The Auswine Forum

Hi Auswine-ers,

I friend of a friend is coming Down Under and is looking for some advice, so I thought that I would post his requests here and forward the link onto him. So, advice please.

"I'm planning on visiting Australia next year, probably in May. At present I'm thinking of spending a week in Melbourne and a week in Sydney. I might squeeze in a few days in Adelaide as well.

Of course I want to visit some vineyards. I would like to visit the Hunter and also somewhere in Victoria or South Australia. There do appear to be tour companies offering day trips but in most cases I don't know the wine, so I'm not sure which ones to choose. I don't drive, so I'm dependent on public transport or a trip.

I will probably be tempted to buy a lot of bottles. Do you have any idea how much it would cost to ship a case back to the UK?"


Fire away guys.

Many thanks, Travis.

Tell him to give us a yell when in Sydney, we can take him around the Hunter no worries. Could get a few of the Auswine lads along to make a day trip/dinner of it. (any excuse for a wine event )

Sending back to the UK seriously would not be worth it. I priced sending a bottle and it was nearly $100 so unless you can find a proper reefer container type shipping method...

I agree with Dave, he's better off drinking stuff here, then maybe having a look for it back in the UK, rather than trying to ship any quantity back there.

Better still, stay here a bit longer, sample a few areas, drink more here, then he won't be able to leave!!

This company does day trips to the Yarra Valley from Melbourne, better half and I used them last year (we received a day trip as a gift), was ok, certainly easy if you don't drive. There are a few others of course, I have no association with Australian Wine Tour Co.

http://www.austwinetourco.com.au

Just pay for an extra bag for your flight. Many airlines will let you purchase an extra bag if you do it ahead of time.

You can pack it up in Polystyrene Wine box or get something like a Wine Check.

I agree with Polymer... you can bring in wine (not sparkling) - 4 litres from a non-EU country back into the UK. If your friend is travelling with a companion they could bring back 10.5 bottles between them (plus 1L of spirits each, if you feel the need to do duty free as well)

Yep, if he's in Sydney, sounds like an excuse for an offline! And/or a trip to the Hunter.

Probably cost around $100 for an extra suitcase allowance from Oz-UK, give or take, way cheaper and generally safer than shipping. Just use plenty of bubblewrap or polystyrene shippers as others have said.

Polymer wrote:Just pay for an extra bag for your flight. Many airlines will let you purchase an extra bag if you do it ahead of time.

You can pack it up in Polystyrene Wine box or get something like a Wine Check.

BA have a reasonable baggage policy (you pay by the extra bag not per kilo) compared to others (from memory Business class includes 3 x 32kg bags), and as such, I fly with them to get wine (packed in boxes filled with packing peanuts) from bonded warehouses to Aus.

The UK gets a pretty good range of Australian wine if you know where to look - Sometimes at prices that better what we are paying here.

It should be pretty easy to find tour companies that do day trips from Melbourne to the Yarra valley or Mornington Peninsula. Same goes for Adelaide with Barossa/McLaren vale/Clare/Adelaide Hills.
If he likes a bit of Craft Beer, Good Beer week in Melbourne will be on May 14th - 22nd too.

Jamie, how do you pick up the wine from bonded warehouses. Do you pick them up in the UK?

paulf wrote:The UK gets a pretty good range of Australian wine if you know where to look - Sometimes at prices that better what we are paying here.

It should be pretty easy to find tour companies that do day trips from Melbourne to the Yarra valley or Mornington Peninsula. Same goes for Adelaide with Barossa/McLaren vale/Clare/Adelaide Hills.
If he likes a bit of Craft Beer, Good Beer week in Melbourne will be on May 14th - 22nd too.

I have bought quite a few wines recently at auction that surprised me with a label on the back showing they had been imported to the UK, before ending up back here at auction.
Kay brothers amery 2003 hillside shiraz was one lot of them.
Were still in great condition too believe it or not.

Bob, I'd guess they are cancelled export orders that never actually left the country. Who knows, though......

TravisW wrote:Hi Auswine-ers,
"I'm planning on visiting Australia next year, probably in May. At present I'm thinking of spending a week in Melbourne and a week in Sydney. I might squeeze in a few days in Adelaide as well.

Of course I want to visit some vineyards. I would like to visit the Hunter and also somewhere in Victoria or South Australia.

Then he would be making a big mistake.

80% of Australia's best Cabernet comes from Margaret River.

Tell him to skip the east and come to Perth instead!!! It's closer too!!!

mjs wrote:This company does day trips to the Yarra Valley from Melbourne, better half and I used them last year (we received a day trip as a gift), was ok, certainly easy if you don't drive. There are a few others of course, I have no association with Australian Wine Tour Co.

http://www.austwinetourco.com.au

The Mrs and I did a day trip in April to the Yarra and we used this company. We found the driver very knowledgeable and I thought it was well run. Visited 4 wineries ( Yering Station, Balgownie, Yering Farm and Chandon). Didn't bother buying anything though, as wine is cheaper in the retail chains.

WAwineguy wrote:80% of Australia's best Cabernet comes from Margaret River.

Now, them's fightin' words

I am sure Coonawarra would have something to say about that

As in ... "why is so much of it on special through e-tailers at ridiculous prices?"

mjs wrote:

WAwineguy wrote:80% of Australia's best Cabernet comes from Margaret River.

Now, them's fightin' words

I am sure Coonawarra would have something to say about that

As in ... "why is so much of it on special through e-tailers at ridiculous prices?"

Who wants Cd current release cabernet when there's borossa/eden valley shiraz

Borossa (sic) /Eden short term gratification vs Coonawarra long term satisfaction

mjs wrote:

WAwineguy wrote:80% of Australia's best Cabernet comes from Margaret River.

Now, them's fightin' words

I am sure Coonawarra would have something to say about that

I love Coonawarra Cab/Sauv - Wynns, Parker, Katnook even - but the depth of excellence just isn't there compared to Margaret River.

WAwineguy wrote:

mjs wrote:

WAwineguy wrote:80% of Australia's best Cabernet comes from Margaret River.

Now, them's fightin' words

I am sure Coonawarra would have something to say about that

I love Coonawarra Cab/Sauv - Wynns, Parker, Katnook even - but the depth of excellence just isn't there compared to Margaret River.

Not sure I agree with that statement, especially given some of the names you've left off the list there, but this is some pretty serious thread drift so perhaps we should start a new thread (or resurrect an old one) discussing the relative merits of Margaret River vs Coonawarra.

paulf wrote:

WAwineguy wrote:80% of Australia's best Cabernet comes from Margaret River
I love Coonawarra Cab/Sauv - Wynns, Parker, Katnook even - but the depth of excellence just isn't there compared to Margaret River.

Not sure I agree with that statement, especially given some of the names you've left off the list there, but this is some pretty serious thread drift so perhaps we should start a new thread (or resurrect an old one) discussing the relative merits of Margaret River vs Coonawarra.

No, I certainly don't agree with that statement either.
Yes, agree with the thread drift (to which I have contributed)
Yes, probably deserves another thread

WAwineguy wrote:

TravisW wrote:Hi Auswine-ers,
"I'm planning on visiting Australia next year, probably in May. At present I'm thinking of spending a week in Melbourne and a week in Sydney. I might squeeze in a few days in Adelaide as well.

Of course I want to visit some vineyards. I would like to visit the Hunter and also somewhere in Victoria or South Australia.

Then he would be making a big mistake.

80% of Australia's best Cabernet comes from Margaret River.

Tell him to skip the east and come to Perth instead!!! It's closer too!!!

I have heard that before: at a Margaret River cellar door where the staff was throwing out all sorts of verbiage to sell wine. I didn't buy any.

George Krashos wrote:

WAwineguy wrote:80% of Australia's best Cabernet comes from Margaret River.

I have heard that before: at a Margaret River cellar door where the staff was throwing out all sorts of verbiage to sell wine. I didn't buy any.

And I recall hearing at many cellar doors across South Australia that the Hunter cannot make good wines without non-Hunter grapes.

Mahmoud.

There would be a number of well known wine critics raising their eyebrows at your various criticisms

Thanks WAwineguy. We get bashed a lot from the East but when it comes to the Cabernet we know who produces the best.

Hello everyone

I'm the travelling Pom! Thanks very much for your suggestions. I am especially grateful for the offer to arrange a trip to the Hunter. I'm really looking forward to that.

I'm hoping to visit in May but it might be July.

I'm hoping to visit Melbourne and take in an Aussie Rules game, as well as visit vineyards and perhaps see a performance at the Sydney Opera House.

I'll be in touch nearer the time. Thanks again.

David Pope wrote:Hello everyone

I'm the travelling Pom! Thanks very much for your suggestions. I am especially grateful for the offer to arrange a trip to the Hunter. I'm really looking forward to that.
I'm hoping to visit in May but it might be July.
I'm hoping to visit Melbourne and take in an Aussie Rules game, as well as visit vineyards and perhaps see a performance at the Sydney Opera House.
I'll be in touch nearer the time. Thanks again.

G'day David, welcome to the forum. Just give us a yell about 2-3 weeks before you get here and we'll get something organised for you.

Dave

Thanks very much. Of course I'll be happy to bring some wine out with me to share. I have a good selection from most parts of Europe, as well as a few mature Aussie wines. I could even bring some sparkling Pom wines and hope they don't get impounded at the airport.