Dear Criss,

After a long time hidden away counting bottles, Wine House is back in full force. Two weeks ago we hosted our Henschke Dinner which was, by all accounts, a fantastic night. Just quietly, the Edelstone 1995 was one of the standouts. Last week we were closed for our stocktake, and what a stocktake it was. This week we have been putting together two weeks worth of orders and are finally back on track. To welcome you all back, tomorrow we have a brilliant Riesling Tasting in the store from 2-4pm, at which we will be serving some nibbles to cleanse your palates. Gill's inaugural 5 Week Wine Appreciation Course has commenced and is so popular we have announced a second course date in September. James Halliday's Wine Companion has just been released, and we have selected some of his highest scoring wines for you to get your hands on before everyone sells out. Finally, we have included some Wine House Trivia for you to have a crack at.

We hope you enjoy,

From the Team at Wine House

This week at Wine House - Riesling Tasting tomorrow!!
This Saturday 9th August @ the Old & Rare Wine Store, 2-4pm, FREE

The fight back has commenced and Riesling is finally being rediscovered. Riesling is one of the world's "noble" grape varieties, grown extensively in the Rhine and Moselle Valleys of Germany. Brought to the Barossa by German settlers in the 1850's, Riesling has found many a new home, such as Mt. Barker in WA, the Clare Valley in SA, and Central and Southern Victoria. Come along and try names such as Mesh, Wynns, Dr Loosen, Warramate, Leo Buring and the highly acclaimed (in Halliday's new book) Wilson Vineyard Polish Hill Riesling 2003. Cheese and fresh bread will be on hand to cleanse our budding palates. This tasting is FREE of charge, so please, grab a glass....

Come and taste some of the best Rieslings around:

- Mesh Riesling 2005
- Dr Loosen Dry Riesling 2007
- Warramate Riesling 2005
- Leo Buring Eden Valley Riesling 2006
- Plantagenet Riesling Mount Barker 1997
- Wilson Polish Hill Riesling 2003

Remember, the tasting, and the learning, is free!

Last week saw the release of James Halliday's illustrious, and sometimes bible-like Wine Companion. Take or leave his scoring system if you wish, Halliday is, without a doubt, one of the most influential wine critics and vignerons of Australia. Here are some of his highest scoring wines (with some similar Jeremy Oliver scores) which we have in stock for you...

Wilson Polish Hill Riesling 2003, Clare Valley, SA.

James Halliday 96 points!

Jeremy Oliver 94 points!
Halliday said "Great colour; gloriously intense lime juice and toast aromas and flavours surround a spine of tingling acidity. Perfection. Has blossomed since Sept '03.". In 2004, Jeremy Oliver said: "Closed, long-term Riesling whose delicate and restrained lemon and lime juice aromas precede a taut, dry and austere palate offering a very reserved expression of pear and lime flavours. It finishes tight and savoury, with slate-like influences and lemony acids. Drink 2011-2015+". A ripper Riesling! ON TASTING THIS SATURDAY!

$26.06 in a dozen | $28.95 per bottle

James Halliday 97 points!

Jeremy Oliver 96 points!

James Halliday said: "Awesome power, grace, depth and finesse; pure grapefruit, nectarine and peach flesh aromas are framed by complex, toasty, grilled nuts; the palate is amazingly concentrated, yet portrays a lightness that is completely beguiling and incredibly long." Jeremy Oliver said: "Almost the perfect chardonnay, this sublime wine is on one hand astonishingly intense and concentrated, while being seamlessly balanced and measured on the other. A stunning exercise in both power and control.

$80 per bottle

James Halliday 96 points!
This Tasmanian bubble is chewy and crackly, with nutty, meaty and leesy complexity, finishing with dryness, austerity and bakery yeast-like flavour. James Halliday said: "Glints of gold introduce a palate with a rippling of stone fruit, ripe apple, red berry and spice flavours augmented by a touch of brioche, followed by a long, well-balanced finish. Drink to 2009. Date Tasted: September 2007."
$35.06 in a dozen | $38.95 per bottle

James Halliday 96 points!
Aromas of sweet cherries and raspberries are backed by slightly autumnal and alluring meaty suggestions. Smooth and viscous, The Tomboy's palate reveals both meaty and herbal, capsicum-like influences framed by silky tannins. Halliday said: "Here the cherry and plum varietal fruit drives the wine from start to finish, the savoury spicy notes simply adding to the excellent texture and length, the oak likewise". We also have the Rebellion (94 points) and the Smythes Creek (95 points). 

$67.46 in a dozen | $74.95 per bottle

Pierro Reserve Cabernet Merlot 2004, Margaret River, WA.
James Halliday 96 points!
The 2004 is the best red yet produced at the winery. It is fragrant with vibrant, redcurrant dark plum flavours, some spicy cedary notes, silky smooth texture, tight structure, good weight and fine ripe tannins, finesse, delicacy and some characteristic Pierro restraint. Halliday said: " beautiful wine, intriguingly more elegant than the Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot LTCf, with a silky fragrance and mouthfeel, the accent on a rainbow of red fruits, the tannins exceptionally fine." We also have the Pierro LTC 2007 (94 points) in stock.
$69.95 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 8000.
 

This five week course offers the chance to improve your wine knowledge and palate in a relaxed, fun environment. Class sizes are kept small to allow for plenty of interaction.

Topics covered include:
- wine evaluation techniques and wine terminology
- Grape variety characteristics
- Wine regions of Australia and New Zealand
- Wine and food matching
- Cellaring wine

After a very successful start to Gill's first wine course at Wine House, we have announced a second course commencement date - 24th September 2008. Click the date for more details.

The cost of the course is $220 which includes six wines per session / tuition and handouts. Complete this course and you'll never be confused by a wine menu again and you will walk into every bottle shop and cellar door with complete confidence!
 

Please e-mail gill@winehouse.com.au or call the store on 03 9698 8000 to express your interest!!
 

Last week's question was...

Which champagne house is known for their Golden bottles?

A tremendous number of people responded with the answer "Cristal", which unfortunately, is not correct. The best, most detailed and correct answer was sent in by Barbara. Congratulations.

"I think you may be referring to Armand de Brignac (Ace of Spades), which comes in a distinctive golden bottle and is produced by Armand de Brignac Champagne of Reims, France. The Cattier family has owned and cultivated land in the Champagne region's Montagne de Reims Terroir since 1763, and coined the Armand de Brignac name in the 1950s."

This week we ask:

In terms of wine labeling laws in Australia, how much flexibility do winemakers have when referring to the (a) alcohol content, (b) grape variety and (c) the regional origin of the grapes on the label?

For your chance to win a $30 voucher at Wine House, email your answer, with TRIVIA as the subject line, 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

Excludes E&O. All prices quoted in Australian Dollars and subject to freight charges where applicable. This newsletter has been sent to kallyorama@gmail.com. To change your details, please click here. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please reply to this email with '***' in the subject line.

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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

Mount Mary Dinner, 19th September.

Mount Mary Dinner, 25th 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.