Winetastic

The Mount Langi Ghiran “Billi Billi” Shiraz is yet another value for money red highlighted by the current “Top 50″ promotion at Dan Murphy’s.

This Shiraz is blood red in colour with aromas of plum, cherry and chocolate. The wine feels rather full and fleshy in the mouth before bursting into a peppery finish that lingers for some time. With little tannin to speak of and drinking well now, this would be an ideal wine to crack open at a BBQ with a big t-bone steak.

Most red wines are definitely better if opened an hour or two before consumption, the Billi Billi Shiraz represents an extreme case of this rule. Minutes after opening, the peppery characters overwhelmed all other aspects of this wine, however after an hour the fruit characters came into balance.

Score: 7/10
Price: $14
Closure: Screwcap
Would I buy this wine again?
Yes, this is a good value for money quaffing red with character.

Online retailer Boccaccio are offering:

Leo Buring Eden Valley Riesling 2005 - $13.99
Saltram Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - $17.99
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 - $16.99

More offers are listed in the Boccaccio Newsletter.

Dan Murphy’s have a couple of offers this week which caught my eye:

The Black Chook Shiraz Viognier 2005 - $14.90 or $13.40 in mixed dozen
Gemtree Uncut Shiraz 2004 - $18.90 or $17.90 in mixed dozen

Know of another great special this week? Post a comment below and share the bargain hunting love.

Australian Old Vine Wine have thoroughly impressed us with their premium quality wines at incrediblely reasonable prices, and their semillon botrytis is no exception.

A soft golden straw in colour, this botrytis has a gentle honey nose with hues of intermingled citrus. There are very subtle hints of apricot present on the palate nicely balanced with light citrus flavours, it’s viscous without being overly sweet. This is a delicate, soft dessert wine that is concentrating more on the fruit flavours rather than being a big sticky botrytis. A really well balanced and structured wine, which is exceptionally easy to drink.

This wine is drinking incredibly well now but has cellaring potential for another 8 years. If you tend to steer away from the typically sweeter Aussie style dessert wines then give this a try, it might be right up your alley.

Would I buy this wine again?
Yes, i think i’d go as far as to say this is my favourite dessert wine to date, and at only $12 a bottle from the cellar door there is great value to be had. We have several bottles in the cellar which we are going to try and leave for a few years.

Gemma and I have some very good news, we are now engaged to be married! Such an occasion cannot go by without some sparkling celebration, so based on a fine recommendation at Uncle Dan’s we picked up a couple of bottles of the Clover Hill 2001 sparkling from Tasmanian producer Taltarni.

Pale straw in colour with vigorous small bubbles. Distinct aromas of apple are present, the wine is extremely refreshing and well balanced, controlled acidity and minerality combine with a touch of fruit and toasty characters. Taltarni have further information about the wine available.

This is a truly enjoyable sparking wine, far better than any entry level or non vintage Champagne I have tasted. As a side note, a special bottling of this wine was served at the wedding of Prince Frederik and Mary Donaldson in Denmark.

Score: 8/10
Price: $35
Closure: Cork
Would I buy this wine again?
Yes, this is a wine well suited for any special occasion.

It’s a good week to be buying red wine from Dan Murphy’s, as usual all prices are even better in a straight or mixed dozen, the following specials caught my eye from the Sydney flyer:

Gemtree Uncut Shiraz 2004 - $18.90, 8/10
Pepperjack Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - $14.90, 7/10
Rosemount Show Reserve Shiraz 2002 - $17.90, 8/10

On the white front they have Annies Lane Riesling 2005 for $11.90, which was impressive at a recent tasting.

We came across the Gemtree Uncut Shiraz 2004 at a Dan Murphy’s tasting last week, it was the pick of the wines on show and did not disappoint at home after half a bottle. The wine was a Blue-Gold award winner at the Sydney International Wine Competition 2006.

Layers of inviting aromas are present, both dark and red fruits, peppermint and a dash of oak. A very easy drinking and full bodied wine, fleshy plum and berry flavours lead into a lingering finish with fine tannins and a little oak. Gemtree have further tasting notes available.

This is exactly what I look for in McLaren Vale Shiraz, full bodied, juicy and almost too easy to drink. I would say this wine would be a crowd pleaser, however there is enough complexity there for us wine geeks to ponder over as well. Best of all, the wine is sensibly sealed under screwcap.

Score: 8/10
Price: $19
Closure: Screwcap
Would I buy this wine again?
Yes, good value for money to be had here and the winery suggests good cellaring potential.

The Richard Hamilton Gumprs’ Shiraz has slipped under the winetastic radar until it was highlighted this week as part of Dan Murphy’s “Top 50″ promotion. When I see 2002 and McLaren Vale shiraz in the same sentence I typically get rather excited, especially when the wine is available for under $15.

A medium red/purple in colour, no where near as dark as expected. Aromas of chocolate and red fruits, on the palate there is a decent balance between plum, red berries and dry powdery tannins. I would not have picked this as McLaren Vale shiraz in a blind tasting, it is no where near as big and dark as most examples. After further tasting notes? Try the Richard Hamilton website.

Overall an enjoyable wine at its price point. If you prefer your shiraz a tad lighter or dryer then this will probably hit the mark as a mid-week quaffer. Personally I would lean toward the even better value Hardy’s Oomoo Shiraz 2004.

Score: 6/10
Price: $14
Closure: Cork
Would I buy this wine again?
Unlikely as I prefer richer and darker McLaren Vale shiraz. It is a good value quaffer however.

Shiraz viognier blends are all the rage at the moment, today its the Meerea Park Shiraz Viognier 2003 from the Hunter Valley, but I also have my eye on a couple more for the next few weeks.

Initially the nose was showing only some leathery aromas, so we let the bottle sit for an hour. Later on complex aromas of cherries, mint, leather and a little earth were present. Medium bodied with a chewy texture, red fruits are present up front that fade into powdery tannins on a long drying finish. Mereea Park have further tasting notes on their website.

The viognier influence is not overt in this wine, there was little or no apricot aromas or flavours present. Basically its hunter shiraz with a little lift, a complex wine with a style that does not quite suit my palate.

Score: 7/10
Price: $16
Closure: Screwcap
Would I buy this wine again?
Probably not, however it is well worth a try and good value for money.

Now that the cooler weather has arrived we are getting stuck right into the reds again. In the interests of science we are trying as many different wines as possible, this week it is the Robertsons Well Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, made from fruit grown in the Coonawarra region.

Initially inviting aromas of blackberry, plum and oak, these continue onto the palate accompanied by some spices and drying tannins on the finish. Medium bodied and easy drinking. This is not an overly complex wine, however you cannot really expect that much from a $14 Cabernet.

Overall this is a good wine, however it is not hard to justify spending the extra $3 for a bottle of the Mamre Brook Cabernet when it is on special.

Score: 6/10
Price: $14
Closure: Cork
Would I buy this wine again?
Maybe if I was after a budget Cabernet and was faced with an unfamiliar selection.

As far as I can tell, Kilikanoon have a good reputation and so I figured we would experiment with a bottle of their entry level Shiraz, the 2004 Killerman’s Run. Weighing in at 15% alcohol I was expecting a big fruit driven wine, this one actually overshot the mark.

Loads of dark fruits, plum and alcohol on the nose, the palate consists mostly of sweet plum or prune flavours with a little oak on the finish. Not much dryness to speak of here, a little tannin but mostly lingering sweetness. This Shiraz is a fruit monster that is out of balance and overripe. Kilikanoon do not have an up to date tasting note on their website. *Edit* A tasting note for the 2004 vintage is now available on the Kilikanoon website.

This was actually a great addition to the pasta sauce I was cooking at the time, the sweetness of the wine helped balance the tomato nicely. It was over the top for a table wine, too fruity and sweet. If you enjoy that style of red wine, you will probably love it.

Score: 5/10
Price: $17
Closure: Screwcap
Would I buy this wine again?
No, could not bring myself to finish the bottle.