Tag Archives: Wine Tasting

Video

Let’s Taste – Bindi Macedon Cuvée 2003

When I was still discovering more about wine, about one year into my tenure at Chandon, I was running some little wine dinners with family members. One of these started with a sparkling wine made by Bindi Winegrowers. It was an extended lees-contact methode traditionelle, that I believe had spent seven years on lees. I’m not sure when, but at some point they stopped making this wine, but perhaps still have wine still sitting on lees which is periodically disgorged.

I spotted this 2003 vintage which spend ten years on lees in my local bottle shop, and couldn’t resist toasting the new year with it. Here are my impressions, what do you think? Have you tasted this wine?

Bindi Macedon Cuvée 2003

Bindi Macedon Cuvée 2003

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January 5, 2016 · 7:10 pm
Video

Let’s Taste – Coldstream Hills Reserve Pinot Noir 2002

Back when I worked in the cellar door at Domaine Chandon in the Yarra Valley, one of my colleagues lived at Coldstream Hills as her partner was one of the winemakers. She was kind enough to put together a mixed dozen of reserve wines of various vintages, some of which are still in my cellar. I thought it was about time to open this bottle, the Reserve Pinot Noir 2002. What are your thoughts, do you agree? Let me know in the comments.

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December 30, 2015 · 12:13 pm
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Let’s Taste – Main Ridge Chardonnay, The Acre & Half Acre Pinot Noir 2014

Main Ridge Estate make my favourite wine in the world, the Half Acre Pinot Noir. Theirs was one of the first cellar doors I ever visited, back when I was still learning about wine. I visited a few months ago, I think just after the estate had been sold, bought some current release bottles and also placed an order for the soon to be released 2014 wines. I opened the three for the first time to see what they present, and perhaps give me an idea how long I should keep them.

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December 30, 2015 · 12:10 pm
Video

Let’s Taste – Out of Step Lusatia Park & Willowlake Sauvignon Blancs 2015

My guests on episode 76 of my wine podcast The Vincast were Nathan Reeves and David Chatfield from Out of Step Wine Co. After seeing my tasting video of their chardonnay they reached out and offered me some wine, and I thought I’d do them even better and have them on a double-episode to tell their story. They brought me some wines after all, and I tasted the two Sauvignon Blanc wines from 2015 on this video.

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December 30, 2015 · 9:34 am
Video

Let’s Taste – Pierro Chardonnay 2005

A mature chardonnay wine from the Intrepid Cellar, from arguably Australia’s premier chardonnay region. I bought this bottle of Pierro Chardonnay 2005 from the Victorian distributor, and I thought it would be interesting to open it with 10 years of age. Also my cork skills are pretty woeful, so apologies for that.

Pierre Chardonnay 2005

Pierre Chardonnay 2005

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December 24, 2015 · 9:33 am
December 15, 2015 · 9:00 am

The Vincast with David LeMire MW from Shaw + Smith & La Linea

David LeMire started his career in wine similar to how I did; working in a wine shop while studying at university. He gained experience working for Oddbins in the UK, and whilst there he was introduced to the Master of Wine via his studies of the WSET. Upon returning to Australia, he spent ten years working for Negociants in sales and exports, and during this period became a Master of Wine. Since 2010 he was worked with Australia’s first MW (Michael Hill-Smith) at Shaw + Smith in the Adelaide Hills. He also has been involved with his own wine project La Linea, and the wine bar Mothervine in Adelaide.

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David LeMire MW

David LeMire MW

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Video

Let’s Taste – d’Arenberg The Ironstone Pressings, The Dead Arm, and The Coppermine Road 2012

The lovely Tash Stoodley from d’Arenberg was lovely enough to send me some more bottles of wine to taste. These are the three icon reds from the McLaren Vale d’Arenberg vineyards; The Ironstone Pressings Grenache Shiraz Mouvedre, The Dead Arm Shiraz, and The Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon. All three have a recommended retail price of $65.00, and were from the 2012 vintage.

d'Arenberg Icon 2012 Wines

d’Arenberg Icon 2012 Wines

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December 14, 2015 · 11:50 am
Video

Let’s Taste – Toolangi Estate Chardonnay 2013 & Reserve Shiraz 2010

The lovely people at Toolangi wines in the Yarra Valley sent me a few bottles to taste, which I was happy to do for Let’s Taste. Made by David Bicknell at Oakridge, these are very classic styles for the region. The Estate Chardonnay 2013 has a recommended retail price of $38.00, and the Reserve Shiraz 2010 is $60.00.

Head to http://www.toolangi.com for more information!

Toolangi Estate Chardonnay 2013 & Reserve Shiraz 2010

Toolangi Estate Chardonnay 2013 & Reserve Shiraz 2010

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November 24, 2015 · 12:38 pm
Video

Let’s Taste LIVE – Australian Riesling with The Intrepid Wino and Mattia Cianca

On Sunday the 22nd of November 2015 from 6:30pm AEST, Mattia Cianca (3rd best young sommelier in the world) and I tasted six Australian riesling wines, talking about their provenance and how the style is evolving.

Wines tasted were as follows;

2014 Rieslingfreak No.2 Polish Hill River Riesling (Clare Valley, SA)

2014 Sons of Eden Freya Riesling (Eden Valley, SA)

2014 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Riesling (Frankland River, WA)

2014 La Violetta Das Sakrileg Riesling (Great Southern, WA)

2015 Ravensworth Riesling (Canberra, NSW)

2015 Billy Button The Torment Riesling (Alpine Valleys, VIC)

Many thanks to Different Drop for providing the wines. If you would like to taste these wines, simply head here and remember to use the code IntrepidWino to secure your discount and let them know I sent you!

Riesling

Riesling

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November 17, 2015 · 5:00 pm
Video

Let’s Taste – d’Arenberg New Releases November 2015

The lovely Tash Stoodley from d’Arenberg wines got in touch and sent me some samples of their new releases, which I was happy to open! I separated the whites and most of the reds into two tastings, here are the whites;

  • The Olive Grove Viognier Marsanne 2014; and
  • The Hermit Crab Chardonnay 2015

The red wines were;

  • The Sticks & Stones Tempranillo, Grenache, Souzao, Tinta Cao 2011
  • The Derelict Vineyard Grenache 2012
  • The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier 2011
d'Arenberg new-release red wines

d’Arenberg new-release red wines

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November 16, 2015 · 4:12 pm