and it is in incredible condition.

A yellow, khaki-green meniscus with overall "baby-poo" brown and gold made me realise how bad the Hawthorn Football jumper really is , but the "teak-cabinet" nose; the sweet viscous, syrup-like unctuousness of the wine on palate and the overall quality of this 44 year-old fortified jewel, really put my 'damaged-body" to shame for comparable age!!

Although the sugar, alcohol and VA had increased with age, the seamless balance of the components was something to behold. Why would you ever buy a Grange for a birth-year wine when at a fraction of the price you can get these timeless beauties that appeal to more palates than a tired, old, savoury leather-bound cowpud !!

A palate 'cryptic frenzy'

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Tasting with Paulo di Marchi (owner of Isole e Olena), Brian Walsh (Director of winemaking at Yalumb ), James Godfrey (fortified winemaker at Seppeltsfield) and David LeMire (MW) is daunting enough but when you are faced with six fortifieds from 8-50 years of age, five masterful Italian gems (including the orgasmic Cepparello), four evolving Rieslings, Two Bordeaux against two Yalumba Signature series (one being a 17-yo example) and one Chardonnay done in three different oak regimes by cooperage then you are faced with a palate "cryptic-frenzy".

Oh, and I forgot the Mazi-Chambertins and the pair of sexy Bonneau du Martrays that showed an evolution of 20 years of red & white Burgundy. This is the tough regime of the "Working with wine " series that Yalumba and Negociants have been running for many years training the palates and minds of Sommeliers and retailers like myself; God bless them !

Get on with life...

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 13:00:00 GMT

One of the better articles to restore your faith in world economics was in this weekend's AGE newspaper ( See article here) and clearly argues the need for us to "get on with life" and wait for the "next boom phase". I notice a number of people asking about wine investment as an alternative to other investments. There is no doubt the next 2-8 months could see a very distinct chance of gaining some bargains from an "over-supplied, over-subscribed and depressed, conservative" market. Auction lots will be passed in, amazing retail deals will exist, and some people with "vinous-gems" will see the need to cash-in, contemplating the worst possible moment. If ever you were to invest in wine , this is it !!

'Very Interesting' wines

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:00:00 GMT

I was about to reach out of my cabinet for a Wild Duck sparkling red on the other night to show a Canadian visitor when I spied a bottle given to me by a friend, Jack. Jack gives me eclectic wine that he comes across which can range from "very interesting " (a phrase that I use to describe a wine with some character and not to my taste , but drinkable) to an absolute gem.

The 1998 Cambewarra Reserve Petillance Noir came under the "interesting " character. Made by the Tamburlaine winery of Hunter Valley, the label alone transcended me back to "the Dan Murphy" book of labels from the 70's when "Cold Duck" rained supreme. The wine had a large "hand-of-the-winemaker" on it with obvious toasty American oak that sadly overwhelmed the fruit and left a "coconut-palm oil" flavour that my palate found hard to shake. It was going to be an interesting match to our curry, but sadly the oak became more obvious and the "curry and Shiraz spice" too much of a clash to find any common ground.

Wild Duck Sparkling Shiraz

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:00:00 GMT

My partner has become very keen on Burgundy (as have I) and we find ourselves sharing more and more bottles of White Burgundy (Chardonnay) and Red Burgundy (Pinot Noir). We even are drinking more "Burgundian-styled wines" from the New World in an attempt to replicate our drinking experience at a better exchange and tax rate but it is always a challenge. It is an intriguing exercise.

I looked at the sample list (which could -"flood the Simpson Desert") of wines submitted to us as the "better-half" was doing a curry, I thought Pinot, but noticed a Sparkling Shiraz/Pinot from Metcalfe Valley up for appraisal. I thought this would be a better gastronomic experience with the mild-warm curry although I sensed my partner may not have liked my choice (Sparkling Reds can be a bit like Collingwood Football Club; you either love them or hate them.). I evaluated the bottle and a definite undergrowth, moss-and-damp earth character and although this wine hailed from the 04 vintage and would display some tertiary, bottled-aged character, it started the 'firehouse-alarm-bells " ringing. Yes sadly, within a few swirls the wine was consumed with a TCA lift of damp hessian-bags, wet cardboard and a bad attic staleness. Oh well, a good reason to open a Wild Duck Sparkling Shiraz "3" from Heathcote and no sample assessment tonight !

Angelo Gaja

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:00:00 GMT

When Luke Campbell and I travelled to Italy this year we agreed that Gaja was the most engaging and interesting visit that we had. His 2004 Langes are out soon and the 2005 Barbaresco's will be very sort after. Big prices, but one of the great wines of the world. Be quick if you are keen. Robert Parker notes are mentioned below :

Angelo Gaja and long-time oenologist Guido Rivella produced some of the most monumental wines of their long, storied partnership in 2004. Although I admire Gaja's wines, especially for their consistency, I rarely find them this emotionally moving and utterly profound. The stable weather and cool, tempering evenings towards the end of the growing season allowed Gaja and Rivella to harvest fairly late in 2004. I remember passing by Gaja's Barbaresco vineyards in October of that year and seeing fruit still waiting to be picked long after most producers had already brought the fruit in. Gaja's 2004s from Barbaresco are especially breathtaking for their clarity and precision. The wines also seem less internationally-styled than in the past." Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate Issue # 175

Wine tour companies in France

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Had to find out for a client this week the best tour companies in France.
My local contact in Paris recommends the following:

www.wine-tours-france.com - French wine explorer - they do the whole of France
www.dmjwineworks.com - tours in Bordeaux only led by a very respected personality: Dewey Markhan (author of the history of 1855 classification). Is exclusive and expensive but also very good
www.bordeauxsaveurs.com - again a Bordeaux based one, set up by the owner of Lynch Bages and connected with some star Michelin restaurant. Must be good

Let us know if you have any experience with these or others !

Bordeaux notes compiled by trade during tastings in Melbourne and Sydney in past few weeks

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:00:00 GMT

These comments are a mixture of comments from attendees and tasting notes that people have sent to the distributor:
Is 2005 the greatest vintage ever as Big Bob Parker says???..maybe one day, but numerous people have stated that the 2001's at this stage almost rival wine for wine.

2007 Chateau De Fontenille Blanc, Bordeaux - quite a smart mealy European sauvignon. Well made, bright and fresh. The general opinion was that this is a steal at the price.
2006 Chateau L'Hospital Blanc, Graves - a delicious, textured smoky fairly classic Bordeaux Blanc. This is a good wine. Very well liked.
2004 Chateau Sainte Barbe, Bordeaux - this continues to impress at its price. A good juicy entry level Bordeaux with some nice grip on the finish. Excellent food wine and it is doing very well by the glass.
2005 Chateau L'Hospital Rouge, Graves - a nice wine with typical Graves elegance. For me, it is not my favourite of the line-up but some restaurants have put on by the glass and are very pleased with it so ??...
2004 Chateau Clos Marsalette, Pessac Leognan - a fresh, rich, spicy, moore-ish wine made by Stephan von Neipperg of St Emilion fame. This was well liked by many.
2004 Chateau Charmail, Haut Medoc - this is the sommeliers wine. They really liked it for its crisp crunchy style and the fresh acidity on the finish. This wine needs food.
2005 Chateau Gaudin, Pauillac - the first of the 2005's with its century + old label. Someone said it is now retro. But the wine is pretty interesting. Located between Latour and Lynch Bages at $45 it is very cheap. Full bodied with some typical Pauillac earthen characters, it is a chewy, textured wine in a slightly old fashion way.
2005 Chateau Clauzet, St Estephe - well liked and a very correct wine, this has rich classy fruit coating the long grippy finish. This will continue to just get better with time.
2005 Chateau Chasse Spleen, Haut Medoc - as always this was the crowd pleaser. Made by Claire Villars Lurton in the opulent style that is Chasse Spleen. Good structure and plummy, smokey characters this is delicious right now.
2005 Chateau Cantemerle, 5th growth, Haut Medoc - a classy wine. This demonstrates the 'back to form' that Cantemerle is now achieving. It shows rich ripe cassis fruit, toasty oak and is a quite a deep wine. Very good.
2005 Chateau Beauregard, Pomerol - this Chateau is really improving in leaps and bounds. The 2001 is absolutely delicious and this is pretty smart too. It is a typical rich plummy Pomerol, intense but not too much. It developed some nice chocolate characters with airing which seems to be a Beauregard characteristic. Lovely balanced wine and was certainly well liked.
2005 Chateau Canon, Premier Cru Classe, St Emilion - as expected a very refined elegant wine, true to the Chateau. It is rich spicy and quite fragrant with a savoury, meaty, luscious very engaging palate. A wine to go in the cellar.
2005 Brane Cantenac, 2nd growth, Margaux - a great advertisement for the vintage this has the hallmark Margaux fragrance and particularly the supple Margaux texture. Fine cassis Cabernet characters with a lovely touch of earthiness. We could see why this wine is rated so highly.
2005 Chateau Pichon Baron 2nd growth, Pauillac - this was probably the wine of the tasting, but for its price it should be. Typical Pauillac of a very high level - black fruit, intensely packed wine, exquisitely rich and engaging. Coffee, graphite etc etc this was one of the best wines I tasted in Bordeaux in May at the 100 Chateaux 2005 tasting. This is a super star. The 2001 Pichon Baron at half the price that we had last week is certainly up there too.
2005 Chateau Rayne Vigneau, 1st growth Sauternes - not a heavy botrytis year but a fine delicious wine. Well liked at the tasting and particular at the price. Honey and smoked almonds on the nose and somewhat buttery / caramel / toffee on the palate. A real drink up wine.
2005 Chateau Coutet, 1st growth, Sauternes - bright, more intense and rich. Honey and good acid freshness. This was well admired. A smart wine as one expects from Coutet.
1909 Domaine Sainte Croix Rivesaltes - well this was different. Being only bottled last year this is amazingly fresh and refined for a 99 year old wine. It shows the full Christmas pudding range of flavours and a definite hint of liquorice. Long elegant this certainly took everyone's attention. A strong point of these Rivesaltes is that they are oxidized from the winemaking process so a bottle is good for 2-3 months after opening.

If you have any questions or enquiries about 2005 Bordeaux, feel free to contact us.

Alsace and the joys of "Tarte Flambee"

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:00:00 GMT

A good mate / customer rang me today re the Hawks Grand Final win, his Cloudy Bay allocation, and to tell me of his impending trip to Alsace.

Instantly, I knew what I wanted for dinner: platter of local cold meats, charcuterie, salads and Munster cheese, BUT the king choice of all would be "tarte flamb?e" which I suppose could be described as an Alsace pizza but without tomato (thin pastry, topped with bacon, onions, cream cheese, "flamed" in a brick oven, sliced and eaten with the fingers - though forks are usually provided - they keep serving until told to stop) and a bottle of Albert Mann Riesling ..

Or maybe an Schlumberger Pinot Gris ???.. Or A Diess Mamberg ??? Ah it's a tough life !!

Niseko, Japan - Australian Wines and a good friend

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Many of you will remember Mick Nippard who was an enthusiastic member of staff for 3 years ( He was the guy with less hair than me !) and took his family to Japan to let his kids grow up around their Japanese grandparents.

His latest skype to me was:
?Phil /Karen ...thought I`d up date you and what I am up to here in the land of the rising sun... I have my own importing business - at this stage solely OZ wines namely Pondalowie and the incredible rare Whistling Eagle along with some export only labels. Having said that just about any wine is available here..... no domestic market makes for great variety....

I have also just signed up for my 3rd season as the manager of Sekka restaurant in Niseko (the ski powder capital of the world).

If your coming to Niseko my advise is book everything (acc. will be in the package) esp. restaurants. So many people but so few restaurants makes it tough to get a table in peak season (Late Dec thru to early March). A nice thought....A bad season in Niseko (average 10m of snow a year) is better than the best Oz could wish for... no snow making machines here....

I can also supply any customers with all their wine needs. As a special offer to your loyal customers I am happy to supply them with wine I import if you require any while in Japan.

So, if you are traveling to Niseko andyou want Micks details pleaseemail me at the cellars! Phil

Mount Mary Quintet with pork trotter and braised eggplant... delicious

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:45:00 GMT

If you're anything like me, then you'll (more often than not) feel like an evening of indulgence. A weekend away in Daylesford and dinner at one of Australia's best restaurants is my kind of indulgence.

Fantastic company aside, one of the highlights was my main course of boned quail, served atop generous slices of pork trotter filled with pork farce and coupled with shitake mushrooms and miso braised eggplant.

With the flavours in this dish I didn't think I could choose to drink anything else but a nice bottle of mature Cabernet. Hailing from one of my favourite Australian producers, I chose the 1995 Mount Mary Quintet. Based on a typical Left-Bank Bordeaux blend, it is made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

The deliciously perfumed nose of violets, earth, cassis, sweet herbs and mocha was adding another depth to the smells already coming from my plate.

On the palate, an extraordinarily elegant wine with plenty of primary fruit and secondary flavours of leather and wet mulchy autumn leaves complimenting the sweet flavours of the pork trotter and the gaminess of the quail.

This Quintet is a very pretty wine and one that I wouldn't be surprised if it might even get better still.

My pork dish combined with the Mount Mary was definitely one of my best food and wine matching experiences.

Fox Creek loses a friend

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Got an email from Julie Bethune this week informing that the wine world has lost a faithful friend.

For those that new Fox Creek, or Shadow himself - here is the news from Fox Creek:

Shadow, the resident Border Collie and namesake of his own wine from Fox Creek in McLaren Vale, was loved by many. Shadow came into the public eye when Fox Creek released a red wine in 2001 that was named after his habit of chasing the vibrating trellis wire as the grape vines were pruned each year. The wine was called Shadow's run.

He was the perfect host and would often meet and greet our guests at cellar door and he loved to lead the behind the scenes tours around the winery. Shadow was asked time and time again to run up and down the vineyard rows for many journos, film crews and countless visitors to the cellar door and Shadow always obliged.

In the last month of his life he posed patiently for a calendar shoot - he is to be Mr. August in the 2009 Wine Dogs Calendar and he featured in a promotional film on the Fleurieu Peninsula. Often in the limelight Shadow had starred in many television programs including The Great Outdoors, Talk to the Animals, Off the Vine and Surfing the Menu. He received gifts in the mail from his fans and love letters with photos of eligible bitches seeking his attentions. He had visitors from around the world that made appointments before they came to ensure that they got to spend time with Shadow. Cellar Door Manager, Helen Hunter often joked that she needed counselling as visitors told her that they had come to see Shadow or had come back to see Shadow and she claimed she was developing an inferiority complex! With time Shadow's fame has grown and he has certainly become a local legend.

Shadow's friends and family at Fox Creek and that includes several of our wine club members who were loyal followers of Shadow's antics, we are pleased to have known him and are happy that we still have his wine to drink to his exuberance and love of life. Run Shadow run!

Passing of industry leaders

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:00:00 GMT

It is very sad to hear the passing of Sir Peter Derham on 25.9.08 , the founder of Red Hill Estate on the Mornington Peninsula.

Sir Peter's health had been deteriorating for some time but his passing comes as a shock, and brings to an end a life of someone who was a larger-than-life character, and who will be greatly missed by many in the wine industry.

Sir Peter will be remembered as a person who worked tirelessly with others in the industry to achieve the WET relief from the Liberal Government of the time. His persuasive powers, his contacts and his dogged determination helped a core group of lobbyists to achieve the final outcome, which eventually delivered the relief that saved many Australian wineries from extinction.

This follows the passing of other industry legends this week Didier Dagueneau from Loire, and Baily Carrodos; founder of Yarra Yering in the Yarra Valley.

Hawks Win - and oh, I will celebrate

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 14:00:00 GMT

One of my fave customers, Jim Power, asked on a text " What special bottle did you pull from the cellar to celebrate the Hawks win ?"

Sadly the tipple of the day was Bundaberg rum (a couple at the G) but which was freely flowing at the Tower Hotel where with hundreds of people half my age (it seemed) we celebrated long into the night dissecting every goal, kick, point, tactic and terrible decision from McLaren.

Sometimes , even I need a DOW (day off wine), but make no mistake a very good bottle shall be opened this week when I replay the Grand Final in nicely controlled circumstances of my lounge room having decanted a Chave Hermitage (after a cleansing Champagne) to see Crawf and the boys do it again; " Now that's what I'm talking about !!"

P.s. Dave Powell (Torbreck) is another Bundy-swilling maniac in between wine life. He says "we are reincarnated pirates !!"

Moscato - the perfect drink for the weekend

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:00:00 GMT

The warmer weather is well and truly here! How about the beautiful day we had yesterday? And the weather forecasters inform that the weekend is looking to be beautiful, too.

With the shift in weather, I was looking through the store for a lighter style/refreshing drink to take home with me.

Moscato came to mind. It is a great refreshing drink that Max Allen once told me is the " best lunchtime drink in the world" . After a few years of contemplation and trying a plethora of new brands on the market , I'm a subscriber.

This weekend, the guys will have Balbi Suprani Moscato d'Asti on tasting. It's perfect with fruit platters and a great start to spring BBQs. Why not pop down the Cellars and try this wine today or tomorrow?

"If anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any f*cking Merlot!"

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 04:40:00 GMT

This is a classic quote from the 2004 movie Sideways. (For those who haven't seen it - I greatly encourage you to.)

It came to mind last night as we were doing our 'Merlot' week in our new Intermediate Red Wine course. Unlike Miles, the movie character from Sideways, I do drink Merlot. In fact, some of the best Bordeaux is Merlot dominant, if not 100% Merlot... and Australia is making a few great Merlots, too.

Last night we looked at the 2005 Villa Mongiron, Bordeaux, France. Talk about a value for money Merlot. My claim last night was, 'This may be the best Old-World Value I've ever seen'. Big call perhaps, but that is just a testament to what a stellar wine I think this is. A sound tannin structure and great persistentce, without a doubt, this wine can easily handle 10+ year in the Cellar.

It's your typical Bordeaux Merlot, strong dark colour, and great aromatics of earth and mineral character. On the palate you'll see a medium to full body of dried cherry, plum and minerals.

Not in store here, yet.. but coming soon!

Wirra Wirra - Chook Block

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:30:00 GMT

Knowing the beloved Hawks are contenders and not pretenders will give me the confidence of unleashing a few good bottles this week in anticipation of enjoying the Grand Final week to its fullest.

After my first wine of the week, the savoury 2000 Langi Shiraz, I moved on to Wirra Wirra.

Wirra Wirra has taken great strides in not allowing their wines to be the desiccated, overripe fruit character that McLaren Vale can sometimes show.

Their gentle handling approach on oak and was evident at my visit this week to their vineyard where Kiwi winemaker Samantha Connew has filled the large shoes of the late Greg Trott and seems to be showing great restraint in the midst of fellow winery "blockbusters".

The 2006 "Chook Block" which will be released next October will be something to diarise with its dense, rich but balanced and seamless palate texture.

Even at $120 it will be relative value considering it's scarcity and quality-usage of oak and compaction of old vine fruit.

The 2006 The Angelus is available now and it really starts the discussion of whether McLaren Vale Cabernet is the best varietal expression in these parts (especially given the Jimmy Watson success of McLaren Cabernet recently) .

Provenience Shiraz... what a bargain!

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 03:50:00 GMT

After my corporate talk to the E & S trading team at D.F.O. last night about wine storage and the joys of Liebherr cabinets I went home to catch up with some taped footy programs and decided a wine was in order. Not wanting to be too outlandish during the week I opened a bottle of Provenience Shiraz from the Barossa made by Kym Teusner.

I thought it may be pretty beverage-like as my palate is spoilt by so many stellar wines but pleasingly, the more I gulped the more I liked. The bright purple/black colour, leads to the ripe powerful nose with prunes, licorice, plums and chocolate with nuances of spice. The flavours follow through as suggested by the aromas in this medium to full-bodied wine. It exhibits rich, sweet fruit in the mid-palate, lovely soft, supple tannins, well- integrated oak and a long, lingering finish. The velvety richness of this wine combined with elegance perfectly illustrates why Shiraz that is well made and balanced doesn't have to cost $550 bottle like Grange.

(Here at the Cellars - only $18.35 per dozen)

Our first wine - Chateau de Carles

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Fronsacs can some times be the ugly ducklings of the right bank. With lots of Cabernet and Malbec in its vineyards, and old-school methods in its cellars, the AOC, produced rough and rustic wines however it's just starting to hit it straps producing much more powerful merlot dominant wines.

The 2004 Chateau de Carles is deep, dark, smooth, richly fruited, and very polished in the glass. After decanting you see the wines true colours of earth and extra "funk" alongside a set of very ripe tannins. Its flavours are broader, more Merlot oriented than Cabernet franc (with touches of malbec).

Special - in-store (and blog) offer:

Buy 12, get a Spiegelau Decanter Free!

So you can start drinking and decanting almost immediately??delicious.

RRP $55 - Armadale Cellars $49.95

Drink this now, or over the next 7-10 years. Either way it is TERRIFIC!

Simply contact our sales team to place an order!

Armadale Cellars now on Twitter...

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:00:00 GMT

You kind of marvel at all the possibilities to interact with customers.. not just those that come in to the cellars for courses, events, or just to buy a bottle.

Last week we had a customer email us through the contact us area of the website to ask us to pair a wine to the goat he was planning for dinner. Luke Berry quickly obliged with a matching and hopefully our customer quite enjoyed his meal (look for his comments in our forum, soon).

Education is the most important thing to us here at Armadale Cellars. We want to create a dialogue with you to help you enjoy the most out of your wines. After all, life is too short!

With this in mind, we've just joined Twitter. If you have a twitter account, please link to us at twitter.com : Armadalecellars
We'd love to hear what you're up to!

The Site is up.. the Blogging begins!

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Well the site is finally up - and we're finally stepping into the technological age with a new interactive website. In the not too distant future, we'll be adding the ability to buy wine and sign up for courses and events on our site, too. Thrilling stuff happening here at Armadale Cellars.

No doubt there will be a few misspellings here and there, and it'll take us a little while to work out all of the navigation and such, but please feel free to share any of your thoughts and comments on what we've done - or simply post a reply to this blog (you must be logged in to post comments).

We really hope that you like the new changes and we look forward to hearing from you, seeing you.. and sharing with you the best of the World's Wines. After all.. life is just too short!

Chateau Roquefort 2006 Sauvignon-Semillon

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My trip to Bordeaux last year yielded a number of wine styles that I was taken by.

The Bordeaux Blanc is a style that is forgotten to some extent in this country but once revisited extends a whole new meaning to Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.

Chateau Roquefort 2006 Sauvignon-Semillon ($29.95)

From the Lugasson area, this is a smart, well-rounded wine. Opens with the exotic scent of rambutans, green papaya and honeysuckle. The palate is different with a strong line of straw/hay and acidity.

Not so fruity as textural (very French) which makes it perfect for the table.

Chateau Carbonnieux

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Jeni Port (Age Epicure 26.8.08) recently reviewed two great wines that we have in stock, one a stellar example of SSB and the other, a very affordable but seriously textured old-world example. Today's feature is the first, Chateau Carbonnieux 2005 ($79)

They don't make 'em like this in Oz! A Grand Cru wine from Pessac- Leognan, Chateau Carbonnieux uses winemaking techniques (including oak) to release the kind of complexity you don't normally associate with sav-sems.

Begins with a surge of herbs, citrus and crushed green
leaves. Very smooth, like lanolin in texture, with a nougat
nuttiness, fresh acidity and very, very long.

2000 Langi Shiraz

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 23:33:49 GMT

The opportunity to open a good bottle by oneself presented last nite knowing that the "better half" was off at yoga.

A quick flick through my cellar and I reached for a 2000 Langi Shiraz. Absolutely pristine and everything I'd hoped; perfect cork, perfect condition and showing primary, secondary and tertiary characters melding and strutting their stuff in an intricate mix.

Possibly to good to watch "The Footy Show " with but "Life is too short ?.." decided to go ahead and give it a go.

Had a look at wine this morning and it held up overnight in the glass too?. sign of a great wine that!

Grange - to drink, 'share' or savour?

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 01:59:55 GMT

INVESTORS seeking a safe haven for their assets during the financial meltdown should consider a punt on plonk, says Penfolds' chief winemaker, (and maker of Grange), Peter Gago, in an article in the Australian today titled "Vino, vidi, vici: wine's a winning investment" (read the article here)

Wine investment is a funny game and I have heard most stories of bargains and duds. Although Grange is a constant survivor, it is now simply out of the reach of standard drinking regime (and pocket). I'd much rather drink a few RWT's or Wild Duck Creek's or Torbrecks at a fifth or a tenth of the price. But I'm lucky, as I've had a good look at many Granges. If you can get one , drink it and savor it and charge your glass to Max Schubert for having such vision and fortitude. Don't treat it like a capitalistic piece; open it , savor it and share it with the ones you love. It is a great wine style that deserves to be shared , not share-substituted !!

More Good News About Red Wine!

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 23:38:55 GMT

The journal Gastroenterology published an article in its March 2009 edition about the beneficial effects of drinking wine. The researchers who wrote the article revealed that compared to people who did not drink, those who drank seven or more glasses of wine per week were 66% less likely to develop an abnormality in the esophagus that could lead to abnormal cellular growth in that area. It was noted that wine contains certain compounds that could reduce damage to the esophagus. The authors mentioned alternatively that drinking wine might be part of a healthier life style which could have some beneficial effect as well. This is not the first study to show that wine, particularly red wine, has amazing health benefits. Red wine is loaded with antioxidants from polyphenols and resveratrol. This combination appears to work synergistically to promote good health and healthy ageing. That deserves another stem of great red to celebrate!

Moss Wood made Cabernet at a bargain price

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:34:56 GMT

The Montgomery vineyard is located in the Willyabrup sub-region of the Margaret River. MossWood have acted as consultants in the planning and operations of the vineyard since inception and currently take all the fruit, (apart from that used for Montgomery).

The Montgomery 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon is possibly the most Bordeaux-esque wine the vineyard has produced. It is comprised of 85% Cabernet 11% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot.The wine was vinified at MossWood under the guidance of Keith Mugford and aged in 30% newFrench oak for 18 months.

The wine is a deep red/purple in colour displaying lifted floral aromas with notes of violets, cassis and red berries. It is a classic Cabernet Sauvignon with a supportive oak and balanced fruit punch with a long lingering finish. The Montgomery is drinkable now but has the structure to be cellared for 5-12 yrs for best results.

This is a wine of distinction at a very affordable price : $25.70 (case rate) and $27.95 bottle but very limited.

Class in a glass - as featured in The Age

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:56:37 GMT

Wine is loaded with snob appeal, but don't let that scare you off. Here are 10 easy steps to getting more enjoyment out of wine.

To be perfectly blunt, the working title of this story was supposed to be "How to become a wine wanker". Although concerned that the editor considered me the best person for the job, we agreed it was a working title only.

For the record, the pair of us are the type to chuckle at the film Sideways, cringe at Alan Rickman's character in Bottle Shock, and sniff a glass of wine before we taste. We love fortifieds, argue over the merits of pinot gris (I'd pull every vine out, the boss believes all wines have the right to exist), and neither would consider ourselves a wine wanker. You know the type: the annoyingly articulate bore who likes to confound novices with references to pH levels and residual sugar, all the time swirling a tasting glass with a pinky-finger sticking out. They are so common that at last year's Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, three sommeliers ran a course called "How to not drink wine like a wanker". It was a hit.

The point of this story, as with the above-mentioned course, is to demystify wine. Despite being told to come up with a new theme, I just couldn't shake the original. After some soul searching, I knew the reason - memories of a wine dinner in South Africa in 2003.

I was travelling across the country with half a dozen British journalists. My main interest was the great old wineries of Paarl and Stellenbosch. After a day of touring, we sat down for dinner with Nederburg winemaker Razvan Macici to taste his entire range. He'd spent the days before our arrival chatting with the chef and matching wines with each course, making little sheets for our tasting notes and pulling out back-vintages from the cellar for a vertical tasting.

Unfortunately for Macici, a cheerful Romanian chap, he hadn't been delivered an appreciative bunch. When we arrived for dinner, two journos told him they didn't like white wine and asked for beer. Another plonked an ice cube into her chardonnay.

He pushed on, went around the table and asked us all what his 2001 Nederburg sauvignon blanc smelled like. I recall one of the answers was "grapes". When it was my turn, I said: "Nice fruit. A little citrus, but I really like the grassiness."

Macici smiled, but around me it fell silent, like in a western movie when the bad guy walks into the saloon. I saw one of the beer drinkers silently mouth to the other: "Grass-i-ness?" With just one word, I was officially the wine wanker at the table.

At least Macici adopted me, and we spent the rest of the night drinking some of the better reds from his cellar, including a private bin pinotage from Nederburg's famous annual auction.

My own wine journey started a little earlier than most, blind tasting reds around the kitchen table with my father and two of our neighbours while of high-school age. In the following 20-odd years I've learnt much more about wine, and I also know I have barely scratched the surface of what there is to discover.

The eccentric Austrian winemaker Willi Opitz put it best. Opitz is as well known for his CD Sounds of Wine - a "live recording" of wine fermenting in a barrel - as he is for his legendary sweet red Opitz One.

I met him once in London. Opitz told me he'd bought a new tractor thanks to his CD sales, but he also said he had just 25 more vintages to go before he retired. "That's only 25 more chances to try to make perfect wine," he said.

Opitz had won accolades and awards from around the world, but even he was still learning about wine. Perhaps one of the great barriers wine presents is the sheer scale and breadth of the subject matter. Winemaker, sommelier and educator Luke Campbell likes to tell his students that it's never too late or too soon for a wine journey to begin. So here are 10 tips to drinking and appreciating wine, hopefully without being called the "W-word".

RULE 1: ASK QUESTIONS

To write this article, I went back to school and sat in on a beginners' wine class. Those who got the most out of it were those who asked questions. There are no stupid questions when it comes to wine.

One student asked if Burgundy was a grape or a region. On hearing that Burgundy is a region, and all great Burgundian reds are pinot noir and all whites are chardonnay, you could see the bulbs lighting up around the room. Others asked similar questions about Bordeaux, Rhone and Chianti, and within minutes those intimidating European labels were being broken down.

There is no shortage of classes to get you started on any given night in Melbourne. The Australian Wine Society runs occasional classes, as does Parkhill Cellars in North Melbourne.

If you want to embark on the world's most recognised wine certification, you can begin the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses at Prince Wine Store in South Melbourne. That will take you all the way up to Master of Wine (see breakout panel, right). Armadale Cellars has a reputation for providing good courses. The owner, Phil Hude, once ran a pub opposite Pentridge Prison, and knows how to evict drunks twice his size, so not much time is given to the overly pretentious at his cellars.

RULE 2. SNIFFING IS CRUCIAL

Perhaps the most pretentious image of the wine connoisseur is of a large nose buried in a tasting glass. Remember, however - you paid for those smells, as much as for the taste and the alcohol. The human tongue can only detect five basic tastes. The human nose can pick up on millions of scents. Most importantly, smells are a dead giveaway if the wine is "corked", which means it has a fault. At Armadale Cellars, students are provided with little vials containing the 17 most common faults that cause a wine to be corked. By sniffing those, they are able know what odours to detect in a corked wine.

RULE 3. SWIRLING IS GOOD

We've all seen the type, constantly swirling wine in a glass, round and round. Swirling is good because it releases aromas in a glass. Just don't overdo it to show off. And if you want to do it right, practice with some water in a glass first. There's nothing worse than covering yourself and any innocent bystanders with red wine at your next winery visit.

RULE 4. DECANTING DOES HELP

At Armadale Cellars, Luke Campbell plays a trick on his novice students. All the wines are tasted in pairs, for comparison, and students are asked to choose their preferred wine and describe the differences. For the final pair, the class of 20 students is unanimously in favour of the second wine, which is described as "older", "smoother" and "better balanced" by the class. One or two describe the first wine as far too young.

Campbell then announces it's exactly the same wine, a 2006 Bowen Estate shiraz, from exactly the same bottle - he's just decanted and aerated half of it before the class, and that's the half they all prefer. Try Campbell's experiment on your friends. For young reds and powerful Australian reds, there is no doubt that decanting helps, especially on cheaper bottles, and even some whites. For older wines, especially those aged 10 years or more, decanting can remove much of the liveliness, so just a little breathing is best.

RULE 5. DON'T BE SHY

Part of the joy of wine is that it's a shared experience - wine is easily the most sociable of all collectibles. You don't see stamp collectors or coin collectors destroying their treasures as part of the fun. Wine collectors, with the exception of those in it for profit, raid the cellar on a regular basis, and normally do so with accomplices. At all the wine courses I've attended, perhaps the hardest part for the teacher is getting students to describe what they taste and smell in front of others.

Just let go - you wouldn't see a movie with friends and not say a word about it afterwards, good or bad. It's the same with wine. "Use your memory and express yourself," Luke Campbell says. "One person might say they smell blackberries in a wine, another aniseed. Neither is wrong. It's part of the joy."

RULE 6. LEARN BASIC WINE TERMS

We've all read reviews and tasting notes and had cause to chuckle. "Hints of gooseberries", "slate minerality", "old cigar box", "old boot leather", etc.

No one can smell and taste all that, can they?

Truth is, they can. Not everyone has had the pleasure of sniffing a gooseberry or, thankfully, old boot leather, but wine has a remarkable trait of tasting and smelling of just about everything in the world other than grapes.

If you're starting out, just learn the basics. It's important to identify the "hotness" and "viscosity" of high alcohol, the drying grip of tannins and the bite of acidity. It can be intimidating, but your palate will tell you more.

If you sense the aroma of soil or minerals, that's "earthiness"; the "finish" is what you taste after you've swallowed; and "length" refers to how long you can taste the wine after you've swallowed.

"Mouthfeel" is the word used to describe the texture of a wine; "complexity" is used to describe wines that contain many flavours and smells; and "balance" is the concept of all those flavours and smells working together.

You will see often reds described as round, smooth, soft or spicy. The best way to learn is to taste.

RULE 7. VISIT WINERIES, ESPECIALLY THE SMALL ONES

It's the best way to talk about wine with people who really love the subject, and if you visit the smaller ones, chances are you'll be able to chat with the winemaker rather than someone hired by a multinational corporation to dispense the plonk.

Most of all, refer to rule one. On a recent visit to Rutherglen, on the Murray River in northern Victoria, my wines at Chambers Rosewood Vineyard were poured by Mr Chambers, and my wines at Anderson Winery were poured by Mr Anderson.

Neither had to read the label to answer questions.

RULE 8. KNOW YOUR GRAPES

No one expects you to know them all; there are thousands of them, including a hundred-odd clones of shiraz. But it's good to learn the basics and be able to pick a pinot from a shiraz, or a sauvignon blanc from a chardonnay.

You won't always get it right. A family friend has been in love with Victorian durif for three decades, and at a blind tasting declared of one From page 6 glass: "If that's durif, I'll never drink durif again."

She now says the letters D-U-R-I-F spell "merlot".

RULE 9. LEARN HOW IT'S MADE

You don't need to know a lot, but a little really helps. All the beginner wine courses in Melbourne teach the basics of how wine is made and where the flavours come from.

It's good to know that all grape juice is white, and that red wine comes from leaving the juice and red grape skins together for some time; and that alcohol is the waste product formed when yeast "eats" sugar. It's good to know what winemakers can add to the wine, and what they can't.

RULE 10. EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT

Nederburg's Razvan Macici didn't say a word when an ice cube was plonked into his chardonnay.

Everyone's tastes are different, and one person's trash is another's treasure. Few visitors to Greece have escaped the perils of retsina, which contains pine resin, but the locals have been enjoying the stuff for more than 2000 years. So next time you are wine tasting and the folks up the front are swirling and sniffing and talking tannins and mouthfeel, jump right in and join the fun.

Classes with glasses

Here's just a few of the many wine education programs on offer in Victoria.

Armadale Cellars

Programs range from "one-night palate trainers" ($39) to a five-week "introduction to wine" course ($199) and four-week "old world wine" course ($295).

Armadale Cellars, 813-817 High Street, Armadale, phone 9509 3055, or visit www.armadalecellars.com/index.shtml for more information.

Mark Hawthorne
July 22, 2009

Larmandier Bernier New Vintage Tasting Notes - Direct from France!

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:09:15 GMT

As some of you are aware, I am currently on my yearly wine-tasting expedition in France. On the 1st September, Luke and I had the pleasure of visiting Larmandier Bernier and I've included a sneak peek of the new-release vintage wines below:

2006 LB Rose: Pinot Noir

Dry, full-fruited style of Rose with dark cherry pith and tea-leaf notes on nose. Maraschino cherries with impacting lift from the flute. No prettiness here but a brute force of varietal punch with the obvious results of biodynamic priciples shining through. On the palate lots of red fruits and redcurrant flood the mouth with a blood-orange / ruby grapefruit character and stain the length of the palate with excellent persistency.

Tradition Premier Cru 80% PN /20% Chard (3 vintage blend)

Uncomplicated style with some richness from the fruit from south of Cote de Blanc which makes this one of the most quality value wines from LB.This wine has a citric feel with some nougat, white peach and spice (nutmeg, cinnamon tea-cake ) with the flavours showing overtness without the mask of additional sugar. It also has a lovely softness and roundness that zings through the palate but still has the structure and persistency to hallmark an excellent NV.

Blanc De Blanc 1 er Cru (3 vintage blend) Dosage 4 g/l)

North sites of the Cote de Blanc (Cramant, Oger,Avize) fruit (Chalky, quartz-driven terroir) showing in this 3 vintage cuvee with ripe fruit qualities of peach , nectarine and pear that make a seductive fruit-compote on nose, but with a defined, chalky style of palate that drives the wine through the palate and leaves a persistent sherbert style character that cleanses the palate with an elegant, linear flow.

Terre De Vertus 2006 Non dose 1 er Cru Extra Brut

Chardonnay from one vineyard from Vertus which is biodynamically farmed.Spicy. Long with clear, focused fruit that would be a perfect match with "fruits des mer" such as oysters, shellfish, fleshly, compacted fish . A way of revitalising the day by drinking such a lifted style of creamy, lactic style but with precise borders and stature.Very smart indeed.

Veille Vignes de Cramant 2004Grand Cru

100 % Old VINE in cramant. Freshly tilled earth, nettle and spice/potpurri notes from and intriguing complex nuances from a massive 4 years on lees. This Champagne needs time in bottle (not something I'd normally recommend for most Champagne) but 8 mths - 2yrs will allow the style to blossom into honey, nougat flavours with intense richness and depth of character.

Veille Vignes de Cramant 1996 Grand Cru

100 % Old VINE in cramant. Freshly tilled earth style with increased nettle and complex nuances from a massive 4 years on lees and extra bottle-age . The style has blossomed into a honey, nougat, with lemon fruit gum character and dry, chalk-dust structure with intense richness and depth of character. Stunning example from great year First cuvee made by Pierre after finishing wine school.

Duel for best bottle of red in Australia

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:11:07 GMT

AFTER more than 50 years the supremacy of Penfolds Grange as Australia's leading wine is under threat.

Fellow South Australian winemaker Henschke's latest Hill of Grace, the 2005 vintage, is selling for $510 at the cellar door and for about $550 in liquor stores. The 2004 Grange release also sells for about $550 a bottle - leaving the two locked in combat as buyers seek out collectable wines as Christmas presents.

In the US the 2005 Hill of Grace sells for $US550 ($600), and the 2004 Grange fetches $US450.

Sommelier Stuart Knox, owner of Sydney restaurant Fix St James, said: ''Ask the general public and I'm sure that Grange is still No. 1 in terms of reputation but, for those in the industry and for knowledgeable collectors, Hill of Grace has the track record to prove it can challenge Grange.

''They are wines made in different styles but in a lot of years, given the choice, I'd plump for Hill of Grace ... It's made by a family winery from a small vineyard with a lot of history. Grange is a bit of an anomaly, being a multi-regional blend. Take Grange out of the equation and Hill of Grace would be the undisputed king.''

In the US Hill of Grace appears to have already taken over from Grange, with previous Hill of Grace releases fetching more, although this has a lot to do with rarity value to collectors. Only 25 cases of the 2005 Hill of Grace were shipped to the US, compared with 1000 cases of Grange.

British wine writer Jancis Robinson has described Hill of Grace as ''a serious rival to Penfolds Grange on the auction circuit'' and ''a much more subtle shiraz''.

Leading Australian wine critic James Halliday says: ''Hill of Grace is second only to Penfolds Grange as Australia's red icon.''

Influential US magazine Wine Spectator rates Hill of Grace and Grange among the finest in the world, giving both 98 out of 100 in the current issue - but the rivalry is a friendly one. Henschke winemaker Stephen Henschke said: "We are not trying to compete - they are very different wines."

Penfolds chief winemaker Peter Gago said: "Australia needs more wine flagships. After carrying the load for more than half a century, Grange actively welcomes more players to share this stage."

Whether buyers opt for Hill of Grace or Grange, they'll need to be quick to snap up a bottle for Christmas. Supplies of Hill of Grace are always limited because it is made from grapes from a single old-vine vineyard; the 2004 Grange is in short supply and on allocation.

Hill of Grace, the creation of the late Cyril Henschke, had its first vintage in 1958. It is sourced from the Hill of Grace vineyard at Keyneton in Eden Valley.

Penfolds Grange, whose first maker was the late Max Schubert, had its first vintage in 1951 and its first commercial release in 1952. It was called Grange Hermitage until 1990.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

WINSOR DOBBIN

November 29, 2009

Merchant Prince steals the show!

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 02:38:17 GMT

Campbells Wines have added to their silverware cabinet this week, taking out two very significant trophies at the Rutherglen Wine Show.

Both trophies were awarded to Campbells Merchant Prince Rare Rutherglen Muscat for -

?Best Australian Fortified Muscat

?Best Australian Fortified wine in show

Winemaker Colin Campbell was on hand to receive the trophies, and was understandably proud of the achievement. 'Rutherglen is the second biggest wine show in the country, and also has the greatest number of fortified classes, so to win two fortified trophies at Rutherglen means you have beaten some very tough competition.'

'The trophy for the best fortified wine in show is particularly important to us. Recognition does not come much higher than this trophy for fortified wines in Australia, so it's a great reward for our efforts. Recognition must also go to my late father and grandfather, as after all they are the generations that put aside the base stocks for this wine'.

Of the wine itself Colin commented, 'The Merchant Prince Rare Muscat is rare by name and nature. To maintain the quality of the wine, we can only bottle a small amount each year, and demand always outstrips supply. The wine is incredibly rich, with an impressive depth of flavour, and displays Campbells hallmark characters of complexity and elegance.

The 'trophy' for the best fortified wine in show is actually a new 225 litre French barrique which the company plans to put to good use during the coming vintage.

The show was a successful outing for Campbells, with a further 17 medals also awarded to the winery for a range of table and fortified wines.

Campbells Merchant Prince Rare Muscat: $129

Mention this blog and recieve a bottle of Campbells Bobbie Burns 07 Shiraz as a bonus when you purchase a bottle of the Merchant Prince!

Call 9509 3055 to order!

Rascal Bourgogne: As Featured in Epicure's Bargain Bin This Week

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 04:10:48 GMT

Wine critic Jeni Port has featured our house Bourgogne in this week's Epicure Bargain bin feature.

She writes:

"In 2009 Armadale Cellars' owner Phil Hude travelled to France for blending trials to create his own Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The 2009 Rascal Bourgogne Rouge is a cherry feast with sour cherry fruit, cranberry and rhubarb. The 2009 Bourgogne Blanc is in a similar fresh and easy-drinking mould with striking citrus and apple notes". Both wines are short-term cellaring propositions."

Both wines are $24.95 per bottle, or mention this blog/epicure feature and receive 13 to the dozen (mixed or straight)! For this weekly only! Contact us on 9509 3055 to order.