Wine drinkers

[zigwah]

Arras is good if you can get it for 40 bux, cheeky buggers were selling it for 70 bux at cellar door when i was in Tassie.

If you want to try a nice cheap bubble try the yellowglen pinot noir chardonnay or the cremant, both good and around 12 bux

[zigwah]

Champange - Which is a good brand verus value etc

Munns ?

Arras (Tassie) ?

Louis Roederer ?

If you want champagne though, you cant go past a vintage bottle of Moet or krug is very good and also vueve cliquet but vintage as well.

[andigold]

Champange - Which is a good brand verus value etc

Munns ?

Arras (Tassie) ?

Louis Roederer ?

Ned, it depends on what you like and what you want the wine for.

If you're after a very good, excellent value quaffer have a look at Bouvet Ladubay 150th Anniversary Sparkling Chardonnay Brut $20 for a complex, rich blanc de blanc style. Their rose is my wife's favourite (it's a 1 glasser for me as I find it a touch too fruit driven (sweet?))

If you want something really special at a keen price then keep away from the major houses. The 2002 Marguet Pere et Fils Grand Cru Champagne at about the price of NV majors is infinitely superior (except of course for the Krug Grande Cuvee Champagne ).

As to what you like, most of the major house's NV's are either fruit driven (citrus & apple) or yeast driven (bread, biscuit, toast) e.g. Moet is fruit, Bollinger yeast. Mumm, Veuve Cliqout, Jaquesson are yeasty styles while Louis Roederer, Laurent Perrier & Pol Roger are in the fruit style. Work out which one you like and you'll be able to match wines to your preference.

The links I have posted are absolute gold, if you love the bubble then do yourself a favour and grab a mixed box.

Cheers

[adlo]

Last night was an 04 Penley Estate Cab Sav.

Bloody lovely, very smooth and a lot of big juicy fruit for a Cab Sav.

I think I may be broke in a few weeks. I discovered the new bottle shop at Steve's in Nedlands. Best selection I have ever seen, and they also have the ability to buy tastings of some top shelf wines, including the Grange and a few big French reds. Will be heading back for a sample of the Grange very soon.

[adlo]

2005 Rahona Valley Pinot Noir

Interesting drop. Very spicy for a Pinot. I was not enjoying it at first, but paired with some food and it came alive. Like a lot of Victorian Pinot, keeps you guessing, plenty going on here.

[ParMaster]

(Slight threadjack)

But whats the most expensive bottle of wine you've had?

[zigwah]

i got ripped off, got a bottle 98 grange from dan murphys 699 bloody nice though

[adlo]

I think Andigold will win this competition.

Off the top of my head I don't know, but if it means the most expensive bottle purchased and consumed (not merely tasted), I don't think for me it has been anything dearer than $150-200.

Mind you, I had a revelation the other day. I have a big David Jones voucher burning a hole in my pocket, and they have a cellar section with bottles of Grange. I am toying with the idea of picking one up.

[zigwah]

go the 96!!

[adlo]

Dunno if they would have it, but I am guessing that it would cost a small fortune.

[ParMaster]

We went to a restaurant once and we spent about 1K on wine alone. One of the bottles was a Dom Perignon 01 that cost about 500.

[adlo]

Zig, 98 looks the big boy. I don't think I could cellar it well enough to go the distance!

[adlo]

Zig or Andigold, have you tried any Clarendon Hills?

[zigwah]

australis? no.

[Webster]

Dan Murphy's have a special on Bowlers Run red and white at $2.85 a bottle, or $30 for a dozen. The chardonnay is a very reasonable drop and superb value.

[zigwah]

Used to love going to dans when i lived in melbourne, can't wait for the one they are building here to open

[oscar]

While you at Dan's have a look for a bottle of "The Scribbler". Schpiel was that there will be no 'The Signature' released this year and that juice was bottled as Scribbler. Either way it's a top drop for about $16 bucks.

[Chris32]

Just enjoyed a nice Merlot out of the old boys cellar.

He has about 4 acres of wine and we make about 1000 bottles to keep us merry for the footy season.

It was good!

[Grunt]

Going to pop into Dan's tomorrow and get some of that Bowlers Run.

[adlo]

OK, no one has tried Clarendon Hills.

What about the Penfolds RWT? Any love?

[zigwah]

OK, no one has tried Clarendon Hills.

What about the Penfolds RWT? Any love?

theres better wines out there for less money

Lazy Ballerina

[adlo]

theres better wines out there for less money

Lazy Ballerina

What did you call me?

[andigold]

Sorry didn't see the post Ad. Clarendon Hills is quality across the board, Roman is a Francophile who make wines in Oz, so though they have much in common with the old country wines there is always plenty of fruit too. His brookman cab sav, blewitt springs grenache & hickinbotham shiraz (he calls it syrah, Roman is an arrogant wanker ) are consistently excellent. Astralis is an icon wine that has been ultimately a little disappointing nearly every time I've had it (more than 150ml on 8 occasions covering 6 vintages) . A very good wine that always falls a little short to my palate, the exception being the 2006 (blockbuster year in SA anyway ) which was simply perfect. A wine that will grow for 15+ years.

RWT (red wine trial) is Barossa Shiraz matured in French oak only, it's style is very "Rhone" an elegant, perfumed wine that can thin a little on the palate. The best RWTs are excellent examples of $75 Hermitage villages wines (for about $170) Not my style really and overpriced in the style it's made in.

[adlo]

Zig, you go on about sparkling Shiraz. What about this one at half price?

Andigold, I finally opened one of these suckers.

The SJ is for Sir James. They aren't trying too hard to hide the producer are they?

Amazing value for money. I really enjoyed this one. I have never had a sparkling shiraz, but if this is an indication..... I might be buying a few more. Light drinking but full bodied. Quite an experience. Didn't plan on it, but ended up drinking over half the bottle. Went down a treat.

Lovely, lovely stuff. Recommend to anyone who wants to pick up a good value cleanskin from Nicks.

Edit: thanks for your reply above.

[zigwah]

Haven't seen that one getting around, must see if i can find it. there can be some really ordinary sparkling shiraz.

Don't know if ive mentione Broken River winery here but they have a very nice sparkling shiraz and sparkling rose very good gear.