Nice wines I have drunk recently - Red or White

[TomVexille]

Saperavi is a Georgian (as in old Soviet Union, not S USA, y'all) variety noted for producing extremely deep-coloured and very grippy red (in fact, saperavi means 'dye' in Georgian.) There's the odd dabbler in it in Australia. The only time I've tried it was at Sam Miranda of King Valley (not far from Brown Bros at Milawa). It's somewhat like Durif, which is common in the N Vic area, in being a very big and deep-coloured wine.

I happened to pick up a bottle of the (normal non-sparkling) saperavi as well

 

[JohnM]

I happened to pick up a bottle of the (normal non-sparkling) saperavi as well

I suggest not having it with fish . Report when consumed please.

 

[TomVexille]

I suggest not having it with fish . Report when consumed please.

You can count on it

 

[YNWA]

Had a Rockford Frugal Farmer this afternoon. Great late lunch summer wine, full of flavour and lower alcohol than what one would expect from a Barossa red.

 

[JohnM]

Had a Rockford Frugal Farmer this afternoon. Great late lunch summer wine, full of flavour and lower alcohol than what one would expect from a Barossa red.

Not familiar to me. Shiraz, I presume? Photo?

 

[JohnM]

After I've tried the Vermentino and the Malbec, I'll report back.

Reporting back on the Vermentino.



A bit of a revelation. I opened a bottle on Friday night and had a glass with a few peanuts while awaiting PJM to grace me with her presence (a chronically late person :evil:.)

Hmmnnn, doesn't grab me; short on the front/mid palate. Decide the MARQ Fiano is the go.

PJM shows up; we down the 2010 St. Hugo with the coughin-spiced lamb . Usual question follows: "What else have you got?" (like other women on this thread (blackcat20, UpInTheAir, Princess Fiona), PJM has a prodigious thirst.)

OK - let's finish off the second half of the Evesham Wood Oregon Pinot (see post 1369). PJM agrees with me: good but not a rock-your-world.

Right, that's gone. "What next?" she says. I meekly say: "What do you want; red or white?". White is the decision so I proffer a glass of the MARQ Vermentino, while apologising that she may not like it. Well, this is where the revelation happened! "Wow, that's refreshing." says PJM. Holy cough, thinks me, it's now different! It was like having a lemon sorbet between courses - really refreshed the palate. JohnM sails through yet another test :shock::mrgreen:.

Neat follow-up to this story: last night was lovely in PER. No sea breeze blasting, so PJM and I head to Little Creatures brewery at Fremantle. Well, wouldn't you know it: MARQ Vermentino on the wine list. Went very nicely with a shared plate of nachos with some fairly fiery Jalapenos. And a very light 11.3% alc that enabled me to survive a RBT on the way home (blew 0.014.) What more can one ask for :?:.

Conclusion: B* good - but must be had with food.

That's two ripper alternative varieties from MARQ (Malbec to go). I sense that the wines are technically very well made so hopefully should be repeatable (my big bugbear with small producers is that they are usually very inconsistent.)

 

[JohnM]

OK - back to one of my favourite topics: Argentinian Malbec.

I opened this last week, and finished the second half tonight:



Didn't have high hopes: $20 single bottle price at Vintage Cellars (bought the same day I took the hit on the $50 bottle that greatly disappointed (see upthread)).

Well, I was pretty impressed. Unlike the other one, this did capture the tannic smoothness without the overt fruitiness that so defines Arg Malbec.

On the JohnM Revised Price-point Weighted Highly Technical Wine Evaluation Scale (in Beta)[SUP]Pat. Pend. TM.[/SUP], it's a B* good .

 

[TomVexille]

On the JohnM Revised Price-point Weighted Highly Technical Wine Evaluation Scale (in Beta)[SUP]Pat. Pend. TM.[/SUP]

New scale coming?

 

[JohnM]

New scale coming?

The world of high-tech and bloatware never stands still...:mrgreen:.

 

[YNWA]

Not familiar to me. Shiraz, I presume? Photo?

Sorry JohnM it was the last bottle so can't get a pic. Its a bit different in that they use the leftover skins from Alicante Bouchet and ferment it with Grenache and Mataro, hence the Frugal Farmer label (previously the Alicante Bouchet skins were tossed). Easy drinking, not one for the cellar.

 

[penegal]

I recently spotted this small Margaret River producer MARQ doing Italian varietal whites (Fiano and Vermentino) - and Malbec , so I thought I'd give them a crack.

Daver6, I imagine you know something about this guy?

Isn't he from Happs?

If so I know him well (on several levels )

 

[penegal]

A few years ago I tried to organise a Rockford Basket Press vertical tasting. 10 successive vintages, 10 participants, $100 a head. Astounded there were not 10 interested persons. Maybe I need a new circle of friends.

Where was my invite?

 

[amaroo]

Just ordered a few cases....not bad for a weekday quaffer.

 

[JohnM]

Isn't he from Happs?

If so I know him well (on several levels )

After perusing the Happs website, it would seem so.

 

[penegal]

After perusing the Happs website, it would seem so.

Not to be confused with the surfer of the same name?

 

[TomVexille]

Trying to plan two days in the Barossa... Any must do's?

 

[JohnM]

Trying to plan two days in the Barossa... Any must do's?

Henschke - and drive over the road and along a bit to visit the Hill of Grace vineyard and church. Rockford. Torbreck. Maggie Beer's for lunch. Yalumba & Seppeltsfield for the old wineries. Penfolds for some of their cellar-door only limited editions (a Sangiovese I recall was very good). Peter Lehmann. Grant Burge.

That should keep you out of mischief .

 

[TomVexille]

Henschke - and drive over the road and along a bit to visit the Hill of Grace vineyard and church. Rockford. Torbreck. Maggie Beer's for lunch. Yalumba & Seppeltsfield for the old wineries. Penfolds for some of their cellar-door only limited editions (a Sangiovese I recall was very good). Peter Lehmann. Grant Burge.

That should keep you out of mischief .

Did Peter Lehmann and Penfolds last time. Henschke sounds like a good idea. Torbreck was also recommended and .

Thanks for the ideas

 

[AdMEL]

Trying to plan two days in the Barossa... Any must do's?

Not necessarily must do's, but options:

Fresh produce market at Angaston (Sat morning)

Artisans of Barossa - half dozen small wineries including John Duval & Tuesner. You can taste and buy wine by the glass. They also do food. Great spot to enjoy the sun, view, wine and food!

 

[Captain Halliday]

Just ordered a few cases....not bad for a weekday quaffer.

View attachment 40485

How do I give a big thumbs to amaroo's post and big thumbs down to Dan Murphy's who still don't deliver to the NT.
Not. Happy. Dan.:evil:

Edit: Typo