Spring Has Sprung!

It’s that time of year again! Sun, BBQ’s, Swimming and of course… White wine!

To kick off this great weather I opted to push the weekday wallet and picked up a $19 bottle of Pinot Gris. Grant Burge - hailing from Adelaide Hills - has family roots in wine making dating back to 1855! Grant, starting the Grant Burge label with wife Helen back in 1988 always runs with a family first business model. Respect.

Grant Burge ‘East Argyle’ (South Australia/Barossa)

  • Pinot Gris
  • 2012
  • 13.5%
  • 750ml (Screw Top)
  • I paid: $19

A beautiful gold flake colour matching the bottles label bounces around in the glass bringing with it strong scents of fresh green fruit, melons and a cinnamon tail. It’s a sweet smelling (and sweet looking) wine. Ridiculously soft melon and green apple pop in the mouth at first contact and both taper out nicely to a gentle pear finish which leave the inside of my mouth feeling as if I had just eaten a piece of fresh fruit.

This wine comes at you with a relaxed vibe all the way until finished. Soft smells, appealing looks and subtle flavours all combine to make it a super easy drinker and super friendly to have around. Spring has started in good fashion! Drink this wine with a glass, until empty.

4.5/5 Grapes!

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A Leg Up

It is yet another cold winter night so I have opted for yet another heavy, mixed variety red. Fifth Leg (named after an archaeological site where remains of a Tasmainian tiger, along with an extra leg, were found) has been in the wine game since 1996. Their fun and energetic way of approaching wine is something easily conveyed with a quick visit to their web page. Lets hope it translates to the bottle.

Fifth Leg (Western Australia)

  • Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz/Merlot
  • 2011
  • 14.5%
  • 750ml (Screw Top)
  • I paid: $12

First off, this wine looks nice. A good consistency of red hues and not too murky. The aroma is deep in complexity, a lot of blackberry and cherries underlined with a strong smoke and ash smell. It’s sweet on the tongue at first before the flavour of blueberries and blackcurrants mix through nicely. The midsection comes in very softly and is controlled with subtle oaks and a gentle tobacco. This wine wraps up carrying some traces of blueberries with a medium spice, a little bit dry but forgivable.

At just $12 it’s well worth it. Fruits, oak and some spices make it perfect for this cold, damp weather. Surprisingly soft at 14.5% but don’t be fooled, it can sneak up on you if you prefer your wine on the softer side. Drink with pasta.

4/5 Grapes!

X

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Beauty, Skin Deep

The Schild family first moved to the Barossa Valley from Lameroo in the Murray Mallee in 1952. Upon the sudden death of Ben Schild in 1956 the family business was left in the hands of the only son still living at home - Ed - aged just 16. From then onwards the winery saw steady growth encapsulating over 400 acres and in 1998 the Schild Estate label was born.

Schild Estate ‘GMS’ (South Australia/Barossa)

  • Grenache/Mourvedre/Shiraz
  • 2011
  • 14.5%
  • 750ml (Screw Top)
  • I paid: $15



I get a strong sense of candy when smelling this wine, it’s almost like raspberry liquorice (If raspberry liquorice was alcoholic). The flavour I get first is cherry cola, but a slightly flattened and non sweetened version. This then moves abruptly into a grapefruit juice midsection which kind of takes over for the rest of the show, some medium spice is present in the finale but the bitter, dry taste of grapefruit is what the mouth gets left with.

At $15 this wine isn’t going to blow you away. It’s straightforward, soft and one dimensional. Drinkable? Yes. Memorable? Not necessarily.

2.5/5 Grapes!

X

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Kangathrilla

Kangarilla Road winery was established in 1997 by Helen and Kevin O’Brien. At a relativity young age it has already proven itself as producer of quality products and has been well received by the wine world, notably scoring a 5 Star Winery rating by James Halliday (Wine Companion 2010).

Kangarilla Road (South Australia/McLaren Vale)

  • Primitivo
  • 2009
  • 14.5%
  • 750ml (Screw Top)
  • I paid: $20

This wine is of a dark complexion with not much colour coming through apart from a dense red. Smells of Kalamata olive are the most pronounced while plums, oak and soil also appear in the distance. An amazingly rich and sweet blackberry component awakens my palate before a midsection of pleasantly damp soil, oak and light tobacco mix through evenly. It all comes to a strong finale of star anise, plums and run off of medium spice and dark chocolate. Cheeks are left well moistened afterwards.

Full of flavours and character (and alcohol), this wine is dark, rich and ticks all the right boxes. For $20 it has enough gusto to warrant a purchase. Drink with Italian style cuisine!

4.5/5 Grapes!

do you have a recommendation? tweet me @weekdaywino

This Little Piggy

The Barry family has been in the wine game since 1944 and in 1959 purchased their first vineyard in Clare Valley. The business has been growing and expanding ever since, instilling the motto ‘from vine to wine’ they take pride in overseeing the entire wine making process. I have before me their ‘Three Little Pigs’ mixed variety, sporting a neat label design.   

Jim Barry ‘Three Little Pigs’ (South Australia/Clare Valley)

  • Cabernet, Shiraz & Malbec
  • 2010
  • 13.5%
  • 750ml (Screw Top)
  • I paid: $18

As I pour this wine the smells bounce straight out of the glass… Heavy set soil, chalkiness & blueberries give me the impression it is a loud wine. Silky, thick blueberries accompanied by a light leather component are the first things to hit my palate. These flavours steadily transform into a black olive midsection which eases into a finish of dark liquorice, cocoa and a linger of cranberries. It’s dry, but in a pleasant way and definitely brings with it some hard hitting character. 

Not for the faint hearted. If you’re looking for soft, elegant reds, look elsewhere. If you want a kick in the gums, rich, dark & bittersweet, grab it! I’m a fan. This wine knows what it is and makes no excuses… Drink with some nice dark chocolate ;) 

4.5/5 Grapes!

X

do you have a recommendation? tweet me @weekdaywino