Devils Corner Pinot Noir 2012

Review of Wine:

Pinot Noir is my wife's favourite red wine and also one of my favourites. Being a Tasmanian Pinot Noir and from Devils Corner you know the wine will be a high standard and it didn't disappoint as seems to be perfectly balanced. Although not the best Pinot Noir I have ever enjoyed it is a wine I would happy drink every night or be happy to take to a dinner party knowing everyone would enjoy it.

Wine Region: Tasmania, Australia

Drink Until: Enjoy now or over the next few years

Varieties: Pinot Noir

Food: Was enjoyed on it's own

Colour: This Pinot Noir is brightly coloured with youthful purple tones

Nose: A strongly perfumed style redolent of spicy black cherry, dark fruits and hints of raspberries.

Palate: The wine displays a juicy, sweet-fruit middle palate with soft, ripe tannins and fresh acidity.

Background:

Intrepid sailors navigating Tasmania’s Tamar River discovered a treacherous bend and named it Devil’s Corner Vineyard. Beyond the tumultuous waters they found an amazing sanctuary, where still waters rewarded their navigational efforts. Their courage in pursuing this sanctuary is celebrated in this truly cool-climate, finely crafted wine from exceptional Tasmanian terroir.

Devils Corner VineyardDevil’s Corner Vineyard is on the East Coast of the island and has a maritime climate, pristine air and perfect terroir – and the most spectacular view of the famous The Hazards of the Freycinet Peninsula. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Riesling cool-climate wines have been crafted with fresh, vibrant fruit intensity, the Pinot Noir being the hero of the range.

Awards: Silver Royal Queensland Wine Show

Wine Rating: 90 Dan Murphy's Wine Panel

Alcohol: 13.0%

Price: $15.00-$20.00 AUD

Where to Purchase:

Can be purchased from any of the major liquor stores. 

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2012

Review of Wine:

This wine was given to me as a gift recently so thought I would open it one evening when we where making home made pizza with bruschetta and salami. I happily enjoyed this wine as found this particular year to be one of the better recent years. Although I wouldn't go out of my way to purchase this bottle I would enjoy it again if I was at a dinner party or a wedding and it was provided. The wine isn't quite as smooth as some shiraz's on the market and seems a little one dimensional but goes down well.

Wine Region: Barossa, South Australia, Australia

Drink Until: Drink Now

Varieties: Shiraz Cabernet

Food: I enjoyed this with home made pizzas. 

Colour: Deep dark red

Nose: N/A

Palate: Hints of raspberry, mulberry and redcurrant 

Background:

Australia's winemaking history of less than two hundred years is brief by European measures, though, like Europe, punctuated by periods of extreme success and difficult times. From the earliest winemaking days Penfolds has figured prominently and few would argue the importance of Penfolds influence on Australia's winemaking psyche. Without the influence of Penfolds the modern Australian wine industry would look very different indeed. Sitting comfortably outside of fad and fashion, Penfolds has taken Australian wine to the world on a grand stage and forged a reputation for quality that is without peer.

Penfolds has a history and heritage that profoundly reflects Australia’s journey from colonial settlement to the modern Era. Established in 1844, just eight years after the foundation of South Australia, Penfolds has played a pivotal role in the evolution of winemaking in Australia - and across the world.

Penfolds collection of benchmark wines were established in a spirit of innovation and the constant and endless pursuit of quality, evidenced from the secret bottlings of Grange in 1951 and the unbroken line of vintages of what is now Australia’s most iconic wine.

Awards:

No awards

Wine Rating: 88 Wine Spectator/Stephen Tanzer

Alcohol: 13.5%

Price: $15.00 AUD

Where to Purchase:

Can be purchased from any of the major liquor stores. 

Ballandean Estate Aged Rum Ball Liqueur

Review of Wine:

Purchased this when doing a wine tour of the Granite Belt a few years back and really enjoyed the liqueur as was a new take on a wine liqueur. Is something that I enjoy to have after dinner like having a port before going to bed. Would happily purchase another bottle of this to enjoy.

Wine Region: Granite Belt, Queensland Australia

Drink Until: Drink Now or will keep for a long period of time.

Varieties: Liqueur

Food: Suggest rumballs, or any kind of chocolate truffle

Colour: Light red with hints of brown

Nose: N/A

Palate: N/A

Background:

Since 1932 our family has produced wine from our vineyards in Ballandean for the enjoyment of Australian & International wine lovers. We are exceptionally proud of our contribution to the unfolding story of the Granite Belt Wine Region. Ballandean Estate has 2 beautiful vineyards in Ballandean. The original vineyard situated on Sundown Road, was first planted by Salvatore Cardillo in 1932. The oldest vines on this vineyard date back to 1968. The second vineyard Bellview was purchased in the late 1990's and situated on a hill overlooking the Girraween National Park.

Awards:

No awards

Wine Rating: N/A

Alcohol: 20.8%

Price: $26.00 AUD

Where to Purchase:

Can be purchased direct from Ballandean Estate at there cellar door.

Heritage Estate Reserve Shiraz 2013 Single Vineyard

Review of Wine:

Was expecting to enjoy this wine as had heard positive things about the winery but found the wine only average when drinking it. I didn't pair it correctly with food but still found the wine to be extremely smooth. I did find when drinking this Shiraz and it seemed like a high amount of preservatives seem to be in the wine as while drinking it was expecting to have a bit of a hang over the next day but didn't find this to be the case fortunately. I didn't know if at the time but the 2013 vintage was effected by hail so the 2012 or 2014 vintages might be much better.

Wine Region: Granite Belt, Queensland Australia

Drink Until: Drink now or until 2018

Varieties: Shiraz

Food: Tried this wine with tomato based pizzas

Colour: A deep rich red

Nose: Vibrant spicy berry and subtle white pepper nose typical of Granite Belt Shiraz.

Palate: The palate delivers sweet mulberry and raspberry fruit with texture and length and fine grained tannins.

Background:

Heritage Estate (owned by Bryce and Paddy Kassulke) has two estate vineyards in the Granite Belt, one at Cottonvale (north) at an altitude of 960m, where it grows white varieties, and the other at Ballandean, a slightly warmer site where red varieties and marsanne are planted. Heritage Estate has been a prolific award-winner in various Qld wine shows and it has invested in a new bottling line enabling it to use screwcaps. After a series of difficult vintages, with the Cottonvale vineyard, predominantly planted to white varieties, hit by hail in 2013, Heritage Estate has bounced back impressively, taking full advantage of the excellent 2014 vintage.

Awards:

No awards

Wine Rating: N/A

Alcohol: 14.8%

Price: $25.00 AUD

Where to Purchase:

Never been to the winery myself but can be purchased directly from the Heritage Estate website.

Symphony Hill Reserve Petit Verdot 2012

Review of Wine:

Can say I'm quite a fan of Symphony Hill Wines as they are my favourite local boutique winery. Have always enjoyed shiraz wines and being a Petit Verdot has many similarities. The wine is very smooth once opening and breathing for 5-10 minutes. I would happily drink this wine day in day out but at the retail price feel it is a little over priced but as I receive is as part of a wine membership it works out to be $25 a bottle which I feel is very good value. The only other reason I can see why James Halliday would have only scored this a 92 is because their doesn't seem to be a lot of complexity to the wine. 

Wine Region: Granite Belt, Queensland Australia

Drink Until: Drink until 2027

Varieties: Petit Verdot

Food: I enjoyed this wine by itself and also with a vegetarian pasta.

Colour: A dark deep red with a purple tinge.

Nose: Explosive aromas of violets and loganberries are delightfully backed with a hint of licorice.

Palate: The palate delivers rich, ripe flavours of blueberry and blackberry wrapped in fine silky tannins and a juicy mouth filling finish.

Background:

Symphony Hill Wines is a group of family and friends bonded together on the quest to make world class wines and to never stop learning. We are a company that wholeheartedly believes in the mind blowing potential of wines grown and made on the Granite Belt. The Granite Belt is the promised land of viticulture with altitudes ranging from 600m to 1000m – all within the one region. As a result climatic conditions vary tremendously allowing all sorts of varieties to excel depending on which altitude they are planted. As an example, our own vineyard is the highest of the region allowing our flagship wine, Reserve Shiraz, to produce a style of wine that is unique in Australia and totally different to Shiraz grown at lower altitudes. Our Cabernet Sauvignon is harvested in early May which is one month later than Cabernet harvested in Clare Valley, showing how cool our climate is in comparison to other wine regions.

Awards:

GOLD MEDAL 2015 Royal Queensland Wine Show

Wine Rating: 92 (James Halliday) 

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: $65.00 AUD but being sold to wine club members for $45.50 AUD (30% Discount)

Where to Purchase:

This is my personal favourite winery in the Granite Belt of Queensland as have been a wine club member for several years and have visited the winery many times over the years. Is available from independent liquor stores in south east Queensland or directly from the Symphony Hill website.

Rumbalara Shiraz 2013

Review of Wine:

Not the most amazing Shiraz I have ever had but for the price was a nice enjoyable Shiraz that I would be happy to enjoy again. I personally would not cellar this wine as think it is a wine to open and enjoy now.

Wine Region: Granite Belt, Queensland Australia

Drink Until: Drink now or over the next 6 years

Varieties: Shiraz

Food: We enjoyed it during a BBQ of beef spare ribs, chicken wings and marinated lamb cutlets.

Colour: N/A

Nose: N/A

Palate: N/A

Background:

The property now known as Rumbalara was first surveyed before 1908. Part of the land occupied by early owners was a mining lease containing a silver-bearing quartz intrusion discovered during the construction of the railway linking Brisbane and Sydney. The land was originally used as an orchard, with the first grapes planted in 28. Bob and Una Gray purchased the property in 74 and planted and grafted (onto existing rootstock) classic wine grape varieties including semillon and cabernet sauvignon. Rumbalara was purchased by Mike and Bobbi Crag in 2002.

Alcohol: 14.0%

Price: $20.00 AUD

Where to Purchase:

Having never been to the winery myself this was a gift from a friends recent trip to Stanthorpe when they come over for dinner. Can be purchased directly from the Rumbalara website.

Golden Grove Estate Barbera 2014

Review of Wine:

I have really enjoyed drinking a more unusual wine grape here in Australia. Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that is third most-planted red grape variety in Italy. It produces good yields and is known for deep color, low tannins and high levels of acid. This was my first experience with Barbera as can be hard to fine in bottle shops but look forward to enjoying many more bottles of Barbera in the future.

Wine Region: Granite Belt, Queensland Australia

Drink Until: Drink now or over the next 3 years

Varieties: Barbera

Food: Perfect for light fresh food. I enjoyed it with an Italian pizza.

Colour: deep red

Nose: This wine shows vibrant cherry and plum fruits with a hint of spice.

Palate:

Generous flavours of dark cherry, a little compote like. Raspberry is flicked out just at the death, something which just sticks with a length that is giving.

Background:

Golden Grove Estate Vineyard and Winery, is situated in the highlands of the Ballandean Valley, in the heart of Queenslands premier wine district, the Granite Belt. The high altitude of 820 metres and cool summer climate make the area ideal for the growing of classic wine grape varieties and production of fine wines. The first vines were planted in 1975 and were followed in recent years by other classic varieties. The vineyards are planted in a northerly aspect in a combination type soil of decomposed granite with trap rock loam and are drip irrigated from the Accommodation Creek. These attributes contribute to the slow ripening and full development of soft delicate flavors. Mario and Nita Costanzo, growing grapes for the fresh fruit market, first settled the property in 1946. As the wine industry emerged classic wine grape varieties were planted for the making of commercial wine. The property was then taken over by son Sam and along with his wife Grace became the sole owners and operators of Golden Grove, who continued planting and making wine. In 1991 cellar doors were opened for wine tourism, tasting and sales. Their eldest son Raymond graduated from Charles Sturt University Wagga Wagga, with a Bachelor of Applied Science (wine science) and after having worked in the industry for seven years returned home to take over the winemaking role.

Alcohol: N/A

Price: $24.00 AUD

Where to Purchase:

This was included as a wine from a Wine Club membership with the wine producer directly but is also available from selected independent wine shops. More details available directly from the Golden Grove website.