The Auswine Forum

First time posting on here but have found the site really helpful to learn and find new wines to try. With that in mind, which mailing lists or annual releases do you look forward to most? (Wendouree excluded ha). For me, the Sami Odi one first up, Lakes Folly a few months later plus finding hidden gems like Setiono really fun. Which are yours?

In no particular order
Sami Odi
Setiono
Agricola
Chatto
Mount Mary
Rockford
Home Hill
Serrat
Standish
Blue Poles
Apogee


Wendouree

For me its

Sami-Odi
Agricola
Ruggabellus
Setiono
Wendouree

Have asked about Phase Three Wines as well.

Managed to get some Rousseau and Grivot for the last 10 years, but that seems to have disappeared. I did sell sell some Rousseau (mad prices) and I dont have any issue about not being dropped. Pierre Menard, Huards and Boudignon are 3 others I try to buy ( from merchants) but its a difficult to get the correct cuvees in Melbourne.

Fraser promised to put me back on the S-O list a couple of years ago, but it doesn't seem to have happened. Others that I enjoy
Standish
Bekkers
Balnaves
Redman
Wynns
Majella
Moss Wood

Wendouree and Cappellano. Similar producers many respects

I'm only on the list at:
Tyrrells (the white dozen - not that I dislike the reds but they've had exponential price rises over the last decade which I haven't emotionally adjusted to!)
Bakkheia - a random single dozen a year - good value wines generally
Mount Mary - but getting exxy, and often looking to friends to make up a case
Lethbridge - a second tier level subscriber which gets random 4 x 4 wines a year for $35 a bottle

I seemed to let Tahbilk and Andrew Thomas expire just because the excitement died a bit, somehow.
An obligation to take more than a dozen (OK, 16) bottles a year frightens me off, so no Pooley, Delamere, for instance, which I'd otherwise be interested in despite the pricing.

lew_drinks wrote: ↑Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:12 pm First time posting on here but have found the site really helpful to learn and find new wines to try. With that in mind, which mailing lists or annual releases do you look forward to most? (Wendouree excluded ha). For me, the Sami Odi one first up, Lakes Folly a few months later plus finding hidden gems like Setiono really fun. Which are yours?

Been a lurker on here for a while now but echo the same sentiments! Early on my wine journey but these are mine in no particular order:

Wendouree
Rockford
Noon
RieslingFreak
Agricola
Tapanappa

Interested in the following and will commit if I get the opportunity:
Bindi Wines
Serrat (looks like I've missed the boat for this year)
Mount Mary
Standish (on the mailing list but haven't purchased yet)

I trimmed a lot back on Aussie wine buying having been out of the country for so long.

I used to buy every year:
Tyrrells (whites and reds)
Wendouree
Rockford BP
Head Wines (assorted)
Grosset (rieslings + Gaia)
and was on the Sami Odi list as well.

These days I just buy Rockford BP and a small pack of Standish
Might consider the Giaconda Chardonnay if I see the annual offer quick enough to get some.

Probably a pretty consistent tune from me:

Standish
Rockford (not a stonewaller though, so no BP)
Setiono
Agricola
Giaconda
Mount Mary


I have enquired about Sami-ODI (and the response I got was basically laughing at me saying maybe in 5+ years but unlikely) and I haven’t bothered with Wendouree although do love the wines.

Cheers Ed

Definitely seeing a theme and interesting to see the love for Agricola and Setiono which are basically brand new!

I have a tasting booked with Sam and Callum next month, I'm really looking forward to it.
To me they both share similar attributes to Frasers wines, and as they get more vintages under their belts they will continue to improve.

The only mailing list I’m still on is Wantirna Estate. I received mine yesterday in in the mail with a note that my email bounced back. Jumped on their website ordered 4 X Amelia Cabernet and 2 X Hannah Cab Franc Merlot. Jumped on again today to get 3 each of the Pinot and Chardonnay, the Amelia and Hannah were sold out.

The regular buys now days in most vintages are.

Wantirna Estate.
Mount mary.
Best’s.
Yeringberg.

Recently added to the list.

By Farr.
Bindi.

Chaeers Con.

A_Steady wrote: ↑Thu Sep 14, 2023 2:59 pm I have a tasting booked with Sam and Callum next month, I'm really looking forward to it.
To me they both share similar attributes to Frasers wines, and as they get more vintages under their belts they will continue to improve.

Sounds great - enjoy. I’ve been away this week and my order is waiting for me in return for the Setiono. I think I’ll likely give one of the Flaxman an early look before the remaining bottles go into the cellar.

I tried one of Cal’s too on delivery - such high quality wines and enjoyable already and long lives ahead.

Will be interested to hear your reflections on the tastings.

Cheers Ed

My favourite lists are
Wendouree
Sami Odi
Wantirna
YY
Agricola
Dappled
Tyrrells
Standish
Giaconda
and from left field, Selosse. I need a third party to get it to me, but so far, so good.

My Favourites/Wines I will buy most years (in no particular order):
Standish
Sami Odi
Serrat
Rockford
Agricola
Eperosa
Mount Pleasant (only during good vintages though)
Wynns BL Cabernet
Marius (sadly no longer)
Yangarra
Dappled
Head
Hoddles Creek
Vanguardist
Wendouree (for my Wife)
Adelina
IPOS

Very SA centric but that's what we like drinking.

Cheers
Ian

Long time
Craiglee, Morris, wendouree, Yeringberg

Medium time
SC Pannell, Eldorado road

more recent
Bekkers, Paralian, Serrat, Thistledown, Yangarra

I’ve scaled right back… the following will probably stay as annual purchases

Rockford
Eisenstone
Grosset
Standish

I've dialed back my purchases substantially the last 2-3 years, and only 'spot buy' bottles here at there now from various producers, but only commit to these on an annual basis:

Wendouree
Wild Duck Creek
Agricola

Has evolved over time. Regular purchases include

Rockford
Standish
Bindi
Tolpuddle
Picardy
Moss Wood
Woodlands
Tyrells
Sandalford

Similar to most

Standish
Grosset
Yarra Yering
Yeringberg
Bindi
Agricola
Setiono
Marius - alas gone
Wild Duck Creek - on the list but never bought - go figure
Mount Mary - have been told have been put on for this year after trying last year.

Serrat
Agricola
Setiono
Mount Mary
Wynns
Curly Flat

It’s amazing the power modern media has. Agricola and Setiono are very young businesses and already a lot of us are on board. If we go back to the “old days” then it took a lot longer to build up that following - even Sami-Odi took 4 or 5 vintages before it had same reputation.

Same happens all over the world - Carmes Haut Brion went from a minor house to a the top of the Bdx tree in a couple of vintages, starting with 2016.

Overall I think that is bad for us, but good for the wine makers.

Funny, went through an old box the other day of a squillion receipts, mail order/wine lists and used to be on 60+ mailers, but now just a smattering, and hopefully by 2025, perhaps 2-3.
Currently
Bests
Crawford River
Redbank
Wild Duck Creek
Mount Mary
Yeringberg
Yarra Yering
Craiglee
Noon
Rockford
Wendoree
Standish
Sami Odi
Adelina
Stonegarten
Bondar

Nothing in Coonawarra, everything is available from every winery or from TWE.
I might get another vintage of Setiono and or Agricola, but that will be it.

Cheers Craig

I love reading thru this thread, but how about we ask an alternative yet complimentary question: which would be the one winery mailing list you would never want to drop?

In my case that would be a winery that is best for both quality and $VFM. That for me would be Dappled.

What is yours?

Hacker, toss up between Wendouree and Mount Mary.

Though I think I will drop MM in the next 12 months, Wendouree too, most likely will have a limited lifespan. Tony Brady is approaching 80, what is the succession plan?

Cheers Craig

Eisenstone or Rockford

Wendouree for me. They have history and have shown that they reward customers with their pricing - I know sometime we loose out in the allocation lottery, but the prices are still a bargain.

I think a lot of the younger produces, particularly Agricola, will end up costing a lot more (like father, like son ?) and there will be a price point where I drop of the lists.

Hacker wrote: ↑Thu Nov 16, 2023 6:35 pm I love reading thru this thread, but how about we ask an alternative yet complimentary question: which would be the one winery mailing list you would never want to drop?

In my case that would be a winery that is best for both quality and $VFM. That for me would be Dappled.

What is yours?

That’s tough, but if i seriously had to pick only one it would be Sami Odi. Both Janine and I love the wines and Fraser truly is a gentleman.
Cheers
Ian

I think Sami-Odi would be hard to drop. Great wine, great fella, beautiful bottles (although a pain in the backside for my wine fridge)!

For me, unsurprisingly, it’s the ones that come from the small (and mostly harder to find) producers. I buy regularly from larger producers (and I guess some smaller ones too - gulp) also but they tends to be via retail.

Wendouree
Windows Estate
Blue Poles (exception as it can be found at retail fairly easily)
Corymbia
Dappled
Wantirna
Agricola (only recent)
Standish
Swinney