Author Archives: bastardboxwine

About bastardboxwine

An unashamed wine quaffer who tries to grow his own wine in Australia and tries to shop sensibly for downunder wines in Singapore
Aug15

Serrat Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2016

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Getting access to wines from boutique producers in Tasmania and Yarra Valley is getting harder as they try and retain as much retail margin as they can (and who could blame them – roughly 89% of Australia’s vineyards run at a loss).

It’s one of the reasons that I visit the winemakers as often as I can – relationships are everything.

With Serrat, the tiny Yarra Valley vineyard of Tom Carson and Nadege Sun, my allocation of the 2016 Pinot Noir is generous indeed so no need for bottle limits this time around. That having been said I do have a one bottle limit on the 2016 Grenache Noir but that’s a story for another day.

What can I say about Serrat?

How’s this for starters?

…in Tom Carson’s current role as winemaker for Yabby Lake, he produced the first Pinot Noir to ever win the Jimmy Watson Trophy.

…Serrat’s 2014 Shiraz Viognier won Halliday’s Wine of the Year in 2016 at 99 points.

…Serrat’s 2015 Chardonnay was one of only six wines to achieve 98 points, the highest rate for Chardonnay in Halliday’s 2017 Wine Companion.

My next airfreight closes 18TH AUGUST and it’s rapidly filling. Once it’s full the next airfeight will be in mid October so if you are thinking of ordering this wine, please let me know if you’d definitely like it by late August or are happy to wait.

I still have 13 bottles of the 2015 Pinot Noir downunder too (Halliday 96) @ $65.

See the 2016 details attached.

Enjoy!

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NEW ARRIVALS

GALA ESTATE Tasmania Pinot Noir 2014 – 12 btls – S$78 – Gold 2017 Tasmania Wine Show, Huon Hook 95, Halliday 95

The Oregon pinots from Jackson Family Wines have arrived in Singapore! Just landed from Willamette Valley:

PENNER-ASH “Estate” Yamhill-Carlton 2015 – 26 btls – S$91 – cellar door price US$65
PENNER-ASH “Shea Vineyard” Yamhill-Carlton 2015 – 30 btls – S$91 – cellar door price US$65
ZENA CROWN “Conifer” Eola-Amity Hills 2014 – 12 btls – S$108 – cellar door price US$75
ZENA CROWN “The Sum” Eola-Amity Hills 2014 – 12 btls – S$108 – cellar door price US$75
ZENA CROWN “Slope” Eola-Amity Hills 2014 – 6 btls – S$150 – cellar door price US$100

***************2016 PN

 

Aug9

Freycinet Vineyards Tasmania Cabernet Merlot 2013

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The back label of this wine says it goes with “roast lamb, BBQ steak, hearty casseroles and strong cheeses”.

I had it last night with home made pizza (our home made pizza is about as healthy as kaya toast, only there’s more of it) and the cab merlot was a great match. It’s full-bodied enough to cope.

Depending on who you follow, it should be drunk now, right now, or before 2027. Hmm.

Richard Hemming of jancisrobinson.com says drink it now…

He also shows it as 50% Cabernet / 50% Merlot which is what it says on the Freycinet Vineyards website.

I’m sticking with the 84/16% that it says on the back label. I’ll be seeing Claudio in a couple of weeks so I’ll get the good oil then.

Halliday says drink it by 2028 (as does Claudio Radenti) and Huon Hooke by 2027. You’ll have to be your own judge.

See below for the Halliday and Huon Hooke ratings.

Cheers!

David Boxall

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NEW ARRIVALS!

KATE HILL Tasmania Sparkling 2011 – 12 btls – S$60 – not yet rated

LA VIOLETTA “Almirante y Obispo” Great Southern Grenache/Mataro/Tempranillo 2015 – 18 btls – $82 – not yet rated
LA VIOLETTA “Bilingue” Great Southern Grenache/Mataro/Shiraz 2015 – 12 btls – $59 – Mike Bennie 93+
LA VIOLETTA “La Ciornia” Great Southern Shiraz 2010 – 12 btls – $75 – Jancis Robinson 18, restocked
LA VIOLETTA “La Ciornia” Great Southern Shiraz 2011 – 12 btls – $75 – Mike Bennie 93
LA VIOLETTA “Le Rayon V” Great Southern Cabernet Malbec 2013 – 18 btls – S$77 – Mike Bennie 93, restocked

STARGAZER Tasmania Pinot Noir 2016 – 12 btls – $70 – not yet rated

SERRAT Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2016 – plenty – $68 – not yet rated
SERRAT Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2016 – plenty – $68 – Halliday 95
SERRAT Yarra Valley Shiraz Viognier 2016 – plenty – $68 – Halliday 97
SERRAT Yarra Valley Grenache Noir 2016 – limit 1 per customer – $68 – Halliday 95

CHANDON Yarra Valley Sparkling Pinot Noir Shiraz NV – 6 btls – $59 – Halliday 91
LEASINGHAM “Classic Clare” Sparkling Shiraz 1998 – 6 btls – $129 – Jeremy Oliver 96
RUMBALL “SB19″ Sparkling Shiraz NV – 6 btls – $49 – not rated
SEPPELT “Original” Sparkling Shiraz 2014 – 6 btls – $48 – Mike Bennie 90

NEXT AIRFREIGHT CLOSES MONDAY 21 AUGUST

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2013 Cabernet Merlot

Jul28

Stoney Rise Tasmania Chardonnay 2013

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Sometimes you just have to move on…

I did a promotion on this wine at S$49 a little over 12 months ago (see attached below) and you’ll see that back then, I had 22 bottles left.

Well, I’ve still got 19 left so time for it to make way for new releases.

It’s going out now @ S$37 all up which is what it cost to get it here.

Enjoy!

David Boxall

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NEW ARRIVALS

Bangor Estate “Abel Tasman” East Coast Tasmania Pinot Noir 2014 – 12 bottles – S$63 – Huon Hooke 94, Silver 2016 Tasmania Wine Show

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Jul17

Brown Magpie “Paraparap Reserve” Geelong Pinot Noir 2013

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If you’ll excuse the pun, Brown Magpie wines tend to fly under the radar even in Australia. They have an extremely loyal following in Geelong and that’s where most of their wines get sold, but it’s not a well-known brand in other parts of Australia. Tiger Wines is the only distributor they have outside of Australia so you get to see what few others do elsewhere.

Some of you purchased this wine back in March 2015 when it was first released at A$40, but I purchased this stock only last year when it was re-released at A$60. Hence the jump in price here to S$73.

Halliday suggests it should be at least 5 years before opening, ie. 2018, so you should still put it away for another year if you have the patience.

From my memory of drinking this wine, it is a big pinot, not unlike in style to the pinots that come from Brian Franklin at Apsley Gorge. And like Apsley Gorge, a big decant is highly recommended.

Enjoy!

David Boxall

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NEW ARRIVALS

2016 Mewstone Tasmania Chardonnay – 12 btls – S$74 – Campbell Mattinson 94
2016 Mewstone Tasmania Pinot Noir – 12 btls – $74 – Campbell Mattinson 95
2016 Hughes & Hughes Tasmania Pinot Noir – 12 btls – $54 – Campbell Mattinson 93

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Jul12

Ashton Hills “Reserve” Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2013

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I bought this wine back in May 2014, long before Ashton Hills came under the ownership of Wirra Wirra. It’s a personal favourite.

Halliday showed it at A$90 retail but that looks incorrect. Real retail was A$70-A$75 so the price here of S$76 is good value IMHO.

Just coming in to its drinking window so an ideal time to try.

Enjoy!

David Boxall

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NEW ARRIVALS IN MELBOURNE

2016 Luke Lambert “Crudo” Yarra Valley Rose – 22 btls – $47 – Gary Walsh 91
2016 Luke Lambert Yarra Valley Chardonnay – 11 btls – $54 – Gary Walsh 94
2016 Luke Lambert Yarra Valley Syrah – 9 btls – $59 – Gary Walsh 95
2015 Luke Lambert Yarra Valley Nebbiolo – 17 btls – $69 (RRP A$60) – Gary Walsh 94+

 

Jul4

Eldridge Estate “Jurassic” Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2013

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I’ve been hanging off promoting this Chardonnay until I tried it again, having had my first bottle in late 2015.

It’s not supposed to last. It’s got no added sulphur. It’s an orange wine, a natural wine. It’s not supposed to travel.

So, I tried it again last Wednesday in Singapore and it was fine (by me) but being on my own that week, I had to hold some over until the next evening and it was fine then too. So much for natural wine dying in the glass.

OK, so I have to make some clarification here. This wine is made in an oxidative style so to some, maybe many, it would get rejected at the first sip. It certainly is challenging if you’re not used to this style. Not everyone’s going to “get it”, so there should be no guilt in saying “pass” on this one. However, if you’re on a wine journey-of-discovery, then you should make a stopover here.

Here’s what Huon Hooke said:

“Even David Lloyd, of Eldridge Estate on the Mornington Peninsula, an outstanding wine producer with a definite scientifc learning, produced an ‘orange’ chardonnay in 2013, by fermenting it with its skins. He says it was a bit of fun, which he never intended to actually sell – until some sommeliers he showed it to demanded he sell them some for their restaurants. He labeled it Jurassic as a dig at the oxidative whites of Jura so loved of sommeliers. It’s interesting, and I could enjoy drinking a glass, but it’s not a patch on his regular chardonnays.”

Actually, David Lloyd told me that he made it because he wanted to show that natural wines don’t have to be cloudy and crap. And he’s never making another one. And the story about not intending to sell it is true. He was very reluctant to sell this wine to me, but I’m very glad he did.

Here’s David Lloyd’s most recent comment, from just last month:

“Had two customers at cellar door this week tell me that they had opened this in the last few days and it was looking excellent. I have none left to try and was worried that having no free sulphur dioxide it would go caramel and bitter but alas it has not as yet according to these customers. Please let me know how it looks if you try one. With only 3 barrels vs usual 15 in that year I was unable to have another crack”

Have a look at the two ratings in the attached promo and decide which camp you are in.

Cheers,

David Boxall

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NEW ARRIVALS IN MELBOURNE

2015 Brown Magpie “Single Vineyard” Geelong Shiraz – 19 btls – $58 – Halliday 96
2016 Home Hill “Estate” Huon Valley Pinot Noir – 66 btls – $61 – not yet rated

2013 Jurassic Chardonnay

Jun30

Mayford Porepunkah (Alpine Valleys) Chardonnay 2013

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UPDATE 30 JUNE: Mad rush this morning, only 1 bottle left now!

It wasn’t that long ago that a buttery, rich chardonnay with a good dose of malolactic would have been frowned upon. Too old hat, too old fashioned, they would say. Many chardonnays became lean, mineral and at the extreme, severe.

Well, if you hanker for those old days, wait no more.

I acquired this wine in mid-2015 after a visit to the winery at Porepunkah. It’s been quietly sitting in my Victorian coolroom without any promotion until now, so here’s a chance to buy a top-rated wine with a bit of age on it.

Enjoy!

David Boxall

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NEW RELEASES JUST ARRIVED IN MELBOURNE

2015 Giaconda “Estate” Beechworth Chardonnay – 2 btls – S$153 – Gary Walsh 93+…seen at A$173 in Melbourne!
2015 Giaconda “Estate” Beechworth Pinot Noir – 1 btl – S$123 – Gary Walsh 93+…seen at A$103 in Melbourne
2015 Giaconda “Estate” Beechworth Shiraz – 1 btl – S$108 – Not yet rated…seen at A$103 in Melbourne
2015 Giaconda “Warner” Beechworth Shiraz – 2 btls – S$108 – Not yet rated…seen at A$93 in Melbourne