Good afternoon and welcome to 2010!

Ok, it’s a little belated, given that we’re about to roll in to February, but better late than never.

After an indifferent 2009 growing season in the Valley, I’m happy to report that growers out here are pretty optimistic and excited about the prospects of vintage this year. Some good spring and early summer rains, a relatively moderate January with the odd shower and cooler nights, all add up to very healthy looking vines. Fingers crossed the next month or so remains kind and we can get back to something that resembles a classic Yarra vintage.

Pleased to let you know that our Friday night in store tastings resume this week with a new player from the Yarra Valley. Mark Horrigan has put a hell of a lot of work into his Pimpernel Vineyard site (between Rochford and Giant Steps ‘Sexton Vineyard’) and the rewards are clear, particularly with his classy shiraz, pinot noir and chardonnay bottlings. This is a label that you will hear plenty more about in time to come, so identifying yourself as an early groupie can’t be a bad thing! Tomorrow afternoon, 5-7pm, in store with owner and maker, Mark Horrigan. Free!

Shoud take the opportunity top let you know of a couple of international tastings that we’ve got coming up in February. Pencil in the diary Friday the 19th of February for an instore tasting with Italian superstar Alberto Antonini, and Tuesday the 23rd of February for a tasting with Austrian gun Bert Salomon, as well as leading Alsatian winemakers from Jean Luc Mader and Andre Kientzler. We feel a bit lucky to be hosting these 4 internationals for one of their brief Australian stops, so I hope our enthusiasm will be matched by yours!!! More details to follow next week.

Welcome back mixed doz!
Here’s a swag of interesting gear to tempt the fussiest of consumers, bundled up at a great price! 1 of each of the following:
Hoddles Creek Chardonnay 2008 (Yarra Valley) – just ‘cos it’s still the best value chardonnay on the market!
Loosen ‘Dr L’ Dry Riesling 2008 – delightful freshness to this German aromatic
Villa Wolf Pinot Gris 2007 (Pfalz, Germany) – always appears in these bundles because it overdelivers big time
Lucky Cat Pinot Grigio 2009 (King Valley) – fave grigio in Victoria!
Logan Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (Orange) – from high altitude vineyards in Orange, less herbaceous than the Kiwis, more of an array of tropical fruits and gentle florals with lovely minerality to the palate
Domaine Wachau Gruner Veltliner 2008 (Wachau, Austria) – if you want to know what good gruner tastes like without spending 40 bucks a bottle, this is the wine for you. Think ‘like dry riesling but with some spice and a touch more weight to the palate’. Yum!
Airlie Bank Shiraz Viognier 2008 (Yarra Valley) – trophy winning Yarra shiraz from Punt Road
Pitchfork Cabernet Merlot 2007 (Margaret River) – this still floors us for its varietal correctness – cracking quaffer
Hillcrest Village Pinot Noir 2008 (Yarra Valley) – made with the assistance of pinot guru Philip Jones (Bass Philip) – minimal intervention in the winery, old vine material gives weight, interest and balance.
MonRedon Cotes du Rhone 2006 (Rhone Valley, France) – slightly more robust Rhone red blend – all the more to like!
Pleno Rose 2008 (Navarra, Spain) – while the summer sun still shines, everyone should have one of these on hand in the fridge
Sol Amante Malbec Merlot 2008 (Mendoza, Argentina) – see below

RRP $258       Special dozen price $220       Save $38!!!!

BUY ME NOW!!!

We’ve had heaps of cool new stuff arrive over the last few weeks – a bit of a chance to catch up on all those samples that started gathering dust back in December. Here’s a few that really pressed our buttons!
- Sol Amante Malbec Merlot 2008 - not usual to kick off with an Argentine red, but this medium bodied quaffer from Mendoza ticks a lot of boxes. It has the mulberry fleshiness of decent merlot backed by some meaty malbec notes that add spine to the palate. Hard to knock at $16 a pop – bbq written all over it
– Nick O’Leary Riesling 2009 and Shiraz 2008 - a relatively new player on the Canberra wine scene, but already making plenty of noise. Beautifully aromatic riesling ($26) with lovely intensity of a range of citrus fruits and florals – lip smacking enjoyment on the palate. The red is a cracking example of balanced, cool climate shiraz ($30). Silken in its texture, fragrant to the nose – dangerous
– Rise Riesling 2009 - classic single vineyard Watervale (Clare Valley) riesling made by Jeff Grosset. Plenty of oomph to the nose, with citrus fruit to the fore before a refreshing tangy palate with crisp acidity, not searing acidity. Plenty to like. $20
- and on the European front, new exciting new arrivals from Jean Marc Brocard (petit chablis, chablis and grand cru Les Clos), Denis Race (Chablis and Grand Cru Blanchot from 2008), white Burgundies from Guy Roulot, Faiveley Bourgogne Rouge 2006, Remondo La Vendimia 2008 (Spanish garnacha/tempranillo from Rioja Baja that rocks for $29!!!).

So much wine, so little time!!

To order any of these, please rely to this email or call the store on 5962 6699.
Free freight to Melb metro, subsidised elsewhere in Australia.

Tasting this Friday, 5-7pm: new Yarra producer, Pimpernel Vineyards with Mark Horrigan

Cheers!!