STARS OF SANTA BARBARA 2012 WINE TASTING EVENT RECAP

The amazing California wines of Santa Barbara County were showcased at the Peninsula Hotel's Verandah Room in Beverly Hills on January 26, 2012.  What brought wine country to the hills of Beverlee was the STARS of Santa Barbara tasting event, from Los Angeles wine educator Ian Blackburn and his Learn About Wine outfit.

The yearly event always offers a great overview of the Santa Barbara wine scene, and attracts some of the best winemakers in California to pour for the eager masses.

As usual, the event had a great turnout.  At the afternoon trade and media session, I had the opportunity to sample some great wines - some which were simply stunning - and get in a little conversation with the winemakers and other presenters.

Dan Fredman represents Los Alamos producer Martian Vineyard, and he poured their biodynamically-farmed wines while announcing that their Demeter certification will be official this year.  He also sang the praises of new winemaker Mike Roth, a New Jersey native who has been making wine in the Santa Ynez Valley for close to a decade.  Martian Vineyard's2009 Grenache is a standout, showing dusty berries and cherries on the nose and a very earthy minerality on the palate.  At $24, it's well worth the price.

Larry Shaffer (right) said he made this year's Tercero Wines "atAndrew Murray's place," meaning Murray's winery in Los Olivos.  "Next year? I have no clue.  But I still have six months to figure it out."  From one of his famous flasks, Shaffer poured his 2007 Grenache sourced from the Watch Hill Vineyard in Los Alamos.  The wine was 25% whole cluster pressed, giving a great herbal edge to an already complex wine.  I love the acidity in this one.

Toretti Family Vineyard is a five acre plot which sits on the bluff overlooking the Santa Maria Valley.  Robert Torres talked about his operation dealing with seeing their grape production fall from 15 tons to 11 tons to 8 tons in three successive vintages.  The bright side is the concentrated flavor in the smaller berries, although I couldn't help but get the feeling he'd have been satisfied with more wine to sell.  Toretti's 2009 Inocencio Pinot Noir shows perfume and earth on the sniff, and tastes very dark for such a lightly tinted wine.

At the Westerly Wines table, I was enjoying a conversation with company president Vito Gambini.  He was extolling the capabilities of his winemaker, Kirby Anderson when a gentleman walked up and said to Vito, "Hi! How's Kirby?"  Vito replied, "He's great.  He's my winemaker!"  The gentleman then said, "I know.  He's my winemaker too!"  It goes to show the wine community is a very small town, even in a big county like Santa Barbara.  Westerly's 2009 Chardonnay puts a fascinating smoky edge on the fruit.  I couldn't believe it when I was told it a $19 wine.  Vito also poured a dessert wine called Apres - a sweet Viognier in which the grapes are put on racks to dry naturally before vinifying.  It's sweet, not cloying, and has a great acidity with a full-on peach cobbler flavor.  Westerly Wines was purchased earlier this month and the inventory is now available through TTT Vineyards.  

Joshua Klapper (left, Doctor Klapper in the event's program) poured his La Fenêtre and À Côté wines while riffing on them, and his descriptions of them - "Nice, huh?  The way I can condense three years of work into one sentence!"  His 2008 La Fenêtre Syrah comes from the Alisos Vineyard above Los Alamos.  Like all the vineyards from which he draws, it's a cool climate growing area.  Klapper says it's "more black olive than blackberry."   This savory wine has big tannins, all the better to go with a big steak.

Riverbench Vineyard and Winery's new winemaker Clarissa Nagy was at the event, pouring the 2008 Estate Pinot Noirwith a smokey load of minerals.

The Zaca Mesa table was handled by Jessica Simmons.  She was excited to pour their2007 Roussanne - the current release.  The Santa Ynez Valley wine showed nice acidity and a nutty salinity.

Others pointed me in the direction of the Dragonette Cellars table, where Brandon Sparks-Gillis poured their massively floral 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley.  Grapes from the Vogelzang, Grassini and Refugio Ranch Vineyards give amazing tropical flavors and acidity.

Dan Reeves represented his Reeves Ranch Vineyard well with the 2008 Syrah.  The fruit comes from his estate vineyard in the hills overlooking Los Olivos as well as Black Oak Vineyard in Los Alamos.  It's a dark and meaty joy.

An urban winery in Santa Barbara, Silver Wines is the creation of winemaker Benjamin Silver, former winemaker at Zaca Mesa.  He honed his craft there under the tutelage ofDaniel Gehrs.  Silver's 2007 Four Barrel Especial Syrah from White Hawk Vineyard offers up a sweet and smoky nose with a gigantic display of earth on the palate.

From the east side of the Santa Maria Valley, Byron's 2009 Pinot Blanc shows plenty of that SMV minerality and a nice layer of salinity, not to mention the floral aspect.  WinemakerJonathan Nagy has created a very nice white wine to sit beside his notable Pinot Noirs.

Cambria Estate Winery in the Santa Maria Valley produces some respected Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah under winemaker Denise Shurtleff.  The Cambria 2007 Bench Break Pinot Noir has especially dark and smoky aromas and is dark, but delicate, on the palate.  The small berries from this vintage really pack some punch.

Michael Bonaccorsi was a Master Sommelier, the somm at Spago in Beverly Hills and a winemaker until his untimely death in 2004.  The 2008 Bonaccorsi  Pinot Noir uses fruit from the Fiddlestix, Cargasacchi and Melville vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills.  Smoke and cherry on the nose make way for a palate featuring great minerality and a pleasingly tart edge on the finish.

At the D'Alfonso-Curran table, I had a taste of Kris Curran's2007 Curren Tempranillo.  A campfire nose meets a cherry and raspberry palate.

Fontes & Phillips Wines were represented by the company namesakes, Rochelle and Alan, respectively.  Their rosé, the2009 Panky, is made from Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah from the Santa Ynez Valley's Camp 4 Vineyard.  I sipped and listened to other tasters comment on Panky's resemblence to a rosé from Tavel.   

Brophy Clark Cellars has a winner with their 2009 GSM Santa Ynez Valley.  Bright cherry flavor and a wonderful acidity arise from the Estelle Vineyard Grenache, Camp 4 Vineyard Syrah and Mourvèdre from the 100-year-old vines of the Del Barbra Vineyard.

Sanguis makes wine in a converted warehouse in downtown Santa Barbara.  I was not familiar with them, but they're on my radar now after tasting their 2008 Endangered Species Proprietary Red Wine.  One of the more eye-opening efforts I tasted, the earthy, smoke-filled nose leads to some amazing minerality and eucalyptus on the palate.  It's heavy on the Syrah with splashes of Roussanne and Viognier, and spent 32 months in oak.  Sanguis is Latin for "blood," and the pronunciation is "sahn' gwiss."  

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CIMARONE GRAN PREMIO SANGIOVESE 2008

Italian grape varieties are among my favorites from around the world, particularly Sangiovese.  Whether it's the fresh, youthful Chianti or the grizzled old Brunello, I love what this grape does when it's wine.

Gran Premio is an estate-grown Sangiovese from Cimarone’s Three Creek Vineyard in Santa Barbara County’s Happy Canyon AVA.  Happy Canyon is in the eastern end of the Santa Ynez Valley, which is protected from the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean by the same Mountain range that channels that cooling effect into the Sta. Rita Hills.

Cimarone's Gran Premio is a blend of two clones - there are are 14 clones of the Sangiovese grape - which were picked before full ripeness.  This allows for the exclusion of excessive sugar and a resulting wine which is quite dry.  The wine is fermented in open-top wood barriques, and the wood has quite an impact on its aromas and flavors.  

Doug Margerum was the winemaker for Gran Premio.  Effective with the 2011 vintage, Margerum's purple shoes will be filled by Andrew Murray, who has taken over as winemaker for Cimarone.  According to the label, I had bottle 36 of 600!  That means only 50 cases made, so you'd better grab fast. 

Gran Premio shows a medium dark hue in the glass.   The nose exudes blackberry and tar.  Very dark flavors of earthy plums and blackberry show up on the palate, with that tar angle coming in just behind the fruit.  What the label calls "fine tannins" means that this is a very smooth wine.  You can add several "o"s to "smooth" if that helps convey the message.  

This wine drinks not like a fruity, young wine, but more like a brunello, laden with the tarry notes that years can bring to this grape.  It's great tasting and very easy drinking.  With smoked Gouda on rosemary bread the taste is amazing.  I'd love to try it with lamb, or merguez sausage.  Premio retails for $40 and carries a 14.5% abv number.

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BLOOD OF THE VINES - GRAND THEFT AUTO

When Ron Howard's first film, "Grand Theft Auto," was made, I thought great wine was the Spanada my mom kept in the fridge.  I don't know how mom would feel about her favorite beverage being relegated to the category of "bum wine," but at  $7.70 for a magnum, it would seem to come in on the high side of that politically incorrect spectrum.

1977 was not a great wine year for me, but I recall it was a good vintage for Miller Genuine Draft.  I also recall I had great tan that summer, for the last time ever.  TFH guru Joe Dante says his first wine was Boone's Farm.  Our tastes in beverages changed for the better.  But just as there are some occasions that simply call for a can of beer, there are times when all we really need in a movie is a lot of action.

GTA - the movie, not the video game - is a rip-roarin', white-knuckle ride featuring car chases, a souped-up Rolls Royce, a police car, of course, and a lot of stuff getting blown up.  

Daddy's little girl rips off the Rolls and heads for Vegas to get married quickie style while everybody and their dee jay chases after.  A great performance by the late Real Don Steeleas the helicopter jockey is the highlight of the movie.  Well, you had to expect that comment since I'm a lifelong broadcaster.  

I worked for several years in the same building with Real.  I'm sure he didn't know my name, but he smiled and said "Hey, baby" every day as he passed me on his way in.  I always half expected him to flip me the keys to his Cadillac and ask me to have it washed and fueled while he was on the air.  But there was someone else employed to do that.  Tina Delgado is alive - ALIVE!

Grand Theft Auto is the name of the crime people keep committing during this film, and it's only natural that those stolen cars end up in a demolition derby climax.  More movies should take this way out.  The critics weren't driven to praise the film, but it made a truck full of cash at the box office.

There's not a lot of wine in this movie - thankfully, judging from the driving habits exhibited - but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying some while watching it.  You might try some that's made in a place where these cars could have ended up after filming.

Cerro Caliente Cellars is a San Luis Obispo winery located in a working garage.  Their wines are full-throttle single-vineyard Central Coast beauties.  Check their "Multi Viscosity" line at $36 each.  Their tasting room is decorated for gear-heads and, presumably, they have plenty of those red shop rags handy in case of spills.

Some other junk in the trunk:

Pismo Beach Classic Car Show - A car show in wine country?  I'm there.

Derose Vineyards - Near Hollister, California, Derose offers a line of wines named and labeled after classic cars.

Classic Car Wines by B.R. Cohn - More classic car labels, this time from Sonoma County.

Rolls Royce Wine Carrier - Stick this baby in the boot and open in case of emergency.

Krug's Rolls Royce Delivery Van - Maybe the perfect mix of vintage wine and vintage auto.

Race Car Wine Caddy - How is your man cave bar getting along without this?

Prince Charles' car runs on wine - and it was taken for a spin by the royal newlyweds.

Car runs on wine and cheese - Gas isn't expensive enough?

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EXPLORING BEAUJOLAIS: FLEURIE

This taste of the Beaujolais region concerns a wine by Alain Coudert, Clos de la Roilette, Fleurie 2010.  The label indicates it's a red Beaujolais wine - 99% of the wine from Beaujolais is red, produced from the Gamay grape.

Fleurie wines are often indicated as having a fruity and floral bouquet.  That would be underselling the case, here, as we will find in a bit.

Louis Dressner Selections imports this wine, and their website describes the evolution of Clos de la Roilette:

"In the '20s, when the Fleurie appellation was first created, the former landowner was infuriated with losing the Moulin-à-Vent appellation under which the clos had previously been classified.  He created a label, using a photograph of his racehorse Roilette, and used the name Clos de la Roilette, without mentioning Fleurie.  The owner vowed not to sell a drop of his wine on the French market and the production went to Switzerland, Germany and England.

"By the mid-1960s, the owner’s heirs had lost interest in the clos and a large portion of the land had gone wild and untended.  In 1967, Fernand Coudert bought this poorly maintained estate, and replanted the vineyards.  His son Alain joined him in 1984, and has been the winemaker since."

The racehorse remains on the label to this day, although the Couderts apparently have no ill will at this point about the appellation.  The wine is labeled as Fleurie.

This is a complex Beaujolais Cru which retails for $20 and is a little stronger than a typical Beaujolais at 13% abv.  The average age of the Coudert's vines are 25-33 years and I am told it should age well for 5-10 years.

An initial cork sniff had me thinking I'd opened a bottle of sherry by mistake.  There's a huge nuttiness and something akin to caramel on the cork.  Once in the glass, the nose of the medium dark wine displays leathery cherry fruit, allspice and a hint of something burnt.

The palate is equally serious.  A very dark expression of cherries and roast come forward right away, and an almost muddy taste plays with the fruit as it shows black cherry, then blackberry, then a campfire flavor.  There is a fantastic acidity and a lingering tartness which begs for another sip to be taken.

In my sedentary travel through the Beaujolais crus, this is the darkest and most impressive wine I have tasted.

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EXPLORING BEAUJOLAIS: CHIROUBLES

The French wine region of Beaujolais has been the topic of a number of Now And Zin  posts this year.  During the holidays, I received a number of different Beaujolais wines to sample, and the experience has been illuminating.  I sample hundreds of California wines - and wine from all over the US - each year, but Beaujolais was one of the areas I had failed to explore properly until now.

After trying several wines from a few of the Beaujolais crus, I'm happy I've had the chance to delve into the region.  Today's wine comes from Chiroubles, a cru with some of the highest altitude vineyards in Beaujolais.  The climate is a bit cooler and the growing season somewhat longer as a result.  Wines from this region are said to be distinguished by their delicate, softly perfumed bouquets. 

This wine is the D. Coquelet 2010, imported by Louis Dressner.  Damien Coquelet is the winemaker.  A (very) little detective work shows him to be the stepson of George Descombes, one of the top growers in Beaujolais. This wine appears to come from his vineyard n Chiroubles, although Damien has plans to purchase vineyards of his own at some point.  One big distinction between the wines of Descombes and Coquelet is that the elder ages his wines a year, while the younger releases his early. 

The wine has an alcohol content of the more-or-less standard number for Beaujolais, 12.5% abv.  It shows a medium tint in the glass.  The nose is marked by raspberry and a bit of candy.  As advertised, very delicate floral notes surround the fruit.  Flavors of cherry, cranberry and a trace of cassis join a very nice acidity to make a wine that drinks like a light, slightly tart Pinot Noir.  It's really a beautiful effort. 

I see this wine selling online for $17 to $25 - worth it at the high end and a definite bargain at the low price.

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BLOOD OF THE VINES: KING OF COMEDY

In Martin Scorsese's "King of Comedy," Robert De Niro plays Rupert Pupkin, a demented fan obsessed with the late-night talk show host played by Jerry Lewis.  If De Niro's digs in Taxi Driver creeped you out, what did you think of his basement room in this movie?  The fake talk show set - complete with cardboard cutouts of host and guests - and the pencil-drawn audience to which he works while fantasizing about being the funny man onstage take delusion to new heights.

I began to wonder what kind of wine Rupert Pupkin would drink.  All I could think of were the cheesy one-liners printed on a thousand and one wine-related knick-knacks.  As I heard them in my head - in Pupkin's voice - they seemed to fit perfectly. 

"Wine gets better with age - the older I get, the better I like it." (rim shot)

"I cook with wine.  Sometimes I even get it in the food." (drum roll)

"I have a bottle of wine every night except when I don't feel well.  Then I have two." (ba-dum-bum)

"Wine - it's why I get out of bed every afternoon." (thunderous applause, weeping Pupkin blows kisses as he takes a bow)

As Pupkin might say in transition, "But seriously, folks," Robert De Niro is quite the wine connoisseur.  He has a taste for Italian wine - no surprise there - but he also holds the wines of director Francis Ford Coppola in high regard.  He detailed a couple of Coppola's best in his 

address at the 2010 Governors Awards.

The 2008 Directors Cut Cinema Sonoma County is not the '07 De Niro fondly remembers, but they say it will entice fans of Super Tuscans.  $23

Coppola's 2006 Rubicon Estate "Rubicon" Rutherford Red Blend should do nicely if you can't lay your hands on on the '91 Propritary Blend. $119

More? Funny you should ask...

Keep your eyes open for an Argentine wine called Rodrigo Mendoza.  That is said to be the name with which De Niro will label his wine if and when he closes the deal on a Mendoza vineyard. 

Viña Cobos uNico Mendoza 2006 - Until Rodrigo Mendoza appears, De Niro can probably spring for this $180 bottle and not hurt a bit.  Wine critic Robert Parker bestowed 96 of his prized points on this blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Malbec.

Martin Scorsese did a short film for Spanish Cava producer Freixenet called "The Key To Reserva."  There are some pretty good takes on Hitchcock in it.

The Tribeca Grill Cookbook - De Niro wrote the introduction to this culinary tome featuring recipes from his famed NYC eatery.

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CIMARONE 3CV BANK 2009

Cimarone Winery is on Three Creek Vineyard in the relatively new Happy Canyon AVA of Santa Barbara County.  Roger and Priscilla Higgins own the vineyard and winery, and they emphasize Bordeaux and Rhone varieties in their Cimarone and 3CV labels.

The gravelly, hillside soil of Three Creek Vineyard is planted to Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Merlot, Syrah and Semillon.  The Bordeaux grape varieties do very well in the warm climate of Happy Canyon, which is shielded from the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean by the same mountains which channel that cool climate into the Sta. Rita Hills.  You can find out more about Happy Canyon - including how it got its name - in an excellent and interesting article from The Central Coast Wine Report on the Happy Valley AVA.

The Higgins have employed legendary Santa Barbara winemaker Doug Margerum to create their blends, but a change has come.  Los Olivos-based Andrew Murray is now the winemaker for Cimarone’s wines beginning with the 2011 vintage.  Murray has extensive success with his own Rhone-based wines at Andrew Murray Vineyards.

Bank is Cimarone's top-selling Bordeaux blend with a touch of Syrah.  It consists of 35% Cabernet Franc, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Petit Verdot, 13% Malbec, 9% Merlot  and 9% Syrah.  The wine carries 14.5% abv and sells for $20.  Margerum is the winemaker for this ‘09 effort.

Bank is a dark purple in the glass with intense blackberry jam on the nose.  There are some clove and anise aromas, too.  The taste is heavily influenced by the Syrah as well.  Blackberry flavor stretches for miles, with a savory aspect that gives Bank a real old world feel.  The finish is lengthy.

This bottle - open for three nights - is, by the third night, more influenced by the Cabernet Franc.  The tannins still have bite, but the herbaceous, savory notes come forward mightily and a black plum profile nudges the blackberry out of the way.  This wine really undergoes quite a metamorphosis after opening.  Usually, I prefer a wine to have some time open, but I would not recommend letting Bank sit open for that long.  Upon opening, give it plenty of breathing or aeration, then enjoy.

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EXPLORING BEAUJOLAIS: A PAIR OF GEORGES DUBOEUF MORGON WINES

Georges Duboeuf is known for his eloquent and verbose vintage reports in which he yearly extolls the virtues of the Beaujolais crop.  "Divine! Dazzling! Voluptuous! Generous!" is just part of his report on the 2011 vintage.  The 2009 Beaujolais Crus are "truly the vintage of my lifetime," according to Duboeuf, while the Beaujolais Crus of 2010 prompted him to exclaim, "The Beaujolais region is on a winning streak."

Duboeuf has every right to use as many exclamation points as he likes.  Jean Bourjade is the Managing Director of Inter Beaujolais, the wine council representing the Producers of Beaujolais, and he echoes Duboeuf's praise of the last three vintages in Beaujolais.  He claims Beaujolais is the only French region in his memory to have three consecutive vintages of such high quality.

Salesmanship aside, Georges Duboeuf is the most recognizable name in Beaujolais wine.  He represents over 400 winegrowers in the region and his name is a mainstay in the French section of supermarket shelves worldwide.  In this post we'll explore Morgon, one of the twelve Crus of Beaujolais. 

Both of these bottles are produced from Duboeuf's Morgon vineyards, both are marketed as "red Burgundy wine," both have a 13% abv number and both sell for about $16.  The wine with the more serious looking label is a grower-specific wine from the vineyards of the late Jean-Ernest Descombes.  His daughter Nicole now tends the wine business.  The wine with the flower on the label is made from Duboeuf vineyards, but is not grower-specific.  These bottles were provided to me for sampling purposes.

The Morgon Cru lies south of six Beaujolais crus and north of three.  Gamay is the main grape, as it is in all of the Beaujolais region.  In the 14th century, the Dukes of Burgundy kicked the Gamay grape out of Burgundy in favor of Pinot Noir and Gamay took root in Beaujolais to the south.  Morgon has a long history with grapes - it was home to the vineyards of the Romans.  The volcanic and granitic rock found in the crumbling soil of the Morgon region supplies the terroir. 

The Descombes bottling has a bright nose full of cherry and raspberry.  The palate is full and refreshing with a zippy acidity.  The tannins show restraint while cherry and raspberry flavors are laced with a very slight hint of citrus.   I really get a sense of the minerals in these flavors. 

The flower label bottle shows the same fruit on the nose, but has more of a mineral or vegetal overlay.  It's not quite so bright - fairly dark, in fact.  The palate is less delicate as well, with a darker aspect to the fruit and a bit more tanninic grip.

Keep an eye out for more exploration of the Beaujolais crus here on the Now And Zin Wine Blog.

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WINE TASTING EVENT: AROUND AUSTRALIA IN 80 SIPS

Wine lovers looking to broaden their horizons and learn a little more about wine regions they don't try very often should keep an eye open for events like this one.  Around Australia In 80 Sips - held at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood on January 12, 2012 - offered a chance to travel around Australia in a wine glass.

80 Sips is part of a series of tasting events - held in different American cities every so often - in which participants can discover different facets of the wine world.  This time, Australia was the topic.  Wine Australia and G'Day USA combined to bring a few dozen Aussie winemakers to the US to pour some sips and open some doors.  Additionally, the event served as a fundraiser for St. Vincent Meals On Wheels.

About a year ago I attended an Australian wine dinner which was also presented by G'Day USA.  This event, however, was a walk-around wine tasting, which offered a chance to sample many more wines than in a dinner setting.  The downside, no dinner.  That's alright, I came for the wine.

The way this event was set up was a table-to-table exploration of the different wine regions of Australia.  This allowed tasters to get an isolated view of each region's grapes and terroir.  There were 40 or so wineries participating in the show, each featuring multiple examples of their efforts.

The McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley of South Australia were represented by almost half the wineries present.  Having had ample exposure to those regions, I tried to focus on the ones that were unfamiliar to me in the time available.

Tasting notes:

Western Australia

The Margaret River region seems to be the Napa Valley of Australia, with so many Cabernets and Chardonnays featured.

Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc/Semillion, Margaret River - Very nice, grassy nose, quite fresh.  Herbal notes on the palate, too.  Refreshing.  $15

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Riesling, Margaret River - Not terribly fruity, but a very nice acidity.  $22

Plantagenet Unoaked Chardonnay Omrah 2009 - Very clean taste. Would have sworn there was a bit of wood, at least.

Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Margaret River - Rosy nose, black cherry on the palate.  Great tannins.   Was told '05 is a good year.  Can't argue that.  $30

Victoria

Heathcote's cool climate Shiraz lead the way here.

Jasper Hill Occam's Razor Shiraz, Heathcote - Biodynamic. Very dark, full of minerals and dust, blackberry and spices.  $38

Tahbilk Marsanne, Nagambie Lakes - Oldest winery in Victoria.  Tropical fruit, salinity, nice acid, nutty finish.  $14

Mt. Lahgi Ghiran Shiraz 2004 - Big jammy nose, very dark fruit, black cherry cola finish.

Yarra Valley

Look for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in this region.

Bindi Chardonnay 2009 - Lightly oaked, great finish.  From a high elevation vineyard.

Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay - A little heavier on the oak.  $35

* Innocent Bystander Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley - Lively strawberry nose, strawberry soda on palate with a kick of lemon zest. $20  A great buy.

New South Wales

Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc in Orange, Semillon and Shiraz in Hunter Valley.  A fellow named Mark poured me through these, and he was by far the best teacher at any table.  Mark would come around pour from in front of the table so he could show on the map where the wines were produced.

Brokenwood Semillon, Hunter Valley - Nice zip.  10% abv.  Distinct mineral nose, pears and tropical fruit on palate.  From lower Hunter Valley, which Mark cited as a  "crap place to grow grapes."  due to heat and humidity.  They try to harvest early and beat the monsoons.  Heard it called the "anti-chardonnay."   $19

Eden Road Wines Hilltop Shiraz, Canberra - Chalky mineral nose, tastes big with black fruit, good acidity  $22

* Inkberry Shiraz Cabernet, Central Ranges -  From a hilltop vineyard.  60% Shiraz, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Floral nose, spicy plum and cherry palate very, very smooth  $14  Unbelievable value.

Robert Oatley Rosé of Sangiovese, Mudgee - Beautiful, dry, light pink, strawberry and raspberry flavors.  $19

Clare Valley

This region is known for Rieslings which are dry and ageworthy.

Kilikanoon Mort's Block Riesling 2009, Clare Valley - Big petrol play on the nose and palate   $20

* Wakefield Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009, Clare Valley - BIG mint and eucalyptus aromas, great tannic structure and acid.  $17  Great value.

Limestone Coast 

Coonawarra's Cabs show great character.

Henry's Drive Parson's Flat Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Padthaway - A refined nose, beautiful raspberry/cassis with mint on finish.  $40

* Henry's Drive Reserve Shiraz 2007, Padthaway - Brambly, brawny, blackberry nose, palate raspberry and blackberry, very masculine, burly.  $35  Well worth it.

Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz, Coonawarra - Floral minerals with a big grip.  $26

McLaren Vale

This South Australia region likes ripe Shiraz and savory Grenache.

Chapel Hill Bush Vine Grenache, McLaren Vale - Cherry, good acidity, big tannins.  $27

d'Arenberg The Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale - Big cassis and clove notes.  $65

Mr Riggs Shiraz, McLaren Vale - Elegant and huge, tobacco on the nose.  Tastes rich and red.  $66

Adelaide Hills and Langhorne Creek

They like their Sauvignon Blanc in Adelaide Hills but it was a red from Langhorne Creek that grabbed me.

* Brothers In Arms Shiraz 2002, Langhorne Creek - Very much like a Cab with graphite on nose and palate.  Great tannins.  $20  A steal.

Penfolds Thomas Hyland Riesling 2011, Adelaide Hills - Fruity with nice acid.  $14

Wakefield Estate Pinot Noir, Adelaide Hills - Violets.  $17

Zonte's Footstep The Lake Doctor Shiraz/Viognier, Langhorne Creek - Nice floral with black fruit.  $16

Eden Valley

Riesling is cited as the big thing here.

Barossa Valley

The South Australia region wows 'em with Shiraz and Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre blends.

I didn't see any Tasmania wines, but they may have been represented on the sparkling wine or dessert wine table - I ran out of time before reaching those delights.

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