What wine and beer are you buying this September 2021?

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

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.

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)

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.

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

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.

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

Will do! Thanks!

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

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!

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.

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.

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.