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

If you're an Australian wine lover with a taste for Italian wines, there's no need for an expensive plane ticket to get your fix. You can enjoy an exceptional Italian wine in the form of Lost Valley Winery's Cortese, famous not only for its unique, refreshing flavours, but also because it's the only wine of its kind produced in Australia. Respected wine critics like Robert Parker, Huon Hooke and Ralph Kyte-Powell have only good things to say about the Lost Valley Cortese, impressed at the winery's commitment to keep producing excellent vintages of their interesting wine.

Lost Valley Winery is widely recognised as one of the top boutique wineries in Australia, and possibly the world. Their wines are exported to Canada, the United States, Hong Kong and Indonesia. You know you're on to something special when the top American wine distributors single out your wine as "incredible" when compared to other producers in the same category. This doesn't just apply to the Cortese either. Their Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Shiraz have all won multiple accolades and praise in the local wine community. Lost Valley has gone beyond merely churning out bottles of wine year after year; they've set a standard in the industry for everyone keen on making lasting impressions in the national and international arenas.

Situated on the sloping hills of Great Dividing Range in Victoria, the two vineyard sites in the Upper Goulburn region yield Lost Valley's four main varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Shiraz and the interesting Italian Piedmont native, Cortese. Despite the warm temperatures during summer, the cool air of the mountain is soothing and allows for a slightly slower ripening period. The grapes to reach full maturity at more relaxed pace. The high slopes keep the frost off the vineyards during the colder months, and the precious rainwater nourishes the clayey soil before it filters into the King Parrot Creek, a tributary of the Goulburn River. The conditions of this region can be extreme, but all four wines emerging from the Lost Valley plantings are consistently rich, complex and of excellent quality. Alex White, widely regarded as one of Australia's best-known and skilled winemakers, is the man behind the award-winning Lost Valley wines. Alex is directly involved in the wine-making process, from tending the growing vines to overseeing the wine-making process itself.

Lost Valley wines are widely available in stores throughout the country, but to sample some of the special stuff they hold back, take the day and venture out to the winery in the Goulburn region. Be sure your directions are accurate though: the owners only found the place because they got lost, hence the name. The wines at the cellar door aren't typically the wines in the stores and restaurants, so more than just experiencing the beauty of the winery's setting, you're also enjoying the exclusivity of some very fine wines. You can order the wines direct from Lost Valley Winery's cellar door at www.BoutiqueWineries.com.au/winery/LostValleyWinery

With Gratitude,

Josefine
BoutiqueWineries

We have found the following news about one of our Queensland Wineries. Ballandean Estate is an Icon in the Queensland Wine Industry. Situated in the Granite Belt and headed by Queenslands Godfather of the wine industry, Angelo Puglisi, this family business has an unsurpassable passion for the industry. They are committed to consistently producing high quality award winning wines, and continuing to build a solid brand. All wines are Estate grown and produced, a clear advantage in guaranteed quality.
This article was published by Winebiz - Daily Wine News.

Ballandean Estate gifts $3000 award for wine science

A chance meeting with Granite Belt wine industry stalwart, Angelo Puglisi has sparked a career change for one young Queensland wine lover.

Angelo and Mary Puglisi have always encouraged people to participate in the growing Granite Belt wine industry and offered a $3000 Wine Science Award through the new Queensland College of Wine Tourism in Stanthorpe.

The award is designed to recognise a young person who has completed year 12 in Queensland - preferably a Gateway School, who has displayed an aptitude for wine science through results in the appropriate subjects.

The inaugural winner of the award is Amanda Vidler who is currently studying a Bachelor of Wine Science through the University of Southern Queensland. During her acceptance speech, she recalled the day she met Angelo at a wine tasting and how his enthusiasm for the industry convinced her that she had made the right decision in pursuing winemaking.

Little did either of them know that they would meet again at an awards ceremony and the Amanda would be the recipient of the prize.

"I want the scholarship to be an avenue for young people who would like to study winemaking but might have hardships in paying for books and equipment,"said Puglisi.

Vidler will also have the opportunity to work with Ballandean Estate Winemaker Dylan Rhymer and will be a familiar face around the winery during vintage.

Wine Drinks Tips and Techniques from Gary Vaynerchuk here on BoutiqueWineries


Noisy wine expert Gary Vaynerchuck offers a quick but smart tip for removing the foil sleeve from a bottle of wine without the tedious cover trimmers. His simple secret: Just pull it off. This may not be mind-blowing if you already knew this seemingly obvious trick, but if you didn't, it's a real time-saver.