Category:2014

August 11
#Augdulgence – Jasper Hill Georgia’s Paddock Heathcote Shiraz 2014

Jasper Hill. Iconic. Enough said really…jasper

Of course not. Never enough said about this amazing wine. Even when it is young it is amazing. Coming off a dry grown (un-irrigated) biodynamic vineyard in central Victoria by wine making legend Ron Laughton, Jasper Hill Georgia’s Paddock is, and always will be, a much coveted wine here in Australia and this weekend we will be opening it up at the wine bar on pouring it for $18 #BTG and selling retail for $84.

So as Mick Molloy famously alluded to in another Aussie Icon, Crackerjack, “that’s fair-dinkum 1972 prices!!!”

August 7
#Augdulgence – Lets Luxuryify August

To follow on from the hugely successful #TryJuly, the WINE STORE | WINE BAR bress gold shirazwon’t be slowing down one bit with the start of #Augdulgence. This month we will luxuryifying wine and show-casing the ACE flavours that might sometimes be a bridge too far in-so-far as $$$; this month I will do my best to get you going home with something super wonderful. So lets get started.

The Bress Heathcote Gold Shiraz 2014. This is such an awesome wine!!! Delish intense blackberry on the nose is accompanied with an earthy/masterstock/soy vibe going on as well. The palate follows the nose with intense dark fruit with that wet earth/tilled earth texture. All in all, just #TickityBooAce.

Drink with duck ragu and normally $48, but lets talk…

 

July 24
#TryJuly – #24 Ulithorne “Dona” McLaren Vale Shiraz 2014

It’s cold. The weather is moving in. Again. And it’s cold. But I already said that right? Better go and get some red wine then. donaAnd if that’s on the brief then swing on by the WINE STORE | WINE BAR to-now and grab this belter.

The Ulithorne “Dona” McLaren Vale Shiraz 2014 is the type of red wine that you just want to cuddle up with. So lets do it then. On the nose there is a distinct dark blackberry and earthy note; master stock and soy are very common in the glasses of red I am sipping this winter. The palate is a little bit old school, little bit new school with more rich dark fruit mixed in with very supple and savoury spice and earthy tones. Just delish.

Drink with a blanky over your lap and always $24

July 5
#TryJuly – #5 Tappo Barossa Valley Shiraz 2014

This is as quintessential as a big and juicy and rich and ripe Aussie Shiraz as you’ll get. And it’s only $20!!!!!tappo

The Tappo Barossa Valley Shiraz 2014 has got winter crowd pleaser written all over it. This is the type of Shiraz where the fruit was left hanging out in the hot South Oz sun so it would develop all those big and gutsy flavours that work so well in the depths of winter; big dark and rich fruit, spice, length and most importantly, #ACE flavour in spades. And again, it’s only, and is always $20

Drink wearing a cozy woolie jumper while tucking in to a hearty stew.

April 2
#SlowSaturday – Slow Adelaide Hills Shiraz 2014

Slow day? Slow Saturday? Slow weekend? It’s dreary and cool and slowsatlazy and hazy so I’m tipping the couch is cozy and the lounge room is HQ this weekend. All you need now is a #TickityBooAce glass of sumthin-sumthin in your hand.

To follow the memo, the Slow Adelaide Hills Shiraz 2014 will surely complete the brief. Supple blackberry and mastertock notes on the nose are followed up in the palate with more blackberry, white pepper and marzipan. A very complete wine that is in no rush whatsoever and is always just $15.

February 25
#Drank/Drunk This Week – Vasco’s Mistress Loureiro Vinho Verde DOC Portugal 2014

There is nothing better than drinking a wine and really seeing its provenance in the flavour. Me, well I’m a big wrap for wines that mimic their origin and this wine, the awesomely new Vasco’s Mistress Loureiro Vinho Verde from northern Portugal is all and everything that this region is. And I love it!!!! vasco

Straight away the nose throws crunchy and briney preserved lemon and bitter melon which totally  takes you to northern Portugal. The palate follows the nose with an instant hit of citrus – think lemon rind and tart comquat – and holds long with the help of lip smacking acid and white tannins. All of the fruit for this wine is grown organically with minimal SO2 used just prior to bottling, so if you want to hold on to summer just a little bit longer, this wine will do the trick.

So smashble with Fish + Chips and always $24.

January 10
#Summer2016 – Out of Step Shiraz 2014, Yarra Valley

Yep, summer is here in sunny #BrunswickEast. But living in this Four Seasons city we all know how weather can change faster than saying, “can you please pass me the aeroguard….”. out of step

What we need is an all purpose red that sings be it rain, hail or shine. The Out of Step Shiraz 2014 from the Yarra Valley is that red. Lovely tart blackberry on the nose mixed with supple slately minerality. The wine opens up in the palate with more slatey minerality, concentrated blackberry and a real sense of Chinese masterstock – seriously.

So this is your wine when you want a red – rain, hail or shine and always $28.

And where ever you are Mr. Walker, avagoodweekend!!!

 

 

 

September 4
#FridayTastesLike – La Cuvée des Copains Grenache 2014 from Côtes du Rhône

piggyWhoa!!!! Look what has just hit the Paris end of Lygon Street. The #SuperAceTickityboo La Cuvée des Copains Grenache 2014 from Côtes du Rhône in southern France. Now this Little Piggy has been a favourite of mine for quite a few years and when I heard he was back in the country I just knew I had to get some. Geez it’s ACE!!!!

This has got to be one of the most reliable wines I have ever seen because year-in-year-out it just keeps delivering and delivering and delivering. Awesome dried flowers and spice on the nose, this Grenache hits its straps in the palate with delicious earth, red fruit and long and lingering notes of prickly spice; think clove and cardamon. It’s banging value and always $22.

Don’t let this little piggy go the market. Get it home #ProntoStatNow

July 7
July – The spring time for new wine; Syrahmi Heathcote Demi Shiraz 2014

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” Leo Tolstoy

Spring. Its the time for new beginnings. But it’s July and cold. Alas it is but this time of the year is Spring for new wine releases and new vintages. And bygolly are there some absolutely ripping new releases right now.

With that the case I will endeavour to post a new release everyday for the remainder of July. So without further pause…

Syrahmi Heathcote Demi Shiraz 2014demi

Words cannot do justice the respect I have for Adam Fosters touch with the parcels of fruit he plays with, and his latest offering of his Demi Shiraz is quite simply faultless.

The nose opens with intense and concentrated blackberry notes with black olives following the longer in the glass. The palate opens up with spice and masterstock flavours – think brown spice, soy sauce and beef oxo. Again, the longer in the glass concentrated blackberry and a savoury black olive tapenade flavour come through. Just awesome and drink with mushroom and bloody beef dishes and $28 always.

 

March 20
#DrinkVegan – Ottelia Limestone Coast Pinot Gris 2014

otteliaYes, there is such a thing. Vegan Wine is real. But what is Vegan wine?

During the wine making process wine makers ‘fine’ wine. Fining is a procedure for claryfing and purifying the wine juice. In it’s simplist forms fining is all about electrostatic attraction; the fining agent – un-vegan friendly are egg whites, milk protein and isinglass – carries a particular electric charge that reacts with wine solids carrying the opposite charge. Milk whey can also be used in the vineyard under biodynamic practices where it is sprayed over the canopy to combat Powdery Mildew.

So, the wine. The Ottelia Limestone Coast Pinot Gris 2014; the Limestone Coast is just to the left of the bottle – near Coonawarra. A lovely rich pear aroma comes through on the nose mixed in with some subtle floral notes. The palate see’s more pear – bruised pear I get, and soft subtle spice all the length of the palate. An ACE wine and totally #VeganFriendly.

Drink with Asian spiced silken tofu and $22 always

 

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