2022 Stockman’s Ridge Primrose Sparkling

Posted on November 5, 2023 by Tony Peters

There is an event about to happen in the city of Melbourne, Australia. Apparently, it “stops the nation”. It involves a score or more horses running around a track for a couple of miles with the fastest one crowned the winner. For those who don’t know, it is called the Melbourne Cup. Now, I am not interested in horse racing or betting on horse racing. However, what I have noticed on the news and in the print media is those that attend these events tend to wear pretty fancy head gear and drink a lot of sparkling wines. If you can’t get to the racecourse and intend watching the Melbourne Cup from the comfort of your lounge room, don your most precious hat, hunt down a bottle of this tasty bubbles and cheer to your hearts content.

Stockman’s Ridge Website

Region: Orange, NSW     Price: $35     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Stockman’s Ridge and Define Wine

Looking for something flavoursome, fun and full of frivolity on Melbourne Cup day? Get your mits around a glass of this delightfully easy drinking sparkling wine and you’ll find yourself with a glass in one hand and the bottle in the other…drinking responsibly of course.  And, on that note, you are definitely on a winner right here and all you have to do is get the cork out of the top of it, pour it into your glass, sit back, and watch the day go by. It’s that type of sparkling wine. Easy!

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2023 Clandestine Vineyards Pinot Gris

Posted on November 1, 2023 by Tony Peters

Having recently moved to Queensland, it has certainly been living up to its nickname, the Sunshine State. I was told by a friend that the recent hot weather, a number of days in the 30-degree area, is unseasonal.  When I asked him what the winter was like up here, thinking the winter temperatures may have been unseasonal also, his response was, “There were two days in June I think so, don’t worry mate, you’ve missed them.” Coming from the southernmost state of Australia, this may take some getting used to.

However, there is an upside. Warmer weather usually means drinking wines that like to be chilled. When it comes to white wines, it is not often people reach for a Pinot Gris to sip on. It tends to be the more ‘common’ ones that get the nod. If there was a Warm Weather Wines list compiled, I would not hesitate to say there would be several quality Australian Pinot Gris, just like this one, that deserve to be on it.

Clandestine Vineyards Website

Region: King Valley, Vic     Price: $28    Source: Thanks kindly to Clandestine Vineyards and Savvy Comms

This Pinot Gris greets you with a lovely aromatic intensity in the glass. On the palate there is an intensity too, but it is more measured and elegant in its demeanour. While it has lovely palate weight, texture and mouthfeel, there is a nice touch of acidity adding a crispness to it that takes nothing away from the expected varietal characters expressed by Pinot Gris. Make no mistake, this wine is very easy to drink.

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2023 Clandestine Vineyards Prosecco Rosé

Posted on October 26, 2023 by Tony Peters

There is a big difference between encouraging people to drink wine and suggesting or recommending a wine.  Let me put it this way.

I am not encouraging you to drink this Prosecco with your brunch, on a warm Spring or Summer morning, alfresco style at a marina or a beachside café.  Not at all.

However, if you were looking for a Prosecco to have with your brunch, on a warm Spring or Summer morning, alfresco style at a marina or a beachside café, then this is the perfect one.

Clandestine Vineyards Website

Region: King Valley, Vic     Price: $28    Source: Thanks kindly to Clandestine Vineyards and Savvy Comms

Nicely presented in a clear bottle, you can’t help but be drawn to the lovely colour. It reeks of freshness as you take in the aromas provided by the bursting bead of bubbles as you move into tasting it.  It is light yet lively while not shy on flavour either. There’s an apple like crispness that works so well with the red berry flavours and a nice touch of acidity adding to a good length.

May I suggest a second bottle as you ease into the afternoon and order a cheese/fruit platter to keep your metabolism going.  It’s just a suggestion…of course. 😊

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Clandestine Vineyards 2023 ‘Break Free’ Releases

Posted on October 11, 2023 by Tony Peters

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” Thank you, Albert Camus, for that insight.  This had me wondering, who started the ‘natural wine’ thingy and when?  I ask this because, it must have been a winemaker who thought they could do things differently from the ‘unfree’ way of making wine.  I am not saying it was deemed an act of rebellion at the time but I would imagine whoever kick-started this winemaking style decided to ‘break free’ and do ‘their thing’ with a large bunch of grapes.  It has certainly proven to be a winner around many wine drinking circles.  Here a two from Clandestine Wines that will be great for those summer alfresco gatherings.

Clandestine Vineyards Website

Region: Frankland River & Swan Valley, WA     Price: $38 each     Source: Thanks kindly to Clandestine Vineyards and Savvy Comms

2023 Bliss Bomb Pet Nat

As I have mentioned before, Pet Nat wines are not something I normally gravitate toward.  However, this is the second Bliss Bomb from Clandestine Wines I have had the pleasure of trying. 100% made using Chenin Blanc, this is a refreshingly ‘fruit salad’ of a wine with an enjoyable amount of fizz, some acidity and spiciness come to play making this a very easy wine to drink. I would not hesitate to serve this up to Pet Nat sceptics.

2023 Petite Blancs

I really like this wine.  For me, it was the blend of Chardonnay and Gewurtraminer which generated intrigue, attraction, and a sense of eagerness to try this wine (having tried the 2022, my interest was already high). As I poured it, the lovely aromatics were accentuated when I swirled it in the glass. On tasting, there’s a nice bit of funkiness and freshness, a touch of spiciness and acidity, some texture adds good palate appeal on the finish. Drinkability factor is high for this wine.

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2019 Yalumba ‘The Cigar’ Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted on September 16, 2023 by Tony Peters

There are three words in the heading that could not be more connected when it comes to wine than ‘Cigar’, ‘Coonawarra’ and ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’.  It is widely known the Coonawarra area has a section where the dirt is commonly referred to as the ‘terra rossa’ or red soil.  This section was mapped some time ago and, when it was, it showed up in the shape of a cigar.  Add to that just how well Cabernet Sauvignon does in this famous wine region of Australia and, taa daa, a damn good wine from a damn fine Australian producer.

I realise this particular wine has sort of sat in the shadows of its more well known sibling, The Menzies, but I’ve been a fan of this wine for some time.  As a matter of fact, I opened a 2012 (under cork) fairly recently and it was great!  So, for pretty much half the price of The Menzies (bear in mind the fruit comes from the same vineyard), you can have a wine that is very approachable now but will cellar for a heap of years.

Even though it is already four years old, it still has an abundance of youthful vibrancy and shows plenty of fruit freshness from start to finish.  It is unequivocally and proudly showing its Coonawarra regionality in such a refined and elegant manner.  Yes, there is a richness but it comes to you in way that coats your palate gently, almost in slow motion.  Then, those plush fruit flavours seem to hang around for a considerable time before you realise you no longer have any of the wine in your mouth!  This is indeed a lovely wine and it is easy to see why it has won 7 gold medals over the last two years.

Yalumba Website

Region: Coonawarra, SA     Price: $35     Source: Retail Purchase

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Stockman’s Ridge 2022 Grüner Veltliner Releases

Posted on August 25, 2023 by Tony Peters

Let’s be honest, when you check out the fridge in a bottle shop, it’s rare you’ll see a bottle of Grüner Veltliner on one of the shelves.  In fact, I’d go so far as to say, never.  Further to that, I doubt there would be much of this variety sitting on shelves in the store because it’s not a variety that is well known to usual Jo Citizen. And, not to mention, its scarcity on restaurant wine lists too!

I can even say, and this is fair dinkum, that I went into a local bottleshop (not one of the biggies) to buy a bottle and the shop assistant had never heard of the variety.  This is not a criticism of the shop attendant at all, but I think it is a sad reflection on the ‘status’ of Grüner Veltliner in the white wine world, certainly in Australia anyway.

However, this does not mean that this dining table rarity does not deserve its place in the sun…or cold when it comes to the Orange region of New South Wales where these two excellent examples came from.

Stockman’s Ridge Website

Region: Orange Region, NSW     Source: Samples thanks kindly to Stockman’s Ridge and Define Wine

The 2022 Rider Grüner Veltliner is the perfect example of the variety to get people to drink Grüner. It’s a very pretty and complex wine aromatically that leads nicely into the flavoursome palate.  Here, it’s smooth with a gentle intensity, a nice touch of acidity adding freshness on the finish. I reckon this particular Grüner will have fans of the variety drinking more of it…easily!

Moving on to this delightful 2022 Signature Range Grüner Veltliner was a pleasure.  It’s generously flavoured, beautifully textured, rich while maintaining elegance and poise with lovely palate presence, finishing long and lip smackingly good. This Grüner seems to just glide effortlessly across the palate and, dare I say, sharing it was difficult…but I did.

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Huntington Estate Cellar Door

Posted on August 12, 2023 by Tony Peters

Way back in 2017 David Cumming of Define Wine Marketing kindly sent me some wines from Huntington Estate to try.  What he didn’t know was I had tried these wines way back in the early 1980’s when Bob Roberts was crafting them.  It was a joy to reacquaint myself with the wines and, I have to say, Tim Stevens has honoured the legacy passed on from Bob when he and Nicky took over around 2006.

Since that day in 2017, it has always been my wish to visit the Mudgee area primarily to visit the Huntington Estate Cellar Door and, this year, that wish became reality.  As part of a road trip, we included their Cellar Door and I am so glad we did.

Upon walking in the door, there was a warmth from the wrap-around like counter that was like open arms welcoming you in (It may have had something to do with the wood heater burning in the corner that proved to be very attractive to my wife). We were greeted by Janet and at that point there were only two other small groups there.  Janet was great, describing the wines with genuine passion and great knowledge coupled with a wicked sense of humour.

Well, in a matter of 30 minutes, the cellar door area was buzzing and, as much as Janet was doing a splendid job, help was needed.  To the rescue came Maddie who kindly looked after us from that point on.

As much as I have been lucky to try most of the wines on the list, I was keen to have a look at them again, of course.  All the whites still made an impression on me, as you’d expect, but I’d like to give a special shout out for the 2021, smile causing, Special Reserve Chardonnay. It is lovely drinking now and displayed everything expected to be long living too. Check out my thoughts about the white wines here

Although I was familiar with most of the reds, I noticed there were some new ones on the list that I was immediately attracted to.  Two that I just have to mention are the 2019 Estate Shiraz and 2017 Estate Bin No.11 Cabernet Sauvignon both of which are already approachable and so damn drinkable! However, I can’t leave out the moreishly delicious 2022 Pinot Rose either while another to include in your tasting is the 2022 Nouveau.

We had a great time at the Huntington Estate Cellar Door and I got a sense that, for Janet and Maddie, it wasn’t about the wines making an impression, it was more about the wines making a connection with the visitor. Judging by the number of people that visited while we were there, and the number of bottles being carried out the door, the wines certainly connected with those who tried them. It is clearly a Cellar Door that is on most peoples ‘must visit’ list when in the area. Make sure you put it on your list too.

Huntington Estate Website

Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Cellar Door, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Winesmiths Special Edition Wine Casks Release

Posted on August 5, 2023 by Tony Peters

American novelist Cormac McCarthy is quoted as saying, “If there is an occupational hazard to writing, it’s drinking.” Had novelist Charles Dickens (1812-1870) been born after this quote, I wonder, would he have taken a different approach to his drinking? As much as he includes references to ‘the drink’ and drinking in his writing, what was lesser known was his passion for purchasing ‘casks’ of Italian wine and, according to some records, was spending the equivalent, by today’s standards, of $27,000 a year on wine! 

Speaking of casks, Winesmiths have joined forces with artist Billie Justice Thomson and released a range of casks depicting her illustrations of different types of natural flora, and the honey bee. What I now know is that bees contribute significantly to a vineyard’s biodiversity and, because of this, part of the proceeds from the sale of the Shiraz and Pinot Grigio will be donated to the Wheen Bee Foundation so they can continue their research projects and activities with the aim of keeping bees healthy.

There are 6 casks in the range and they all bring something to the table. Of the three whites, the Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc was the pick for me with good tropical fruit flavours and a nice crispness to it. The Sauvignon Blanc is certainly going to please the Savvy drinkers who like the convenience of cask of wine in the fridge, while the Pinot Grigio shows its varietal characters nicely.

Rosé is very popular these days and when there is one available in a two-litre cask that is so easy to drink like this one, you can’t go wrong. The Cabernet Sauvignon is a worthy addition to your cupboard or pantry if it’s just a glass of wine you’re after, rather than having to open a bottle. However, it was the Shiraz that captured my attention. It’s fruity, there’s a bit of body to it, a little spice and pretty smooth. Definitely the pick of all the casks for me.

I reckon if Charles Dickens was around today, he could spend a lot less on ‘casks’ of Australian wine like these Winesmiths ones and still be completely satisfied with the contents of each and every one of them.

Region: Various, Australia     Price: $16     Source: Samples thanks kindly to Yalumba and Winesmiths

Winesmiths Website

Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Other Whites, Rosé, White Blends | Leave a comment

A Couple of Slow Wine Co. White Wines to Check Out

Posted on July 19, 2023 by Tony Peters

One of the best things I have done this year is visit the Orange region of New South Wales.  As much as I didn’t spend anywhere near enough time there, it was enough for me to know, I need to go back.  I did visit some cellar doors but, because of our limited time, I was forced to keep them in a small area and within close proximity to the town.

Sadly, I did not make it to the Slow Wine Co’s cellar door and, after checking out some photos on the internet, it looks like a pretty cool place too.  After tasting these two wines from them, it is my loss that’s for sure, especially considering they look to have a great line-up of wines. 

I couldn’t help but notice the cheese platters from Millthorpe Providore that are able to be purchased, they look great! Another reason not to miss this cellar door.

Slow Wine Co Website

Region: Orange Region, NSW     Source: Samples thanks kindly to Slow Wine Co and Define Wine

2022 Tribus ($25)

Made up of Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewurztraminer, there is much to like about this wine. It is very aromatic and appealing on the nose leading into a palate that is delicately rich, textural, citrussy, with a nice touch of acidity.

Tribus relates to a time when Roman people were supposedly divided into three ‘tribes’.  It’s clear to me that, on this occasion, the three ‘tribes’ of Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewurztraminer have come together to form a delightfully refreshing wine sure to please a many and varied punter.

2021 Riesling ($30)

Oh! Now this is my type of youthful Riesling. It’s wonderfully and invitingly aromatic, almost like it knew exactly which olfactory buttons to push. The palate is citrussy, refreshingly acidic, steely, intensely flavoured, pure and pristine with excellent length, and nicely structured promising a great future. A terrific Riesling indeed!

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Usher Tinkler Cellar Door

Posted on July 19, 2023 by Tony Peters

You can generally get the feel of a cellar door the moment you walk inside.  Not that I pre-judge before sitting down but you can just tell by the enjoyment on the faces of others in the space and how the cellar door crew are going about their business.

When we walked into Usher Tinkler Cellar Door it was immediate to me that this was going to be a memorable experience.  There was a good level of chatting amongst those seated at the tables with the occasional laughter breaking the hum of conversation, and the music was at a good ‘white noise’ volume that allowed for such conversation to flow easily. 

The cellar door crew seemed to be well in tune with where people were in the stage of their tasting at every table. They engaged with them for an appropriate length of time so as not to impinge on the punter’s time with friends and/or family.

We were welcomed by Ed who directed us to a comfortable, Chesterfield style couch where everything was ready to go.  There were eight wines on the list to try and, after reading the notes, I was keen to try every single one of them.  It just seemed the right thing to do…of course.

Things kicked off very nicely with the spritely, minerally and flavoursome 2022 La Volpe Prosecco. Up next was the 2022 Death by Semillon and I really savoured this.  It was different but good different with the texture and touch of funk really piquing my interest. The 2022 Usher Tinkler White is soooo easy drinking. It is freshness and flavour in a bottle. 

The 2021 Reserve Chardonnay is pretty special, even ‘classy’ would be a better word.  Everything is so in balance.  The fruit profile, the oak presence, a little funkiness and the fine acidity all coupled with elegance and persistence.

Rosé has come along in leaps and bounds in recent years and here is another to get into your glass.  The 2022 Usher Tinkler Rosé is a savoury delight and, it was lucky Ed didn’t leave the bottle with us, if you get my drift. 🙂

The Enneagram from the current 2023 vintage was definitely a curiosity wine for me.  Made up of nine varieties, deliberately brought together (not leftovers) resulting in a wine that will, without a doubt, disappear quickly when friends are around.

Juiciness, flavour and drinkablility await under the screwcap of the 2022 Usher Tinkler Red.  A delightful blend of Shiraz and Pinot Noir that is pretty in the glass and pretty damn good to taste and drink as well.

No additives, preservative free, no fining, no filtration?  No problem.  The 2023 Rebirth Shiraz has all of these attributes plus lovely and rich dark berry fruits, silky smooth tannins and plenty of personality.

A special way to finish was with a taste of the Mr T’s Rare Batch No#8 fortified Verdelho blend.  A delicious, palate coating wine that is sweet but in such a way as to make it balanced and moreish rather than rich and syrupy.  A delight!

When visiting the Hunter Valley, make sure you include the smaller artisan winemakers like Usher Tinkler.  His array of wines are made up of fruit from his own vineyards and also have plenty of interest and intrigue blended into them.

Usher Tinkler Website

Posted in Cellar Door, Red Blends, Rosé, Semillon, Shiraz, Sparkling Wine | Leave a comment