ANOTHER WINNER FROM SYRAHMI

Syrahmi Maelstrom Heathcote Shiraz 2008
Regular Price $49 EMAIL PRICE $44 each
Take a young gun winemaker with extensive experience in the food and wine industry, meticulous vineyard selection and attention to detail and you have the recipe for success. Syrahmi hits the nail on the head with its latest release 'Maelstrom' Shiraz from Heathcote. Winemaker Adam Foster brings with him years of experience as both a chef and various wine roles within some of Victoria's top restaurants (currently Food and Beverage Manager at acclaimed Daylesford Lake House). The name Maelstrom draws inspiration from what was a very difficult vintage in Heathcote, beginning as a promising vintage only to be hit by a number of extremely hot days.

I had the opportunity to taste this wine at the recent Daylesford Lake House local produce day and was left speechless, my preconceptions as to the difficulty of the vintage blown out of the water, this was a stunning wine, showing purity, intensity and was instantly appealing, perhaps the best Syrahmi released to date (a bold statement I know considering the 'Don' Syrah released last year). This wine is a cracker, a must have for lovers of Heathcote Shiraz, for all Aussie Shiraz for that fact. Adam has cemented his name as a quality winemaker and Syrahmi is definitely a wine to watch out for.

The best Syrahmi to date (the wine debuted with the '04 vintage). This has mown grass and super-raspberry coulis fruit in the nose, a touch of bacon fat smokiness too: smells seriously good. Some apricot. Forest berry sweet in the mouth, but also tight and tangy with fine dry, building tannins. Mouth-watering to close: a delicious supple red. 95/100, *10/10. (*The second mark out of 10 is my 'hedonic' rating.) TIM WHITE, Australian Financial Review, December 2009

Very lifted. Very peppery. Very meaty and alive. It’s the kind of red you’d label as ‘exotic’. It tastes too of licorice and red jelly beans, blackberry and toast. It has fine, chalky tannins and a fresh, clean, delicious finish. A wine you just want to drink and drink and drink. And smell - the aromas here are terrific. It needs a bit more punch to warrant a higher rating - though for drinking enjoyment, it’s right up there. My kind of wine. CAMPBELL MATTINSON

Until now Heathcote reds have delivered more disappointments than thrills, but this one tips the balance in favour of the latter. It’s an exciting medium-weight style that echoes the spice and bramble of the northern Rhône but maintains its own identity by way of the strong core of red fruits that runs the length of an impressive palate. This is a finely structured, perfectly poised, downright gorgeous red. Outstanding LESTER JESBERG, Winewise, Dec. 2009

$44 each

UP AND COMING STAR FROM THE BELLARINE

Mermerus Estate
With the vast array of small producers arriving on the scene at a rapid rate, we have the great privilege of sampling some truly exciting estate grown, hand-picked wines made with unrelenting passion and commitment, and Bellarine Peninsula’s new hot shot, Mermerus, is no exception.

Owner / winemaker Paul Champion established Mermerus in 1996, planting 1.5 ha of pinot noir,
1 ha of chardonnay and 0.2 ha of riesling and since then has shown a real knack for producing wines of great varietal character with the intensity and clarity of fruit one would expect from wines much higher in price. Rarely would we see similarly priced wines show such harmony linking complexity and balance with what can only be described as an inconspicuous power that builds slowly resulting in concentrated wines with great expression.

Chardonnay 2006
$21.99 Email Price $19.99 each
Notes of butterscotch and a touch of oak lead to a very ‘new world’ palate with noticeable melon and lemon curd notes. The round and full mouth feel shows a solid structure with balanced acidity and great length. The quality in all components mentioned prove why this is such a great value wine.

Pinot Noir 2006
$21.99 Email Price $19.99 each
Violets run wild on the nose yet gains assistance from sweet spice and an almost char-like nuance. Hints of strawberries and soft cherries lead way to rich, concentrated flavours of dark plum, forest floor with persistent tannins and some warmth on the finish. It is not always easy to find $20 pinot with this much character. Lovely wine.

STAFF PICKS

Chateau de Segries Lirac 2007
Regular Price $35.50 Email Price $32 each
This fantastic offering from Chateau de Segries shows Lirac at its best. A super Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre blend from old vines, Lirac shares similarities with Chateauneuf Du Pape at a fraction of the price; in fact it’s only ten kilometres away. 2007 is considered a glorious vintage for the area. I highly recommend lining the cellars with this beauty because it will only get better with time.

Delightfully youthful dark red colour. Intensely aromatic ripe berry fruits combined with complex earth and violet notes. This supple wine has potent powerful flavours that coat the palate. Fresh clean structure provides balance to the rich spice infused finish. Simply stunning. NICHOLAS CAMERON, Randall's Albert Park

A brilliant wine, the 2007 Lirac Cuvee Reservee red requires another 6-12 months of bottle age. A combination of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and the rest Cinsault, Mourvedre, and Carignan, it exhibits a dense ruby/purple hue as well as a big, bold aromatic display of fresh mushrooms, tree bark, blueberries, and black cherries. Deep, textured, full-bodied, powerful, and muscular with some tannin to shed, this offering should be forgotten for a year or so, and consumed over the following decade. ROBERT PARKER

$32 each

Domaine de Marcoux Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007
Regular Price $145 Email Price $129 each
STOCKS EXTEMELY LIMITED, LIMIT THREE PER CUSTOMER
By now all southern Rhone lovers know that the 2007 vintage has produced numerous extraordinary wines – ripe, fleshy and succulent, with fine tannins and fresh acidity – that offer great pleasure already yet should age superbly. One of the tastiest and most impressive I’ve tried so far has been this gem, Domaine de Marcoux’s regular cuvee (they also produce the deluxe cuvee ‘Vieilles Vignes’). Packed with loads of intense black fruits, licorice, minerals and Provencal herbs, this mostly (80%) Grenache-based blend boasts a greater sense of earthiness or savour than many of its other, ripe 2007 counterparts, and I for one love it for showing a more elegant, refined edge to an otherwise opulent vintage. STEWART PLANT, Randall's

Like most great wines from top vintages, quantities are extremely limited and it will sell out quickly.

The outstanding 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape (a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, 7% Syrah, and 3% Cinsault that achieved 16.5% natural alcohol) exhibits a dark ruby/purple color in addition to a sumptuous bouquet of black fruits, scorched earth, lavender, truffles, and licorice. The wine reveals the vintage’s gorgeous freshness and vibrancy as well as sensational concentration, and a tremendous finish. It can be drunk young or cellared for 15+ years. ROBERT PARKER

$129 each

Also Available;
2006 Domaine de Marcoux Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Was $118, special $99 per bottle. buy now
2006 Domaine de Marcoux ‘Vieilles Vignes’ Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Was $299, special $250 per bottle. buy now
2007 Domaine de Marcoux ‘Vieilles Vignes’ Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Was $380, special $345 per bottle. buy now

@ Albert Park this week
A TASTE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
Saturday, 12.30 - 2.30
Join us this Saturday as we endeavour to taste our way through some of the many exotic white varietals of the Mediterranean from alberino to arneis and grenache blanc (essentially unwooded styles), they each display a wide range of fresh, lively characteristics, offering great summer drinking points of difference. On tasting will be 2008 Torres Vina Esmeralda, 2008 Mardin Codax Albarino, 2008 Ormarine Picpoul de Pinet Sur Lies, 2008 Pierre de Prunet Grenache Blanc, 2008 Domaine lafage Cuvee Centenaire, 2008 Vietti Roero Arneis and 2008 Santa Barbara Verdicchio.

@ Newtown this week
FOR THE LOVE OF THE LOIRE
Saturday, 12 noon - 2pm
This Saturday we will be discovering the Loire Valley through tasting regional varieties such as Melon de Bourgogne from Muscadet, Vouvray’s Chenin Blanc’s and continuing to the home of Sauvignon Blanc, with featured wines from Quincy and Pouilly-Fume.

Showing producers such as Marc Bredif, Herve Seguin and Domaine Pichot, we’re sure you will fall in love with the Loire as we have.

@ Hawthorn this week
NEUDORF WITH DISTRIBUTOR SUSANNAH LAVERY
Saturday, 11am - 2pm
Established in 1978 by Tim and Judy Finn, Neudorf consistently ranks amongst New Zealand’s top five producers. Combining one of NZ’s sunniest spots at the top of the South Island, gravelly clay soils which retain moisture and remove the need for irrigation, and sympathetic and skilled winemaking, Neudorf wines are of supreme quality and individuality. Drop through the Hawthorn store between 11am and 2pm on Saturday February 20th to check out these masters of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. On tasting will be;

Purchase any six Tom's Block Pinot Noir or Nelson Chardonnay and receive a free twin pack of Spiegalau Burgundy glasses valued at $35 or purchase any mixed dozen Moutere Chardonnay or Pinot Noir and recieve a free Spiegalau Ice bucket valued at $150!

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