1. Accommodation – Saltwater Beach house, Prevelly

After about 3 hours of driving we arrived in Margaret River, collected the keys to the house & Settler’s Tavern for lunch and welcome drinks

• Presentation of Mr Fay’s belated birthday gifts (Scottish books & over sized Gryffindor t-shirt *inside joke*)
• Sent the boys grocery shopping for dinner while Girlychat strolled down the main road experiencing local art & food
• Checking into the amazing Saltwater beach house. Fully furnished house that sleeps up to 11 guests. With only 2 queen beds and 3 couples, we Fay & I won the first come first serve queen beds. Better luck next time, Chrinnye!

With modern interiors and a huge deck with views of Prevelly Beach, it is one of our favourite places to stay. If you enjoy the beach, Prevelly beach is only a 3 minute walk, pretty much right in your back yard. For those of you who would prefer to relax indoors, this house also has a table tennis, is decked out with two tvs with stacks of dvds, and lots of national geographic magazines.

Bottom floor of the Saltwater Beach House

Top floor of the Saltwater Beach House – Girlychat lounging on the sofa

Balcony view of the Prevelly Beach

2. Beaches

Although I have not traveled all around the world, I feel confident enough to say that Western Australia has the most beautiful beaches!

Panoramic view of the Prevelly Beach

Walking path to the Prevelly Beach

3. Food

During our 3-day stay we visited Morries for breakfast, Must for dinner and Watershed and Cheeky Monkey for lunch. We did utilize the beautiful fully functioning kitchen of the house to cook breakfast and dinner a few times.

Rude 6am awakening courtesy of WC but was compensated by awesome breakfast cooked by WC and Mr. WC

Chrinnye aka (WC & Mr WC) cooked spaghetti Bolognese. I think SN ate 3 bowls of it.

At the end of our trip, on our way back home, we had a quick pitstop for a proper coffee at Yahava Koffeeworks & light breakky at Cookies Galore next door.

Yahava Koffeeworks – can you spot Mr. & Mrs. SDS?

Cookies Galore – mmm the smell of their shortbreads bring you the heaven and back

4. Wineries

Margaret River is home to over 100 Wineries, and if you love your wine, you are definitely in the right region. Many of them are just breath taking situated on large blocks of land and are often used for weddings, concerts and special occasions. We visited a few of the more popular Wineries down Caves Road which include Vasse Felix (started in 1967 this is the first Winery in Margaret River), Juniper (Dr. SA saved an injured bird), Gralyn (Mr. & Mrs. Fay’s favourite; WC hurt her big toe pretty badly here unfortunately and again Dr. SA came to the rescue), Pierro (Mr. WC’s favourite).

Vasse Felix winery – good wine but bad coffee

Leeuwin Estate winery with its famous ampitheatre

Leeuwin Estate wine tasting

Lunch at Watershed winery

5. Friends!

Partying it up at the South West Beer Festival at the 3 Oceans winery.

South West Beer festival at 3 Oceans Winery

Not much shade at all… Fay was super sunburnt.

love, girlychat

Pleasing mature flavours of beetroot, leather in the background and lashings of blackcurrants, plums and trademark Margaret River Eucalypt.

It straddles the border of a young wine, maturing nicely.

A very good, sublime wine.

My records indicate I bought this on special for $45. Doesn’t say where… unusual

Tasted 16th December 2012

BF and I went to Howard Park Winery when we were down south for the 2012 Margaret River Gourmet Escape to partake in the Jete-Methode Traditional Wine Experience.

The tasting occurred in their cellaring room and the numerous barrels filled with red wine made for a delightful aromatic setting to conduct our tastings in.

Barrels of red wine.

1st Tasting: Blind Tasting

We began the session with our first tasting which consisted of a blind tasting of 6 different Australian sparkling wines and Champagnes.

Blind Tasting.

Tasting Notes

Wine 1:

Nose: fruity.

Palate: dry, fresh, vibrant, zesty, not overly developed.

Wine 2:

Nose: toasty and nutty.

Palate: dry, butterscotch overtones, very spritzy and creamy.

Wine 3:

Nose: lime and citrus.

Palate: Smooth, sherberty texture, dry and tight – potential for cellaring.

Wine 4:

Nose: syrupy/Fortified, nutty,

Palate: not a fan.

Dark colouring, potential cork taint?

Wine 5:

Nose: fresh, vibrant, musky fruit tones.

Palate: dry and creamy.

developed but still tight.

Wine 6:

Nose: sherry,

Palate: slight fortified aftertaste, full-bodied, rustic – barrel fermented.

limey colouring.

Blind Tasting Revealed (not in order).

Wine 1: Voyager Estate 2010 – 100% Chardonnay, recently disgorged and not yet relaxed.

Wine 2: Cestulat Champagne – Pinot Noir Chardonnay blend.

Wine 3: Grand Jete 2009 – Disgorged in October 2012.

Wine 4: Penet Chardonnet – 100% Chardonnay.

Wine 5: Veuve Cliquot NV.

Wine 6: Stella Bella 2009 – 100% Chardonnay and Brandy dosage.

2nd Tasting: Chrysallis to Butterfly – taste the journey from raw base to finished wine.

The purpose of this tasting was to show how a traditional-methode sparkling develops. To do so we tasted our way through from the raw base, 4 different vintages and finally the finished product.

Tasting 2 in order.

Wine 1: 2012 base wine.

Nose: fruity.

Palate: dry, citrus, fruity, still.

Wine 2: 2012 in triage 3 months.

Nose: yeasty and nutty.

Palate: carbonated.

Wine 3: 2011 on lees 12 months.

Nose: nutty.

Palate: carbonated.

Wine 4: 2010 on lees 24 months.

Nose: nutty.

Palate: beginning to taste like a sparkling wine.

Wine 5: 2009 on lees 36 months.

Nose: nutty.

Palate: smooth and creamy.

Wine 6: 2009 as a finished wine.

Nose: nutty and syrupy.

Palate: balanced, creamy, smooth, rich.

After the second tasting we were taken through to the machinery when the disgorging, corking and packaging of sparkling wines occurs. We were also shown that while there is modern machinery that can do a lot of the process of the traditional-method there is still the presence of the traditional racking method.

Racking for sparkling wine.

Tasting 3: Dosage

The final tasting consisted of different final dosage’s

Dosage 1: water with 5gLt (grams per litre).

Dosage 2: water with 10gLt (grams per litre).

Dosage 3: 1% Brandy, no added sugar.

Dosage 4: still wine with 5gLt (grams per litre).

Dosage 5:still wine with 10gLt (grams per litre).

From this tasting we individually determined what the dosage would be for our own personal bottle of 2009 vintage Jete. I chose dosage 4 while BF chose dosage 5.

While we waited for our dosage to be added and the bottles to be corked we had the chance to sample Howard Park’s non-vintage Jete and Rose with freshly baked bread, soft white rind cheese and smoked salmon. The NV in comparison to the vintage were not as good I think having tried all the other champagnes and sparkling wines at the start made for the NV to be a little disappointing at the end.

I highly recommend that if anyone gets the chance to do something like this to do so! The experience of disgorging and the chance to try numerous different sparkling wines and Champagnes was amazing!

Until next time!

Anyway, to the wine dinner. We had such a great evening, It was held at The Brook in Ellenbrook. Hosted by wine maker Stuart Pym from Stella Bella Wines, a passionate man happy to talk about wine well into the evening. He has worked at wineries such as Devils Lair, Vasse Felix and Voyager Estate and is now venturing on his own.

The dinner included a five-course meal with matching wine’s, topped up in between. We got a little sloshed but had a great time, we laughed, chatted to strangers, ate and drank, all my favourite things! The food was delicious and the wines went down beautifully. It was amazing value at $70 per head all included. I would highly recommend checking out one of these Stella Bella dinners. I had an email from Beaufort Street Merchant, they are having a Stella Bella dinner on the 30th October, I’m not sure why, but they are charging $119 per head for only four courses. I guess you pay for location!

Here a few photos from our evening!

Stuart Pym

Stella Bella Wine Dinner Menu

On Arrival- 2011 Semillon Savignon Blanc

First Course- Pork Terrine, Chilli Jam served with 2008 Viognier

Second Course- Dill Crumbed Prawn Cutlets, Papaya Salad, Lime and White Chocolate Foam served with Suckfizzle  2007 Savignon Blanc Semillon

Third course- Italian Braised Beef Cheek, Parpadelle Pasta, Gremolata served with 2009 Sangiovese Cabernet

Fourth Course- Moroccan Lamb Rack, Carrot and Cumin Puree, Chicory Salad served with 2008 Shiraz

Fifth Course- Lavender Panna Cotta, Rasberry Sherbert, Fresh Blueberries served with 2011 Pink Muscat

$20 from Vintage Cellars (Albert Park). Intense ruby colour, with an expressive nose of pencil shavings, blackcurrants, milk chocolate with dark berries and a faint touch of eucalypt. A dry, med+ bodied wine with moderate tannins that are slightly sappy. High level of cleansing acidity, 13.8% alc. Matured in a mix of American and French oak barrels. Flavours of blackcurrants, savoury plums, hint of grassy dried herbs. A nice drink from start to finish. Drink now – 2015. 90-91/100. Had this with Irish lamb stew, yum!

Busselton Jetty.

Voyager Estate.

I love the feeling of grass against my feet.

Cape Lavender.

♥

Wadjemup Lighthouse.

Have a blessed and safe Easter holiday everyone!

A couple of weeks ago, we took our very first road trip down south to do some exploring and what we found was pretty spectacular. About three and a half hours south of Perth, you will find the beautiful town of Margaret River, the wine region of the South West and home to a myriad of wineries, vineyards, chocolate factories, boutique restaurants and farms and factories selling their produce on site.

We headed down on a Friday evening. With the idea of getting out of the city for the weekend, we were feeling a little footloose and fancy free! We stopped halfway to have a picnic and admire the vast amount of outback that seemed to disappear into the distance. We arrived post sunset at our chalets and were spellbound by how stunning they were. Hidden back off the main road and set into a backdrop of surrounding forests, it was eerily quiet when we arrived but we soon realised it was a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of the city.

We soon found our bearings and settled into the evening with dinner at Must Wine Bar with a couple of friends. We truly kicked off the weekend in style. Starting with a bottle of wine for the ladies and some local brew for the boys, we began with a charcuterie plate. The mains were delicately presented and pleased each one of us but the hero of the night was the dessert. If you do manage a trip to Margaret River, I would go to Must for their desserts alone.

The following morning, we headed down to town for a quick breakfast. It would have been quick if we did not have to wait 40 minutes for it but we managed to inhale it and jump on the bus bound for the South West Craft Beer Festival. In case you don’t know already, Craft Beer and the drinking involved in it is a bit of a national sport around these parts and I am certainly one of it’s enthusiastic participants.  We spent all day Saturday at the craft beer festival. With at least 20 stalls of local and south western breweries displaying some of their own unique brews, we were kept happy. $2 a taster (200ml) or $6 for a full schooner (450ml) it catered for everyone. We stuck with the tasters to allow us to get a small sampler of everything. After seven solid hours of shenanigans, wind, rain and a little sun. We were back on the party bus and headed to Margaret River. We popped into the Settlers Tavern, where it seemed every inhabitant of the town that weekend was settling for a pint. A few ginger beers and off we toddled back to the chalets for an in-house barbecue and some  more local brews.

The following morning, we had to shake off the brain fog fairly lively and get on our merry way to a tour of Margaret River and it’s local crafts. Our first port of call was the Margaret River Cheese Company. We stopped in for some cheese tastings and picked up a few of their handmade cheeses at a nice bargain.

After the cheese company we stopped off at Providore and from the moment I stepped out of the car, I fell in love. As you walk up the gravel driveway to the shop/restaurant side, you can see the surrounding vineyards and Organic Kitchen Garden. As you walk into the shop, the shelves are stocked with all of their own produce, from curds to infused olive oils and vinegars, pasta sauces, smoked fish, wine and lots more. Behind the shop floor lies the restaurant, serving up fresh produce picked right out of their garden. I was given permission to go wild in Providore, mainly because some of their products were just so luxurious, I wasn’t the only one who wanted to have them. Almost every product had tasters laid out in front so we were all indulging in the samples. I was tempted by their fruit curds, I adore lemon curd. Lashings of lemon curd on fresh toast is one of my all time favourite treats. T picked a jar of the passionfruit as it was a bit more tart.

We ventured into Providore’s Organic Kitchen Garden. Plants, herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetables of all kinds including some odd looking creatures to boot.

One of the chefs was out picking his salad and showed off some of his stash…

He also picked some lunch for the chooks

We had to be dragged away from Providore due to pressing time as we had to get to our booking at Voyager Estate. A recommendation by a friend sparked interest in this winery. She was telling me tales of time spent in Voyager soaking up the vino and the good times. All she could talk about was the food, glorious food! When we arrived at Voyager, it again was surrounded by luscious vineyards flailing wildly in the wind. We were seated and placed our orders. A charcuterie and tasting plate to start

I chose the Margaret River Venison served with a beetroot and taleggio tart. Irrestible. Divine. Glorious.

As we were leaving the Estate, I noticed the Voyager Guest Book….Cheeky!

Our tour of Margaret River brought us to Gabriel Chocolate Factory. Single origin from bean to bar. Walking through the front door of the factory shop floor and you go weak at the knees. Amazing smells of chocolate fill the air.

The chocolatier that was stocking shelves brought us through each of the bars (72%) and the cacao nibs, the inside of the cacao husk crunched up. They were the best part, a bitter and smoky taste. I have been adding them to my cereal since and bouncing off the walls with energy. I picked up some of the chocolate bars too and have since used them in making peanut butter brownies and chocolate avocado mousse. A rich component to  cooking and add an increase in the depth of flavour, so smaller portions suffice when using this chocolate.

We left Gabriel Chocolate to our last port of call for the weekend, The Natural Olive Oil Soap Factory

We arrived here at about 4:45 pm just in time to have a gawk before closing. As you walk in the shop, you are greeted by wonderful aromas which make you lust after that steaming hot bath with fresh salts and extracts of lavender. The shop floor looks down onto the factory floor where you can see some of the soap makers hard at work. We sampled some of their produce, as well as olive oil, soaps and salts, they stock condiments of all sorts. We picked up a jar of Macadamia Pesto and Red Onion Jam. Swoon!

We hopped back in our cars and begrudgingly began our journey north towards Perth. Back to the real world, work looming in the morning.

We loved Margaret River so much that we are heading back down there in a few short weeks, this time experiencing a whole other side to Margaret River. Watch this space!!

For the past three years, Voyager Estate has generously conducted a masterclass to benchmark their Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon against the world’s best producers. There is only ever a small group, but it is one of the tastings of the year.

I was lucky enough to be there for the second year running and I think this was the best one yet. We saw wines from France, New Zealand, USA, and for the first time South Africa, along with top producers from Australia. All wines were tasted blind.

Chardonnay

2008 Kistler Sonoma Mountain Les Noisetiers Chardonnay – Sonoma County, California, USA.

The vines for this wine sit at an elevation of 800 metres, so it is very cool-climate. Visually it has a pale complexion and aromatically there is an abundance of grapefruit, pears and creamy lees characters. The palate is citrusy and textured with a mineral cut and a lingering length. It was wonderful to see such a restrained American and it appears to have life ahead of it. 14.1% alc. Cork.

2008 Felton Road Chardonnay – Central Otago, NZ

People tend to focus on the Pinot Noirs from Felton Road, but the Chardonnay is no slouch. White stone fruits, lemon rind and a slight cashew character waft out of the glass with the theme carried through to the palate. A creamy lees texture supports along with a long finish. The oak shows through a bit more than the Kistler, but it is beautifully handled. 14% alc. Screwcap.

2008 Hamilton Russell Chardonnay – Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, South Africa.

This deeply coloured wine shows dominant toasty and nutty characters on the nose together with ripe peaches. Stylistically it seems more ‘old school’ with plenty of oak over the fruit. It has apparently only seen 8-months in small French oak, but it appears to give it most of it’s character. However, it does have a decent acid line. Aficionados of the style will love it. 13% alc. Cork.

2008 Voyager Estate Chardonnay – Margaret River, W.A.

This pale wine shows fragrant white stone fruits together with nutty, lees notes and a slight Burgundian ‘funky’ character. On the palate it has powerful fruit weight with layers of complexity and tightly wound acidity. A brooding wine that is just waiting to cut loose.  13.3% alc. Screwcap.

2008 Louis Jadot Corton-Charlemagne – Burgundy, France.

Unfortunately the cork had emasculated the wine. Random oxidation.

2008 Kooyong Faultline Chardonnay – Mornington Peninsula, Vic

This pale wine is more citrus in style shouting its cool-climate roots from the rooftops. It is almost Chablis-esk with slight chalkiness and a minerally texture together with upfront grapefruits and orange zest. A restrained, elegant style.  12.5% Screwcap.

Shiraz

2009 Craggy Range Le Sol Syrah – Hawkes Bay, NZ

A vibrant wine showing florals, pepper, mocha and a slight herbaceous edge on the nose. It is very tight with a solid core of fruit and fine-knit, savoury-edged tannins. Needs time and lots of it! 14.1% Cork.

2009 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier – Canberra District, NSW

A bright, beautiful wine displaying floral and white pepper aromas with a whiff of deli-meats. There is powerful fruit on the palate supported by savoury, tight tannins and a spicy finish. It’s vin-fanticide to be drinking this now – needs lots of time. 14.2% Screwcap.

2009 Jasper Hill Georgia’s Paddock – Heathcote, Vic

Here’s a lovely wine that has that added ‘feel-good’ factor. It’s organic and biodynamic displaying appealing florals, spice and dried herbs with a slight mocha note. Respectable fruit core on the palate with very tight, drying tannins and a spicy finish. Needs time to come together. 14% Cork.

2009 Voyager Estate Shiraz

Vibrant purple in colour, it shows bright forest fruits, blue fruits and exotic spice. The palate has a strong spiced-berry fruit core with tight tannins and a generally tightly wound structure. A very pretty wine. 13.9% Screwcap.

2008 Bernard Burgaud Cote-Rotie – Northern Rhone Valley, France

On the nose, lots of forest fruits with a slightly funky edge. Quite peppery, spicy and meaty with a touch of animal. Fruit still evident, but finish is slightly drying. At least the animal is tame in this one. 12.5% Cork.

2009 Shaw and Smith Shiraz – Adelaide Hills, SA.

Containing a smidgen of Viognier, this wine shows highly spicy and floral aromatics supported by a tight, firm sweet fruit core and an attractive spicy finish. A wine with finesse. 14.5% Screwcap.

Cabernet Sauvignon / Bordeaux blends

2007 Wynns Glengyle – Coonawarra, SA

Very good colour with varietal cassis and tobacco leaf aromas. Very tight on the palate with a sweet fruit entry and fist-clenching, aggressive tannins. Time may rectify this. 14% Screwcap.

2007 Cullen Diana Madeline – Margaret River, WA.

This bio-dynamically produced Bordeaux blend displays ripe cassis along with cedar-box and that telltale Margaret River mint. On the palate, it shows characters in the herbaceous spectrum along with blackcurrant, fine abundant tannins and a decent length. Another keeper. 14% Screwcap.

2007 Voyager Estate – Margaret River, WA

A Cabernet Merlot blend, this vibrant Western Australian showed its roots through its typical choc-mint aromas. The palate was surprisingly savoury with firm tannins, a decent length and a slight lick of herbs on the finish. A lovely balanced wine. 14.2% Screwcap.

2007 Montelena Estate – Napa Valley, California, USA.

This wine needed time to breathe. At first it was dismissible, but it opened up to be a revelation!

At first look, the nose showed red licorice, a touch of meatiness and sage hints with a whiff of oak. The palate was VERY savoury, but not animal as there was an abundance of cassis fruit on the mid-palate and the length was long and tight. After many swirls, it opened up to wonderful floral aromatics, was multi-layered and long lasting. This was my first Montelena and I loved it! 14.3%. Cork.

2007 Tenuta Dell’Ornellaia – Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy

If ever there was a wine that needs time to integrate, it’s this one. Bright in colour, it is currently quite a leafy and showing lots of oak. The cassis and plum fruits are powerful and tightly packed on the palate and need time to unwind. It seems wrong to be drinking this wine now. Lay down for a little while and it might be a different story. 14.5% Cork.

2007 Leoville-Las-Cases – St. Julien, Bordeaux, France.

For a vintage that is deemed to be a bit mean and not that flash, this is a very good effort from Bordeaux’s finest producer in my book. Bright in colour, a symphony of cassis, plum, vanilla and cigar-box ooze out of the glass. The palate shows a clean, sweet fruit entry with firm, fine-grained tannins, a tight acid backbone and a persistent finish. Many wines were green and mean in this vintage, but not this one. Alcohol usually around 12.5%. Cork.

Australian wedding at Voyager Estate

I discovered this gorgeous wedding held at the stunning Voyager Estate down south via Style Me Pretty.  I love the lavender accents.

The lush rose gardens at Voyager are perfect for a romantic ceremony, with elegant Tiffany chairs set on the paths throughout the roses, hugging the bride and groom in the centre pavilion.  The added bonus is the amazing food!

A garden view at Voyager Estate

During our wedding weekend down south, visiting Voyager Estate for a long leisurely lunch will be a top priority activity.

Lovely Goodies for your wedding and parties over at Emerald and Ella

Some lovely items over at Emerald and Ella, check out their candles + lanterns and garlands + decorations.

I am love with garlands at the moment and plan to incorporate 2 x 8m long garlands at my reception venue, so hopefully I’ll be sharing some pretty finds very soon, but I have a feeling a DIY project might be on the cards!

No-sew bow tie toppers

Love this gorgeous little DIY project via A Subtle Revelry, so cute with the macarons!

no-sew bow tie toppers

DIY Straw Flags with Printable Template – Tutorial

If the bow ties don’t take your fancy today, then check out these sweet little celebration straw flags via Little Flamingo.  These are such a simple addition to your decor but add a bit of personalised fun.

DIY straw flags

Enjoy xx

It’s just a shame that their wine list is so pedestrian. (Sorry Ajoy!) I was looking for a good bottle to enjoy on this special occassion and the best I could find is this lower end of the Voyager Estate collection easy drinking red. It’s a predictable, pleasant drop but we got off to a bad start when it was served at room temperature. Now I don’t mean cellar temperature or European room temperature. I mean Sydney, end of summer, Indian restaurant, stored in the open 2 metres away from the cook tops room temperature. So it was tepid.

But having said that, the wine itself is damn good value and is very drinkable. It also has the structure and tannins to reward cellaring, I’d suggest up to 2020. At just over 14% alcohol it’s presence is well felt and the sunshine and fruit of the Margaret River wine making practices make themselves known in every mouthful.

I’d be grabbing a few of these if I were you. At about $12 to $14 a bottle drink a couple now (but not luke warm) and put a couple away for a mid winter Indian meal in 2020!

2008 Voyager Estate "Girt by Sea" Cabernet Merlot

When looking up this wine later I found some amazing tasting notes which I’ll repeat here:

winefront.com.au says “Certainly girt a lot of different grapes in it – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and then little bits of Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz and Grenache.”

Big Red Wine Book says “Hits the spot. Tastes of tasty bay leaf, chocolate, plum and mulberry. Nicely weighted, though it does have slightly raspy kitten’s tongue tannins. No matter. Regional flavours are gravelly herb-like. Balance is exemplary. It’s already good to drink, though it’s sure to cellar well. If you are so inclined. Rating; 91 points.” I can’t say I’ve heard of kitten’s tongue tannins before, but it does summon up an accurate image of the wine.

“Girt By Sea is Voyager’s early-drinking Margaret River red, cabernet and merlot, with sherricks of malbec, cabernet franc, shiraz and grenache. The ’08 has excellent regional identity. Briar, blackcurrant, raspberry and violet aromas meet the nose. The palate is ripe and succulent, with cabernet austerity to give it tang. Drink over 8 years. Food Ideas; Rack of lamb, Vietnamese mint-wrapped beef. Rating; 4 ½ star. ” Ralph Kyte-Powell – Epicure The Age – 1 June 2010

and finally James Hallidays says “Bright colour; a raw and unevolved bouquet with charry oak, red and black fruits and even a hint of olive; the palate is incredibly fresh and vibrant, and will benefit from a little time for the parts to come together.” He awards it 92 points and recommends it for drinking in 2018.

There’s a bit of a slanging match going on over the sale of New Zealand wines in Singapore at the moment, so I’m going to stay out of the way and focus on Aussie wines until things settle down.

A word on GST: If you’re buying wine in Singapore (other than for consumption at a restaurant), the price quoted must include GST. If like me, you find GST added to the retail price after you’ve made your order, cancel the order and dob the offender into the IRAS. It’s not like GST hasn’t been around long. It’s tough enough out there for the law-abiding sellers without having to compete with those who gain advantage by appearing to show low prices.

A word on vintages: Yep, it still happens, You order one vintage and you get delivered another. There’s no excuse for this. I’ll give the seller the benefit of the doubt (for a genuine mistake)– but only once. After that, the wine goes back and the seller’s off my list.

A solid bunch of wines recommended here. Nothing exceptional (although the Voyager Cabernet Merlot is the best comparative value wine here), just good, down to earth pricing. The cheapest are the Majella Musician Shiraz and the Charles Cimicky Trumps Shiraz, each at S$27 a bottle by the case. If you can’t spend S$27 on an Australian wine, I guess you should be looking elsewhere (or going teetotal). Also, if you like your wines with a little less alcohol, have a look at the by Farr from Geelong.

The whites:

2008 / by Farr / Geelong / Chardonnay / S$66, S$60 by the case at Island Wines – 5 star. Halliday 96 points, drinking to 2016 and 13% alc. RRP of A$63 so BBI says “Good Value”

2003 / Leeuwin Estate / Margaret River / Chardonnay / S$88 at Wine Exchange Asia – 3 star to 5 star depending on who you follow. Jeremy Oliver has it as 5 star (97 points), as does Gourmet Traveller Wine. Wine Spectator thinks 4.5 but if you follow Wine Estate (I don’t), they say 3 stars. Drink out to 2015. RRP is/was about A$85 so BBI reckons this is “Good Value”.

In 1995, James Halliday wrote of Voyager Estate:

“10,000 cases – Formerly Freycinet Estate, renamed after its purchase in May 1991 from Western Australian viticulturalist Peter Gherardi. Millions of dollars have been spent by new owner Michael Wright in extending the vineyards and erecting a state-of-the-art winery reminiscent of the more opulent showpieces of the Napa Valley.”- (James Halliday’s Pocket Companion to Australian and New Zealand Wines)

Fifteen years later, James Halliday wrote:

“35,000 cases – Voyager Estate has come a long way since it was acquired by Michael Wright (of the mining family) in 1991. It now has a substantial high-quality vineyard, which means it can select the best parcels of fruit for its own label, and supply surplus (but high-quality) wine to others. The Cape Dutch-style tasting room and vast rose garden are a major tourist attraction. Exports to the UK, the US, and other major markets.” – (James Halliday Australian Wine  Companion 2011)

2007 / Voyager Estate / Margaret River / Chardonnay / S$52, S$49 by the half case at Wine Exchange Asia – 5 stars. Halliday and Oliver agree on 96 points! Can’t get easier than that. Drinking 2012 – 2016. With a RRP of A$42, another “Good Value” rating.

2009 / Voyager Estate / Margaret River / Sauvignon Blanc Semillon / S$35, S$32 by the half case at Wine Exchange Asia – 4.5 stars. Halliday 93, Oliver 94, drinking to about 2014. RRP of A$24 so BBI says “Great Value”

The reds:

2008 / by Farr / Farrside / Geelong / Pinot Noir / S$70, S$63 by the case at Island Wines – 4.5 star. Halliday 94 points, drinking to 2016, 13.5% alc. RRP of A$65 so “Good Value” again.

2008 / by Farr / Sangreal / Geelong / Pinot Noir / S$70, S$63 by the case at Island Wines – 5 star. Halliday 96 points, drinking to 2018, 13% alc. RRP of A$67 so BBI says “Good Value”.

2008 / by Farr / Tout Pres / Geelong / Pinot Noir / S$95, S$85.80 by the case at Island Wines – 5 star. Halliday 96 points, drinking 2020 (for a pinot?) 13.5% alc. RRP of A$98 so more “Good Value”

2005 / Voyager Estate / Margaret River / Cabernet Merlot / S$54, S$52 by the half case at Wine Exchange Asia – 5 stars. James Halliday 96, drink 2015-2025, Jeremy Oliver 95, drink 2013-2017+. The only other thing you need to know is the value. RRP of A$60 so BBI says “Terrific Value”.

2008 / Majella / The Musician / Coonawarra / Cabernet Shiraz / S$30, S$27 by the case at Island Wines – A range of 3 star to 4.5 star. Halliday gives it 94 points, and Epicure gave it 4.5 stars. Wine Estate gave it 3 stars and 4 stars in the same issue (?). With a RRP of A$17, the price here earns a “Good Value” rating.

2008 / by Farr / Geelong / Shiraz / S$66, S$60 by the case at Island Wines – 5 star. Halliday 96 points, drinking to 2020, 13.5% alc. RRP A$63 so a solid “Good Value” rating.

2006/ Charles Cimicky / Trumps / Barossa Valley / Shiraz / S$30, S$27 by the case at Island Wines – 4.5 star. Halliday 94 points, drinking to 2016. RRP of A$20 so makes it “Great Value”

2008 / Voyager Estate / Margaret River / Shiraz / S$45, S$42 by the half case at Wine Exchange Asia – 4.5 stars. Halliday 94, Oliver 92. Drinking to 2016. RRP of A$32, “Good Value” again.

“When we die, all that is left of us is what is mineral and material – our skin, veins and tissues, all that decays. Wine gives us a sense of life, of what persists. That’s why people spend a lot of money on a great bottle” – Jacques Lardiere, winemaker at Louis Jadot, speaking with Stephen  Brook in Decanter, September 2010.

(By the way, with Xmas coming on there’ll be a fair few offerings of mixed dozens. I’m not a great fan of mixed dozens when they’re already packaged up for you. I’ve always had a sneaking suspicion that the good wines get paid for by the bad ones, and that the mixed dozen is just meant to hide the real pricing from you. Nothing I’ve seen changes my mind on that, but I’m willing to be convinced. It just means you’re unlikely to see a review of a mixed dozen here any time soon.)

Let’s start with the Kiwis:

2007 / Kumeu River / Mates / Auckland / Chardonnay / S$49 from Wine Exchange Asia – Michael Cooper loves this wine and gives it 5 stars. Drinking from now until 2014. Price-wise, I don’t know how WEA do it. This wine retails for NZ$52 – here it is in Singapore at S$49. Don’t “go figure”, do “go get it”!

2007 / Kumeu River / Hunting Hill / Auckland / Chardonnay / S$49 from Wine Exchange Asia – Ditto for everything I said about Mates. Michael Cooper 5 stars, drinking to 2014 and RRP of NZ$45. A comparative bargain.

Now to the Aussies:

2005 / Voyager Estate / Margaret River / Cabernet Merlot / S$52 at Crystal Wines – Oliver 95, Halliday 96 and Decanter 4.5 stars. Unusually, Oliver wants to drink this one earlier by around 2017, but Halliday thinks it will go to 2025. RRP was A$60 so the price here of S$52 is damned good.

2002 / Moss Wood / Margaret River / Cabernet Sauvignon / S$95, or S$85 by the half case at Wine Exchange Asia – Oliver 95 points, Halliday 91 (he didn’t think it was developing enough under screwcap). Oliver says drinking to 2014 to 2022, Halliday out to 2015.  The RRP was A$95 so the price here of S$95 is spot on.

2007 / John Duval / Plexus / Barossa Valley / Grenache Shiraz Mouvedre / S$57, or S$52 by the half case at Wine Exchange Asia – I always look forward to the Singapore F1 GP because our Australian guests usually have a bottle or two of John Duval in their bags. I’m a big GSM fan anyway and this definitely hits the spot. Oliver 93, Wine Front 92, Halliday 93 (but Decanter only 4 stars). 14.5% alc. Consensus on drinking to 2015+. RRP of A$39 so marginally outside the BBI unless you get it at S$52, when it slides into the BBI. Best to get a half case then (or a whole one!).

2007 / John Duval / Entity / Barossa Valley / Shiraz / S$62, or S$57 by the half case at Wine Exchange Asia – Oliver 94, Wine Front 93, Halliday 94 (but Decanter only 4 stars…) Drinking to 2016. With a RRP of A$48, the BBI would put it at about S$59-60 and that’s right where it is. 14.5% alc.

2006 / Kilikanoon / The Covenant / Clare Valley / Shiraz / S$50 at Wine Exchange Asia – 4.5 stars across the board, from Decanter, Oliver (93), and Halliday (92). Drinking range from 2011 to 2020. RRP of A$40 so S$50 is right where the BBI would expect it to be. 15% alc.

2006 / Kilikanoon / Oracle / Clare Valley / Shiraz / S$65 at Wine Exchange Asia – Another solid 4.5 star wine. Decanter (4.5), Oliver (94), Halliday (92). Consensus on drinking is to 2015. With a RRP of A$79, the price here is outstanding. 15% alc.

How about some Grange for the Xmas stocking?

Too expensive? Depends where you buy it, I suppose.

2001 / Penfolds / Grange / South Australia / Shiraz – S$550 at Epsilon Wines or S$399 at Wine Exchange Asia – Oliver 95, Parker 98. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more. Drinking out to 2031 or 2035 depending on who you believe (or whether you care!)

2002 / Penfolds / Grange / South Australia / Shiraz / S$429 at Wine Exchange Asia – Even better, Oliver 97, Parker 98. Oliver says 2032+, Parker says 2050. See if you (and the wine) can last that long.

So, what’s the best comparative value in that lot?

In the whites, the Kumeu River Mates is a terrific buy. In the reds (putting aside the Grange which trades in a stratosphere of its own), the Kilikanoon Oracle, followed closely by the Voyager Estate.

“A quarter acre of grape vines isn’t a working vineyard. At best, it’s a hobby; at worst, it’s an affectation……..Like a child, a vineyard needs love and maintenance and constant vigilance. As with children, a very small one isn’t necessarily easier to manage.” – Tony Lee writing in The Age, 24th August 2010. Could have been talking about Bastard Box!

We had six nights for our honeymoon in Margaret River in 2006. We celebrated our “six month together” anniversary while we were on our honeymoon! We knew that we were brought together by God and for God. Why waste time then?

So, our anniversary/honeymoon re-enactment – we had three nights in Margaret River. We loved every minute of it so very much and this time we knew each other just a little better than the first time ^-^

Peter fell in love with Blue Wrens on our honeymoon. He had never seen them until then. When I see blue wrens they always remind me of our honeymoon. They are ‘our’ special little birds.

Where we stayed

Our anniversary lunch – Voyager Estate

Celebrating back at the bungalow

4 years requires a lot of celebrating!

The actual Margaret River – we walked here from the Bungalow

Really cool picture of a bee on a blossom of some description

The honeymoon re-enactment was a week ago. It was a dream. That’s all I will say!!

]]> http://wineup.wordpress.com/2009/11/01/australian-shiraz-parte-terza/ Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:44:56 +0000 neromarco http://wineup.wordpress.com/2009/11/01/australian-shiraz-parte-terza/ Ultima parte del “mini trattato” sugli Shiraz australiani del nostro Brendan Jansen

Le zone dello Shiraz australiano

Le regioni più fredde dell’Australia meridionale, come la Clare Valley ed il Coonawarra, forniscono anch’esse Shiraz di alta qualità. Wendouree è un piccolo ma fantastico produttore della Clare Valley… ed è molto difficile procurarsi una sua bottiglia! Del resto gran parte dei produttori di Cabernet del Coonawarra creano anche eccezionali Shiraz.

Infine Margaret River, regione dal clima moderato nell’estremo Sud Ovest australiano, conosciuta per i suoi Cabernet Sauvignon, ospita alcuni produttori di Shiraz con un livello qualitativo altissimo. Due buoni esempi sono Voyager Estate e Windance.

Una rassegna come questa non è in grado di fare giustizia della miriade di produttori di Syrah; alcune importanti regioni vinicole negli stati di Victoria, South Australia e Tasmania non sono neppure state menzionate… va detto però che la gran parte dei viticoltori australiani sono in grado di offrire una bottiglia di Shiraz!

In Australia, come nel resto del Mondo, lo Shiraz è anche vinificato insieme ad altre varietà di uva. Un crescente numero di produttori sta realizzando blend di Shiraz e Viognier (come Clonakilla e Yering Station). Cabernet e Shiraz sono del resto da lungo tempo compagni di strada nel classico Australian blend del Penfolds Bin 389. Anche Grenache e Mourvedre (come nello Chateauneuf du Pape) sono sovente abbinati allo Shiraz (un eccellente esempio è il Nine Popes di Charles Melton).

Due considerazioni finali. La prima a proposito dello stile di vinificazione. Negli anni più recenti ci si è spostati da vini che volevano stupire per l’intensità del gusto, anche attraverso un’ampio uso della barrique di quercia americana (con i conseguenti e caratteristici sentori vanigliati) ad uno stile più sobrio, che utilizza barriques francesi. Naturalmente rimangono ancora molti esempi di Shiraz di grande potenza.

In secondo luogo, le recenti ondate di caldo e siccità che hanno colpito l’Australia hanno operato un cambiamento delle condizioni di lavoro per viticoltori e produttori, specialmente nelle aree di produzione più calde, dove profumi, acidità e struttura risentono della maturazione molto rapida delle uve. Le zone dal clima più temperato, naturalmente, se la passano meglio.

Testo originale Brendan Jansen

Aaaanyway. On the preparation side of things we have not had to do much because most of it is done. Perhaps in the next two weeks I will blog about useful sites we found for booking hotels and also the hotels we found that look fabulous.

So tonight, I thought I might write about Margaret River for a fellow blogger, Heather, who I have just met in blog land, although I have been enjoying her musings over the last couple of months. She’s also a fellow Aussie and as I said to my husband tonight – “I wish I had her life”. Be careful what you wish for hey?

So, Margaret River.. This is where we honeymooned in January 2006. This is where I went before I was married and so did my husband before he was married. I went with groups of people and I went with a girl friend and my husband went alone and my girl friend and I invited him down, just to be kind, but of course he thought ‘three’s a crowd’ and didn’t make an appearance.  Who ever would have guessed that within a year of that invitation the two of us would be married – my husband and I that is – not my girl friend and I!

Peter and I were last in ‘Margarets’ a year ago. Yet another epic three day holiday. We can never have very long holidays because we are always trying to save our annual leave for trips to Japan.

We stayed at Vintages this time, because it was right in town. We usually stay at Coorabin Cottage which is about 10 minutes drive out of town, but because we were there for such a short time we thought saving that daily drive would be a good idea.

Coorabin Cottage

Where did we go and what did we do? It was very wintery, which we loved because up in Perth winter had well and truly ended (unlike this year – it is bucketing down outside right now). We have our set places to visit:

1. Voyager Estate for lunch – superb, stylish, divine, sublime

2. Cape Lavender for lunch on second day – photogenic, delicious,  luscious, delightful, blue wrens!

3. Urban Bean for breakfasts/coffee – hip, healthy, great coffee

4. Wild Thyme for breakfast just down the road from Vintages – affordable, gluten free, check out the locals

5. Natural Olive Oil & Soap Factory for soap and lovely smelly things – unique, organic, family-run, oh-so-sweet-smelling

6. Olio Bello for olive oil and olive oil products – organic, tasty, original, authentic, gorgeous lifestyle

These are a couple of our faves. The main street is jam packed with trendy, unique, boutique style shopping and there are tonnes more restaurants and wineries throughout the Margaret River Region, not to mention the beaches, art galleries, surfing and the bush walks. Way too much to do and to see in just two days.

It’s my birthday tomorrow. I have a new camera, so watch out. Less than two weeks and that shutter is going to be clicking in a different country!

Australian Shiraz main areas

Shiraz, or Syrah as it is called in most other parts of the globe, is, I think, Australia’s gift to the world. There is more Shiraz grown in Australia than in the Rhone Valley, the spiritual home of Syrah (but when other areas are taken into consideration, more Syrah is planted in France, with Australia a close second). In this brief expose I will use the terms Shiraz and Syrah interchangeably, although most New World wines labelled as ‘Syrah’ (even those from Australia) are made in more of a French style – less up-front sweet fruit, and with more of a savoury edge.

Australia has a long and proud history with Shiraz. The first vines were brought into the country by Sir James Busby in the 1830’s. Many vines in many areas in Australia, especially South Australia, are on their own rootstocks, and are well over 100 years old. (Henschke’s Hill of Grace Shiraz, from Eden Valley in South Australia, is made from vines over 120 years old). These precious vines are some of those that survived the great “vine-pull” schemes due to the glut of grapes in the 1980’s.

Australia’s history with Shiraz has benefitted from the various climatic zones in Australia that is able to sustain this versatile grape variety. It has also benefitted from modern winemaking techniques and the absence of strict historical laws, which allow, for example, blending from different areas, sometimes long distances away. Penfold’s Grange, for example, is a multiregional blend of Shiraz, blended with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Australian winemakers and consumers are now beginning to understand the different ways that Shiraz can manifest itself in different regions with different temperatures, proximity to the ocean and soil types.  Tintara (of the Hardy’s stable) has released a series of three single vineyard Shirazes from the Mclaren Vale area to highlight the influences of soil and microclimate. (They are the Blewitt Springs, McLaren Flat and Upper Tintara Shiraz). We are also just beginning to understand the influences of clonal selection, especially in relation to suitability to certain climatic conditions and soil types, and research in this area is ongoing.

Barossa Vineyard (www.landmark-wineaustralia.com/wp-content/upl)

Shiraz from the Barossa Valley in South Australia is traditionally big and bold, adored by the likes of Robert Parker, full of deep dark and dense fruit, with stewed plums, blackberry and cherry flavours. It is this kind of Shiraz that put Australian Shiraz on the world wine map. Well-known examples are the Basket Press Shiraz from Rockford, Peter Lehmann’s Stonewell Shiraz, Grant Burge’s Meshach and Glaetzer’s Amon Ra.

Then there is, a short distance away, the McLaren Vale (which itself has cooler subregions). Shiraz from this region usually has intense berry fruit, sometimes with hints of chocolate and spice, especially anise. D’Arenberg, Chapel Hill and Wirra Wirra are three excellent producers from this area.

The Hunter Valley, in New South Wales, being a warmer climatic region, produces Shiraz with different characteristics.  Here, Shiraz has a more earthy, leathery and savoury edge, but contains enough structure and tannin to allow medium to long term aging. Tempus Two (part of the McGuigan stable) and Brokenwood (Graveyard Shiraz) are two well-known examples.

The Frankland River region in Western Australia, has a growing reputation as a leading area for Shiraz. The Shiraz from this region bears all the hallmarks of a cooler climate wine, with black pepper and spicy overtones, a medium-weight palate, pure varietal expression, and the structure that allows longevity in the cellar. Houghton has produced an excellent regional series of wines with its Shiraz selected from the Frankland River district.

The Heathcote Region in Victoria is another zone that produces powerful, inky, unctuous Shiraz. The ancient Cambrian soils (like that found in the Coonawarra region in South Australia) are thought to contribute at least in part to the quality of the wines. Heathcote Winery and Munari are two examples of producers.

Cooler regions in South Australia such as the Clare Valley and Coonawarra also produce Shiraz of superlative quality. The superb but small, boutique winery, Wendouree, with incredibly difficult to procure wines (mailing list only) is located in the Clare Valley. Most of the great Cabernet producers of the Coonawarra region also produce exceptional Shiraz.

Margaret River, a region with a moderate climate, long known for its Cabernet Sauvignons, is also producing more and more Shiraz of exceptionally high standard. Voyager Estate and Windance are good examples.

In a review such as this, justice cannot be done to the myriad of producers from the many areas in Australia that produce Shiraz. Other regions in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania have not even been mentioned. It would be fair to say that most wine producers in Australia would grow and bottle Shiraz.

In Australia, as in other parts of the world, Shiraz is also blended with other grape varieties. A growing number of producers are releasing Shiraz-Viognier blends (Clonakilla and Yering Station are good examples). Cabernet and Shiraz have been long-time bedfellows in Australia, in what is a classic Australian blend (such as the iconic Penfolds Bin 389). Grenache and Mourvedre (as in Chateauneuf du Pape) are also often blended with Shiraz (Charles Melton’s Nine Popes being an excellent example).

Two final issues. First, a note on style. In recent years there has been a shift away from the fruit bombs laden with vanillin, American oak, to a more restrained style with more French rather than American oak. (But of course, the big powerful examples still exist).

Lastly, the recent heat and drought in Australia has proved to be a challenge for some grape growers and wine producers, especially in the warmer growing zones, where rapid ripening can be at the expense of flavour and, downstream, acid and structure. The cooler growing zones have of course fared better.

Brendan Jansen

]]> http://martinrtw.wordpress.com/2009/04/16/wine-tour/ Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:01:46 +0000 martinrtw http://martinrtw.wordpress.com/2009/04/16/wine-tour/ Note this post has taken several days to write owning to the large amounts of wine which was consumed during the course of the day, it does not help the memory, although the pictures I took do help a bit.

Today I got to go on another tour so headed off with Margaret River Tours, which do a range of different tours, went on the all day wine & dine tour. Was collected from the hostel just before 10am by Kim (a guy) who was our guide and driver for the day, already on board the mini bus was 3 ladies from New Zealand who proved to as mad as anything and spent most of the day laughing at most things. We then carried on to pickup another 4 people from a couple more places and then had our group for the day, not to large at only 8 people meant the tasting sessions could be a bit more personal.

After we had collected everyone Kim then went through what would be happening during the course of the day and which wineries we would be visiting, the plan was to visit 4 large wineries and 2 smaller ones. We then made our way to the first place which was Xanadu winery, here we got to try 8 different wines including a dessert wine which proved to be very popular with everyone.

We then headed off to one of the smaller wineries called Redgate, where we got to try 12 different wines, including a couple of different rose wines, one which was a very dark rose and actually not that bad, although I preferred the lighter pinks. After this we headed over to Voyager Estate which is one of the largest wineries in Margaret River, here we got to try another 7 wines, this was one of the few places which we got to try a Chardonnay and this had to be one of my favourites of the entire day. After this tasting session we made our way to the restaurant at Voyager where we had our lunch, it was only just after 12pm but was ready for some food. Of course include with the meal was a glass of wine. The food here is very good, the restaurant is highly rated,I had the voyager platter which had a variety of different types of food on it. After lunch we were able to wander around the grounds of the winery, has some of the biggest rose gardens in the region, also Kim told us that underneath the gardens is the wine cellar, which is reputed to be the biggest underground cellar in the Southern Hemisphere.

After leaving Voyager we headed up the road to the next estate, to Watershed, which before it became a winery it use to be a dairy farm. Here we got to try the largest selection of wines of the day, sampling 16 different wines, a good thing that we had just eaten lunch earlier. The whites which we sampled were very fruity I found and quite nice to drink. We then headed north of Margaret River stopping first at the Margaret River Dairy Company, where we got to try a range of different cheeses, as well when we were on the bus Kim gave us a large picnic basket, which was full of different savory items to nibble on for the rest of the afternoon.

We then headed over to Vasse Felix, which is the oldest winery in Margaret River first planting vines back in 1967. It is one of the largest in the region as well, covering a large area, with a large production center on the hill above the main cellar door. Here we got to try 10 different wines, this included an extra white, called Heytesbury Chardonnay which is one of their more premium wines, this had been oaked for 12 months which means it has a high price $45, instead of $25 of their normal Chardonnay, although it was very nice with a very good taste to it.

After this we made our way over to our last winery of the day Moss Bros (not the suit company) which is also one of the smaller wineries in the region, here we got to try 9 different wines which they did, as well we had a tour around the winery, being shown how they make the wine and the different processes which it all goes through. The main difference here was we got to do a barrel tasting, they have a barrel which they use which holds 110 cases worth of wine, which they provide samples from to show how the wine improves being in oak.

After we left here while talking with Kim he was telling us about his own vineyard which he owns, and how he has so much knowledge about the wineries, he has worked at 5 of the 6 vineyards which we visited during the day which explained why we got to do some extra tastings. We then stopped at the chocolate company, where again got to sample the different types of chocolate they have, although managed to resist the temptation to buy chocolate.

Then we headed back to town so could go and try and sleep off the wine I had drank during the day, over the course of the day I had sampled 62 different wines and had a normal size glass of wine, so was feeling the effects by then. Although it was definitely one of the best wine tasting sessions I have ever done.