Tag: Barossa Valley

Deisen Mataro 2004 Review

Monastrell, Mourvedre or Mataro?

“Monastrell, Mourvedre or Mataro?” I asked my friend’s Rebecca, John and Michael when they recently called over to pick up their 10-year-old sons after a post-rugby playdate late on Saturday afternoon. Darkness was imposing itself on what had otherwise been a glorious day of autumn Queensland weather and it was most certainly wine o’clock. So…
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Kies Family Wines

A Changing of the guard

A new breed of winemaker is changing the face of the globally renowned region, challenging the conventional approach to winemaking. The strength of South Australia’s Barossa Valley as a Shiraz producing district is globally recognized, but a new breed of winemaker is emerging in the region and subtly shifting emphasis away from Shiraz and traditional…
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Rose wine

A Rose Revolution?

Trend, fad, passion or fetish, call it what you will, but the growing obsession with rosé as a style seems to have finally entrenched itself in foodie culture and it seems the craze is not confined to Australian shores. In the US, a 2014 industry report observed an annual increase in retail sales of rosé…
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Brockenchack, Zip Line Shiraz 2014 Review

Brockenchack, Zip Line Shiraz 2014

Australian wine consumers are a fortunate bunch.  Not only do we have a wide range of varietals to choose from, but we are blessed with remarkable quality for the prices we are asked to pay.  And no more so than amongst our vigneron’s Shiraz offerings where the Brockenchack Zip Line Shiraz 2014 is one of…
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Penfolds, Bin 9 Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Review

Penfolds, Bin 9 Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon, like the Shiraz and red wine blends, is renowned for its high quality, but notorious for its exorbitant price tag.  Their Bin 407 retails at close to $100.00 a bottle while its big brother, the Bin 707 sits in a Grange-esque range of around $300 to $500, depending on the vintage. Against…
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Deisen, Barossa Grenache 2010, Review

Deisen, Barossa Grenache 2010

Wow. It’s not often that I try a wine for the first time and immediately search for descriptive superlatives, but the Deisen Barossa Grenache 2010 left me in an adjective free zone and bordering on speechless. Grenache is a style that is normally used in Bordeaux blends which on its own can be floral and…
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The Niche, Regional Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Review

The Niche, Regional Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2012

I am not normally an advocate of Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc, but if the style floats your boat, you may as well drink one that is made by Australians and in a palate-friendly form. The Niche Regional Reserve Sauvignon Blanc is made by a boutique winery based in Tanunda in South Australia’s Barossa Valley but is,…
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Penfolds, Bin 150 Marananga Shiraz 2010 Review

Penfolds, Bin 150 Marananga Shiraz 2010

Australia’s most widely recognized wine brand, Penfolds, have generally made their wines in three different styles. There’s the single vineyard approach (like the Magill Estate Shiraz), the single region (aka Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz) and the multi-region blends such as their iconic Grange and Bin 707. But since 2008, winemaker Peter Gago has also been…
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Maverick, Breechens White 2011 Review

Maverick, Breechens White 2011

Maverick Wines are probably best known for their winemaker, Ron Brown, and his elegant Barossa Valley Shiraz, but you know the winery is genuinely “five star” when the “house white” is as good as the 2011 Maverick Breechens. Squarely aimed at the “everyday tipple” end of the market, the Breechens is a white blend primarily…
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Westlake, Albert’s Block Shiraz 2010 Review

Westlake, Albert’s Block Shiraz 2010

If Barossa Shiraz tickles your taste buds but jammy, over-ripe styles overwhelm your senses, then the Westlake Albert’s Block Shiraz 2010 will be right up your alley. The crimson coloured Albert’s Block shows the typically fragrant Barossa nose and the regionally synonymous dark berried fruit up front, but rather than explode across the palate there…
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