Another Bargainhttp://www.quaff.com.au/another-bargain/en-AU2010-03-11T07:44:45ZSquarespace Site Server v5.9.2 (http://www.squarespace.com/)2008 Wolf Blass 'Yellow Label' Shiraz Viognierhttp://www.quaff.com.au/another-bargain/2010/3/5/2008-wolf-blass-yellow-label-shiraz-viognier.htmlPeter Forrestal2010-03-04T22:38:55Z2008 Wolf Blass 'Yellow Label' Shiraz Viognier

 

Here's another well-priced quaffer that has a recommended retail price above $15 but will be widely available for less. It's the best 'Yellow Label' that I've seen since the 2005 Shiraz, and it's benefitted from the addition of some of the white grape, viognier. The viognier gives this wine a perfumed lift as well as a more silky, even syrupy texture. There are bright redcurrant and dark plums flavours, before a plush mid-palate and a supple approachable finish that lingers. Good value red.

 

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 16.95

Wide availability in all Australian states.  www.fostersgroup.com

Reviewed: 5 March 2010

]]>2009 Thorn Clarke 'Sandpiper' Rieslinghttp://www.quaff.com.au/another-bargain/2010/2/26/2009-thorn-clarke-sandpiper-riesling.htmlPeter Forrestal2010-02-26T04:22:26ZIt's back to back stellar vintages for this great-value Eden Valley riesling. Thorn Clarke's recommended retail price has crept up to $16.95 taking it over the $15 mark for the first time. Given the state of retail trade at present, I'd be confident that you'll find the wine below the omnipresent Quaff price point – what I think most of us would like to pay for our everyday drinking. To be honest, it's still terrific value at full tote odds.

 

It joins the raft of fabulous Bloody Good rieslings in Quaff 2010: most of which are still available. I loved the fresh vibrant attack of the 2009 'Sandpiper' Riesling its pristine, intense lemon juice flavours, tight, lean structure and lively zesty, crisp, dry finish. This is exceptional for an entry point white.

 

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 16.95

Wide availability in all Australian states.  www.thornclarkewines.com

Reviewed: 26 Feb 2010

]]>2008 Punt Road 'Airlie Bank' Chardonnayhttp://www.quaff.com.au/another-bargain/2010/2/19/2008-punt-road-airlie-bank-chardonnay.htmlPeter Forrestal2010-02-18T22:07:11ZFor a wine writer, there are few things better than having the wines revealed after discussing a bracket and finding that for the second time in a week a wine from the same label has shone. For me, the joy is compounded if the wine is inexpensive. So it was with a pair in the 'Airlie Bank' range from the Yarra Valley's Punt Road.

Firstly, there was this very modern 2008 chardonnay: tight and lean with intense savoury, minerally characters, good balance and length of flavour. It's clean, vibrant and refreshing. Just the kind of chardonnay that will turn consumers back onto the variety.

A couple of days later, it was the turn of the 2008 Punt Road 'Airlie Bank' Pinot Noir (also excellent value at $19). It was delightfully fragrant, had earthy, redcurrant and black cherry flavours of good intensity, was lively, silky smooth with very good varietal character.

 

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 19

Winemaker: Kate Goodman

Wide availability in all Australian states. www.puntroadwines.com.au

Reviewed: 22 Feb 2010

]]>2008 De Bortoli 'Deen Vat 1' Durifhttp://www.quaff.com.au/another-bargain/2010/2/12/2008-de-bortoli-deen-vat-1-durif.htmlPeter Forrestal2010-02-12T01:52:38Z2008 De Bortoli 'Deen Vat 1' Durif  

The 2007 vintage of this did well in Quaff 2010. The next harvest has produced another bloody good, though quite different, wine. The 2007 has heaps of powerful flavour with a juicy succulence that was particularly appealing. The 2008 is a great value for money red. I suspect, however, that it may not be to everyone's liking, at least, at present. It's a huge robust red with powerful concentrated flavours and lavish vanillin oak that is almost coconutty. So if you like the style (as my wife, Elaine, does), you'll love this. I think it needs a bit of time for the oak to be less dominant. Still there's plenty of positives: spicy ripe, red berry, brambly flavours and an attractive fleshiness that make the wine approachable. And great value.

 

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 12.90

Wide availability in all Australian states. www.deenvatseries.com.au

Reviewed: 22 Feb 2010

]]>N/V Angove Zibibbohttp://www.quaff.com.au/another-bargain/2010/2/4/nv-angove-zibibbo.htmlPeter Forrestal2010-02-04T10:20:14ZMaybe I'll cop some criticism for writing up two similar (non-serious?) wines in the Quaff Newsletter. I've been mightily impressed by both and they are attracting a great deal of attention from Australian winemakers, and the Australian public. 'Zibibbo' is the Sicilian name for the muscat of alexandria white grape. Jancis Robinson notes that these are less common in Italy (which invented the style) than moscato which is made from muscat à petit grains. The only other Zibibbos that I've seen in Australia are made by Brown Brothers, although recently I've found these pretty sweet.

The Angove Zibibbo is lightly fizzy and fresh with vibrant sweet grapey characters, good balance before a crisp, clean finish of considerable length. There's only 8% alcohol which makes this a great refreshing afternoon drink (I'm thinking of the weekends.) At 75 grams of residual sugar per litre it is sweet, but there's plenty of acidity to provide balance so it doesn't appear overly sweet or cloying. It has an attractive mouthfeel and delicious flavour. At the price, it's a steal.

 

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 9.95

Winemaker: Tony Ingle and the team.

Wide availability in all Australian states. www.angoves.com.au

Reviewed: 5 February 2010

 

 

As an aside, Angove have done well in this year's Sydney International Top 100 with one of the Quaff favourites, the 2009 Angove 'Nine Vines' Shiraz Grenache Rose $14.95. It's in line for Top Rose. Results out on Saturday 20 February. 

]]>2009 Catching Thieves Semillon Sauvignon Blanchttp://www.quaff.com.au/another-bargain/2010/1/22/2009-catching-thieves-semillon-sauvignon-blanc.htmlPeter Forrestal2010-01-22T04:05:39ZThis week, we're talking about another bargain or two.

 

McWilliams had a great night when the results of the National Wine Show in Canberra were announced with four gold medals going to well-priced Western Australian wines from their portfolio. The 2008 Catching Thieves Cabernet Merlot ($16.95) also won a trophy for Best Commercial Red of the Show and 2007 Evans & Tate Cabernet Merlot ($22.95) won the trophy for Best Red Blend. Gold medals went to the 2009 Catching Thieves Semillon Sauvignon Blanc ($16.95) and (from a very tricky Margaret River vintage) the 2006 Evans & Tate Cabernet Merlot ($22.95). The Catching Thieves Semillon Sauvignon Blanc also won gold in Hobart on the same evening. That is a spectacular result.

 

McWillam's Wines excellent Production Director, Jim Brayne said the trophies and gold medals won by Catching Thieves and Evans & Tate at the 2009 National Wine Show of Australia reflected the winery's commitment and investment in the Western Australian region. It's a pity then that, in a moment of marketing madness McWilliams entered the Catching Thieves wines in the Show as coming from the Victorian label, Lillydale Estate. I'm hoping they'll tidy that up in future shows so that the label's Western Australian provenance is underlined.

 

This marks a significant step forward for the quality of Catching Thieves label. The judges commented that the 2009 Catching Thieves SSB - as the only gold medal winner in a class of 38 wines - was 'a fresh, zippy blend' but the rest of the class were disappointing. I thought the wine was pure, fresh and bright with vibrant ripe tropical flavours of passionfruit, peach and pineappple, showed fruity concentration and an impeccably balanced tangy finish. It's better than most whites for which you'd pay $5 to $10 more.

 

The 2008 Catching Thieves Cabernet Merlot is great summer drinking: it's quite lightly framed; ripe soft and fleshy with vibrant plummy flavours that are intense and pure, before an attractive approachable finish. No question, there's brilliant value here.

 

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 16.95

Wide availability in all Australian states. www.mcwilliams.com.au

Reviewed: 22 January 2010

]]>2007 Maxwell 'Four Roads' Shiraz Grenache Viognierhttp://www.quaff.com.au/another-bargain/2009/12/11/2007-maxwell-four-roads-shiraz-grenache-viognier.htmlPeter Forrestal2009-12-11T04:20:15ZThis is a terrific summery red from a fine family producer in McLaren Vale. I say summery because although it has richness, concentration and extract, there's seductive fleshy texture, ripe juicy blackberry flavours – all balanced and approachable. So there's the grunt of full flavour and some softness to make it more appealing as a red drink at this time of the year. The blend is shiraz (85%) which is co-fermented with viognier (5%), and grenache (10%). Incidentally, Maxwell are celebrating 30 years of wine production this year, so there's another reason to try one of their wines. (And yes, they do have a shiraz called Maxwell's 'Silver Hammer'.)

 

 

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 19.95

Winemaker: Mark Maxwell, Alexia Roberts

Wide availability in all Australian states. www.maxwellwines.com.au

Reviewed: 11 December 2009

]]>2009 Berton The White Viognierhttp://www.quaff.com.au/another-bargain/2009/12/4/2009-berton-the-white-viognier.htmlPeter Forrestal2009-12-04T03:39:30ZI first came across Bob Berton when he was working for Miranda in Griffith and the Barossa. He started up Berton Vineyards four years ago and bought the Southcorp winery at Yenda. They won my best new label award in Quaff 2010. The 2008 Berton 'The White' Viognier was rated Good in that edition of the guide. The 2009 is now out and gets the same rating from me. It's a sweeter style than the Trentham Estate and has attractive ripe fruity flavours, more juicy peach and apricot than the apple and pear of their previous vintage; finishing soft, round, crisp and gently sweet.

 

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 12

Winemaker: James Ceccato

Limited availability in ACT NSW and Victoria. www.bertonvineyards.com.au

Reviewed: 4 December 2009

]]>2008 Banrock Station Semillon Chardonnayhttp://www.quaff.com.au/another-bargain/2009/11/27/2008-banrock-station-semillon-chardonnay.htmlPeter Forrestal2009-11-27T03:31:36ZLook, I'm not really a fan of semillon chardonnay - too many of them are bland and lack interest. As always happens when I make a sweeping pronouncement like that, I have to qualify it by saying 'But there are exceptions.' There's usually at least one Bloody Good sem chardonnay in each issue of Quaff and here's one that I've found from my tastings since the book came out. I'm rating it Good rather than Bloody Good although it was close to the higher rating. Still, at the price, it's bloody good value. From the Constellation vineyards in the Riverland, the 2008 Banrock Station Semillon Chardonnay is clean, fresh and lively, heaps of fruit with gently herbal flavours and a zesty edge, finishing with bright tangy acidity. A good quaffer.

Rating: Good

Cost: $ 9.50

Wide availability in all Australian states.

Reviewed: 27 November 2009

]]>2008 Torbreck 'Woodcutters' Shirazhttp://www.quaff.com.au/another-bargain/2009/11/20/2008-torbreck-woodcutters-shiraz.htmlPeter Forrestal2009-11-20T03:47:41ZThis is the large volume shiraz from the Barossa winery, Torbreck. It's unbelieveably good for the price - and the sort of amazing value that Quaff seeks to put in the hands of wily consumers. I've been following the Woodcutters Shiraz since 2001 and enjoy it most years. However, this is the best that I can remember it. The 2008 Woodcutters Shiraz is soft and very easy to drink with attractive velvety texture, ripe raspberry, red cherry, and dark plum flavours, delicate fine grain tannins and a supple finish which lingers. There's depth, richness and concentration yet the approachability that will make it attractive summer drinking.

 

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $19.95

Winemaker: Dave Powell, Craig Isbel

Wide availability in all Australian states. www.torbreck.com

Reviewed: 20 November 2009

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