Last night we finally opened up the small collection of bottles we’ve accrued over the past month in a nice session starting with an enjoyable Riesling from Alsace.   A. Zirnhelt – Riesling (2008)   This bottle was brought to our place by our friend from the US, and was the perfect   way to start the night.    As it is summer, and rather humid, this drop hit the spot.  Unlike Australian Riesling,   this Alsace was a bit less sweet – which is a good th... [More]

Last night we cracked open a bottle of the 2006 Chateau Bellerose Figeac from Saint-Emilion in the Bordeaux region of southern France.   Like most French red table wines from the region, this vintage is primarily Merlot and displayed a fine sweet perfumed bouquet. We let it breathe in the bottle for about fifteen minutes before serving into Reidel “O” series (stemless) glasses.  The colour was a very nice rouge, and on the first taste was a little tart.  However, on subseque... [More]

Last night AWG and his darling wife paid a visit to French restaurant Provence in West Lake, HangZhou (China).  The restaurant is one of our favourites in the area, in addition to Angelo’s and the conveniently located Yoho Cafe. Monday nights at Provence feature a special -  ¥35 for all wine by the glass – which represents excellent value when ordering good French wine!  We dropped in around 8pm (no booking, AWG likes to arrive with no prior warning, haha) and were immediately se... [More]

Brokenwood Wines in Pokolbin NSW have sourced this Shiraz from Langhorne Creek in South Australia to make this traditional Shiraz wine. The colour when poured from the bottle is a lightish purple and may seem a little thin at first.  However, the fine flavours of berries and a soft tannin finish make it very easy drinking with just about any meal. I would not call it a great red but it certainly is a good red and one suitable for drinking at any time.  The 2007 vintage should mature fu... [More]

Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc is typical of the good classic dry whites from New Zealand and this 2008 wine is no exception. It has a light gold somewhat thin look and a refreshing pleasant nose. The second tasting finds an abundance of pleasant flavours which linger a while on the palate. While excellent with seafood and Asian meals this wine is equally suitable for heavier meals of white and red meats. The 2008 wine should last well in the bottle for a few more years. A fine medium priced white w... [More]

This is an outstanding wine, right from its rich immensely dark purple almost black colour, to its great lingering impact on the palate. This is one of the finest examples of the Durif wine and will be appreciated by those who love a rich velvety wine with black cherry and currant  flavours.  It does not attack the senses being softer and more structured than some heavy wines. This is premium drinking now but should last a few more years in the bottle. I am glad I still have one more ... [More]

Produced by Parker Estate in Coonawarra SA, this is an interesting wine, though not an overly good one. It has a slightly thinner look and feel to most good Shiraz, however, it was pleasant enough to drink with both white and red meat meals. There was the usual slightly spicy finish to the wine and the hint of berries.  However, it did not linger on the palate. A few more years in the bottle might help the wine mature further.

A deep dark coloured red wine which is dominated by the Durif, although not overpowering the Shiraz and Cabernet.  Full bodied, rich fruitiness with the peppery black currant taste of the Durif lingering in the mouth. Consumed with a dinner of fillet mignon and steamed vegetables. This wine will continue to be enhanced even further for a few more years.

On 10 April 2010, this bottle was taken to dinner at a very good Thai restaurant in Canberra where the food is innovative and top quality. It was allowed to stand for about 1 hour and when poured its colour was dark purple/black with aromas of spice, smoke and berries. It is a full-bodied wine with a pleasing earthy finish and for many years it will no doubt continue to develop even further if cellared . It again proved that a good quality red can accompany any food. A top red wine from Sout... [More]

Purchased Some years ago after a cellar door tasting at the Allandale estate in the Hunter Valley on Lovedale Road, this excellent dry white was recently opened for dinner of crusted salmon fillet and salad. After probably being cellared for longer than it should, this bottle was just about passed its peak but still very enjoyable. A nice light gold colour with a very pleasant palate and lingering flavours in the mouth, this wine seems very representative of the excellent dry whites produced in... [More]