Wine thread

[Drew-Sta]

Yeah I was the same when I left. And I don't miss that aspect of it by any means....you won't see me going back to full time work any time soon, IR work in the APS is just fine thanks, but I also feel out of touch with the things that are going on outside the major players.

Like Coles and Woolies will always do whatever the hell it is they do, but what I really enjoyed was keeping tabs on what the growers and the makers and the serious wine market was up to I guess. I still do as much as I can but it's hard to beat chatting to reps and winemakers etc.

Tbh the growers are all shitting themselves about the wine tariff with China. We’re about to see millions of litres of wine stranded on the bulk market. Cost will dump due to oversupply.

It is going to be a shitstorm.

 

[horrie hastings]

Giesen Chimney Creek Sav Blanc
Originally $20, went down to $17 then $10 on special now $3 reduced to clear at Liquorland.
Good quaff for that price, needless to say i bought the 8 bottles we had in stock.

 

[Drew-Sta]

The new Orlando Cellar 13 grenache is fairly good. Savoury, spices, bit of cherry and raspberry. My only complaint was how hot it was.

Not your typical pretty grenache but good nonetheless.

@horrie hastings , @Bazal , @Scott Gourley's Lovechild - have you tried the $6 Nero d’Avola from Aldi? Best value wine in Australia right now.

 

[Twizzle]

$6 ??

does it come with its own brown paper bag ?

 

[horrie hastings]

@horrie hastings , @Bazal , @Scott Gourley's Lovechild - have you tried the $6 Nero d’Avola from Aldi? Best value wine in Australia right now.

The Aldi in our centre doesnt have a liquor licence but thanks for the heads up Drew - Sta, will check it our when close to an Aldi with a liquor section.

 

[Bazal]

The new Orlando Cellar 13 grenache is fairly good. Savoury, spices, bit of cherry and raspberry. My only complaint was how hot it was.

Not your typical pretty grenache but good nonetheless.

@horrie hastings , @Bazal , @Scott Gourley's Lovechild - have you tried the $6 Nero d’Avola from Aldi? Best value wine in Australia right now.

Will have to give it a go....

$6 ??

does it come with its own brown paper bag ?

Only snobs give a f**k about price tbh. More likely to find great value wines at that price than you are at $30, given its bloody easy to get a $6-$10 wine that matches up with plenty of $20-$25 dollar bottles. Especially now with no many parallel imports floating around and so many local brands being priced too high.

Tough to find a $30 wine that genuinely matches $100 odd bottles, although obviously you can here and there

 

[Drew-Sta]

$6 ??

does it come with its own brown paper bag ?

Free brown paper bag and hobo beanie thrown in too.

 

[Twizzle]

Only snobs give a f**k about price tbh

to be honest I dont give a too many shits about price but I find that price generally reflects the value for mine, except with the Penfolds varieties which I find over priced, I find their price doesn't reflect value

I do like the Serafino Cab Sav atm its only $20 at DMs. DM have a lot of new releases for some reason right now especially Margret River wines which I am really liking as I've always preferred the Barossa Valley Cab Savs/Shiraz

 

[Bazal]

to be honest I dont give a too many shits about price but I find that price generally reflects the value for mine, except with the Penfolds varieties which I find over priced, I find their price doesn't reflect value

I do like the Serafino Cab Sav atm its only $20 at DMs. DM have a lot of new releases for some reason right now especially Margret River wines which I am really liking as I've always preferred the Barossa Valley Cab Savs/Shiraz

I think around $20 is the sweet spot too. Very rare you find a poor wine, although these days with both Coles and Woolies producing labels they price up so they can sell them at "half price" you do need to be more careful than a decade ago.

But when you can get so many excellent parallel imports, you can get some ridiculous value at $10 and under. Obviously you have to be willing to have a few misses cos there are plenty of stinkers at that level. Pick it right though and you can get a wine that matches the $20 drop, which is pretty handy.

I'd also say that parallel import rule extends upwards in price too. Especially when you look at wines from Spain, South America, Italy and the Rhone. You can pick up some absolute gems for $12-$15

 

[Drew-Sta]

to be honest I dont give a too many shits about price but I find that price generally reflects the value for mine, except with the Penfolds varieties which I find over priced, I find their price doesn't reflect value

I do like the Serafino Cab Sav atm its only $20 at DMs. DM have a lot of new releases for some reason right now especially Margret River wines which I am really liking as I've always preferred the Barossa Valley Cab Savs/Shiraz

Your methodology is reasonably sound. Price determines a level of quality in general. You remember the $20 wine you buy but is shit and then don’t buy it again - when everyone does that it gets delisted so wines that are shit at that price don’t survive. You expect the $3-4 you buy to be shit, and are (if it happens) pleasantly surprised when it’s drinkable. But you don’t remember it, generally. Price and value are inherent.

For me, as someone with a greater-than-average knowledge of the industry and behind the scenes workings, finding great booze at great value is like a drug for me. When I take my $6 Nero to dinner, and everyone is amazed at the wine, I get an enormous burst of enjoyment seeing their faces when I tell them it is $6. To me, it is like I’ve won some invisible contest. I suppose that’s why I enjoy sharing my value finds so much. Given Jason at Aldi is a smart guy with an excellent palette, I enjoy trialing the Aldi wines to see how much he can bring in that is shit-hot for cheap prices. He has a pretty good strike rate.

Re the ‘new stuff’ at DM’s - they’re going through a mini range review process at the moment. COVID-19 has exhausted a lot of their supply so they’re trying to pivot to keep stock through Christmas. Margaret River is in vogue right now. Lighter bodied and you can charge more for it. Barossa has been bastardised by the chains and so they’re trying to reset value in that segment.

Re the Serafino - you like it because it’s a softer cab than Barossa. Which it is. Chocolate on the palette, which is a McLaren Vale attribute.

Re the Margaret stuff - it’s much lighter and probably not heavily oaked, meaning you get more fruit richness in the wine. I personally prefer drinking them too.

 

[Drew-Sta]

China tariff will be interesting.

 

[Twizzle]

well we need you guys to take up the slack for the Australian wine industry caused by these Chyna f**kwits.

@Bazal I expect you to lead the way. The way I feel this morning I certainly did my bit last night

 

[Bazal]

well we need you guys to take up the slack for the Australian wine industry caused by these Chyna f**kwits.

@Bazal I expect you to lead the way. The way I feel this morning I certainly did my bit last night

Look Ive just opened a 70 dollar bottle after a washout at cricket so I'm doing my bit.

 

[Bazal]

2007 Wantirna Estate Amelia Cab Merlot

Yarra Valley. A serious dry red in the old claret style rather than the new Aussie fruit bomb cab merlot. After a 35 degree fielding innings I'm too cooked to give it the review it deserves but I'll give it a crack.

The classic benchmark for a claret style is France but this is very Super Tuscan actually. Dominant flavours are black olive tapenade, coffee, chocolate and black fruit. Plus a little menthol and cigar tobacco on the nose. A meaty note, bresaola maybe, something dried and beefy which I love.

A dry and savoury, elegant wine that doesn't feel Australian and is honestly better for it. Brilliant and definitely worth the outlay. Would have been an amazing match with a high quality rare cooked steak or beef roast but who needs food with wine anyway.

 

[horrie hastings]

Charley Brothers Innes Lake 2011 Shiraz.
Light blackberry but more spicy licorice finish, beautiful with roast beef tonight.

 

[Bazal]

What's on the menu for Xmas folks?

Still deciding personally....although Farrah's Liquor have been flogging off 2010 Charles Cimicky Bohemian Grenache for fking $20. So one of those is on the list.

 

[Twizzle]

What's on the menu for Xmas folks?

 

[Bazal]

Not a bad choice. Solid whiskey.

Not sure I'll be on the whiskey but if I am I think it'll probably be some of one of these two;

 

[Twizzle]

whats the go with "peated single malt" ?

 

[Bazal]

whats the go with "peated single malt" ?

It's got peat....lol