Couple of value reds.

[drdon]

Hi Moikel,

We don't have a lot of access to wine companies (domestic or imports) in my area of Florida. Hopefully when I go to Tampa or Orlando I can do some snooping around. I thank you for the info here. I'm going to add them to my "List of Conquests Sheet".  I LOVE trying new wines, so I see a trip coming up....SOOOOON! I will make these a priority. I will hunt down some Hill of Gold, as well as look into Chalk Hill. Are St Hallet and Kilikanoon different wineries or they from Rosemount Estates?

Don

 

[moikel]

Dr Don,if you are out looking for wine thats in that Grant Burge style & price bracket then the last 2 are a fit.

Kilikanoon make great wine & export to USA. Their shiraz which include the"Parable" & the 'Oracle" are really distinctive wines.

St Hallet make a shiraz at several price points.This Blackwell Shiraz is the Barossa in a glass,dense inky colour,black fruits some mulberry,good use of oak. Grown,made & matured in the Barossa.Big ,uncompromising, contemptuous of whats "in". It knows what it is & it hasn't changed in years, why would it

. Food matching might lean towards some animal you killed with your bare hands & cooked over a raging fire. Venison,prime beef a good start. It needs to breathe a bit between opening & drinking, then you almost have to wrestle it into the glass. Might be a bit of a brute to some but I like it & I don't want it to change. My go to wine for kangaroo dishes.

 

[moikel]

Sorry mate I was writing while you were posting. I know both are available in the states.Both separate wineries that lean to those bigger styles. I figured if you liked those other Barossa wines these would be in your be to your taste.

There is nothing wrong with drinking these big shiraz with a cheese plate ,some aged cheddar,parmesan,something stinky. Just my opinion of course  I am a wine drinker not a reviewer.But I  love both these wines because they are regionally distinctive,they aren't an imitation of anything else or generic. We have a broad range of shiraz across climate zones. I will stick a cooler climate one in soon.

Both wineries have a big range across price brackets I am sure you can find something you like.

If you stumble on a wine that you want to get a straight answer about just stick a question in this thread. I will do my best to answer it.

MICK

 

[moikel]

One last postscript. Kilikanoon & St Hallet both have good websites. So you can see across the range of their wines.You can also get an idea of the prices.

A newcomer that I like a lot is Hares Chase.A side project for the head red winemaker at Penfolds,huge respect for that position in this country. Good website. I bought up big some years back when they exploded onto the scene with a 2002 shiraz.

He & some friends started up a while back in the Barossa.They make great wines in a boutique sort of way but serious.

We have a lot of wine in this country. Unfortunately the is some damage done by generic,bulk stuff with cutesy labels,cheap & nasty to much sugar & god knows what else.

We have a lot of winemakers,specialist tertiary institutions,some really old quality vines & great winemaking history. There are vines in  some states that date to the 1830s still producing grapes still owned by descendants of the guys that planted them. Now thats something

Then we have newer regions pioneering their own styles from their own terroir & working with new varieties for here like temperanillo.

We can't drink it all ourselves

 we need your help! Hopefully I can steer forum members to the better examples of what we make down here.

 

[moikel]

I know this wine is available in the USA  & Canada.

IMG_0750.jpg

• moikel
• Mar 30, 2014

Its 100% estate grown in Barossa ,family owned operation.

Blend of Cab Sav,Cab franc,merlot,malbec & Petit Verdot.

Yes this is the 2004 which I should drink now it won 4 trophies in 2005,not medals It was best in show  beating  a lot of much pricier wine & also rated best red wine in Australia under $25 more than once.

It gets made every year look for the 2012 when it comes out..

USA distributor www.kysela.com.

Its a traditional blend"elegant distinctive wine  …berry fruit flavours layers of plum & cherry spice characters." 

It varies a bit each vintage but in a good way.

Good website.

Cheers Mick

 

[leah elisheva]

That sounds great Mick!

It's so fabulous that you guide us to the "good" stateside from your turf, as to avoid the schlock.

Many thanks!!!

And Happy Sunday!!!!

Cheers! - Leah

 

[moikel]

That sounds great Mick!

It's so fabulous that you guide us to the "good" stateside from your turf, as to avoid the schlock.

Many thanks!!!

And Happy Sunday!!!!

Cheers! - Leah

Your Welcome.
Thorne Clarke make a wide range of reds,Shotfire is their mid point range.
It's great value ,there a straight Shiraz & a cab /Shiraz & a Cab Sav as well. Next level down is their Sand Piper range which is around $ 12 to 15.
Shotfire Ridge range around $ 25 is great value,lot of bang for your buck.
No gimmicks , I love their work. The 2012 vintage could be a world beater. 2014 harvest under way here now, bit of a wait & see after all that frighteningly hot weather.

 

[moikel]

South Australia & Western Australia had great a 2012. The Barossa,McLaren Vale,Langhorne Creek,  & Clare Valley will have some reds that will just blow you away. Reisling from any of the Clare Valley sub regions,Eden,Watervale will be fought over by drinkers & agents. Cant get a read on Limestone Coast & Adelaide Hills but not hearing many negatives. Seems it wasn't a great year for cab/sav.

2014 vintage looks really mixed bad weather at all the critical times,bud burst,fruit set & harvest.

Storms & rain across the wine regions now right in the middle of vintage.

2012 in SA was lower yielding in ton per acre but quality looks like being off the chain. Wait & see on the cab /sav. All the rest of the varieties have huge promise.I expect some great GSMs from outfits like Sons of Eden,Spinifex, Tuesner,Kilikanoon,Two Hands,the list goes on.

 

[leah elisheva]

Fabulous information Mick!!!

Thank you tons!!!!!

And that Shotfire sounds good!

I've had the Two Hands gems before - their "Ares" as part of my gulping lineup on my wedding day actually, paired with a rack of bone-in elk chops. It really worked!! 

Here's to learning more about your wines. I'm "white" now as far as most of my consumption, and so I'd be interested to learn of your dry and unadulterated great whites?

Many thanks!

Cheers!!! - Leah

 

[moikel]

In that case its Riesling out of Clare Valley that's world class. Semilon from the Hunter Valley not far behind but it's not that dry.
I like Chardonnay & dry Pinot Gris but don't like those blended whites with the dreaded Sav Blanc in them.
Tassie does some great Reisling as well let me check with my mate Des he knows his Reisling

 

[knuckle47]

It's so cool to find some great recommendations. I will admit that my eyes were widely opened when we were in Napa Valley, Ca. for my daughters wedding. With several days prior to the event, our "group" traveled the wine routes path through Napa and Sonoma counties and saw vineyards from every shelf in our east coast liquor stores.

Nice to have that treasure out there which I will plan on returning to ....someday. All it takes are buckets of money. This however was the best dessert wine I'd ever tasted.

image.jpg

• knuckle47
• Mar 30, 2014

Had to ship it UPS but they all arrived in perfect condition along with my daughters dress, shoes, bouquet, veil, extra clothes, menus, other extra wedding paraphernalia ....get the picture? Could have paid for an extra seat on the plane for all this stuff....same fee!

 

[leah elisheva]

Hey Knuckle47, that wedding must have been beautiful! What a fabulous spot and how terrific that you got to go tour wine country and sip and then "ship" what you liked best! So fun!

And Mick, any dry white suggestions would be fabulous indeed!! You've been quite the great source educating us on wines from your part of the sunny world!!! Thank you!!!

Cheers! - Leah

 

[bkbuilds]

My wife and I went to Napa on our Honeymoon, and we loved it. Now when we go to the liquor store and see some of the winery names we think back to being at that exact winery... We are going back for our 5 year anniversary next year!

Next time stop by a place... I think it was like Jacobs Creek?... we bought a bottle of their wine and they gave us a styrophome shipping box to fit a case of wine in free! We were then able to check the box as luggage on our flight home! Saved us like $200 in shipping fees that the Little Buffalo trading post wanted to ship our wine.

 

[leah elisheva]

BKBuilds!!!

Happy April to you, and what FANTASTIC Honeymoon stories and anniversary plans indeed!

That's fabulous!!!

And isn't it terrific about one helping, as to get around ridiculous shipping rates?

Dwelling currently in the "Live Free Or Die" state of New Hampshire, our libation does not have an "added tax' and so many neighboring New Englanders do make their "day trips" here, and just to buy liquor!

Make no mistake, in that a tax is still figured into that great mix and without us knowing the specifics thus, although it DOES come out considerably less in total price (AND one may also know when looking at the sticker price, what it shall indeed then be - the same exact number  - once up at the counter) than when burdening the tax from wine shipped in from elsewhere.

Having shipped in so much food, wine, and also doing 100% of my "non-food/wine related shopping" online - from clothes to dog gear - I can indeed share that YOUR great deal, via that container, was a lovely gift!!

Sensational stories! Keep them coming!

I love this wine group and hope we all may one day chat about this stuff over a table - with smoked great food and incredible wine!

Cheers and thanks for sharing!!! - Leah

 

[bkbuilds]

The state of PA is terrible when it comes to Wine policy. Not only do we pay a tax, but the only way to get wine is from a State owned and operated Wine / Liquor store! This poses many issues, not the least of which is high bottle prices before paying an additional tax at the cash register! This relates to my previous story in that you can't ship wine into the state of PA. You would have to ship it to one of the State liquor stores and then pay a tax on each bottle when you pick it up! So our plan was going to be to ship it to friends back home in the state of Ohio and then drive out for a visit and pickup our wine.

The next reason PA wine policy sucks is that a lot of Wineries have "Wine Clubs". This is where you can get an annual shipment of their wine direct from the winery just as the vintage is released and sometimes at a discount. (Look up Groth Winery and Team Red Stripe) LOVE Groth, we actually got to tour the Winery and vineyard with Judy Groth (The normal tour guide was not available) while we were there and did a library tasting after the tour. She's so funny, her little pugs follow her everywhere! Alas, I digress... Anyways, we can't sign up for Team Red Stripe due to PAs wine policy. /sigh

 

[leah elisheva]

BKBuilds, that's such great stuff!

First off, I too have consumed many a Groth bottle in my day, and appreciate the story - dogs and all! Fantastic!

Secondly, you present a truism and real factor of difference from state to state.

Case in point, and as mentioned, I live in New Hampshire, and we don't add extra tax onto our liquor.

I am however MOVING, and to South Carolina. And it behooves me thus to learn of their "wine" doings and various laws.

You did me a favor therefore today with this reminder! I'll go ask the SC "group" (anyone is free to join) about this now!

Cheers!!! - Leah

 

[bkbuilds]

Your Welcome!

http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/Shipping-Laws-State-by-State_1049

South Carolina Limited, up to two cases per month from wineries that obtain a shipper's license for a fee of $400 every two years. In-state shipping allowed.

 

[bkbuilds]

I just checked Groth's site and they apparently do not have a license to ship to South Carolina =( Sorry!

 

[leah elisheva]

Hey BKBuilds, that's really helpful!

I am starting to learn more, garner info, (from wine, to real estate, weather, culture, and such), and so this DOES help indeed!

Isn't it funny how each state differs so much regarding wine?

I indeed appreciated this!

Cheers and many thanks!!! - Leah

 

[bkbuilds]

Yes it is very interesting and very frustrating. PA tried last year to privatize wine sales but the Beer distributors and the State employees union fought it and got the bill pulled. It basically would have scrapped the states liquor stores and sold licenses to private companies to operate wine stores.

Another story for you.

Back in Ohio I lived in a very small farm community. In town there was what used to be a corner gas station but the pumps were pulled and it looked like the place was all closed. Except one night I was coming home from bowling league and I didn't want to drive all the way (I make it sound like it was soooo far but it was about 1mil) down the road to my normal place I buy my beer. So I decide to take a chance and stop at this corner store and see if they were open, I mean the lights were on usually...

When you opened the door it was a cramped little space, glass display cases on your right with cigarets and cigars for sale, and the cash register, on your left were the beer coolers... About 5 steps and a sharp turn to the left... Still beer coolers along the left wall but there were some wine displays ahead and a larger room... That room held a vast array of decent $5-15 bottles of wine.... But then you start to notice your stepping over cases and cases of wine just scattered about the floor.... and then you notice it...... "the back back room".... A dark damp room with just aisles and aisles of wine! Opus One... Crystal, Dom stacked like a 5 year old had stacked it, OMG was the selection impressive!

But it gets even BETTER!!!! After awhile of frequenting the store I got to know when the owner was there. He was a great guy, new every bottle in the store (even the cases strewen about the floor) I would go up to him and say "I'm looking for a bold red, in the $20-30 range, surprise me!" He would get this giddy little school boy look on his face and go racing around the store and return with the best bottle of wine you'd ever taste in whatever price range you gave him. And sometime he would even give you deals "You have Got to try this bottle, its usually (insert higher price) but I'll sell it to you for (insert some price in your range you gave him) but you have to come back and tell me how you liked it".

That is what I miss so much with these PA state stores. The workers don't know crap about wine. All they do is stock shelves and run the cash register. :(