The Auswine Forum

Re: the lack of winery. I'm reminded of the 'brewed under licence in the UK' beers. None taste the same as the original product and many taste very similar to each other. Maybe the 'recipe' matches the original (but it probably doesn't), but the water, hops machinery, storage etc. clearly makes a bi...

Yes some of those high octane Rutherglen wines would be a useful data point for sure e.g. Warrabilla One general piece of advice, treat every bottle or glass of wine as a learning step. Paying attention to what's in the glass slowly reveals what appeals to our own palates. Listening to self-proclaim...

Some options: - Barbera d'Asti or Barbera d'Alba. Bright fruit, light tannins, firm acidity. Michele Chiarlo a solid producer. - Valpolicella / Valpolicella rispasso. Fruit quite rich / bold. The ripasso versions emphasise the richness. Nothing I'd recommend on the DM site though. - Nero d'Avola (bu...

What's nice will be specific to you. That said, it's useful info to know where you're coming from. Primitivo not a bad starting point, as it's typically not dry from tannins, and if the alc % is up at 15% the acidity is unlikely to be spiky (unless they added extra acid in the winemaking). Try other...

I suspect that 2022 survey was a specific 'moment in time', that point where a company increases the volume at the expense of quality, leveraging the brand hard before the brand damage is irrevocable.

Yes, I'd echo those comments from Jamie. There's a very popular 'belief system' in the US about extended aeration for nebbiolo. There are certainly times where the wines open up with air, but I've experienced others that fall over inside half an hour. They do too often blindly follow confident asser...

Many thanks for the notes. It is remarkably difficult to know when to open these wines. Many are approachable on release, albeit behind the youthful fruit, there may be firm, gritty and faintly bitter tannins. What happens over the next decade varies, by producer, by vineyard and by vintage. Some wa...

It would be a good comparison. It's been a decade or two since I last tasted the Serpico, but I have picked up and drunk the odd bottle of Moda in the intervening period, so that's how I've voted.

Good news

Madiran very much a 'red meat' sort of wine in youth. The tannins legendary. This co-op is pretty big IIRC, but not without quality. I do like the leathery tertiary aromas, so this would probably be prime drinking for me. Even at this stage, it sounds like it needed steak, a beef stew or something s...

"There was considerable conversation which was as interesting as the wines. This included debate around how to sell young cabernet to consumers (especially younger consumers) and to promote Margaret River and its wines in a more accessible way." Let's hope they are successful. Cheers Alla...

I never had much of a taste for Barbera, but developed an interest via the rather big and bold wines of Giacomo Bologna / Braida (Ai Suma, Bricco della Bigotta and Bricco dell'Uccellone). Only then did I go back and rediscover the typically more restrained Barbera d'Alba wines, and especially with 5...

It would be interesting to taste it. Having tasted a few 'rasping' wines from Bordeaux in years gone by, it would be impressive if the wine could challenge them in that respect

FWIW it's a little dangerous to think of right/wrong. In this case, if they started it by taking you to task, then yes they're at fault for confusing opinion/personal taste with fact. I like a little greenness in my CS, and very much like Loire Cab Franc, where that's often its calling card. Sounds ...

An intentional plan to focus on 2007 vintage? It was a warmer (but not hot) vintage that surprised me a little bit. I tend to go for vintages that lend themselves to firmer / more structured wines (like its predecessor 2006). However we were in the region when those wines were the latest release, so...

Sean wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 8:33 am The issue in recent vintages has been frost, etc reducing fruit availability. But the Cabernet Franc was made in 2021 & 2023.

Just checked and there is a new release 2024.

Cool - I enjoyed that when somehow one vintage made it to the UK

I've really enjoyed Best's Cabernet Sauvignon. Flies so far under the radar it's cutting the grass as it goes, but it isn't in any way overworked (or over-ripe) and seems to age well, but I've drunk all the bottles I've bought before any sign of decline, so I've no idea when that would be. I wonder ...

Australia's most reliably good / good value red wine? I'm not sure I could make a case for any other wine to challenge that.

Maretti not a producer I'd heard of, either in retail listings or in person when visiting. A quick check on CT strongly suggests they are a negociant, because in addition to Barolo (and two Langhe reds), they also 'make' (the actuality of that doubtful) a chianti, a Friuli and a Soave. A veritable g...

Good Chianti certainly can age a couple of decades, and hold lots of interest after that. The tannic 'tea leaf' finish something of a calling card for Chianti / Italian sangiovese, and fruit whilst a key component, isn't the sole focus, and such wines are often better with food, as the primary fruit...

I doubt you are in the minority VinoEd Our interest in the hobby, means we remember wines we liked, and like to buy again with confidence. However when new labels emerge, it can cloud the insight we've acquired - Whilst we might trust the winery, here's a brand new label without a track record. We'v...

Yes, that statement reads like "we'll grab the cheapest bulk wine we can, and that's what will be going into those wines now". Ugh. A shame Cape Mentelle is in their portfolio.

Yes the big corporations good at screwing over a once prestigious name, but very rare for them to rescue anything. In private hands, there's greater hope, especially as Redman can use double branding to show it's in more responsible hands again. Maybe one day we'll see the return of the Woodley trea...

I've never seen, nor tasted the Brown brothers wine, but it's one I've always wanted to try (and indeed try it with some age on it).

Best wishes for your recovery Craig. The wine can wait until you're ready.

Those names are new to me as well, but the CW wines site gives some info, including them being based out of the old Stonehaven winery. As you say, $30 / £15 a bottle seems fair for a punt if you enjoy MV/BV shiraz.

A very interesting quandary on wine prices escalating way beyond what we paid, and way beyond our thoughts on what they are worth. Pure logic says to sell them, and buy more wine to replace them. We ought to be confident that we have the insight to end up with more wine that's at least as good, if ...

A very interesting quandary on wine prices escalating way beyond what we paid, and way beyond our thoughts on what they are worth. Pure logic says to sell them, and buy more wine to replace them. We ought to be confident that we have the insight to end up with more wine that's at least as good, if n...

FWIW I've enjoyed swimming against the tide, giving up on plenty of wines I used to like, but are now priced higher than I can accept. Instead my attentions have moved to Portugal (esp. Dao, vinho verde and Bairrada), more under the radar Italian wines, and Loire Cab Franc, along with a greater will...

Some wine related stuff in there. You may see greater detail in Aussie press. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly6g6l6lq7o Some points of note - Not sure what wine tariffs there were either way, but moving to zero tariffs should be a good thing for wine enthusiasts and the wineries. - 'Prosecco' c...