The Intrepid Wino drank things in 2014

Last year was a particularly good year for drinking for me, I have to admit it. Thanks to all the fantastic people I met and venues I discovered, who all work with some beautiful products, I got to both taste and drink (sometimes a bit too much) some amazing stuff. Some of these wines were tasted at events or trade tastings, some at my favourite bars & restaurants, and a few were tasted at wineries I visited (which was too rare in 2014). You’ll notice that many of these wines are Italian which very much reflects where I was at this year working for an importer of Italian wines, and also visiting Italy in June.

Let me know what you think, and tell me in the comments what were your highlight wines for 2014.

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2014 was a momentous year as it was the first time I tasted Claret!

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The Vincast with Jacopo Cossater

In 2007, with only an avid interest in wine, Jacopo Cossater decided to chronicle his wine journey and education via a blog called Enoiche Illusioni. Initially it was only a way for him to record his experiences tasting wines, but eventually he began to notice people reading and commenting on his posts. He was asked to become a contributor to a new kind of wine blog – a communal wine blog – called Intravino, that continues to be both popular and controversial. Now Jacopo has set his sights on sharing unique Italian wine stories written by Italians with the rest of the world, which he intends to do with English-translated Settembre. We chatted about his background and what he hopes this new publication will be.

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Jacopo Cossater

Jacopo Cossater

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Bobar – 8/01/2015

Acting as tour guide for some lovely Italians, I visited Tom and Sally Belford in the Yarra Valley and was introduced to their small-batch winemaking and their expression of Syrah and Chardonnay under the Bobar label. Here are my notes from the tasting, the last wine was from the tank the day before it was bottled.

Chardonnay 2013
Nice lean mealy leesy cheese biscuit notes. Full bold fresh ripe citrus peach, good texture and phenolic grip but focused acids too. Light yet brimming with personality and length.

Syrah 2014
Very subtle mushroomy earthy stalk notes, bright tight red cherry. Light fresh delicate yet full of life and energy, juicy but not bold broad extractive or fruit-sweet.

Syrah 2013
Darker more brambly pomegranate beetroot, a crunchy also blood orange note too. Crunchier tighter more intense somehow, pepper bush.

Syrah 2012
Dark herbal almost a naturopathic medicinal note. Bolder fuller on the mid-palate, a nice sharpness to it but nice and soft without being flabby.

Syrah 2010
Like slightly herbal oxidised ribena. In a really charming way.

2014 Chardonnay
Still smells a bit yeasty ferment style, but nice lemon pith. Wonderfully full and rich without being fat, unfocused or fruitful. Contained yet explosive.

Bobar Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2013

Bobar Yarra Valley Syrah 2014

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The Vincast with Peter Scudamore-Smith MW

Peter Scudamore-Smith was Australia’s second ever Master of Wine, the most illustrious title and qualification one can receive in the wine industry. He has led a fascinating life of wine, and he joined me on the first episode of 2015 to discuss his origins in wine, working in both Australian and European wine markets, and how his love of Italy and France has led him to take tours there as part of his business Uncorked and Cultivated.

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Peter Scudamore-Smith MW

Peter Scudamore-Smith MW

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The Intrepid Wino ate things in 2014

I’ll freely admit that I do have a habit of dining out and subsequently sharing pictures of food and wine on social media. In 2014 I’ve managed to cultivate a bit of a reputation, to the point where people ask if I even eat at home, let alone cook. I’m very fortunate that my job not only introduces me to some of the best restaurants in Melbourne and beyond, but also affords me the time and finances to head out and visit places. I’ve done pretty well in the last 12 months, so I thought I’d mention a few of the great experiences and dishes I had in 2014.

I love dishes that that are as audacious as this

I love dishes that that are as audacious as this

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The Vincast with Anthony D’Anna from Boccaccio Cellars and Mondo Imports

Many Melbourne-based wine lovers would be familiar with the name Boccaccio Cellars, as they have regularly advertised in the Epicure lift-out of The Age every Tuesday. The Balwyn-based retailer has been selling wines for nearly 40 years, specialising in Italian wines. Anthony D’Anna, second generation Italo-Australian, has been heavily involved in the family business for many years, not only with Boccaccio but also their winery in the Yarra Valley (Hoddles Creek Estate) and more recently, Mondo Imports working with some outstanding small producers from Italy. He joined me on this episode of The Vincast to talk about his upbringing and work in the family business, and his perspective on Italian wines in Australia.

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Anthony D'Anna

Anthony D’Anna

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The Vincast with Christina Pickard

If you’ve ever wondered what my biggest influence was for this podcast, it was listening to The Crush podcast, hosted by Christina Pickard and Whitney Adams. The podcast was a very relaxed fun look at wine and incorporated guests and very entertaining segments. They started the podcast when Christina was in London, and Whitney was in Los Angeles, but after Christina relocated to her husband’s home town of Perth, it became more difficult to record the show. She continues to write and present, but she has also more recently started The School of Wine to educate Perth wine lovers in a fun environment.

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Christina Pickard

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Piedmont Tasting – Boccaccio Cellars (14/12/2014)

The new Boccaccio Cellars store has opened and they’ve already started to have regular – and amazing – tastings each week. This past Sunday I popped in to taste some wines from the Alba area of Italy, here are my notes on them.

Photo courtesy of Paul Kaan, AKA Filthy Good Vino (http://filthygoodvino.com/filthy-good-vino/)

Photo courtesy of Paul Kaan, AKA Filthy Good Vino (http://filthygoodvino.com/filthy-good-vino/)

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The Vincast with Dave Brookes aka Vinofreakism

Dave Brookes is currently one of the most accomplished and sought after wine judges in Australia having been awarded dux of the Len Evans Tutorial in 2011. He was also one of the first voices for sustainable and natural wine in the country, writing about his passion for these products on his popular blog Vinofreakism. He joins me on this episode to talk about his journey, his philosophy and his unique perspectives.

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Dave Brookes

Dave Brookes

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Every wine has a story – Roberto Voerzio Cerequio Barolo 2006

It’s a long time between entries as far as writing on this blog (I’ve been focusing much more on The Vincast), but I thought it was about time to start putting pen to paper (metaphorically) again. I’ve decided to start something a bit different; rather than a simple tasting note on a wine, or a description of a producer and their methods, I would make the point that a bottle of wine is the property and perspective of the drinker when they open it. Every so often I open a bottle from my own collection or I taste a wine that has a personal story and a connection for me. In addition I will talk about the context in which I have enjoyed said wine; who I drink it with, where and what with. I hope you enjoy, and of course you are welcome to share some of your own experiences, whether with the wine in question or a different one entirely.

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Roberto Voerzio Cerequio Barolo 2006

 

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