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It’s that time of year again! Santa’s packing his ute with presents for the good kiddies, and all us adults are wondering if there will be something special under the tree for us from the jolly man.

And it’s also the time of year when we announce the 12 wines that impressed us the most over the last year…. and then give them away to a couple of lucky friends of the show!

If you’re an email subscriber you get one entry into the draw to win one of two complete sets of our Best Dozen automatically. If you’re a Twitter follower you’ll get another entry into the competition. And if you’re a fan on Facebook then you’ve got another chance to win! Retweeting on twitter, or posting on your facebook wall with a link to the competition will get you another entry too! There are heaps of ways to give yourself the best possible shot at taking home one of the Best Dozen of 09 packs!

The Best Dozen of 2009 are:

• All Saints Moscato 2009 ($15-19)
• Pewsey Vale Riesling 2009 ($13-18)
• Wirra Wirra Mrs Wigely Rosé ($16-$19)
• Deen De Bortoli Vat 8 Shiraz 2008 ($8-12)
• Yalumba The Scribbler 2008 ($16-$18)
• Stefano Lubiana Primavera Pinot Noir 2008 ($28-$30)
• Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir 2008 ($18-$20)
• Shaw and Smith Shiraz 2007 ($30-35)
• d’Arenberg d’Arry’s Original 2006 ($16-20)
• Giaconda Warner Vineyard Shiraz 2006 ($80 en-primeur)
• Zema Estate Family Selection Cabernet 2005 ($40-45)
• Brown Brothers Patricia Noble Riesling 2006 ($32-35)

Download the video: (8 min 10 sec)
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Cheers… and happy wine buying!

Brad and Danny

In wine, as in property, the one thing that everyone wants is a prime location. The best vineyards give the best fruit. But it’s not always easy to get the best locations. Two of our wines this week come from producers who have decided location is the key to the best grapes, while the other has helped define their region as one of the best Chardonnay areas in the land.

Between the Jim Barry Cover Drive and the Wyndham Estate George Windham Shiraz Grenache you can see why regional blending has become a key part of the winemaker’s arsenal. At the other end of the spectrum, the Voyager Estate Chardonnay continues to gain favour as a stand-out example of just what Margaret River can produce with the white grape.

This week’s recommendations are:

• Jim Barry Cover Drive 2007 ($18-23)
• Voyager Estate Chardonnay 2007 ($38-42)
• Wyndham Estate George Wyndham Shiraz Grenache 2007 ($17-$22)

Download the video: (5 min 45 sec)
Windows Media (18.6 Mb) | Quicktime/iPod/iPhone (33.4 Mb) | Mpeg4 (18.0 Mb)

Cheers… and happy wine buying!

Brad and Danny

Lost your shirt in the financial crisis? Tyrrell’s Lost Block Semillon might be just the answer. It’s a great semillon made by a top Hunter Valley producer but perhaps the best bit is just how inexpensive it is! And speaking of inexpensive, Xabregas have released a show reserve Shiraz from the same vintage as their Jimmy Watson short listed year. But at under $30 for a Great (Southern) Shiraz it’s ripper value. To round things out we check back in on a family favourite. d’Arenberg’s Laughing Magpie certainly hits the spot, and they say laughter is the best medicine!

This week’s recommendations are:

• Tyrrell’s Lost Block Semillon 2008 ($10-15)
• Xabregas Show Reserve Shiraz 2007 ($23-26)
• d’Arenberg Laughing Magpie 2007 ($24-$29)

Download the video: (4 min 34 sec)
Windows Media (14.2 Mb) | Quicktime/iPod/iPhone (26.0 Mb) | Mpeg4 (13.8 Mb)

Cheers… and happy wine buying!

Brad and Danny