Archive for the ‘up to $20’ Category
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
I had this wine on the weekend. I have been otherwise drinking all the old Rhones from the cellar. This would not be mistaken as a wine from this region; it has Penfolds written all over it. A blend of 42% Shiraz, 30% Mourvedre and 28% Grenache. A pleasant nose showing cherries, black liquorice, and dry spices like cloves and nutmeg. The palate is little reserved at the moment, with cherry fruits, cloves and pepper, and a dry finish showing minerals and fruity stones. The dry finish persists, even with some time in the decanter; some some sweetness emerges on the palate. A very nice wine, but released a year too early; will probably rate better with time. Sealed under screwcap. 14.5% abv. RRP is $30, but is available for under $20. 88+ points
Posted in Australia, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »
Friday, March 5th, 2010
It’s that time of the year again, the time when Penfolds release their “Bin” range of wines. I have read that this is probably the pick of the new red wines, so I bought myself a bottle. I also bought singles of the Bin 128, Bin 138 and Bin 389, and will have look at these in the coming weeks. I would also like to try the Bin 23 Pinot Noir, but haven’t seen it around yet. Anyway, this wine was a vibrant dark red in colour. A solid nose, showing coffee beans and mocha, black olives and juicy red berries, spice, and with time, some milkyness and almonds. The palate is tight and savoury, even after 5 hours in a decanter, with berry fruits, hard dry spices, nutmeg and coffee dryness. Good length, though there is a little bit of heat on the finish, but only a touch. Still quite youthful – I would like to see this again in a couple of years. Bottled under screwcap. 14.5% abv. Currently $19.80 from Dan Murphys in a six bottle purchase, but expect to pay around $25 for it from other retailers. Drink 2012-2017+. 89 points.
Posted in Adelaide, Australia, Barossa Valley, Langhorne Creek, Limestone Coast, McLaren Vale, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | 2 Comments »
Friday, February 26th, 2010
I think this has been out for a while. From the Yalumba website, this wine was apparently matured for 12 months in 18% new oak barrels, with the mix of oak being 59% American, 35% French and 6% Hungarian. A powerful nose, and chock full of goodness, blackberries and blackcurrants, spice and cedar, earth, choc-mint and a touch of green olives. The palate is flavoursome, with black fruits and red liquorice, soft chocolateyness, and tannins that initially are soft but seem to harden a bit at the end of the palate. Terrifyingly easy to drink. Sealed under screwcap. $15.19 from Dan Murphys, and at that price I think it warrants at least a six pack purchase. Drink 2010-2013+. 88 points.
Posted in Australia, Barossa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, Notes, Price, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | 1 Comment »
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
We went down the road for pizza the other night because it was my birthday, and when I saw this I thought it would go well with the meal. Unfortunately I wasn’t sure of the normal RRP, and ended up paying a 200% markup. Grrrrrrrrrrr. A blend of 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella and 5% Molinara. Red fruits on the nose, with wood spices, stewed plums and a bit of a liqueured character. The palate was lovely and savoury, red cherries, dry spices like cloves, old leather, with a touch of tin on the finish. Medium bodied, if that. A pleasant bistro wine. Sealed under cork. 12% abv (which seems very low). Drink 2010-2012. 87 points. Should be under $20.
Posted in Corvina, Italy, Notes, Price, Varietal/Style, Veneto, up to $20 | 2 Comments »
Monday, February 15th, 2010
I popped into The Wine Emporium on Friday last week and only walked out with 2 bottles of wine that cost $40 in total. Normally trips to this store are alot more expensive, so I consider myself lucky. This wine has a couple of notable stickers on the label: a Trophy and a Top Gold at the Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2009. I tend to regard show awards with a degree of suspicion, but I think the Adelaide Show is one of the better ones around. Anyways, enough waffle. Thirty minutes in the fridge to give the wine a light chill. Deeply scented with dark cherries and spice. On the palate, black cherries, spices, dark chocolate and cola. Beautiful balance, with soft tannins, and a richness that never seemed heavy. Good length, and good stuff for the price. 13.5% abv. Screwcap. $20 RRP. Drink 2011-2015. 89 points.
Posted in Australia, Barossa Valley, Notes, Price, Tempranillo, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
A blend of 85% Shiraz and 15% Sangiovese. Consumed over 3 days and was one of those wines that got better and softened with time. In fact, I found it almost painful to drink on the first night, so most of it was consumed over the two succeeding days. A bulky nose, with rich red fruits, cola, plums, mulberries and spices; packed with fruits and flavours and goodness. The palate is also plummy, but also showed red cherry, black cherry, raspberries, peppery spices and acid. Tannins are ripe but big and plentiful. Should easily take a few years of cellaring.
Other vintages: 2007
Rated : 90 Points
Tasted : Dec09
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $19
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2012-2016
Source : Cellar Door
Website : Primo Estate
Posted in Australia, McLaren Vale, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »
Thursday, November 5th, 2009
I bought another bottle of the Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 because of the mixed reviews and I thought I should try it again. Anyhoo, I like getting the six bottle discount so this guy hitched a ride home. A medium red. A peculiar nose, with plums and spice, old wood, dusty cherries, and an oddness that I just couldn’t quite pin down. On the palate, bland fruits with dry spices and a savouriness. Okay length, but a bit too dry for my liking; your mileage might vary.
Rated : 83 Points
Tasted : Nov09
Alcohol : 13.5%
Price : $16.15
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2009-2011
Source : Dan Murphys
Posted in Dolcetto, Italy, Notes, Piedmont, Price, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
I’ve had a couple of bottles of this now. A delicate nose, lightly spiced, with cherry fruits, a touch of strawberry and some wood spices. The palate is delicate too, red fruits and rose petals, a touch milky and sappy at the same time, with a squeeze of spice. Poised and balanced, not particularly complex (perhaps this will come with more bottle age), but you cannot argue with the price, nor the lovely clean fruits. Refreshing, and a remarkably different wine to the 2007, and certainly a style I prefer.
Rated : 86 Points
Tasted : Sep09
Alcohol : 13.5%
Price : $15
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2009-2013
Source : Boccaccio Cellars
Website : Wickhams Road
Posted in Australia, Notes, Pinot Noir, Price, Varietal/Style, Yarra Valley, up to $20 | No Comments »
Monday, September 14th, 2009
A Rhone styled wine. I am not sure of the composition, but it tastes like it’s Shiraz dominant, with a touch of Grenache and maybe some Mourvedre. Might be something else in there too. All the usual suspects on the nose, red cherries and mulberries, red liquorice and star anise. The palate showed quite a lot of fruit sweetness, with an engaging meld of plump briary fruits, liquorice and spice. Finished with a touch of white pepper. Juicy fruits and soft tannins, but it has some structure. Very easy to drink, and comes at a tidy price too.
Rated : 88 Points
Tasted : Sep09
Alcohol : 13.7%
Price : $18
Closure : Diam
Drink : 2009-2012
Source : The Wine Emporium
Website : Domaine Lucci
Posted in Adelaide Hills, Australia, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »
Saturday, September 5th, 2009
I’ve had this 3 times in the past week, and it was initially recommended to me by my father-in-law, who brought a bottle over for dinner in exchange for some roast lamb, three vege, fresh bread rolls and a thrashing at 500. No notes were taken at the time, or subsequently, so this one is off the top of my head. A rich red in colour, with beautiful aromas of plums and spice. The palate is full, with plums and liquorice, spice and a touch of oak, but best of all, without any cheap abrasive characters you would normally see in a $10 wine. Decent length, and good depth of flavour, though not terribly complex. Not particularly chewy or tannic; just plain easy drinking. I left half a bottle on the kitchen bench overnight and it survived the night better than a Labor MP. I suspect it might cellar pretty well. Now, it’s not often I put the phrases “Vintage Cellars” and “good value” in the same sentence, but this is currently $10 per bottle in a dozen buy from this retailer, so don’t be a fool and pay $20, which I believe is the RRP. By the way, the Red Stripe blend is $12 and the Black Label about $23.
Rated : 88 Points
Tasted : Sep09
Alcohol : 14%
Price : $10
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2009-2018
Source : Vintage Cellars
Website : Wynns
Posted in Australia, Coonawarra, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | 7 Comments »