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| Wine reviews | |
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| Topic Started: May 30 2009, 09:18:21 PM (1,019 Views) | |
| (gordon38555) | May 30 2009, 09:18:21 PM Post #1 |
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Australia is blessed with some truely remarkable wine regions. Personally, I was never much of a wine drinker until I immigrated here. I've since grown quite fond of wine, and am going to take a wine tasting course to be more knowledgable in what I'm drinking and learn how to appreciate them even more. Would anyone be interested in participating in a wine review thread? I'm thinking something to the affect of when you drink a different bottle of wine, just write a short paragraph describing it. If anyone else has any more ideas, by all means please speak up. |
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| (gordon38555) | May 30 2009, 09:52:14 PM Post #2 |
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I guess since I've created this thread I should probably make a review. I'll start by saying that most of the wines I drink are from south australia. Tonight I've opened a bottle of red, Bremerton Tamblyn 2007. http://www.bremerton.com.au/wines/tamblyn07.html This particular vintage is from the Langhorne Creek area of south australia. I opened the bottle and poured it straight away, no decantering this bottle. It is a red, constisting of 45% cabernet, 34% shiraz, 11% malbec and 10% merlot. I didn't actually enjoy my first taste. It was a bit strong and bitey. I was drinking it whilst enjoying a plate of cheese and biscuits. I let it set a few minutes and it seemed to settle down and to me it became a bit more smoother tasting, less bitey. It's taken me about 40 minutes to drink the first glass. By the end of the first glass I've found it to be quite nice. I think I should have decantered it a half hour before pouring it. The rest of the bottle seems to be going down rather nicely. It is a bottle I would definitely drink again and offer to guests. As a side note, once I take my course I'm sure I'll be more informed and be able to give a much better description. |
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| crapola | May 30 2009, 10:58:28 PM Post #3 |
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True Blue Mate
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my cousin and her hubby grow wine grapes in langhorne creek, so its possible you were slurping some of their grapes... personally, i'd rather drink vinegar, but thats just me... |
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| DS6540 | Jun 2 2009, 11:01:25 AM Post #4 |
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True Blue Mate
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Hey gordon38555, I (like you) really started growing fond of wine since I came to Oz. Have you spent much time on the Auswine forums? They typically have Sunday Night what are you drinking threads where some good discussion takes place. I'm all for a thread here; though. I just spent a long weekend in the Barossa and was really impressed with the guys at Turkey Flat. There wasn't much on their list that I didn't enjoy. |
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| (gordon38555) | Jun 2 2009, 02:12:06 PM Post #5 |
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Never heard of the auswine forums. I shall look it up. thanks for the tip. |
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| (provocateur) | Jun 2 2009, 03:31:28 PM Post #6 |
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I spent some time in the Barossa a few years ago and liked several - Melton, Yalumba, Kaessler. I like the Turkey Flat wines but got major attitude from the girl who was working. I haven't bought from them since. Edited by (provocateur), Jun 2 2009, 03:31:51 PM.
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| (gordon38555) | Jun 2 2009, 05:40:25 PM Post #7 |
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I've been to a few of the wineries out there. Also have biked the reisling trail there. But it was over 40' that day and wine tasting just wasn't good with the heat. DS, do you have a linke for the aus wine forum? |
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| DS6540 | Jun 2 2009, 06:34:10 PM Post #8 |
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True Blue Mate
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Too bad that you got 'tude from the Turkey Flat people. We really liked that place. Torbreck changed my life, though - no lie. Here's the link to auswine forums: http://forum.auswine.com.au/ |
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| KrankyKoala | Jun 3 2009, 02:14:07 PM Post #9 |
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I will talk wine any time you want! I am simply amazed at how many great wines I have found in this country. I am now almost to the point where I either buy directly from the cellar door or mail order from the same. Usually if you ask for a deal, especially from the smaller wineries, they are always happy to accommodate. Sometimes I go to Dan Murphy’s and buy a bunch just to taste; but it is really hard to judge a wine by the label! I have had $100 dollar bottles that stunk, and fabulous 15 dollar bottles, so it is equally difficult to judge by price. My favourite region to date is the Barossa, and I hope to have covered all of the 50+ regions in Australia befoe I leave the country or die which ever comes first! |
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| (gordon38555) | Jun 3 2009, 02:38:43 PM Post #10 |
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South australia really does have some excellant wines. I've been buying a fair bit from Cape Jaffa area at the moment. You're also right about buying direct. Recently whilst I was in the cape jaffa area I bought two cartons of wine and they gave me another carton free. 
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| (provocateur) | Jun 3 2009, 04:09:59 PM Post #11 |
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I was like a dog in a butcher's shop in the Barossa. Glaetzer was another really good one. I didn't get any freebies, but I bought about 4 cases of wine, most of which I still have after a trip in early 04.
Edited by (provocateur), Jun 3 2009, 04:10:34 PM.
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| shylady | Jun 3 2009, 04:26:05 PM Post #12 |
oldYank
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 there are some FANTASTIC wines produced here in Western Australia, in the Swan Valley and near Margaret River... just exquisite!  And great values/bonuses buying @ the cellar door, 
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"I could’ve turned a different corner, I could’ve gone another place... " ku,'09 | |
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| (gordon38555) | Jun 3 2009, 04:27:46 PM Post #13 |
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Someone nudge elsja towards this topic. i'm sure she's got some good thoughts regarding wines. |
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| tasosmama | Jun 3 2009, 11:02:04 PM Post #14 |
True Blue Mate
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May I introduce you to the Mornington Peninsula wine region.... http://visitor.com.au/wineries.html Also, my hubby and I make our own wine at home. As of now we've only bought the grape juice and taken it from there. We've dabbled into a few fruit wines.. apple & apricot, as well. Come on down! I'm preggo and therefore an excellent designated driver. |
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Missy | |
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| (gordon38555) | Jun 4 2009, 09:36:41 AM Post #15 |
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I do want to get there. Don't know when but I will definitely get there. |
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| DS6540 | Jun 4 2009, 12:53:52 PM Post #16 |
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True Blue Mate
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I know that we've got more choice in Aussie wines than we know what to do with, but does anyone know where one can get American wines in Australia? I've run across quite a few pretty great drops from California that I'd love to get here. So far, I haven't had any luck...I've been buying from wine.com, shipping to friends in the US, and then using them as mules to bring it across when they come visit  I'm a little tired of the Semillion and Sav Blanc constants. I'd love to get my hands on the Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc or Treana Mer Soleil Vineyard Viognier-Marsanne. |
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| Lisa66 | Jun 5 2009, 01:09:45 PM Post #17 |
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True Blue Mate
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So far I've only been to Yarra Valley wineries - but even just in that little region there are some amazing wines. The wine shops here (Glen Huntly, Caulfield) have great clean skin offerings - when we buy one we love we go back and buy a bunch. Also, I love Sword's - great blends (they buy the grapes in a coop, I think) in returnable 1L swing top bottles - check it out: http://swordsselect.com.au/. You can taste any / all their wines at their shops in the markets around Melb and they will deliver - which is great for parties ;-) A couple of my fave Yarra Valley wineries: http://www.graememillerwines.com.au/ (the Quatrain is to die for) and http://www.sticks.com.au/. Cross your fingers for their bush fire recovery. |
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| (provocateur) | Jun 5 2009, 02:09:21 PM Post #18 |
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Some great suggestions here. I haven't seen any American wines and it's no surprise, as the local product has a huge value advantage. I have had Treana wines before and they make excellent Rhone blends, both white (your example) and Chateauneuf-style. It sounds like you live close to me, Lisa. I've got one great store locally for boutique wines (Gardenvale area) and I go to Sword's at Prahan market (more for beer than wine - and the guy running it is very nice). I agree that Quatrain is a spectacular wine - probably one of the first of it's kind 4-grape (hence the name) new world Bordeaux blends. I hope that I'm mistaken, but I believe that vineyard was severely damaged in the fires. DS - If you like Rhone whites and you haven't tried it already, Tahbilk makes an excellent one and it's cheap. Edited by (provocateur), Jun 5 2009, 05:18:19 PM.
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| SanDiablo | Jun 5 2009, 03:22:17 PM Post #19 |
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True Blue Mate
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Our every vacation revolves around various wine regions, and I love them all. The Barossa is a fabulous, magical place. Go try the wines at Langmeil - flirt a lot and they will let you try the Freedom. Divine! Why did we only buy one bottle!! When wine tasting, I find it most satisfying to pursue one or two specific varietals at a time rather than confusing my palette with the entire flight. For example, on one visit to the Hunter, we went in search of only Chambourcin. It is not very common, and when we told growers that is what we were specifically after, we earned a lot of respect and extra big pours;) Currently, I am seeking big reds (cab-sav and shiraz) that have a characteristic flavour that I describe as 'barnyard'...earthy, pungent I seek these out wherever I go. One of my current favorites with this quality is Farmer's Daughter 2005 Cabernet-Sauvignon. It is silky smooth on the palette with an intense finish that lingers. |
| "I'll try anything twice." | |
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| DS6540 | Jun 5 2009, 04:02:14 PM Post #20 |
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True Blue Mate
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Hey provocateur, I have been lucky enough to get to some of the Tahbilk whites - thanks for reminding me, as the value on those is too good to pass up, and I'd honestly forgotten about it. I've been into the Basa (Spain) and Dog Point (NZ) whites lately, but those tend to run on the wrong side of $30/bottle. San Diablo - the big reds are definitely getting more attention from me lately as the winter starts to roll in. Have you been to Pigs Peake in the Hunter? They've got a great drop called "House of Bricks" which is sometimes only sold to people in their club that might be worth a try for you, but with luck, you may be able to score some without the 2-case/year commitment. Thalgara is also a great little find that not many people get to in the Hunter. They've got a knockout Shiraz. |
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