Archive for the ‘up to $20’ Category
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 »
Saturday, August 22nd, 2009
I don’t drink many whites from the Barossa. This one is a blend of, hold your breath, 50% Semillon, 15% Marsanne, 14% Viognier, 10% Ugni Blanc, 6% Grenache Blanc and 5% Vermentino.
Semillon seems to dominate the nose, with lemons and slate, hard green fruits, a certain dryness and flint. The palate is different, and though it does have lemons, straw and dry grass, it isn’t particularly tart, and it has some fleshy yellow fruits with honey and a some more rounded fruits in the background. Very refreshing and pretty good value. Drink over the next few years. By the way, the current vintage is 2008, but hopefully this review will be useful anyway.
Rated : 90 Points
Tasted : Aug09
Alcohol : 13%
Price : $20
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2009-2012
Source : Cellar
Website : Spinifex
Posted in Australia, Barossa Valley, Notes, Price, Semillon, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
I was getting beer supplies on the weekend and a couple of wines caught my eye, so I decided to fill the six-pack out. This was one of the ring-ins. A foreboding nose, showing cheap sweet cherry fruits, black earth, gunsmoke and a touch of Vietnamese mint. The palate showed confected cherries juxtaposed with a burnt tarry and charry character, and a bit of a green bitter finish. A post-midnight wine. Sigh. Well the Stanton & Killeen wine I had recently was very enjoyable, and though it would seem I have stumbled at the next Rutherglen hurdle, and will keep trying.
Rated : 81 Points
Tasted : Jul09
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $18.95
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2009-2012
Source : Dan Murphys
Website : Campbells
Posted in Australia, Notes, Price, Rutherglen, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | 5 Comments »
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
From the most recent cellar club release. A blend of 50% Shiraz and 50% Durif. Matured in a combination of 1 and 2 year old American and French oak for 14 months. The nose displayed blackcurrants, black plums, coffee, mocha, jam and black liquorice. The palate was rich, red and robust, with lovely black earthiness, plums, liquorice and coffee grounds. Medium to full bodied with ripe but slightly grainy tannins. No heat whatsoever. A very satisfying red – perhaps Rutherglen reds deserve more attention than they currently receive.
Rated : 89 Points
Tasted : Jul09
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $20
Closure : Diam
Drink : 2010-2017
Source : Cellar Door
Website : Stanton & Killeen
Posted in Australia, Notes, Price, Rutherglen, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | 3 Comments »
Friday, July 17th, 2009
I bought this as a taster a few years ago; time to try it. Plums and spice, minerals and river stones, mixed with a touch of black pepper. A simple palate: raspberries and plums, with a sprinkle of spice and a tangy finish. The tannins are soft. This wine has barbeque written all over it. Drink now.
Rated : 86 Points
Tasted : Jul09
Alcohol : 13%
Price : $19
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2009-2010
Source : Cellar
Posted in Grenache, Notes, Price, Spain, Tierra de Castilla, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »
Sunday, July 12th, 2009
This is a cleanskin. I wouldn’t normally review one, but I’ve bought heaps of it now, and everyone that tastes it wants a case. Or more. A firm red in colour. Milk coffee, red plums, vanilla pod and a touch of char. A firm palate, red plums, caramel and nuts, some tobacco and leaf with some beefish tannins. The confection drives the mid-palate, and the finish showed milk chocolate and coffee, and a touch of tang. A pleasant richness, but the flavour combination is quite wacky, and it is not the sort of wine I would start an evening with, but after midnight it would fit the bill perfectly.
Rated : 84 Points
Tasted : Jul09
Alcohol : 14%
Price : $8.25
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2009-2012
Source : Cellar Door
Website : Virginia Vineyard
Posted in Australia, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »
Friday, July 10th, 2009
Initially, showed a touch of garrigue, blackberries, dried herbs, black peppercorns and toasted nuts. The palate showed bright berries, cinnamon quill, dried herbs and dried spices, raspberry cordial and red plums. Then it completely changed, and for the next couple of hours it was confected and sickly, and I was very displeased with it. After three hours it had settled down. Black peppercorns, mushrooms, black fruits and a hint of dried herbs. On the palate, savoury red fruits, hard spices and some savoury dryness. Quite a nice wine, and though I think it needs a small decant now, I think it is for short term drinking only.
Rated : 85 Points
Tasted : Jul09
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : $18
Closure : Diam
Drink : 2010-2013
Source : Cellar Door
Website : Boireann
Posted in Australia, Granite Belt, Grenache, Notes, Price, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »
Sunday, July 5th, 2009
I have had 3 bottles of this wine from a six pack I purchased a few months ago. This was the best bottle so far. Bottle of variation or some improvement with bottle age? I dunno. A festive mousse, red with hints of purple. On the nose, red currants, red plums, summer spices, Chinese five spice and some meaty undertones. The palate is relatively simple, showing red currants, some confection, a corkiness (but it was not corked) with a touch of Brandy spirit. Pleasant enough, but a glass and half was sufficient for me.
Rated : 85 Points
Tasted : Jun08
Alcohol : 13.5%
Price : $14
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2009-2012
Source : Dan Murphys
Website : Morris
Posted in Notes, Price, Rutherglen, Shiraz, Sparkling, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | 2 Comments »
Thursday, June 25th, 2009
I just found this. Apparently I bought it a couple of years ago from Dan Murphys. I am trying to run down stocks at the moment, so will be dragging out some odd bottles over the next few months. Quite stinky on opening, and it didn’t really change with some air-time, showing chook poo and raspberry stones, with a handful of dried herbs. The palate is pleasant and dry, savoury red fruits, cherries and raspberries, a leather strop with minerals and red earth. Okay length, but a touch raspy. Drink now I reckon.
Rated : 84 Points
Tasted : Jun09
Alcohol : 13.5%
Price : $14.25
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2009-2009
Source : Dan Murphys
Website : La Vieille Ferme
Posted in France, Notes, Price, Rhone, Shiraz, Varietal/Style, up to $20 | No Comments »