by Chris | 20 Sep 2021 | Other Reds, Spain
The colour of this Bodegas y Viñedos Juan Manuel Burgos Avan Tinto is deep dark red with a purple tinge. The nose is intriguing with new discoveries in every sniff: plums, spicy oak, chocolate, savoury/earthy notes and some light toffee oak. It’s medium to full bodied...
by Chris | 9 Aug 2020 | France, Other Reds, Red Blends
This Paul Mas Estate Languedoc GSM can currently be found at the new Straits Quay wine shop, Zen’s Wines and Spirits. The colour is a deep dark impenetrable red with a purple rim. Enticing nose of ripe plums, or even spiced plums, and chocolate, dark cherries;...
by Alison | 8 Oct 2017 | Chile, Other Reds, Red Wines
Carmen Gran Reserva Carmenère 2014 is made from hand-harvested grapes from Carmen’s vineyards in the hills of Apalta, in the Colchagua Valley in central Chile. Cedar and tobacco on the nose hint at the wine’s ageing in French oak, which creates a soft,...
by Alison | 9 Sep 2016 | Other Reds, Spain
Once a month on a Monday night Choong and Markus of Restaurant Markus (sadly closed in 2020) conduct a wine tasting using some of the wines from their vast and diverse cellar. This is the first one I have been able to get to, and after this great night I am rather...
by Chris | 18 Oct 2015 | Cabernet, France, Italy, Other Reds, Red Blends, White Wines
Another Thursday night soirée at That Little Wine Bar in Penang and another group of new people to meet. And another totally enjoyable evening with fellow tasters John and Sally, Dennis and Marisel, Adrian, Ju, Rene, John, Pauline and maybe a couple of others. Hosted...
by Chris | 19 Dec 2014 | France, Other Reds
“The palate is incredibly pure, with bouquets of violets and black fruits.” Bought this in London at Odd Bins Abbey Road at under $30. We don’t see wine like this in Sydney, and certainly not at anything like this price. But the availability of a...
by Chris | 16 Nov 2013 | Other Reds, Red Wines, Spain
It pays to have neighbours like these! Our dear friends and neighbours, John and Jeanette, brought this back from their recent visit to the magnificent Ysios Winery (google it) in Spain just for me to try. Battling pirates, highway robbers, conmen and barmaids, they...
by Chris | 15 Jan 2013 | Australia, Chardonnay, Other Reds, Other Whites, Pinot Noir, Red Wines, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia
Huon Hooke’s SMH wine of the week is this wine from the fabulous 2010 vintage, Huon writes: ‘Silverwood Estate is a tiny three hectare vineyard run by the Dennis family, with just three grape varieties, the others being chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. This...
by Chris | 23 Oct 2012 | Australia, Cabernet, Italy, Other Reds, Red Wines, South Australia, Spain
Quality company, quality wines, quality food all adds up to a great night out, albeit accompanied by slight headache next day. Thanks to John and Frances, David and Janet for a most enjoyable night out, Alison and I had a ball and hope we can do it again soon. All the...
by Chris | 14 Aug 2012 | Cabernet, Chardonnay, Other Reds, Red Blends, Red Wines, Riesling, Shiraz, USA
A little off the beaten wine tracks of Napa, Sonoma, Russian River etc., this is the northernmost appellation in the Sonoma Valley. It is well worth a trip, however, as this is an area that produces some of the best PQR (Price Quality Ratio) wines in all of...
