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EP 843 On Location in Sydney – Australian Wine Tasting

Gary invites Nick Stock, author of the Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide, to share some of knowledge on Australian red and whites while in Sydney.

Wines tasted in this episode:

2007 Vasse Felix Margaret River Chardonnay
2006 Freycinet Pinot Noir
2006 S.C. Pannell Shiraz Grenache

Links mentioned in todays episode.


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luca bercelli

90/100

line of the day – ‘can you imagine if you were judged as a human being when you were only 16 years old?’

The line of the day says it all

Tags: Australian, chardonnay, Pinot Noir, red, review, shiraz, Video, white, wine, wines

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  • brian deangeles

    kangarooo shiraz

  • Meh.

    QOTD: Mclaren Vale has some great wines, but most of the other areas are bombed out plonk IMHO. Given I haven't had the experience of drinking the top tier wines because I have never really imagined they would be worth their high tariffs.

  • SamKw

    The camera shaking was getting me dizzy!

    QOTD: (Okay so in two sentences) I think Australian winemaking will have to settle into a more balanced style over time, if Australian wines are to become a major player in the $20~$50 market. Until then, the main attraction Australia has for me will be limited to their white, and especially non-chardonnay (pinot gris, semillon, riesling), wines.

  • DCaragher

    GV – Good show my man, actually one of the better on location shows! The video shaking was a tad annoying, but what can you do, I know the guests did their best! Interesting to see some different Australia wines, especially a Pinot from Taz! Hope you're having fun down under and if you can GO SURFING!

    QOTD: My impression of Australia right now is that you really have to do your homework to find the interesting wines…such as Clonakilla Shiraz/Viognier!

    OUT! DO THE KNOWLEDGE!

  • QOTD: predictably fruit forward. over the top. yellowtail.

  • You forgot the oak chips 🙂

  • deltacop

    QOTD – AMON RA

  • philanderson

    One word? McLaren Vale. Hmmmm….I guess that's two words, huh? : )

  • Have you tried Hunter Valley Semillon or even shiraz? I had a bottle of Tyrrell’s Stevens reserve semillon from 2002 and it was still a baby and fooled everyone who tried it, none guessed it was aussie. This wine is supposed to peak at age 15 to 20! Their shiraz at age 10 impressed as well for its balance. Australia has plenty of smaller family run wineries that don’t pay attention to lab results or find a common denominator amongst their investors. But the biggies still do as you noted.

  • ONUMello

    QOTD: Good as long as there's no critters on the label.

  • slcmonk

    my Australian wine thesis: Australian wines brought thunder to my world about three years ago, however I can't remember the last time I had one.

  • Gary I love ya, but I needed an airsick bag for the shaky cam on this one 😉 Will always and forever be an Australian wine fan. Cool to see you outside the studio.

  • cellarrat5

    looks like they fixed the loading problem, I will check out the link when I get back to the house. I agree with your first point, and further more it opens up communication among the many and prevents the few from thier opinion dominating. Gary has said it before, rating wines like he and many others do is crazy, but it has its purpose.

  • Midland13

    qotd: huge, fruit foward, approachable!, and great… a big reason my intro to wine was enjoyable.

  • QOTD: I haven't given their wines a fair shake. I don't ever spend crazy money on anything from down under because I'm scared of getting something that tastes like smuckers.

  • wesleymcallister

    QOTD: I love Australian wines. I have spent some time in Australia and I fell in love with the country. So the wines just remind me of that.

    Sydney is totally underrated. It is my favorite city, if you haven't been you need to go.

  • Mott

    This is a problem with Disqus or Gravatar. Nothing we can do about it.

  • prasm

    Interesting episode, great view of the Sydney harbor. Ironically, I happened to be enjoying a glass of the 04 Three Miners CO Pinot (purchased from WL – thank you) while watching this episode and was quite surprised to hear you mention it.

    QOTD: You say “Australian wine” and I think “good value”. Not Yellowtail kind of value, but outstanding $40 to $50 McLaren Vale Cabernets like Shirvington and Whip Hand that stand up to $100+ Napa Cabernet.

  • winorob

    Never been a fan of the “over the top” shiraz', but have had several very good Margaret River Chards. Word association: Australian wines = alcohol

  • Sandy M W.

    first reaction-> Greg Norman cab/merlot was a real fav. when I went looking for a specific wine- and I always noted when it went on sale- now I have a fondness for Australian Sauv. Blancs. I have 3 cousins and an aunt in Australia- and I have yet to visit–you gave me another reason to fund the trip. Get home safe 🙂

  • Mott! I know it's not you…just joshing. Not sure what the story was, because it was affecting some but not all Disqus accounts. All clear now.

  • NJ Big Chris

    Australian wine—> 3 of my favorite wines pop into my head – Layer Cake Shiraz, Villa Maria Pinot Noir and Huia Sauvignon Blanc(technically the Huia is a New Zealand wine, but if Tasmania can count as Australian I figure so can New Zealand). Great Episode. Would have been very interested in your guests opinion of the wines as well, but i guess if I really wanna know I need to buy the book right?

  • kosmik

    1st reaction : way to much oak.
    2nd reaction : overriped and too much extraction kill freshness.
    Not a fan of aussies wines but I must admit I have had some “fresh” chardonnays recently from small producers…

  • Drew

    No, no, no! We don’t put shrimp on the barbie. We put PRAWNS on the barbie!

    PS Gary didn’t know you were gonna be here in Sydney – doing any public appearances?

    PPS Try some Tyrrell’s wines while you’re in the area! 🙂

  • CharlieTN

    Layer Cake Shiraz is delicious. Definitely over the top and bombastic, but surprisingly well-balanced for the price point and undeniably tasty. Kind of like, well, a layer cake. Their malbec is terrible though–tastes like tar-flavored sugar syrup, with a nice shot of Popov at the end.

  • pawncop

    Good show, good guest, I really miss Mott's camera work, it was a little distracting, but hey I'm not looking for polish, I'm looking for real, and I get it here.

    QOTD – Australia is fruit forward, much to my liking. Two producers that stand out to me are Frank Pott's both his Mulberry Tree Cabernet Sauvignon (2004), and his Bleasdale Verdelho (2007), D'Arenberg, both “The Footbolt”(2006) and “The Hermit Crab”(2008).

    Excellent overall production in my humble opinion.

  • I've been drinking Coriole's shiraz for years. Never over the top but always substantial. The 05 is bordeaux like. I'll look for the Sangiovese but I haven't seen it yet.

  • Zers

    No doubt white wine is where it's at GV! Haven't tried much from oz, but do enjoy regularly the D'Amberg futbol, 2006 shiraz. Damn good at 15 bones.

  • johnboston

    shoot another from down under before you take off. Though, maybe put the camera on a stool or something

  • Alexandre_CF

    heyy,
    nick definettly has Parkinson's …LOL. nice episode

    QOTD: Need to taste much more

  • tcihil

    Gary … first reaction and a question: It appears two of the wines sported screw caps. Your comment that the third wine could age for eight to 15 years made me wonder: will a screw cap allow the wine to age to that extent, if at all? Cork allows air to enter and mature the wine but a screw cap is pretty much an airtght seal. What do you say?

  • tcihil

    Gary … first reaction and a question: It appears two of the wines sported screw caps. Your comment that the third wine could age for eight to 15 years made me wonder: will a screw cap allow the wine to age to that extent, if at all? Cork allows air to enter and mature the wine but a screw cap is pretty much an airtght seal. What do you say?

  • Gobi

    qotd: “fruit bomb”

  • Don Simpson

    Don't need 2 sentences. Haven't gotten into Australian wine.

  • I've seen some names like Layer Cake which seems to have a large distribution. But what are some great Australian wines that have good distribution? My town definitely has some limited selection!

  • jsums

    Seriously, give us another show from down there. Good stuff. QOTD – All the wines produced by d'Arenberg make me happy…one of my favorite producers in the entire world! And how about the often overlooked Shiraz from the Margaret River region? I love me some Cape Mentelle. It gets some spicy/peppery Rhone character going on but with that luscious Aussie fruit rounding things out.

  • Glad we're getting some FLIP/on location video. Mad props to Nick +1 for holding it. You need to travel with a good mini-tripod. Have not had anything from Tasmania. I will definitely be looking out for it.

    QOTD: For me, hit or miss. I have had some that are spectacular, but some gimmick wines seem artificial or overproduced. I feel that the proportion of the individual appellations from my tasting are off. I wish I had taken better notes re: that issue.

  • waynoooo daaaaa winoooo

    YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW, AUSSSIIIE VIIIIIINOOOOOOOS, gonna
    watch'er Tomaaarrooooooooow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • waynoooo daaaaa winoooo

    SLUUURRRRRPIN' a Black Chook Sparkler riiiiight noooooooooooow !!!!!!!!!!!!!! :o)

  • waynoooo daaaaa winoooo

    Boootttl' aaaa Black Chook, Fruit on daaaaaa Viiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine………
    WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • The Shiraz is a great buy also, indeed. The Sangiovese is more subtle, dryer. Very good wine from a very good producer. Their Mary Kathleen Cabernet/Merlot is serious stuff as well. We sell it at our wine shop, but unless you live in Holland, that’s a useless fact 😉

    Cheerio,
    Sander

  • Mick

    Mate neither Villa Maria or Huia are Australian. Nice wines, wrong country

  • mattgmann

    All the way in the land down under and no daily update? Lame! There should be 2 shows a day when in exotic land. GV should be rolling in great Aussie wines and showing them off to turn our American perceptions. I'm certainly in the camp of Amercian Aussie wine-bashers. But I'd sure like you to prove me wrong. I mean, I'm sure there's some great stuff; I'm just not gonna pay $60 a bottle for it. Hell, I won't pay $60 for a nice Chateauneuf Du Pape. I challenge GV to find anything better price wise than the $11 Ercavaio Tempranillo Roble I just finished.

    Much love to my Australian friends, but your qpr on wines is worse than California by an order of magnitude. With any luck I'll be rolling into Rockhampton/Yepoon this winter and sneaking into Shoalwater Bay for some badass fishing/surfing.

  • Allan

    IIIIIII WANTTTTSSSSSSSSSS MYYYY WLTVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! Sorry WAYNOOOO, i had to do it!

    Oh, And Mott rules!!

  • Allan

    Thnx AndersN you ROCK!!!

  • amsgpwarrior

    QOTD: How about two words that first come to mind: overextracted fruitbombs! This is very unfortunate though, because I believe there are people doing really good work in Australia. Love Cape Mentelle, D'arenberg, Two Hands, and Leeuwin.

    I believe shows like this, with guest like this will open our eyes to other quality producers for people whom enjoy more balanced wines instead of fruitbombs.

  • Jeff

    Good episode and it looks beautiful. Gary, you look like sh_t bud…you need to get some rest. You look very tired.

  • derekjc

    QOTD : Tuesday Night…they set the bar for the $10 wine category. Great show down under!

  • thursday

    first thought on Aussie wine : Sylvester Stallone was never that fruity in Over the Top

  • chukheadted

    this video was so budget. but i appreciate the on-the-road footage nonetheless!

    australian wines: licorice

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