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Copyright © Ric Einstein 2008
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Random Matters
Contains Snippets, Funnies, Events and other assorted random material.
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Snippet: Parkers Secret is Out - But I don't geddit (3 comments)
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Article: Green Wine - No its no Irish but the Irish are involved, and it looks like it could have been planned an Irishman (2 comments) Snippet: They do they believe this crap - More pleasant perfume topped with a whiff of flatulence (6 comments) Snippet: False Advertising - Get Wines Direct Crosses The Line (24 comments) News/Snippet: It had to eventually happen - The Southcorp Chickens Come Home to Roost (1 comment) Snippet: Alcopop Tax Stupidity - This makes the oxymoron of "Army Intelligence" look intelligent (3 comments) Snippet: Are Grange Buyers Stupid? - Peter Gago seems to think so. (4 comments) Snippet: Funnies: This one is a classic - Calling all Alcoholics Q & A: Reader's questions about bottle variation from Shane Doohan Funnies: Why Beer is Bad For You
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Readers Write: Wild Yeast, Brett, Screwcaps - sounds boring but its not! (2 comments)
Article:
Snippet: Yanks Get Their Knickers in a Twist - Some of our friends on the Robert Parker/Squires Forum are not happy with James Halliday! (11 comments)Snippet: From “Greed and Ignorance” to “Avarice and Stupidity” - You have to see this to believe it! (12 comments) |
The 2008 South Aust Tour Diary
Late in May, the Pie King, Red Bigot and I spent a week touring McLaren Vale, the Barossa and Coonawarra doing research for the 2008 Tour Diary. It was an outstanding success, despite some of the tucker not being up to its usual standards. Given the quality of the wines we tried, the few disappointing meals were insignificant in the scheme of things. I can promise you, without any fear of contradiction, this will be the best Tour Diary ever. It will be framed by Two Bookends; the first winery we visited and the last. These Bookend stories are unique. Each one presents the winemakers story in a way that have never been published previously. They provide personal insights into what makes these guys tick and why they do what they do. And both of them are revered winemakers. In some ways there are similarities between the two, but in some ways they are almost complete opposites, which is as it should be with bookends. The feedback feature has be enabled in every Chapter, so please submit your feedback, thoughts and questions.
Chapter One (19 June) starts with the First Bookend. This wineries wines are highly sought after. Their mailing list has been closed for years. The winemaker shies away from publicity and rarely speaks to the wine press, yet he was happy to have a noholds barred interview with me so I could present his personal story. And its a fascinating one. He is a unique individual that marches to the beat of his own drum and chooses not to listen to the music from other bands that surround him. We then had a flying visits to Gemtree and Pirramimma where we tried their latest releases. After lunch we met with three boutique winemakers. Two of of these guys are very new on the scene and the third is quickly gaining a reputation for good wine at an incredible price. The visit to the final winery of the day is titled, "Big Tony Round Three – Mr Irrepressible Rises from the Classic McLaren Ashes." (1 comment)
Chapter Two (26 June) of the 2008 South Australian Tour Diary turned out to be bigger than expected. It's in excess of 30 pages. It starts off with our drive from McLaren Vale to the Barossa, were we spent three days. We didn't visit many wineries on this day, but we did taste lots of terrific wine. Our first port of call was Kaesler. After this visit, I now have a new favourite winery in the Barossa. Next stop was Langmeil and the tasting was better than expected. After lunch it was off to Teusner to get their story and try their line-up. The final appointment to the date was a beauty. Back to Seppeltsfield to see what they were up to under the new ownership. All in all, it was a top day. (1 comment)
Chapter Three (10 July) continues our journey through the Barossa. For a small operation, Laughing Jack is impressive and I am not surprised their wines sell out quickly. Hentley Farm was another first visit. They now also have a second label, Fools Bay, that represents real value and is exported all over the world We had a quick visit to Murdock's new place. Lovely building. Pity about the wine. We had an impressive line up of wines at Rolf Binder/Magpie Estate and some of these get a big thumbs up. There are also two "Claytons" visits in this Chapter. I couldn't get to either Turkey Flat or Kalleske, which was a shame as they both release their new wines in May. The good news is both of them were kind enough to send samples and the reviews have been included in this Chapter.
Chapter Four (17 July) continues with our last day in the Barossa and Eden Valley. It's an average size Chapter, twenty six pages. We kicked off with an incredible breakfast. It takes real talent to be able to mess up bacon and eggs so badly. Swearing Gordon Ramsey would have had apoplexies and would have been rendered speechless if my breakfast was put in front of him. The first appointment was at Dutschke and Wayne continues to kick goals. The revered Rockford was next. Surprisingly, it was not as good as expected. We then found a real gem in Angaston that specialised in boutique wines from the Eden Valley. Its a very special place. The final appointment was at Yalumba where we had a private tasting of all their mid range and top wines. Some exciting stuff coming out of here now too. There are also a number of tasting notes covering Charles Cimicky wines.
Chapter Five (24 July) is the shortest Chapter in this series. It covers our first 24 hours in Coonawarra. First stop was one of the 'Bissell' wineries, Parker. We then had an appointment at Wynns. As well as tasting some terrific wines, we had a tour of their new "winery within a winery." The dinner that night was something I am unlikely to forget! Ever; ever if I try hard. Hollick has a swish new cellar door and restaurant, as well as a new range of wines. The second 'Bissell' winery on this trip is one of my favourites. Its the 'mother ship' or Bissell home winery. Balnaves, opened the upcoming new releases and they continue to do good things. We also had a long chat with Peter Bissell. The last winery in this Chapter, Penley Estate opened their upcoming releases. They are not only good, they are sensational value.
Cronyism (5 June)
When Robert Parker first started The Wine Advocate, one of the foundation stones he built his enterprise upon, was being a consumer advocate. He was highly critical of the British wine press in particular, for being too close to those in the wine business. The story, “Cronyism” looks at a couple of situations which have come to my attention and questions whether Robert Parker and his number one Australian reviewer, Jay Miller are guilty of not practising what Robert Parker originally preached. It can be found here. (8 comments)
Special: Pre-release Coonawarra Tasting Notes (5 June)
I am going to whet your appetite now with a special exclusive. From August the 18th to the 27th the Coonawarra Roadshow will hit the capital cities of Australia, Many wineries take this opportunity to launch their new releases. During our two days in Coonawarra we tried a large number of wines which have not been released yet, but will be rolled out between now and the Roadshow. As many of these wines are highly sought after, or very popular, or both, I am providing the tasting notes for these unreleased wines before the rest of the Tour Diary, along with a few notes on Coonawarra wines that have just been rolled out. Read this exclusive report here.
Dom Perignon Scam - Who is Responsible
(8 May)A reader sent me an update on the Dom Perignon Scam. What aroused my interest was that the scam email was sent under a name that came to my attention three months ago, and yet the guy is still operating openly and brazenly. How can this be happening and who is responsible? Those that read the original article will know that the UK police showed complete apathy and a total lack of interest in apprehending the can artists, but the problem goes deeper than that issue and there is another party that is also culpable in letting this situation continue. Read who that other party is here. (1 comment)
The Games They Play (2008) (8 April)
In 2004 Brian and I wrote a story about the games retailers play to try and
separate you from your hard earned dosh and maximise their sales. There are
great wine retailers out there but they are in a minority. Some wine retailers,
like those in all industries, use many different "interesting" practices to
entice people to buy their products. This story exposes many of these practices
and details how they work, and potential traps that should be avoided.
Between us, Brian and I have over eighty years of wine buying experience and
have obtained wine from every every source possibly imaginable, so why not take
advantage of our experience and avoid possible buying problems and
disappointments. It can be found here. (7 comments)
The 2008 Victorian Tour Diary
In February, Red Bigot and I spent a gruelling, but most enjoyable, eight days touring though the Westerns and North Eastern wine regions of Victoria. The trip was an eye opener. Anyone who thinks all Australian red wine taste the same and are high alcohol, over-ripe, intense blackberry flavoured vanilla or coffee oak-shakes and can not be enjoyed with tucker, needs to have this story poked into their myopic eyes and a few bottles of these delightful wines forcibly poured down their throats. At the time of writing this, I already have RSI from typing the words "elegant, restrained, classy, refined, and food friendly. Many labels are lower in alcohol than a few years ago. That is not as a result of the reactionary, politically correct, mummy-state elements inflicting their do good opinions; its a by-product of the strive for more elegant, food friendly wines. In total, there will be well over 200 tasting notes, as well as all the gory details on the meals consumed.
(5 March) Covers getting there and our first full day in Ararat (Great Western/Grampians). We visited Mount Langi, Kimbarra, and Clayfield in the morning. Best's gave us the Royal Tour and a right royal tasting. We went from one historic gem to another. The visit to Seppelt was another brilliant experience. They went all out and opened (multiple vintages of most of) the whole range. And then of course there was the food; and I need to warn you some of it was uglier than Phyllis Diller.
Chapter Two (13 March) Its huge. The Pyrenees Chapter is the biggest Chapter ever. A quick visit to Sally's Paddock was followed by a fascinating tour of Dalwhinnie. David Jones kept our undivided attention for hours, and that resulted in a lengthy feature story. Taltarni has undergone a complete turnaround and was a pleasant surprise. We also visited a number of smaller wineries. Multiple vintages were tasted from both Summerfield and Polleters. Warrenmang put on a dinner (and tasting) that was stunningly good. This Chapter has tasting notes on more unreleased wines than any other, so read all about them here first.
Chapter Three (26 March) covers our time in Bendigo. Wineries visited include Turners Crossing, Blanche Barkly, Pondalowie, Connor Park, Sandhurst Ridge, Balgownie and Chateau Leamon. We also had one of the best dinners on any trip. Ever (3 comments)
Chapter Four (24 April) covers our time in the famous Heathcote Region. You can't visit Heathcote without visiting the crown jewel, so we started at Jasper Hill. We then did a quick visit to Munari, and as expected the wines were well-worthwhile. Have you ever heard of Downing Estate? Well you have now and they don't make bad wine; even their Merlot is serious. Flynn's Wines can be bloody interesting, especially their Sangiovese. And it may sound hard to believe, but I enjoyed a pie at lunchtime too! Heathcote Winery produced a couple of very respectable wines for us to try, one of which is just about to be released. We also visited Shelmerdine and McIvor Estate.
Chapter Five (1 May) covers a lot of distance. First stop was Tahbilk Winery at Nagambie . We got lucky! They were having a museum tasting. Mitchelton was next and then we moved onto Plunkett Fowles. These last two seemed a bit patchy. Baileys of Glenrowan made up for them. At Beechworth, Tinkers Hill was interesting! Dinner was with Keppell Smith of Savaterre, who actually brought a Shar-Donay and a PiNot. Wait till you see the report on that escapade. Russell and Meeghan Bourne of battely wines were also at the dinner. What a night.
Chapter Six (8 May) It starts with our final winery in Beechworth, Golden Ball, who make very consistent, quality wines. We then moved to Brown Brothers which was better than expected. Rutherglen was the nest stop. Our appointment at Jones Winey went really well; here is a small winery to watch over coming years. We did the full tour at Campbells, as well as tasting their whole fortified range. We also dropped in on Andrew Buller at Buller's Winery, and as usual, Andrew provided a unique insight into a hot topic of debate.
Scary Stuff (20 February)
Recently I was told by a winemaker that he thought I was anti screwcap and pro cork. Yet if you ask many others, they think I am anti cork and all for alternative closures. The reality is I don't think any one seal is a perfect solution for all wines. Some will present better under cork, but cork has very real reliability issues. Even the most one eyed cork lover will admit cork can have problems, the only question is how big is the problem. There are all sorts of claims and counter claims about the reliability, or otherwise, of corks and the failure rate. Since June 2001 I have been keeping track of all bottles opened that have come from my cellar or have been sent to me as samples. Over 3,000 bottles have now been recorded and the results analysed. If you believe the cork industry, the failure rate of natural corks should be decreasing but as my numbers clearly show, opening a bottle of wine sealed with a cork is still a risk, and a damn big one at that! The numbers contained in this article are nightmare material. (4 comments)
Be Careful What You Wish For (23 January)
Look at the web and its besieged with demands that alcohol in New World wine should be lowered. This article examines why these demands are being made, who is making them, and most importantly, why they may not like the end result if their campaign is successful. It asks questions that have not been asked before, and shows how this whole outcry is based on floored logic, and in its current format is a complete crock. It can be found here. (9 comments)
Feature Story: The Quest Continues (12 Dec 2007)
When I started doing the research for this story, never in a thousand years did I think I would wind up coming to the conclusions I came to, because at first site they defy conventional logic. If you think that screwcaps are the best solution for red wine that is to be consumed young, think again. If you think that screwcaps are the best closure for c-through wines that will be drunk young, think again. If you think that corks are best seal for all red wines that require long term ageing, think again. However, when you look at the facts clinically and objectively, "conventional wisdom" may be conventional but it from many perspectives, it is certainly not wisdom. There is no such thing as the perfect closure for any one group of wines. Now that screwcaps have been around for sometime, far more is known about them than was previously the case, and this new knowledge turns many of the existing "truths" upside-down. Although this information won't stop "progress" and the direction in which we are heading, hopefully once theses facts are better understood by all winemakers, not just some winemakers, better wines will be the result. This Feature Article throws completely new light on the cork versus screwcap debate and will challenge your thoughts on the subject, no matter what side of the fence you sit on. It can be found here. (8 comments)
Tesco/Jago Presentation - the Real Story
(12 December)Last weeks Snippet: "Tesco man gives our wine exporters an earful"- and the room reeks of bull$hit" proved to be a hot topic on many of the wine forums. The report certainly caused a brouhaha in the press too. As a result, the Winemakers' Federation and the AWBC published a clarification of the facts, but after reading it, I still had many unanswered questions. I decided to try and get all the facts. There was no recording, no complete written copy, just a Power Point presentation, but the Federation sent me a copy so I could see for myself what it was all about. After I read the copy I realised the press had not only got their facts wrong, they had written the wrong story. Tesco/Jago Presentation - the Real Story provides a completely new twist and perspective on the original, controversial story. (6 comments)
Wine Paranoia (5 Dec)
This story was due to go live next Wednesday, but given its topical nature and events on two wine boards, I have decided to post it early. The long thread on the UK Forum detailed chapter and verse about some of their members' experiences with being banned from The Squires/Parker Board. That eventually linked to an enlightening story from Lyle Fass (on his Blog). Lyle was a well respected member of the Squires/Parker's board being banned recently. Neither the UK Forum thread or Lyle's excellent story have anything to do with my story, but they all have the same central theme; the behaviour of the board owner, Mark Squires. Neither Lyle or I have to try and make Mark Squires look silly or like a demented and paranoid dictator. As my article shows, he is a master at doing that himself. Wine Paranoia should give you a good laugh too. (5 comments)
Review: The Wine Advocate 2007 Australian Segment
(28 Nov)
Click here for the Update
In past years, when Robert Parker was reviewing Australian wines for the
Wine Advocate, the whole industry and many consumers waited with baited breath
for the annual Australian edition. This is the first year that this segment has
been handed to a new pair of hands, Dr Jay Miller, who is a long time tasting
buddy of Parker's. This review takes a critical look at the segment and Miller's
pluses and minuses. It also compares his work to Parker's. What effect will
Miller have on the Australian segment? Read this
and find out.
(6 comments)
Readers Write
: Wild Yeast, Brett, Screwcaps (10 Nov)
My good email mate Murray, a viticulturalist in New Zealand and I have just had an email exchange that I found enlightening. Murray not only clarifies the misconceptions about "wild yeast " but then provides startling information about the transfer of Brett and finally, how these are impacted by closures. If it sound "techo" - its not - Murray knows I am a technical cretin and need it explained simply. It can be found here. (1 comment)
Feature Winery Review: David Franz ???? (19 September)
Who or what is David Franz you may well ask; I know I did. David Franz is a boutique wine label belonging to the son of one of Australia's most well-known wine producers. Rather than trying to capitalise on the family's name, David is determined to do it "his way" and be recognised because what he is doing is good and deserves recognition, rather than trying to rely on his family's reputation. He is a young man that is not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve and tell you his personal thoughts. As a result, his story is refreshingly honest, devoid of bovine manure, and worth reading. Find out who the man is behind the David Franz label here. (1 comment)
Feature Story: ‘A True Story’ – Australia’s most Decorated Winemaker (4 September 2007)
Can you even guess who this may be? My bet is that few people outside of the wine industry will know, as this character, and he is a real character, generally maintains a low public profile. Since his departure from one of the largest wine companies in Australia, to "take things easy and do a bit of consulting," this beer-swilling smoker has a maintained a pace that made me tired just hearing about it. Articles about this guy have been written before but they just tend to be the usual boring bio, so I decided to tell his story in a no holds barred fashion that truly shows what this unique man is all about, and what makes him tick. I guarantee you will chuckle and be fascinated when you read 'A True Story', and if you don't enjoy reading it half as much as I did interviewing him, you can get your money back. Grab a glass of good red and click here. (4 comments)
A New Beginning for an Historic Icon (28 Aug)
Seppeltsfield is the jewel in the Barossa Crown, and probably the most historically significant winery in Australia today. In June 2006, after Fosters took over Southcorp, they announced they wanted to sell the asset, a move that shocked and worried many Australian wine lovers. During that time, there was much speculation about potential buyers, but that's all it was, idle speculation. That was until last week when a local South Australian newspaper reported that the sale was close to being finalised. Fosters refuse to confirm or deny the story, so it was odds on that it was going to happen. As soon as the sale was made public, I contacted Nathan Waks of Kilikanoon and interviewed him to get the inside low-down on the sale. The result is this article. (
11 comments)
Wine Roulette (22 Aug)
Roulette was invented by the French in the 18th century, and legend has it, that a particularly deadly form of the game was invented by the Russians, in the 19th century. “Russian Roulette” was first written up in the press in the 20th century. The ball went back into the French court, and in the 20th century they came up with a new version, which you are reading about in the 21st Century. The new version is called “Wine Roulette.” Its is a costly game with the occasional big win, but there are many losers too. Read all about it here. (3 comments)
Book Review: James Halliday 2008 Wine Companion (15 Aug)
The Halliday Wine Companion outsells all other Australian wines books, and is eagerly awaited by thousands of wine lovers all over the country. For this edition, Halliday tasted over 7,200 wines and the Companion contains reviews of over 5,800 of them. It also contains details on over 1,700 wineries, but enough of the statistics. In this edition, a few major changes have been made, and these changes herald a change in the direction of future editions. Read all about it here. (3 comments)
Wine Blogs - Part One (1 Aug)
The internet has changed the way we look at information, both figuratively and literally. The formal publications no longer have a monopoly on specialised topics like wine, and with all the free, easily accessible information that is available, they are hurting financially. The battle lines have been drawn; its traditional publications versus the bloggers, and like all wars, there are some that have an each way bet and try and maintain a foot in both camps. The traditionalists have fixed ideas about the shortcomings of blogs, and the bloggers think the traditionalists are too rigid. This will be a two part story. Part One covers the evolution of the blog, the pros and cons of bloggs versus traditional publications, as well as other relevant information. Part One can be found here. (1 comment)
Wine Blogs - Part Two (8 Aug)
This component of the story covers b
logs that will be of interest to Australian wine lovers, as well as those that love Australian wine. Both the good and the bad have been examined, along with where this whole movement is headed. Finally the question posed in the introduction, "Is the free information worth what you pay for it?" is answered. Part Two can be found here. (2 comment)
High Octane Juice (18 July)
Alcohol levels in wine have been on the rise for over a decade and some wines are reaching the level of fortified wines, and without needing the addition of Brandy spirit to get there. Slowly but surely, there is a small but growing level of consumer concern that is already turning into a backlash against these high octane wines, and as the movement grows, it will get more attention. Find out why this is happening and where we are heading here.
(13 comments)
Readers Write: Murray Almond Investigates the packaging methods of shipping wine around (27 March)
This article which was first written in 2003 has just been updated with the latest offerings from Australia Post.... In a prior article Murray discussed carriers for hand transport of wine and glasses. In this follow up he looks at packaging wine for shipping further than your local restaurant.
I am too Busy to Serve You (9 January 2007)
In November I wrote an article called The TORBWine Trophy Winner for Bureaucratic BS and Bad Customer Service that castigated a winery for its attitude and poor customer response when it came to replacing defective bottles of wine. This week I underwent another "interesting experience" - this time dealing with a retail liquor chain that is owned by one of the largest two grocers in Australia. Between them they have over 50% of the retail market wine market in Australia and after this experience, my advise is to avoid the chains and deal with the independents. They may give a damn about you as an individual and actually value your custom. Read all about it here. (
18 comments)
Trouble at the Top End (25 May 2006)
The existence and survival of the premium end of the Australian wine industry is dependant upon success in export markets, and the US market is now probably the most critical component in that equation. The bad news is that market is starting to under perform and based on current trends, it looks like it will only get worse, leaving many premium producers with a serious stock hangover. This article, which is one of the most important I have written for some time, explores the current situation and the background reasons. It can be found here and should not be missed.
Trouble at the Top End – Consumer Perspective (26 July 2006)
When I wrote Trouble at the Top End it generated a large amount of feedback from within the retail industry, but there was another side to the story that needed to be explored. I wanted to get the US consumers' perspective and find out their feelings as to why Australian wines were no longer "flavour of the month," so I asked the good folk on the WCWN Forum. Their response was enlightening and has lead to this article, which can be found here.
Desperado and Drugs of Addiction
(2 August 2006 )
When Brian edited this story, he sent back an insightful comment about it, "Interesting and slightly depressing stuff." Now I know that people don't want to read depressing stuff, so there is a bit of humour thrown in too, but the message contained in this story is deadly serious. The story starts off with an Australian producers struggle to find a good US importer to handle his wine and then, thanks to a soul bearing confession from Mike Opdahl, a very well-respected US importer, it details chapter and verse why it is so hard to find one. More importantly, Mike provides a rare insiders perspective to the problems facing Australian wineries that want to crack the US market, and tells why some have been successful and why many will fail. Its powerful stuff and can be found here.
Readers Write: "Drongo Wombat's" Importer Responds with Her Perspective (9August 2006)
I received an email from Deborah Gray of The Australian Wine Connection, who is the US importer for the winery who was the subject of last weeks story. To say that "she was not well pleased" was an understatement! Deborah was hopping mad, and when you read her lengthy and well considered response, which is so long that it justified it's own page in the Readers Write section, you will understand why. It reinforces much of what was stated by Mike Opdahl in the previous weeks article but provides another engaging perspective.
“There are two reasons for drinking wine...when you are thirsty, to cure it; the other, when
you are not thirsty, to prevent it... prevention is better than cure." - Thomas Love Peacock