Forums.NitroExpress.com

OK Christer here goes post no.1 - you asked for it.

gryphons recommendations are pretty good too.

Prices are my guesstimates and in Australia in $A. All 750ml bottles. My guess is a wine costing A$10 here would cost about US$10 in
Sweden with freight and Swedish alcohol taxes, but don't hold me to it.

Vintage years are not as important in premium Australia wine growing regions as in Europe due to the better consistency
of favourable weather conditions from year to year. 1996 was a very good year though.

Regions - Premium regions in my opinion and with my biases: Barossa Valley (of course) - oldest premium
wine region in Australia; Eden Valley - next to Barossa Valley - best region in Australia for crisp Rieslings;
Clare Valley - also for Rieslings; Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra - famous for Cabernet Sauvignon;
Pathdaway - similar to Coonawarra; Wraughtonbully - similar to Padthaway but not well know and terrible
name; Margaret River in West Aust; Yarra Valley near Melbourne; and some of the districts in Western
Victoria also make good wines.

Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare and Margaret Rivers all have "Meditteranean" type weathers - cool
wet winters with warm dry summers - perfect for premium grape growing and ripening.

"Icon" Wines
Penfolds Grange - Australia's flagship wine - price for current release vintage well in excess of $200 - on
label as Shiraz but sometimes just under 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Penfolds RWT - RWT stands for Red Wine Trials - the wines that fail to make Grange - probably $200 +
Henschke Hill of Grace - shiraz from a 100+ year old vineyard in the Barossa Valley - $200
Henschke Mount Edelstone - old vine shira - around $120?
St Hallett Old Block Shiraz - an original Barossa old vine shiraz - $45
Rockford Basket Press - an original Barossa old vine shiraz - $35
Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz - old vine shiraz - 1500 ml - $100
Barossa Valley Estates E&E Shiraz - old vine shiraz - $65 ?
Torbreck Run Rig - $200+
St Hallett "The Reward" Cabernet Sauvignon - $45
Penfolds 707 - $80?
Penfolds St Henri

Premium wines say $15 to $30
Anything St Hallett, Peter Lehmann, Rockfords, Henschke is good - whites and reds
St Hallett Faith Shiraz - $20 - some of my grapes go to this wine
St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz - $27
Petaluma red and whites are also very good
Woddstock whites from Hunter Valley are good

Good priced drinkable wines $10 - $15
St Hallett Gamekeepers Reserve - predominantly Grenache
St Hallett Poachers Blend - was mainly Chenin Blanc now Semillon

Jacob's Creek wines from Orlando is Australia's biggest brand exported. Jacob's Creek Premium range
is quite good.

Sparkling - try a Sparkling Burgundy ie red wine. Used to be very popular in Australia and now
making a comeback.
Sparkling whites - Domaine Chandon, Petaluma Croser, Pipers Brook (Tasmania) are very good.

Most of these wines are reds and from the Barossa Valley which is the wines I know best. I supply to
Southcorp (Aust's biggest winery - Penfolds, Lindemanns, Rosemount, Seppelts etc etc brands) and
St Hallett (this group also includes Tatachilla, Petaluma among others).

That will do it for now. If you tell me some of the names you see over there I can make recommendations.

PS When the Carrara label is ready for release you here will certainly hear of it.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

Post Extras