Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Moondarra Gippsland Studebaker Pinot Noir 2012

For the cool people:

"We were lounging in a Camden flashback in the commons, splitting a Molson, our sunglasses on,our eyes glazed over, a peeled orange sitting untouched between us on a table, and we'd already read our horoscopes and I was wearing a T-shirt that read IF YOU'RE NOT WASTED THE DAY IS and waiting for my laundry to dry and she was alternating between playing with a pencil and smelling a Thai orchid a secret admirer ha sent her and heavy metal pop - Whitesnake or Glass Tiger - was playing from somewhere where we couldn't figure out and it was driving us nuts and her dealer wasn't coming up until next Tuesday so we were fairly unresponsive toward certain events and in the sky things were getting dark." Bret Easton Ellis Glamorama

Moondarra Gippsland Studebaker Pinot Noir 2012. Its cool. Its now. Its dirty. Its got spunk. Its now. Its what Bret Easton Ellis would make his characters drink if they weren't strong out on xanex. Cool and dirty.

Drink
Drink till theres no more
95
Screwcap 13.5%v/v $32 Seddon Wine Store

Monday, April 29, 2013

A. Rodda Beechworth Cuvée De Chez 2011

Picture the scene if you will.

The camera pans in slowly with clouds lifting from the floor - (narrative)There is a chill in the air. Winter is here (narrative fades). there is a shadowy figure in the foreground with camera now focusing on its silhouette.

Camera pans right suddenly; the silhouette emerges from the cloud; there is a scream somewhere in the distance; the camera searchers for the scream but is drawn to the silhouette. A leg appears, but just the leg. It has a boot and a sock rolled down over the top. There is a ball, a soccer ball.The leg draws back and the camera is now firmly fixed on the leg. A scream enters the air again but the camera does not budge from the leg. The leg move but moves too quick and just like that the ball comes hurtling towards the camera and it smashes with furious force.

The camera is now filming with faint clarity while on its side laying on the ground. The cloud again appears. There is another scream but it is now drowned out by an evil laugh.
Camera fades .....

Thanks for humouring me. The A. Rodda Beechworth Cuvée De Chez 2011 is all dark and mysterious, is made for the cooler months and is made by a guy with a laser sight on his left leg that can find your head from any corner of the winery. Yes Adrian, my head remembers the ball very well ya mongrel!!!

Made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (58%), Petit Verdot (16%), Malbec (13%) and Merlot (12%) this wine is a ripping example of what a Left Bank wine looks like when it is made here, not Bordeaux. Cassis and bitter chocolate dominate the nose with a faint but ever present waft of dusty tannins lurking in the background. The palate is an instant hit of soft furry tannins and blue fruit that is quickly gobbled up by more cassis and bitter chocolate with acid holding everything in sway. An awesome wine and certainly one to look out for at the pointy end of winter. And watch out for his left leg too!!!

A. Rodda Beechworth Cuvée De Chez 2011, the quintesential Christopher Lee of the wine world. Exit stage right....

Drink with bloody lamb chops
Drink till 2019
97
Screwcap 13%v/v $34 Seddon Wine Store





Monday, April 22, 2013

Pipoli Campania Aglianico 2010

I cannot sleep tonight. Woke up at about 2.30am and have been stuck ever since. So here I am in the study listening to the wine and also watching a stream of Tottenham Hotspurs cracking come from behind win against Cashchester City - Go you Spurs!!!

But we are here for the wine right. The Pipoli Campania Aglianico 2010 is one of those wines that cannot be likened to anything from the new world. Its not shiraz fruit forward.; its not Cabernet tannins and its not Pinot Noir gamey. Its Aglianico. You just gotta try some.

The nose is a combination of dusty black fruit, olive tapanade and ironstone iodine. The palate follows suit with dusty tannins up front which are quickly followed by a big wash of blackberries while all being held tight by an iodine like acid strip. Real complex but real enjoyable, not to mention a bargain to boot!!!

Drink till 2015
Drink with lamb rago
93
Cork 13.5%v/v $19 Seddon Wine Store


Sunday, April 21, 2013

Kids in the vineyard

Another season is pretty much wrapped up at Bindi. All wine is safely in barrels slowly ticking away and all that is left is leaf-fall. Time for the kids to have a run up in Block K then ...

Savaterre Beechworth Chardonnay 2010

A slap and a kick for being so quick. The result? Savaterre Beechworth Chardonnay 2010.

A fantastic wine. A fantastic chardonnay. Colour is developing quick with a pale yellow coming through; must add that I had this 6 months ago and the colour was still pale straw with a green hue. The nose is a mix of white peach, supple citrus with funky burnt match and white licorice powder. The palate has an instant hit of rich stone fruit of peach and locuts. Citrus acid ties more white peach and licorice powder at the end. All in all, it was a nice stuff up - not by Keppell though.

It;'s still tight and it's got plenty left in the tank.

Drink with braised ling and pancetta
Drink till 2020
95
Screwcap 13.5%v/v $80 Seddon Wine Store

Monday, April 15, 2013

Home pleasure

It takes just 15 minutes to prepare, 5 minutes to cut and 60 minutes or so to dry. Home made pasta, made with the kids. Happy days!!

Ettore Germano Piedmont Serralunga Barolo 2006

"When viewing the universe as a closed system, it also stands to reason the universe began in a state of high order, and when it ends, will be in a state of extreme disorder." Stephen Hawking on order and disorder.

Order - a full bottle of Ettore Germano Barolo 2006.
Disorder - an empty bottle of Ettore Germano Barolo 2006.

It stands to reason that Stephen Hawking is right. The man has never been wrong in his life. The Ettore Germano Piedmont Serralunga Barolo 2006 is simply quite stunning, and in the life of a Barolo, still very much an infant. Very dusty on the nose, the wine opens up with dusty dry morello cherries, ink, garden herbs and dried flowers. The palate is achingly dry like to nose with more morello cherries, violets and bitter chocolate all woven together by endless acid and tannins. A wonderful, wonderful wine.

Drink with steak au poivre
Drink till 2025+
97
Quality cork 13.%v/v $90 Seddon Wine Store

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Hopworks Organic IPA Pounder

Its been a while, but hey, stuff to do.

This is awesome. Oursum. Oresome. The Hopworks Organic IPA Pounder from the home of craft beer, Portland Oregon is just ripping. It is what it is. It is an Indian Pale Ale. Its hoppy. Its got that great green edge about it. And its in a can; all the hipsters are a fan of the can so tick, tick, tick and tick. I just love it.

Drink with a burger - am right now
Drink now
6.6%v/v 473mL can $25 for a 4 pack at Seddon Wine Store