• Welcome to the Green and Gold Rugby forums. As you can see we've upgraded the forums to new software. Your old logon details should work, just click the 'Login' button in the top right.

Wine thread

Lindommer

Steve Williams (59)
Staff member
Tah, HJ. If anything eventuates a spotter's fee will wing its way to Jarse Casa. ;)

TWaS, matty_k's advice is about as good as it gets. From Sydney I'd attack the Orange, Mudgee, Hilltops and Canberra wine districts. On the way through to Orange check out small producers like Winburndale near Bathurst. di Lusso Estate at Mudgee produce a delicious range of wines from Italian varieties. If you like Semillon (I do, young or old) the Hunter's about the best place in the world to find it.






You do know I do this stuff for a living?
 

Nusadan

Chilla Wilson (44)
Speaking of Mudgee, I enjoyed a couple of bottles of Mount Lawson Sauv Blanc Semillon 2011 vintage over the weekend, got it on special at the bottlo under the hotel at Cremorne Junction, was recommended by a staff member there.

Wanted to order some online now that I'm back home, but it appears to be like hen's teeth!
 

Lindommer

Steve Williams (59)
Staff member
I reckon it's a bit too old for the winery to keep, N, they've more than likely got the 2013 on hand (and the 2014 in tank). If that wine's drinking well enjoy it. The staff probably recommended it to you to clear it as the new vintage has either been ordered or will be soon.

An object lesson not to turn our noses up over white wines with a bit of age. To illustrate this point, most bottleos won't order Sauvignon Blanc unless it's the current release. Yet good SBs improve after a year or two in the bottle, same with most Chardonnays. Rieslings and Semillons positively shine after three years.
 

Nusadan

Chilla Wilson (44)
I reckon it's a bit too old for the winery to keep, N, they've more than likely got the 2013 on hand (and the 2014 in tank). If that wine's drinking well enjoy it. The staff probably recommended it to you to clear it as the new vintage has either been ordered or will be soon.

An object lesson not to turn our noses up over white wines with a bit of age. To illustrate this point, most bottleos won't order Sauvignon Blanc unless it's the current release. Yet good SBs improve after a year or two in the bottle, same with most Chardonnays. Rieslings and Semillons positively shine after three years.


Agreed, it's a lovely thing to happen when one finds an overlooked older vintage lurking amongst the current ones on a shelf!
 

suckerforred

Chilla Wilson (44)
Just getting into wine a bit more. Attempting to build up a bit of a collection (difficult when my girlfriend seems intent on drinking it all). Can anybody recommend reds (normally stick to Cab Sauv or Shiraz though don't mind the odd Pinot) under $50 that may age well?

Actually picked up a bottle of the Xanadu off that list which has survived the girl friend to date. May have to pick up another bottle to see how it tastes now.


See I am of the mind of your GF. Wine is for drinking. Not getting dusty.
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
I went out and purchased a second bottle of the Xanadu on the weekend, and immediately consumed it. Went down a treat. Very happy with it and reasonably priced for a quality drop.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Just getting into wine a bit more. Attempting to build up a bit of a collection (difficult when my girlfriend seems intent on drinking it all). Can anybody recommend reds (normally stick to Cab Sauv or Shiraz though don't mind the odd Pinot) under $50 that may age well?

Actually picked up a bottle of the Xanadu off that list which has survived the girl friend to date. May have to pick up another bottle to see how it tastes now.

I don't think you need to spend anywhere close to $50 a bottle for red wine that will age beautifully.

My general rule is that I buy a few bottles (or a case) of anything I particularly like so I can age a few but still drink one or two now.

My wine collection is by no means large (under 100 bottles) and I've only been going for 5 or so years but probably half the bottles are between 4 and 7 years old so I'm starting to get a little bit of age into things.
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
Well mine is currently at about 7 bottles after last weekend so yours is gigantic to mine haha.

I've read that generally wines under $25 won't age very well. Does anybody have any thoughts on this? Lindo perhaps?
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Lindo can definitely provide more insight.

It depends what you're looking for in terms of aging though. A $25 bottle of shiraz should mature nicely over 5-10 years or more.

You'd probably be looking for more expensive wine if you want to age stuff for longer, but when you're just starting out, it seems that buying less but more expensive wine with the idea that you could age it for 20 years will result in you drinking all your wine and having none aging.
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
What is everybody's storage set up?

As I'm a young(ish) fella living in a 2 bedroom CBD apartment with a mate, I've had to make to with a wine rack in the entry hall as this is the only place that is shielded from light and maintains a reasonable consistent and cool temperature.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
I've got two places that I store wine: a storage cupboard in the guts of the house where it's coolest. We bought some Ikea wine racks and drilled them into the walls. Works a treat. I've also got a wine fridge for the really good stuff (St Henri, Diana Madeleine, Mount Edelstone etc) and it's all catalogued properly.

Anything in the storage cupboard is carte blanche access. Anything in the wine fridge you'd better come and talk to me about first. The Mrs isn't even allowed in there.

TWAS in terms of recommendations for some good mid range drops, here's what I've been buying of late:

Cape Grace Sauv Blanc
Voyager Can Sauv Merlot
Bleasdale Shiraz
Ngeringa Tempranillo
Ashbrook Riesling
Brand's Laira Cab Sauv
Koonara Angel's Peak Shiraz

Most of these places do online ordering but some will be hard to find for tasting over your way. With that said, you can hardly go wrong with Wynn's, Penfolds, Leeuwin, Xanadu et al as a basis for building up your collection. Nearly all of the mainstream wine makers in Australia make firstly a good range of wines at different prices and secondly make budget drops that with the right amount of care will develop into pretty excellent drinking down the track.

As far as drink now or cellar, I'm all about drinking wine when it's at its best. That will vary from wine to wine, but there's so much more enjoyment for mine when you've taken the time to cellar the stuff properly. James Halliday's books are a good starting point for that and experimentation thereafter.
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
Is your wine fridge for keeping them chilled at drinking temperature or maintaining storage temperature?
 

suckerforred

Chilla Wilson (44)
Cape Grace also do a blood good shriaz.

As to storage - I have a wine rack in the wardrobe of my bedroom.

Being in an old house in QLD there is little that is of an apropiate temp for storage. Hence I drink it. ;-) I some times get a year or two.....
 

Baldric

Jim Clark (26)
Best place to store wine is inside you.

I went to a pinot tasting a few nights ago. There are some really good pinots coming out of the Mornington Peninsula and also Yarra Valley.

Look for Willow Creek, that was my pick of the bunch.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
Best place to store wine is inside you.

I went to a pinot tasting a few nights ago. There are some really good pinots coming out of the Mornington Peninsula and also Yarra Valley.

Look for Willow Creek, that was my pick of the bunch.



Agreed. Also, Tasmania. Bay of Fires pinot is great too.
 
Top