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Australia/New Zealand

Aussie Reds Aussie Whites New Zealand Reds New Zealand Whites

Australian Reds
TIN DOG - Yellow Tail prices, much higher quality
By importing this brand directly, we bypass the middleman and can offer either equal quality at a lower price or higher quality at the same price as Yellow Tail. Being Beekmans, we opted for the higher quality. 750ml bottles of the Chardonnay and the Red Blend are also available at $7.99.
Tin Dog Shiraz, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot, and Cabernet/Shiraz Red Blend ($13.99/magnum) are really terrific. Medium-bodied and juicy, they are very pleasing wines with character. And they offer great value. The Red Blend is comprised of 40% Shiraz, 35% Cabernet, and 25% Grenache. Shiraz flavor predominates in this lovely little wine. The name “Tin Dog” may strike Americans as odd, but it is an Australian term for a dog that herds sheep and protects them from predators.

Three Trees Pinot Noir, 2006 ($15.99) – Pinot Noir has supplanted Merlot as the “in” varietal. With demand exceeding supply, the grape has recently been planted all over the world. But it is only in selected, cool regions that Pinot can really shine. Most of Southeast Australia is great for Shiraz, Cabernet, and other varietals adapted to warmer climates, but it is simply too warm to grow quality Pinot Noir. However, here are a few, mostly high elevation parcels that can produce balanced Pinot Noirs without mind-numbing alcohol levels. This is the best Pinot under $20 we have found in a long time. It is made by Steve Grimley, the winemaker for Albacore winery which makes wines under several different labels (Woolundry Road, Albacore, Loom Wine, Soaring Kite, and Dawson’s Estate). Although the style of this wine is somewhat unusual with its notes of candied raspberry, it is a modern, flavorful Pinot that is soft, easy to drink, very attractive, and very attractively priced.

Layer Cake Shiraz, 2008 ($15.99) - Jayson Woodbridge is uncompromising in his quest to produce the finest Cabernet Sauvignon in America. His Hundred Acre Cabernet is a cult wine that gets stellar reviews and sells for $250 per bottle! Along with fellow winemaker Philippe Melka, Jayson is also involved with an Australian project. Layer Cake is a Barossa Valley Shiraz from four different vineyard sites along the “golden mile,” so called because of the stunning quality of the fruit that comes from this region. (This is the primary source of Penfold’s Grange!) Layer Cake compares favorably to many $30 Australian wines. The violet and blueberry scent leads into sweet blackcherry flavors. It has dense and bountiful dark fruit without being overtly lush. Intense mocha undertones accentuate a weighty mid-palate and gorgeous mouthfeel, yet the wine is light on its feet and finishes clean and pure.
Layer Cake comes from sustainably farmed vineyards that are low-yielding (3-4 tons per acre as opposed to 7-8 tons almost everywhere else in the valley). A portion of the wine spends some time in new French oak and it is bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulfuring. While much of the Shiraz on the market today is overripe, overoaked, and brimming with alcohol, Layer Cake is irrefutable evidence that great wine can be made in a balanced “New World” style without going overboard. Not surprisingly, the 2005 Layer Cake Shiraz made Food and Wine’s list of “Australia’s Best Reds Under $20.” We also carry a Napa Cabernet, an Italian Primitivo, and an Argentine Malbec from Layer Cake.

Peter Lehmann Clancy’s, Barossa, 2006 ($16.99) - Blends of several varietals can sometimes be more interesting than single-varietal wines. This Australian red is comprised of 48% Shiraz, 32% Cab Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 4% Cab Franc. It displays typically flamboyant Australian fruit with a smooth texture, good complexity, and a solid finish. Wine Spectator: Smart Buy "Firm in texture, offering a fine balance of dark berry and spice with tomato and herb hints on the finish. Lingers nicely. Drink now through 2014." Winner, 2008 International Wine & Spirit Competition. Owner Peter Lehmann was named Australian Producer of the Year.

Yangarra Shiraz, McLaren Vale, 2005 ($19.99) and Yangarra Cadenzia GSM, McLaren Vale, 2004 ($26.99) - Australia offers some amazing values like these. Both spent 18 months in French oak. The Shiraz tastes like a more expensive wine with its rich, generous, and spicy fruit. The Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre blend (50%, 40%, and 10% respectively) is soft, slightly oaky, complex, voluptuous, and beautifully textured. And the Wine Spectator listed it in their top 100 wines of 2006.

Bleasdale Frank Potts Proprietary Red, 2004 ($24.99) - What a delicious, full-flavored, and nicely balanced Australian wine! Robert Parker: 90 “The 2004 Frank Potts is a blend of 67% Cab Sauvignon, 18% Malbec, and 15% Petit Verdot. This cuvee spent 18 months in French and American wood, which is evident in the noticeable wood component. Nevertheless, it is an outstanding effort displaying notions of soy, vanillin, black currants, mint, and blackberries in its rich, full-bodied, tannic personality. It should last 10-12 years at a minimum. Drink 2006-18.”

Craneford Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley, 2002 ($27.99) - Australian wineries are known for Shiraz, but they also make some exceptionally good Cabernets. Parker: 91 “Run by Don Zilm, this impressive winery fashions textbook Barossa cuvées, meaning power, thickness, and intensity as well as surprising balance. Prices are shockingly low for such quality. The 2002 Cabernet reveals the vintage’s opaque purple color along with glorious aromas of blackberries, minerals, toast, creosote, and spice box. Dense and chewy with abundant quantities of fat and glycerin concealing the wine’s tannin, it is a voluptuous Cabernet that may be even better than its current score indicates. Anticipated maturity: now-2015.”

Two Hands Shiraz “Bella's Garden, 2006 ($58.50) and Shiraz “Lilly's Garden,” 2006 ($58.50) - This Australian winery consistently gets scores well into the 90s from Parker and the Wine Spectator. The “two hands” are Michael Twelftree and Richard Mintz who formed the company in 1999. Michael Twelftree spent a number of years exporting Australian wine to the U.S. and Asia. Richard Mintz, an accountant, was formerly CEO of one of Australia’s leading cooperages in the Barossa Valley, South Australia. With Twelftree’s contacts and wine savvy approach and Mintz’s management skills and business acumen, the two old friends started making wine together. They purchased 17 tons of fruit from the McLaren Vale and Padthaway wine regions. From the beginning the wines were very well received at home and abroad culminating in 2004 with Robert M. Parker pronouncing Two Hands as “the finest negoçiant operation south of the equator.” Very limited! (www.twohandswines.com)

Yalumba "Signature," 2002 ($44.95) - Robert Parker 96! "The 2002 The Signature (56% Cabernet Sauvignon and 44% Shiraz) was given the same upbringing as its young sibling [the 2003], but 2002 is a better vintage for Yalumba. The 2002 exhibits smoky, blackberry, incense, charcoal, and floral characteristics along with tremendous glycerin, richness, purity, and teeth-staining levels of extract. Remarkably, there are no hard edges, and the acidity, tannin, and alcohol are beautifully integrated. This cuvee should drink well for 15 years."

Clarendon Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Hickinbotham Vineyard, 2002 ($62.50) - This Australian winery produces mouth-filling, concentrated, world-class wines. Parker: 92-94 “This blockbuster exhibits tremendous color saturation to the rim along with scents of melted licorice intermixed with new saddle leather, creme de cassis, and spice box. Dense and full-bodied, it is the finest Cabernet Sauvignon Hickenbotham I have tasted from Clarendon Hills. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2025.”

Clarendon Hills Syrah (Shiraz) Liandra Vineyard, 2002 ($69.99) - Parker: 94-96 “Opulent, dense, blackberry liqueur-filled effort with huge body as well as tremendous reserves of fruit, glycerin, and intensity. It will last for 15-20 years.”

Additional older vintages and rarities can be found at our Oldies But Goodies page.

Australian Whites
Milton Park Chardonnay, Southeast Australia, 2006/08 ($10.99) - Aussie Chards are typically low in acid and high in oak, but this one shows a fine acid/fruit balance and just a hint of wood. Fermentation with French yeast was slow and cool, and a portion of the wine was left on the spent yeast in used wood (stirred weekly) for complexity and mouth feel. Robert Parker: 86 "The 2006 Chardonnay has a touch of French oak aging and lees stirring to increase complexity. Light straw-colored; it has a spicy, green apple and pear-scented bouquet, crisp acidity, and ripe fruit flavors. The Milton Park label is produced by Thorn- Clarke. The wines have been Best Buys year after year, and the current releases continue the pattern."

Frankland Estate Riesling “Cooladerra Vineyard,” Western Australia, 2002 ($17.99) - Both Australia and New Zealand make several terrific dry Rieslings. Wine Spectator 88: “Dry, tart, and lively with citrus and green apple fruit weaving a bit of a leafy note to liven the finish, the fruit echoing nicely. Drink now through 2006. Only 100 cases imported.”

Yangarra Unoaked Chardonnay, McLaren Vale, 2006 ($15.99) - Chardonnay is capable of making world-class white wine, but too often it is made in a clumsy, overoaked style from grapes grown in climates too warm, resulting in high alcohol, low acid, wood-dominated wines that pair poorly with food. I sometimes think I could get the same effect much more cheaply by adding oak chips and water to vodka. The unoaked Yangarra Chard is a delicious Australian wine that shows the charm of the grape without the wood. With depth of body and flavor, in part from extended lees aging (the spent yeast are left at the bottom of the tank), this remarkable wine has varietal character and a seductively creamy texture. Only 800 cases were produced. We also carry Yangarra’s delicious Shiraz ($19.99).

New Zealand Reds (a small but growing category)
Tui Grove Pinot Noir, 2008 (Regularly $15.99; Sale price $13.98) - New Zealand’s Central Otago Pinots are excellent but generally expensive. This one is a real value. A relatively light red, it has nice cherry fruit and some textural refinement.

Cloud Dancer Pinot Noir, 2008 (Regularly $19.99; Sale price $15.98) - A little more money gets you more fruit and even better balance. Another terrific Central Otago Pinot. Will age.

Te Mata Cabernet/Merlot “Woodthorpe,” 2001 ($17.99) – Te Mata is New Zealand’s oldest wine making property dating back to 1885 when Bernard Chambers inherited a large pastoral station and planted a small vineyard on the northerly slopes of Te Mata Peak. Now under the ownership of John and Wendy Buck and Michael and June Morris, it is one of New Zealand’s finest wineries. Te Mata is located in the Hawkes Bay region on the North Island. The weather here is warmer than that of Marlborough on the South Island. It is just slightly cooler than Bordeaux’s Médoc, more like St.-Emilion. As expected, Cabernet doesn’t completely ripen here every vintage, but Merlot does very well, and the Cab/Merlot blends very much resemble good St.-Emilions. Woodthorpe is the least expensive of Te Mata’s 3 Cab/Merlot blends and is made from the youngest vines. It is very aromatic with medium fruit. Aged in 30% new oak barrels for 15 months, it is medium-bodied, quite juicy, and an excellent value.

Sileni Pinot Noir “Cellar Selection,” Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, 2007 ($19.99) - Quality Pinot Noir under $20 is the holy grail today. Unlike most other popular varietals, Pinot Noir cannot be mass produced and still maintain character and quality. Competent Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc can be made in volume thus keeping cost low, but good Pinot Noir can only be made in small batches. With higher costs for the grapes themselves (due to very high demand) and the inability to obtain economies of scale, Pinot Noirs are necessarily more expensive than other wines, and quality Pinots are that much more expensive. Although still young, this Pinot opens with airing to reveal a richly flavored wine with pure Pinot Noir character and a relatively modest 13.5% alcohol. Sileni Estates was founded in 1998 by Graeme Avery, whose previous experience was in medical publishing. He named the winery for the wise and loyal companions of Bacchus. According to Roman mythology, they loved to celebrate good food, good wine, and good company. Graeme had the wisdom to hire talented vineyard managers and wine makers. The Plateau vineyard that produces this wine and a Chardonnay is on a dry river gravel terrace that is 300’ higher (and thus cooler) than their Triangle vineyard which yields Merlot and Semillon. Hawke’s Bay is the oldest wine-producing region in New Zealand. More details can be found at www.sileni.co.nz.

Mt. Difficulty Pinot Noir "Roaring Meg," 2008 ($21.99) - Central Otago on New Zealand's South Island is becoming known for Pinot Noir that is second only to the great red Burgundies of France's Côte d'Or. Mt. Difficulty makes some of the best (and most expensive) New Zealand wines from estate fruit. It also make this value wine from younger and lesser vines and from some purchased grapes. Meg must have been something! She was a "working girl" who found employment among the miners in this part of New Zealand in the 19th century. A hydroelectric power station, dam, and stream connecting to the Kawarau River, and now this wine were all named after her. (The name actually goes back much further to England where a large siege cannon used during the English Civil War and several small rivers bear the name.)

Crown Range Wines ‘Blind Trail’ Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand, 2006 ($23.99) - Carnac the Magnificent predicts that New Zealand will soon be as well known for Pinot Noir as it now is for Sauvignon Blanc. This Pinot is really stunning. Its amazing bouquet suggests greatness. While the palate doesn’t deliver greatness, it does deliver exceptionally good Pinot character, texture, and harmony for the price. At 13.5%, the alcohol doesn’t get in the way of the delicious, smoky, herb and cherry fruit. A silky, sexy wine that will develop nicely over the next year or two!

Mt. Difficulty Pinot Noir, 2006 ($33.99) - The fact that New Zealand has a wide range of micro-climates means that all grape varietals can be grown well somewhere in the country. I’ve been watching the Pinot Noir scene there for many years. A few good ones have been made, but at un-realistic prices. Mt. Difficulty is a boutique winery in central Otago’s Bannockburn (South Island). It has had success with Pinot Noir in recent years with some spectacular, but expensive single-vineyard Pinots. Mt. Difficulty also offers this attractively priced blend of grapes from their four vineyards. It has unique earthy, savory, dried herb, and white pepper characteristics, most likely due to an unusually long maceration, but the varietal fruit is beautifully rendered. This newly released vintage improves substantially with airing. A bottle I tried was actually better the second day. More information can be found at www.mtdifficulty.co.nz.

Amisfield Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand, 2005 ($37.99) - Wine Spectator 93 & Top 100 Wines of 2007! “Suave and ripe, with plush depth to the Asian spice, roasted duck, wild berry, and black cherry flavors. Crushed stone nuances, judicious oak, and sinuous tannins streamline the stylish finish. Now - 2011.” It is amusing to read PR describing the “classic Central Otago dark spicy fruit characters underlaid with licorice and smoky notes.” Central Otago is too new a wine growing area to talk about anything “classic,” but this South Island region of New Zealand is fast becoming the source for fine Pinot Noir. The small Amisfield Wine Company is located 7 km north of Lowburn near the shores of Lake Dunstan. Planting began in 1999 and now consists of 60 hectares of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. The vines are close-planted, and yields are kept low to provide concentrated fruit flavor with complexity derived from the range of sites within the vineyard. Award winning Amisfield winemaker Jeff Sinnott’s philosophy is that wines should be a reflection of where they are grown.

New Zealand Whites
Tui Grove Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2008 (Regularly $11.99; Sale price $9.98) - Comparable to wines like Nobilo and Villa Maria, this is a great value. Clean and accurate (but not overwhelming) varietal character harmonizes with a soft texture and acidity that is sufficient but not excessive.

Matua Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2008 ($12.99) - The people behind Matua played a crucial role in the development of the New Zealand wine industry. Bill and Ross Spence were the sons of a winemaking father. Ross experienced the excitement of the California wine scene while at university in Fresno in the early 1970s. Bill's schooling was at Massy, New Zealand's world-famous agricultural university, where he learned about the potential of New Zealand's land. The brothers began at the bottom making their own wine in a ragged tin shed in West Auckland in 1974. But the wines they released in their first vintage included New Zealand's first Sauvignon Blanc. Its success inspired the massive plantings in Marlborough that have made New Zealand famous for that varietal. With the desire but not the financial ability to expand, the brothers joined forces with the Margan family to create Matua. They then purchased land, planted vineyards, and established the brand. Today, Matua is part-owned by Fosters. Despite the corporate influence, Matua still produces wines of impeccable quality.

Cloud Dancer Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2008 (Regularly $15.99; Sale price $13.98) - This beauty shows a little more refinement and balance than the Tui Grove. It is a very pretty, clean, balanced, and harmonious wine that pairs well with salads, Cornish game hens, and seafood.

Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2007 ($13.99) - New Zealand continues to send us superb, well priced Sauvignon Blancs. This one is fresh, clean, medium-bodied and solidly varietal, with hints of grass and grapefruit. It is perfect for casual sipping or to accompany seafood and chicken.

Bremner Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2008 (Regularly $21.99; Sale price $17.98) - This classy New Zealand Sauvignon is one of the best we have ever tasted. Malolactic fermentation gives it a creamy texture, and aging in used oak adds to a rounded mouthfeel. Ripe fruit and low yields give this wine good body and rich, complex flavors.

Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc “Te Muna Road Vineyard,” Martinborough, NZ, 2008 ($26.99) - New Zealand’s Marlborough district makes impressive mass-produced Sauvignons, but other producers hand-craft smaller batches of even higher quality wine. Martinborough, at the south end of the North Island, has a cooler spring and a warmer autumn than Marlborough. Because its harvest takes place roughly ten days later under drier conditions, its wines are more extracted, complex, and structured, with more subtle aromatics and greater elegance. This beauty tones down the aggressive grapefruit notes of the lesser wines and offers refined balance and bright acidity. Technical details for the wine geeks: free-run juice only, part indigenous yeast, 10% barrel-fermented, 2-4 months on the lees, gently fined but not filtered.

Kim Crawford SP (Wood Aged) Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2004 ($22.99) - SP (small parcel) refers to small batches of grapes that stand out from the rest. The larger-than-life Kim Crawford has created a larger-than-life “reserve” Sauvignon Blanc that is big and aggressive, yet impeccably balanced and polished. Pale straw in color, fragrant, and quite concentrated, this lovely wine shows purity of tropical fruit. Oak flavors enhance but do not dominate the asparagus, lemon zest, gooseberry, and mineral-laden palate. The solid acidity contributes to the lingering finish. This is a perfect match for Asian food flavored with lemongrass. Only a few stores in New Jersey will have this very limited release wine.