Dear Criss,

On Saturday, Wine House hosted its Quaffing Wine tasting - which was a great success. Some really fantastic wines (at very reasonable prices) were tasted. Check them out here. This week we continue the winter theme with a fantastic special on Torbreck The Factor 2001. This Friday, Wine House hosts the Wynns Dinner and we have the pleasure of announcing the line up of wines in our Icon Grenache tasting next month. We also  look at some wonderful winter wines and throw you some more Wine House trivia. Oh, tickets to the 5 Week Wine Appreciation Course are selling fast, so get in quick.

We hope you enjoy,

From the Team at Wine House

Torbreck The Factor 2001 - $120 this week only (RRP $140)

Robert Parker 98 points!

Wine Spectator 97 points!

Jeremy Oliver 91 points!
 

Torbreck Vintners is an Australian winery founded by David Powell in 1994 and is named after a forest in Scotland where he worked as a lumberjack. The wines are made in a style emulating those of the Rhone Valley and are made from various grapes from the Barossa Valley including Shiraz, Grenache and Mataro. The Scottish tradition continues with the naming of this wine, The Factor, the customary name given to the manager on a Highland estate.

We opened a bottle of this last week, and were completely blown away by how wonderful it was. Its colour was incredible, still a dense black purple colour with purple tinges on the rim. On the nose it shows gorgeous blueberry scents followed by rich aromas of coffee, bitter chocolate and white pepper. On the palate, the Factor has intense flavours of blackberry, blueberry, plum and mocha with a peppery finish & gorgeous mouthfeel. The Factor is not a typical Barossan fruit bomb, and this could be testament to David's choice of high quality French oak, 70% old. It is very complex and powerful. Delicious.

The Factor 2001 retails at $140 a bottle, but for this week only, we are offering it at a special price of $120 per bottle. With the current vintage being a 2005, this is the perfect opportunity to get some fantastic back vintage Factor, without paying exorbitant "Museum Release" prices!

For other great wine specials, check our Specials Page. 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 whet 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.

Clarendon Hills, Noon and Kalleske are names synonymous with Aussie Grenache and Grenache based blends. Come and learn why! In Australia (and also, the world), Grenache has been one of the most widely planted grape varieties. It has been the foundation vine of Australian wine regions such as the Barossa Valley, where over time it has gradually lost favour to Shiraz. Only recently has the variety seen a revival as the wave of interest in French Cotes du Rhone style wines grows, with outstanding quality Grenache based wines being blended with Shiraz & Mourvedre in particular. 

Come and taste some of the best Australian Grenache around:

- Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Grenache 2001
- Noon Winery Eclipse Grenache Shiraz 2001
- Kalleske Clarry's Grenache Shiraz 2006
- d'Arenberg Custodian Grenache 1999
- Kay Brothers Amery Grenache 2006
- Langmeil "The Fifth Wave" Grenache 2002
- Penfolds Cellar Reserve Grenache 2002

The tasting, and the learning, is free! Check the calendar here for more future tasting details. We also have a Riesling tasting coming up.

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.
 

Old & Rare Wines - New Winter Warmers!

It is cold. This past weekend in Melbourne was wet and miserable. At this time of year it seems the only good thing to do is cook something HUGE and tasty in a big pot on the stove, grab a great glass of wine and relax in a nice comfortable couch around the fire. Well, we can't help you with your cooking skills, we don't light fires and we don't have a selection of furniture to lend you, but we can certainly help you find something gorgeous for your glass. Here are some new arrivals, and some old favourites.

Arakoon Sellicks Beach Shiraz 2006 , McLaren Vale, SA.
The 2005 vintage of this wine was stunning, and the 2006 is looking just as good, if not better. It has an excellent nose with lots of black plums and chocolate, lifted spices with excellent depth and complexity. Meaty, with red and black plums on the palate, this is seemlessly balanced with some strong acidity. The tannins are very fine and the length is good. A wine for every occasion and tremendous value for sub $20!

As Luke explains perfectly in his little 50 seconds of fame (click link below), this is a fantastic wine, and incredibly valued at under $15. It shows beautiful blackcurrant and wild berry characters, with nice touch of mint and even a hint of truffle. It is one that can be opened today, and enjoyed over a few nights, or, crack it open with the right friends and the right meal, and it sounds like a pretty good night. 

$13.46 in a dozen | $14.95 per bottle

Alkoomi Blackbutt Cabernet Merlot 2002,  Frankland River, WA.
James Halliday 95 points!
Jeremy Oliver 92 Points!

In a recent Western Australia Cabernet tasting, this wine sparkled with most who tasted it. Definately in a class with the likes of Cullen Diana Madeline and Moss Wood Cabernet, yet almost HALF the price, this is marvelous. Dark plums, redcurrants, mulberries and blackberries abound around sweet new chocolate and vanilla oak and a sinewy spine of dusty tannins. Enjoy now and for the next 10 years!
$50.36 in a dozen | $55.95 per bottle

Only 500 cases of this gem are made, so you better get in quick. Its colour is almost totally black with deep ruby/purple hues. It shows powerful aromas of blueberries, smoke and crushed rocks with a gorgeous note of violet. Medium to full-bodied, with sensational intensity and concentration of fruit, it also has a white pepper character, which adds to complexity. This is fantastic now, but would happily enjoy 10, even 15 years in the cellar. 

$26.06 in a dozen | $28.95 per bottle

Scorpo Pinot Gris 2007, Mornington Peninsula, VIC.
Even though winter is possibly more of a red inspired season, we must include these two aromatics. Scorpo Pinot Gris is incredibly varietal with notes of honey and pear on the nose followed by honeycomb & tropical fruits. On the palate is where it flexes its muscles with citrus and pear giving the wine a beautiful weight and flavour profile. Balanced acid, excellent fruit and delicate winemaking are all at work here. A delight.
$30.56 in a dozen | $33.95 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.
 

Last week's question was...

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?

[yellow tail] Premium Shiraz by Casella Wines (pictured right) was the correct answer. It was tough this week, with Joe almost taking the gong! However, congratulations go to Paul. You have scored a $30 Gift Voucher for use within the store, or on the website. Paul's rather witty comment scored our vote:
"Not to detract from Witchmount's 2004 Shiraz (which I have had and enjoyed), it makes you question the calibre of wine entered in this competition." - Our thoughts exactly!
 

This week we ask:

In relation to wine, what does the term "regionality" mean?
 

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

133 Queensbridge Street, Southbank, Victoria 3006 Australia
tel: 61 3 9698 8000 | fax: 61 3 9698 8099
sales@winehouse.com.au   www.winehouse.com.au

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FUNCTION SPACE

Listed on our Brasserie website are various menu and beverage combinations that cover a majority of function needs. However every event is different so talk to us about your specific needs. Our function space has full audio/visual equipment for your use if a presentation or guest speaker is part of your event.

Download our Functions Pack

OLD & RARE WINES HOURS
 

Monday

Closed

Tuesday-Friday
11:00am - 7:00pm
 

Saturday
11:00am - 5:00pm

CONTACT

03 9698 8001 or

KIOSK TRADING HOURS
Monday-Friday
7.30am - 3:00pm
 

CONTACT
03 9698 8006 or

WINE EVENT CALENDAR

Wynns Masterclass & Dinner, 27th June.

Henschke Dinner, 25th July.

Mount Mary Dinner, 19th September.

View Tasting Calendar

WINE YOU WANT!

If you have wine you need please let us know so we can try and find that old or rare wine for you.

RECYCLE PACKS

Wine House frequently sends in Styrofoam boxes which we obtain second hand to help reduce environmental impacts. If you have packs and would like help recycle please bring them into the store.

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

Penfolds Rewards of Patience

WINE FRIDGES

Wine House is proud to sell and use Kitchener Wine Cabinets. For more in formation on these specialty wine fridges please call the store to receive a broacher or to obtain quotes on fridge sizes.