Mixed case We are, as they say, up the walls at the moment. The start of the year has been pretty busy all round and now that samples, both solicited and unsolicited, are beginning to roll up in significant quantities, there's a whole lotta tasting going on, as well as the less exciting but very time-consuming administration of thank yous, yes pleases and very sorry, buts.

I've just noticed that one of our foremost suppliers of organic-and-biodynamic wines, Montirius, has invested in a shiny new website. High time I sold them my services as a translator for the few little tweaks on the English side that would do no harm.

I've just placed an order with a new supplier in Burgundy, Louis Chenu Père et (very hands-on) Filles, giving us a fresh lease of life in the affordable French Pinot Noir department. Speaking of websites, check out this simple, clear, striking design.

I was in Lismore last week, and called to say hello to Owen Madden at the Summerhouse, who sells our wines. He's very busy re-stocking, so if Schadenfreude's your bag, go and enjoy a leisurely cup of tea and a bun while he dashes about the place hard at work.

Down the road from Summerhouse is the deli-wine shop run by George Kiely and Tom Doorley. I owned up to spying straight away, but George couldn't have been more welcoming or helpful. They've a great range of wines from a number of importers as well as fancy foods, and expert advice is free.

Labels: bourgogne, burgundy, lismore, montirius, Pinot Noir, website, wine

  ¶ Tuesday, February 27, 2007

  Strewth, mate! What I should have recommended as an all-purpose Christmas wine was our Little Yering Pinot Noir 2003 from Yering Station. It's easy, lightish and very tasty. I took a bottle home last weekend and it was three-quarters gone before you could say knife, which is always an indicator of a wine that I can recommend to anyone. The price is right, too.







However, the future is looking other than rosy for the Yarra Valley, whence cometh the aforementioned. First of all there have been drought and frost, and then along comes an outbreak of phylloxera, the vine-munching insect whose specific name, vastatrix, devastating, is spot on. Here's the Australian phylloxera website. And here's a local article that mentions Yering. I'll be writing to Brett Fleming, our contact, to find out what he thinks the future holds. Meantime, try, and enjoy, the Little Yerings (there's a Shiraz-Viognier, too) while you can.

UPDATE 16/01/06: I've heard from Brett, and perhaps things aren't as bad as they seem. I look forward to meeting him in a few weeks' time and may have more news after that.

Labels: Australia, ireland, phylloxera, Pinot Noir, wine, Yarra Valley, Yering

  ¶ Wednesday, January 10, 2007