So
2017 draws to a close, and on the basis an order is en-route to arrive before the year end, so included below, let's look back at whether we stuck to our resolutions. For me:
Aussies & NZ
• Delatite Riesling
• Primo – Moda, Joseph SRS, or anything else from them
• Alkoomi Wandoo if still made
• Houghton Jack Mann
• Explore Aussie Nebbiolo (just had the Stephen Pannell to date)
An interesting basic style nebbiolo from Casa Freschi - fair for the price & might seek out their fancier bottling.
• Te Mata Elston for populist Chardonnay fix, but also Church Road reserve if ever available for the full butterball experience.
• Tahbilk Marsanne / 1927 vines Marsanne
• Explore ‘new’ trends but with a hard focus on the more elegant / radical end of the spectrum
Adelina Shiraz/Mataro, a newish producer aiming for lower alc%
• Wynns Black Label CS
• Wendouree Shiraz / Mataro
• Woodlands Margaret
• Best’s reds
Almost nothing. The Elston is the one I do need to remedy and the Jack Mann almost happened but I got distracted by other wines... though I wonder if I would now be as concerned as Sam about delivery - I can't remember if it was the same outfit. Some of the others are listed more in hope than expectation that I'll see them on these shores. Next year this will be a bit more realistic.
Italy (in no particular order)
• Try more Cascina degli Ulivi, esp. their Gavi
• La Biancara. I loved the Masieri red I tried from them, so try some others
but another bottle of the Masieri bought
• More Timorasso
• More Fumin
• Vino Santo from Trentino
• Taurasi, but avoiding high oak/alcohol
• Foradori (Teroldego, or any of their others)
x 10
• More Antoniolo Gattinara and Ghemme/Gattinara from Torraccia del Piantavigne (but open to other producers)
an old Berteletti & current Travaglini Gattina (Franchino & Travaglini & Vallana on order). Honorary mention to a Donnas, Carema and Vespolina, the latter two picked up in Torino.
• Try another Lacrima Morro d’Alba
• Drei Dona and San Patrignano from Emilia Romagna
x 7(Magnificant, Cuvee Palazzo & Pruno, plus an Avi)
• Hauner Hiera (plus other wines from them)
(Another Hiera picked up in Torino and another red from them )
• Explore off the beaten track regions / grapes
x quite a bit. Definitely expanded my horizons.
• Tiefenbrunner Feldmarschall (to explore ageing it)
• Occhipinti reds + explore other Etna producers not pushing oak / alcohol
Just the Frappato for now, others may follow.
• A bottle or two of Brachetto
• Cantine Del Notaio reds, rose or sweet wine
• Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
(bad show Ian - why do these always drop out of the basket?)
• Isole e Olena Syrah
Plenty more bought. Overall a pretty good success rate, though I really do need more Fumin and some VNdiM. 2018!!
ROW and generic (in no particular order)
• Keep the Ch Lamartine Cahors topped up, including the odd magnum
• A little more Pinon sparkling Vouvray
• A little more Madiran / Bandol or similar from Southern France
• Traditional / Rustic Gigondas
• Keep drinking sweet wines, and backfill esp. in halves sort of doing ok, but I do need to order more
• Occasional German Riesling
, ideally with a little age and continue tentative interest in German Pinot Noir
I'll cheat here and include a South Tyrol Pinot Noir
• Keep exploring Spain & Portugal – perhaps including some Buçaco red
x lots. Buçaco white purchased, plus a couple of bottles of Colares, and quite a bit of Bairrada, some Dao, Douro, Alentejo and Algarve. Two rioja, plus Tondonia halves, vinho verde 'discovered'.
• LdH 2005 Rioja reserva reds
• Musar Rosé
x3
• Any interesting mature wines, but not too many over-mature
x lots, but I think I need stop the buying of very mature / over-mature wines. I like the experience, but it's not so popular at home
• Grab 2-3 other left-field natural wines to explore the genre a little more My 1st Pet Nat bought and good enough to rebuy! Nothing too weird, but I'm enjoying what I try
x3
• The odd purchase off the beaten track e.g. Greece, Romania, Slovakia
A fancy Chilean Carignan, but at only 8 countries represented in 2017 buying, perhaps a little too narrow.
Overall Portugal (via a trip, some purchases there, plus some having returned), has been a major focus this year. Spain still remains Rioja + Mencia grape. I'd like to venture further, but fear out of control oak and alcohol from Priorat etc.
Limited success so far, have got a few lowly Piemont wines for short-med cellaring (Benevelli, Allesandro di Natale). Haven't had the budget for any Barolo/Barbaresco cellar buys, budget mostly gone to Pinot. Tried a few more Etna wines, but made it to no other regions.
. Some stuff is also more hopeful than realistic – not typically available here or price-inflated if it is, or in the case of the Primo, only available in half case sizes - not ideal for the Primo Sparkling Shiraz where I seem to be the only fan amongst friends / family.