I haven’t posted a tasting note for a while, I have had the flu and I have been quite busy due to an unexpected but thankfully easy to deal with issue at work.

Around 2 weeks ago, all the family in Sydney got together to have a dinner to mark Samantha being 1 month old. Some of the people in my family don’t really like complex wines so I had to choose carefully. I also didn’t want to spend a lot of money either as there are some people that I feel don’t apprciate wine and would not mind if it was a $6 bottle of Lambrusco. So, I selected a ready-to-drink Pinot Noir from Paringa Estate on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria that cost $24 a bottle – the 2004 Peninsula Pinot Noir.

It turned out to be a wine that everyone enjoyed very much and went down as a great success. The Pinot Noir (14.6 % vol.) is made from 100% Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir grapes. The rich red/purple colour of this wine is fantastic and left a vivid purple colour on the side of the glass as I swirled it around. I found it’s palette ranging from plums to cherries with a hint of coffee. There is also a subtle taste of oak which added to the taste and smell sensations of this wine.

The tannins are very soft and smooth which made everyone enjoy this delightful, very easy to drink wine. I think this wine would also go very well with turkey, pork or italian style red meat meals like Osso Buco or Polpette (meatballs).

If the Peninsula Pinot Noir is the entry level Pinot Noir offered by Paringa Estate, then the Estate and Reserve series must be completely outstanding! I can’t recommend this wine enough – I’m off to get another 6 bottles before there all gone!

My first post for a while, been a bit busy with work. So, for a change of pace, here is one the best $10 shiraz wines I have had for a long time. Usually, a $10 wine can be very hit and miss, but the Hardys 2003 Oomoo Shiraz is a wine that I enjoyed very much.

I picked up three bottles from Dan Murphy’s to have when the family came around. The Oomoo (14 % vol.) is made from 100% McLaren Vale shiraz grapes that are grown near the Torrens river, west of Adelaide.

The rich red/purple colour of this wine is very vivid and I found it’s palette ranging from plums to blackcurrant with a touch of dark chocolate. It also has a hint of mint and a spicy aftertaste. The tannins are very soft, most likely due to the ripe fruits, making this very easy to drink. I think this wine would also go very well with Osso Buco or a beef stew.

For $10 a bottle, how can you go wrong. Get a few bottles of this so you can save your favourites for yourself!

The last time I visited the Hunter Valley, I picked up a mixed half dozen bottles from Gartelmann winery in Lovedale. I picked up two bottles each of 2004 Ambrossia, 2003 Chardonnay and 2002 Wilhelm Shiraz.

I decided to open one of the Wilhelm Shiraz bottles to have with a rich gravy beef pie. The 2002 Wilhelm Shiraz (13.5 % vol.) is made from hand picked shiraz grapes that are grown on a high trellis system for maximum ripeness. This wine won a silver medal (4th Place) at the 2003 Hunter Valley Wine Show.

The vivid red colour of this wine is appealing to the eye and I found it’s palette ranging from cherry to blackberry with a touch of vanilla. It also has a lovely hint of oak and spice and its tannins are very well controlled and soft. I think this wine would also go very well with Tuna steaks on the grill.

This is a very good Hunter red and I think it is up there with some of the more well known Hunter reds. I recommend the 2002 Wilhelm Shiraz highly and at $22 a bottle, I can’t wait to go back and get some more (and to also try the 2003 vintage).

The last time I visited the Hunter Valley, I discovered this treasure of a winery in Lovedale. Set in an Australian bush setting, this winery has established vines of over 35 years of age. The significance of the magpie on the label becomes clear if you take the time to get to know Jorg, the friendly owner of Gartelmann. The magpies swoop down and feast on the bugs that are attracted to the vines and therefore the requirement of sprays on the vines is greatly reduced. Gartelmann is also well known for its olives and has also won awards for it’s Chardonnay, Semillon and Shiraz wines.

I recently decided to re-aquaint myself with this lovely wine and a nice cheese platter. The 2004 Ambrosia (9.5 % vol.) is made from hand picked semillon and chenic blanc grapes that are grown on a high trellis system for maximum ripeness. The sweetness of this wine is not from botrytis, unlike many other dessert wines. The rich golden colour invites you to try this sweet wine and I found it’s palette ranging from apricots to marmalade to toffee.

This is my favourite desert wine by far. Highly recommended. $24 a bottle.

I recently was told about this lovely wine and decided to taste it last weekend. A fruity, ready-to-drink wine with all of the elements that would make it perfect for a pasta night.

Taltarni Three Monks Cabernet Merlot 2003 (14% vol.) is a cool climate region wine from Victoria’s Strathbogie and Pyrenees Ranges. It is made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot and has an intense, almost deep purple/red colour. I found it’s palette ranging from mocha to plum and its soft tannins made this very easy to drink.

Highly recommended and at around $18 a bottle, very hard to go past. Even recommended by one of Australia’s best wine guru’s James Halliday. Why not take a look at the James Hallidays 2005 Top 100.