I understand you asked Gary, and I am sure he could answer this one better than I can but here it goes. Screw caps defiantly do not breath, and in some extreme cases of ageing wine for 15-25 years or over I suppose it could have an effect. As far as I have read and found out from various trustworthy sources, the chemical changes and various aging characteristics still occur, but perhaps at a different rate that wines with corks. The romantic notions of popping corks are very prevalent in most wine cultures, but people are starting to realize that screw caps are more sustainable and do not detonate a quality wine from a clunker. Hopefully I have somewhat answered your question. If anyone has any more info or have heard otherwise please let me know.

I likey like that! ; )

AHAHA!!

Whatever happend to Waynoooo? Hangover???????

He did say he was slurpen the bubbles, that can lead to one killer hangover if you slurp too much… to much C022222222222222222222222222222222222222222 in the BRRRRRRRAAAAAIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!

HAHA!!

callarrat5,,,,, I dunno, that's just funny stuff!!!

Will we get a Downunder Couch this time around??? ; )

The answer is yes! You don't even have to lay the wine on it's side. Just same temp, and no light, is important!

Thnx cellarrat5, i agree. Let's bring on the future, instead!

Mott = cellarrat5?

Gary= Waynooo?

Well, I Might be right!!!!

Mott!!!!! Mottsterrrr! !!!!

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW !!!!!!!!!!!!! :O)

I LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKES MEEE CO2222222222222222222222 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :o)

I hope your tour of Oz takes you to the AVA's down under. I know the ones I like and tend to stick to them.

QOTD: I love the Penfold's 707 Cab and their RWT but the 2X+ price hike for the RWT in the worst economy in 70 years was a colossal blunder in my opinion. I skipped this vintage and rest of the Penfold's line in protest this year and have not looked back. Instead bought some great Napa/Sonoma Syrahs instead from La Sirena, Rocca and Rudius and had money left over. Lesson for Penfold's do not continue to believe your own BS or you'll end up with inventory and a major cash flow problem.

Other wines from down-under that I love Mitolo, Yalumba and of course Mollydooker.

YEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAW cellarrat5, TAKE NOOOO PRISONERS !!!!! :o)

I really liked this show. No, I loved it. The G-Man is in his element enjoying some wines while visiting Down Under. Great show, always telling it like it is.

No, Sydney is not “underrated.” It has been in the Top 5 Cities of the World for some time now. You are one lucky dude.

They say the champagne/sparkling wine from Tasmania is amazing and the “in” wine. Too bad you didn't have that instead of the lackadaisical peenot.

QOTD: Fruit-driven, bombastic, fresh, bright, clean, sunny, diverse and yet “fun” to drink. I think “fun” when I think of Oz wines. Very few are ever appalling or pour down the drain. I really like Aussie wines. And the people are amazing. 🙂

P.S. I love it when you went old school and said “Cecil Fielder” instead of his son Prince who can hit it too. Also, Oz wines are sooo expensive compared to US, i.e. Oyster Bay from NZ is twice as expensive in Oz than U.S.

P.S.S. I went to my son's tennis match in VA and visited a small wine shop which turned me onto this RED VA wine. Yes, red. It is really good. http://www.kingfamilyvineyards.com/ The 2007 Meritage.

Cheers!

QOTD: Australia!! Here's my take: I think that the majority of the perception and share of the US market is dominated by bombastic Shiraz fruit bomb cocktails that are over extracted, overly alcoholic, overly RS-ed, or all of the above. HOWEVER- for wine nerds, smart boutique wine shops, and smart Sommeliers, I think the perception is quickly changing to introduce the fantastic Rieslings, restrained Chardonnays, balanced Grenache-based Rhone blends, even some Sauvignon Blanc from cooler regions such as Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley, Margaret River, Hunter Valley, etc., and GREAT Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the coastal Morninigton Penninsula. I think there is room for a new kind of success with the introduction of these wines, although the growth will not come over night as it did with the marketing genius of Yellowtail.

I liked the episode. Very cool guy and I enjoyed hearing the details about Australian wine since it is one of my favorite regions for wine.
Qotd: When I think Australia, I think about very stylized wines…but not in a bad way. Shiraz can be over the top but if done well its usually well balanced. Sav Blanc, same thing with the grassiness play at times, but if done well its good. Malbec is by far my favorite grape and australia does that well too. Not as good as south america in my opinion but still good. So overall good stylized wine, as compared to the california wines which i don't feel is a good stylized wine…if that makes sense.

Agreed… it's about time Gary made a Cecil Fielder reference.

I've been into Aussie wines for about 8 years. Love em. I like it big and bold. I appreciate the grace and style of french and italians as well, but my tongue and personality love wines that hit you over the head like a bat! I'm not ashamed of it.

“Wines that hit ya over the head like a bat !!!!!” I LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKE IIIIIIIIIIT !!!!!
;O)

s'cuse me….
WOMMMMMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

in and out, got to hit the rack…
GV on the other side of the world…might post while we are dreaming.
cheers mates.

Great stuff Gary… I like the 'facing Australia in the face' approach afters years of coming down them.

Hope you get into some great Clarendon Hills/Henschke/Glaymond/Grosset/Charles Melton/Rockford/Langmeil wines when you're there

It's not all just a Jam fest! World class stuff

If I'm travelling in the USA I'll be drinking US wines. If I'm in Rome I'll be seeking out local Italian wines and If I was in Sydney, I'd be sniffing around for wines made within a few hours of where I am (Hunter Valley or Canberra would be on my list). I think drinking local wines is a big part of the travel experience. And, If I'm in a place where they don't make much wine, like Hong Kong for example, I'll be hunting down the best value wines I can find sold locally.

Try Pillar Box Red, it's not awful.

I know it's not 100% accurate, but I still have this stereotype of the vino from down unda.

I pop an Aussie wine and think of the “Crocodile” Dundee scene where he says, “You think that is a knife? No, THIS is a knife!” Except “knife” get replace with FRUITBOMB.

Oh, wait…2 second description? Big, bombastic, bold bomb. For most Aussie reds I'd say, “This producer went a little 'Wine Library TV introduction' with this Shiraz.”

I agree with you Dominus. I like Aussie wines when I'm in the mood for one. I have never poured one down the drain, which is something I can't say about many of the South American/Spanish wines I have had. They have their time and place.