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This week we look at three wines from the 2008 vintage that are sure to keep you, and your mates, happy. The first is the classy Chalambar Shiraz from Seppelt. This is a wine you’ll see in shops, and on a lot of restaurant wine lists where it’s often one of the best value propositions.

The 2007 vintage was brilliant for Margaret River, but what about 2008? We check out the Capel Vale Cabernet Sauvignon from the more recent vintage and can happily say that the follow-up year is looking like a truly worthy sequel!

To round out the week we grab the Ten Minutes by Tractor Chardonnay from 2008. While the Mornington Peninsula is probably best known these days for their Pinot Noir, there’s no doubting that many of the producers from the region have been turning out beautiful whites from this classic grape.

This week’s recommendations are:

• Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz 2008 ($15-$22)
• Capel Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($25-$27)
• Ten Minutes by Tractor 10X Chardonnay 2008 ($26-$29)

Download the video: (4 min 29 sec)
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Cheers… and happy wine buying!

Brad and Danny

The Barossa Valley is probably Australia’s best known wine region, and the river that runs through it has fame of its own. But Para is better know as the name of one of the country’s finest fortified wines more than it is as a river.

We also recommend an inexpensive Cabernet blend from Cookathama. We also change things up a bit with the Jaluka Chardonnay from Seppelt instead of bashing you over the head with yet another Riesling.

This week’s recommendations are:

• Cookathama Cabernet Merlot 2007 ($15-$18)
• Seppeltsfield Para Grand Tawny NV ($25-$32)
• Seppelt Jaluka Chardonnay 2008 ($22-$26)

Download the video: (4 min 35 sec)
Windows Media (14.8 Mb) | Quicktime/iPod/iPhone (27.4 Mb) | Mpeg4 (14.4 Mb)

Cheers… and happy wine buying!

Brad and Danny

A while back we looked at an iPhone app that was perfect for casual wine drinkers. But what if, like us, you’re a bit more than casual about your wine cellar? We check out the new iPhone app Vinoteka, which has been designed to meet the needs of bigger cellars and those who want to track everything possible about their wine collection both on the iPhone and on a Mac.

We also look at the Elizabeth Semillon from Mount Pleasant, which Danny is glad is now under screw cap. Brad looks at a bargain Shiraz from Gramps that was picking up awards last year, but is still in the shops today. Who said a wine glut was all bad news!?

This week’s recommendations are:

• Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon 2006 ($10-$16)
• Gramps Shiraz 2006 ($15-$20)
• Vinoteka iPhone App ($6US-$8AU)

Download the video: (6 min 03 sec)
Windows Media (19.6 Mb) | Quicktime/iPod/iPhone (35.2 Mb) | Mpeg4 (19.0 Mb)

Cheers… and happy wine buying!

Brad and Danny

A bit more than three and a half years ago we featured a Jim Barry Watervale Riesling on the very first episode of WineWeek. 180 episodes in we look at the newest vintage of the very wine, and it’s still a ripper!

We also check out one of, if not the, best Pinot Noir’s from the Mornington Penninsula. The 2008 Yabby Lake is a brilliant drop, and worth every cent!

With it bitterly cold in the southern parts of Australia right now we finish up with a Rutherglen Muscat that is the perfect winter warmer from Stanton & Killeen.

This week’s recommendations are:

• Yabby Lake Pinot Noir 2008 ($55-$60)
• Jim Barry Watervale Riesling 2009 ($15-$20)
• Stanton & Killeen Classic Rutherglen Muscat NV ($27-$30)

Download the video: (5 min 32 sec)
Windows Media (17.8 Mb) | Quicktime/iPod/iPhone (32.2 Mb) | Mpeg4 (17.3 Mb)

Cheers… and happy wine buying!

Brad and Danny

Recorded live at the recent Good Food and Wine Show in Melbourne, Brad has a chat with the Big Red Wine Book winemaker of the year, Janice McDonald. Janice talks about her Stella Bella and Suckfizzle wines, and the great 2007 vintage for Magaret River and how the 2008 vintage is shaping up.

Download the video: (2 min 47 sec)
Windows Media (8.9 Mb) | Quicktime/iPod/iPhone (16.4 Mb) | Mpeg4 (8.7 Mb)

Cheers… and happy wine buying!

Brad and Danny