Help needed - Bordeaux blends

[707]

Hi guys, I'm charged with putting together a line up of current release Bordeaux blends, predominantly Australian but happy to include other countries. I'm thinking stuff like Parker First Growth, Cabernet Merlots etc.

I'd appreciate any suggestions you may have, price is fairly flexible, need to know where I can source it as well.

Thanks in advance

[Craig(NZ)]

Depending how long it takes to get to Australia, the new release 2009 Te Mata Coleraine from Hawkes Bay NZ would certainly compete in any line up

[via collins]

Yes to Coleraine, but Craig, surely there's a few more Hawke's Bay contenders?

In Oz, the Blue Poles Allouran from Margaret River, and the Pennyweight blend from Beechworth is a cracker.

Cheers.

[AndrewCowley]

Margaret River is surely worth a look. Given 2007 and 2008 were good vintages you should have a lot of choice.

I recently had a 2008 Fraser Gallop Cabernet Sauvignon which was great. It also contains petit verdot, merlot and malbec so should qualify as a Bordeaux style blend. Damn good for around $30 per bottle.

[markg]

Shotfire ridge Quartage.. anything by Irvine

[phillisc]

Lindermans Pyrus, most bottle shops
Bleasdale Frank Potts, winery at LC or retail
Redbank Sally's Paddock, Pyrenees, winery
Peter Lehman Mentor, cellar door or retail
Bit of Virgin Hills 01 and 02 floating around at auction
Mt Mary Qunitet, auction or fine wine retailers/etailers

Love this style of wine, always interesting and the hardest to pick with mates when doing blind tastings.

Cheers Craig.

[Craig(NZ)]

Yes to Coleraine, but Craig, surely there's a few more Hawke's Bay contenders?

Contenders or pretenders? Yes there are many other excellent Hawkes Bay Bordeaux blends, but for sheer class it is hard to beat a good vintage of Coleraine.

Coleraine is one of the few Caberent predominant offerings too so would dprobably sit better next to a line up of Aussies (esp Margaret River) in terms of style.

Generally I would look at 2007 or 2009 vintage from Hawkes Bay. You could look at Brookfields Gold Label, Villa Maria Reserve, Vidals Reserve, Sacred Hill Helmsman......but personally taking one of those over Coleraine would be like taking any number of flagship Barossa Shiraz over a Grange. It's just not quite the same.