Old World Wines

• Favourite Old World Wines of the Moment

• Bordeaux

• Sherry

• Recent Old World Releases

• Grand Cru

The term ’Old World’ is used to describe the wine producing regions of Europe and the Mediterranean basin (including the Near East and North Africa). ’Old World’ is used in order to distinguish these wines from those of the ’New World’, a designation which includes the wine producing regions that were established as an indirect result of the European exploration and colonisation that started in the 15th Century.

Wine producing regions of the Old World include France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, and Portugal.

Some of our favourites:

La Croix Rouge VdP de L'Aude France 2003 RRP $16.99, now $12.95 Mention this "website special " for a 13th bottle with every dozen !! Languedoc-Roussillon La Croix is a quality co-operative based near the ancient city Carcassonne. It is a blend of merlot and carignan with juicy/berry fruit, bramble amd spice on the nose and palate with long lasting berry aftertaste, great glugging wine (low tannin) and lovely value. This is a great example of a tasty medium-weight wine that could be enjoyed with Lamb Loin Chops and a Smile. Drinking Now.

Castro Martin Albarino $27.55 D / $29.95 S Epicure – (Jeni Port, Feb 2008) Loaded with heaps of honey-suckle, dried herbal/floral notes to start. Friendly, rustic wine with plenty of straw, lemon grapeyness. Steely and strong. 12.5% as/vol.

Toscar 2005 Monastrell $13.75 D / $14.95 S Epicure – Bargain Bin (Jeni Port, Dec 2007) “Toscar’s Monastrell is warm and welcoming, with plump, juicy cherries, sarsaparilla, briar and lantana on the nose with a dry earthiness on the palate and a dry, tannic finish. There is a touch of exotic about this well structured red”. Winorama – (Gary Walsh, Oct 2007) Aromas of dark cherry, blood plum, Provençal herbs, earth, spice and ashtray. A little wild but quite engaging. On the palate medium bodied with blood plum and cherry, dried herb, spice and meaty slightly rubbery flavours. It has dry slightly coarse tannins married to attractive well rounded fruit. It feels rustic but has good balance and plenty of charm. I like drinking this and at the price it makes for a champion BBQ wine with a bit of interest. Rated : 88 Points Epicure – Uncorked (Ralph Kyte-Powell, Dec 2007) Toscar 2003 Tempranillo $13.75 D / $14.95 S Winorama – (Gary Walsh, Oct 2007) Quite pruney and meaty but also has some sweeter plum fruitwith a bit of green tobacco and dried herb. The palate is a step up and is medium bodied with plum and prune, roast coffee bean and dried herb flavours. Firm fairly rustic drying tannin. Finishes with some tannin and roast coffee flavours. This would be excellent with a nice bit of fatty lamb. Good solid wine at a very fair price. 86 points. Toscar 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon $13.75 D / $14.95 S Aromas: Exciting ripe aromas of blackberry and plum mixed with dark chocolate. Flavours: An array of juicy fruit characters begins with blackcurrants and leads into more intense black cherry jam. Finish: Amazingly long and balanced with fine cocoa powder tannins.

 

2007 Bordeaux:

On Friday the 18th day of April, some 13 loyal customers and myself were taken on a journey to the epicentre of some of the worlds finest wines, courtesy of John Baker the importer, from Bordeaux Shippers. Accompanied by brilliantly matched cuisine by Blake’s Feast who prepared four Cabernet inspired course’s….. The lights dimmed the stage was set...   Click here to read about the dinner and for the opportunity to purchase some fo the top picks from the night..

Robert Parker - "It’s looking better than I thought". The summer must have been a disaster. Happily, the dry, warm and sunny weather in September seems to have saved it. The best Châteaux, whose financial resources enabled them to carry out rigorous work in the vineyard and a strict selection, have produced wines which are fruity, soft, very charming, which will be pleasant to drink in the coming years.
Figaro.fr - vins / by Sylvain Ouchikh - 17/04/2008
2007 red wines
The 2007 vintage proved itself to be unlike any other I have tasted en primeur (not even the 1997, which some people have cited). Amongst the chaos of disparity, the hallmark of the vintage seems to be in the frankness of the fruit rather than in the structure of the wine. After all, at 12°5 – 13°5 for the Merlots and 11°5 – 13° for the Cabs, the alcohol levels are well below modern norms. For many, this will be a welcome change from the increasing concentration that we have seen in recent years, and will represent what some would say is a return to the true value of claret.
2007 dry whites
These were picked in perfect conditions. With a permanently good forecast, everyone took their time, and could afford to wait until the optimum day for each parcel’s and each variety’s total ripeness. Such a long stop-start harvest meant that the style is very pure, and the nature of the wines is of fresh, fine, tangy fruit, with pronounced acidities, not at all like the big wines of the hot years ’00, ’03 and ’05, and totally in the style of the cooler years ’01, ’02, ’04.
2007 sweet whites
Quite clearly Sauternes has had the best of the vintage.
Excerpt by Jancis Robinson on jancisronbinson.com

 

Sherry – The Spanish Revival

In the month of April 2008, the wine distribution company Spanish Acquisition and about 50 of Melbourne’s “wine–os” welcomed Marcelino Piquero from Sanchez Romate to a confirmed Sherry revival at the humble Bar Lourinhã (inner city Melbourne).

I was lucky enough to be an invited guest; Marcelino was here to demystify the one- time curious aperitif. Sherry! Sherry comes in all manner of styles from sweet, dry to rich, and elegant styles. Armadale Cellars stocks a wide range of Romate styles.  Sherry has been produced for over two hundred years in a mixed climate; wedged between the extreme conditions and warm humidity of the Mediterranean and the chilling winds from the Atlantic Ocean. In the south west corner of Spain in the province of Andalusia, near the Gibraltar Strait. Sanchez Romate is located in Jerez pronounced   “war – ezthh” 

Typically the drink ranges in colour from the very pale, almost clear, to the thick, dark, dense, treacle Pedro Ximénez (PX) and should be consumed fresh (up to 3 months after bottling in most cases) either cold or just under room temperature. There are three main grape varieties used to make Sherry; Palomino, PX and Muscat of Alexandria and they are grown in this barren, white almost chalky soil (called “albariza”). 

Marcelino Piquruero was in Melbourne to introduce the Romate house style; classic dusty, oyster-shelled, nutty Sherries. We tried over a dozen approaches to this age- old fortified wine on the day.

We at AC love sherry, it’s so versatile, food-friendly and so enjoyable, and sometimes you can even pour it over ice-cream. Below are some of the standout styles available now and throughout the year at Armadale Cellars:

1. Romate Fino (meaning fine) Marismeno – Clear and pale in colour, Floral characters on the nose with matchsticks and brine. Low acids, alcohol and all round medium length. A brilliant traditional Fino.                                                            
   Price: $29.95
   

2. Romate Palo Cortado Regente – Pale, slight orange tinge to the colour disc. This style is a lot fuller then other styles,  a cross between a Fino and Amontillado. A pungent nose full of coffee and roasted walnuts becoming a rich thick, herbaceous wine for all occasions. With an aftertaste of crushed nuts.
   Price: $54.95 
   

3. Romate Cream Iberia – At the final stages of Px production Cream Sherry is born.  This is simply a blend of PX and Fino, being full textured unadulterated “love in a glass” cigar box undertones and chocolate to the nose, mocha to the palate and a long constant finish. Reminiscent only of the original Cadbury dairy milk chocolates with just a touch of cinnamon stewed plums….delicious!!
   Price: $39.95
   

4. Romate Pedro Ximénez Cardenal Cineros – One style of sherry that finishes with “BANG”. With its dense viscosity and a sensual dark brown colour this sherry is built to make an impression & generally glug down with food or at the end of a meal unlike other Sherries. The smells of toasted Spanish walnuts caramelising with hits of Mocha and toffee, this sherry had it all going on for me; crushed bark, and cocoa, vanilla with a lingering finish that would not be lost amongst strong company; Food or Friends.
   Price: $54.95          

 

Latest Old World Releases

Quinta do Noval Ports

Quinta do Noval range of Portguese Ports are considered to be amongst the best. As the Port aficionados will note, Quinta do Noval Nacional is the pinnacle of port. What may be less well known is that Quinta do Noval was secured by AXA Millesimes in the early 90s (owners of Pichon Baron, Disznoko, and Suduiraut amongst others). Just like Pichon Baron and Suduiraut, AXA have poured squillions into Noval and the quality across the range has soared. Since 94 the vintage wines have always been rated amongst the best and have garnered big scores and reviews with Parker and others. They are certainly now amongst the best VPs released.
Noval also produce a Vintage Port known as Quinta do Silval. This is very well priced, far cheaper than Noval VP (although still carrying the Noval brand), small production and well reviewed. It is also earlier drinking than the Quinta do Noval VPs.

Noval: Silval 1997 
Great vintage and a great review.
Robert Parker: 93/100 “A small quinta owned by Quinta do Noval, the 1997 Silval is a splendid effort as well as a sleeper of the vintage. This full-bodied, saturated purple-colored wine displays abundant quantities of chocolate, licorice, and coffee bean notes intertwined with black berry and cassis fruit. Massive in the mouth, with sweet tannin and stunning concentration, this knock-out 1997 should drink well in 3-4 years, and last for two decades or more. Very impressive!”
RRP $165.00
Our price $149 bottle  / 137.08 as part of mixed case

Noval: Silval 2005
Just released, so we have no notes but 05 hype and price will make this a no-brainer at the price RRP $105.00
Our price $95 bottle / $87.40 as part of mixed case

We also have the very well priced, Quinta do Noval Tawny 10yo. Carefully selected and aged for three years in oak, Tawny Port is lighter and softer than Ruby Port. It is an elegant, delicate wine with an amber hue and a fresh finish. The varietal composition is Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesa and Tinta Barroca which dominate among the traditional grape varieties of the Demarcated Region of the Douro Valley.
These are quality grapes from traditional suppliers in the heart of the Douro Valley
($79.00 /$ 72.68) & the Quinta Do Noval Tawny ($35 / $32.20)

 

Phil couldn’t resist some of his birth-year in Quinta Do Noval Colheita Tawny 1964. Evolved pale tawny color, with characteristic dried fruit and nuts on the nose and palate.  Very harmonious and balanced. Supple and round in the mouth, combining the typical evolved complexity of old tawny ports with notes of freshness and vigor still present. This aged Tawny is produced of a single vintage from the Quinta, matured in cask for at least seven years and bottled on demand. It combines finesse and elegance with creamy, nutty characteristics and like Vintage Port will take on the style of the harvest year. Increasingly rare, these wines are the supreme expression of the old Tawny Ports. A varietal composition of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga and  Francesa dominate among the traditional grape varieties of the demarcated Region of the Douro Valley.
RRP Priceless !!
 A true treasure at $275 bottle. 

 

Billecarte Salmon Grand Cru Special

Brut Blanc de Blancs

Tight, austere attack with citric meringue tang and biscuity, honeydew notes. Long refreshing palate filled with granny smith apples, with acidity that demands food styles such as seafood or cream-based dishes. This vintage release from this famous 16th Century house is testament to the Billecart vintage style of releasing only in exceptional years. It is a blend of vintages with the majority coming from 1998.

RRP $145.00 - $115.00 part of mixed/straight dozen / $125.00 single

 

     

 

 

 

 

Wine prices are shown as D = Dozen Price per bottle and S = Single Price per bottle

See latest New World Releases...