Wine without BS

Centennial Vineyards - 2016 Bong Bong Pinot Noir

Centennial Vineyards 2016 Bong Bong Pinot Noir

I've had the pleasure of visiting the Centennial Vineyards Cellar Door on a few occasions but my most recent visit was the first time back in a number of years. Based on my most recent experience it will definitely become a more regular stop on newly increased travel within the area due to family now living in the vicinity. Centennial Vineyards has a vast range of wines available to taste, and I recommend you try them all, but let's talk about this Pinot!

Lighter in colour than your standard Pinot Noir with an almost 'lolly' red hue. Truth be told I've had rosé wines darker in colour than this. On the nose I'll admit, I was reaching to get anything distinctive but I got some faint earthy notes and red berry fruits. On the palate, it was like silk! It is just so damn easy to drink that it could go something like this - one sip, two sips.... bottle! There are fresh, juicy red fruits and just a whole lotta 'smooth' going on here. In some ways, I see it as being a red wine that even 'white only' drinkers may like, without suggesting it tastes anything like a white wine.

 

Centennial Vineyards 2016 Bong Bong Pinot Noir
Price - $20 from Centennial Vineyards website 
Region - NSW Southern Highlands
Final Sip - Lighter and just different to many of the Pinot's I've been drinking lately, but in a good way! I'll definitely be ordering more!

 

 

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No BS Events - A Pineapple for a Pinot

 

It's been over five years since I've hosted a wine event in Australia so I am very excited to announce my Pineapple for a Pinot event to be held back where it all began in 2009... at Fix Wine bar in Sydney, on May 18th.

This event idea all started when I was sent two Pinot's to try and I noticed both were priced at exactly $50. I then got talking to some wino friends of mine, all who seemed to have a $50 bottle or Pinot, or two, lying around and we discussed a simple tasting of these wines to see which we thought was the best for $50.

To cut a short story even shorter, that tasting concept is now my first 'No BS' event since returning to Sydney after a few years in California. Drawing on the growth of the 'shared economy' this is also my first BYO event with all guests kindly asked to bring a bottle of Pinot Noir that has a recommended retail price of $50 (give or take a fiver) that will be shared with the group.

Fix Wine Bar have kindly offered to create a matching four-course dinner for just $95 including our corkage charges

Tickets must be purchased in advance from my Event Brite page here

Seats will be limited to 14 and once you've purchased your ticket I kindly ask that you let me know via email what Pinot you'd like to bring and I'll be keeping a list of wines so that there are little to no double ups. Please also keep in mind that for the event to be fair it is BYO a $50 bottle per person.

I look forward to seeing a few old faces and some new ones as well!

 

 

 

Bird on a Wire 2013 Syrah

 

After a long hiatus from writing for this blog since my move to the US in 2013, my return to Sydney in late 2015 has had me excited to get back into it. I also couldn't think of a better way to start than with a boutique Syrah/Shiraz, a wine variety that Australia can be proud to say it does as good as anywhere else in the world, in my humble opinion!

So when the team at Vino Sunset reached out to me recently and were kind enough to send me this 2013 Syrah from a small producer in Yarra Valley, the wine and the story of Vino Sunset inspired me to put down the glass and get back behind the keyboard... in between sips of course!

A few basics relating to the wine. Classic cherry red colour with a rather light to medium strength aroma of dark fruits. Like the aroma profile, the flavours are rather subtle. I actually had two friends try the wine with me and while we all enjoyed the wine, we struggled with taste descriptors. So to do this article justice I had to take one for the team and finish the whole bottle... just to ensure I truly knew what I was talking about. I mean, who wants a review based on a few short sips and god forbid a spat out one! 

The very fact that the bottle was left empty is always a great sign and in pondering its contents I found myself writing down words like 'elegant', 'restrained' and 'classy'. At just three years of age, I am also pretty sure it's best days a quite some time away. To this effect, it reminds me of that kid in school who floats through the middle, almost completely unnoticed by all and then 10 years down the track you find out he, or she, is heading up some Silicon Valley-based tech firm, or as in a true story at my high school, became highly decorated SAS. You just kind of nod your head and think 'respect'.

The discovery of this wine and other small batch producers along with a dedication to introducing them to consumers is why I have an equal amount of respect for what Stuart Lowry and the team at Vino Sunset are doing.  After all, the inspiration for starting Wine without BS came after an introduction to a boutique label making some exceptional Shiraz and I said to myself 'I want more people to know about this wine'. 

As Vino Sunset put it "We are all about the small batch premium wines (hard to get) at around the $30 a bottle mark. Also, Vino Sunset is a small business and we are so passionate about what we do and wanting to make wine truly special for people - all about creating memories. It's also about supporting the Australian wine business and small growers!

So if you'd like to try this wine and/or enjoy a host of other great Australian boutique wines check out Vino Sunset 

 

EXCLUSIVE OFFER 
Wine without BS readers have been offered a very generous 20% off any wine purchased from Vino Sunset! Simply purchase any wine from their great selection CLICK HERE and use the code NOBS!  upon checkout.

 

 

 

G.B Burlotto 2009 Barolo

Having very little personal experience with Barolo I tried this particular wine back in 2013 after a recommendation from the manager at my local bottle shop in North Sydney just before I moved to Los Angeles that year. For those unfamiliar with the wine, Barolo is a designated and controlled area in the Piedmont region in Northern Italy that makes wine from the Nebbiolo grape. They are premium Italian wines that many wine aficionados hold in very high regard and some may even go as far as to say that they are the greatest wines to come out of Italy.

Traditional Barolos are known for being very high in tannin and often require up to 10 years or more of cellaring before the wine is considered ready for drinking. I distinctly remember a demonstration of this at my WSET Level 2 course a few years back where we were given a sample of a young Barolo that had a recommended retail price of $200. With only a few years of maturity it was almost undrinkable as the very high tannins present completely dried out my mouth and created that puckering sensation similar to having something extremely sour in the mouth. The lesson was that unless you know what you are doing a price tag doesn't indicate you are going to enjoy a wine at the time of purchase and that a little knowledge can go a long way to enjoying the vast wines from around the world! Lesson learned! 

This particular wine has a lovely light cherry red colour with hints of garnet, or brick red. There was little happening on the nose and I really had to give it time and get my nose right in the glass just to get an aroma that I can only describe as musty. To drink it was very elegant and didn't remind me of any wine I'd ever had out of Australia or indeed anywhere else. I found it really hard to break down the flavours into individual elements and my tasting notes just contain words like subtle, finesse, class etc! What I found interesting about this is I read some other reviews of the exact same wine and it appears I am not alone in using these descriptors as these words appeared in many of the other reviews along with comments such as olive on the nose, gentle spices and floral undertones. My personal favourite was the one comment that simply said 'tastes like traditional Barolo'. Not a very helpful statement if you've never tried one!

The high cost of decent Barolo is probably the greatest barrier to experimenting with them as this example was $80 and in Australia most decent Barolos are likely to have entry level prices at $50 - $100 and the best examples from great producers are well beyond that. This does make them somewhat of a rare treat which adds to their allure and I certainly enjoyed this wine and I look forward to experiencing more Barolos over time. 

G.B Burlotto 2009 Barolo
Price - $80 at North Sydney Cellars : Here in the US I have found it for as low as $39.99 at Arrowine
Region - Piedmont, Italy
Final Sip - A close to perfect introduction to this Italian great and it is definitely a wine I would recommend to others with little to no experience with Barolo who are willing to part with the money.

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Mayhem & Co. 2012 McLaren Vale Small Berries Shiraz

Funny story about how I came to try this wine recently in that I had heard the Mayhem & Co. story from a good friend of mine in Los Angeles. Upon making my first return to Australia since my relocation to California in 2013 I arrived at my mothers place and the first thing I saw was a bottle of Mayhem & Co. wine in her cupboard! I was intrigued and learnt that it was a bottle from a dinner party that a guest had brought over and not been opened so I got stuck into it straight away.

In the glass this wine is a very deep cherry red colour with a purple tinge. It has an attractive aroma of ripe, juicy berry fruits with notes of spices, oak, pepper and faint vanilla. It drinks really well with an initial hit of pepper on the front palate that soon meets with juicy dark and red berry fruits as well as hints of various spices. This wine is a near perfect example of how Australian Shiraz, even those from warm climate regions, are not all big fruit bombs that are 14.5%+ alcohol. This particular Shiraz comes in at 13.8%.

This is a very enjoyable wine and I do agree with the winemakers comments that it is best enjoyed the day after opening. I am also highly confident of its ageing potential and wouldn't hesitate to buy a few extra for my own collection for enjoyment at the 8+ year mark.

Mayhem & Co. 2012 McLaren Vale (Small Berries) Shiraz
Price - $42 at Mayhem & Co. Wines 
Region - McLaren Vale, South Australia
Final Sip - An exciting wine that I'd not only buy again without hesitation but it also makes me want to try more wines from the Mayhem & Co. line-up! 

 

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Don & Sons 2010 Chardonnay

 

In the state of California Chardonnay is everywhere and the second most popular grape variety behind Cabernet Sauvignon. It also happens to be one of my most preferred white varieties and so I've had my fair share of California Chardonnay's in my time here in the Golden State. Many of these have been cheap and cheerful wines that are most often found on the typical restaurant wine list and available by the glass. Many have been average at best, a few have been disappointing and every now and again one will stand out from the crowd. These standouts often have a price tag to match so I was thrilled to recently discover the Don & Son's 2010 Chardonnay, from Sonoma Coast, on sale at an independent liquor retailer for $19.99. For the time being this is the best Californian Chardonnay I've enjoyed that comes in at under $25 and I've seen it a few bucks under $20 online. 

In the glass it has a nice, lemony gold colour and has a beautifully enticing aroma. On the nose are hints of tropical fruits, honey, oak and the effects of a process called Malolatic Fermentation. You can read up on what that means exactly via the hyperlink and all I can say is that it has taken me many years of research/drinking to notice when this process has been used in Chardonnay. Many newer styles of Chardonnay won't use this process at all and the description of the wine on the back label suggests this wine has only gone through the process for a short period, resulting in its effects being noticeable but not over powering. 

It is simply delicious to drink and I found myself enjoying it in smaller sips and allowing the experience to linger a bit before the next taste. It has a creaminess to it that is also the result of the Malolatic Fermentation and you should also enjoy hints of green apple and pear that all meld into a truly great, medium bodied, cool climate Chardonnay. 

Don & Sons 2010 Chardonnay
Price - $20 at selected retailers
Region - Sonoma Coast, California
Final Sip - Easily one of the best Chardonnay's I've had for $20 and given it doesn't appear a current vintage of the wine is being sold by the winery I better get back to the store I brought it from and stock up!

 

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Buffalo Shrimp Omelette

Ok, so yet another post that has little, actually nothing to do with wine. This is probably a good time to point out that since moving to Los Angeles in October 2013 I have been writing wine reviews as the official LA Budget Wine Examiner for Examiner.com. So to check out my latest reviews please check out the link and it would be great if you subscribed to my posts as well and thank you in advance to those that do!

Back onto the topic of this post which is the first recipe I have ever posted and was inspired by my awesome new neighbours and friends, Pearson Knight and Gail Lewis. I created this omelette to cater for their love of seafood and my obsession with buffalo sauce!

 

Buffalo Shrimp Omelette

 

• A handful of shelled fresh shrimp/prawns 
• 3 eggs
• 2 Tablespoons of Butter
• 2 Tablespoons of Ketchup/Tomato sauce
• Tabasco sauce
• Buffalo Sauce (I used the Tony Roma's Buffalo wing sauce but use any buffalo sauce you like or make your own)
• Canned diced jalapeño's
• Monterey Jack Cheese, can substitute for any good melting cheese like cheddar or mozzarella 
• Salt & pepper

 

Step 1 - Beat the eggs together with a whisk and throw in a pinch of salt and pepper

Step 2 - In a pan over medium heat melt the butter together with the ketchup/tomato sauce. Once combined continue to add dashes of Tabasco sauce until you are happy with the heat/spice levels. Everyone is different in their preferences so I didn't include a set quantity. Just add and taste til you are happy. For those that like it quite hot equal 3rds, so 2 tablespoons is plenty!

Step 3 - Add prawns to pan and cook until just opaque - 1-2 mins and then reduce heat to low.

Step 4 - Using a greased fry pan on medium heat add your egg mixture and leave for 2-3 mins or when you know the omelette is close to being ready to flip over.

Step 4 - Remove the prawns from their pan and place on one half of the omelette and then drizzle the wing sauce over them. I didn't include any quantity here as you can add as much as you like but I kept it reasonably conservative and just insured each prawn had a thin covering of sauce.

Step 5 - Flip over the omelette and continue to cook for another minute or so

Step 6 - Remove from pan and place onto an over proof dish. Spread over the diced jalapeño's and make a thin layer over the whole omelette. Now layer the cheese over the jalapeño's in the same manner.

Step 7 - Place the omelette under a pre-heated oven broiler/grill until the cheese is melted and starts to go golden

Step 8 - Remove and serve immediately 

 

Strawberry and Jalapeño Margarita

Ok, so this has nothing to do with wine but I don't know too many wine lovers that don't like to have the odd cocktail or two!

On a recent trip to San Diego I came across this drink at a restaurant called Sear Sucker in the Gaslamp district. Within a few sips I had a new all time favourite mixed drink! Big statement you may say, but it is honestly my new all time favourite cocktail. I ended up returning to Sear Sucker on three different nights during my stay simply to have this drink. On the final visit I got chatting to the bar tender who told me it is rather easy to do and having now successfully re-created this at home myself I gladly share the recipe!

Step 1 - The Infusion

Not surprisingly this is the most crucial step and while you can experiment yourself with different ratios and quantities the below is exactly what I did.

In a 1.5L airtight jar put a whole punnet of fresh strawberries and 3 Jalapeños and fill to the top with a 100% Blue Agave Tequila. It took just under one and half 750Ml bottles of Tequila and it doesn't make sense to use anything overly expensive given the flavour is being modified so heavily and isn't even enjoyed on its own in the end anyway. Leave to infuse for four days on the counter at room temperature but away from direct sunlight.

(Day 1)

(Day 4 side by side with original Tequila)

After four days simply strain the liquid to leave the fruit behind and then I just re-poured the infused Tequila back into the jar for storing in the fridge.

Step 2 - The Recipe

45ml/1.5 ounces of the infused Tequila
30 ml/1 ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice
15 ml/0.5 ounces of Agave Nectar (Available in most supermarkets in the US and in certain supermarkets health food sections or health food stores in Australia)

Pour all the above ingredients over ice in a cocktail shaker and shake vigirously 

Fill a glass tumbler (without or without a salt rim based on your preference) with ice and pour over contents of cocktail shaker

Garnish with two slices of freshly cut Jalapeño and enjoy!

Piedrasassi 2012 Syrah

It has been a little while since I last posted something here so for my regular readers out there I do apologise. Moving to the other side of the world does tend to eat up a lot of spare time but now that I am setup and settled in Los Angeles I wanted to share this great Californian wine with you all.

The Piedrasassi 2012 Syrah was actually introduced to me by Sommelier, Tom Donegan, formerly from Stokehouse Melbourne and now living in Los Angeles. The first thing that stood out to me when I saw the wine on the shelf was the unique bottle shape. I refereed to it as a squashed Napa Cabernet bottle but a friend suggested it is actually closer to what some port wines are bottled in. I can't say I've seen any wine in Australia in such a bottle and it's much shorter than a traditional 750Ml bottle and widens out quite a bit just before the neck.

Once poured out of its funky bottle this wine is all class. Deep ruby red in colour and aromas of ripe red berry fruits with wood and oak notes amongst other things. It drinks really well although I wouldn't say this is a overly subtle wine in any way. I experienced some alcohol warmth at the back of my throat, not in an unpleasant way but I did notice it and the wine comes in at 14.1%. Along with the fruit there is some pepper and spice on the palate and I did experience a really enjoyable after taste that lingered for quite some time. Overall it was a really great wine and is made in very limited amounts so you have to keep an eye out for it and seize the opportunity to buy it while stocks last.

 

Piedrasassi 2012 Syrah
Region - California Central Coast
Price - $20 (plus tax) from Elvino Wine Store, Venice, CA
Final Sip - This is probably the best Syrah I have had out of the United States and given it is just $20 plus tax it is something all Syrah/Shiraz lovers should try!

 

 

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Two affordable French wines I actually liked!

I have to confess that I have struggled somewhat to find many sub $50 French red wines that I could actually get excited about enough to write about. What is interesting about this is that one of the best wine memories I have that contributed to a slight obsession with wine is a 1979 Cortes de Rhone that a good friend of mine took from his fathers cellar one night. It was one of the most amazing wines I'd experienced at the time and yet all the research I did on the particular label suggested that back when it was released that wine retailed for less than 20 bucks! Then again in the early 80s perhaps $20 was considered pretty expensive?

Since that amazing wine I've purchased dozens of French wines of all types for under $50 and have been largely disappointed with most of them. However, thanks to DiscoverVin this changed recently when they kindly sent me two rather different reds that I am more than happy to write about!

Domaine du Crampilh Madiran Vignes Vielles 2009 - Made with 100% Tanat this wine has a deep, dark blood red colour. Easily the most drinkable 100% Tanat I can recall and I enjoyed every drop and I can report that it went amazingly well with a bit of aged cheddar. RRP $38.40

Chateau Lagarde 2009 - A blend of 73% Merlot, 25% Cab Franc and 2% Malbec this wine drank much better than I expected for a Bordeaux priced at under $30! Pretty standard in colour but the aroma is dominated by the unique profile of Cabernet Franc which is a bit of a mixed bag of fruits, herbs and floral notes with a slightly musty feel to it all. Enjoyable to drink, this wine benefited greatly from decanting and was at its best over an hour later. Definitely a great entry level Bordeaux for people looking to experience it perhaps for the first time. Affordable but good tasting Bordeaux wines are also great to take to dinner parties or give as gifts for any situation where you're the only one who will know the price, but others will know you brought a Bordeaux and not some supermarket Aussie or Kiwi label that we've all seen in the discount bins at the local bottle shop! RRP $29.90

Both wines are available from DiscoverVin