Dear Criss,

With the weather starting to get quite nippy, it is high time we start focusing on some warmer affairs, so this week we look at a perfect winter wine: Leconfield's new Coonawarra Merlot. We have just planned three Saturday tastings available to view in the Tasting Calendar: Quaffers, Grenache and Riesling! The Wynns dinner is now sold out but we still have seats to our 5-week wine appreciation course available in July. In our Food and Wine matching series, this week we look at wines to enjoy with the varied "fruits of the sea", and of course, we have some new Wine House trivia to scratch your heads over.

We hope you enjoy,

From the Team at Wine House

Leconfield Coonawarra Merlot 2005

Leconfield is situated in the southern half of the Coonawarra strip. The vineyards occupy some of the area's richest Terra Rossa soil over limestone, a composition for which Coonawarra is famous. Today, Leconfield Wines own 44ha of vineyards in Coonawarra and 66ha in McLaren Vale. In December 2001, Paul Gordon left Rouge Home to join the Leconfield team as Senior Winemaker. With over twenty-three years winemaking experience and an enviable reputation, Paul has a long list of achievements, including the 1994 Jimmy Watson Trophy.

This wine displays a dense red colour in the glass with piercing crimson highlights. The nose is beautifully fragrant with hints of perfumed oak combining subtle hints of mocha, allspice and a touch of vanilla. The fruit of this Merlot has been beautifully enhanced by oak, not overtaken by it, and is incredibly varietal. The palate shows a wine of great strength and the fruit concentration is striking. Tannins are fine and silky, allowing for some excellent fruit sweetness to fill the mouth.

Whilst being crafted to allow for sufficient elegance and softness to make it appealing in its youth, the structure will reward 6-8 years cellaring. Delicious cigar box characters will develop - it is all there waiting to burst out.

At $25.95 per bottle, or $23.36 in any mixed or straight dozen, this wine is incredible value. Get a case for drinking now, and another to stash away in the cellar. A fantastic offering from a well known and respected Coonawarra producer.

For more information, please e-mail sales@winehouse.com.au or call the store on 03 9698 8001.
 

Please note, this dinner is SOLD OUT, but here are the details... just to wet your appetites. Presented at the dinner will be the entire range of Wynns Estate wines, including the 2007 Chardonnay, Coonawarra Cabernet 2006 and The Messenger, a new single vineyard Cabernet.

With the wines being shown already limited in supply, (particularly the new 2005 John Riddoch) our stocks will be offered to dinner guests prior to being released to the general public. The full menu can be viewed here, or for more information please email sales@winehouse.com.au.

This dinner is now SOLD OUT, however we are able to put your name on a waiting list in the event of any last minute cancellations.

Two other tastings have been announced - a Grenache tasting and a Riesling tasting. Check the calendar here for details.

This week we look at: Seafood! 
There are many types of fishies in the sea, so I will try and break it up:

1) Oily fish benefit from ultra-dry whites, eg. tuna and sardines like whites that are citrussy, crisp and fresh. Some choices include Aussie Chardonnay and gooseberry-flavoured Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. The grassy, fresh flavours of Verdelho also make a good match.

2) Sauvignon Blanc, or the Frenchie's Sancerre, are popular choices with white fish, but the rule of thumb (of course) is usually to match the wine to the sauce, if the fish has one. Creamy or butter-based sauces are complemented by Chardonnay or Semillon (or a blend of both!). It's easy for wine to overpower the delicate flavour of white fish but if you are serving it plainly grilled, go for a grassy Verdelho, or gentle, medium-bodied whites such as a dry, unoaked Chardonnay.

3) Shellfish, prawns and the more decadent of seafoods requires a little more care than the general "fish" category. Muscadet is the classic choice with moules marinières, platters of fruits de mer and other French-inspired dishes. For oysters and many types of shellfish, reach for the Sauvignon Blanc and light Chardonnay styles. Crabmeat, being a touch richer, could complement a light wine such as Riesling. Oysters, traditionally, demand Champagne and it can be the perfect marriage, but it is not always necessary to serve expensive white wine with oysters. Aussie Riesling is one of the most well priced, high quality white wine options on the shelves today, and can go beautifully with the odd dozen... or two.
 

Ra Nui Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Marlborough, NZ.
Food Match: Squid/Octopus

Okkie and squid dishes need very dry, aromatic wines to combat its very bouncy, rubbery texture. Squid does not have the same marriage propositions as white fish does, but Sauvignon Blanc is a great match. This NZ Savvy is a delight. I think the key to this wine is that a small percentage of the wine goes through barrel fermentation prior to back blending. Not too overpowering with gooseberry and passionfruit, this has a luscious softness. An excellent example of good Marlborough!

Food Match: Crustaceans
Jeremy Oliver 97 points!

Compared to white fish, such as little flathead tails, crustaceans are as much a textural experience as they are a flavour voyage. Presenting these dishes with wines with slightly more structure is the key. Moreton Bay Bugs have a little bit more meatiness, so go for a plump Pinot Gris. Lobster, the king of crustaceans, demands top notch Chardonnay. This regal WA icon is a tremendous match! 

$90 per bottle

Seppelt Salinger Sparkling 2002,  Great Western, VIC.
Food Match: Oysters
James Halliday 93 points!

Oysters, as mentioned above, are a pretty divine match with a bottle of French champagne. However, generally, a bottle of French NV can set you back between $60-100. This Aussie sparkling is a pretty close runner up, as it is made in the traditional Méthode Champenoise. It shows aromas of lemon, fresh bread and creamed honey. On the palate a rather elegant mousse flutters with flavours of lemon and apple with a lemon biscuit aftertaste. Great value for a vintage sparkling!
$24.26 in a dozen | $26.95 per bottle

Food Match: White Fish

By white fish we mean things like sea bream, flake, snapper, swordfish, john dory etc. These swimming critters are reasonably delicate in flavour and therefore require wines that are delicate, but not without weight. This Verdelho is made from a small parcel of hand picked fruit. To increase the complexity and texture of this vibrant, fruit driven wine, it was barrel fermented in French oak for a short time. The aroma displays tropical fruit, citrus and honeysuckle. The lingering, dry finish is very smart.  

$25.16 in a dozen | $27.95 per bottle

Delatite V.S. Riesling 2004, North East Victoria.
Food Match: Fish and Chips
James Halliday 93 points!
Fish and Chips. It may be the perfect summer dish, but we've all had the thirst for batter, fish and fried potatoes. We believe the greatest match is Riesling; cuts through the fat, complements the fish, and cleanses the grease (and the kilos) away! The V.S. shows intense aromas of citrus flowers, limes and hints of floral. It's got great strength of flavour and the citrus flavours are balanced with a mineral finish and fresh acidity. Freshly squeezed lime juice flows freely!
$24.26 in a dozen | $26.95 per bottle

For more information on our wines, or if you have any wine matching questions, comments or suggestions, please e-mail sales@winehouse.com.au or call the store on 03 9698 8001.
 

Five week wine course .... Train your Palate!!
 

The Wine House is pleased to announce a new series of wine education programs, starting with the Introduction of Wine Appreciation Course. The first course we will be running will be held in the lush surroundings of the Brasserie and will begin on Wednesday 30th of July 2008. The course will run for Five consecutive weeks, each Wednesday evening from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. This course is suitable for anyone wanting to gain, or improve, their wine knowledge and, of course, taste some great Aussie and New Zealand wine.

Topics covered over the 5 weeks will include:

- wine evaluation and wine terminology
- grape varieties and their characteristics
- wine regions of Australia and New Zealand
- wine and food matching
- ageing wine

The cost of this 5 week course is $200 which includes 6 wines per session, all tutoring and handouts. Gift vouchers available. Click on the link, Wine Appreciation 5 Week Course 30/7/08, to book your place.
 

Last week's question was...

Explain these wine terms:
- Fat
- Green
- Legs
- Umami

Four parts to this week's question. The points we were looking for were:-
Fat - must include full bodied and viscous/oily in answer.
Green - answer to include under ripe fruit, stalky and pippy or words to that effect.
Legs - the viscous tears that stream down the inside of the glass (pictured above) and are an indication of alcohol content or sweetness levels in wine.
Umami - a proposed fifth taste sensation. Taste is triggered by compounds of some amino acids, typical of MSG. Described as savoury, essence, pungent, deliciousness, and meaty. Found in consomme stock, marmite, soy sauce, roasted meat, cheese and mushrooms.

Congratulations Matthew. You have scored a $30 Gift Voucher for use within the store, or on the website.

This week we ask:

Witchmount Estate Shiraz 2004 was recently crowned "Best Shiraz in the World!". Which Australian winery, beginning with "Y...", also picked up the prestigious gold medal as Australia's "Best Shiraz in the World" in recent years?
 

For your chance to win a $30 voucher at Wine House, email your answer to sales@winehouse.com.au.  Extra consideration is given to detailed answers where many correct replies are received in a short time period.

WINE HOUSE . OLD & RARE WINES . BRASSERIE

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tel: 61 3 9698 8000 | fax: 61 3 9698 8099
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WINE EVENT CALENDAR

Wynns Masterclass & Dinner, 27th June.

Henschke Dinner, 25th July.

Mount Mary Dinner, 19th September.

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REVIEWS

Quoted reviews are taken from the following sources:

www.jeremyoliver.com

www.erobertparker.com

www.winecompanion.com.au

www.winefront.com.au

www.winespectator.com

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