Tarapaca 2007 Syrah (Shiraz) - Maipo Valley, Chile

"the one that didn't get away"

following our Il Briccone disaster, we felt challenged to continue with a serve of red with the marinara. Still craving an international flavour, I rummaged through the racks and produced a bottle of Tarapaca Syrah from Chile.

This Shiraz is very different to the typical Australian style. While there were loads of blackberries, cinnamon and briar in this wine, there were also a very typical Chilean flavour of herbs, earth and medicinal characteristics which finished with the slightest touch of sweetness.

This wine is exclusive to Australia Wine Society and costs around AUD12.00. We also tried the Cabernet Sauvignon at a different occassion but weren't fans of it. Buy the Syrah instead.

Primo Estate 1998 Shiraz Sangiovese (IL Briccone)

"the one that got away!"

We were in that rebellious sort of mood where you break the classic rule of red with red meat, and white with white meat. We decided to have this Shiraz blend with seafood marinara. However, it seemed we had left it a bit too long in the rack. And the great little wine that this was in its youth had got away.

It is predominantly Shiraz with lesser amounts of Sangiovese Barbera, Nebbiolo and Cabernet. It is made with older oak and because this wine was designed to break rules, Joe Grilli the wine maker decided that it was quite a rogue which, in Italian, is Il Briccone. In its youth, this wine has spice, dust, and herbs and all marries in quite nicely. However, what we were left with both tasted amd smelled like sweaty socks (not good whether or not you like sweaty socks!).

Primo Estate is located in Virginia, Adelaide plains region, South Australia. At time of purchase, this wine costed me AUD16. The current vintage (I think it is 2007) retails around AUD22.00. Buy it in its youth - it's well-worth drinking.

As for our dinner....Luckily for us, the seafood marinara was in its prime! and we have other wines in reserve....

Seville Estate 2001 Yarra Valley Shiraz

"between the Rabbit and the Veal"

Last night, we went to Crinitis in Parramatta for a friend's birthday. We've never been to the restaurant before. It was pretty packed on Saturday night. The waiters were roaming around with headsets on and instructing diners and food around the restaurant like a flight deck commander on an aircraft carrier scrambling F-18 fighter jets.

We took 2 bottles of wine and planned on choosing one based upon the food that we would order. I chose rabbit which was incredibly tender and so huge I was unable to finish it (me suspects more than one rabbit!). Nansia chose veal Oscar which was very nice and also very huge (she tried to pass it on to me but I had no room).

The wine we chose was a Seville Estate 2001 Yarra Valley Shiraz. This is a typical cool climate Shiraz with more elegance than fruit explosions that you'd expect from warm climate Shiraz. Eight years in the bottle had produced a wine that was very soft yet powerful, it smacked of white pepper, berries, and a touch of oak. We shared it around, and it was quite popular amongst the masses.

Purchase price was around AUD22.00 in 2004. Current vintage 2005 retails for around AUD27.00. It is one for keeping.

The vineyard was originally established in 1972 by Doctor Peter McMahon. We think this wine is just what the doctor ordered.

Salena Organic Shiraz 2006

"Simply Organic"

Nansia came home and announced loudly -"I'm cooking!"

So I stayed out of the kitchen and looked after the drinking department instead. I decided on something unusal - an organic wine!

Well, we enjoyed it accompanying Nansia's mildly spiced hokkien noodles with fish cakes and bok-choy.

Don't be confused by the picture. Yes, the bottle is clear (as well as being empty!), adorned by a very simple label, dominated by the winery's logo of a pelican in flight.
We tried this wine at both room temperature and chilled. We preferred chilled. Although this wine is 14% alcohol, it is a lighter style, due to a combination of organic viticulture (how the grapes were grown), and the wine making approach. The wine is lightly oaked, is very dry with subtle tannins and flavours of mulberry, white pepper, morello cherries and marzipan.

Now, this is not a wine to be analysed, it is just a good quaffer for lazy summer time lunches.

It is from Riverland district of South Australia, approximately about AUD15.00 retail. Chilled, it makes a good alternative to Rose.

Orlando St Hugo 1990 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon

"Great food, Great wine, Great Company"
The cousin is back from Stockholm, and we're having him & his girlfriend over for dinner.
Nansia made Bruschetta as starter and vegetarian dinner - spinach & ricotta cheese lasagna. I cooked Bouillabaisse from scratch (mussels are a pain in the ass to clean!). The result, however - if I may say so myself - was worth the effort.
I decided to spoil ourselves and opened up a bottle of Orlando St Hugo 1990 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. It was freaking fantastic!
The year 1990 was considered an excellent year for Coonawarra Cabernet and the back label states that this wine offers excellent cellaring potential. We have to agree completely. I decanted this wine as suggested by the winemaker and there was a distinct sentiment build up. Once it opened up, we were hit with a load of berry and plum flavours, with layers of complexity after nineteen years of oak marrying with fruit. The tannins were very fine and soft, with great length. The wine evolved in the glass throughout the meal, crossing the flavour spectrum from berries, plums, blackcurrants, through to chocolates and blueberries. We enjoyed every drop of it. The resulting food and wine match was perfect.

This wine cost around AUD22.00 in 1994 when I bought it. Today, at the famous Beppi's at East Sydney, this bottle is listed for AUD400. But you can get the current vintage (2004) for about AUD45/bottle retail, and if you wait patiently, you may experience similar rewards.