Our Sunday Best

Natasha is blogging upstairs on the sticky date pudding she just made from scratch, which was awesome, so I figured I might as well finish mine off for the day. Although it might seem like I've done nothing but update this blog today, most of the effort was transferring some old posts from my Bigpond blog, which I have decided was crap (the template/layout not the content...).

As it turns out, I made the wrong choice and took Seamus to the park and missed the best part of the Swans game. They came back to tie the game in the end - and I missed it! Still kicking myself I didn't go to the game, just felt a bit lazy today I suppose... In my opinion (probably biased), the Swans should have won because the game-tying kick from Brett Kirk was touched behind the goal line (i.e. it was a goal, not a behind...). Anyway, two points is better than no points...

So...we finished two of the wines we purchased today, starting with the Mesh Riesling while preparing dinner (which admittedly for me was more watching television than preparing...). A great young Riesling that will also cellar well, although I think this one is a little less acidic so might not be a super long term wine. For dinner, along with the lamb roast, we had the Saltram No. 1 Shiraz, which was everything one could ask for from a Barossa Shiraz - Big, Fruity (but dry) and long lasting. Looking forward to drinking the next two with a little age. I still don't know why it is discounted so much, I assume it was to clear the '03 vintage. I will have to check in the next few days to see if the '04 is there at the same price. Regardless of the vintage, I'd snap it up at the current $38/bottle price.

The Sunday Ritual

I made my fortnightly trip to Dan Murphy's this afternoon because I had heard rumours of Saltram No. 1 Shiraz being available for under $40/bottle (it usually retails for around $60-70/bottle) and we needed some 'dailies'. As it turned out, the rumours were true - $37.90/bottle for the '03 No. 1. As I said previously, I am a fan of Nigel Dolan's wines and I have always been keen to try this one but the price tag scared me away. Under $40/bottle, however, I couldn't resist, and bought the only three bottles they had left. I think I'll open the first one tonight and put down the other two...

I also managed to find the 2007 Mesh Riesling for about $22/bottle. Mesh is a 'joint venture' between Jeffrey Grosset, who is probably Australia's best maker of Riesling (and winemaker of one of my Top Five wines) and Robert Hill-Smith (Yalumba). I've had a few previously but have been looking for a few to put down. I guess I don't need to look any further. It was only released in 2002 and they only blend the two parcels together late in the process, but I would imagine in a few years time, this wine will be an icon in Australian Riesling.

Other than wine shopping and dog walking, it's been a pretty quiet day. Am currently debating whether I finish watching the Swans/Kangaroos match or take Seamus to the park before all the other dogs leave...yes, it's non-stop excitement today! It's not looking good for the Swans as the Kangaroos have just taken a three goal lead and the Swans have only scored six goals all game. I think I know the answer...

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to report on an outstanding bottle of wine and a miraculous comeback victory for the Swans

Dinner at Syracuse

I woke up this morning, moving a little slow after a great dinner last night with friends. Adding to the headache, I'm a bit sore from having to scale our back fence onto the rooftop (and balcony) in pouring rain and after a number of glasses of wine. Thankfully, I avoided what could have been a a nasty fall, and managed to escape with only a few scrapes on my hands/arms. In case you're wondering...I don't normally climb onto my rooftop for sport...Natasha and I both managed to forget our keys before going out!

The night started at Turf Bar, which is a great pub on Queen street in the CBD, with a few drinks before moving onto dinner. For a pub, it had a decent wine list, including a Jim Barry Watervale Riesling, which is a wine that is almost always in our fridge as it is such a great early drinking Riesling. It can be found anywhere from $11/bottle to $15/bottle, good value at either price.

We moved on to Syracuse for dinner and shared some mixed tapas and some great wine. I'm not a foodie, so not much to say except that I loved it. The highlight for me was the Wagyu Beef special. We decided to splash out a bit on the wines and had three crackers:

• 2001 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay - Arguably the best Chardonnay in Australia. It isn't officially in my Top Five, but would definitely be Top Ten. Problem is usually the cost, as it is typically around $75-80/bottle (retail), so it's only for special occassions, which we turned this into! Anyone who is 'over' Chardonnay should have some of this as it will definitely get you back onto it. This Chardonnay has led the pack for years and has probably helped to shape modern Australian Chardonnay away from the heavily oaked style that turned a lot of people off of Chardonnay a few years ago. My theory on Chardonnay is that the cheap stuff is usually crap, so you have to spend a bit to get good quality. You won't go wrong with this one. It took a little while to open up, so it probably has a few years drinking left, but after a bit of a rest in the glass, it was fantastic.
• 2005 By Farr Sangreal Pinot Noir - Having just moved to Melbourne, am keen to take advantage of the multitude of quality wineries in Victoria within driving distance of Melbourne. This is one that I've been keen to try, having previously tried the base level Pinot and the Shiraz. I think this one goes for about $65/bottle. I enjoyed it, but think it will soften in a few more years and should be even better. We are looking forward to the Melbourne winters as instead of starting off with a glass or two of Riesling, will probably warm things up a bit with a Pinot, before moving to the bigger reds.
• 2006 Glaetzer Amon-Ra Shiraz - Speaking of which...we finished the night off with a decanted bottle of this. I have had it before and have always enjoyed it, but it has never blown me away. For the price (usually around $100/bottle), unless you want to cellar it, there is probably better value (although it was only $115/bottle in the restaurant). Either the restaurant has stuffed up their pricing, or the so-called experts know something I don't know, as I understood the 2006 barossa vintage was outstanding. The wine was obviously a bit young, but was a nice big Barossa Shiraz to finish the night off. The aged wines were even more expensive - we had to draw the line somewhere...

For a nightcap, and before my scaling expedition, we ended up at Crown trying our luck on the tables - and failing. Thankfully however, my bank card didn't work, so I ended up changing $100 US that I had in my wallet from my recent travels, so it was sort of like I was gambling with free money... :o) Overall, a great night out with great company.

Another Top Five

Well...the money tree still hasn’t sprouted, so I’m still searching for some reliable drops in the $10-20 range (or lower) that are our ‘dailies’...and a few more in the $20-40 range that can be our ‘weeklies’. Over the last few years, we have been spoiled with a glut of red wine in Australia, so there has been a lot of quality wine in Australia at reasonable prices. With the 2007 vintage being substantially smaller in size, I understand the balance has corrected itself, so I assume prices of your favourite wines are likely to go up if they haven’t already.
My ‘top five’ in the more affordable categories:

• Saltram Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon – You can usually find it for around $20/bottle (less for a case price). The ’02 was highly regarded by all the experts, and although I never had it, that’s what prompted me to try it. I’ve since had the ’03, ’04 and ’05, all of which are drinkable now, but will cellar. I’ve got some of each in my cellar and intend on having a recently purchased ’05 next weekend. The winemaker, Nigel Dolan, has gotten a lot of accolades on the back of this wine plus the super premium Saltram No.1 Shiraz and Eighth Maker Shiraz. The Mamre Brook Shiraz ($20/bottle) is also very good.
• Jacob’s Creek Steingarten Riesling – This usually retails for around $25+/bottle. We found the ’06 in Melbourne for $20/bottle (case price), so bought a dozen – six for the cellar and six for progressive drinking over the next six months. On par with the best Rieslings in Australia. In Canada when I first started drinking wine, Jacob's Creek's Traditional Range was a staple. Upon arrival to Australia I realised that there were plenty of better options for a few dollars more, although generally, they still are reasonable value for money.
• St Hallett Faith Shiraz – Depending on the bottle shop you can usually get this for around $15/bottle. A so-called typical Barossa shiraz, but made for early drinking. We have had well over a dozen of these, and never been disappointed. The Gamekeeper’s reserve, which is a Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre blend is also a very good quaff at about $12/bottle.
• Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz – I had some of the ’03 and loved it so bought a dozen for the cellar, although only about four have actually made it there. I bought a case of the ’05, and have been marginally disappointed, but I think mostly because I was expecting it to over deliver like it has for the last few years. You can find the ’05 (current vintage) for about $18/bottle, which is still good value. If you find any of the ’02 through ’04 at this price, or even under $30, jump on it, as it is great stuff. Seppelt also produce a great Drumborg Riesling ($30/bottle) and a Victorian Shiraz ($12/bottle) that are always good drinking.
• Torbreck The Steading GSM blend – This is a bit more pricey, as you’d usually find it for around $30/bottle, but it is great drinking. The Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre blend is one that I've started to enjoy a lot in recent times. I’ve had it probably 4 or 5 times and loved it. I had a few in my cellar but couldn’t resist the urge to drink them. I’m a very big fan of the Torbreck wines, which I have been lucky enough to taste at an Australian Wine Show a few years ago. I'd recommend any of them, depending on preference and budget...

My Top Five

Well...here it is... the first official post. Natasha is checking up on me every five minutes to see what I’m writing; I think I’ve inspired her to get back into her blog

I was asked a while ago what my ‘top five’ wines would be, and I’ve been trying to work it out ever since. I suppose it depends on how ‘top five’ is defined, as it could depend on a range of factors – what the weather is like, what food I’m eating, and of course, how much money I have to spend. If I had a money tree in my backyard, I’d probably include Penfolds Grange and a range of other wines that cost hundreds of dollars. Alas, despite the endless watering, the money tree just isn’t growing. That said, I do have two bottles of Grange owing to me by work colleagues, which I will be collecting some time in 2008. Stay tuned!

Before I start, I should also clarify that I know almost nothing about wines from countries other than Australia and New Zealand. After a stint in the US last year, I developed a newfound respect for Californian wine, which I previously perceived as overpriced for the quality. Other than one bottle of Vine Cliff Cabernet Sauvignon that I brought back with me, my cellar and my fortnightly purchases are unashamedly Australian. Based on all the reading I’ve done, I know the main French, Italian, Spanish, South African and American regions, which grapes grow best in which regions and the basics, but I couldn’t tell you anything about individual wineries/vineyards other than the world famous ones that will never be in my price range unless the money tree starts to grow.

So...my ‘top five’ Australian wines that I have tasted would look something like this (in no particular order):

• Rockford Basket Press Shiraz – I have had this a few times, one aged (’96 I think) and two recent vintages. It’s been a while since I had one but I do remember I loved them, particularly the aged one. They are, however, very hard to find, and even harder to find at a reasonable price. They are released at the cellar door and to the ‘Stonewallers’ at about $55/bottle, and I don’t believe it is released to national retailers, although many get their hands on it through various contacts and specialist stores. Bottom line, you’d be hard pressed (pardon the pun) to find it for under $100 retail. If you see it for under $100 in a restaurant (unlikely, but i did once...), jump on it. It’s brilliant!
• Clonakilla Shiraz-Viognier – I have also had this a few times, and have a few in my cellar that I purchased cellar door for about $65/bottle. The experts say it is the best Shiraz-Viognier in Australia. I’m not inclined to disagree as the ones I’ve had (all from recent vintages) have been excellent. At least some good things come from Canberra. I don’t believe that it was produced in 2007 as much of the vintage was lost to frost.
• Lake’s Folly Cabernets – Broken record I know, but I have also had this a few times, and have a few in my cellar. I am also a member at the winery, so am looking forward to the next allocation (8 bottles). Unusual variety for the Hunter Valley, but it works. Only two wines are produced by Lake’s Folly (Foss Creek as Natasha I like to joke...long story) and the chardonnay is excellent as well. Cellar door price is about $50/bottle, a little bit more retail.
• Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz – The infamous Run Rig...I have only actually tried this once, at an Australian Wine Show. I remember it as amazing, but was probably swayed by knowing what the price was, which is over $200/bottle. I’d like to try it properly, but unlikely I’ll get the chance to anytime soon.
• Grosset ‘Polish Hill’ Riesling – The experts also refer to this as one of, if not the, best Riesling in Australia. I have had it twice, but only recent vintages, so have a few in my cellar to age. I was initially turned off Riesling once I started to actually understand wine, because I think of German Riesling, which (at least when I had it) was too sweet for my liking. Australian Riesling, however, is very different...fresh, crisp and vibrant. It is by far our white wine of choice. Also, because it’s not oaked and doesn’t require the winemaking attention that other grapes require, you can get world class Riesling at good prices. This one goes for about $40/bottle.

Clearly, there is a ‘trend’ here; nothing here is less than $40/bottle. Of course there are plenty of good wines to be had for under that price, and Australia pioneered the easy drinking, reasonable quality wine at dirt cheap prices concept.

We have adopted a policy in our household that wines in the price range above are only allowed once a month or on special occasions. I find myself trying to create ‘special occasions’ but have to resist the urge until my money tree sprouts. Next post I will come up with my top five wines that we can all actually afford to drink at least on a weekly basis. Until next time...

Welcome...

After receiving various bottles of wine and every wine book or wine gadget known to mankind for Christmas or my birthday over the past 8 years, I figured I'd finally start to write about it. Of course, the perceived level of wine snobbery reaches new heights when one writes about wine as opposed to just drinking it, but I'm prepared to take that risk.

I often get asked "Can you recommend a good wine to give to [fill in the blank] for his/her birthday?". I suppose now I can just direct them to my website! Reflecting on that question, it also occurred to me that I receive similar requests when it comes to new technology/gadgets and cameras/photography, so I figured I might as well cover these areas while I'm at it.

I'm clearly not an expert, and these are in fact pretty much the only things I do know about. I'm over Facebook and I have some free web space to play with, so here I am.

In case you were wondering, the name Corkmaster isn't exactly self-titled, I've stolen it from one of my favourite Frasier episode where Frasier and Niles find themselves in a wine tasting competition to determine who will be the 'Corkmaster' of their wine club. Check it out...