All posts tagged: McLaren Vale

d’Arenberg d’Arry’s Original

Published by

Sometimes when you look at the vast array on offer on the wine list, you thank your small mercies for a trusted old friend that rears up at you, saying “pick me, pick me”. So, I did! d’Arenberg d’Arry’s Original Shiraz Grenache 2010, about $16 pretty much everywhere. Unless its on a wine list, in which case it could, and will, be a whole lot more!! Confession first, I have a very soft spot for d’Arenberg, and more particularly the Original, which used to be called Burgundy. So, yep, I love this humble wine which has never failed to please and impress. What used to be predominately Grenache, now has plenty of Shiraz for the younger set, but this is still an old fashioned wine with plenty of tannin, grip, and old school ‘get down & dirty’ to it. Grenache is quite popular in the McLaren Vale, as in the Barossa, and is usually blended, most often with Shiraz and Mourvedre, becoming GSM. Sometimes its a straight varietal wine, which can be a bit course …

Massey Wines

Published by

Why do we pick the wine to buy that we do? Is it because we know and respect the brand? Or do we like the varietal, or vintage, or region? Or was it something recommended to us?! Price? The whopping big display smack bang in the front of the store! Choices are endless. Me, I just ask a mate to pick something for me, which is what Noel from Red, White & Amber Wine Merchants did. A choice between a fancy Italian number of unpronounceable name and origin, or a wine from Massey Wines in the McLaren Vale. The shallow character I am decided on the Aussie if for no other reason than the name of the wine, and the fact Noel raved on about how good it was! Massey Huey’s Patch 2008 Shiraz @ $35 from Red, White & Amber in Hawthorn. I have to admit I’d never heard of this wine before, never seen it anywhere, hadn’t read about it…nothing. Just another of the hundreds of wineries out there battling for recognition in …

Yarnbomb by Corrina Wright

Published by

One of the joys of working in the wine industry is, ahem……..drinking wine! I have plenty of contacts, and good understanding of varietal/vintage/region/maker, a reasonable understanding of what is (and isn’t) a good drop………….and an expense account! So, how about I pick a wine each week, picked randomly by either myself or by recommendation from learned wine folk, and force myself to drink it (with Rachael, of course) and ruminate… Nothing over $40. Unless its impossible to say no! So, here goes… YARNBOMB by Corinne Wright 2012 McLaren Vale Shiraz $22 @ Dan Murphy’s What, not a Dromana Estate Pinot to start things off, you ask? Well I don’t want to come across as a complete tightarse, so just take it as given that it is a brilliant wine, and c’mon people..buy some! I know. Of all the retailers, I pick the biggest first. Still, they do have quite the selection, prices are keen….and we just happened to be passing when I developed a thirst. This wine is made exclusively for Dan’s, has a great …