Helm Canberra District Cabernet Shiraz 2008 $35 Ken Helm says he’s back to where he started in 1979 with this charming blend of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. Back then, says Ken, it was a blend of necessity – the only red grapes available for his first vintage. This time around it’s an intentional blend, sourced … Continue reading Wine review — Helm, All Saints and Punt Road
Price seems always at the heart of any new release of Penfolds much-loved, highly traded bin number wines. Fierce retail battles became part of the landscape from the late seventies, following the collapse of retail price maintenance. In recent years, however, a reticence to be first to cut means a little retail shadow boxing precedes … Continue reading They’ve Bin everywhere — Penfolds releases new reds
Over the last few decades the boasting theme of Australian wine show organisers changed fundamentally. “My show’s bigger than yours” gave way to “mine’s better than yours”. Canberra’s National Show, held each November, boasted longest and strongest across those decades. It billed itself as the grand final – the last major show of the year, … Continue reading How Winewise beat National Wine Show to the punch
Does wine need air? Does it taste better if we shake it up in a glass, breathe the bottle, decant it or pour it through one of those new aerating pourers? The short answer is: do what works for you, because the experts disagree. And science now tells us that we’ll taste what we think … Continue reading Is aerating wine just hot air
Rutherglen Estate Savagnin 2010 $16.95 Rutherglen, Victoria Like other Australian winemakers Rutherglen Estate planted the Spanish white variety albarino only to learn that the CSIRO, source of all our stock, had been given savagnin by the Spanish supplier. Savagnin is the non-muscat clone of gewürztraminer and to smell and taste the two is to be … Continue reading Wine review — Rutherglen Estate, Leogate, Maipenrai, Leasingham and Fox Gordon
Last November as Canberra’s grape vines burst into life, Peter Wiggs and Peter Howland walked onto the original Lake George vineyard, accompanied by its founder, 90 year-old Dr Edgar Riek. Wiggs and Howland had just bought the vineyard from Theo and Sam Karelas, its owners since 1998. Riek’s presence was more than symbolic. He planted … Continue reading Howland and Wiggs buy original Lake George vineyard
Capital Wines Canberra District The Backbencher Merlot 2009 $25 The Senator Chardonnay 2009 $22 Capital wines is a partnership between the Moody and McEwin families with Mark Moody in the vineyard, Jennie Moody in the marketing department and Andrew McEwin in the winery. Both of these wines come from their Kyeema vineyard, Murrumbateman. The merlot, … Continue reading Wine review — Capital Wines, Z4 and Katnook Estate
Binbilla Hilltops Good Friday Shiraz 2009 $25 Binbilla is a tiny, hand-tended vineyard near Young, owned by Gerard and Bez Hines. Nick O’Leary makes the wine and describes the 2009 as a “leaner style” than the typical Hilltops shiraz. He picks the grapes comparatively early, “when the vines are healthy, before the leaves turn yellow” … Continue reading Wine review — Binbilla, Wignall and Bourke Street
Thirst Riesling 2010 Bottle $28, Glass $6.50 Murrumbateman, Canberra District, New South Wales Hot, thirsty and running early for dinner, we paused for a cold riesling at Thirst Wine Bar and Eatery (West Row, Civic). Winemaker Nick O’Leary says grapes for the wine came from several vineyards at Murrumbateman. He says it’s a blend of … Continue reading Wine review — Thirst, Bourke Street, Tower Estate, Chalmers, Chapel Hill and Penfolds
Overproduction, slash-and-burn retailing and our strong dollar should keep a lid firmly on mainstream wine prices throughout 2011. Adding to that chaotic mix are rising volumes of clean skins and labels owned or controlled by retailers, a dollop of parallel importing and the less-obvious but increasingly important activities of online retailers, auctioneers and direct marketers. … Continue reading Wine — slash and burn, burrow and build in 2011