Clonakilla Canberra District Shiraz Viognier 2008

Its Australia Day. Happy Australia Day everyone, and to celebrate its going to be this real Aussie classic, not the formulaic Ben Folds wines; play on words if you know what I mean. The Clonakilla Canberra District Shiraz Viognier 2008 will be opened when I get home tonight, but lets re-visit from about three months ago.

Deep red in the glass. The nose is full of soft tart red fruit, red licorice and subtle dried herbs. The palate is a kaleidoscope of ink, violets, faint spice, milk chocolate, game; just keeps going - the sip that never quits! Almost Burgundian in finish. Remarkable wine!

Drink with Haute Aussie BBQ while listening to Cold Chisel
Drink till 2020+
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Screwcap 14%v/v $$$$

Wine popsicle anyone?

This is what happens when you have the best intentions in bringing home a bottle of wine for your better half after they have had a very big week back at work. So I pop it in the freezer whilst I try and make the house look pretty and all of that palavar, and then... No and then. It stayed in the freezer until this morning and what do I see? The perfect way to celebrate Australia Day 2012 - Wine popsicle! Sorry dear xxx

Australia Day 2011 and Donny Goodmac Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

I do love Australia Day. Lamb on the BBQ, good wine and most of all a day off – even though I’m on holidays anyway. One thing I did love about this one was the fact that my 5 year old daughter (almost 6 she will tell you) Imogen has recently fallen in love with cricket. More to the point, back yard cricket. So as well as a multitude of lamb, cider and wine, there was also back yard cricket, with the obligatory breaks to climb the fence and fetch the ‘6-and-out’ shot.

Like most of the posts, there is wine. There were a few bottles open, but the most enjoyable was the Donny Goodmac Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008. I worked vintage in the valley in 2008 and it was a quick one, with most of the fruit being processed in about 6 weeks. That’s sparkling base wine to Merlot in 6 weeks. What I do remember however was that there wasn’t prolonged heat. It was hot, don’t get me wrong, but the heat didn’t hang around for the 4, 5, 6 or 7 day periods that you will have in SA.


So to the wine. Like I said, the 2008 vintage was one where they got the fruit of the vines in a quick time, so with this you are going to have your cool climate wines showing through. There is almost a coolness about the wine with blackcurrant and cassis very primary. A bit of greenness to the wine up front, but I like that.

It may sound like I am boganing it up for this post - not at all. Like I said, I love Australia Day, but I will not chant "oi, oi, oi', no-sir-ri-bob!

All in all, another bonza Australia Day.

Drink with BBQ lamb
Drink till 2015
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Hewitson Barossa Vally Ned & Henry's Shiraz 2007

There’s something in the air today; flies are a buzzin’, snags are a fryin’, Gen Y are a moshn’ at the Big Day Out and speedo’s are a smugglin’ down at the beach. Yep, it’s Australia Day, and what better way to spend it than sitting out the backyard watching the kids play under the sprinkler (I think we can loosen the water restrictions for today, don’t you think!) while you stuff another sausage wrapped in bread down ya gob and washed it down with a great big juicy Barossa Shiraz (just for the record the author is actually sipping on a Margaret River Chardonnay). And seeing that it is our little Henry’s 1st Australia Day and his 1st birthday this Sunday, the aptly named Hewitson Ned & Henry’s Barossa Valley Shiraz 2007 is getting a run today.

Virtually black as you look at it in the glass, this wine is jam packed with ripe fruit and spice with a poke of licorice all sorts at the end. The wine in the mouth virtually has the same hallmarks as it did on the nose with a very noticeable punch of oak. A nice wine and very, very Australian, and with that Mr Hewitson – Ya bloods worth bottlin’!

Drink with BBQ sausages and lamb chops
Drink till 2012
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Screwcap 14%v/v $20 at Dan Murphy’s Kew