Wine without BS

Prentice Wine - 2009 Pinot Ramato

  

There is a lot of talk amongst people within the wine industry about what wine will be in fashion this  summer. Many say rosé wines will be all the rage, while others suggest it will be Pinot Gris. However, what if you could have a wine that borrows from both rosé and Pino Gris? Well you can... sort of. Winemaker, Neil Prentice, has made a rather rare and unique wine known as Pinot Ramato which is 100% Pinot Gris. Due to the inner grape flesh being left in contact with their darker coloured skins for a short period before being pressed into juice, the wine gets a lovely, light, salmon pink colour to it.

An Italian word, 'Ramato', actually translates to 'coppery' in colour. I assume that centuries ago Italian  examples of such a wine, made  before modern wine making techniques and equipment existed, that a 'coppery' colour was the end result rather than pink. To drink this wine has flavours of subtle fruit, lime and a slightly sour note that is in no way unpleasant. Think of sour apple or sour cherry as an example.

Prentice Wine - 2009 Pinot Ramato
Price - $17 but sold by the case only for $200 at www.prenticewine.com.au
Region - Whitlands, Victoria
Final Sip - I enjoyed this wine more and more with each sip and it s definitely one of the more interesting wines I've enjoyed this year. I also took the winemakers suggestion of pairing it with Sushi and can report that pairing is close to perfection!

 

Moppity Vineyards 2009 Lock & Key Shiraz and 2008 Reserve Shiraz

   
 
 

I recently had the privilege of receiving samples of  many of the great wines currently available from Moppity Vineyards in the NSW Hilltops. The samples included all three of their consumer release Shiraz's, the 2009 Lock & Key and Estate Shiraz as well as the 2008 Reserve. While the 2009 Estate Shiraz is a lovely wine it is the entry level and flagship Shiraz that really dominated my experience of Moppity Vineyards wines.

To start with the entry level 2009 Lock & Key shiraz I won't muck about. When I first started drinking it I was thinking "Wow, this is really nice", then when I noticed the recommended retail price was $14.99 Ithought "Holy S%#T!, that's bloody awesome value for money", and Jason Brown from Moppity tells me some retailers are selling it for a few bucks less than this again! I can honestly say this would go close to the best value red wine I've come across in at least a year or so. The 2009 vintage for the Hilltops region has been one of their best on record and I can see why when wine at this price is already drinking as well as this 09 Lock & Key Shiraz.

While the 2008 Reserve Shiraz see's a 400% increase in price, the key thing to remember is that it's entry level counterpart is bordering ridiculously good value and that the difference in the 2009 and 2008 vintages will also play a part in skewing any direct comparison. They are totally different wines made for a totally difference market. All cool climate Shiraz lovers will appreciate them both but the real fanatics of the variety, like myself, will love the elegance of the 2008 Reserve shiraz, that unlike the Lock & Key, contains 3% Viognier. It is far more savoury and spice in both its aroma and flavour profile than the Lock & Key and after an hour in the decanter it was getting seriously smooth.

Moppity Vineyards - 2009 Lock & Key Shiraz and 2008 Reserve Shiraz
Price - $15 for Lock & Key, $60 for the Reserve from www.moppity.com.au
Region - Hilltops NSW
Final Sip - The fact that I couldn't split these two wines in deciding which to write about is hopefully a great compliment for Moppity Vineyards. Both are different in many ways and with one catering for everyday and the other perfect for a special occasion or for further cellaring my recommendation is buy both!

'No BS' Gold Coast Charity Wine Dinner - Summer wines in vogue

 

The final 'No BS' Wine event for 2010 will be held in the Gold Coast on November 18th and all profits from this event will be donated to the Leukaemia Foundation of QLD, thanks to my co-host for the evening, Kirsty Mailer. The wine theme for the evening will be 'Summer Wines in Vogue' and will showcase a great selection of wines, gratuitously donated by Amadio Wines and Holly's Garden, that make perfect summer time drinking!

The event will kick off at 7pm at Fellini Restaurant, located on Level 1 of the  Marina Mirage, Main Beach, where guests will enjoy a three course meal matched with no less than six wines.

Tickets are $95 per person and places are strictly limited to 35.

To secure your place at this great event and to help raise money for this worth cause please email me directly on stewart@winewithoutbs.com.au to express your interest and receive payment information.

 

 

Molly Morgan - 2010 Semillon

 

Semillon from the Hunter Valley region in NSW is a quintessential Australian wine so it was no surprise to see it account for 100% of the wines I received recently to take part in a nationwide Semillon tasting. Wine journalists, bloggers and enthusiasts with a healthy following on Twitter were sent no less than eight Semillons from varied producers in the region and asked to taste and post their thoughts on each wine during a two and a half hour window on the social media website.

One of the better of those wines was the Molly Morgan 2010 Semillon. It was almost perfectly clear in the glass and had a light aroma of citrus fruit. Very pleasant to drink, this wine has the classic, crisp citrus flavours that are a hallmark flavour within young Semillon, but in this case they did not come across as over powering or overly sharp as other examples I've had.

Molly Morgan - 2010 Semillon
Price - $25 from www.MollyMorgan.com.au
Region - Hunter Valley, NSW
Final Sip - Molly Morgan seem to have a knack for making really easy drinking white wines and their 2010 Semillon is no exception. The perfect accompaniment for fresh seafood dishe's, it's ready and waiting for you this summer!