The Auswine Forum

I have just received the latest Nick's newsletter and the Warrabilla wines have been very well reviewed there. I enjoy a big red so I went to the Warrabilla web site and saw that they have a Wine Club which offers a selection of their wines at a (seemingly) reasonable price.

Is anyone here a member of this club or can anyone recommend it?

Thanks,

Craig.

Craig,

I've been a member for a few years now, I love the Warrabilla reds, big, bold, balanced but not OTT like some of the big overripe Barossa red. The tend to be pretty high in alcohol (but you can't tell on the palate, 'cos everything is in balance), they are some of the most exciting and best value reds coming out of Rutherglen. If you you think you will like that style, well worth a try.

Andrew and Carol are just the nicest and most friendly people too.

Hello

Can't comment about the club, but certainly can about the wines. The 2004 reserves are a classy bunch, delightful drinking, and outstanding value for money, especially at cellar door/mailing list prices!

Big and balanced as Brian said, tried them all and very impressed!

Well done Smithy.

I joined the club a few months ago. The red wine selection pack alone is easily worth the price of entry (containing 3 of the new release Parolas range, and 3 of the new release Reserves).

Craig

I am a member and can highly recommend the benefits with membership.
Smithy and Carol held a workshop which my wife and I attended at the winery recently and were blown away by their hospitality and generosity .Bussed from and back to Rutherglen 30 odd great wine tasted including 2005 barrel samples and a great lunch to boot all free to members.
With the club discount and tasting pack membership is a bargain if you love your reds big and flavoursome.
On the Sunday we went to a numberer of other cellar doors in Rutherglen and found the same friendly attitude and some brilliant fortified which made the weekend a real treat.

Mark

Many thanks Guys.
We do try!

Cheers
Smithy

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Smithy - I take it you are the winemaker Andrew Smith from Warrabilla? I'll be signing up tonight - look forward to trying your wines

Get into 'em Hypnotoad. They are awesome and the club a bargain.
Smithy, I'll be visiting next week!

Heartily endorse all of the above - truly remarkable value for money given the quality of the wines - you won't find a better durif than the Warrabilla Parola's Durif.

Cmon guys
Hasn't someone got a bad experience just to keep it balanced!

Cheers
Smithy

smithy wrote:8)
Cmon guys
Hasn't someone got a bad experience just to keep it balanced!

OK, seeing as how you asked for it; you make thin, weedy, wines with no fruit flav...... sorry wrong debate; that was the answer to the Frog post.

smithy wrote:8)
Cmon guys
Hasn't someone got a bad experience just to keep it balanced!

Cheers
Smithy

Ok, Ok, here's a few:
1. The winery is out in the middle of nowhere and the wines are so good it's hard to remember to spit so you may have to sit in the car for a while to sober up for the drive back to town.
2. Red Dog's habit of barking whenever someone walks out with a case of wine gets annoying ('cos it happens all the time ), also you guys are cruel to cats:



3. When I brought my friend Meta to visit you made hime work in the winery before he could have a taste of your wines:


4. I had a black tongue for days after this visit:

(That's Carol on the left (just noticed my friend Graham seems to be making a pass at her), Red Dog in front and Andrew is mostly hidden at the back).

5. And you really need to get an espresso machine for CD...

Give me a while, I'll try and think of some more.

Ric and Brian,
Many thanks for the balancing comments.

Laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes!

Will work on the expresso machine for CD.

Cheers
Smithy

Just faxed off my application now.

Thanks for all the feedback - looking forward to the delivery now

Craig.

Smithy

Please tell tell me the "cat" won't be visable to a three year old when we visit late October earlier November.

Otherwise I'll have a small person on my hands.

Have you seen the "cat in a bag" (paper bag which moves with tail sticking out)

cheers

David

Brian, bloody funny.

Andrew, bloody sickening comments.

Me? bloody good wine and hospitality at Warrabilla.

Brian, I loved that black tongues photos - classic!

Blacktongues? Good name for a Red Bigotted wine group, any takers ?

Wow - signed up yesterday and got my 6 pack today. Fantastic service - thanks smithy!

Anonymous wrote:Blacktongues? Good name for a Red Bigotted wine group, any takers ?

Its already being done. Steve (aka 707) Adelaide wine group is called the Black Tongues.

Hi Hypnotoad,

Gee, somebody here has the balance the equasion, or else Smithy's will get so big, it will burst!

There is one other winery in Rutherglen that makes wines at least as good as Smithys, and thats RL Buller. They make a shiraz called Calliope, and the current vintage is 02, but it may be close to sold out.

This wine should sit in your cellar alongside the Warrabillas.

Bruce

Hi Bruce,

Agree totally about the Bullers Caliope, I have both the 02 Shiraz and Durif which are the current releases. They have also just released a straight 2004 Monduse which is bloody interesting and worth buying. (The tasting note is on TORBwine Recent Releases page.)

The other one that is worth consideration, although it is "elegant" by comparison (but thats not hard) is the Jones 2003 LJ Shiraz.

This wine should sit in your cellar alongside the Warrabillas.

Or in my case laundry cupboard. The cellar is on the list of "things to do" beneath painting the house, floorboards etc

Craig

I was going to say something, but really, enough is enough already.

Lets face it. His wines are s@&t.


Well s@&tHOT actually.


But enough is enough.

IS THIS THE "WARABILLA PROMOTIONAL WEBSITE" OR SOMETHING

Seriously, I'm getting a little pissed at this endless Warabilla talk, drummed up by Smithy. Go somewhere else to promote your wine.

just to add to my last post...
I've got nothing against Smithy or Warabilla. In fact, I really like the wines, and regularly buy them.

But this and the Star Forum consistantly seem to be a promtional website for Warabilla, and it is the exact thing I am am trying to get away from i.e. uninvited advertising, however subliminal.

Feel free to agree or disagree.

Who are you?

Regards,

Allan

Well that makes two pratts in this crowd.

But then as both were anonymous it could still be only one.

As far as I'm concerned, I dont have a problem with Smithy at all on this forum. I think that we all would embrace any winemaker who wants to chat to us. There is always something to learn about wine.
I wonder why other winemakers dont get involved?
I have mentioned this to some winemakers, and most of them have never heard of the wine forums. I suppose they live in their own world, and the forums are for wine fans, as most of us are.
Bruce

I have no problem with winemakers posting on this or any other wine forum.

I have no problem with registered users complaining about winemakers posting on this or any other wine forum.

What I do have a problem with is weak individuals who haven't got the guts to post their comments and identify themselves but use the cover of anonymity to fire off their bitches and snipes.

If you've got something to say then stand up and say it and have the courage to identify yourself in the process.