Winetastic

I just stumbled across an aussie video blog called Wineweek, they have been up and running for a few months now, producing a short show in a somewhat weekly format that review three wines per episode in a clear and straightforward manner, good stuff Brad & Danny.

For the wine geeks among us:

Laser Wine Thermometer
The lazy man’s thermometer, this is a nifty little gadget. You simply sit back, point the thermometer at the bottle of wine, and with the press of a button the thermometer registers the internal temperature of the wine.

Delong’s Wine Variety Table
This looks the business and would be a great talking point. Its an interesting poster that gives a visual way to look at wine grape varietals in a spectrum. It covers descriptions from the common wines right through to the very obscure.

The Cork Fish
There have been a couple of occasions where a cork has broken when cracking a bottle, and the only recourse is to push it into the bottle. Problem with that - cork chunks in the wine the rest of dinner. At last a gadget that proposes to solve this problem.

The Wine Clip
This is an interesting one… Allegedly, this clip puts “high intensity” magnets around the neck of your wine bottle and as the wine passes through the magnets, the change in magnetic field produces a chemical reaction that “reconfigures the wine’s natural tannins and certain impurities, creating a silkier flavor and finish.”

The “Unbreakable” Wine Glass
Big time quotes around “Unbreakable” here because it’s clearly marketing, but Schott-Zwiesel has a wine glass that is apparently break resistent and dishwasher safe whilst being as clear and delicate as a high-end Riedel glass.

I just noticed that we have now published 100 wine reviews here at Winetastic in just under 12 months:

71 red wines, 19 white wines, 6 dessert wines, 3 sparkling wines and 1 fortified wine.
33 Shiraz, 14 blends, 11 Cabernet, 8 Riesling and 6 Semillon (a number that needs to increase).

It is definitely time to crack open a bottle of wine to celebrate…

Saturday night saw a small birthday celebration for Gemma at a local restaraunt Rocksalt with our closest friends. As always the food and service were excellent and in an effort to ensure the evening was entirely memorable, we were drinking 100% Hunter Valley Shiraz. I have some brief notes of the wines below as the nights focus was obviously not on wine analysis.

Meerea Park ‘The Aunts’ Shiraz 2003
The bottle had been open for two hours, after pouring the first glass the open aromas of this wine had snaked their way to the other end of our table. Full flavoured, featuring silky smooth tannins, restrained red fruits and some earthy complexity. I am very glad we have another 5 bottles to go, good value for money.

Mount Pleasant Rosehill Shiraz 2000
I challenge anyone to find a better match of a tender eye fillet steak. Dark and red fruits, pepper, spices and some underlying earthy characters, a Shiraz full in flavour and body with sound tannin structure.

Irongate Estate Sweet Shiraz 2004
A wine which is the ideal match for dark and rich chocolate treats. The red berry fruit flavours of the Shiraz formed an excellent combination with chocolate mud cake. Do try this at the cellar door, it is not overly sweet and actually makes a pretty good pre-dinner drink when slightly chilled.

Mount Pleasant Phillip Shiraz 2002
A wine reviewed in full recently, one of the best value for money reds on the market right now, especially when you can find it on special for only $12. Give this Shiraz some time to breathe as the last glass is usually the best.

Just a quick note following up from my earlier impressions from the Wyndham Estate cellar door. All I can say is rejoice dear reader, for we have drunk these wines so that you don’t have to.

The Bin 555 Shiraz 2004 was appealing for the money at the tasting, however a bottle purchased subsequently is barely drinkable. There is a distinct ethanol/varnish flavour to the wine, it is ok for cooking.

The Bin 888 Cabernet Merlot 2003 is somewhat better than the Shiraz, however it does not hold a bar the the Annie’s Lane Cabernet Merlot 2004, which can be found at a similar price point.

A combination of being in an excellent mood, the great cellar door staff and a day of wine tasting obviously influenced my opinion at the time.

Since I enjoyed Annie’s Lane Riesling 2005, I figured I would also give the 2004 Cabernet Merlot a try. It’s a wine that is widely available, with the price fluctuating between $11 and $16.

Vibrant and promising aromas of mint, cherry and plum, a medium bodied wine with red fruit and chocolate flavours. Well balanced, finishing with some powdery tannin and dark fruits.

Although this Cabernet Merlot lacks the structure of some more expensive examples, it does represent good value for money and is very approachable now. The winery also advises cellaring potential up to 7 years.

Score: 7/10
Price: $11-16
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14.4%
Other Opinions: Winorama
Would I buy this wine again?
Yes, this is a good value for money quaffer.

Dan Murphys NSW/SA/QLD:
Pepperjack Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - $15.90 / $14.90
Leo Buring Clare Valley Riesling 2005 - $12.90 / $12.20

Dan Murphys VIC:
Pepperjack Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - $14.60 / $13.80 (Incredible Value)
Leo Buring Clare Valley Riesling 2005 - $12.90 / $12.20

Prices listed (Per Bottle) / (Mixed Dozen)

Jim’s Cellars Online, $5 delivery to Sydney metro:
Saltram Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - $15.99
Hardy’s Oomoo Shiraz 2004 - $10.99
Leo Buring Eden Valley Riesling 2005 - $12.99

Dan Murphy’s Specials, Single Bottle / Mixed or Straight Dozen prices:
Annie’s Lane Riesling 2005 - $10.90 / $10.30 (Vic/Qld/SA)
Turkey Flat Rose 2005 - $16.90 / $15.90 (SA)

Dan Murphy’s Specials, Single Bottle / Mixed or Straight Dozen prices:
Saltram Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - $17.90 / $16.90
Leo Buring Clare Valley Riesling 2005 - $12.40 / $11.90
Carpineto Dogajolo Toscano 2004 - $13.90 / $13.20

Dan Murphy’s NSW/QLD Only:
Annie’s Lane Riesling 2005 - $10.90 / $10.30

Australia wide they also have the Rosemount Show Reserve Cabernet 2003 - $16.90 / $15.90, have not tried this vintage, the 2001 was fantastic and the 2002 poor. The fact that TORB mentions the 2003 release on his “best buys” this week fills me with confidence.

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.