Wine lovers musings, amusings and news

[Cruiser Elite]

'That's not packaging!' - 'THIS IS PACKAGING!!!'

 

[qaz]

How to Read a Wine Label, in 12 Easy Lessons (Published 2020)

The wine shop can be intimidating, with so many different styles of labeling. Here’s help in decoding a dozen basic types.

www.nytimes.com

For Northern Rhône Reds, It’s Not the Age but the Emotions (Published 2020)

Young wines, even if they have the potential to evolve into something more complex and revealing, still have a lot of pleasures to offer.

www.nytimes.com

Microwaved reds

The question recently came up: Is there any reason why we shouldn’t microwave a glass of red wine for, say, 10 seconds to warm it up in winter? #AustralianWineResearchInstitute #AWRI #DrAdrianCoulter

www.therealreview.com

'That's not packaging!' - 'THIS IS PACKAGING!!!'

View attachment 230883View attachment 230884View attachment 230885View attachment 230886View attachment 230887View attachment 230888View attachment 230889

nice - where/what was the deal?

actually, i can see that you used my name - did that help?

 

[Buzzard]

This should give you a laugh.

NY restaurant couple mistakenly served $2000 Mouton 1989 after ordering $18 Pinot - Decanter

A young couple at New York restaurant Balthazar were accidentally served a bottle of Mouton Rothschild 1989, listed at $2,000, after ordering an $18 Pinot

www.decanter.com

 

[VPS]

Many years ago a friend took a very expensive bottle of wine to a restaurant to celebrate/commiserate a divorce with his mates. The bottle was served to another table who refused to give it up. The restaurant offered them their meals for free and another expensive bottle of wine. This was one of those restaurants that bring the liqueur trolley to your table and the waiter was advised to just leave the trolley and go away - they had a great night

 

[qaz]

Modern Pioneers Webinar Series: three-part webinar series

Wine Australia organises and hosts over 150 activities yearly ranging from key trade shows to regional and varietal masterclasses in over 17 global markets.

www.wineaustralia.com

Wine Australia’s exciting webinar series on Modern Pioneers will feature three trailblazers in the Australian wine community from Tasmania, Riverland and Beechworth.
The webinar will feature a tasting of three wines, including a wine from the presenter and two wines from the region by other producers. Limited numbers are available (Australia only). If you miss out on the tasting pack, you are welcome to register with the ‘talk only’ option. These webinars are free.

2-3pm Tuesdays:

• 27th October - Andrew Pirie (Apogee) - Tasmania
• 3rd November - Ashley Ratcliff (Ricca Terra) - Riverland
• 10th November - Tessa Brown (Vignerons Schmölzer & Brown) - Beechworth

#TasteWithKaren LIVE: Australian Wine Discovered — A Taste Journey

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: #TasteWithKaren LIVE: Australian Wine Discovered— A Taste Journey. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

Ep. 1: The Big Australian Surprise: Cabernet Sauvignon Oct 22 at 5pm PT / 8pm ET Australia makes some of the most delicious and exciting cabernets in the world. Even though the country boasts the oldest cabernet sauvignon vines in the world, the story of Australian cabernet’s success is only...

us02web.zoom.us

3 wines and winemakers @ 11am-12noon AEDT Friday 23rd October, 6th & 20th November, 4th December

#TasteWithKaren - WineSpeed - Karen MacNeil

winespeed.com

Ep. 1: The Big Australian Surprise: Cabernet Sauvignon

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=636941257189521

• Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard "Trueman" Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 – Chris Carpenter
• Penley Estate "Tolmer" Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 – Kate Goodman
• Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 – Virginia Willcock

Future episodes include:

• Henschke – Stephen Henschke
• Cirillo – Marco Cirillo
• Hewitson – Dean Hewitson
• Cullen – Vanya Cullen
• Jansz Tasmania – Jennifer Doyle
• Penfolds – Stephanie Dutton
• Delinquente – Con-Greg Grigoiou
• Unico Zelo – Laura Carter
• Ben Haines – Ben Haines

Tasting Blind Club Quiz 2020

Wine Australia organises and hosts over 150 activities yearly ranging from key trade shows to regional and varietal masterclasses in over 17 global markets.

www.wineaustralia.com

The Madness Of The Wine Market Down Under

 

[Jczer000]

Chalmers looking to plant nerello mascalese in heathcote...interesting read

A Labour of Love - Winery Focus – Chalmers Wines

The Chalmers are well known for introducing obscure grapes to Australia, with nerello mascalese the latest success story.

app.gourmettravellerwine.com

 

[qaz]

besides their new releases, Ministry of Clouds have a Rainbow Project whereby they give away two bottles of their $32 Tempranillo Grenache to people, nominations for which close in two weeks, including separately for frontline healthcare workers

Three bottles of great value South Australian shiraz

A wine of great value in my world is one that gets a high score relative to its price.

www.goodfood.com.au

• Tim Adams Shiraz 2017 - HH93
• Wynns Coonawarra Estate Old Vines Shiraz 2018 - HH95
• Mr Riggs J.F.R. Shiraz 2018 - HH96

Weekly Tasting Report (Oct 12-18): Variety of Wines Impress Last Week - JamesSuckling.com

More Spanish wines rated last week but TBA 2017, Bouchard Chevalier-Montrachet 2015 and Clonakilla 2018s leave the biggest impression on our editors.

www.jamessuckling.com

• NS98:
  • Clonakilla Canberra District Murrumbateman T&L Vineyard Block One 2018
  • Clonakilla Shiraz Canberra District Murrumbateman Western Vineyard 2018
  • Seville Estate Shiraz Yarra Valley Dr. McMahon 2017
• NS97:
  • Bicknell FC Chardonnay Yarra Valley Applecross 2017
  • Seville Estate Chardonnay Yarra Valley Reserve 2019
  • Seville Estate Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Old Vine Reserve 2019
  • Seville Estate Shiraz Yarra Valley Old Vine Reserve 2018
  • Serrat Shiraz Viognier Yarra Valley 2019
  • Dr Edge Chardonnay Tasmania South 2019
  • Thomas Shiraz Hunter Valley Kiss 2018

Weekly Tasting Report (Oct 19-25): Record 429 wines tasted, from 7 countries - JamesSuckling.com

Wine reports from the internationally acclaimed wine critic and journalist

www.jamessuckling.com

• Henschke Shiraz Eden Valley Mount Edelstone Vineyard:
  • NS100 - 2015
  • NS98 - 2010
  • NS97 - 2005, 2008
  • NS96 - 2006, 2009
• Dilworth & Allain Pinot Noir Macedon Ranges Doug’s Vineyard 2019 - NS97

National Wine Centre at Home Weekly Virtual Masterclasses @ 8.30-10.30pm AEST Thursdays
A-Z of Australian Wine Regions Masterclasses - 6 wines from 6 wineries per class - Hunter Valley this Thursday
$49/person or $79/couple, extra $30 for interstate delivery from Adelaide

New NWC at Home Masterclasses have been released
Our A-Z of Australian wine regions continues from November and on into 2021, beginning with McLaren Vale and finishing up with Yarra Valley. Wine maker co-hosts and details about the wine line up for each class will be released in the coming weeks.

My Top 10 Australian Wine Brands Over The Last Ten Years

1) Penfolds Grange 2) Henschke Hill Of Grace 3) Bass Phillip Reserve Pinot Noir 4) Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 5) Clarendon Hills A...

australianwinereviews.blogspot.com

Price Vs. Quality - An International Comparison

At the end of each year Wine Spectator publishes information about their ratings by country and average price. Below, I have graphed this ...

australianwinereviews.blogspot.com

Vale Taras Ochota - Young Gun of Wine

On Tuesday October 13th, Taras Ochota (2013 Young Gun of Wine) parted with this world after a long illness, leaving behind Amber, his beloved partner in wine and life, and his adored children, Sage and Anouk.

younggunofwine.com

Influential Australian Winemaker Taras Ochota Dies at 49

After a long struggle with an auto-immune-related illness, Australian winemaker Taras Ochota of Ochota Cellars died at 49 years old.

www.winemag.com

 

[qaz]

Glossary of Wine Terms: wine words that help the conversation flow

This is the list of wine terms to know. This little glossary will help you decipher words used by winemakers and sommeliers.

younggunofwine.com

The New Vocabulary of Wine | PUNCH

The words we use to talk about wine often say more about us than what's in the glass. Here, a non-exhaustive guide to determining what kind of wine talker you are-or want to be.

punchdrink.com

#TasteWithKaren LIVE: Australian Wine Discovered — A Taste Journey

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: #TasteWithKaren LIVE: Australian Wine Discovered— A Taste Journey. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

Ep. 1: The Big Australian Surprise: Cabernet Sauvignon Oct 22 at 5pm PT / 8pm ET Australia makes some of the most delicious and exciting cabernets in the world. Even though the country boasts the oldest cabernet sauvignon vines in the world, the story of Australian cabernet’s success is only...

us02web.zoom.us

3 wines and winemakers @ 11am-12noon AEDT Friday 23rd October, 6th & 20th November, 4th December

#TasteWithKaren - WineSpeed - Karen MacNeil

winespeed.com

Ep. 1: The Big Australian Surprise: Cabernet Sauvignon

• Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard "Trueman" Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 – Chris Carpenter
• Penley Estate "Tolmer" Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 – Kate Goodman
• Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 – Virginia Willcock

Future episodes include:

• Cullen – Vanya Cullen
• Jansz Tasmania – Jennifer Doyle
• Penfolds – Stephanie Dutton
• Delinquente – Con-Greg Grigoiou
• Unico Zelo – Laura Carter
• Ben Haines – Ben Haines

full video of Ep. 1

https://www.facebook.com/KarenMacNeilCo/posts/3463912050341811

Ep. 2: The Oldest Vines on the Planet

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=785715552221841

• Cirillo "1850" Ancestor Vine Grenache 2012 - Marco Cirillo
• Hewitson "Old Garden Vineyard" Mourvèdre 2015 - Dean Hewitson
• Henschke "Mount Edelstone" Shiraz 2015 - Stephen Henschke

Influential Australian Winemaker Taras Ochota Dies at 49

After a long struggle with an auto-immune-related illness, Australian winemaker Taras Ochota of Ochota Cellars died at 49 years old.

www.winemag.com

When Wine Is More Than Just a Drink (Published 2020)

The winemaker Taras Ochota, who died in October, created unique wines that were a touchstone for our Australia critic.

www.nytimes.com

 

[qaz]

PER: Chardonnay & Shiraz Masterclasses @ Grand Cru - $199 each:

Q&A: James Halliday on Bordeaux, the Hunter Valley, and more | Langton's Fine Wines

The inimitable James Halliday talks the auction of his collection of Bordeaux and Australian wines, and traces his rich wine journey.

www.langtons.com.au

The James Halliday Collection: 50 Favourites | Langton's Fine Wines

James Halliday lets us in on 50 of his favourite bottles from The James Halliday Collection auction series, including wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Australia.

www.langtons.com.au

The James Halliday Collection: Auction Results | Langton's Fine Wines

The James Halliday Collection auction results are in, including impressive prices for Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Penfolds wines.

www.langtons.com.au

anyone bid/win?

not me - already have/had a few

 

[Rug]

PER: Chardonnay & Shiraz Masterclasses @ Grand Cru - $199 each:

The James Halliday Collection: Auction Results | Langton's Fine Wines

The James Halliday Collection auction results are in, including impressive prices for Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Penfolds wines.

www.langtons.com.au

anyone bid/win?

not me - already have/had a few

I looked with interest but nearly everything on offer was bid way over the reserve or current retail. Took it out of my league.

 

[qaz]

Tessa Brown on Whole Bunch Fermentation

There’s so much to learn when evaluating fine wines.

wineexperience.com.au

Wine Wisdom Made Easy - Quick Reference Guide to Choosing Wine in Australia

$15 - $30 Collection — Wine Wisdom Made Easy

www.winewisdom.com.au

Blog — Wine Wisdom Made Easy

www.winewisdom.com.au

Sour Grapes, the Rudy Kurniawan story

The 2016 documentary Sour Grapes is the story of the biggest wine fraudster ever convicted in the US. In fact the only one. #AckerMerrall&Condit #DomainePonsot #Fakewine

www.therealreview.com

Rudy Kurniawan a free man

Rudy Kurniawan has done his time and can now get back to business - the business of making fraudulent wine – according to an article on Wine-Searcher by American wine writer W. Blake Gray. #Fakewine #Fraudulentwine #MaureenDowney

www.therealreview.com

 

[qaz]

Sort of a related article from himself

The price of Bin 407 – what exactly is Penfolds trying to say?

How is it possible that the new vintage of Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon, rated by many Australians as a place-filler in the Penfolds range, is priced at $100 per bottle? That alone places it in the company of elite cabernet-based reds like Houghton Jack Mann, Wynns John Riddoch, Moss Wood Cab

www.linkedin.com

 

[afro]

The price of Bin 407 – what exactly is Penfolds trying to say?

How is it possible that the new vintage of Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon, rated by many Australians as a place-filler in the Penfolds range, is priced at $100 per bottle? That alone places it in the company of elite cabernet-based reds like Houghton Jack Mann, Wynns John Riddoch, Moss Wood Cab

www.linkedin.com

even the people in China are better at choosing their wines, I don’t think that price hike of bin407 will make a difference on sale, compare the 2 , the bin389 still a better wine.
The only thing I’m surprised is that Jeremy olive didn’t mention these in his Chinese version of wine journal, that would of make a big impact in China.

 

[billbro]

Rudy Kurniawan a free man Rudy Kurniawan has done his time and can now get back to business - the business of making fraudulent wine – according to an article on Wine-Searcher by American wine writer W. Blake Gray. #Fakewine #Fraudulentwine #MaureenDowney

www.therealreview.com

Found Sour Grapes to be an awesome doco when I watched it quite a while ago.

 

[qaz]

How Cape Mentelle winery won for the west

The Margaret River vineyard marks its 50th birthday with a tasting that reveals an impressive balance between power and elegance.

www.afr.com

2020 Vision: State of Play, ERIN LARKIN

[et_pb_section fb_built=

erinlarkin.com.au

even the people in China are better at choosing their wines, I don’t think that price hike of bin407 will make a difference on sale, compare the 2 , the bin389 still a better wine.
The only thing I’m surprised is that Jeremy olive didn’t mention these in his Chinese version of wine journal, that would of make a big impact in China.

you don't agree with this part?

According to former senior TWE executives, it was the China market that caused TWE to align the prices of Bin 389 and Bin 407, even though the company was profoundly aware of the quality difference between the two wines. TWE responded to Chinese pressure coming from two directions: (i) that the prestige market was founded by cabernet-based wines from Bordeaux and therefore Chinese buyers did not understand why a 100% cabernet was cheaper than a cabernet-shiraz blend, and (ii) because the actual numerical number of the wine – 407 – was greater than 389, so therefore according to local cultural expectations the wine should be at least the same price.

Australian readers of this article might remind themselves that while it is growing at a furious pace, China largely remains a developing wine market where a huge volume of wine is still bought, given and served as part of a process involving the gaining and retention of ‘face’. While such concerns have little place in Australia, they do assume significant proportions in China where certain wines will actually sell better with a higher price tag.

So, a few years ago, and for China alone, TWE increased the price of Bin 407 to match Bin 389. Shortly afterwards, because Chinese people tend to live on their phones and match prices for everything they buy, this change was made global. Chinese buyers did not want to see that the rest of the world was paying less for Bin 407 than they were.

 

[afro]

How Cape Mentelle winery won for the west

The Margaret River vineyard marks its 50th birthday with a tasting that reveals an impressive balance between power and elegance.

www.afr.com

2020 Vision: State of Play, ERIN LARKIN

[et_pb_section fb_built=

erinlarkin.com.au

you don't agree with this part?

According to former senior TWE executives, it was the China market that caused TWE to align the prices of Bin 389 and Bin 407, even though the company was profoundly aware of the quality difference between the two wines. TWE responded to Chinese pressure coming from two directions: (i) that the prestige market was founded by cabernet-based wines from Bordeaux and therefore Chinese buyers did not understand why a 100% cabernet was cheaper than a cabernet-shiraz blend, and (ii) because the actual numerical number of the wine – 407 – was greater than 389, so therefore according to local cultural expectations the wine should be at least the same price.

Australian readers of this article might remind themselves that while it is growing at a furious pace, China largely remains a developing wine market where a huge volume of wine is still bought, given and served as part of a process involving the gaining and retention of ‘face’. While such concerns have little place in Australia, they do assume significant proportions in China where certain wines will actually sell better with a higher price tag.

So, a few years ago, and for China alone, TWE increased the price of Bin 407 to match Bin 389. Shortly afterwards, because Chinese people tend to live on their phones and match prices for everything they buy, this change was made global. Chinese buyers did not want to see that the rest of the world was paying less for Bin 407 than they were.

Oh, I agreed and that’s why I comment like this, lower quality wine cost less makes more sense ,TWE knew the difference in quality of the 2 wines and still trying to create an illusion to cover it up but the Chinese are also getting even better at drinking wines too, so increasing the price doesn’t mean the sale would increase.
Jeremy didn’t mention anything about the sale figures on the bin407 after the price hike so that’s what I assumed on. And I didn’t notice any bin407”hike” from the Chinese world either, I still think the price hike is just for the older vintage market.

 

[qaz]

• Morris Old Premium Rare Liqueur Muscat NV 500ml $55.12 3pk @ Vinomofo via eBay Plus with PLUSBF20 - ends this Thursday

Rutherglen Muscat: Australia’s liquid gold

Come on a journey of discovery with some of Australia’s best Muscat producers. Live from Rutherglen, they will take you through the classifications of Rutherglen Muscat and will also discuss the wineries’ varied house styles.

www.wineaustralia.com

 

[Steady]

A new wine gadget

 

[billbro]

A new wine gadget

Interesting, except for the price... useful that it can also chuck in argon... thinking of picking up a coravin via black friday sales.

 

[TheRealTMA]

A new wine gadget

Somewhat silly IMHO. Completely changes the chemistry of the wine.

"That was the impetus," Belcher said. "A lot of new developments come from cross pollination from one industry to another. It put the idea in my head."

I am tempted to suggest a darker place for him to out the "idea".