Good afternoon

After a week’s hiatus on the email front courtesy of an 8 hour power outage in Healesville last week, we’re back with plenty of good stuff! Only 4 weeks until Christmas now!

A quick mention of the Champagne/Sparkling tasting on Wednesday night at Mt Rael. These tastings are only made possible by you and the generosity of time from our trusted importers, so thank you all. Thanks to Emily at Mt Rael for the use of the wonderful space as well – it’s a ripping spot for a bit of indulgence! A line up of 33 bubblies is always going to bring about some healthy debate as to the favourite wines of the night, but they invariably throw up a few surprises as well. This was no exception. It’s always a treat to sip on ‘96 Salon (if only it was a bit easier on the hip pocket!), Jacquesson Avize 2000, Pol Roger Vintage 1999, Lassalle Cuvee BdB 2002, Larmandier Bernier BdB NV and Bellavista Rose 2004 – no great revelations there! But there were some other gems that went close to stealing the show – 2 wines from Pugliese (Italy) producer D’Arapri (a rose and a bianco), the 2000 Grand Cuvee (the bianco) vying for wine of the night honours with beautiful structure and persistence, some great value Cava from Bodegas Raventos and Agusti Torello Mata, a sparkling Vouvray from Marechal and pinot noir based 2002 Paul Bara Special Club showing the virtues of the exceptional vintage. We’ll be running with a fair smattering of the wines leading in to Christmas and the New Year.
On the special tasting front, that’s it for this year. A couple of months to plan the 2010 schedule is just what the doctor ordered!

No shortage of good stuff coming up on Friday night’s though! Tonight we have Stephen Shelmerdine from Shelmerdine Vineyards in store. Shelmerdine’s Yarra Valley wines come off one of the best vineyards in the Valley, in the cooler parts of the upper Yarra. Tonight we’ll have 2 sterling 2008 wines, the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and a 2009 Rose on tasting. As a further treat, we’re launching the 2008 Phi wines as well! Phi is a joint project between Shelmerdine and De Bortoli and each of the releases to date has been nothing short of stunning. These are reserve wines off the Lusatia Park Rd vineyard that highlight what gets us so excited about the potential of the upper Yarra. Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – can’t wait to get into them! From 5pm this evening in store, with Stephen to talk you through the range. FREE!

There has been a heap of new stuff come in over the last fortnight, but here are a few choice selections:
- Pleno Tempranillo 2008 – here’s a Spanish wine that has been a hit over the last couple of years, but this 2008 effort ups the ante again. Drinks like a classy ‘Joven’ (young, unwooded tempranillo) – lovely ripe red fruits, whiffs of tobacco, pepper and spice, with a densely fruit driven palate. Still at the bargain price of $16
- Two Brothers Semillon Sauvignon blanc 2008 - we generally don’t get too roused by this blend, but this Margaret River number took us by surprise. It takes the ‘less is more’ approach to the classic white blend – we like that! Some good leesy complexity adds to the fresh green and yellow fruits – a well proportioned palate and yet enough zesty acidity to keep things in check. Lovely summer drinking at $16 a bottle
- Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Riesling 2009 - there has been a bit of a price hike on this wine, but the new vintage well and truly justifies it. In the top echelon of the Australian expression of the varietal, and even in it’s youth, has a fleshiness that makes it very approachable now. Delicate and minerally, this is a ripper. $30
- Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch – 2 gems from Strathbogie producer Plunkett Fowles – a 2008 riesling and 2007 Shiraz. Before we get to the wines, this has to get the gong for the coolest package to grace the shelves this year. Just as well the wines measure up! Lovely lifted spicy nose to the shiraz with plenty of red and black fruits – plenty of density, while the riesling is classically aromatic with pristine citrus fruit and well managed acidity. Both $32
- Domaine de L’Ameillaud Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2007 – had this in a blind lineup of grenache based reds last week and gee, it looked great! We had a good dip at it earlier in the year and I’m pleased to say that another 4 months hasn’t done it any harm (not all that surprising really!!). Fleshy, dark, spicy, medium bodied, effortless. Seriously hard to beat at $24 a bottle.
- 2007 Chablis and white Burgundies – Billaud Simon Chablis, Pierre Morey Bourgogne blanc, Guy Amiot Chassagne Montrachet ‘les Caillerets’, Michelot Puligny Montrachet, Christian Moreau Chablis – pretty excited to have this stable of stars in the joint!
- Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2007 and Rose 2008 - oh so typical of quality Central Italian wines – medium bodied, all about savoury twists with an earthen drive to match the ripe fruits. Interesting drinking at $29 for the rose and $31 for the rouge.

To order any of these wines, please reply to this email or call the store on 5962 6699.
Orders of 6 bottles or more attract a further 10% discount off these already reduced prices
Free freight on dozens to Melbourne metro. Subsidised freight elsewhere and for smaller quantities.

Tasting tonight from 5pm – Shelmerdine and Phi with Stephen Shelmerdine

Enjoy the weekend

Cheers!