It’s that time again.
After a long weekend – and with another one on the way – the Graham wine fridge needs a top up, and I’m looking to you for inspiration on what to buy.
Truth be told the fridge doesn’t need more wine in it, but given that I’ve just sent a bunch of wines off to auction, I’m looking now about what to put in the last hole in my WineArk cabinet.
So far this month I’ve added some Massolino Barolo, Montbourgeau Chardonnay & Yeringberg Cabernets to the selection, so we’re off to a good start. Still keen for some Chablis but the prices are now boggling for current releases. Droin AC Chablis for $70 a bottle? I love it, but will just wait to get back to Europe to buy that…
Meanwhile, on the beer front, I’ve bought some of the new Tallboy & Moose x Carwyn Cellars Wet Hop Black IPA for a cooler night drink, and more of the White Bay Coastal Viewpoint WCIPA, with the smashable 355ml White Bay cans a real friend in the (beer) fridge.
Speaking of friendly beers, we had a very rare date night on Friday at St Alma in Freshwater (would recommend +++) and before dinner wandered down to the park for a beer. It was a rare sunny Sydney weekend (just check out the beach in the image up the top of this page to see some recently endangered Sydney sun), it was still warm, the park was full and the sip of Deeds Brewing Input Strata WCIPA I had was delicious. Indeed, I might need to order more this week – what a fully complete beer. Deeds, you’ve done it again.
Then, over dinner, a bottle of McHenry Hohnen Hazel’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2019 was a delight. 13.3% alcohol and clearly ripe, with nutty golden fruit and oak held together with that classic Margaret River Gingin clone grapefruit acidity, partial malo giving both crunch and flavour.
I dip my lid at producers who realise that Chardonnay should have generosity of flavour, yet without flabbiness. There’s this nutty leesy edge here too which just ratchets up the flavour even more. Yes yes. I haven’t seen much McHenry Hohnen gear lately, and now I want to try it all. 18.5/20, 94/100, nudging 95/100 even.
Also in the ‘recent drinks’ category was a little half of Deutz (how good are half bottles) that looked correct, drinkable and reasonably complex if not profound. I wouldn’t pay the $89.99 full bottle, price, but it’s a solid ‘big house’ NV. I’d rate it above the Pommery I had at Xmas, but well below Bollinger in the NV hierarchy at this price.
Oh and this Range Brewing IPA went down very nicely too:
View this post on Instagram
Enough about me, what about you? What have you been buying and drinking this month? What’s floating your boat lately?
You might also like
24 Comments
Stocking up on Priorat before it goes stratospheric. Learnt my lesson 20 years ago with Ornellaia and Sasscaia. Buy it while its still relatively affordable. 17 Clos Mogador and all 3 versions of Merum.
I bought some 17 Clos Mogador too. As for Sassicaia? The prices now are nuts.
Ok, as promised, I am reporting back on The Oz Wine Club’s “introduction to Pinot noir” dozen.
Having imbibed all 6 wines, I can say that it was excellent value, and smartly
chosen. I mean, 12 Pinots came in at $20 a bottle – $16 for me as I had an introductory discount. So, as long as they’re quaffable, that’s hard to beat.
In quick fashion:
– 2021 Tumbarumba Allegiance: probably the weakest. A very light style, which I’m a fan of, but too thin and sour
– 2021 Graphite rd: solid, drinkable, oak obvious but in a good way (covers sins without stripping throat)
– 2020 Le Fief du Temple (Loire v): simple, very drinkable, French provenance won ignorant acquaintances at party – tick
– 2020 Riposte (Adelaide Hills): my second least fave, a bit face-screwy, to be honest, but drunk with BBQ food, post-2 beers & 5 rosé punches, not bad
– 2020 Russell & Suitor (Tamar): I liked this one; some beginning complexity
– 2019 Soumah (Yarra Valley): best of the bunch. Middling complexity, full style Pinot but varietal (also the most expensive RRP)
All in all, I’d go back to the club offerings. Better experience of quality than VinoMofo, although marketing not as entertaining.
Aside from that, have been drinking Hepburn Springs Brewing Co.’s Pale
Ale and Pilsner – both great, the latter very much so. Love a good Pilsner – not sure why exactly…what is it about the flavor profile that I like? More hopsy?
The Soumah would have been my pick too. And the Allegiance wines in general are a miss.
2022 Piedmont releases….got some 2020 produttori Langhe and 2019 La Ca Nova Bric Mentina barbaresco
Produttori is just a constant buy for me too. Wish I could pay Italian prices though…
Drinking – Tapanappa Tiers 2018. Such charm and power too. Sorrenberg gamay ’19 was also brilliant with pizzas or on its own, so balanced and flavoursome with good deoth.
Bought – ’04 Vat 1, ’17 curly flat pinot and Sordo Gabutti Barolo ’16. Good auction hunting in this case 😄
I haven’t had a Sorrenberg Gamay in ages. How much did you pay for 04 Vat 1 out of interest?
Petrichor Coal River pinot, quite complex, good mouthfeel. New producer for me, and what a brilliant name. Will be buying more
Great name! I’ve heard about this vineyard but yet to try the wines – I think they’re up next to Sam Connew’s vineyard at Tea Tree. Have planted some Syrah and Gruner from memory. Lots of promise.
Hi Andrew
My Easter Sunday wine was 2012 Clarendon Hills Brookman Cabernet Sauvignon. Pristine cork, and a couple of hour decant. Drinking beautifully, still fragrant and really good colour. If the remaining two bottles have good corks, they’ll easily go to 2026.
I shared a bottle of 2013 Leo Buring Leonay Watervale Riesling with a friend from Qld. This was a WOW wine. Super balance, with stunning flavours of lemon curd and apple and just a hint of petroleum showing.
My special purchase for April 2022 was 2019 Chalk Hill Alpha Circus Shiraz. That wooden box is sitting safely in a dark corner of my cellar.
Leo Buring. Now there’s a label that desperately needs to be taken away from Treasury. Talk about a wasted resource…
I opened a bottle of 2017 Terre Nere Prephyloxera 2017 (calderara Sottana) last night. Wow! Great colour. Some ash on the nose. Beautiful structure but needs more time; Long finish. No doughnut this wine. More pleasure than any Burgundy at this price. Have just bought some more Etna wines.
However did have an unexpectedly pleasant surprised from 2014 Chambolle-Musigny. Normally I despair with Burgundy given the prices. Disappointed with 2010 John Riddoch reserve. What has happened here? I also bought some Mogador and couldn’t agree more about finding it before everyone else does. Has anyone bought La Peira from Terrasses du Larzac? Same story I believe is about to happen here. Had a beautiful Paolo Scavino 2020 Barbera de Asti. Great and at a good price.
Hi Stuart,
No more 17 Clos Mogador we have to wait for 19 to arrive in a few weeks. Try Merum not quite in same league but the Desti and Inici products are significantly cheaper. Thanks for heads up on La Peira.
JR is not the same product as it used to be – much of the original vineyard as been regrafted/replanted following years of lack of care late 90’s early 00’s (straight from Sue Hodder herself). I troll websites for ’99 and older.
I need to buy some more Etna – Nero Mascalese especially, what brands are you liking….
Wynns has indeed replanted lots of their blocks in recent years. I had some of the recent releases (but not Riddoch) in blind lineups at the Winewise show, however, and can confirm that they’re looking better than they have in years.
Hi Richard. Thanks for your feedback especially about JR. I am excited by the Etna wines. Tenuate Terre Nere is the domaine I have the most experience with but also have Passopisciaro but all very recent vintages so have not wanted to try too many. I find they are more like Barolo than Burgundy, very elegant and fresh.
Also been drinking New Zealand 2020 Chardonnay especially Neudort Rosie’s block but you probably will have trouble finding this in Oz. Cheers Stu
Hi Stuart,
Have three vintages (16, 18, 19) of Rosie’s Block and Dog Point maturing quietly. Looking to re-import some Rimu Grove Chardy and Pinot as not available here (gorgeous stuff). Happy to split a few cases if you want some.
Clearview is another favourite of mine but hard to source also.
Agree re Etna – cross between Barolo and CO pinot to my palate. I’ve tried Vivera and Girolimo so far. Would love to try some Cornelissen but probably no imports here.
Happy to split cases of NZ wines if it helps let me know what you looking at. 2020 was a very impressive year for NZ Chardonnay. Got my hands on Kumeu River Mates Chadonnay 2020 just before James Suckling declared it the Best wine in the World 2020! I must confess to finding this idea extraordinary
I’m keen on Coddington rather than Mate. Went to Uni with Brakjovich boys one older and one younger.
Honestly would rather buy Rimu Grove and Clearview.
The Tyrrell’s Vat 1 was $50 from memory, around $58 with the langton’s take. Not too dear for something over 17 years old I thought (and cheaper than current Vat 1 retail). Wanted to try an aged Sem expression and from what I’ve been able to find on it sounds like it’s still not at its peak just yet!
Happy to look at Rimu Grove and Clearview.
Just back from NE Victoria and went off the usual reservation. Got some Billy Button Schioppettino, super peppery, can imagine it would be a polarising wine but I love it. The Gapsted Durif was a surprise, not the big brute I was expecting and all the better for it. In whites, The Ninth Mile Riesling, from Stanley just outside Beechworth was brilliant. Who knew great riesling came from that part of the world ?
It’s a fascinating place up there at Stanley. You need to try VS & B for some killer Stanley gear – including Riesling (and more too).