The Saturday Tasting is a great way to find great wine. The last tasting gave us a line up that provided a ripper everyone got into, the De Bortoli Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2005. It is our wine of the week.

The Wine Trivia question was a bit tough last week with only two replies, both correct! Thus we have a new new question that we expect to be very "ungoogleable" see below for a chance to win a $30 gift voucher or a Lunch Special for Two. Good luck.

Wine of the Week

De Bortoli Pinot Noir 2005
Yarra Valley, Victoria

Pinot Noir for Pinot Noir lovers!

Point Noir fans are a diverse lot. Our Saturday Tasting provided plenty of evidence to the variance of preference among this vocal wine appreciation group. Some liked the pungent "odor" of the Bass Phillip, others the easy style of the Stonier, while the well-rounded aged Aston Hills was another winner. It was, however, the De Bortoli that was the overall winner. Winemaker Steve Webber has applied all his Burgundy and the Yarra Valley wine experience to blend the two styles into one wine that makes all sides of the Pinot fence applauded.

There is the barnyard, straw and game meat characters that define so many Burgundy wines melded with the Australian generous cherry fruit and mocha aromas, with a touch of humus coming through. The palate has good length and the warming, dry tannins make this a wine perfect to accompany a hearty beef stew on a cool night. It ticks all the boxes for a Pinot Noir, which makes it the Pinot Noir for Pinot Noir lovers!

$24.26 in a dozen | $26.95 per bottle
 

On Arrival
Tempura Moulting Bay oyster with spinach and green olive
Chandon Vintage Brut 2003

Entree
Crab cannelloni, new season broad beans, sauce americane and crisp trompette
Mount Mary Chardonnay 2001 & 2005
Comparison Wine: MacForbes Woori Yallock Chardonnay 2006

3rd Wine Bracket
Mount Mary Pinot Noir 2002 & 2004
Comparison Wine: Punt Road Pinot Noir 2005

Main
Roast lamb rump with pine nut crust, caramelised quince, turnip terrine and lamb essence
Mount Mary Quintet 1986, 1995 & 2004

Cheese
Selection of seasonal calendar cheese
Mount Mary Triolet 2005

Mount Mary with Jeni Port $149 per person

Only payment can secure your seat and 48 hours notice is required should you be unable to addend.

Gift vouchers and other promotional offers are not valid with this event.
 

Wines from the Cellar

It can be a chore going into private cellars to search the racks for aged wines. The cool, tight and dusty environment can be irritating enough. What is worst than the climate is the frequent need to hunch over as you stagger through the cramped confines wielding a torch as you play spot the bottle.

Sometimes it can be a joy. When the cellar is purpose built, the wines boxed and correctly labeled and the ceiling where it is suppose to be, a meter from your head, it makes life easy. The joyous part is when this kind of cellar is paired with great wines which we can then offer in our newsletter. We came across one such cellar recently and we're excited to offer a few of the findings, such as... 

Yalumba "The Signature" Cabernet/Shiraz 1998

Robert Parker 91 points!

This wine sold out in a matter of days when we first came across it. We've got more from this cellar and we expect it be as well received as before. Like last time we know the outstanding 1998 vintage, now nine years old, has responded well to the time in bottle we no longer need to pry the luscious fruit out like you would need to with a 2002 or the newly released 2003. Take this as an example for the accolades the wine has received...

    "A very stylish expression of the traditional Australian blend whose heady perfume of perfectly ripened blackcurrants, plums and small red berries is carefully augmented by fine-grained smoky oak scented with dark Swiss chocolate and vanilla. The palate is sumptuous, multi-layered and deeply flavoured, yet retains elegance and style."
- Jeremy Oliver, OnWine.

$60 per bottle

Brokenwood Chardonnay 1999

A great vintage that most people don't notice had left this wine in the forgotten pile. That was until we came across it. Brokenwood made its name with fine winemaking and through its ability to source outstanding fruit. It is this fruit sourcing that has contributed to the Chardonnay of 1999. Taken from the Brokenwood premium vineyards this fruit selection was blended and barrel fermented during the 1999 vintage to make this outstanding Chardonnay. The tropical fruit is still present with almond, caramel and nutty aged characters accompanying the fruit. One dozen of this wine was found, it is as limited as it is good.

$34.95 per bottle

Brokenwood Graveyard Shiraz 1998
Jeremy Oliver 98 points!

There is little to be said about this wine. It is one of the most sought after old wines we have had in the store. Again, unfortunately, only one dozen was located. This is a wine Jeremy Oliver loved enough to describe as having "Unusually powerful and concentrated Hunter shiraz...Its deeply flavoured, sumptuous spicy fruitcake-like palate reveals some sweet leathery development, but with its fine-grained tannins, it remains surprisingly elegant. Exceptional length and balance." We know it is hard to resist but, if you can, you need to wait another two years until Jeremy recommends you start dinking this Graveyard in 2010. If you can resist.

$120 per bottle

Of course we are always finding old and rare wines. Check out the web site for our supplies of your favourite wine and favourite year.
 

Back Vintage FREE!

Saturday 21st April - 1:00pm to 4:00pm

Each vintage release attempts to generate greater excitement than the previous, every year setting out to out shine the last in wine hype. The vintage of the past can therefore be forgotten, at Old & Rare wines we constantly peruse the forgotten "Back Vintage".

If you are outside of Victoria please write 'Saturday Tasting Price' in the comments part of your order, we will then manually supply you with a 10% discount on these wines (where applicable - excludes Private Collection wines).
 

Last week's question was...

What process of winemaking was named after and authorised by a diplomat? Also, what was the diplomat's name and what is the process?

The correct answer is, Chapitalization, named after Jean Antoine Chaptal, it is the process of adding sugar to unfermented grape must in order to increase the alcohol content of the finished wine. This process is, of course, illegal in Australia as we have strict laws preventing the dramatic altering of grape juice in the winemaking process, unlike those French, so much for "terroir" I guess.

Well done to the two wine students who were quick on the button with a reply. Unfortunately for MW hopeful Ben, who was technically first, it's the winemaking student, Michael, who gave us a lot of detail on the man which is, as we say, what we reward when a "closest to the pin" contest occurs. So well done to both but congratulations go to Michael, your $20 voucher will be in your hand soon.

This week we ask:

Can you identify this man and what was his middle name?

For your chance to win a Lunch Special for Two at the Brasserie, or a $30 voucher at Old & Rare Wines, email your correct answer to sales@winehouse.com.au! Extra consideration is given to detailed answers where many correct replies are received in a short time period.
 

If you send your wine orientated question in to us and we publish it, you will receive a Lunch Special for Two at the Brasserie, or a $30 voucher at Old & Rare Wines! 

Guidelines: the question must have a wine focus and it shouldn't be 'googleable' ie it must require some research.  Send questions to sales@winehouse.com.au