The Auswine Forum

nearly made me plant Malbec....nearly! well Smithy, you could go far worse. the malbec in the leasinghams seems to lift the final result and you should certainly be able to ripen it in Rutherglen! whats your opinion on cabernet in the region. is it a bit less successful than the lusty shiraz of the ...

certainly tasted unashamedly ripe, yet the 14.5% alc. was not hot in any respect. Quite cuddly in its fruitfulness[not confectionery] with a nice clean simple finish. Not nectar of the gods perhaps but i reckon some angels might be tempted to take a tipple or three. the fruit had a nice stwed plum d...

Added tannin (from chesnuts,oak , red grapes etc) can be a wonderful tool in remedial winemaking. well Smithy, i have heard chesnut would be great for barrels if it wasn't so prone to bleed so heavily[porous]! i remember reading good chesnut[wood i assume] can really add a charming character to the ...

nice to see someone flying the flag of a upcoming variety. When Sangio is good it is captivating. Fruit can be boht rich and savoury, lovely colour and distinctively different to shiraz and cab. thanks for your review.

the couple of reds i have had were pretty damn good. Doonkuna Cab and Gallagher Shiraz.

i believe they seem to have greater vintage variations.[frost and hail can be a problem]

anyway, i would like to hear of your fave producers please.

as long as the Grange 'guernsey' doesn't get a Vic Bitter lookalike revamp.

garish green-red labels, blue bottles, hippy rainbow corks, what the hell next?

there's so much good wine in oz RC. i reckon the trio you mentioned are all very good companies for value and quality[concistency]. DeBortoli are a big fave of mine and a significant player production wise. the other two you mentioned a certainly not botique operations either. i loath snobbery wheth...

cheers Ian, i can see the Merlot comaparison but Carmenere is a bit leaner and leathery, and the sweet plum punch of Merlot is not quite as pronounced. the colour was the thing that stood out though. it was poz sexy! i'd love to taste those two varietals [from the same company] side by side. Some of...

i only ever had a 2000 Cab Sav of theirs[early last year] and it was a gem. the fruit character was impeccable and i would have bought more but it was in a clearance bin speculative pick up for $14, an u guessed it, all gone when i returned. for $20 it would have still have been a top buy. dave

Has anyone checked out this red grape variety which is grown mostly in Chile. It has incredible colour and very juicy cabernet like qualities. I reckon Chile makes some ripper cheap wines[Montes Merlot is top quaffer] and wonder if anyone would recommend anything for around $20-$30. red or white, i ...

if you buy enough of them they make a terrific substitute for sandbags in threatening flood situations!

Nev > go the Renmano 4 litre Shiraz/cab/merlot pressings blend. its quite ok in my book. also, check the date on the top of the box. fresher the better...

no probs David . very happy our horns didnt tangle for too long. lifes too short and there is so much good drinking to be had. well if i can buy any of the Mamre Brook Cab or Chalambars for '2 cents' worth[a bottle] i will blow my credit card limit to kingdom come buying out all available stocks. Bo...

Brian Barry from SA [Clare i think] makes a white moselle called Lavender Hill. It's a late harvest riesling and your wife would love it. its a well made substantial fruity wine. Lots of flavour and never cloying at the finish, [clean]. i reckon it's a better drop than Moscato but thats just MO.

I am not surprised at your rap mate. Graeme Leith fashions some lovely drops and they have nice regional character at a fair, unhyped price. I have found Passing Clouds to be concistently good and always ageworthy. His cab shiraz blend[Grame's Blend 60/40] is a splendid drop. Some of my best wine dr...

i have a mate who reckons it is far safer buying multi varietal blends under $15. i think he is right on the money most times. any thoughts on this? it seems the higher up the wine totem pole you go the more people rave about pure shiraz or Cab Sav etc... is this single varietal single vineyard thin...

good gracious, some people can 'misjudge' the most honourable of intentions. why are people so thin skinned nowadaze? The world seems full of nitpickers! your sure right about the subtlety comment though. that is precisely why i am usually content to remain a bottom feeder on the wine-food chain. i ...

[quote="Bkeela"]I'm wanting a good value, Australian wine, that will be available at my local bottle shop. its safe to say in asking that question you are fairly new to the world of wine drinking, so i reckon buying something worth $40 [or even $25] will be lost on you. I'd start around $1...

I am more worried about 2001 in SA being the hottest vintage for the past 26 years. BUT, it was a Super great vintage for snorkelling and drinking chilled Geelong Brewing Company Premium! Who knows, with global warming TASMANIA may become the neuvo de riguer for monster reds! don't worry, be happy ...

thanks kindly 4 offering me your lifebuoy for budget drinking. that shiraz/durif sounds well worth tracking down. heh, whats wrong with see-thru?... said the call girl to the vicar! big, dense and ballsy wines sure have a place [i like variety] but sometimes i feel our tastebuds can be bludgeoned in...

i had a delightful 2002 Dromana Valley Wines Pinot. 14.3% with plenty of extract and length. it was not lacking in flavour, great fruit and lovely deep violet tones. wish i'd bought another bottle. 93/100 then [with the turkey and roast chook with sage stuffing] a 2002 Lindemanns Cab Sav Reserve. fo...

first of all, this wine is a $10 buck cleanskin. so, Grange it aint. A blend of Dolcetto/Pinot/ and Shiraz. Alright, you can stop sniggering! true, i'm a tragic low budget drinker and happy to be adventuress, so when i saw this wine it was a purely "thats unusual" speculative purchase. Colour is cer...

i reckon that mob make very respectable and tight riesling, so i am not surprised by your comments. Their Cabernet can be delighful and quite complex from the warmer, milder years. pretty much marginal climate for grapes but riesling seems to thrive 'on the viticultural edge'.

not sure if this makes any sense but some of the best wines i have ever tasted have been from allegedly 'problematic' vintages.... ie: 93 95 99 01. i've had some very nice Hunter shiraz from so called awful years. some '02 Mornington Peninsula Pinot [worst vintage in 25 years many claimed] were just...

i reckon ten years is a fair hike for most australian vino's. there is nothing worse than opening a bottle of wine and immediately realizing you should have cracked it 3-5 years earlier because its become the equivalent of an aging rock music lothario[ie: rod stewart!]...boring. i'd definetly crack ...

Does anyone have any form on Pennyweight in Beechworth-Victoria Just picked up a 2004 Gamay [yes i'm game-heh] of theirs. I do enjoy the freshness and fruitfulness[unoaked] of this style, so finger's are tightly crossed its well made. its an organic wine and cost $20 . i might crack it on Xmas day a...

[quote="michaelw"]Anybody tasted or heard of Noorinbee They're from up around the Cann River area in the Eastern Gippsland region of Victoria. NOPE, but i'd love to try. tis good to venture down the road less travelled and Cann river region is certainly viticultural wilderness! by the way,...

Chow Chow wrote:Brian, a pity u didnt include the WaterWheel Shiraz. I bet this wine will top ur tasting. For sheer value and "bang" this wine is hard to beat.

- yesiree chow chow - i'll happily drink to that claim. WaterWheel has got to be the best bang for your buck Shiraz by a kountry kilometre.

my doubting thomas mind says you bought that at cd or retail surely?
if at a restaurant, you payed a extremely fair price.
i wanna eat there if the foods half decent.

[quote="CasperTG"] >> I bought a muscat from a winery outside fo Daylesford in Victoria (Big Shed) which was amazing when i tasted it. for one thing, i wouldn't stick it in the cupboard above the deep fryer mate! otherwise it keeps fine but don't wait until you have alzheimers to forget it...

thanks for the reco.
any pinot forma tiny winery that holds up nicely after 6 years
is a fair rap. i love Sarsfield's Wines a bit further north-east in Gippsland.
they have balance, age better than ok and are very food friendly.
definetly a winery to watch.