May 2012
9 posts
11 tags
Red in Right Hand
I picked this bottle simply for the label design (consumer whore, I know…) after seeing it floating around a few stores, it piqued my interest but always exceeding my $20 limit by a few dollars or so. Luckily I located a bottle for $19 and was excited to give it a shot!  Vinaceous (South Australia/McLaren Vale) Shiraz, Grenache & Tempranillo 2010 14.5% 750ml (Screw Top) I paid:...
May 29th
1 note
12 tags
Behind the Wheel
The Water Wheel vineyard was planted in 1970 and in 1989 was purchased by the Cumming family including the surrounding 20 acres. Since then the vineyard has expanded to over 300 acres. The Water Wheel Shiraz is a wine I’ve had on 1 or 2 occasions and thought I would share my opinion. Water Wheel (Australia/Victoria/Bendigo) Shiraz 2009 14% 750ml (Screw Top) I paid: $17 Great...
May 27th
11 tags
Enjoying the View
Wolf Blass is a label that had to make an appearance on the site sooner or later. Being one of Australia’s most well known (and well rewarded) wine companies with prices on every end of the spectrum and available almost everywhere, It was simply a matter of time before a bottle found its way to the blog… And it won’t be the last. Wolf Blass (Australia/Multi-regional) Shiraz...
May 23rd
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Into Temptation
“Crowded House is a cheeky, younger sibling of Catalina Sounds. These are fresh, easy drinking, unpretentious wines with clean, crisp aromatics.” -crowded-house.co.nz/wines/ The bottle I have before me comes from one of my first recommendations for the site. It is a well received wine by critics, winning the Blue Gold award at the Sydney International Wine Competition (2012)....
May 20th
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13 tags
Anticlimax
E. Guigal, founded in 1946 by Etienne Guigal, is a family operated business (as you can probably guess by the name) now in its third generation. The purchasing of new French estates has seen the brand grow to where it is today, showing off 3 hectares of cellars and galleries which house barrels, tanks and vats.  E. Guigal (France, Côte-Rôtie) Côtes du Rhône 2009 14% 750ml (Cork) I paid:...
May 16th
12 tags
Fit For A King
The second purchase from my weekend trip to the King Valley was a ‘Dal Zotto’ Riesling. After tasting a number of the white they had on offer this one really won me over with its smooth drinking, and at $18 I couldn’t go past it. The birth of Dal Zotto wines took place in 1987, 20 years after Otto and Elena (The founders) had migrated from italy to Australia.    Dalz Otto...
May 13th
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King of the Valley?
A beautiful weekend trip to the King Valley saw me bring back - among my small selection - a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from the ‘Gracebrook Vineyards’ cellar door. The sales staff explained that this Cabernet is a new introduction to their lineup and was (for the price) one of my favorite tastings of the bunch. The Gracebrook vineyards have been in existence since the 1880’s...
May 8th
13 tags
Plenty of Latitude
Spencer Hill Estate is the brain child of Philip and Sheryl Jones who released their first wine to the world in 1994. Since then they have parented additional vineyards resulting in multiple brands that all add to an impressive wine empire, both in size and reputation. The Latitude 41 range is a blend of both Nelson and Marlborough (New Zealand) grapes. In the words of the creators “We...
May 6th
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12 tags
Tolley in the Trolley
Surprisingly, Tolley is a hard winery to find much information about. The limited information contained on this bottle claims they’ve had an “Enviable reputation for quality in Australia since 1892”. I have heard the name Tolley before but am yet to experience any of their wines. Tolley ‘Watercolour’ (South Australia) Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 14% 750ml (Screw...
May 1st