Hey People, I know a bit late for some tips as the specials are midweek but these things can be relevant in the future too.
Dans is having its Red Wine month and have some crackers there, expect those prices to have already been matched by 1st choice, so A=B here. These 2 retailers are so price competitive which is a good thing for consumers, a bad thing for smaller wineries trying to survive.
In that red wine festivity vein, I have some Australian red wines recommendations at good prices you really shoulld try.
My GOLD pick for the week from anywhere is:
GOLD: Wirra Wirra Church Block 2009, Dmurphys this week for $13.60
This is a cracking quality Oz red blend that makes everyone happy. This is a smooth sailer, intense enough to drink alone, but also a food ripper and can be put away for years if you want.If the sale is over it is still very good value.
It normally goes for about $19-23 so it is a bargain at this price and blows away most wines at the 13 buck price range. I believe Wirra Wirra, along with Paxton, make some of the best wines coming out of Mclaren Vale, SA, that I have come across. Has cab sauv/shiraz/merlot in the blend, which work together brilliantly to make a really nice drink.
SILVER: Grant Burge Hillcot Merlot 2009, First Choice or Dmurphys for $13.50
Hey ho, normally about $17-19, and a really nice christmas pudding with chocolate flavoured wine. Merlot is totally out of fashion (attributed to the downturn after the american movie SIDEWAYS where they bag it big time), but shouldnt be. Done well it makes one of the smoothest fullest appealing wines going around, done badly it (ie cheap) it ends up non-descript and very plain jane.
One of the most expensive wines is Pétrus from France, and it is made from about 98% Merlot. It doesn’t make just good wines, but can make great wines.
This is a very good introduction to how Merlots can taste.
BRONZE: Yalumba The Scribbler 2009 Cab Sauv/Shiraz- $14.60 Dmurp/1st choice
Like the wirra wirra, big time happy crowd pleaser wine with the classic Australian Cab Sauv/Shiraz blend. Only down on points cause at this price you are only saving about 1-3 dollars on the normal price.
The wine is classy and well structured (ie smooth). As the description in the catalogue from mr notes, layers of black and blue berry with nice intensity. This punches above its price class in intensity, no surprise as Yalumba’s wines regularly over deliver.
- WINEDUCATION - 
A topic of interest perhaps. Sulphur or sulphates. Which wines have more. Do they all. Is it really that bad for you? Is this the evil chemical that causes headaches?
Yo Mate
I touched on that subject a little in a previous post “Why are there fish, eggs, sulphites and 220 in my wine?” but will go into it a little more in detail in the future.
Certainly can contribute to a headache, but doctors still say most of the headache is always gonna be attributed to the Alcohol.
Dried fruit has a lot more sulphites than wine ever has and its rare to get headaches from them!!!