Wino101: Winefolly.com

Hi everyone,

This post will be short and sweet and I’m quite busy with university at the start of the week. This post is featuring a website which is centered around wine and one which I have thoroughly enjoyed reading different posts on. I stumbled across winefolly.com a few weeks ago and loved their selection of articles as well as their posters. The blog is sectioned off into a beginners section and an advanced section, which contain numerous articles ranging across all the different facets of wine.

Below are two of their posters which I would buy in a heart beat if I had anywhere to hang them as they are not only funny but also the second one would really help me with my current Wine Century Challenge Project.

Different types of wine poster.

Ho to choose wine poster.

I would have to say so far my favourite post on the sight is titled ‘8 Signs You Might Be a Wine Geek’. If you have seen this website before or have checked it out since reading this post do share any interesting articles you find along the way as I am sure it would take me a long time to get through them all. Also feel free to share any of your favourite wine websites/blogs.

Until next time!

Wino101: Like This, Try That (second instalment)

Hi everyone,

You may remember one of my earlier posts on this blog where I suggested alternatives for common white wines. In this post I will hopefully make red wine varietals a little more approachable.

Like Shiraz, Try Zinfandel

When I say Zinfandel, I am referring to the robust style seen in Australia and not the one that many Americans will think of. Zinfandel in Australia is a red wine which ranges in its body and intensity of flavours depending upon the climate it was grown in as well as the winery producing it. Below is the description for the 2010 vintage Zinfandel from Cape Mentelle in Margaret River, Western Australia which has been described to me as the Holy Grail of Western Australian Zinfandels.

APPEARANCE: Dark crimson.

NOSE: Ripe plums with chocolate, allspice, maraschino cherries, juniper berries and aged tobacco.

PALATE: Ripe mulberry, rhubarb and summer pudding with cinnamon, dark chocolate and fleshy plums. The wine is opulent and rich with savoury spicy tannins balanced by fresh and vibrant red fruits. The sweet fruit carries the entire palate contributing to length of flavour.

Like Cabernet Sauvignon, Try Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc is a softer wine in comparison to a Cabernet Sauvignon, however it is a wine that can be overlooked if you are not aware of and looking for the finer, softer elements in a wine. Cabernet Francs are often listed as having, fine tannins, spicy aromas, peppery accents, violet nuances and an understated elegance plus lots of red and black berry (mainly blueberry, raspberry and sometimes plum) flavor.

 It is subtly fragrant and gently flirtatious rather than massively muscular and tough in youth. Because Cabernet Sauvignon has so much more of everything – body, tannin, alcohol, colour – it is often supposed to be necessarily superior, but I have a very soft spot indeed for its more charming and more aromatic relative, Cabernet Franc – Jancis Robinson

Like Pinot Noir, Try Merlot or Cabernet Merlot

Merlot is a grape varietal which bring sweetness into a red wine rather than tannins and spiciness as Cabernet and Shiraz do. If you are finding your Merlot’s too sweet as I did when I first started drinking red wine then a Cabernet Merlot may be a better wine for you to drink as your branch out in your red wine drinking.

Like Rose, Try Pinot Noir

Rose’s tend to be light bodied, fruity (think strawberries, rasberries and cherries) and can range from sweet to dry with their finish. Pinot Noir’s tend to have more body than a Rose however they are still a lighter bodied red than your Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignons. Pinot Noirs such as the Village Pinot Noir from Yering Station – review can be found in this blog – can also have similar fruity characteristics to a Rose.

Hope this post helps and if there are any other varietals you like to drink that wasn’t included in either post please let me know as there will be more of these entries in the future!

Until next time!

Halliday Day: Week 13 – De Bortoli

Hi everyone,

This week’s Halliday Day post will be on the third winery I visited in the Yarra Valley while on holiday over there a few weeks ago. De Bortoli has vineyards across eastern Australia including the Yarra Valley (solid 5 star winery for James Halliday in his 2012 Australian Wine Companion) and the Hunter Valley (4 star winery) , both of which I have visited, as well as in the King Valley (reviewed by James Halliday with the Yarra Valley winery) and Riverina (another 5 star solid winery), which I have not yet had the chance to visit.

While in the Yarra Valley earlier this year I had the chance to visit the cellar door at De Bortoli and sample some of their wines. My notes on the winery and what I sampled while I was there can be found in this blog post.

Many people know the Name De Bortoli due to it’s infamous Nobel One desert wine, which is a delicious wine that needs to be tried at least once in everyone’s lives. I had the chance to sample this wine while attending the Wine Essentals Course run by the Wine Association of Western Australia last year and my notes on it can be found in this blog post.

De Bortoli is noted by Halliday to give good value for money wines with consistent quality levels across it’s lines from the cheaper lower quality wine label under it’s brand to it’s higher quality labels. The Yarra Valley Winery focuses on producing sustainable wines which reflect the characteristics of the region. Below is a short video on the Winery’s sustainability views and changes it has made.

De Bortolli has a variety of brands that it produces wine under. Including Windy Peak, La Boheme, Gulf Station, Sacred Hill to name a few common ones along with estate listed wines. I have across the ranges not yet found a wine of theirs which I am disappointed with.

Feel free to leave a common below on your favourite De Bortoli wines/labels that I need to try or any  wines of their that you have tried and remembered (for good or bad reasons).

Until next time!

Halliday Day: Week 12 – Yering Station

Hi everyone,

There will be no Wino101 post this week, instead for you I have yesterday’s Halliday Day post.

Yering Station is rated solid 5 star winery by James Halliday in his 2012 Australian Wine Companion. Yering Station was established in 1988, on land that had vines planted on it since 1838. Yering comes from the Aboriginal title of the land. The wine makers consist of Darren Rathbone of the Rathbone family which purchased Yering Station in 1996 and Willy Lunn (since 2008) who is well known for hist cool-climate wine making experience and knowledge.

Champagne Devaux in 1996 signed a deal with the Rathbone, the same year they bought the Yering Station property which lead to the production of Yarrabank Sparkling. I had the chance to try the 2004 Late Disgorged Yarrabank Sparkling along with the 2008 Yarrabank Curvee, while both were exceptional cool-climate sparkling wines however the 2004 was clearly the superior wine of the two and one I wish I could have had room to bring back to Perth with me.

Cellar Door.

While I was at the cellar door at Yering Station I also tried a selection of their red wines including their Pinot Noir’s which the Yarra Valley wine region is well known for. Yering Station’s two Pinot Noir’s included one which was light and easy to drink like a Rose while the other was filled with dark berries, and a good weight on the palate to please any lover of red wine. My full review of their wines which I tried can be found in this blog post.

This winery is one not to miss to see quality wines showing common characteristics of the Yarra Valley region. I thoroughly enjoyed the cellar door and if I had more time in the area the Chateau on the property would have been a nice property to look at along with the restaurant on premise.

Until next time!

Wino 101: Questions

Hi everyone,

I’ve had a few questions along the way while writing this blog and while I am still a novice when it comes to wine I thought I would give you the answers I have learnt or my views on the subject so that people can make up their own minds and have a starting point from which they can develop their own understandings towards wines.

Question 1: Where did you learn about wines from?

I have worked part-time in a bottle shop for just over two years and it has really been during this period that I came to have a love and appreciation for wine. I originally began working in a store which was in a more affluent part of Perth where people had income to spare on a more expensive bottle of wine and through discussions with them I began to learn little wine facts and opinions. I have since moved and worked across a variety of locations and along the way come across a variety of customers from all different cultures, socio-economic back grounds, wine and alcohol preferences, you name it. I have also through work been provided with some education on wines, however much of what I have learnt has come from tasting different wines and then discussing them with different people.

I have also travelled to Europe a few times, mainly at my expense and it has provided me with a love of Europe, their take on food, wine and life in general is one which I would love to adopt in the future. Travelling across Europe is something that I hope to do again in the near future so that I can not only have easier access to a wider range of grape varietals but also so that I can really try old-world wines and hopefully know enough about them to enjoy them.

So to answer the original question, I have learnt about wines from many different sources but by far my most knowledgeable moments have been when I have had the chance to sample different wines to develop my own understanding and preferences and secondly, discussing with other people both more and less knowledgeable about wine than myself.

Question 2: My sister says all Taylors wine is good. Would you agree?

Taylors is a wine label which is well known in Australia and is one which I often recommend to customers when they are looking for a gift and want something safe. Although I am yet to actually try this brand, besides their Gewürztraminer, which disappointed me more as a varietal than a label. My approach to wine is slightly different in that often I prefer either a few wines from a winery or I may prefer a grape varietal from across a single region.

For me the grape varietal and the region are more important than the producer, however when I am at work selling wines the opposite is often the case. Taylors does produces some good wines, don’t get me wrong but there are so many other smaller boutique wineries around the same price-point in bottle shops that I would love to try before getting to the big brands. This view does make it hard to recommend wines at work as I often try and enjoy wines that my store do not carry.

Taylors 2010 Shiraz however seems to have been an exceptional vintage as I have had exceptional reviews and recommendations from customers, fellow collegues and the few bottles that I have seen in some stores seem to carry quite a few trophies, gold and silver medals. I must try and get my hands on a bottle or two from this vintage to see what all the hype around it is, even though Shiraz is not my favourite red varietal.

Question 3: What’s the optimum temperature to serve red, and white wines (Bubbly too)?

Basic: Whites and Bubbly = chilled, Reds = room temperature.

More complex: Same as above however consider these temperatures to not be reflective of your current location but rather the ambient temperatures that continental Europe would have had a few centuries ago when the basic model above was coined.

This is a topic I have been meaning to cover in a Wino101 post and will hopefully do so in the near future.

Until next time!

Wino 101: Australia Day BBQ – Pairing Red Wines.

Hi everyone,

This is the follow on post to last weeks Wino101, which focused on white wines that you could have or bring to a barbecue this summer including sweet, dry and sparkling suggestions. This post will be focused on red wines options.

Red wines are often forgotten about in the summer months and people look for something chilled to combat the heat. Reds however can and in some cases should be chilled when served depending upon ambient temperature as well as the varietal and style of the wine.

Rose is one red wine style which people flock to in the summer months. Rose is a popular choice in the summer months as it is served chilled and has just a hint of colour from some time on the skins. I have rediscovered Rose’s this summer since I attended the Rose Revolution last year, my review of the event can be found here. At this event I discovered some new dry Rose favourites. Since the Rose Revolution I have also found some new Rose’s which I feel deliver both on their aroma and on the palate, these wines are both from Western Australia:

• Peel Estate Winery Rose.

Peel Estate Rose.

• Moondah Brook Rose.

Moondah Brook Rose.

• Fifth Estate Rose.

Fifth Estate Rose and Tempranillo.

Shown in the image above is a Tempranillo, which is originally a Spanish grape varietal that cane be had slightly chilled in the summer or room temperature in the winter months.

Another option for red wine drinkers if you prefer a wine with more body than a Rose is to consider a Pinot Noir. Personally I prefer those from cooler climates such as Great Southerm, Yarra Valley and Tasmania – however I seem to prefer those from the Yarra Valley.

Soumah Pinot Noir.

And while red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz may seem to heavy for the summer months do not be afraid to leave them in the fridge for about half an hour before drinking them as red wines are meant to be drunk around 20°C which is much cooler than many a day of summer in Perth.

For those who prefer their reds to be sweet consider either a sweet Rose or a sweet red such as Brown Brothers Dolcetto & Syrah or Cienna, Banrock Estate Crimson Cabernet, etc.

Brown Brother’s Dolcetto & Syrah.

Brown Brother’s Cienna.

Sparkling Shiraz is also an option for those who love both their Sparkling wines as well as their reds. This style of wine I have only sampled on a couple of occasions but it impressed me with the refreshing and slight hint of sweetness that the Sparkling Shiraz’s I tried possessed. Common Favourites include Andrew Garrett and Seppelt.

Seppelt Sparkling Shiraz.

Andrew Garrett Sparkling Shiraz.

Until next time!

Halliday Day: Week 11 – Domaine Chandon.

Hi everyone,

By the time this post goes up on Gourmet Vicariously I will be in Melbourne for a week of wining, dining, retail therapy and some well needed quality time with my mum and cousin. While we’re in Melbourne I have been promised a day in the Yarra Valley and have spent time ever since them researching which wineries in the region to devote my limited time to. One of the wineries that was on the list from the start was Domaine Chandon, which was established by Moët & Chandon from France.

In the 2012 Australian Wine Companion James Halliday rated Domaine Chandon a solid 5-star winery. Established in 1986 Halliday claims that Domaine Chandon is one of the two most important wine facilities in the Yarra Valley region. The cooler climate that the Yarra Valley makes it the perfect climatic region for wines such as Pinot Noir and Traditional Methode sparkling wines, Moët & Chandon and then went a step further and chose a location for their vineyard that had a history very fertile soil. Their location decision was well picked and has enabled Domaine Chandon to be one of the top wineries in the region.

Domaine Chandon is located on land which was formerly a dairy fan called ‘Green Point’ consisting of a spur of land running from Yeringberg Hill to the Yarra river. The reason for this is that the ancient alluvial soils at Green Point are deep and therefore retain moisture well into the summer. These soils combined with the Yarra Valley’s cool climate, define a site with ideal ‘terroir’ for growing wine grapes. Domaine Chandon having French origins focuses on the wine produced at this winery reflecting the characteristics of the region, which in turn has led to the varietals produced at the Yarra Valley location for Domaine Chandon including; Méthode Traditionelle Sparkling Wines, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Rosé, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Cabernet.

Domaine Chandon run free 30 minute guided tours of the winery three times a day and I hope to be able to attend one of these tours when I visit the winery. (at 11am, 1pm and 3pm). So look out for an quick write up of that when I put my Yarra Valley post up in the coming weeks.

Until next time!

Wino 101: Australia Day BBQ – Pairing White Wines.

Hi everyone,

The first post of 2013 is quite fittingly about barbecues’ and in particular the one many Australians will have on Australia Day at the end of the month.This will be the first of two posts, this one will focus on white wine pairing while the Wino 101 post next week will focus on red wine pairings. When pairing wines with a barbecue the main aim is to keep the wine simple as the food is simple and uncomplicated. When it comes to white wines you are spoilt for choice as summer is the season for white wine as it is drunk chilled, which helps to fight off the summer heat.

Sparkling wine can be drunk throughout the entire meal. Sparkling wines range in degrees of sweetness as well as flavours and aromas. Common aromas include nutty, toasty, fruit, and yeast. With common flavours on the palate including those listed for aromas as well as the texture from the bubbles and the final finish of the wine. Below is a  Tasmanian Sparkling which I sampled on Christmas Day. Tropical fruit with a nutty finish, this wine would be a great drink to sip on throughout the entire barbecue.

Ninth Island NV Sparkling.

For those who like it sweet can consider a

• Sweet still: eg. a Chenin Blanc or Moscato or,
• Sweet sparkling: eg. a Moscato or Spumante.

Banrock Moscato is one that I tried this past weekend so as to be able to recommend wines at work. Personally this wine reminded me of Brown Brothers which is the ‘premier’ Moscato that people think of when they come in for a bottle at work. The tiny differences between the two wines can be easily justified by Banrock being roughly half the price of Brown Brothers. This is a wine is sweet with passionfruit on the palate and a delightful drink when chilled.

When you have your meats cooked and salads out of the fridge, you can choose to continue with the sweeter white or instead opt to move onto the more dryer white wines which have along with the fruit the sweetness from the sweeter wines is replaced by oak and/or acid coming through on the nose and palate depending upon the varietal you choose. Favourites for a dry white wine include:

• Rieslings: acid and stone fruit – think Great Southern or Tasmanian,

Plantagenet 2012 Riesling

• Sauvignon Blanc: citrus, grassy and crisp – think New Zealand.
• Semillon Sauvignon Blanc: tropical and citrus fruit, the wine has more aroma on the bouquet than the Sauvignon Blanc – think Margaret River where my favourite ones have lychee on the palate for a zingy surprise that leaves you feeling refreshed at the end of the glass.

Leeping Lizzard Semillon Sauvignon Blanc.

Next week I will post up some options if you’re more of a red drinker for what to drink at a summer barbecue.

Until next time!

Wino 101: Christmas Drinks

Hi everyone,

This post will be short and sweet as I plan to spend Christmas Day with my family and BF’s family but i thought I would share with you what I am planning to drink today. The weather in Perth is getting really hot and today seems to be the ‘official’ start of a heatwave according to the radio as I drove home from work yesterday. I am not a fan of heat or humidity so my plan is to avoid my beloved reds in favour of chilled drinks.

I have chilled 2 Rose’s for today and will hopefully get the chance to compare the two over the course of the day. One is a sweeter one from the Olive Farm Wines to share with mum while I’m with the family and then my other Moondah Brook Dry Rose for when I head over to BF’s family’s Christmas get together.

Olive Farm Rose.

Moondah Brook Rose.

Will be sipping on plenty of water throughout the day as I’ll be driving and the heat will definetly take it out of me. Hope everyone else plays it safe if they are on the road tomorrow or out in the sun!

Merry Christmas and Have a safe and happy New Year!

Halliday Day: Week 11- Soumah.

Hi everyone,

I was introduced to Soumah’s wines when I met up with a group of Perth food and wine bloggers for the inaugural meet for our attempt of the Wine Century Challenge, you can read my review of that night here. James Halliday rates Soumah as a 4-star winery in the Australian Wine Companion, and also notes that it is a recent addition to the 2012 edition of the book.

Soumah’s Logo.

Located in the Yarra Valley in Victoria, Soumah was established in 1997 as a collaboration in the Butcher family. Those involved in the winery are clearly lovers of wine and are quite partial to the idea or “terroir” which is a French term that is quite hard to describe as it has no English term. Terroir basically it refers to the effect of the region in which the grapes are grown in particular the climate and soil upon the final taste and texture of the wine. It is a very ‘Old World’ term as it implies that the grape growing rather than the wine making is what is most important for the wine.

Location within the Yarra Valley.

Soumah has made the decision to limit it’s varietals grown on site to ones that have been specifically selected by them for the Yarra Valley region when comparing its climatic and geographical features to that of Europe. The winery lives by it’s mottos of:

 “We concentrate on single Vineyard Wines | We are in a cool climate location | We target quality over quantity | We research, we plant, we nurture | We narrow our varietal focus to: Burgundy and Northern Rhone, and Northern Italy | We strive for savoury, elegant wines | We are partial to blue”

This motto of theirs is clearly seen in their decisions over what is important enough to be included on the wine’s label. Let me say as a person who is beginning to learn the nitty gritty of wines and their making these labels are quite an exciting sight for me and working in retail in the Liquor Industry something that I would love to see become more common as it would really allow people to become more educated about the wines they are drinking. Below are some pictures I took at Steve’s of the label information for the three wines I tried in their range.

Chardonnay Label.

Pinot Noir Label.

Savarro Label.

I am definitely getting excited for my trip to Melbourne in a few weeks time! I do hope to make it to Soumah while I am in the Yarra Valley so that I can try the few wines that  I missed out on trying at Steve’s.

Hope you all are having a wonderful end of the year! Best wishes for your Christmas and New Year festivities!

Until next time!