The Boutique Wine Lover's Wine Reviews and Wine Related Stories

Today I came along the latest Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine. This drink magazine features in its current issue the red wines from the Yarra Valley, and mention one of our wineries from this region, Seville Estate. It is one of Victoria's best kept secrets. James Halliday rates the winery 5 Stars and its Pinot Noir as "best of the best" In a world of PR hype and every vintage creating a new "cult wine" Seville Estate continues to produce wines that are simply "Yarra Classics" for drinking now and for cellaring.

The magazine points out the well-established reputation of Seville Estate for its Shiraz. On our website Seville Estate lists two of its famous Shiraz:

Wine Review - Trappers Gully Shiraz 2003 - Buy Australian Wine Online

Yesterday I went out for a lunch with two good friends of mine. As an exercise I brought the Shiraz from Trappers Gully to prove the label. The label describes the Shiraz with a intense aroma of black pepper and blackberry flavour. For me, as an absolute beginner in tasting wines and actually tasting and describing the difference, this was quite a challenge.

We had this wine with Thai food, which was a good choice. The first sensation in the mouth appeared to us as a heavy, but smooth body in which the blackberry flavour was embedded. However, it was not too heavy and went very well with the asian food (incl. chili). The black pepper aroma arose at the back of the tongue, just after swallowing and before the dryness settled in our mouths as a cherry on the top-finish.

Kindest regards,

Josefine
Wine Reviewer - Boutique Wineries

Lost Valley Winery - 90 Points By Robert Parker - Great for Buying Australian Wine Online!

MEDIA RELEASE

2 November, 2007

Robert Parker gives all Lost Valley Winery the thumbs up.

The world acclaimed wine expert Robert Parker has reviewed all four varietals from Lost Valley and each wine has received excellent reviews.

Not only is the average score across all 4 varietals 90, but the very complimentary language also stands the wines in good stead. Needless to say a 90score - for all varietals from the vineyard - from the Parker stable is no small feat!

Top wine distributors in the USA point out -

we can probably count, on one hand, the number of Aussie wineries with a 90 point Parker average score, this is incredible. Lost Valley Winery has truly come of age as one of Australia's top boutique wineries. Chris Daniele, Wine Trade Trust.

Cortese	The 2005 Cortese - Score 90 - is light gold with a complex bouquet of passion fruit and pear. This is followed by a medium-bodied, layered wine with spicy, intense white fruit flavours, crisp acidity, and considerable length. Drink it over the next 2-3 years although the winery claims that it has 10 years of cellaring potential. The bottom line is that this Cortese is too good to defer gratification for any significant amount of time.
Sauv Blanc	The 2005 Sauvignon Blanc - Score 90 - is medium straw-coloured with lovely aromas of mineral, fresh herbs, melon, and lemon-lime. Medium-bodied, in the mouth it is full-flavoured with ripe fruit and vibrant acidity. There is superb depth and concentration leading to a very long, fruit-filled finish. Made in the style of a top-level Sancerre, this stylish effort will drink will for 2-3 years.
Merlot	The 2004 Merlot "Hazy Mountain" - Score 89 - was aged for 15 months in 75% new French and American oak. Purple-coloured, it offers up scents of wood smoke, spice box, black currant, black raspberry, and chocolate. This leads to a medium to full-bodied wine with excellent balance, sweet fruit, and ripe flavours in its elegant personality. It can be enjoyed now but will evolve for several years and last through 2020.
Shiraz	The 2004 Shiraz "Thousand Hills" - Score 91 - was aged for 18 months in 50% new French and American oak. It is a stylish rendition with aromas of smoky oak, mint, spice box, white pepper, black cherry and plum. Soft on the palate yet very concentrated, with subtle red and black fruit flavours with a hint of liquorice, the wine has a 45-second, pure finish. Give it 4-6 years to fully blossom and drink it through 2024.

These wines are available nationally, so don't delay, stocks are limited!
Lost Valley Vineyards is located in the new cool-climate GI of Upper Goulburn located 1 hour northeast of Melbourne. All four wines are made from estate-grown fruit. Pure Quality, hand pruned, cane arched, leaf plucked, bunch thinned, hand picked! That is just part of the care given to producing the best fruit possible to in turn make the level of quality that Lost Valley has become synonymous with.

Warm regards,

Jeremiah Josey

Wine Reviewer - Boutique Wineries

Wine Review - Donovan 2005 Tempranillo - Buy Australian Wine Online

Hello!
Today I'm reviewing another "foreign" wine, this one from Donovan Wines, Great Western, Victoria, with a grape variety from the Rioja region of Spain. It's a 2005 Tempranillo from Donovan Wines. It has the Spanish zing typical of strong bodied young Spanish reds. On the back of the label is:

The Tempranillo has very similar characterisics to the Nebbiolo I reviewed last week. The Tempranillo is a bold ruby red wine, quite pleasing to the eye. The tannins are on the heavier side of medium and it has a lingering aftertaste that is definitely that unique European style. I reckon that keeping it for a few years in the bottle would no doubt soften this into a well balanced drink. It also comes in a screw top to keep the flavours in and eliminate cork taint.

Tempranillo is a Spanish grape from Rioja, northern Spain. Temprano means early in Spanish, and this grape variety ripens several weeks earlier than others, hence it's name.

Donovan Wines is a boutique winery located in the Grampians region of Victoria. They have 10 acres under vine with another five to be planted when the drought has ended. The new acreage will be planted to Sangiovese, more Tempranillo, Pinot Meunier, Sagrantino. The wines made currently are Cabernet, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Tempranillo.

For a taste of Spain, don't go past this drop - ole!

Thanks for reading my review and feel free to post your own comments to our blog.

Warm regards,

Jeremiah Josey

Wine Reviewer

The Tempranillo: a refreshing Spanish style wine.

Here's a nice story that's worth repeating:

Recently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, 'I love you and I wish you enough'.

The daughter replied, 'Mum, our life together has been more than enough. Your love
is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mum'.

They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, 'Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?'.

'Yes, I have,' I replied. 'Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?'. 'I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral,' she said.

'When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough'. May I ask what that means? '. She began to smile. 'That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone'. She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled! even more. 'When we said , 'I wish you enough ', we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them'. Then turning toward me, she shared the
following as if she were reciting it from memory.

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

She then began to cry and walked away.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them but then an entire life to forget them.

TAKE TIME TO LIVE.....

To all our friends and loved ones, we wish you enough,

From everyone here at Boutique Wineries.

Wine Review - Parish Hill Wines 2003 Nebbiolo - Buy Australian Wine Online

Hello!
Today I'm reviewing a snazzy little drop from the Adelaide Hills. It's a 2003 Nebbiolo from Parish Hill Wines and the Italian grapes have given it a fresh, sharp texture and bouquet. Here's what the makers say:

What a fine description, and I agree. The rose petal aromas kick start a freshness that begins in the nose and follows quickly with a sparkly zing that flows around the mouth.

Note that you can only get this by mail order, or from our Boutique Wineries web site. A rare grape that is even rarer to buy!

Typically a young wine made from the nebbiolo is very tannic with complex aromas of tar and roses and needs a few years to soften. This one I tried has 4 years on it, and it has taken on the characteristic brick-orange hue at the rim of the glass and matured well to reveal complex aromas and flavours of fruits, flowers and some spices. This is quite a unique and thrilling wine. With even more age the flavours become even more wonderful.

Parish Hill produce premium Australian wines from Italian vines grown in there vineyard at Uraidla in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia. They are licensed to crush 15 tonnes of grapes each vintage, so have only small quantities of each of their unique Italian style wines. All wines have screw caps for longer freshness.

I thoroughly recommend this snazzy number.


Thanks for reading my review and feel free to post your own comments to our blog.

Warm regards,

Jeremiah Josey

The Nebbiolo: a refreshing Italian wine!

Michaels Restaurant is Closing Down

http://www.michaelsrestaurant.com.au/

Hello there!

This is a special pre-Christmas email to let you know about two things: the sad fact that Michaels is closing down, and the happy fact that he's opened up his special million dollar wine cellar for a sell-out!

---

In association with Michaels Riverside Restaurant, Brisbane,
www.BoutiqueWineries.com.au brings you the opportunity of a life time!

How many of you know Michaels Riverside Restaurant? Michael's - a five star restaurant overlooking the Story Bridge and Brisbane city reaches of the Brisbane River - has delighted patrons since 1986, when Michael Platsis first opened his doors.

Now, 21 years later, Michael has decided to move to the Gold Coast, where he has opened his newest restaurant, Restaurant B, with business partner Suzy Bokan.

That leaves Michael in a quandary of what to do with his collection of exquisite, vintage boutique and special wines remaining in his Brisbane cellar.

Michael's cellar boasts a wine collection worth well in excess of a million dollars and includes around 9,500 bottles in his Wine Room and some 3000 - 4000 everyday wines in the downstairs cellar.

The Wine Room adjoins the main restaurant, with racks from floor to ceiling housing the wines. One entire wall is devoted to vintage Bordeaux and Burgundy, the Bordeaux vintages ranging back to the early 1950s. Cases of Grange Hermitage magnums are stacked next to fine French imports while still more magnums of rare Australian wines fill row after row of the racks.

So, for this one time only offer, never to be repeated, at closing down sale prices (and no, there are no steak knives!!), Michael is offering up to 50% off some of the best cellared wines you will find in Australia. French Burgundy's and Bordeaux, Penfolds Shiraz Magnums and many more.

And with Christmas just around the corner, imagine indulging yourself in a fine French drop at only half price: e.g. a 1961 Chateau Malartic Lagraviere Bordeaux. There are only 8 bottles left, and at $800 per bottle, that's half their usual $1,600. Or a French 1983 Julienas Burgundy at only $80 per bottle, normally 160. Bringing it home, there's an Australian 1976 Angelvale Shiraz for $60 per bottle or the exquisite 1966 Chateau Reynella Burgundy (from Reynella, South Australia) for only $60 per bottle. What about a 1996 Hollick Ravenswood Cab Sauv for $260 per bottle?

This is a vintage cellar stock sale: There's Henschke Hill of Grace, Penfolds 707, Mount Edlestone, Yalumba Octavius, Penfolds Grange, Wynn John Riddochs. Drop in and pick up a special bargain for this Christmas, or stock up your vintage collection for years to come. The choice is yours. The price range will suit almost everyone. ;o)

Now there are some big production name wineries here - not what Boutique Wineries usually works with - however these wines are certainly boutique in their style and their prices. Just as all boutique wines should be.

Remember stocks are limited and are running out fast. Here is their current restaurant wine list to give you an idea of the prices and stock:
Michael's Wine List.

Contact Michael Platsis by phone at Michael's Restaurant at (07) 3832 5522 or email reception@michaelsrestaurant.com.au to order.With them you will confirm prices, order and obtain your wine direct from Michael's.

http://www.boutiquewineries.com.au/ is proud to support such a great business.

http://www.michaelsrestaurant.com.au/

Please email this to your wine loving friends in Brisbane!

---

---

Video Links - Tips for Buying Online for Christmas

And for those of you pondering what to do for Christmas shopping, here are two useful video links, supplied by our friends at NineMSN. They apply to all types of shopping, not just for buying wine.

NineMSN Tips for Shopping Online

NineMSN Christmas shopping online

---

Thanks again and until next time,

Enjoy yourself!

Jeremiah Josey

Hello again,

Here's a little irreverent humour bundled up with some corporate lessons I'd share with you:

Corporate Lesson 1
A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower when the doorbell rings. The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs. When she opens the door, there stands Jeremiah, the next door neighbour. Before she says a word, Jeremiah says, "I'll give you $5,000 to drop that towel." She thinks for a moment, then drops her towel and stands naked in front of Jeremiah. After a few seconds, Jeremiah says, "Thanks", hands her $5,000 dollars and leaves.
The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs. When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, "Who was that?" "It was Jeremiah, our next door neighbour," she replies. "Great!" the husband says, "Did he say anything about the $5,000 he owes me?"
Moral of the story: If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.

Corporate Lesson 2
A priest offered a lift to a nun. She got in and crossed her legs, her habit opening to reveal a leg. The priest nearly had an accident. After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand up her leg. The nun said, "Father, remember Psalm 129?" The priest removed his hand. But, changing gears, he let his hand slide up her leg again. The nun once again said, "Father, remember Psalm 129?" The priest apologized "Sorry sister but the flesh is weak."
Arriving at the convent, the nun went on her way. On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129. It said, "Go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory."
Moral of the story: If you are not well informed in your job, you might miss a great opportunity.

Corporate Lesson 3
A sales rep, an administration clerk, and their manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp. They rub it and a Genie comes out. The Genie says, "There are only three wishes, so you have one each." "Me first! Me first!" says the admin. clerk. "I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world." Poof! She's gone. "Me next! Me next!" says the sales rep. "I want to be in Hawaii, relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life." Poof! He's gone. "OK, you're up," the Genie says to the manager. The manager says, "I want those two back in the office after lunch."
Moral of the story: Always let your boss have the first say.

Corporate Lesson 4
A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A rabbit asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?" The crow answered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested. A fox jumped on the rabbit and ate it.
Moral of the story: To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very high up.

Corporate Lesson 5
A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy." "Well, why don't you nibble on my droppings?" replied the bull. "They're packed with nutrients." The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fourth night, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree.
Soon he was spotted by a farmer, who shot the turkey out of the tree.
Moral of the story: Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.

These come courtesy of Bob Prichard. They may be old jokes but they are funny and the lessons are always relevant!

Enjoy your day!

Warm regards,

Jeremiah Josey

Wine Review - Romavilla 2002 Shiraz Cabernet - Buy Australian Wine Online

Hello again,
Tonight I'm reviewing a wonderful wine I shared with friends this evening from Romavilla Winery, from near Roma, outback Queensland, and what a wonderful wine it is. It's a 2002 Shiraz Cabernet, and the years in the bottle have created a very smooth, lusty flavour. Here's what is on the bottle:

This wine is made from 50% Shiraz and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, and has been matured in both French and American oak for 18 months. As a result the pepperiness of the Shiraz is balanced by the smooth fruit of the Cabernet Sauvignon.

The label on the bottle features original art by Elanora Healy-Wills, entitled "Dancing Vine"

This wine does have what it takes: quaffable and delectable at the same time - a truly fine wine.

Romavilla Winery is Queensland's oldest winery, and are the makers of fine table and superb fortified wines. Roma is situated on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range, about 5 to 6 hours drive west of Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. Samuel Bassett established The Romavilla Vineyards in 1863 and sold his first wine in 1866. By the turn of the century his marketing list included "Burgundy, Chablis, Hock, Claret, Riesling, Champagne and Sauternes, Port, Muscat, Sherry and Madeira". Bassett also sold grapes to colonial and overseas markets packing them in sawdust for safe transit and many thousands of cases of grapes annually from other Roma growers also found their way to eastern markets. Romavilla has not missed a vintage since 1866 producing 30,000 to 170,000 litres wine through the 1930s to 60s depending on the year. The present winery was built in 1878 and is a fine example of that large timber and corrugated iron building style of yesteryear. The high roof, supported by elegant king post trusses, helps alleviate the heat during summer. Romavilla is presently owned by David and Joy Wall who, with their son, Richard, who is Vineyard Manager and Assistant Winemaker and has gained international experience working in California U.S.A., have modernised the winery equipment to continue production of interesting and quality table wines as well as the luscious fortifieds and sweet white (Sauternes) style for which the winery became so famous during the 50s and 60s.

So a thoroughly recommended wine, with a thoroughly recommended heritage, perhaps one of the oldest in Australia.

Thanks for reading my review and feel free to post your own comments to our blog.

Jeremiah Josey

Their Shiraz Cabernet is a very nice drop!

Wine Review - Seville Estate Reserve Cab Sav - Buy Australian Wine Online

Hi there,
I'm reviewing a nice little drop I shared with my wife Jodie this evening. Seville Estate, from Yarra Valley. I tasted their 2001 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and it certainly was smooth. Here's the description on the label:

"The Seville Estate Reserve label denotes wines of exceptional quality using grapes sourced from the original 1972 plantings. This wine represents the very best barriques of the vintage. Back to back superb vintages with 2001 having low crops and concentrated fruit characters. Excellent deep colour with purple tints. Lifted cassis, blackberry fruit aromas with tobacco oak overtones. A rich complex palate with lingering fruit and oak tannins. Cool climate Cabernet Sauvignon at its best. Seville Estate wines age gracefully and will reward patience for many years to come"

We'll it's almost the end of 2007, and I figured that 6 years is enough time in the bottle for this little grape espresso. I do agree while wholeheartedly that it is indeed a fine drop. It reminded me of many fine wines that I have tasted, and ranks with the best. Smooth and long over the tongue, tannins quite soft and mellow, I could have had a while bottle to myself and not felt the strong tannin effects (the dry cheese smile!)

Seville Estate is one of Victoria's best kept secrets. James Halliday rates the winery 5 Stars and their Pinot Noir is rated by James as "best of the best". Seville Estate continues to produce wines that are simply "Yarra Classics" for drinking now and for cellaring.

Seville Estate was recently awarded 5 stars by James Halliday, Australia's premier wine expert.

Thanks for reading my review and feel free to post your own comments to my blog.
Jeremiah Josey

Their Pinot Noir is rated the best of the best!

Buy Australian Wine Online