Torbreck Old Vines- Grenache, Mourvedre, Shiraz blend 2007

I was pleasantly surprised with this wine. It is from the Barossa Valley from vines that are 100 years old.
Below are my tasting notes:

suprisingly sweet!!
spicy
ate with thai chicken pizza-sweet and spicy
complex flavors with the three wines-spicy,
sweet, and oakey
light tannins
good with dinner-very versatile good with
any food

Almost has a port like quality-tawny

Excellent- I really liked it, highly
recommended. $25
scored a 92 with reviewers

The Stump Jump 2009- d'Arenburg

This is my first experience with wine from d'Arenburg. The Stump Jump. The wine is named after a type of plough that was used to clear the Eucalyptus tree roots from the landscape where the vineyard is planted. The winery is quite old, established in 1912 in the Mclaren Vale. I have purchased a bottle of Dead Arm from this winemaker, but that is in the wine fridge saved for the long term. I can say that my first try of d'Arenburg was quite enjoyable.

Stump Jump is an entry level blend composed of Grenache, Shiraz, and Mourvedre. Usually I am not crazy about  blends but this one was very nice. The Shiraz was very noticeable although I don't have much experience with Grenache and Mourvedre. It had a well balanced flavor of fruit and oak. Very light tannins. One important thing to note is that the wine was much more enjoyable when it spent a good amount of time outside of the bottle. In fact, when I tried it again the next day to finish off the bottle I found it to be much more mellow and fruity. Being a cheaper bottle that we bought for about $20 it is one that I would highly recommend.

Majella's The Musician Cab/Shiraz 2009

So I decided to give this one a shot. I have seen it at BCLS for the past few months and have been curious about it. It caught my attention for two reasons, one is that it is from the Coonawarra, and the other is that it was rated rather nicely at 90 pts at BCLS. Before I bought it I had never heard of Majella. I took a look at their website and found that they are a relatively small vineyard in the Coonawarra. The website was decent but definitely had a family run feel to it. Not that I am against family run vineyards, but it seemed to give it a bit of a cheaper feel.

Upon tasting the wine, I was surprised. Not necessarily in a positive way. The wine was surprisingly spicy and well oaked. It had very little fruit to it. The wine reminded me of a sangiovese that I tried from Desert Winds winery in Washington, except it wasnt as smooth and the taste was more harsh. Very spicy and would be well served with pasta, and tomato sauce. Overall I wasn't too impressed. I just wasnt too happy with the taste. It was very strong and over powering at times. I struggled to finish the first glass. I hate to say a Coonawarra wine was this dissappointing, so I will try it again tomorrow night. Perhaps I new day will help. As of now, I cant recommend it.

Wynns' Coonawarra Estate Shiraz

I said in my last post that I was excited for these latest two wines I have sampled recently. In this second post, I will review the Wynn's Coonawarra Estate Shiraz. This wine is there basic Shiraz that they produce out of the Coonawarra region.

Unfortunately, this review will be a bit short. The Shiraz was good, but not great. I would say that over all I liked the Yalumba Menzies better than this red. Now, I should mention that this wine is still a pretty good wine. However, it lacks anything special. Its just a basic Shiraz, a good Shiraz, but basic none the less. You can find better wines at this price range. It would be a good wine to share with some wine novices but a more selective taster wont be as impressed.

Yalumba Menzies The Cigar 2009

The following two posts are of two wines that I am excited to try. Both wines are in the $25 range which means that they are potentially good wines to enjoy on a regular basis. Today I am reviewing Yalumba's The Cigar from Yalumba's Menzies vineyard. Yalumba named the wine The cigar after the shape of the terra rossa soil in the Coonawarra region where the vineyard is located. Menzies is one of their premiere vineyards, so I am excited to give this one a try.
The wine is a cab sav, which is a nice change from all the shiraz I have been sampling recently. I have had less experience in tasting cab sav wines so this will further my experience with this type of grape. Lets take a look at what Yalumba is offering with this wine:

The very first thing I noticed with this wine was the very light tannins. Virtually no grippy tannins to be noticed. The wine is a bit heavy in texture. It would be excellent with some seafood, or chicken. It seemed very well oaked, something that is not quite as noticeable with shiraz, at least in terms of what I have tried. Very bold flavor. It is certainly worth a taste and it is a very good value for what you are getting. The coonawarra produces excellent wines and this is no exception. It is a very well done cab sav. I would be interested in camparing it with the iconic Bin 707 from Penfolds and compare. perhaps one day...
NExt up wil be a shiraz from Wynns Coonawarra Estate. It is their entry level shiraz, similar to this wine from Yalumba. I am hoping that it will be as recommendable as this wine is for anyone looking for a great wine at a decent price, from an excellent region in SA.

Henschke Mount Edelstone 2004

My family came up to Vancouver this weekend to visit Jenn and I. I decided to take my dad to Everything Wine in North Vancouver and needless to say he was impressed with the selection. While buying wine in Canada is more expensive, I have found that the more expensive bottles don't vary in price as much as cheaper bottles. My dad went to the vintage room and found a bottle of Henschke Mount Edelstone shiraz. This particular red was one of his favorites when we were living in Australia. The bottle cost $160. $40 a glass. WOW. I knew we were in for a treat.

First, some background on Henschke and its wines. This red is from Eden Valley which is around the area where Mclaren Vale is located. The vineyard, which this wine is specifically picked from, was planted in 1912. This is the same location Hill of Grace, possibly Australia's most expensive and exclusive reds is produced. 

Wine Description

Deep red with violet hues. Rich aromas of spicy plums, blackberries, anise and sage oil with hints of tar, pepper and cedar. The intensely fruited palate is concentrated, rich and lush with excellent balance, velvety tannins and a long finish.

Overall I found Mount Edelstone to be quite nice. It needed about 45+ minutes out of the bottle to allow its flavor to come out. I was pleasantly surprised at the sugar content of this wine. I found it a bit sweet which was a nice change to the more tart shiraz I have sampled. Tannins were very light, and the wine was very well balanced. 

This is an empty bottle I intend to keep, so far it is the most expensive wine I have ever tried. It was a very expensive treat at $160, so I cant say I would recommend it for anyone who doesn't take red wine seriously. If you are someone who appreciates reds, then I would recommend you take this one and savor it. It is not a casual bottle to buy on your way to the grocery store. 

Eat it with meat and potatoes, its a shiraz. 

Wolf Blass Grey Label

The grey label shiraz is a part of Wolf Blass' luxury range of wines. It cost about $35-40 a bottle. The more and more I sample wines that are in the $30-40 range, I find that they are very similar in quality and taste. 

The grey label is a very fruity wine. Dark Red in color, with a very dry finish. The tannins were light, again which is common with this price range of wine. The $100 bottles of wine are more complex and have tannins that complement the wine. The lowest quality wines are all over the board which have harsh tannins and extreme tastes. Older more mature wines are more subtle and well rounded.
Overall I liked the wine, if it was a bit average. There wasn't much that stood out about this wine. It was a middle of the road wine that everyone would like. Good price point and good taste makes this one accessible for anyone. Its not one I would necessarily buy again and cellar, but it would be a wine that I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a decent red.

Penfold's Grandfather Port

I had the unique opportunity this weekend to try a very special port. Now, I realize that port falls outside of the scope of this blog, but for this specific port, I am willing to make an exception. Port is technically called a fortified wine. In my research on the port, I learned that this port has a very interesting process.
The Grandfather port is 20 years old on average. I say average, because of the unique process in which the port goes through. The port is fermented in an 8 level system called a solera. But before the wine is added to the solera, it is aged for 8 years. once in the solera, the wine is slowly pushed down through the various levels by a small amount of port being drained at the bottom and a small amount of wine being added at the top. When all is said and done, the port has been fermented for about 20 years.

Penfold's produces this grandfather port from four main varieties of grapes-Grenache, Cabernet, Shiraz, and Mourvedre. Although the website mentions that the port is not limited to only these varieties. Port is generally considered a dessert wine. It is very sweet, and as my father in law said, "if you feel like you've got a mouth full of syrup, you've taken too much." All that is needed is the tiniest of sips in order to experience the flavor. Because of this only a fraction of a regular red wine glass is typically served- only about an ounce.
When I tried it, I found it very smooth and easy to drink. Just wetting my lips with the port gave me all the flavor I needed. I got the sense that this port had a very nice toffee type of taste while I was drinking it.
I very much enjoyed the Grandfather port. And because port is able to mature in the bottle, even after opening, it is something that I can keep in my collection for a long time!! This bottle retailed for about $85. The price initially seems like a lot, but considering you simply don't drink as much of it at any one time, it actually will last quite a while when compared to a bottle of red you would finish in an evening. It is well worth the experience of drinking it!!

Yalumba- Octavius 2000

To put it simply, I was quite spoiled this weekend. My parents came up for a visit and we decided to spend the evening with Kevan and Judy. Being a special occasion, my dad bought some very nice wine for us to try. One of the many wines we tried (and the best one) was Yalumba's Octavius from 2000. Needless to say, Yalumba always produces excellent wines, and their Octavius is top notch. The Octavius, along with the Reserve, are Yalumba's top wines they offer. Octavius is a Shiraz from Yalumba's Barossa Valley and Eden Valley vineyards. The Barossa and Yalumba in particular, have produced some of Australia's best Shiraz. It is  such a privilege to be able to try one of Australia's iconic red wines.

I had the opportunity to try two very nice (and expensive) wines this weekend. The other being Oculus from Mission Hills here is BC. Oculus is a favorite of Kevan and Judy. In both of the bottles I noticed the wines' ability to transcend the fruity and sweet, and oakey and dry barrier. In my limited experience, cheaper wines are either one of the two. The term for this is "complex". And usually you find that more expensive wines are more complex. For the Octavius, this was very apparent. It had an oakey taste that went well with its lighter fruity side. I was surprised how well the two flavors complimented each other. Octavius had a spicy flavor as well in its finish. It had very light tannins-probably the lightest I have tried. The term silky comes to mind trying to define this wine's texture. I had my glass with steak and mushrooms which I quite enjoyed, although this wine certainly doesn't need to be enjoyed with a meal. It can be enjoyed on its own, or with a wide variety of food-Cheese, chocolate, fruit, steak, chicken. Whatever you can throw at it. At $100 per bottle, it is a VERY special treat. Again, I was quite spoiled this weekend.

Peter Lehmann- Layers 2008

Jenn and I just picked up a new bottle of wine this evening. We didn't want to spend too much this time so we went with a wine in the $20 range. We decided to go with a Peter Lehmann wine called "Layers". The front label has five grapes on it signifying the five different types of grapes that were used to produce this wine- Shiraz, Tempranillo , Carignane, Mourvedre, and Grenache. The Shiraz makes up about half the bottle at 46%.
As usual, I did a bit of research before opening the bottle and learned a bit about Peter Lehmann. I was unaware that Lehmann is a commercial company. I know I did not speak very well of the Jacob's Creek wine I tried a few weeks ago, and mentioned that because it was a commercial wine, perhaps it was a lower quality. Upon further research, I have learned that my comments about large wineries may have been a bit too generalized. Penfolds is an excellent example of a large commercial winery that makes one of the worlds best known wines- Grange. It is also know for making some other excellent wines that are of very high quality. In my defense, I am just trying to stick up for the small guy. I would say that I am more easily attracted to the smaller, privately owned wineries that really try to differentiate themselves from the average bottle that the corporations turn out by the millions.  So I am willing to give Peter Lehmann a fair shot. Apparently this wine won several awards in some Australian wine competitions (bronze and silvers), and received a gold metal in the Sydney international wine competition. And for $20, if its a winner, them thats all icing on the cake. After all, this blog is about trying reds I haven't experienced before. I cant say that I have ever tried a Peter Lehmann so this will be new.

The wine is from the Barossa Valley, so on the north side of the wine region that has Mclaren Vale on the bottom of it. The Mclaren Vale is very close to the ocean and produces a Mediterranean like climate. The Barossa is further away from the sea and has a drier atmosphere. Much like that of the Columbia basin region of Washington, or the Osoyoos area of British Columbia.

The wine colour was a very light red, almost dark pink when I opened the bottle. Upon drinking it, I was quite surprised at the lack of fruit in the first taste. Not that its a bad thing, but it was just a surprise. It has a very oakey taste, that I am not use to. The tannins were very light which was surprising because I would think that tannins intensify with oakey flavored wines. The wine was very rich and acidic. Spicy notes as well. You can definitely taste the shiraz in it, but the other wines give it a more complex flavor. After drinking the red for a few minutes I was hit by how rich and heavy the wine was. I felt like after one glass I was ready to be done. Quite a difference from the other more fruity and light reds I have tried recently. It is definitely one that should be enjoyed with food. Steak and potatoes would be my first inclination.
My conclusion on this red was that it was good enough to by on a whim for a dinner party, but definitely should be served with dinner, not just enjoyed while standing around with friends. I would give it a pass but would look for something a bit lighter as a favorite "whenever" red wine. Perhaps one more strike against it is that the red is not designed to age. It is a drink now red that is not good for collecting.
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Petaringa- The Understudy 2007

So for this review I want to go into more detail. In previous posts I have talked mostly about the region in which a bottle is from and the history behind the bottles, etc. But now, since I have already talked about region and climate, I want to focus on the taste of the bottle.
Last night, I tried Petaringa's- The Understudy 2007. This bottle has been sitting in my collection for the past few months. I picked it up from Everything Wine in North Vancouver. Since I have not tried anything from Petaringa, I thought now is as good a time as ever to give it a try. The bottle cost about $30 so its middle of the road as far as value. Petaringa is from the Mclaren Vale-so a Mediterranean climate. The bottle is a blend of Cabernet and Petit Verdot in a 60/40 ratio. I have not tried a wine with Petit Verdot in it before so this will be new. The website mentions that this wine specifically has been rated between 87-90 points by various critics.

As far as nose- The red had a hint of berries, apple, blackberry mostly, slight mint.
Taste was similar- berries, mint, apple.
The tannins were light, which was excellent. However, I found that after a few minutes of drinking the red, the Tannins stuck around. Without eating anything, it took a few minutes for them to dissipate. This wine is best when it is paired with food. I would suggest cheese, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. Perhaps dipping bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Mouth feel was light and fruity to start and gets more and more rich. The richness is a result of the Petit Verdot.
I found the bottle to be quite fruity and light which was very good. I could tell that the bottle had room to age. As mentioned on the back label, giving the bottle 5 to 8 years will allow it to grow in complexity-a natural result of aging a bottle of red.
Overall I would definitely recommend this wine. Very easy to drink, and will accompany good food. Anybody who likes wine, young or old, experienced or with no knowledge of wine at all wine appreciate this wine. It is definitely one I would  buy as a way to impress my mother in law and dad. I would classify this in a similar category to Scribbler as far as taste, quality, similarly priced, and ease of drinking.

Red Wine Grapes

When heading out to the liquor store in search of a bottle of wine, there are times when deciding on what type of wine to buy can be overwhelming. Most people rely on the back label of a bottle to describe what the wine tastes like. I thought is would be interesting to look at a few common varieties and see how they flavor red wine...

Cabernet Sauvignon

Spiritual home: Bordeaux.

Grown elsewhere: Widely cultivated throughout the world.

Key flavour: Blackcurrants.

Profile: Renowned for the wines it produces on the well-drained, gravelly soils on the left bank of the Gironde in Bordeaux, cabernet Sauvignon has been a natural choice for New World winemakers wishing to emulate the fine wine that is claret. It is a robust grape that has travelled well, and is now cultivated in Australia, South Africa, North America and South America, but has also been put to use in Italy, Spain and Eastern Europe. It has small, blue-black berries which have thick skins, providing necessary tannin, colour and flavour. Characteristics aromas and flavours are blackcurrants, cedar, old furniture and cabinets, coffee, tobacco, cigars, cigar boxes, violets, minerals, green pepper (especially if grapes are somewhat under-ripe), chocolate and so on. Young wines start off intensely fruity, whilst the more complex aromas will develop with age.

Merlot

Spiritual home: Bordeaux.

Grown elsewhere: Important in Italy and California.

Key flavours: Chocolate, fruitcake.

Profile: Whereas Cabernet Sauvignon has its spiritual home in the left bank communes of Bordeaux, Merlot is most famous for the wines from the right bank, especially from Pomerol and St Emilion. Although somewhat less widely travelled when compared to Cabernet, this thin-skinned, large-berried variety has found a new home in California. It is also important in some of the top wines of Italy, and can also be found in Australia and Eastern Europe. Spicy fruitcake, Christmas cake and chocolate characteristics will often give Merlot away, although it may also display blackcurrant, black cherry and plums. It is less tannic than Cabernet Sauvignon, and is often used in clarets when they need to be 'fleshed out' in weaker vintages.

Pinot Noir

Spiritual home: Burgundy, important in Champagne.

Grown elsewhere: Success in New Zealand, California, Australia.

Keywords: Summer berry fruits (primary characteristics).

Profile: Without doubt, although many winemakers of the New World have tried their hand at cultivating this variety, none have come close to emulating the fine wine that can be produced in Burgundy. Nevertheless, the wines of New Zealand have received critical acclaim in recent years, and there are also extremely good examples from California, Australia and South Africa to be found, although all are made in a richly fruity style quite distinct from Burgundy. This variety is thin skinned, grows in small bunches, and is prone to problems with yields. Accepted wisdom states that consistently low yields are necessary to maintain quality, and although high-yield clones have been developed (there are many different clones of Pinot Noir, all of which have different flavour, yield, disease resistance and so on) the final product lacks the necessary quality. When discussing Pinot Noir, it is also worth remembering that it plays a vital role as one of the three grapes widely planted in Champagne. Primary aromas and flavours (those present when young) are redcurrants, cranberries, strawberries, blackberries and chocolate. The secondary aromas (those that develop with age) include horsehair and animal fur, farmyard aromas, manure and compost. Lovely!

Syrah/Shiraz

Spiritual home: Rhône Valley, particularly the north.

Grown elsewhere: Australia, but many other countries also.

Keywords: Black fruits & black pepper.

Profile: Syrah is the grape behind fine wines of the Northern Rhône, not only Côte Rôtie ("roasted slope") and Hermitage, but also Cornas and Crozes-Hermitage. Nevertheless, most wine drinkers are familiar with it as Shiraz, the name by which it is known in Australia, where it is responsible for richly fruity wines, ranging from inexpensive everyday bottles right up to Australia's first growth, Penfolds Grange (once known as Grange 'Hermitage'). This thick-skinned grape may produce potentially tannic and long-lived wines. It is also late-ripening, explaining why it has gravitated towards warm regions such as the Rhône and Australia, although it is also producing good wines in South Africa, Chile and California. Typical descriptors include black fruits and black pepper, but more intriguingly raspberries, spice, herbs, grilled meats, charcoal, smoke and tar may be found. When aged it may develop rubbery aromas, particularly when from the Northern Rhône.

Cabernet Franc: Dominant grape in the Loire Valley, but also extremely important in Bordeaux where it is general used as a minor component of the blend by most châteaux, although by itself it is the grape behind the wine from one of the regions top estates, Cheval Blanc. Characteristics: blackcurrants, blackcurrant leaves, green/bell peppers, smoke, spice.

Grenache: Important in the Southern Rhône, where it dominates. Nevertheless, in almost all cases in is blended with other varieties such as Syrah and Mourvèdre, which is standard practice in this region. It may also be found in Spain and Australia. Characteristics: raspberries, white pepper.

Malbec: Like Cabernet Franc, this is used as part of the blend by some Bordeaux estates. It is also the grape behind Cahors, a southern French appellation. It is becoming more widely known, however, for the steadily improving wines it is producing in Argentina. Characteristics: intense summer fruits, spice.

Yalumba- The Scribbler

Yalumba's -The Scribbler
This bottles hold no surprises- in a good way. It's from an outstanding winemaker, and from a excellent region-Barossa Valley. I picked up a bottle on my way to my mother in laws house for mother's day. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, I have heard good things about Yalumba, and of course being from the Barossa Valley was a plus. The wine is a Cabernet/shiraz blend and will cellar for five to ten years from the vintage.
Needless to say the mother in law was impressed. She just told me today that she ordered 3 bottles and was excited to go pick them up. At $25 a bottle, its also a good value for what you get
The flavor was quite good, and it was quite smooth. Very easy to drink, and the tannins were light. That makes it an A+ in my book.

I would definitely recommend The Scribbler to anyone  who is interested in a premium, well made, easy to drink wine. And the fact that it is ready to mature over the next 5 to 10 years is an extra bonus that makes it collectible.

Jacob's Creek Cab Sav/Merlot Blend

Jenn and I had some friends over last night and found ourselves at the liquor store beforehand. Not wanting to spend a lot of money on a bottle, we decided to spend around $15. My expectations weren't too high but the bottle we ended up choosing wasn't too bad. We chose a Cab Sav/Merlot blend from Jacob's creek.

Before drinking it, I did a bit of research on Jacob's creek. They are located in the Barossa valley, which I was surprised by. The bottle only says "South Eastern Australia". I would think the Barossa Valley would be a huge selling point.

In my last few posts I have talked about the Mclaren Vale, and the Coonawarra region in South Australia-the regions that I am most biased too, and are also world renowned for making excellent wines. This post I wanted to mention The Barossa Valley. The Barossa Valley is located on the northern end of a section of wine country that produces excellent wine. On the south end, is the Mclaren Vale. Adelaide Hills, and the Eden Valley are located in the middle and to the east. As I mentioned before, this larger area of South Australia-including the Mclaren Vale, and Barossa Valley- produce some excellent wines but it is important to note their size differences. The Coonawarra region is the smallest region by comparison and therefore the wines coming from the Coonawarra tend to be more rare and valuable. All three regions are good. And this is not to say that you cannot find a bottle of Coonawarra for $30, its really a matter of taste, but just as a general rule, bottles from the Coonawarra are more valuable than the Mclaren Vale, and Barossa Valley.

Back to Jacob's Creek- I also learned that Jacob's creek is a commercial winery. Take that as you want, but generally speaking it isn't a positive thing, especially with such a cheap bottle. I am sure their super premium wines are good, but this bottle of run of the mill wine tends to be like yellow tail: mass produced, and low quality. In thinking about the label on the bottle that said "South Eastern Australia" instead of Barossa Valley: since Jacob's Creek is a commercial wine company, it would mean that this bottle is probably targeted towards the North American market. Their target demographic would be wine novices that don't know much about good or bad wine. The average wine novice walking into a liquor store wouldn't know where Barossa Valley is, but would probably recognize "South Eastern Australia" more readily. Commercial marketing at its finest.

As far as actually drinking the wine, I am 50/50 on it. It had some nice qualities, and some bad ones. Overall I would say that the wine seems a bit unrefined and harsh. It is a medium bodied wine, and the flavor is decent. The fruit flavor is pretty good. The tannins are quite strong, I found, even thought the bottle claims that the tannins are at a medium level. Strong bitterness with quite a grippy feeling following a drink. As mentioned before, I'm a wine drinker that needs a good sweeter tasting wine, too much tannins are not my cup of tea (or glass of wine...)
Overall, this wine is decent enough to buy on a whim. Say, when you are heading out to a party that has people who don't know much about wine. However, as far as buying it continuously as a favorite, or to save and cellar (not recommended) I would recommend that you spend a bit more on a SA red that is of a higher quality, say from an independent, privately owned winery.

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cab Sav Vintage Release

I found this wine intriguing for one reason: it is from the Coonawarra region of SA. When I browse through any liquor store or specialty shop for wine I am always conscious to look for wines from the Coonawarra region. Wines from the Coonawarra are excellent because the region features a unique soil that is ideal for producing excellent wines. The "Terra Rossa" soil in the Coonawarra is a small cigar shaped mass of soil 15 kilometers long, 1 kilometer wide, and only 5 to 100 cm deep. Wynns Coonawarra Estate owns 70% of the land on the terra rossa soil. So it is safe to say that if your are buying Wynns, you are buying an excellent wine. Yalumba, another popular wine makers in SA also owns land in the Coonawarra, and the Barossa. I currently have a Yalumba wine from the Barossa. Perhaps my next purchase will be from Yalumba's Coonawarra Estate.

This wine is inherently a bit special, being from the Coonawarra. The bottle I have is from 2006. I think it would be safe to say that another 5 years would be the maximum I would want to cellar it. I am sure it wont last that long in my collection. Once I find a replacement wine (i.e. a bottle of Menzies of Coonawarra), I will drink this one. I have no doubt that the bottle is excellent, and I look forward to trying it soon!!

Wirra Wirra Church Block

I thought it would be fitting to start off this blog with my first review of a wine that has a special place in my heart. Church Block. This one was one of my dad's favorite wines from SA. Also given that it is readily available at the local liquor stores in my area and is affordable, it makes a perfect first wine to start my collection and review.

A few interesting facts about Church Block: It was the very first wine that was produced by Wirra Wirra in 1972. The name Church Block comes from the small church located directly across from the small vineyard where the grapes are grown for this wine. The wine itself is quite well known in Australia for its consistent quality for over four decades. 

The wine is a Cab Sav, Shiraz, and Merlot blend and can be cellared for up to 8+ years (I'm assuming 10 to be the maximum) from its vintage. The wine is from the McLaren Vale region of South Australia. Mclaren Vale features a  Mediterranean style climate due to its close proximity to the ocean, and houses many different wineries in that area. 

Its has been a few months since I have tried Church Block. I have one bottle in my collection that I plan on aging for a while. If I remember correctly, it was quite smooth. It would be a great wine to go with steak and potatoes. Again, Church Block has a reputation for quality that it has built over forty years. This wine is a no-brainer for anyone looking to sample a decent SA wine or someone looking to start a collection.
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South Australian Reds

Why start a blog about red wines from South Australia?
I felt like starting with this question was perhaps the best was to explain my blog. I have a special interest in red wines from South Australia for two main reasons. One is the fact that I use to live in Australia as a kid. From about age 10 to 14 my family lived in Adelaide, South Australia. Being immersed in SA culture means inevitably being exposed to red wine. Im not saying that I drank any red wine when I was down there as a kid, but I certainly was around it. This gives me a special connection to SA reds simply because I grew up with a bias to them. A bias that I still have.
The second, is my dad. He took full advantage of living in Australia and would often tour wineries when we lived down there. He had some select favourites that I can still remember-Penfolds Grange, Penfolds Bin 707, Henschke Hill of Grace, Wirra Wirra Church block. His enjoyment of SA reds ingrained a fascination with them within me.
In this blog, I plan to study different types of red wine, and the different wine regions in SA. Since I have begun collecting I have found researching, studying, and finding new wines to be quite rewarding.
With that said, below is a map of the main regions in SA that I will be looking at.

As you can see on the map, there are several distinct wine regions. There are three main regions that I have become most familiar with since living there, and now since studying the area- the Coonawarra region, Barossa Valley, and McLaren Vale. Adelaide hills, and Langhorne creek are also notable regions that produce good wine, however, I am far less familiar with these places. 

So lets dive in and learn something about red wine of down under!!