Dear [firstName],

This week at Wine House we have a few exciting things to announce. Firstly, we have a number of great tastings booked in over the next month. In a couple of weeks we have a James Halliday Taste Off where you can compare his tasting notes to your own, and following that we have a fantastic Shiraz of Australia tasting. Check the Tasting Calendar for dates and details. Also, we are delighted to announce our next wine dinner hosted by esteemed wine critic Max Allen! The first of its kind, this Icon Dinner will focus on some of Australia's most respected and highly sought after wines. Gill's second 5 Week Wine Appreciation Course in September is filling up quickly but some places are still available, so feel free to email Gill for more information. To start a new newsletter tradition, Matt and Gill will be selecting 3 wines each for the picks of the week, and this week the Joseph Moda Cabernet Merlot 2000 is our Wine of the Week! Check out the Wine House trivia for your chance to score a $30 voucher!

We hope you enjoy,

From the Team at Wine House

This week at Wine House - Wine of the Week!
Joseph Moda Cabernet Merlot 2000 - Robert Parker 91 points!

This has always been a wine I have followed, and the acquisition of some 2000 vintage clearly shows the reason why. This wine is unique, complex and at only 8 years of age, it is exciting to see what these wines can develop into. The key could possibly be Joe Grilli's traditional Italian winemaking methods- the grapes for this wine were picked, laid on racks and air-dried for 2 weeks prior to crushing. Paying homage to the Moda Amarone wines of Italy’s Veneto creates a concentration and intensity that you would be hard pressed to find in any other Australian Cabernet blend.

At a mere 8 years old (Primo Estate give the Moda a 20 year life span), this wine is nothing less than exciting. Bursting with dark and dried berry fruits, a striking nose of spice, tobacco and cigar-box entices you to sip. On the first taste, the concentration is impressive with the Cabernet providing a blackcurrant backbone and Merlot softening with spiced plums and a velvety texture. The tannins are firm, but with so much lushness of flavour, they are completely in balance. LENGTH you ask? Well, I will leave that up to you...

If you are looking for something special, WITHOUT breaking the bank, the Primo Estate Joseph Moda Cabernet Merlot 2000 is definitely one of my top picks. We also have the Joseph Moda Cabernet Merlot 2006, which is just as impressive, and would look good in a cool, dark place for a few years.

Primo Estate Joseph Moda Cabernet Merlot 2000 is $44.96 in a dozen | $49.95 per bottle.
For more information on our wines, please e-mail sales@winehouse.com.au or call Matt or Gill on 03 9698 8000.

Friday the 24th October @ Brasserie - 7.30pm!!
 

With both of our Mount Mary dinners sold out, we thought it was high time to announce another wine dinner. And what a dinner we have planned. It has been quite a long time coming, but we at Wine House are finally hosting an Icon Wine dinner. The wines included in the dinner will showcase some of the greatest achievements in Australian winemaking over the last number of decades. Names such as Grange, Hill of Grace, Wendouree, Jasper Hill and Leeuwin Estate will be included. To complement this fantastic line up, esteemed wine critic Max Allen will be your host for this evening.

Max Allen has been writing about wine in Australia for fifteen years. He is the wine columnist for The Weekend Australian Magazine and G, wine editor for Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine, and a regular contributor to consumer and trade magazines such as Gourmet Traveller's Wine Magazine (Australia), Wine and Spirit International, Decanter, Harpers and the BBC's Olive (all in the UK), and Wine and Spirits in the USA.

As always, the food menu will be released closer to the date to give our chef the ability to work with local produce available at the time, however, all the wines being showcased can be seen here. Winehouse wine dinners do have a tendency of selling out fast, so if this one does in fact tickle your fancy, we recommend getting in early.

Icon Dinner with Max Allen 24/10/08 - $245 per head.

Please e-mail sales@winehouse.com.au or call the store on 03 9698 8000 to secure your seats!!
 

As a lot of you would know, James Halliday's Wine Companion 2009 was released a few weeks ago. Scores, ratings, reviews, 5 stars, 5 glasses.... what does it all mean, and, just how spot on is he? This tasting will be a chance for you all to try some of James' top rated wines - YOU be the judge...

Available on tasting will be:

- Geoff Weaver Ferus Sauvignon Blanc 2005

- Pierro LTC Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2007

- St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz 2006

- Tomboy Hill Smythes Creek Pinot Noir 2006

- Trevor Jones Wild Witch Shiraz 2004

- Tim Smith MGS 2006

- Pierro Cabernet Merlot 2005

As always, the tasting, and the learning, is free! Nibbles to cleanse your palates will be on hand!
 

James Halliday Taste Off - Saturday the 30th August @ Winehouse - 2-4pm!!

Please e-mail sales@winehouse.com.au or call the store on 03 9698 8000 for more information!!
 

Each week, Matt and Gill will present three wines each that they think are the cream of the crop - or harvest. It could be something new into the store, something we found hiding in the corner or just something we really adore. Keep your eyes peeled.

Matt's 3 Picks!

Shaw & Smith Shiraz 2006, Adelaide Hills, SA.

Nick Stock 95 points!
This is a very smart vintage of a consistently impressive wine. A notable follow-up to the highly revered 2005 vintage, the '06 shows fantastic concentration of fruit of dark berries with a tremendous meatiness and savoury restraint. Distinctive pepper and spice are quite prominent on the nose, but the real journey begins with the texture in the mouth. It has delicately fine tannins which allow this medium-bodied Shiraz to be enjoyed straight away, yet structure worthy of a place in the cellar. Move over Barossa.

$35.96 in a dozen | $39.95 per bottle

Domäne Wachau has just employed a new, enthusiastic team of young folk whose fresh ideas, personality and experience bring a new energy to the historic cooperative. Showcasing fruit character and mineral finesse is their aim and it is well achieved here. This Gruner is an almost clear, light straw yellow in colour and it has delicious apple and pear fruit on the nose with faint nuances of asparagus, spices and even tobacco. This is a tasty Gruner with minerally grapefruit and white pepper spice on a light-to-medium bodied frame with lively acidity. 

$21.60 in a dozen | $24.00 per bottle

Tim Adams Shiraz 2005, Clare Valley, SA.
This really is one of the best buys in the Shiraz department this year. Incredibly well balanced, this Shiraz expresses nothing but clean varietal and regional expression. Not over-cluttered by a truckload of oak, this shows hints of pepper, cloves and cinammon while at the same time showing gorgeous cassis and red currants. Long, firm and smooth, this is an appealing Shiraz, and a breath of fresh air from the oaky, extracted blockbusters from other valleys and vales nearby. If you cant afford the Aberfeldy, this is the next best option!
$22.46 in a dozen | $24.95 per bottle

Gill's 3 Picks!

James Halliday 96 points!
This is James Halliday’s top Sauvignon Blanc this year, and if you are not a fan of the simple, fruit-forward Kiwi styles then this is definitely for you. The wine has been treated to a year on its lees in second use French oak barriques. What a difference this treatment makes. The yeasty character comes through on the nose along side subtle fruit. The palate has great depth to it, and a creamy texture with plenty of fruit, but with a satisfyingly savoury finish. 

$34.16 in a dozen | $37.95 per bottle

Stefano Lubiana Pinot Grigio 2007, TAS.
The weight and texture of a Pinot Gris with the freshness of a Grigio!
A wine that offers the best of both styles from one of the most respected producers in Tasmania. Vintage after vintage this winery delivers stunning wines. The 2007 Pinot Grigio has an elegant flavoursome palate, with ripe banana and quince combined with pear and musk. Expect a wonderfully balanced wine with a rich textural structure and a crisp citrus acid finish.
$27 in a dozen | $30 per bottle

A great value wine made by Kieth Mugford of Moss Wood fame!
This boutique producer is based in the prestigious Wilyabrup sub region of the Margaret River. Surrounding wineries buy the surplus fruit from Frasor Gallop to improve the quality of their wine, which gives you an indication of just what a little gem this wine is. Classic aromas of blackcurrant and cassis with some leafy notes, the palate is medium-bodied with red fruit and a touch of mocha and a noticeably velvet smoothness. This is quintessential Margaret River Cabernet at a great price that is drinking beautifully right now.

For more information on our wines, or if you have any wine matching questions, comments or suggestions, please e-mail sales@winehouse.com.au or call the store on 03 9698 8000.
 

This five week course offers the chance to improve your wine knowledge and palate in a relaxed, fun environment. Class sizes are kept small to allow for plenty of interaction.

Topics covered include:
- wine evaluation techniques and wine terminology
- Grape variety characteristics
- Wine regions of Australia and New Zealand
- Wine and food matching
- Cellaring wine

After a very successful start to Gill's first wine course at Wine House, we have announced a second course commencement date - 24th September 2008. Click the date for more details.

The cost of the course is $220 which includes six wines per session / tuition and handouts. Complete this course and you’ll never be confused by a wine menu again and you will walk into every bottle shop and cellar door with complete confidence!
 

Please e-mail gill@winehouse.com.au or call the store on 03 9698 8000 to express your interest!!
 

Last week's question was...

In terms of wine labeling laws in Australia, how much flexibility do winemakers have when referring to the (a) alcohol content, (b) grape variety and (c) the regional origin of the grapes on the label?

Congratulations to Kerry. The answer is as follows:

a) 1.5%
b) 85%
c) 85%

This week we ask:

Who discovered the benefits of vine pruning? How did they discover it and when?

For your chance to win a $30 voucher at Wine House, email your answer, with TRIVIA as the subject line, to sales@winehouse.com.au.  Extra consideration is given to detailed answers where many correct replies are received in a short time period.

WINE HOUSE • OLD & RARE WINES • BRASSERIE

133 Queensbridge Street, Southbank, Victoria 3006 Australia
tel: 61 3 9698 8000 | fax: 61 3 9698 8099
sales@winehouse.com.au   www.winehouse.com.au

Excludes E&O. All prices quoted in Australian Dollars and subject to freight charges where applicable. This newsletter has been sent to [email]. To change your details, please click here. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please reply to this email with 'Unsubscribe' in the subject line.

Euroasia (Pacific) Pty Ltd t/a Wine House ABN 11 006 604 922

SEARCH THE CELLAR

  • What's New !
  • Specials !
  • Old & Rare
  • Wine Dinner
  • Accessories
  • Fortified
  • Gift Packs
  • Mixed Dozens
  • Red above A$40
  • Red below A$40
  • Sparkling
  • Spirits & Liqueurs
  • White above A$30
  • White below A$30

FREIGHT RATES

  • Australia
  • USA
  • Asia Pacific
  • Europe
  • New Zealand
  • Other

FUNCTION SPACE

Listed on our Brasserie website are various menu and beverage combinations that cover a majority of function needs. However every event is different so talk to us about your specific needs. Our function space has full audio/visual equipment for your use if a presentation or guest speaker is part of your event.

Download our Functions Pack

OLD & RARE WINES HOURS
 

Monday

Closed

Tuesday-Friday
11:00am - 7:00pm
 

Saturday
11:00am - 5:00pm

CONTACT

03 9698 8001 or

KIOSK TRADING HOURS
Monday-Friday
7.30am - 3:00pm
 

CONTACT
03 9698 8006 or

WINE EVENT CALENDAR

Icon Wine Dinner, 24th October.

Mount Mary Dinner, 19th September.

Mount Mary Dinner, 25th September.

View Tasting Calendar

WINE YOU WANT!

If you have wine you need please let us know so we can try and find that old or rare wine for you.

RECYCLE PACKS

Wine House frequently sends in Styrofoam boxes which we obtain second hand to help reduce environmental impacts. If you have packs and would like help recycle please bring them into the store.

REVIEWS

Quoted reviews are taken from the following sources:

www.jeremyoliver.com

www.erobertparker.com

www.winecompanion.com.au

www.winefront.com.au

www.winespectator.com

Penfolds Rewards of Patience

WINE FRIDGES

Wine House is proud to sell and use Kitchener Wine Cabinets. For more in formation on these specialty wine fridges please call the store to receive a broacher or to obtain quotes on fridge sizes.