It’s that time again. Time to inspire me to spend more money on drinks, even though the WineArk cabinet can’t be closed properly, and the Amex is maxed out.
So, what wine, beer, and other refreshing liquids have you been buying and drinking this month?
A small selection of the latest ’23 Foradori releases came home this month, after I fell in love last month. There was also a final top-up of the excellent Kaiju Mutation Series Dank Lord Vol #3 West Coast IPA and the crisp and wonderfully defined Mountain Culture Kingston Flyer IPA, to interest anyone as foolishly enamoured with hop-forward IPA like me.
Meanwhile, Chablis week has just wrapped up at Merivale venues in Sydney, where the Bourgogne Wine Board launched a promotion to encourage people to pair Chablis with oysters. Full disclosure, that meant a free bottle of Julien Brocard 1er Cru Les Vaudevey Chablis 2022, which Mrs Ozwinereview and I emptied very quickly over a superb lunch at Berts (a fave local fine diner). I would have paid the full list price for what is a Chablis of sunny expression and the right amount of stony minerality too, even if it’s just a bit ripe to be ‘great’. I thought a Tyrrell’s HVD Semillon 2018 would be the perfect way to carry on from there, but it proved so achingly citrussy and tight (still) that it felt like a step in the wrong direction. Superior length and intensity, yes, but a Semillon better drunk as a ten-year-old (you’re better hooking into the 2017s now FWIW).
What about you? Drunk anything interesting this month?
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12 Comments
Hi Graham
2 Yarra Valley Chardonnays have stood out recently. Each could easily pass for quality French chardy:
Hoddles Creek 1er 2024 and Pimpernel 2021.
Both excellent and a slight shift away from the tightly coiled Yarra chardies.
Sorry… Andrew!
Andrew, I found this one to be pretty left field, I’d sum it up as a not an every day IPA more a once a week outlier.
Bent Spoke / Mountain Culture On The Terps Terpene Black IPA
https://craftypint.com/beer/11395/bentspoke-x-mountain-culture-on-the-terps
Aldi has Brewdog’s Hoppy Christmas festive IPA back on the shelves, already!
https://www.aldi.com.au/product/brewdog-hoppy-christmas-festive-ipa-4-pack-000000000000592490
regards Ian
I struggled with that On The Terps. The grassy edge was a distraction for mine – I couldn’t finish a can.
A couple of Mulline 2023 chardonnays have been mighty impressive, Sutherlands Creek and
Portarlington
I haven’t had these for a few vintages. Typically lovely wines too. Clearly need to try.
Hi Andrew,
Famille Gueguen Chablis, 2022
Kooyong Faultline chardonnay, 2022
Gentle Folk Ashton Chardonnay, 2023
Cape Mentelle Chardonnay, 2021
Yarra Yering Dry White wine No1, 2022
Thymiopoulos Earth & Sky Xinomavro, 2022
Vieux Telegraphe CDP, 2023
Piedlong CDP, 2020
Rostaing Cote Rotie Ampodium, 2022
Yeringberg Shiraz, 2018
TWR Te Whare Ra Syrah, 2020
Hugh Hamilton Black Blood III, 2022
Paulmara Estates Syna Shiraz, 2020
Hentley Farm The Beauty shiraz, 2023
Poderi Sanguineto Rosso di Montepulciano Toscana, 2022
Tenuta di Carleone Chianti CLassico, 2019
Sorrenberg Cabernet Sav Cab Franc Merlot, 2021
Omada Cabernet Sav, 2020
regards, glyn
What looked good, Glyn?
All the Gentle Folk 2023 single vineyard chardonnays are sublime IMO. My fav chardonnays in recent memory.
Earth & Sky impressed me, never had Xinomavro of this quality before. Pinot-like, herbaceous in a good way.
Regrettably can’t recommend the ’22 Rostaing as compared to 2020. High benchmark, but all the same.
Vieux T is always good. Even this young. Not telling you anything new there.
I’d drink the TWR Syrah again. Hint of green, but after sampling plenty of ripe SA shiraz that’s no bad thing.
Not tried anything from Sorrenberg before (I know you’ve pointed me towards their Gamay). And the bordeaux blend was lovely: elegant and classy
glyn
Love the Sorrenberg Chard FWIW too. Meanwhile Rostaing up and down for me lately as well.
Bought – Dappled release, McHenry Hohnen Burnside (cellar door visit), Our Fathers Smart Grenache and Gaffy & Neal Peninsula Chardonnay
Drinking highlights – Our Fathers Smart Vineyard Grenache, Las Vino CBDB ’24 (Great for such a tricky year), Helm Premium Riesling ’25 (pristine fruit)
I quite like those Our Fathers wines. Classy.