In The Picture

Chateau Chunder beats Burgundy at its own game

Chardonnay? Buy Australian! (Decanter)

The BBC documentary that ran on the ABC last night charted the rise and fall of Australian wine in the UK from the early days, when it was known as Chateau Chunder from Down Under. If you missed it, you can watch it here on your computer http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/program/27837

It’s a fascinating and thought-provoking story, and here are a few of my thoughts to fill in some of the blanks.

Blessed by Diversity

Ours is a country of extremes. We have more terroirs and climates than France and Italy together, yet we have fewer grape varieties, and fewer wine styles. Perhaps that is so because our winemakers all learned their craft in the same few places, and our wine judges and wine writers did as well. It may be a broad church, but the hymns are few and sound much the same.

That's changed in the naughties, a change driven by a new generation of winemakers with stubborn heads on young shoulders. The fancy winemaking of the nineties gave way to a sharper focus on terroir, the place and environment a wine comes from. Individual wines that reflect their origins are made with the minimum of handling and technical trickery, they said. Winemaking starts in the vineyard, in the vines and the soil.

Cursed by corporate greed

Today, Australia makes a range of bargain wines of real quality and character in regional wineries that crush 5,000 to 25,000 tons a year. Higher up the quality scale, some of our wines rival the best the French have to offer – from Kooyong, Bindi and Giaconda to Grosset, Cullen and Leeuwin Estate. Meanwhile, the Ives St. Laurent end of the market for luxury goods is well catered for by Penfolds, Henschke, Torbreck and Parawa Estate, at $500 and even $1000 a bottle.

On main street, it’s a different story: 4 huge wine conglomerates make almost 4 out of five bottles you see in the shops. Their refineries churn out vast quantities of wine under many labels. The wines should be of decent quality but aren’t. They’re clean, bland and boring ‘industrial autoplonk’, a term coined by Philip White.

From cock of the walk to feather duster

In the nineties, we could do no wrong, except that the wine fumes got to the captains of our wine industry and addled their brains. Spurred on by their export success with cheap, cheerful wines from Jacob’s gargantuan creek, they bought vineyards in France and installed young Aussie winemakers to show the French how it was done. We were the greatest. The French and the Italians were stuck in a time warp, and too arrogant to see it.

Since our export success was built mostly on mass-produced plonk sold at big discounts in large supermarkets, it collapsed as soon as Chile and Argentina offered cheaper wines with more flavour. Our rising dollar was merely the final kick in the ribs of a long collapsed body. By 2006, it seemed that nobody wanted Australian wines anymore.

‘Australia's fall from grace had a velocity I've never before seen,’ wrote Matt Kramer in Wine Spectator. ‘I can't think of another wine country that, Icarus-like, flew so high and fell so far in so short a time.’ Jancis Robinson agreed: ‘The sheer speed with which Australia has moved from being revered to being reviled is quite remarkable.’

The truth hurts

That got their attention, even though Robinson made the point that this plummeting from grace took place while ‘more and more truly fine Australian wine is being produced.’ Another pom got up the noses of our winemakers: Dan Jago from Tesco, the world largest wine retailer. Jago told them at a conference: ‘For too long you have been saying “This is good because it's Australian".’ He added insult to injury when he said we should make lighter, more refreshing wines like those of the Old World.

That was too much. 'He's a wanker,’ was Bruce Tyrrell’s swift response. ‘He should go back to selling dog food.’ Tyrrell added that we had been gracious enough to let the poms have some of our terrific wines, while the Europeans kept flogging them the same old crook wines that ‘tasted like cat's piss.' It’s a strange comment from a man whose winery churns out oceans of wine of no merit or character under labels like Old Winery and Lost Block.

Arrogance Aussie style

‘Australian producers are in grave danger of suffering from a fatal case of strategic amnesia,’ wrote Mark Ritson from the Melbourne Business School. ‘Only fifteen years ago, they were the beneficiary of French winemakers' arrogance and stupidity.’ The French had refused to clean up their act, preferring to blame the ignorance of Pommy punters for their dwindling sales in the UK. Now we were doing the same thing.

We were busy beating our chests while Yellowtail conquered America, and Jacobs Creek became a hit with the Brits. There was just one problem: Even at the peak of our export boom in 2003, the average price for Aussie wine in the UK was $4.74 per litre. Yes, per litre. That dropped to $2.69 in 2011. Quality wasn’t part of our export drive, nor was building consumer loyalty, and we wonder why our reputation lies in shreds.

Our place? Who are you kidding? You mean all over the place, surely.

Over the top Reds

I’ve long held the view that our reds are too big. It’s hard to find Cabernet blends even from cool Coonawarra, even in a coolish year like 2010, that aren’t 14.5% alcohol. Bottles of Barossa and McLaren Vale Shiraz from the same year often notch up 15% or more. I’m with Matt Kramer who wrote: ‘If you're thinking, “Great, just what we need: more syrupy, over-alcoholic Barossa-style Shiraz,” think again.’

Some blame Robert Parker for this trend. The American messiah fell in love with the big ripe reds of South Australia and Victoria, and some wineries made monumental reds in his image. Others blame the drought that lasted most of the naughties. Stressed vines needed to reach higher sugar levels to produce fruit of physiological ripeness, they said. If that was so, why did the alcohol levels not go down after the drought ended?

Not long ago, 13 – 13.5% was considered perfect for fine reds, 14 for robust ones. The Penfolds Granges and bin reds of the 80s or 90s were rarely over 13%; today they’re 14.5.

Winemaking begins in the vineyard

The march to bigger reds began in the eighties. Reds were hard to sell at the time, reds built for the long haul most of all. Riper reds were softer and had more immediate appeal, and lots of oak helped soften them up some more as Wolf Blass had shown. Jammy fruit and coconut American oak were the hallmarks of 1990s Aussie reds. In the next decade, winemakers wound back the oak but not the sugar.

Sugar level determines the alcohol and natural acidity of a wine. Phenolics determine a wine’s colour and flavour compounds, and its grape tannins. These compounds advance along a different maturing curve to phenolic or physiological ripeness. In hot climates like ours, phenolic ripeness tends to lag behind sugar ripeness. In cold climates like Germany’s, it’s the other way round. In perfect climates, the two curves intersect.

Mechanical beasts and cost accountants

Physiological maturity is more easily achieved at sensible sugar levels in vineyards that are optimised for row spacing, vine density, trellising, pruning, canopy height and density, fruit shading, and water use. This can't easily be done in vineyards set up for mechanical pruning and harvesting, since they impose their own rules on vineyard management.

In any case, these vineyards had different quality goals. As James Halliday recalls: ‘... the major wineries were hellbent on producing the maximum yield per hectare at the lowest possible price. Pruning was mechanised and reduced to a minimum, and the grapes were mechanically harvested … low-cost viticulture had become a drug of addiction, facilitating discounting of already low-priced wines, yet providing a return on the annual running cost.’

Back to nature

With mechanical pruning and harvesting, canopies tend to slow phenolic ripenening and that means later picking at higher sugar levels. Picking later also reduces the number of unripe berries that end up in the crusher, the ones that caused those strange green pea and capsicum flavours in the early days.

One way to achieve phenolic ripeness at lower sugar levels is to use biodynamic or organic farming techniques. Early adopters include Henschke, Kalleske, Mitchell, Bass Philip, Bindi, Jasper Hill, Savaterre, Cullens and Howard Park. The Margaret River region has widely adopted biodynamic practices, and it’s interesting to ponder how it’s forged ahead in the last decade while Coonawarra has underperformed.

Andrew Mitchell and his fertilizer factory in the Clare Valley

Artificial elegance

While the monster reds are still with us, there’s a growing trend to making lighter, more refreshing whites. Nothing wrong with that, except that I never thought our whites were too big. The exception was Chardonnay, a variety our winemakers clobbered with big red making techniques: riper fruit, more oak, producing big fat peachy, nutty, buttery wines. When people tired of these whites, the ABS movement was born: Anything But Chardonnay.

The rebound of the last decade saw a complete change in style, with peach giving way to grapefruit and alcohol pulled back to 12.5%. The fruit was picked earlier or sourced from places where grapes struggled to ripen – Orange, Tumbarumba, Henty, Drumbourg. Rieslings were pulled back as well, to 12%, to produce lean, mean, acid wines of artificial elegance. Hunter Semillons had long been picked at super low sugar levels, but now we saw green apple and pea shell characters in other whites as well.

Chardonnay? Choose Australia

As usual, the pendulum had swung too far in the opposite direction. When it came back, it started a Chardonnay revival. Oakridge, Kooyong, Yabby Lake, Hoddles Creek, Giaconda, Mountadam, Xanadu and Leeuwin Estate were some of the wineries hell-bent on making Chardonnays of refinement and balance, and the capacity to age without falling into a flabby heap.

The transformation was so complete that Decanter declared in January last year: ‘Chardonnay? Choose Australia.’ They meant in preference to Burgundy. The Decanter panel praised ‘the freshness and restraint of the wines, and their structural complexity, their handling of oak and alcohol, and the winemakers’ “conscious reining-back to show the quality of the fruit and terroir.”’

Filip Verheyden, the editor of TONG magazine, agreed. ‘While white Burgundy faces an identity crisis,' he wrote, 'Australian Chardonnay is finding its way back on stage ... it is no longer in Burgundy that the most interesting Chardonnays are produced these days - Australia rules.’ The identity crisis Verheyden refers to is most likely 'premature oxidation', a problem experts say has affected ‘at least a dozen recent [Burgundy] vintages [that] have a propensity to self-destruct.' It may not be the much-maligned cork that is to blame here, but it's good to know that we banished the wretched things a decade ago. 

While our volume exports were in freefall, our strong headed young winemakers met their toughest challenge yet: Pinot Noir, the grape that makes the fabled Burgundies, a style that is a lottery even at home. It had taken two decades and a long search for the right terroir, along with careful vineyard and clone selection. Among the drivers were wineries like Paringa Estate, de Bortoli’s, Yabby Lake, Kooyong, Ashton Hills, by Farr and Farr Rising.

Aussie wine - uncommon value

The diversity in our markets has rarely been greater, despite the conglomerates making 80% of our wine. You could argue that 80% of drinkers wouldn’t know a good wine if they drowned in it, but let’s not blame consumers for the desultory practices of the big refineries who decided it was easier to make soft-drink-style plonk than to educate drinkers.

The other 20% is where real treasure lurks. In the March 2012 edition of The World of Fine Wine, Mountadam 2010 came out on top in a tasting of great Australian Chardonnays that included Cullen, Leeuwin Estate, Giaconda, Petaluma, Tapanappa, Coldstream Hills, By Farr, Pierro, Philip Shaw, Tyrrell's Vat 47, Oakridge 864 and Yattarna. Andrew Jefford, Anthony Rose and Jancis Robinson were the judges.

Here’s the good news: you can still buy the very same Mountadam 2010 Chardonnay for $25 a bottle and, yes, there’s still some left if you hurry (Winestar, Vintage Direct – Nicks). Back up the ute – it’s that good.

Mountadam's High Eden Vineyard

The lucky country

These days, you can even buy good Pinot Noir for less than $25. In an exhaustive review I posted six months ago, the surprise was not that most Pinots in that price group were rusty water or lolly water, but that four or five of them were good wines of authentic flavour. And one of the best Aussie Pinots I've had the pleasure to drink this year was a PHI 2010, which costs a bit over $40. Better wake up, Kiwi Pinot makers, you have competition.

We're still buying great Rieslings for less than $20. The 2012s from Clare are all great, from the $13 Jim Barry to the $18 O’Leary Walker, Mitchell and Pikes wines. Andrew Mitchell coined the phrase: 'The Clare Valley is blessed by the unpopularity of Riesling,' but we Riesling drinkers are the ones who're blessed here though we're not the only ones.

You could say the same about Cabernet Merlots from Margaret River, from Woodlands and Ashbrook and Credaro, or Chardonnays from the Yarra Valley such as Hoddles Creek and Tarrawarra, or Barossa reds from Teusner, Kalleske and Turkey Flat. 20 dollars a bottle, give or take a couple. I could go on, and on ...

Kim

Related Posts:

How Fosters trashed Australia's greatest wine brands

http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_picture/2011/09/how-fosters-and-southcorp-trashed-australias-greatest-wine-brands.html

Why the French Hate us

http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_picture/2012/10/not-quite-a-book-review-but-a-look-at-campbell-mattinsons-great-story-the-writing-is-lively-and-colourful-like-hes-cha.html

Other Resources

http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/44728

http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/514019/chardonnay-choose-australia-decanter-readers-urged

http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/top-drop/stable-of-winners-20120310-1uqnz.html

http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_picture/2012/04/good-pinot-noir-under-25-mission-impossible.html

http://www.winecompanion.com.au/news/news-articles/2012/september/the-cost-of-success

The Opening of the Summer Port Drinking Season

1954 Hardys Show Port and 1963 Dow - could it get any better?

It was another night of delights at Peter Bourne’s place in Pyrmont. Here are some of the boys limbering up - 3 Peters and 1 Alan. Chris was in another room, decanting the vintage port. (Please click on any of the images to see a bigger file)

This time, the most delectable delights were the old Rieslings and the old dessert wines. For me, that is. The whites and reds in between require more explanation, and I'll do my best.

I could have happily gone home after drinking these three wines. They had so much character and flavour and rich vitality – yes, they were still full of life! What more can I say?

The Corton-Charlemagne was the star of this lot, of course. Leaner than usual, needs a few more years to fill out. The Penfolds was toast, literally – toasty oak showing Penfolds attempts to come to grips with Chardonnay making on the way to Yattarna. The Chardonnays improved over the years, but that name still sucks. I didn’t think much of the Tyrrells, but I was the odd man out as usual on Hunter Semillon.

The Tarrawarra was pretty smelly in the manner of some Burgundies, and had clearly seen better days. The Rockford was an old sweet red without much complexity, and the Huntington reminded me of Mark Twain. He once said: what is remarkable about the talking dog is not the words it utters, but the fact it can speak at all. In the same vein, the Huntington Pinot Noir was remarkable for still being alive after 32 years.

Here's Paul, looking confused as usual by something Peter is explaining about wine

The years were less kind to this next bracket of once lovelies. Way past it except for the 1965 Wybong Park Cabernet, a lovely old Hunter red with soft fruit dressed in tar and leather. The third from the left was a 1976 Rutherford Hill Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

The 1986 Henschke Hill of Grace had a smell you couldn’t get past, and the 1991 Wendouree Shiraz I brought wasn’t exciting anyone despite the good condition of the bottle. Maybe we’re keeping our wines too long? (you know what they look like, so no pic)

The frogs were in better shape, even the old Telegraph still sending messages of former glory. Don’t remember the Dasvin Belair (it was that time in the evening when I usually have a nap); the Beychevelle 89 was an elegant old Bordeaux in good condition. A 2002 Leoville-Barton (not in the picture) was as tight and dense as a 3-year old. The Chambertin Clos De Beze was so muscular that I would not have picked it as a Pinot Noir or a Burgundy.

The 1960 Coutet was simply astounding for the life it still had, and the layers of goodies to smell and taste and enjoy here. Best sweet wine I can remember in a while. The Canobolas-Smith was an interesting diversion and the Quarts de Chaume 1997 was as fresh as a spring flower covered in morning dew. Not the most complex wine but a real delight.

Peter, John and Reg - clearly overwhelmed by the multitude of grog in front of them.

And now, the highlight of the evening for most of us I suspect: the ports. And what a way to open the summer port drinking season, Chris!

The Hardy’s 1954 Show Tawny was a work of staggering genius. Late-bottled in 1964. Classic Hardy’s port, still going strong, must’ve been a monster in its youth. Gorgious layers of mature flavours, and possibly the finest brandy spirit I’ve ever tasted. The 1963 Dow was just as brilliant an example of perfect Portuguese Vintage Port. Heaven both of them, really and truly. Enormous thanks, Chris and Reg (correct me if I'm wrong, pls)

The Wolf Blass? We didn’t open it, thinking it was better to enjoy the label with the portrait of a cherub-like Wolfie. His conversation with Richard Fidler is a classic, as I said, Wolfie telling us that he came out in early sixties and showed us how to make table wine. No kidding – audio podcast here, but be warned: it’ll crack you up. http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/conversations/wolf-blass/4301008

Thank you for sharing these wonderful wines, friends. Full list below.

Kim

Why do they keep giving medals to the wrong wines?

So that guys like me have something to add to the debate?

Still, the wine show system is broken and in urgent need of fixing - see here:

http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_picture/2012/09/australian-wine-shows-have-a-bright-future.html

This week, a handful of big labels didn't deliver the goods. Killakanoon, Tyrrells, de IILIUS, Thorn-Clarke, Hardys and Craggy Range. The good news is that I’ve found another great red for less than $20, and a 3-year-old Chardonnay for less than $10. Plus a few more delights.

BUY

Devils Lair Hidden Cave Cabernet Shiraz 2010

Devils Lair is part of the Treasury Wine Estate empire (formerly known as Fosters) that holds most of the picture cards of Australia’s iconic wine brands. Devils Lair makes the affordable but ordinary 5^th leg line, and a serious line of Margaret River wines that sells for around $50 a bottle. The Hidden Cave line sits in between at around $20.

Cabernet Shiraz is a classic Aussie blend that seems to haven fallen from favour a bit. That’s a shame because it works so well, the Shiraz filling out the middle of the typically longer, leaner Cabernet. This 60/40 blend is a great example of the style, blending cassis fruit with a touch of Margaret River gravel and subtle oak notes from 12 months in used French and American barriques. It’s medium bodied but rich and packed with flavour. Polished tannins, real class act. 14%. Poor man’s Bin 389.

Interesting that it merely scored a bronze in the 2011 Great Australian Red competition. The trophy-winning Annie's Lane Quelltaler Watervale Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 isn’t in the same class, neither are the silver-medal winners Penfolds Koonunga Hill Seventy Six Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 and the Majella Musician 2010. So it goes, as Kurt Vonnegut used to say. $19 at 1st Choice. Be quick, the 2011 is already coming into the grog shops.

McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Chardonnay 2009

After saying I’d never found a McWilliam’s wine I really liked, this is the second McWilliam’s wine I’m recommending. The first one was the Hanwood Cabernet Sauvignon from the same year. Tyson Stelzer says that these wines are made from 2/3 Riverina fruit, with the remaining 1/3 coming from cooler regions that include Tumbarumba and the Yarra Valley.

This is a clean, well-made wine. Round and full-bodied, mouth-filling and generous. More oak than Chardonnay flavour here, but there’s enough life in the wine to carry it. It’s a perfectly pleasant drinking wine with the advantage of some age. Don’t know how they do it for 8 bucks – I’ve had Chardonnays twice this price that were less enjoyable. 13.5%. $8 at Jim’s Cellars and the usual suspects. 

Hoddles Creek Estate Chardonnay 2011

From the Upper Yarra Valley vineyards of the d’Anna family, made by Franco and 'the boys' with a lot of personal attention. The flavour is leaning toward the stone fruit side of the spectrum, and the oak is refined (some French oak there); the two just need a bit more time to get used to each other. The creamy mouth feel bridges the gap for the moment, and an acid and mineral backbone holds it all together. The wine tastes like a more expensive Chardy than the $19 asking price at  MyCellars.

Paringa Estate Peninsula Chardonnay 2009

This is the basic Chardonnay from a Mornington Peninsula maker with a big reputation. It's a pretty big wine but it has the acid backbone to carry the weight. The rich fruit carries the French oak and marries the barrel ferment and creamy malolactic characters. Serious stuff, and will improve for a couple more years. If you like your Chardys big but balanced, you’ll like this one. 14.5%. $25 at Winestar

NOT CONVINCED

Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Vineyard Te Kahu 2009 Merlot ...

NZ winery with a huge reputation. This wine briefly dropped under our $25 ceiling, so I thought I’d check it out. It’s 80% Merlot, with the rest made up of Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, and Malbec. It’s a tantalising mix, but the tantalising stops when you taste the wine. It’s smooth, it’s elegant, it’s well-made but it lacks depth, intensity and complexity. For a wine that costs close to $30, it doesn’t deliver enough satisfaction.$28 at Dan M's.

Killikanoon Mort’s Block Watervale Riesling 2012

Killikanoon is James Halliday’s current winery of the year, and 2012 is a great year for Riesling in Clare, and Tyson Stelzer gives this a rave review and 95 points so the expectations are high. The wine is very pale and the nose is shy, giving us faint hints of flowers, limes and bath powder. It’s tight and delicate on the palate, yet with great fruit intensity and focus.

I’d have picked it as a Polish Hill Riesling, that’s how delicate it is. Sadly, it lacks a bit of mid palate depth/weight, and length. Yes, it finishes quite short, it's unbalanced. I think the Jim Barry and the O’Leary Walker 2012 Rieslings have more to offer, especially in terms of depth, length and balance. It's just a pup but I expected more from this champion breeder. 12.5%. $17, Dan M’s.

De Iiuliis  Hunter Valley Semillon 2011

Another disappointment. It starts with typical pale brass colour and restrained lemon zest nose. The fruit is surprising in its softness for a young Hunter. It’s ripe, almost sweet and lacks the bite you expect from young Semillon. It also lacks the line and length you'd expect, and it does a vanishing act once you get past the mid palate. I cannot explain how JH, TS and Winefront come up with their positive reviews and 93 points, other than the vegemite syndrome. (if you grew up with Hunter Semillon, all Hunter Semillon is just terrific). $15 at Dan Murphys.

AVOID

Thorn Clarke Sandpiper Barossa Shiraz 2010

I like these guys, most of all their Quartage Bordeaux blends. Bought stacks of the 2008 and 2009. 2010 Quartage is a bit forward for my liking. Sandpiper is their entry level range, priced at about $15. Dan M had this on special for $13. This one has grabbed a couple medals and a trophy, and here I am scratching my head again: this is a big wine (14.5%) and it’s a clumsy wine because you can smell the alcohol on the nose. The palate serves up plenty of very ripe fruit, but there’s an earthy coarseness to the taste that spoils it for me. I’ve seen this often in McLaren Vale reds, and I would’ve picked this wine as one of those.

Tyrrells HVD Semillon 2006

This wine gets huge ratings form JH, HH et al. 96-97 points. It’s won 9 trophies and Golds, and I’m sitting here stumped. OK, Hunter Semillons aren’t my favourite wines but I used to buy plenty of them from Murray Tyrrell in the old days, so I know what to look for. This wine lacks flavour, focus and length. It’s a wishy-washy, bland number that lacks depth and backbone. It’s like a bloke who’s barely into his twenties and has lost his youthful shape already.

I can hear Murray stirring in his grave. No one could accuse his Semillons of lacking bite and depth and backbone. Or class. Times have changed. Tyrrells is probably ten times the size it was in the halcyon days when Murray held sway. Different people are looking after the enormous vineyards and the winemaking. $24 at Kemenys

Jacobs Creek Riesling 2011

I admit that I bought this wine because the medals it won grabbed my attention, given the modest price tag of $7.50 at Dan M’s. What was it about a wine like this that fooled the judges? It almost fooled me as well when I first tasted it, because the nose promised limes, the palate delivered crisp citrus fruit and the whole thing seemed quite refined. The back label, said nothing about the stuff inside. Trophies won at Riverina Show suggest its origins.

A closer look or two over an evening or two revealed the artifice of this wine. The fruit was picked early/unripe to keep the acid high and the whole thing fresh. 11.4%. The citrus flavour is most likely from added lemon acid (legal in Oz), and the fruit has an artificial sweetener aftertaste to it.

It’s a clever concoction, and I can see how it would’ve fooled judges going down a long line of glasses once or twice - that’s why I don’t taste wines that way. Wines are like women – you have to spend time with them to get to know them. This one wears too much perfume and make-up. The McWilliams Chardonnay 2009 is a much more real and satisfying wine but it just scored a couple of bronze medals. So it goes. 

Hardys OOMOO Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre 2010

One more wine you should make sure to avoid, although I doubt that you'll run into it. It's the roughest red I've had in a long time, and I think Hardys knows it and has pulled it off the market - there's none in any of the shops I go to. It surfaced six months ago as a special at Graysonline for $7 including free delivery. That should've raised my suspicions except that Hardys is pretty reliable and OOMOO has been a decent value label. I like the GSM style, and this one is medium strength at 14%, and from the top year of 2010, so I bought a six-pack.

I can't even describe it, it's so bad. Undrinkable.
Kim

Best wines under $25

  Please Note: the up-to-date lists are now on my website:

http://bestwinesunder20.com.au/ 

Best Wines under $10 

Best Wines under $15  

Best Wines under $20 

Best Wines under $25 

Kim, April 2013

--------------------------------------------

One of the strange facts of life in the wine business is that $25 wines often beat $85 wines in shows, competitions or tastings. The $85 wine has probably had more work done to it, but that doesn’t guarantee a better outcome. This is all good news.

Most of us buy wines that cost more than $25 only for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, or as investments. Some brands position themselves for those occasions, for example Penfolds with its icon and luxury range (their words, not mine). These wines are bought by people who want to impress people. The name Penfolds is minted gold, but a Wynns black label Coonawarra Cabernet 2009 is more than equal to a Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet 2009, despite costing half as much.

The wines on this list are all easy to get hold of, unlike those on other 'best' lists that are often impossible to track down. We update these lists frequently to make sure that they stay current. Prices are 'street' prices rounded to the nearest dollar, bought in mixed 6-packs or mixed dozens.

WHITES

Best's Great Western Riesling 2012 - $22, Kemenys

Great year in Great Western, and they made a great Riesling, bigger than usual (13%)

Dr Loosen Dry Riesling 2011 - $22, Kemenys

And now for something completely different: a German Riesling. Dr Loosen is a good bet

Brokenwood Pinot Gris 2012, Beechworth - $21 - Dan M's

More disciplined than the usual PG fare, tight and lean and long

Tyrrells HVD Semillon 2006 - $24, Kemenys

Tyrrells Belford Semillon 2007 - $24, Kemenys

Meerea Park Terracotta Semillon 2006 - $25, MyCellars

I'm not a great fan of Hunter Semillon, but lots of people are so I included three of the best here. They're all a few years old and have won buckets of trophies and medals so, if you like this style, these three are real bargains.

   

Kooyong Clonale Chardonnay 2012 - $24 at Dan M's

A refined style, elegant like a Chablis, perfect blend of delicate fruit and fine oak

Seville Estate Chardonnay 2010 - $25, MyCellars

A very fine, elegant Chardonnay, mineral backbone, great length, seamless, needs time

Lenton Brae Southside Chardonnay 2011 - $22, Kemenys

Seriously classy, elegant wine from a serious boutique maker in Margaret River

 

Greywhackie Sauvignon Blanc 2011 - $23, MyCellars or Nicks

A new benchmark Savvy from Kevin Judd, creator of Cloudy Bay

Seresin Sauvignon Blanc 2011 - $24, Dan M's 

An object lesson to all those winemakers in Marlborough who've lost it

REDS

TarraWarra Pinot Noir 2010 - $21 at 1st Choice

Best current release Pinot Noir under $25 in my view. There's good colour, a Burgundian nose, authentic flavour and lfine length. Unlike most Pinots in this price range, it will improve for another year or two.

Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 -

I thought this was long gone - this was my top Cabernet of 2012, far better than the 2010 (and cheaper). Grab some more while you still can.

Woodlands Margaret River Cabernet Merlot 2011 - $22.80, Dan M online

Great style, brooding complexity with depth and length - Pomerol at a bargain price

Maverick Twins Cabernet 2008- $20, MyCellars

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Petit Verdot Cab Franc made from Barossa and Eden Valley fruit. Medium bodied, elegant Bordeaux style of surprising polish. The 2009 is in the same style 

Mitchell Sevenhill Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 $24, Dan M online

Elegant Cabernet from Clare made the traditional way, offering mature flavours in the leather and tar spectrum balanced by developed blue fruits. The 2006 is available from the winery for $25.

Forest Hill Estate Cabernet Sauvigon 2010 - $22, MyCellars

More tightly wound than the Woodlands, will need time, very polished act

Leconfield Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 - $25, Kemenys

If you're not fussed about labels, buy the Hidden Label Coonawarra Cabernet 2010 for $18

 

Bests Great Western Bin 1 Shiraz 2011 - $25, Bests

Won the Jimmy Watson and the Trevor Mast Trophy and the trophy for the best Victorian wine of the Melbourne Show just now. The Late Trevor Mast made wine at Bests from 1975 to 1988. The wine is hard to find now except at Best's Cellar door

Pennys Hill Cracking Black Shiraz 2010 - $22, Kemenys

McLaren Vale. Best Full-bodied red at Sydney International Wine Comp, 2 trophies

Mollydooker The Boxer Shiraz 2010 - $24, kemenys or Nicks
And now a wine for really big red lovers-- super ripe, super rich, 16%, Parker loves this
You have been warned. Good description here: http://www.nicks.com.au/Product/View/2010-Mollydooker-The-Boxer-Shiraz/486348

Teusner Avatar 2010 - $24.95 Kemenys or MyCellars

As good as GSM gets, and not over-the-top big. Ridiculous value

Turkey Flat Grenache 2009 or 2010  - $22 Dan M's

Grenache on its own tends to be simple but not this one, made from very old vines

 

OTHER

 Pelorus Nv - $25, Winestar

The real thing, bready, yeasty flavours, good body and complexity. This is no citrus fruit cocktail with bubbles. Better than many champagnes I've tasted. Stunning value

Heggies Botrytis Riesling 2011 375ml - $22, Kemenys

Not cheap but said to be a great sticky. A change from the old Noble One

 

The Mayonnaise jar - A life lesson that'll make you smile

Once in a while, a story comes your way that you just have to share

A professor stood before his philosophy class, with some unusual items in front of him on the desk. When the class began, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly and the pebbles rolled into the small gaps between the golf balls. He asked the students again if the jar was full, and they agreed that it was.

Now the professor picked up a small box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up all the remaining gaps between the golfballs and the pebbles. Once again he asked the students if the jar was full, and the response was a unanimous ‘yes.’

Now the professor produced two glasses of white wine from under the table and poured their contents into the jar, filling the remaining air pockets in the sand.

The students laughed.

When the laughter subsided, the professor said: ‘Now imagine that this jar represents your life:

The golf balls are the important things – family, children, friends, favourite passions and your health. These are the things that, if everything else were lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like, your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else — the small stuff.’

The professor continued: 'The moral of my story is this: it’s important to get these things in your life in the right order. Here’s why:

If you put the sand into the jar first, there won’t be any room left for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you’ll never have room for the things that are important to you.

So take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. The rest is just sand.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness:

• Play With your children
• Take your partner out to dinner
• Talk to your friends.

There will always be time to clean the house and fix the garage door.’

One of the students raised her hand and asked what the wine represented.

The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked: The wine just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room to share a glass or two with a friend.’

Kim

Best wines under $15

Please Note: the up-to-date lists are now on my website:

http://bestwinesunder20.com.au/ 

Best Wines under $10 

Best Wines under $15  

Best Wines under $20 

Best Wines under $25 

Kim, April 2013

--------------------------------------------

PLEASE NOTE

These short lists are the result of cutting through mountains of ordinary wines on the shelves of our grog shops to find the real gems. My assessements of wines are made from a consumer's perspective. I buy my own samples to make sure I'm tasting the same wines you are. I avoid the lavish wine launch events, lunches or dinners other reviewers enjoy and write about. These are compromising environments for wine assessment - it's easier to shoot straight when you're not partying on the gravy train. 

I don't assess wines lined up in long rows either, in a single or double take. That's the system our wine shows deploy since that's the only way to get through thousands of wines. As a result, the show system is a poor guide to quality. I taste every wine I write about over several days, with and without food. We all know how wines can change, for better or for worse, over a day or two in the open bottle. 

Note on availability

As a consumer, I’ve been frustrated many times by glowing reviews of wines that turned out to be impossible to track down, therefore this list is made up of wines that are readily available from the big grog shops. If there's a real wine merchant left in your suburb, please support him as long as you can. If you happily buy wine direct from your favourite vineyards, there's no reason to change. 

Note on pricing

The pricing used here is ‘street’, that is the best current or recent price for a wine bought in 6 or 12 packs (mixed). At Dan M and 1^st Choice, the magic number is 6, at Kemenys and Vintage Cellars it’s 12. The wines listed also reflect the regular promotions run by the bigger wine companies. I update these lists often, but specials can last for just a few days because Woolworths and Coles keep fiddling with their prices to do each other damage. 

More on our retailers and the games they play here: http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_picture/2012/09/woolworths-and-coles-masters-of-wine.html

More on what's wrong with our wine show system here: http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_picture/2012/09/australian-wine-shows-have-a-bright-future.html

WHITES

Clifford Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2011 – $13, Kemenys*

Herbaceous, flinty gooseberry style. Flavour, depth and length. Nearing its peak. Bargain

Waipara Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2011 - $15, Kemenys

Another label that delivers quality above the average at this price level 

 

Hidden Label Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2011 - $13 at Kemenys

Stella Bella under a Hidden Label, big wine, savoury, good with food

Hidden Label Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2008 - $14, Kemenys

A leaner, cool climate style that's still improving. 12.5%. 94 points from JH

Brookland Valley Verse 1 Chardonnay 2011 - $12.00 at Kemenys

A bit commercial in its make-up but plenty of flavour and zippy freshness

Jim Barry Watervale Riesling 2012 - Kemenys - $15

A vibrant Riesling from a great vintage, floral, delicate, wonderful length. Bargain

Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling 2012 - $15, Winestar or Kemenys

A classic. The 2012 is more floral than the 2011, and more delicate. Back up the ute!

Dopff Au Moulin Riesling 2010 or 2011, $13, Dan M 

Delicate Riesling built for the long haul. Different from ours. Remarkable value

 

Chalkboard Hunter Valley Semillon 2012 - $11, Vintage Cellars

Not my beer but others rave about it. Won 2 trophies at the 2012 Hunter Valley Show.

Tahbilk Marsanne 2012 - $11.50 at Dan M's

And now for something completely different - great value too

Dopff Au Moulin Pinot Blanc 2011, $13, Dan M 

Interesting wine, quite delicate. Good with shellfish and delicate white meats

        

REDS

Hidden Label Margaret River Cabernet 2009 - $11, Kemenys

This is Capel Vale's $18 Regional Selection Margaret River Cabernet under a Hidden label

Amberley Secret Lane Cabernet Merlot 2011 - $13 at Kemenys

Classy, elegant Margaret River red. Will improve. Real value

Mad Fish Gold Turtle Cabernet Merlot 2010 - $14.25 at Dan M's

Another smooth, medium-bodied, great value Cabernet Merlot from Margaret River

Richard Hamilton Hutt Block Cabernet Sauvigon 2010 - $15, Winestar

Well-made McLaren Vale Cabernet of the more elegant style. 14%. 94 points from JH

Amelia Park Mishmash Red 2010 - $14, Kemenys

Margaret River red blend, medium bodied, elegant and fruit-driven. Two golds.

Yalumba The Scribbler Cabernet Shiraz 2009 - $14.75, Kemenys

Barossa and Eden Valleys. Elegant, vibrant, fruit driven style. Not too big. 

Tahbilk Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 - !4.95 at Kemenys

Big, complex, five-year-old Cabernet from Goulburn Valley. Super bargain. 14.5%

Seppelt Grampians Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 - Dan M Cellar Release - $14.90

A real sleeper: medium bodied, soft and gentle, mature Cabernet, easy on the gums
http://danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_916389/seppelt-cabernet-sauvignon-2005

Fox Gordon Cabernet Temperanillo 2009 -$14.25, 1st Choice

Smooth Cabernet with an exotic twist. Works surprisingly well. 14%

St Hallet Shiraz 2010 - $11, Kemenys

A Barossa Shiraz at the elegant end of the spectrum, great balance, real sleeper. 13.5%

Meerea Park Shiraz 2011 - $13 at Dan M's

Lively, flavoursome, medium-bodied Hunter red, ready to drink. Perfect with Pizza

Hidden Label McLaren Vale Uncut Shiraz 2010 - $13 at Kemenys

This is Gemtree Uncut Shiraz under a Hidden Label. Great value. Biodynamic, 95 from JH

Mount Langi Ghiran Billi Billi Shiraz 2009 - $12.65, Kemenys

Warm, spicy, ripe cherry-fruit-driven red, medium bodied and balanced. 14%

Zeppelin Big Bertha Shiraz 2010 - $14 at Kemenys

Big, ripe, soft and cuddly Barossa Shiraz. $14.5%. Terrific value

Hereford Shiraz 2010 - 13, Dan M's

Vibrant, fruit-driven Shiraz, 50% Heathcote, not too heavy, perfect with pizza and pasta

 

Charles Cimicky Trumps Barossa Shiraz 2010, $14, various outlets

Juicy style with spicy Shiraz and Christmas pudding flavours, great with BBQs. 14%

Xanadu Next of Kin Shiraz 2010, $14 at MyCellars

Lively, juicy Margaret River Shiraz. Perfect for Pizza and Pasta. Hides its 14.5% well

 

OTHER

Wirra Wirra Mrs Wrigley Rose 2011- $15, Kemenys

An easy on the gums style, not too profound and not too frivolous

Hidden Label Botrytis Semillon 2008 375ml - $13, Kemenys

Trophy for Best Dessert Wine at 2011 Royal Melbourne, 3 gold medals

Seppelt Fleur de Lys Vintage 2008 - $15, Kemenys

Pretty tough to pick a good one here, but this bubbly gets good reviews

 

Best wines under $10

Please Note: the up-to-date lists are now on my website:

http://bestwinesunder20.com.au/ 

Best Wines under $10 

Best Wines under $15  

Best Wines under $20 

Best Wines under $25 

Kim, April 2013

----------------------------

Note on availability and quality

To avoid frustration, this list is made up of largely commercial wines that are readily available from the big grog shops. I update this list on a regular basis. If you have a good wine merchant left in your neighbourhood, count your blessings. If you buy wine direct from your favourite vineyards, you're probably happy.

There's a lot of what Philip White calls 'industrial autoplonk' in this price group. There are also plenty of cheap and cheerful, inoffensive wines. What I've tried to do here is to find wines that are better than that, everyday drinking wines that are agreeable and even enjoyable rather than just OK for the money or simply tolerable.

Note on pricing

The pricing used here is ‘street’, that is the best current or recent price for a wine bought in 6 or 12 packs (mixed). At Dan M, 1^st Choice and Vintage Cellars of late, the magic number is 6, at Kemenys, BWS, Winestar and MyCellars it's still 12. The wines listed also reflect the regular promotions run by the bigger wine companies on their commercial lines. I've included a few wines that are just over $10.

In the run up to Christmas, Woolworths and Coles nudged their prices up, knowing that people will buy more grog. 1st Choice Liquor cut its six-pack discount from 10% to 5%, effectively raising prices by 5%. Kemenys played no such games, and I applaud them for it.

WHITES

McWilliams Hanwood Chardonnay 2009 - $8 at Kemenys

3 years old, more nutty oak than fruit but well-made and flavoursome. Real bargain.

Montes Classic Series Chardonnay 2011 – $8.50, Dan M

Varietal flavour, supported by well-judged oak, complex and satisfying. From Chile.

De Bortoli Windy Peak Vat 7 Chardonnay - look for specials <$10

Clean and fresh and fruity, easy on the gums, a slick and simple package

Devil's Ridge Block 7 Margaret River Chardonnay 2012 -$10 at Kemenys

Fresh and crisp white with hints of citrus, melon and stone-fruit and melon. Oak plays a minor role.

 

Hidden Label Central Ranges Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2011 - $10 at Kemenys

This turns out to be the Cumulus Rolling Sauvignon Blanc Semillon. 94 points from JH

Annie’s Lane Riesling 2012 – look for specials around $10

2012 was a great Riesling vintage in Clare, and this is much better than usual.

Peter Lehmann Classic Riesling 2011, $10, Kemenys

One trophy and two golds, but try it first - it's an early picked, green-apple-crisp style

Paul Mas Marsanne - $7, Dan M's

Clean, well-made wine from the Languedoc in the south of France

 

REDS

Paul Mas Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 - $7, Dan M

Clean, well-made Cabernet from the Languedoc

Montes Classic Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 – $8.50, Dan M

Serious, interesting Cabernet with layers of flavour. Bargain.

Montes Classic Series Merlot 2011 – $8.50, Dan M

This is elegant, plush and silky  Merlot that will seduce most palates

McWilliams Hanwood Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 - $7, Kemenys

A wine of surprising elegance, good mouthfeel and length. Bargain.

Devils Ridge block 4 Cabernet Merlot 2011 - $10, Kemenys

Margaret River Cabernet Merlot at this price? Don't know how they do it

Annie’s Lane Cabernet Merlot or Shiraz 2010/11 – look for specials around $10

The Cab Merlot is a voluptuous beauty to enjoy in the near future

Moondah Brook Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 - $10, Kemenys 

Even at its RR of $15, this is good value. Fruit-driven, soft and lovely 

De Bortoli Deen Vat 8 Shiraz 2009 /Vat 9 Cabernet 2008 –$10.45, Dan M

These are big, ripe, soft wines (14.5%), well-made, well-rounded and generous

St Hallett's Gamekeeper's Barossa Shiraz 2010 - $10, Kemenys

Always reliable red, elegant rather than robust, great vintage, great value

Kingston Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 – Dan M, $10.45

Limestone Coast and and Mount Benson fruit. Smooth Cabernet with a ton of flavour

 

SWEET WHITES

Leasingham Bin 8 KS Riesling 2008 - $8, Dan M's, $10 at Winestar

This is made in the old Leo Buring Spaetlese style, and remarkbale value

De Bortoli Vat 5 Botrytis Semillon - $10.45 at Dan M's for 375ml

Not complex but a lovely sticky. 7 trophies. My best value wine of 2012

Best wines under $20

Please Note: the up-to-date lists are now on my website:

http://bestwinesunder20.com.au/ 

Best Wines under $10 

Best Wines under $15  

Best Wines under $20 

Best Wines under $25 

Kim, April 2013

--------------------------------------------

One of the strange facts of life in the wine business is that the most expensive wines are not always the best. In practice, there's often very little difference between a $25 wine and a $75 wine, except for the label. As a rule, the more expensive wine has been given  more ‘treatment’ - special yeasts, barrel fermentation, more new oak etc. – but that doesn’t make it better. Often, the resulting wine tastes overworked.

Penfolds icon and luxury wines (their words, not mine) are bought by people who want to impress other people, because the Penfolds brand is like minted gold in the market place. They’re the kinds of wines you won’t find here, because they’re overpriced. An example is the 2007 Grange, which James Halliday gives 95 points to. James also gives 96 points to Kym Teusner’s Riebke Shiraz 2010. The Grange costs $600, the Riebke less than $20.

The wines on this list are all easy to get hold of, unlike those on other 'best' lists that are often impossible to track down. Prices are 'street' prices rounded to the nearest dollar, bought in mixed 6-packs or mixed dozens. I update this list frequently to make sure it's bang up-to-date.

WHITES UNDER $20

O'Leary Walker Watervale Riesling 2012 - $17, Dan M

Perhaps the most classic of the wonderful 2012 Rieslings from the Clare Valley

Heggies Eden Valley Riesling 2012 -$17, Kemenys

Pewsey Vale's big brother. More restraint and a few more minerals here

Mitchell Watervale Riesling 2012 - $19, 1st Choice

A rich, complex Riesling with more flavour than most. Great with food. 13%

Jim Barry Lodge Hill Riesling 2012 - $19.99 at Winestar

Lovely fruit here and floral perfume, and lots of instant appeal. 7 trophies.

Spy Valley Gewurtztraminer 2011, $20, Kemenys

I like Gewurz, and the Kiwis make great examples. This is one of them, to enjoy now.

Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2012 - Dan M's - $17

A reasuring departure from the sweet & sour bastard Marlborough style

Dog Point Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012 - $20 at Kemenys

This label has helped set a new standard for SB, along with Spy Valley and Seresin

Fraser Gallop Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2011 - $18, Winestar

This is classic Margaret River SSB, full-flavoured and riper than the Cape Mentelle

 

Waipara Hills Pinot Gris 2011 - $17 at 1st Choice or Dan M

Big, ripe Pinot Gris; pears, peaches and cream but balanced. Great with rich pork dishes

Vavasour Awatere Pinot Gris 2011 - $18, Kemenys

Tight, long, restrained style with pear, quince and ginger in the flavour spectrum

 

Nugan Estate King Valley Frasca's Lane Chardonnay 2009 - $18, 1st Choice

Restrained fruit, elegant French oak, will mature nicely over 2-4 more years

Hoddles Creek Chardonnay 2011 - MyCellars - $19, Winestar

As good as some Chardys twice its price, oak a little dominant but the fruit is there

Tarrawarra Estate Chardonnay 2010 - $18, Dan M's  

Another serious bargain from a top winery in the Yarra Valley. Grab it before it's all gone

REDS UNDER $20

Foxey's Hangout Red Fox Pinot Noir 2010 - $19, 1^st Choice Liquor

Second best Pinot under $25 in my survey, and a great drink now or soon proposition

 

Teusner The Independent Shiraz Mataro 2010 - $18, MyCellars

Sourced from ancient vines in the Northern Barossa - Ebenezer, Kalimna and Moppa

Kalleske Butcher’s Block Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre 2010- $19, MyCellars, 1st Choice

A terrific GSM for enjoying now or in the near future. Plenty of goodies here for the money.

Richard Hamilton McLaren Vale Shiraz 2010 -$17 at Winestar

Won both tropies at the 2012 Visy Great Australian Shiraz Challenge - best under $25 and best outright. Lovely example of the restrained McLaren Vale style

O'Leary Walker Shiraz 2010 - $18 at MyCellars

Made from 2/3 Clare and1/3 McLaren Vale Shiraz, big but polished

Flametree Shiraz 2011 - $19 at Kemenys

Margaret River style. Made by ex- Voyager Estate winemaker Cliff Royle

Mt Langi Cliff Edge Shiraz 2009 - $20, Winestar, Nicks

Langi Ghiran's little brother, this one's a juicy fruit style, not mu cuppa but great reviews

Nugan Estate Alcira Vineyard Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Kemenys $18

An impressive Cabernet with lovely cassis fruit and fine French oak, lovely drinking

Leconfield Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 - $18 at Kemenys (Hidden Label)

Big, ripe, polished - https://www.kemenys.com/go.jsp#!class=Product&spn=1093931

Victory Point The Mallee Root 2007 - $18, Kemenys

Small maker Margaret River Cabernet Malbec Merlot; great food wine

Fraser Gallop Cabernet Merlot 2011 - $18 at Winestar and Vintage Direct (Nick's)

Elegant red, beautifully integrated. Not the most complex wine but a lovely drink

Leconfield Coonawarra Merlot 2010 - $20, Kemenys, will not last long (2011 is out)

2 trophies and 3 golds, and for once I agree. Voluptuous, don't keep too long

 

OTHER WINES UNDER $20

Turkey Flat Grenache Rose 2012 - Kemenys - $17

A standard bearer for quality Oz Rose

Brown Brothers King Valley Pinot Noir Chardonnay & Pinot Meunier NV - $20

Can hold its own against Chandon and Croser. Multiple trophies and gold medals

Bethany Old Quarry Fronti - $20 at Dan M's

A lovely old Frontignac / Muscat from the Barossa. Tasty, clean and elegant. Very morish.

Virginia Wilcox at Vasse Felix is GTW winemaker of the year

'Virginia’s passion and enthusiasm for Margaret River winemaking is an inspiration to many', Gourmet Traveller Wine

It seemed like a perfect chance to check out some of Virginia's work as they say in the trade. People say wonderful things about her, so I expected this to be an easy task. Since I haven't opened many bottles of Vasse Felix in recent times, I really looked forward to it.

Understandably, Viginia's most admired work is in the higher echelons: in the Heytesbury Chardonnay and Cabernet. In fact, almost the entire article in GTW focuses on Virginia’s achievements in improving these wines in her 5 or so years as chief winemaker: the 2010 Heytesbury Chardonnay brought home no less than 11 trophies. Toward the end of the piece, Peter Forrestal talks about ‘a corresponding lift in the quality of the whole portfolio,’ with the basic wines presenting some of the best value in the region.

It may be my warped perspective – looking at the world of wine from a sub $25 angle – but I think the mark of a great winemaker is making top notch wines for less than $25. I’m thinking of Con Moshos at Mountadam and his 2010 Chardonnay, Stuart Watson over at Woodlands with his benchmark 2009 Cabernet Merlot, and Kym Teusner, the modest maker of $18 Barossa masterpieces. I could add Peter Barry at Jim Barry, Franco d’Anna at Hoddles Creek and Clare Halloran at TarraWarra.

Here's why I say that: Vasse Felix is owned by Paul Holmes a Court, and I'd imagine that no money is spared in vineyard management or winemaking. I’m sure making great wine in that environment isn’t easy (because it never is), but it can’t be that hard if your vines are old enough and you’ve planted them in the right place, and the vintage weather is cooperating. Making 95 point wines for $25 is much tougher, so I rounded up a few bottles of Vasse Felix in that price range:

• 2011 Chardonnay
• 2010 Semillon
• 2010 Cabernet Merlot

The Shiraz is $30 and the straight Cabernet even more than that so they missed out. The Classic Dry White missed out as well, because it's never grabbed me. We’ll go back to our usual format for the reviews, since we have other wines to talk about as well. By way of a preview: the Vasse Felix Chardonnay made it into the BUY category, the Semillon didn’t convince, and the Cabernet Merlot was a disaster.

BUY

Vasse Felix Chardonnay 2011

I found it hard to make up my mind about this wine over several days. Its full body and round flavour surprised me, given the lean 12.5%. That’s pretty anaemic for a Chardonnay - 13.5 to 14 is more the norm for full bodies. The viscosity in this wine has been achieved mostly with oak, pretty high quality oak too. The problem is the lack of fruit here. Yes, it’s only 18 months old but the balance is tipped over in the favour of the oak so far that I wonder if the fruit will ever come out from under.

That said, it’s a pretty nice drink if you don't mind oaky, nutty Chardonnays. It’s balanced in every other way, and it’s a smooth number too. Other reviewers give it between 92 and 94 points, so may be I’m a bit off the mark here. $20 most places.

 

Mantra Invocation Chardonnay 2010 

I liked this Chardonnay from the same region better. Mantra is the top label in the portfolio of wines by brad. That’s the firm where Brad Wehr and his mates make wine from parcels of fruit they buy in. What Brad’s delivered here is a $20 Chardonnay that strikes a nice balance between vanillan oak and fruit in the melon/white peach spectrum. It’s on the light side despite its 13.5%, it’s restrained but not too acid, it’s round but not too soft. The oak is a light brushstroke on this canvas. A touch straightforward but easy to enjoy. $20 at Bonds Corner Wine at Northbridge (NSW), and at Garricks’s Wine at Brunswick (Vic).

Xanadu Next of Kin Chardonnay 2009

Another Chardonnay from Margaret River, this one under Xanadu Estate’s entry level label. It’s a round, soft white with some Chardonnay character but lacking a bit in the depth and length departments. Pleasant drinking, but might’ve had more life a year ago. Go for the 2010, which is probably easier to find and gets good reviews. You should be able to pick it up for less than $15 – 1^st Choice had it on special for $12 not long ago.

Invivo Sauvignon Blanc 2011

I came back to this Kiwi, which had not impressed me 9 months ago, and it confirmed once more how fast these Savvies develop and how much better they can get. This is still not my style (not savoury enough), but the fruit and acid have settled down and the wine is now tasty, lively and well balanced. $13, Kemenys.

Not Convinced

A Mano Primitivo 2009

Something completely different: a gentle Zinfandel from Puglia at the heel of Italy. They call it Primitivo down there. According to Wikipedia, ‘the name derives from the terms primativus or primaticcio, which refer to the grape's tendency to ripen earlier than other varieties.’ This is a smooth, soft number with rustic Italian flavours. An interesting diversion but not a BUY at $24, Dan M’s. Great label!

Nugan Estate King Valley Frasca’s Lane Pinot Grigio 2011 

Nugan Estate is a wine producer I only discovered this year, and I was impressed with its Frasca’s Lane Chardonnay 2009 and even more with the Alcira Vineyard Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2008. Sadly, this Pinot Grigio is not in the same class. Getting Pinot Gris right is always a balancing act, where coming down on one side will swamp you in sweet pear juice while the other will bury you in acid. This one goes for the acid trip. There may be enough fruit there to come into balance – some of these PGs change dramatically in less than 12 months – but I can’t see it. $18 at First Choice.

La Vieille Ferme 2010 is one of those cheap reds from the southern Rhone, from the Cote du Ventoux where that killer bald mountain rears up out of the dusty landscape to torment those poor cyclists in the Tour de France. This one is made by the Perrin Family who owns the highly regarded Chateau de Beaucastel. It's a gentle wine of no great pretence, made from 50% Grenache, 20% Syrah and a cast of the usual suspects - Carignan, Cinsault and friends. It’s cheap and moderately cheerful at $12, but I suspect it needed to be drunk within 12 months of its birth – like most Beaujolais.

Cape Mentelle Marmaduke Shiraz 2010

Marmaduke came highly recommended by Winestar’s Bert Werden. What a great label! Sorry about the photo. The wine was a bit strange, initially opening with petrol fumes on the nose. They’d gone by the second day, and the fruit was bright and spicy but short. Not obviously Shiraz, with some hints of Grenache raspberry flavour and lightness. It lacks focus, and the components don't seem in agreement with each other, a bit like a meeting of the UN assembly. $15 at Winestar

The Islander Sangiovese 2008

There’s a lovely story behind this label: flying winemaker Jacques Lurton taking his love to Kangaroo Island and falling in love with the island as well. Sadly, the story this wine tells isn’t as convincing. Again, I suspect that it would’ve given more joy a year or two ago. It comes across a bit tired now, with plenty of developed flavours but not much pep left in the tank.

Vasse Felix Semillon 2010

A few people make straight Semillon outside the Hunter Valley – Henschke, Mitchell, Peter Lehman, and Moss Wood over in the west. The Margaret River Semillons I’ve had over the years are mostly serious wines built for the long haul, with better underlying ripeness than Hunter Semillons. This one is 13% and the fruit is ripe, but the serious part is missing despite a $22 price tag. It’s a nice, almost pretty wine but I can’t see a future for it and it’s too expensive for simple summer drinking. Not sure what the plan was with this wine.

AVOID

Vasse Felix Cabernet Merlot 2010

What can I say about this red? I kept going back to it over five days to see if it would show me another side, or if I’d missed something. No such luck. It’s obviously a big wine, dark dense purple in the glass. So far so good but all I get on the nose is alcohol, and lots of it. From hereon in it gets messy: the thing reminds me of one of those bodybuilders who’s all chest and shoulders sitting on skinny little legs.

The initial flavour impact is huge, then it rapidly drops off until you wonder where it went. The fruit never gets out from under the brawn, and I can taste the alcohol. It says 14.5% which is high for Margaret River but it's not in the Chris Ringland or Mollydooker class. On it’s own, this red is a train crash. As a Margaret River Cabernet Merlot, it’s an aberration. It’s nothing like my benchmark Woodlands Cabernet Merlot.

Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir 2011

When I poured this wine over lunch with two great mates, we noticed the pink colour right away. ‘Some Pinots are light in colour,’ Reg said, ‘but pack a ton of flavour.’ I drank some of the wine, rolled it around my mouth and swallowed. ‘This isn’t one of those,’ I said. There wasn’t much more to say, except: ‘I can’t imagine what Franco was thinking when he bottled this.' I was thinking: this is the first homeopathic wine ever made. Reg didn’t defend it, Andy said it was better than that. Andy is a really nice guy and superfair to everybody and everything, that’s his nature. $19 at http://www.auswine.com.au/styles/red/pinot-noir/hoddles-creek-pinot-noir-2011.html   

P.S.: Andy sent me an email the next day saying I was right after all.

KIM

Why the Nikon D600 is NOT a logical upgrade for DX shooters

There’s more to the decision than a great camera at a knock-out price

A lot has been said about the D600 raising the IQ bar to new levels, and pushing the price down to 2 grand for a full-frame body. The stuff dreams are made of, that’s what came back from Photokina. DxO tested the D600 sensor and ranked it third behind the 2 D800s, at an overall 94 points. Ahead of the rest of the world, and this world includes medium format Hassies, Phase Ones and the Pentax 645D. http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Camera-Sensor-Ratings/List-view

A lot has been written about Nikon making state-of-the art full-frame image quality available to amateur photographers with limited budgets. Thom Hogan asked several Nikon product managers the obvious question, and they all said: ‘We think that the D600 is a natural step up for D7000 users.’ It just goes to show how out of touch product managers can be: they overlook the simple reality that FX is a completely different system from DX – new body, new lenses, new filters, new accessories.

Upgrade? What Upgrade?

If I have to buy a whole new system, it’s just as easy for me to go and buy a Canon or a Sony DSLR. You know, Nikon, most of us are trying to go smaller rather larger, so I’d be more inclined to consider a compact Fujifilm E-X1, winner of the Photokina STAR 2012 Award. Or even more compact cameras made by Sony and Olympus. The Nikon V1? Why didn’t you put a decent size sensor into that camera? And why don’t you give us some prime lenses?

As Thom Hogan points out, among the key reasons for a D600 upgrade for DX users would be

• The need for more pixels (24mp instead of 16mp)
• Better low light performance
• More lens choices, especially in primes

At the same time, a DX user would give up

• Smaller, more portable bodies and lenses
• Greater pixel density on tele lenses for further reach (for sports and wildlife)
• Lots of dollars to make the switch

The last point is key since very few current FX lenses are what I would call affordable. For a set of 3 of these lenses, you’ll easily spend 2-3 grand. Here’s Ken Rockwell’s list of great FX lenses, and the vast majority are on the wrong side of $1000 http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/fx-dream-team.htm .

The 50mm f/1.4 and the 85 f/1.8 AF-S the only new FX lenses you can buy for $500, the rest are much dearer. There are no FX lenses to replace all those value-for-money lenses Nikon has made for the DX system – the 35mm f/1.8, the 18-70 f/3.5-4.5, the 55-200mm f/3.5-5.6 VR or 55-300 f/3.5-5.6 VR. You could add the 18-105 VR at a pinch, and all are in the $200 -$300 range, new or second-hand.

Simple Question: Do I really need FX?

Of course I don’t, and that goes for most amateur shooters. I own a D5100, which has the same sensor inside it as the D7000, but no screw drive motor for old lenses. What it has instead is something Nikon hands out with extreme reluctance: an articulated screen. The body is not much bigger and hardly weighs more than my old D40, and the camera is more than good enough for my needs: landscapes, family and street photography.

So am I going to sell my D5100 and buy a D600 and several lenses? I’ll let you into a secret: I owned a D700 a year or so back, which I bought when Nikon down under was running a special on it for $2100. Strange number that, and it turned out to be a mistake, but the dealer persuaded Nikon to honour the order. I already had the lenses because I owned a Nikon F80S, so it was just the body I needed. Here’s the rub: I sold that D700 two weeks later on eBay.

Why? It was much bigger and heavier than the F80, which was the best handling DSLR I’d ever held in my hands, but most of all it had far more adjustments than I knew what to do with. Working through a 400+ page manual can be a daunting experience. I realised that the D700 was far too much camera for my needs, that’s why I sold it and most of my old lenses with it.

The logical upgrade is to prime lenses

Some of these were classics, like the Tamron 24-135. It was sharp but it was huge too. So was the 70-210 Nikon that felt like it was hewn from a solid billet of metal and weighed half a tonne. Then there was the all-round champ, the legendary super-sharp 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 that doubled as a macro lens. I would have to buy them all back – what a waste of time.

I can see one clear market for the Nikon D600: as second body for professional FX shooters, probably to a D800 or D4. It’s a perfect fit for that role since the pro already owns all the right lenses and just wants a back-up body. The D600 provides that without loss of quality, at a very convenient price. The other obvious buyer is the amateur shooter looking to go professional. He wants the bigger sensor and the extra pixels, and can justify the serious lenses.

For the rest of us, the logical upgrade is to better photography, and that means to more fast prime lenses for better DOF control. The only fast prime Nikon has given us is the fabulous 35mm f/1.8. When they popped out a 40mm f/2.8 micro (macro)more recently, we all scratched our heads. We already had a 35 that was faster. And 40mm is pretty useless for macro photography.

 Then Nikon gave FX shooters the lens we really wanted for DX: an 85mm f/1.8 with a $500 price tag. Yes, it will work on my D5100, but the FOV will be more like a 130mm lens. If you want the 85mm DX version, you have to make do with the mediocre 85mm f/3.5. That’s the portrait end of shooting. At the wide end, we have nothing, and you can’t substitute any wide FX primes because they look wide on a DX body. Snookered.

That’s why the more logical upgrade for DX shooters is something like the Fuji X-E1, which comes with a great set of primes and the promise of more to come. You’re going up in photography, and you’re going down in size. Perfect.

Best wines under $25

 There's no need to spend a pile of money on drinking well

One of the strange facts of life in the wine business is that there's often very little difference between a $25 wine and a $75 wine. M ost people buy wines that cost more than $25 only for special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and wakes, and I don't talk about wines over $25 for that reason.

Most of us want to drink good wine that is good value. That means some brands rule themselves out from my lists: For example, Penfolds icon and luxury wines (their words, not mine) are bought by people who want to impress people, because the name Penfolds is minted gold. A Wynns black label Coonawarra Cabernet 2009 is at least the equal of a Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet, despite costing half as much. Sadly, the affordable Penfolds wines aren't that exciting any more. 

The wines on this list are all easy to get hold of, unlike those on other 'best' lists that are often impossible to track down. Prices are 'street' prices rounded to the nearest dollar, bought in mixed 6-packs or mixed dozens. I update this list frequently to make sure it's bang up-to-date. This list has shrunk a bit since I created the Best under $20 list. Please check it out, $15 - $20 is a real sweet spot for good value Australian wines.

See also Best Wines Under $20 http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_picture/2012/10/best-wines-under-20.html

See also Best Wines under $15 http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_picture/2012/08/25-top-wines-under-13.html and  

Best wines you can buy for $10 http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_picture/2012/08/best-wines-you-can-buy-for-10.html  

WHITES

Best's Great Western Riesling 2012 - $22, Kemenys

Great year in Great Western, and they made a great Riesling, bigger than usual (13%)

Dr Loosen Dry Riesling 2011 - $22, Kemenys

And now for something completely different: a German Riesling. Dr Loosen is a good bet

Brokenwood Pinot Gris 2012, Beechworth - $21 - Dan M's

More disciplined than the usual PG fare, tight and lean and long

Tyrrells Belford Semillon 2006 - $24, Kemenys

Tyrrells HVD Semillon 2006 - $24, Kemenys

Meerea Park Terracotta Semillon 2006 - $25, MyCellars

I'm not a great fan of Hunter Semillon, but many people are so I included three of the best here. They're all 6 years old and have won buckets full of trophies and medals so, if you like this style, these three are real bargains.

Kooyong Clonale Chardonnay 2011 - $24 at Dan M's

A refined style, elegant like a Chablis, perfect blend of delicate fruit and fine oak

Mountadam High Eden Chardonnay 2010, $25, Winestar

Stunning, complex, classy, rich and full, punches way above its price. Back up the ute.

Seville Estate Chardonnay 2010 - $25, MyCellars

A very fine, elegant Chardonnay, mineral backbone, great length, seamless, needs time

Lenton Brae Southside Chardonnay 2011 - $22, Kemenys

Seriously classy, elegant wine from a serious boutique maker in Margaret River

Leeuwin Estate Prelude Chardonnay 2010 - $25, Kemenys

The little brother to the Art Series champ. A class act at this price

 

Greywhackie Sauvignon Blanc 2011 - $23, MyCellars or Nicks

A new benchmark Savvy from Kevin Judd, maker of Cloudy Bay

Seresin Sauvignon Blanc - $24, Dan M's 

An object lesson to all those winemakers in Marlborough who've lost it

 

REDS

42°Pinot Noir 2009 - $21.50 at Dan M's or Cremorne/Northbridge/Annandale Cellars

  

Woodlands Margaret River Cabernet Merlot 2010 - $22.80, Dan M online

Great style, brooding complexity with depth and length - Pomerol at a bargain price

Maverick Twins Cabernet 2008- $20, MyCellars

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Petit Verdot Cab Franc made from Barossa and Eden Valley fruit. Medium bodied, elegant Bordeaux style of surprising polish. The 2009 is in the same style 

Mitchell Sevenhill Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 $24, Dan M online

An elegant Cabernet from Clare made the traditional way, offering mature flavours in the leather and tar spectrum balanced by developed blue fruits. The 2006 is available from the winery for $25.

Forest Hill Estate Cabernet Sauvigon 2010 - $22, MyCellars

More tightly wound than the Woodlands, will need time, very polished act

Leconfield Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 - $25, Kemenys

If you're not fussed about labels, buy the Hidden Label Coonawarra Cabernet 2010 for $18

Bests Great Western Bin 1 Shiraz 2010/2011 - $24, Kemenys

A classic. Rich and concentrated, held in check by a fair tannin grip that needs time

Pennys Hill Cracking Black Shiraz 2010 - $22, Kemenys

McLaren Vale. Best Full-bodied red at Sydney International Wine Comp, 2 trophies

Mollydooker The Boxer Shiraz 2010 - $24, kemenys or Nicks
And now a wine for really big red lovers-- super ripe, super rich, 16%, Parker loves this
You have been warned. Good description here: http://www.nicks.com.au/Product/View/2010-Mollydooker-The-Boxer-Shiraz/486348

Teusner Avatar 2010 - $24.95 Kemenys or MyCellars

As good as GSM gets, and not over-the-top big. Ridiculous value

Turkey Flat Grenache 2009 or 2010  - $22 Dan M's

Grenache on its own tends to be simple but not this one, made from very old vines

OTHER

 Pelorus Nv - $25, Winestar

The real thing, bready, yeasty flavours, good body and complexity. This is no citrus fruit cocktail with bubbles. Better than many champagnes I've tasted. Stunning value

Heggies Botrytis Riesling 2011 375ml - $22, Kemenys

Not cheap but said to be a great sticky. A change from the old Noble One

---

 

In search of a simple wine rating scale

100 point and even 20 point scales are really pretty pointless

I’ve been thinking about coming up with a very simple rating system for clear and easy guidance. The wine shows still use the old 20 point system, but any wine scoring less than 15.5 points – the lowest score for a bronze medal – is usually not worth a lot of serious consideration. It’s the last 5 points that make all the difference: 17 – 18.5 is a silver medal, 18.5 and above a gold.

It’s much the same with the 100 point system that’s become so popular with reviewers: it’s the 10 points between 87 and 97 that count. The official version goes like this:

95 – 100 Gold - wines of the highest quality

90 – 94 Silver - wines of great quality, style and character

86 – 89 Bronze – wines of above average quality

Looking at James Halliday’s Wine Companion scores, its rare to find one outside that 87 – 97 point range. So do we really need more than 10 points? No, we don’t. So why the complicated systems? Wine writers making out they can score wines with surgical precision? Sure. Here’s a much simpler system:

10 – a truly memorable wine, a potential classic

9 – an outstanding wine, a great example of its style and origin

8 – a fine wine that delivers more than the label promises

7 – a good, thoroughly enjoyable wine punching above its price

6 – a solid wine you can rely on enjoying at any time

5 – a decent wine that is well made and offers some authentic flavour

4 – an easy-on-the-gums wine you might serve your non-wine drinking friends at a barbie

3 – a wine you should avoid unless there’s no other choice

2 – a wine so bad you should drink something else instead

1 – pure rotgut

Please note:

Price has no influence on my ratings. In other words, a 6 point score beats a 5 point score regardless of price. However, a $7 wine that scores 5 will be better value than a $20 wine that scores 6. By way of a broader comparison, my rating of 9 is roughly equivalent to other reviewers ratings of 95-96 (gold medal standard). Here’s the expanded comparison scale:

10 = 97 - 98

9 = 95 - 96

8 = 93 - 94

7 = 91 – 92

6 = 90 – 91

5 = 89 – 90

4 = 87 – 88

Where we need more granularity, I will add a + or a – . Simple, isn't?

Kim

WHY THE FRENCH HATE US

Not quite a book review but a look at Campbell Mattinson's great story

The writing is lively and colourful, like he’s chatting to you after a big lunch across a cleansing ale. He’s direct, in your face much of the time but what he talks about keeps me turning the pages. Most of all because he’s filling in some yawning gaps for me. This is my second time around the world’s vineyards, after a long break. The reason I took the long break was a world of wine that had turned into Theatre of the Absurd.

Not so long ago, even the best French wines were affordable. OK, it was the early eighties – I keep forgetting that was 3 decades ago. Anyhow, I was on a decent but not especially generous income as a sales manager in the IT industry. I was buying good quality Aussie wines from Tyrrells, Mitchells, Bowen Estate and Vasse Felix for around $4 – 5 a bottle.

At the time, you could buy third-growth Bordeaux like 1978 Chateau Montrose, Ducru-Beaucaillou and Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande for around $30. Good Burgundies cost a bit more, and great Sauternes & Barsacs a bit more again – about $60/70 for a full bottle of Rieussec.

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in Pauillac

Thousand dollar bottles

I think it was in the early nineties that brain US surgeons and Wall Street types drove the prices of French wines up, in a Robert Parker-induced frenzy. Parker is to wine what Steve Jobs was to Apple. Then the Hong Kong Chinese got into the act, pushing up auction prices at Christies and Southebys. Bordeaux and Burgundies floated out of reach of ordinary people, the premier grand crus soon fetching a thousand dollars or more.

I was happy to drink Aussie wines, but some of their makers decided to follow the French into the stratosphere. Mattinson reminds us that Parker paid us a visit in the late nineties and discovered old vines Shiraz from the Barossa and McLaren Vales. Duck Muck, for one. Suddenly, the prices of Aussie wines were pushed to giddy heights by Parker’s followers. Just as suddenly, the asking price for Grange was $300, and matched by Hill of Grace.

Barossa Burning

Mattinson begins his story with the Barossa Valley covered in a smoke haze from burning vines. It wasn’t a bushfire, but a government-sponsored vine-pull scheme. It was the mid 1980s and Aussies had yet to discover the virtues of our big, warm, cuddly reds. Shiraz muffins and Cabernet confitures just couldn’t shift the surplus. Barossa shiraz from old vines brought $275 per ton, grenache $190. A decade later, Shiraz would fetch $3000 a ton. By then a lot of old vines had been destroyed.

In the decade and a half that followed, our wine companies built an export market beyond the industry’s wildest dreams. They also discovered a new market for luxury goods, which saw Grange and Hill of Grace propped up by $120 wines from other sources. Penfolds Bin 707, Wynns John Riddoch and Michael, Irvine’s Grand Merlot, Clarendon Hills Astralis, Penfolds Yattarna, Petaluma Tiers, Yalumba Octavius and Virgilius. Mt Edelstone, a wine I used to buy for $4, was zooming past $50 and heading for $100.

Super-premiums

For a short time, some punters bought these things and paid these prices. The wines were typically made to please Parker, which meant they had the entire book of winemaking tricks thrown at them: they were made from the ripest fruit available, with the last molecule of flavour extracted and loaded up with charred, toasted or coconut-flavoured oak. These wines were caricatures of the old Wolf Blass concoctions, which it must be said are aging much better than some of these super-premiums.

Southcorp, a maker of electrical appliances, had ended up with most of our hallowed wine brands – Penfolds, Lindemans, Leo Buring and so on. It was a miracle that decades of acquisitions, raids and takeovers by corporate barbarians hadn’t quite managed to destroy these old brands. When Southcorp bought Rosemount for a super-premium of $1.5 billion in 2001, Bob Oatley laughed his head off while everybody else scratched theirs.

Nectar for the Gods

I’d already turned my back on the whole silly business. for one, I'd lost my wine merchant, my guiding light. For another, many of the wines I used to buy had become more expensive and less enjoyable, yet our wine writers and wine magazines gushed about new designer labels as if they were manna handed down from heaven. Expensive manna. A new generation of sommeliers with sharp features and sharper haircuts made you feel like they were allowing you into very exclusive clubs where you were privileged to be offered wine and food that was made for Gods.

We stopped going out, not a problem since my best friends and I love cooking. I stopped buying all but cheap wine for drinking during the week, and only reached into my cellar on weekends or special occasions. I was happy to be nowhere near the bubble when it burst, but it looked like I was the only one who saw that the emperor of the land was naked.

Boom, boom!

Aussies were beating their chests as their wines swept all before them overseas, when all they were sweeping was cheap frog grog out of Pommy supermarkets. We were rapidly building a reputation for making oceans of bland and boring wine better and cheaper than the frogs and Ities. No one seemed to care since we were shifting tons of wine. The drought was a bigger problem, as it put the brakes on production growth in our irrigation areas. More, more, more was the mantra.

In the early naughties, the first smoke signals of trouble appeared on the horizon: our own market for super-premium wines was saturated. Every winemaker was getting in on the act, but the market was limited so some makers cut their prices. Wynns was one I remember who chopped the prices for John Riddoch and Michael in half. Overnight.

Photo courtesy of Wino Sapien

Wynns was an interesting barometer of what went wrong. The old firm with the big reputation and the biggest vineyard holdings in Coonawarra wasn’t making wine of the style or class it used to make. The giant vineyards had been wrecked by years of machine pruning and harvesting, and it took winemaker Sue Hodder and vineyard manager Alan Jenkins years to restore them to health.

The Sting in the Yellow Tail

Last year, we were staying in a friend’s house over Christmas, and I saw the new face of Aussie wine in his fridge and drinks cupboard: Yellow Tail, any way you liked it. Red or white, Cabernet or Chardonnay. Like most punters out there, my friend is confused by the vast numbers of wines that fill up the shelves of our grog shops. It was an easy decision to buy a brand that provided easy drinking wines that were easy on the pocket.

He didn’t know that the export bubble had burst, and that he was drinking the same wine Americans used to buy at half the price. The giant worm had turned on itself, at a time when we have an excess of 100 million cases of wine in this country. Boom, boom! Mattinson says the Casellas were filling close to 60,000 bottles every hour at the height of the export boom in their refinery in Griffith. He also gives us a look into how and why this happened, that’s the good part.

Photo courtesy of The Telegraph 

New wines, new ways, old prices

It took about a decade to drink my way through my cellar. I was down to my last few bottles of Mitchells Riesling and Mountadam Chardonnay, down to a few dozen Wendouree and Penfolds bin reds. The cellar had become a depressing place to visit, and there was no joy in the cheap grog I’d got used to drinking - cheap Kiwi Sauvignon Blancs and Yalumba Y series and St Hallett gamekeepers. Problem was, I’d become disconnected from the world of wine and had no idea who was who in the Zoo any longer.

At a party one night, a fellow I was talking to asked me if I liked good Riesling. I answered: Is the Pope a Catholic? The wine was Jim Barry Watervale Riesling 2010, and it was just what the doctor ordered. I tracked down a case of it for $13 a bottle, and wondered why I’d been drinking those crappy $10 wines when I could buy wine this good for a few bucks more. Then it dawned on me: the bubble had burst, sanity had returned.

I was up to my neck in another hobby at the time – photography – so I only paid scant attention to wine. I’m also surrounded for many miles by Vintage Cellars grog shops, which would have to be the most expensive places in Australia to buy wine. The whole business had shifted online, and a friend began sending me Winestar’s weekly emails and I ordered a couple of Bert’s wines and never looked back.

Return to sanity

OK, a few of them weren’t what he’d promised but Kym Teusner’s reds made up for that. I also liked the story about how he stopped a couple of brothers from turning their ancient Barossa Shiraz vines over to developers. Mattinson reminds us that some of these Barossa vines are older than any in France, because South Australia escaped the phylloxera louse.

That’s how the Riebke Shiraz was born, a wine I bought for $17. A wine that was in the same class as the Wendouree reds I loved, but one that showed its charms long before you gave it 20 years in the cellar. Teusner’s Avatar is in another class again - for just $10 more you get what is most likely the best GSM made in Australia today. If Penfolds had a wine like this, I wrote a while back, the marketing guys would create a special label for it and charge at least $100. I stand by that.

What we have here is a new generation of young Turks who just want to make the best wine they can for a fair price. The Kalleskes, the guys at Turkey Flat and Maverick and many more all over the country, from Tarrawarra in the Yarra to Woodlands in the West. Just like our winemakers of old, these young Turks start with great fruit and apply back-to-basics techniques with minimal interference. They make great wines that reflect the place from which they come, and the grape variety. Authenticity, Mattinson calls it.

Some of the big guys have come good as well, Wynns for example. The black label 2009 Coonawarra Cabernet is the best since the early days, a great Coonawarra red of elegance and class. It’s so good it defies the usual logic that only small scale winemaking can produce outstanding wines, and it was so cheap at one point that it defied economic rationale as well ($19).

More sanity

The GFC slowed down the demand for fancy frog grog from the USA, but a new generation of affluent Chinese soon picked up the slack and bought any wine as long as it had Premier Grand Cru Classé on the label. Spending more than a grand on a special gift bottle was the norm, but that’s changed apparently. ‘Some of the Chinese super rich are getting tired of Lafite,’ Georges Tong, a prominent Hong Kong wine collector, told The Telegraph. ‘Presenting a bottle of Lafite as a gift is not as fashionable as before. Gift recipients are now demanding Domaine de la Romanee Conti.’

In other words, they’ve upped the anti to $2-5000 a bottle. Further downmarket, prices aren’t holding so well. Ducru Beaucaillou is down 50% on last year to $100 a bottle, Vieux Chateau Certain is down to $130 from last year’s $240. Chateau Ausone, a top St Emilion red, is also about half the price it was, but the great 2006 is still over $1000. I really don’t mind drinking Ducru Beaucaillou – for $100 it’s at least an option for a special occasion.

WHY THE FRENCH HATE US was published in 2007 by Hardie Grant, so Mattinson didn’t chronicle the rise of the Chinese, or the first $1000 wine launched by Penfolds in 2008 in Shanghai. He would have a field day with the Parawa Estate Ingalalla Grand Reserve 2007 that was made for the Chinese market sold out fast despite its $1200 price tag and horrid label.

http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_picture/2012/04/parawa-estate-ingalalla-grand-reserve-2007.html . The Chinese are clearly desperate for new wine adventures. 

In the summary of his book, Mattinson says, ‘if I have any advice for the Australian wine industry, it is: make the wines you love to drink and sell them at the prices you’d love, as a consumer, to pay.’ I can’t add much to that except that this is what my blog is about: finding those winemakers who follow Mattinson’s advice and singing their praises from the rooftops.

The book is out of print, but I stumbled over my copy in a Dan Murphy’s store, and Winestar has it for sale online here http://www.winestar.com.au/prod1820.htm

Thanks for a great read, Campbell.

Kim