Happily appointed?
Is appointment the opposite of disappointment?
Those of you who know me (not meaning to get philosophical) know that I tend to be a wine snob (I can hear Dan saying “and a coffee snob, and a tea snob, and a ….”)
HOWEVER, as I’m winding up my cellar, I’ve started buying table wines to drink now - oh the horror!! I have therefore started tasting Aussie wines below $10. I think our market for wines under $10 is very impressive. I’ve heard from Julian (the partner of a co-worker) that he predicts that due to the drought our lower end market will not be as affordable in the coming years. Julian is using this as an excuse to justify a world-war-three like buy-up. Good for him! I on the other hand am trying to decrease the size of my cellar in the off chance that someone from a foreign country will employ me.
Enough of that! Back to the wine! I decided to try - for the first time - a bottle of Cockatoo Ridge Cab/Merlot tonight. It was very well priced at $8.90. They (the wine makers) suggest a “vibrant nose displaying dark chocolate…”. Personally I found a smooth nose displaying drinkable characteristics. So drink it I will. It’s a nice heavy wine (14.5%) with really smooth pallet. This one was the 2005 vintage - I expected it to be full of tannins, but was quite surprised - and happy - to find a wine that is crafted for drinking. Now. Checking out their website I found that this company specializes in table wines, including the Andrew Garret range which is primarily produced for export (Chris, this is available in the UK for reasonable prices). I’ve come across the Garret range before as failed export (read: cheap) offers. I’d almost suggest that all of their wines would probably be drinkable. This does surprise me given their blatant attempt at “Aussie” advertising - a trait that normally puts me off wines, as I expect them to be sweet hollow for export wines. So, I rate this wine as “drinkable!” - with one happy mark.
Enjoy!
One happy mark? Does not make me want to rush out and buy it, especially with so many french and italian wines around with names I can’t even pronounce, yet alone understand. We have had a bottle of Villard Expression Merlot at a cafe a couple of times and it is very very drinkable!!! Not sure if it is available in Oz, but comes from Chile, have not seen it in shops though, although have just found a York based company that sells it, a steal at onyl £6.95. OK, so it does not fit under your $10 mark, but I will keep a bottle for you anyway.
Comment by Chris — August 15, 2007 @ 4:22 am
Dang! That’s almost $17 Chris! I could get a Wynns cab sav for that sort of moula! It’d wanna be damn fine wine for that, what can I get, for, say £5? Do you think that a trip to france with a mini-van might provide us with a solution to “cheap wine”.
Dave, you want in??
Comment by Lonnie — August 15, 2007 @ 5:34 am
Yes it is almost $17, but I guess the exchange rate isn’t always clear cut. It is a very good wine, Danielle drank a good third of the bottle and then ordered another glass (large), so that tells you something about how good it is.
Comment by Chris — August 15, 2007 @ 6:03 am
I suppose if you were out - it is actually a cheap bottle of wine… Hmm, is Danelle getting into this wine thing? She’s gunna be on the “bus to France” at this rate!!
Comment by Lonnie — August 15, 2007 @ 2:37 pm
I think if we get a mini bus she will be on it, but more so to go to France than for the wine. I dont think she is any more into the wine than back in Melbourne, just this one I think in particular. I am ordering it from this company I found yesterday, mixed case, I was thining 4 of the merlot, on my wifes advice, it is not 6 of the merlot.
Comment by Chris — August 16, 2007 @ 1:45 am