Blog Archives

Video

Let’s Taste – Simão & Co. Uni Blanc 2015

On the way home I popped into my new favourite go-to wine shop/bar on the north-side of Melbourne, Cult of the Vine. I was after a nice bottle for sunny Saturday afternoon imbibing, and a bottle that stood out in the fridge. It was from a label I had put on my ‘to-try’ list a while ago, Simão & Co. I was intrigued to try the Ugni Blanc 2015 and share my impressions. Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Follow James on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Subscribe to the Intrepid Wino channel on YouTube and watch more videos like this one!

Simão & Co. Ugni Blanc 2015

Simão & Co. Ugni Blanc 2015

Leave a comment

February 21, 2016 · 12:18 pm
Video

Let’s Taste – Samu Nero d’Avola Lagrein & Nero d’Avola Merlot 2015

Sam Underdown, owner of Samu Wines, contacted me recently after seeing some of my other Let’s Taste videos. He was down in Melbourne and hand delivered his two wines from the 2015 vintage for me to taste. Here are my impressions, let me know what you think in the comments.

Samu Nero d'Avola Merlot 2015

Samu Nero d’Avola Merlot 2015

Leave a comment

February 19, 2016 · 5:24 pm
Video

Let’s Taste – Cape Jaffa Anna’s Blend White & En Soleil Pinot Gris 2015

Two sample bottles got delivered from Cape Jaffa Wines in South Australia. I opened them, I tasted them, I discussed them. Let me know what you think, do you agree?

Leave a comment

February 15, 2016 · 12:08 pm
Video

Let’s Taste – My Granny’s Cellar!!

Last September my amazing Grandmother passed away at the incredible age of 89 (vintage 1927). As my family went through the emotional process of organising and cleaning her house of 40 years, I discovered a number of bottles of wine in the cupboard under the stairs. With permission from my family I opened some of these bottles on this video, and the results were quite surprising.

Leave a comment

February 8, 2016 · 10:28 am
Video

Let’s Taste – Liquid Rock ‘N’ Roll Nebbiolo 2013 WITH Vegetarian Lasagne

Recent guest on The Vincast Podcast Alex Byrne gave me a bottle of his Nebbiolo 2013, made from fruit grown in the Heathcote region, under the Liquid Rock ‘N’ Roll brand. I thought I might try a wine and food pairing exercise, as I was having a plate of vegetarian lasagne. What do you think is the best pairing wine for lasagne??

Liquid Rock 'N' Roll Nebbiolo 2013

Liquid Rock ‘N’ Roll Nebbiolo 2013

Leave a comment

February 3, 2016 · 4:20 pm
Video

Let’s Taste – Maidenii Classic Vermouth

Gilles Lapalus, French-born winemaker formerly at Sutton grange winery, was my recent guest on The Vincast podcast. Some years ago he became involved with a project to make a premium vermouth from Australian grapes. Maidenii is one of the few that is not only single-estate but also single-vintage. I haven’t tasted a huge range of vermouths, but I thought I’d give it a go for Let’s Taste. Let me know what you think!

Maidenii Classic Vermouth

Maidenii Classic Vermouth

Leave a comment

January 25, 2016 · 7:34 pm
Video

Let’s Taste – Linnaea Vineyards Arlequin Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Recent guest of my podcast (The Vincast) Daniel Fischl gave me a bottle of each of his currently available wines, and one of them was the 2013 vintage of the Linnaea Vineyards Arlequin Cabernet Sauvignon from the Heathcote region in Victoria. I opened the bottle, and these are my impressions.

Linnaea Vineyards Arlequin Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Linnaea Vineyards Arlequin Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Leave a comment

January 21, 2016 · 3:18 pm
Video

Let’s Taste – Out of Step Nebbiolo 2014

Did you happen to listen to recent double episode of The Vincast wine podcast with Dave Chatfield and Nathan Reeves, the guys behind Out of Step Wine Company? Perhaps you’ve seen my previous Let’s Taste videos of some of their white wines? Well here are my impressions of their nebbiolo wine from 2014, the fruit of which came from the Malakoff vineyard in the Pyrenees region of Victoria. Let me know what you think!

Out of Step Nebbiolo 2014

Out of Step Nebbiolo 2014

Leave a comment

January 6, 2016 · 9:28 am
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

Leave a comment

January 5, 2016 · 7:10 pm
Video

The Intrepid Wino Reads: The Wine Hunter by Campbell Mattinson

Campbell Mattinson is one of the most important wine writers in Australia. He co-founded the wine review site The Wine Front in 2002 which is now the most active in Australia, and the longest running. He has worked with the likes of James Halliday with Wine Companion, serving as the magazine’s editor for some time, and has also contributed to the annual guide. He has twice been awarded the Wine Communicator of the Year by the Wine Communicators of Australia Association.

When I invited him onto my podcast The Vincast as a guest, he willingly obliged and sent me a copy of his book “The Wine Hunter: The Life Story of Australia’s first great winemaker” which I just finished over the new year. Here are my impressions of the book, very raw as I had just finished it.

Please let me know if you have also read the book, share your impressions in the comments below. If you would like to ask Campbell some questions on his upcoming appearance on the podcast, please let me know. Visit his website http://www.campbellmattinson.com

Thanks for watching guys, have a great 2016!

The Wine Hunter by Campbell Mattinson

The Wine Hunter by Campbell Mattinson

Leave a comment

January 5, 2016 · 4:10 pm