The Auswine Forum

Very sad news, I am a big St. Peters and Chalambar fan. The beer industry is the same, but I have been producing my own for about 18 months now. I can't do that with wine, so increasingly I try to buy local and small.

Had a lovely trip down to Rutherglen with my wife, my mum and her partner. It's a fantastic wine region! I knew the fortifieds would be good but I had no idea how tasty the reds and whites would be as well. Went a little bit overboard ... also visited my local winery Mount Majura while they were her...

Hello and welcome to our beautiful wine region here in Canberra! I've visited Barossa, Clare, Mclaren, Yarra, Mornington, Hunter, Coonawarra and Tassie and it's still my favourite. The wines here won't blow you away but I find they can have a beautiful balance and drinkability. My favourite cellar d...

Partisan Communication Road Shiraz 2010 x 6 Lloyd Brothers Hand Picked Shiraz 2006 x 9 Elderton Riesling 2011 x 3 Veronique GSM 2011 x 6 Yalumba The Strapper GSM 2012 x 6 Sons of Eden Kennedy GSM 2012 x 6 Gemtree Uncut Shiraz (cleanskin) 2012 x 6 Teusner The Pleasure Garden Grenache Shiraz 2012 x 6...

Just back from a trip down to Adelaide. Clare Valley is a beautiful spot, and couldn't resist ducking into Kay Brothers on the way to Victor. Really enjoyed the tour of Penfolds Magill Estate too. So much for not buying anything Chose to skip the Cellar Door festival. 2 x Kay Brothers grand liqueur ...

...so for other than short-term quaffing purposes this is one to avoid then? I saw it more as an exercise in marketing. I mean can you see the guys at Clonakilla or Eden Road giving up their best fruit for a one off 'regional' marketing exercise? Yes - the wine makers are probably the better ones i...

2004 Lambert Vineyards Late Harvest Riesling I think this is slightly past its best now. Not really sweet, but great intensity and a really nice glowing golden colour. I remember it being slightly livelier the last time I drank one a couple of years back. 2008 Canberra Centennary Shiraz This was a ...

A mixed bag for me so far!

2004 Tahbilk Eric Stevens Purbrick cabernet
6 x Murrora Estate Riesling
Johnnie Walker Black Label gift pack w/ tumblers
Case of Little Creatures Pale Ale
3 x mixed six packs of Dalgety Pale Ale, Golden Ale, Red Ale and Smoked Porter

The only 2012 red I have tried is the Mojo shiraz by Rockbare, and it was great - a nice return to form.

I was a bit disappointed with the wine in Tasmania as well. I visited Stoney Rise and Holm Oak last year. At Stoney Rise the cellar door experience was very underwhelming with the winemaker seeming disinterested. The chardonnay was nice though, even good enough to convince my wife to buy a bottle (a...

Or what I've been doing (this requires a spare, empty, washed half bottle on hand), as soon as I open a bottle, pour half into the spare half-bottle and seal it up in the fridge to keep it fresh while I drink the other half. I've only ever noticed a very slight softening by the time I get to drinkin...

I like Tarija's idea and have been following it myself. I got to the point of drinking half a bottle a night of ok wine, and started putting on a couple of kgs. Since then (the ever-watchful of my wife definitely helps) I've cut back to one or zero glasses (or maybe an ale) on weekdays and at most 2...

Lambert Vineyards in Wamboin has quite a back-vintage list. Have a look at their order form to see them all.

Took a lovely trip to Lambert Vineyards in Wamboin on Sunday. My wife's 2 favourite wines of all time are from here. It was a very pleasant chat and tasting with the wife half of the winemaking team. I really like the fact that older wines (back to 2001) are available to buy, and that wines are held...

I have to second this. My last trip to Mclaren vale included lunch and a tasting here. The lunch was an absolutely delicious ploughman style sharing platter, and I really enjoyed all the wines and beers, especially the grenache/shiraz blend. Definitely worth a visit but book ahead.

1998 Chapel Hill Cabernet
Quite a big wine, but rich, mellow and smooth. Has kept quite well with good fruit remaining plus interesting secondary flavour development. Not overly alcoholic or acidic, quite an enjoyable wine. Better to savour on its own than with food I found.

2010 Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon Powerful dark plums, blackcurrants, and menthol. Assertive tannins. Needs time. Solid Good. I thought this one was pretty good when I tried it at the cellar door recently. Ended up buying the Glengyle instead, but in terms of VFM the black label's brilliant...

Ah cool, thanks for the info mjs, I never knew what the name meant! I enjoyed the Lark Hill and Mount Majura pinots from Canberra, so looking forward to trying it.

Dropped into Wynns at Coonawarra, Yabby Lake at Mornington and De Bortoli at Yarra Valley on the way home from Christmas with relatives in Adelaide. Picked up: 2x Wynns Gables shiraz cabernet Wynns Glengyle cabernet Yabby Lake Red Claw pinot noir Yabby Lake Red Claw chardonnay De Bortoli Este sparkl...

Congratulations to all the grads and family! I had the privilege of being invited to the med school grad ball at ANU on Friday night to celebrate with a few friends graduating. A wonderful event! Thanks for the notes on the 2008 Doonkuna Reserve Shiraz, I've got one bottle left. Have been really enj...

Another local winery trip with a group of friends. Again the designated driver (12 seater bus this time!), so hardly any tasting, but purchased: Gallagher Sparkling Duet Gallagher Shiraz Gallagher Riesling Yarrh Shiraz Yarrh Shiraz Cabernet (surprised at how nice this was at the $20 cellar door pric...

Clonakilla O'Riada shiraz viognier Good call, I actually liked this better than the flagship SV for '11. Mmm, I don't know if I liked it better than the flagship, but much better value! Actually the flagship was the only wine I had a proper tasting glass of, but I prefer the previous vintage. The '...

Let's see ... Grand final weekend was yum! Shaw Estate Isabella riesling Half dry riesling, went beautifully with homemade chicken and lentil curry. Yalumba D 2004 sparkling shiraz cabernet Delicious dark fruit, fine persistant bubbles and dry finish. One left now, so sad, this was wonderful. Angove...

Mum was visiting for the long weekend, so brought her on a trip around some Canberra wineries. Tastings at Mount Majura, Shaw, Helm and Clonakilla, lunch at Flint. Some wonderful food and wine! I was designated driver, so not much tasting, but managed to buy one of: Helm Premium riesling Helm Premiu...

Interesting topic! I'm 29 (so what, beginning of Gen Y?) and only started appreciating wine over the last 3 years or so. Of all my friends roughly my age, I can only think of 4 or 5 who are also interested in wine. I think for many younger people, it starts from an event that gives exposure. For me ...

2010 Lark Hill Pinot Noir The nicest Canberra pinot I have tasted (must give Mapenrai a go when I can get hold of some). Earthy, savoury, with gently unfolding fruit. A food friendly wine that would be a shame not to sit and comtemplate. A wine I will definitely buy again. 2008 Torbreck The Steading...

I tried this wine, 2008 Mont Redon and boy was a very disappointed but I was saved with this wine, 2007 Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Cuvee Valbelle, it was rated 94, and it shown it's true colours....Red.... Sorry to hear you didn't like the Mont Redon, I have only tried the 2007 (with a French ...

2008 Clonakilla O'Riada Shiraz : If I didn't know it, I'd have a hard time believing that this isn't their flagship wine. Seriously good. Incredibly delicate and sweet berry fruit, but not at all overdone. Give it a few years and there is surely some puppy fat to be shed, but its so drinkable now. ...

Wish I still had my bottle of Gundog Muscat, that was delicious!

2010 Mt. Majura Graciano A gift from my wife ... and it was absolutely delicious! Beautifully balanced scent of red berries, pepper, dried herbs and spices. Deep but brightly glowing ruby colour. Glides across the tongue very smoothly, flavour sinking in gently. This is not a powerhouse of a wine, r...