What wine and beer are you buying this September 2021?

September 22, 2021

What wine and beer are you buying this September 2021?

It’s that time again – what wine and beer are you buying, drinking and loving this month? And what’s on your ‘must-buy’ radar?

I couldn’t help myself and bought a brace of Kumeu River Mates Chardonnay 2020, because I love that wine (and especially with some bottle age). I’m also eyeing off some 2015 Quinta do Noval because I love VP and don’t have anywhere near enough (and always kick myself for not buying more in Porto when I was there and it was cheap).

Otherwise, it’s been a frustrating month waiting for Australia Post deliveries to turn up. I had a Mountain Culture order that sat in a delivery centre for over 3 weeks, and my 2021 Pikes samples are still out there somewhere too…

What about you?

(Pictured: a cinnabun from Mrs Jones The Baker which has also been getting me through life)

Beer

Andrew Graham was once voted the 23rd most trusted wine critic on the planet. A WCA Journalism Young Gun now old hack with 25yrs as a buyer, judge, journalist, marketer and too much more.

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22 responses to “What wine and beer are you buying this September 2021?”

paul brunner

September 22, 2021 at 5:38 pm

Enjoying some Brown Magpie pinot noir and have just ordered half case of Marli Russell 2017 red blend.
Too cold for beer!

Reply
1. Andrew Graham
  
  September 22, 2021 at 9:41 pm
  
  Never too cold for beer! Just requires darker beer…
  
  Reply
Cameron

September 22, 2021 at 10:39 pm

Real mix from my end

A few different takes on pinot meunier (your Rouleur review was well-written, his one was beautiful)

Some Domenica Nebbiolo and 2015 shiraz and managed to find 2 of Luke Lambert’s 2019 nebb miraculously for a decent price.

Reply
1. Andrew Graham
  
  September 23, 2021 at 5:21 am
  
  Domenica Nebbiolo – now that’s a great wine. Excellent rosé too. Must check in on Peter’s latest wines. Normally that’s a trade show must-do. What are trade shows again?
  
  Reply
Cameron

September 23, 2021 at 10:10 am

Ah rosé , there’s one I haven’t developed a taste for just yet. Keen to see how the straight Nebb is drinking, had some tasty example from the region – Pipan Steel’s 2015 and the Traviarti Rosso blend were both charming in different ways.

Hopefully trade shows and events come back with a vengeance! 9fingers crossed)

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Toby

September 23, 2021 at 10:53 am

Andrew – love the reviews. Two that have come out of the cellar this month.

2010 Moorilla Muse Riesling – wonderful and still with life left. A tinge of petroleum coming through now, but plenty of lime and green apple.

2011 Forest Hill Block 5 Cab Sav – this personifies why you have to be patient with WA Cab Sav. At ten years it has entered that plateau of drinking. So good now, but still with enough underlying acidity to give you confidence for another three to five years of cellaring.

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1. Andrew Graham
  
  September 23, 2021 at 12:07 pm
  
  Those Forest Hill wines are so underrated. Interesting to think that Lee Haselgrove used to run Forest Hill and really drove the fruit quality up. Now he is now running the Swinney vineyard and look where that has ended up.
  
  Reply
christopher JANSON

September 23, 2021 at 11:14 am

Andrew…what is a brace. Is it two or a miss Tori Spelling?

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1. Andrew Graham
  
  September 23, 2021 at 11:22 am
  
  No, it’s two. A duo, pair, deuce, but maybe not a dyad.
  
  Reply
Tony Winspear

September 23, 2021 at 11:51 am

Just blew budget on a few bottles of JJ.Prum and Max Ferdinand 2019 Kabinett and Spatlese.
German Riesling from 1971 and 1975/76 started me on this path. So damn good and so fine.

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1. Andrew Graham
  
  September 23, 2021 at 12:05 pm
  
  Ahh the lure of German Riesling. I’ve been seduced by 2019 Alsace recently on that point, and have been loading up on Domaine Weinbach too…
  
  Reply
Jeremy

September 23, 2021 at 2:08 pm

Well, to ease the nerves of the upcoming Grand Final (long suffering Dees supporter), we’ve been patronising our (new) local producers – you may recall that we recently moved out of Melbourne to the Macedon Ranges – Hepburn Springs to be precise.

A couple of excellent local discoveries have been:

For beer: Bankhouse Brewery – so, so good. May be the country’s smallest brewery, but oh so fine. We just drive by his house/brewery in Dean and pick up some bottles. His ginger beer is great too. https://www.facebook.com/Bank-House-Brewery-101048401963994/

I also tried the Daylesford Brewing Co.’s Pale Ale, which was good, but a tad too bitter on the finish for mine. I’ll try their others. Daylesford Cider Co. makes a good drink too.

For wine: a long time fave of ours, and now very local, is Eastern Peake / Latta Vino. We tried his latest chardonnay and oh, my. https://www.lattavino.com.au/product-page/cop2020-jurassique-blanc-chardonnay-western-victoria

We’re also planning a few visits to local cellar doors that we’re not that familiar with:
– Passing Clouds
– Attwood’s Wines
– Zig Zag Rd Wines
– and the very familiar Curly Flat, of course

Reply
1. Andrew Graham
  
  September 23, 2021 at 2:14 pm
  
  Excellent. Look at those discoveries! I want to try the Bankhouse Brewery gear now.
  
  Personally, I love the Macedon Ranges as a place to visit but could never hack the cold. I can remember being in Kyneton mid summer and it was still bloody cold.
  
  You’re not wrong about Owen Latta’s wines either. I never feel like I can keep up with everything he releases, but the small samples of textural whites I’ve had have been excellent.
  
  If you do pop into Attwood’s say hello to Troy (owner/winemaker) for me. He and I did winemaking/viti at uni together and he’s a legend.
  
  Reply
Jeremy

September 23, 2021 at 2:27 pm

Will do! Thanks!

Yes, we’ve been surprised at how much wood we’ve been burning through…yikes. Time for central heating.

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Rory Shannon

September 23, 2021 at 5:02 pm

Was turned on to the Curley Flat Chardy’s thanks by your reports Andrew.. thanks. Bought back vintage 2015, 2018 & 19.
Broke the bank of 3 bottles of 2019 Coleraine Te Mata, now gotta be patient!

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1. Andrew Graham
  
  September 23, 2021 at 10:31 pm
  
  I was sent an extra sample of the 2019 Curly Flat Chardonnay for some reason. Not sad about it
  
  Reply
Mahmoud Ali

September 23, 2021 at 5:52 pm

Not buying reds anymore – at least trying not to – and instead drawing down on cellar stock. Did a quick visit and took out an ’88 Frescobaldi Chianti Riserva, a ’90 Eileen Hardy, an ’01 Hecula (Spanish Mourvedre), an ’02 Sogrape Duoro Reserva, an ’06 Voerzio Dolcetto, and a ’12 Tua Rita Rosso di Notri (entry level bottle). However, after a few beers with some friends in a suburban pub I could not resist entering the adjacent liquor store and walked out with a 2017 CEMBRA Pinot Nero from Trentino, Italy – and only 12.5%. Apparently it was their last bottle from a special order for a customer. There is no resisting a lower alcohol Pinot Noir from a remote corner of Italy.

However, when it comes to whites and roses I am still in the market. I picked up a pair of 2020 Astrolabe Sauvignon Blanc and some roses from Il Poggione and Santa Margharita.

Again, I should not be buying any more scotch but couldn’t resist a new release of a 10 y.o. Scarabus single malt from Islay that was discounted – curse those online offers. However I am exploring the world of dry, unsweetened rum. What a discovery, rum for whisky drinkers! I have just bought and opened a Rum Nation ‘Ilha de Madeira’ Natural Rum (50%) and a Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum (63%). They’re both clear, and remarkably funky, distinct, and characterful. I will have to buy some more.

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1. Andrew Graham
  
  September 23, 2021 at 10:28 pm
  
  Is rum the new whiskey? I think that the legacy of Bundy rum still hovers over the category locally…
  
  Reply
Simon Colwell

September 23, 2021 at 6:59 pm

It’s frustrating waiting for deliveries alright. Ordered some wine from Tumbarumba on August 28 and it still hasn’t turned up. Lodged a query with Australia Post and have received nothing but radio silence. So I haven’t bought any more wines since. The 10 buck chuck at Liquorland Lindfield is starting to look good, I can just walk there and carry it home.

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1. Andrew Graham
  
  September 23, 2021 at 10:26 pm
  
  Apparently have gone from 15 days behind to just 3. Hooray?
  
  Reply
Rob Herrmann

September 24, 2021 at 9:14 am

Bit disappointed in Pikes 2021 Traditionale riesling, bit of residual sugar taking away the usual end-palate freshness. Hoping the Mt Horrocks 2021 Watervale riesling is more pleasing.

Reply
1. Andrew Graham
  
  September 24, 2021 at 9:35 am
  
  I should have the Pikes and Neil Pike’s new Riesling side by side within a week.
  
  Reply