Australian Wine Tasting at Cafe Maxx

Breaking the darkness, waking the grapevine.  One inch of love is one inch of shadow.  Love is the shadow that ripens the wine.

Set the controls for the Heart of the Sun - Pink Floyd

Our studies in the love of wine continue at Café Maxx next Wednesday night with our biweekly tastings.  This weeks’ subject of study is Australian Wine and I will never forget the two trips that I have made to South Australia to visit producers in the Barossa Valley, Mclaren Vale, Padthaway, Kangaroo Island, Coonawarra, Yarra Yarra Valley and Heathcoat. I am convinced that some of the greatest wines made on Earth are made on the Australian continent.  

I just tasted through several of these wines that we are showing for this tasting with our rep from Negociants USA, a company that has been bringing us some of the best that Australia has to offer for the 20 years that I have owned the Wine Watch.  The cornerstone of this portfolio is Yalumba Winery which is the largest family owned winery in Australia.  Yalumba is one of the most impressive operations that I visited on my second trip to the land down under.  These wines are some of the best values in the world of wine from top to bottom from the Viognier to the Tawny ports everything made here is very good to excellent through the entire range.  The other wineries on the table this evening are equally impressive and offer incredible value as well with Riesling from Eden Valley, Pinot Noir from Tasmania, Shiraz from Mclaren Vale and Barossa Valley, along with Cabernet Sauvignon from Coonawarra this tasting is a great representation of what Australia does best. 

These tastings at the Cafe Maxx for $35 are the best value of any event that we do. You get to try 8 different wines at the same time, pre-poured so they have a chance to open up and so you can go back through the line-up to get a second and third look at everything. This is how you learn about wine and with master chef Oliver Saucy sending out a few small courses to accompany the wines; you get a taste of Cafe Maxx and an education in wine all at the same time, a great way to spend happy hour!  This is a pre-poured sit down tasting and is limited to 25 tasters, the fee for this tasting is $35 + Gratuity + tax for reservations call 954-782-0606.

Australian Wine Tasting at Cafe Maxx
Wednesday, May 3, 2016
6:30 PM

2015 Pewsy Vale Dry Riesling Eden Valley          
Price: $15.75       Sale $13.86          Case $161

A dry style of Riesling with 2 grams of residual, made from organically farmed vineyards,  A pretty nose of green apple, white peach and lime citrus all stainless, a bit of stone like minerality and white flowers.  A fresh and zesty wine on the tongue with a bit of that sweet tart fruit a nice zesty lime citrus and mineral note through the finish.  Finish 35+ Very Good +            

2013 Dalrymple Pinot Noir Tasmania
Price: $37.50       Sale $33.00          Case $383

The wine is deep garnet in colour, with lifted ripe black plum aroma, hints of wild blackberry and raspberry beneath highlights of fine spices derived from the gentle grained French oak. On the palate immediate appeal with sweetness of ripe fruits, fine fruit tannins that balance the oak to provide structure right through to the smooth lingering finish. A wine to be enjoyed now for the sweet opulent fruits, although will reward with careful cellaring for the next 7 years.

2014 Yalumba ‘Bush Vine’ Grenache Northern Barossa
Price: $18.75       Sale $16.50          Case $192

(90 Points) "Pale garnet colored with a hint of purple, the 2014 Grenache Old Bush Vine offers enticing red cherry and raspberry preserves notes accented with suggestions of cinnamon stick, orange peel, red roses and white pepper. Medium-bodied and beautifully delicate in the mouth, it sure doesn't scrimp on the flavor, filling the palate with warm red berries and baking spice cushioned with soft tannins and finishing with great length. Range: 90+" The Wine Advocate

2013 Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz      
Price: $18.00       Sale $15.84          Case $184

This is one of the highest vineyards in the Clare Valley at 480 meters, they started with screw caps in 1972 with Pewsey Vale Riesling they were one of the first, a good amount of black pepper spice, violet and blackberry liqueur like fruit, dark chocolate, black olive tapenade.  Dark rich black berry fruit with smooth velvety tannins and a good amount of dark spices and that black olive tapenade nuance through the finish, even better on the second day.  Finish 45+       Excellent +         

2013 Yalumba Y Series Cabernet Savignon Wrattonbully
Price: $14.50       Sale $12.76          Case $148

Enticing berry fruit, dewy eucalypt, briar and spicy oak aromas are the perfect opening. The palate builds slowly with black fruits and spice; rich and full, mouth coating cocoa tannins and blackcurrants. The wine has lovely length; the structure is restrained and seamless. This is a Cabernet that is contemporary, enjoyable and varietal.

2011 Yalumba ‘The Cigar’ Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra
Price: $23.75       Sale $20.90          Case $243

This is on the plateau of red soils and one of the oldest soils on earth, you get that classic ferrous earth character to the dark currant and plum fruit with notes of green bell pepper, mint, cigar box spice.  A very elegant style of Cabernet Sauvignon with lots of that cigar box spice, fine tannins and a firm hand of acidity, long layered finish.  Finish 45+                Excellent +         

2012 Wirra Wirra ‘Church Block’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz Merlot, McLaren Vale
Price: $18.75       Sale $16.50          Case $192

(94 Points) “A 50/37/13% blend matured for 18 months in French (70%) and American (30%) oak (20% new), one of Wirra Wirra’s celebrated foot soldiers. This really does over-deliver; while it’s chock-full of luscious red and black fruits (more on the red side) it has good shape and texture, the finish very more-ish. Value+.” James Halliday News - Mixed Dozen #13: Top value reds - NOV 2015

NV Yalumba Museum Antique Tawny  (375ml)
Price: $22.50       Sale $19.80          Case $230.00

21-25 year old average Tawny with a touch of Oloroso in the blend, dates, figs, brown spice and hazelnuts.  Very rich and balanced with an array of sundried fruits, brown spices and a firm hand of acidity keeping things fresh and leaving you yearning for a second glass.        Excellent             

This is a pre-poured sit down tasting and is limited to 25 tasters, the fee for this tasting is $35 + Gratuity + tax for reservations call 954-782-0606.