It’s that time again. Time to inspire me to spend more money on drinks, even though the WineArk cabinet can’t be closed properly, and the Amex is maxed out.
So, what wine, beer, and other refreshing liquids have you been buying and drinking this month?
Not much has been purchased this month, possibly because there is wine in the loungeroom which Mrs Ozwinereview absolutely loves. There has been a flurry of wet hop beers from Bridge Road (I can’t miss the Dark Harvest), Mountain Culture & Dangerous Ales, but otherwise, minimal in and plenty out. I am sorely tempted to buy Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco 2021, though, because it’s delicious…
What about you? What have you been convinced to buy this month?
Speaking of Piedmont, if I had a much healthier bank balance (rather than just owing it all to said bank) I would giddily load up on the grand Massolino Vigna Rionda Riserva Etichetta Nera Barolo 2016 in the terrible photo above. This was open at a large Barolo/Barberesco tasting put on by fine wine importer Bibendum last week, which was heavy with unaffordable epicness. That Massolino has a grandiosity and magnificence of texture that feels more like First Growth Bordeaux, although with the $750 pricetag to match. In a much more old-school mode, a Cavalotto Bricco Boschis Barolo 2019 was a wonderfully lively, grainy, savoury and elegant expression of Barolo in a style that I just love drinking. I will be buying some of that.
Flipping back to drinkability, Matt East from Rouleur dropped by with a swag of new releases in tow last week and his 2024s are smahable and interesting. They also made it into this list as I had a quick sip of some half-empty bottles post-tasting and would easily drink much more. There’s a new Yarra fumé in the range that goes ok (second from right), but the real hero again is Matt’s super Rouleur McLaren Vale Grenache 2024 (which was a hit in 2022 as well), which manages to be lithe and refreshing without losing sight of the joy of ripe Vale Grenache.
A shout-out to the new Rouleur Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2024 as well, which has this spiced strawberry fruit delicacy and a real sense of ripe liveliness. Indeed, that’s Matt’s signature I feel – understated wines, that are so carefully made and thoughtful, delivered at entirely affordable prices (you’re looking at sub $35 from his website for most of the range).
Surprisingly, I drank quite a few glasses of a Torbreck Old Vines GSM 2023 at one of the local distilleries (because yes, I drink beer and wine at distilleries) last week and quite enjoyed it. I can’t work out where the label fits into the local Torbreck lineup (it’s not Juveniles, labelled as ‘Old Vine’), but it was $55 off the list and super drinkable. Perhaps a little ‘made’, with a reductive edge to the bright Grenachey fruit, but entirely pleasant.
