Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

It’s Sunday night, so let’s get stuck into some red wine. Who’s with me?

We were recently sent this sample of the La La Lands 2017 Tempranillo from Mildura in the Murray Darling district of Victoria to taste. I have to admit, I do love a good Temp!

I also love the poem on the back of the label for this one:

“A wine for gods, a wine for mankind
Dreamers, visionaries, beautiful minds
Perfect for play, a treasure to show
Magical La La Land Tempranillo”

Here are Mr Spittoon and my notes about it:

Garnet shade in the glass. On the nose it has a medley of red, blue and black berries laced with vanilla and a whiff of coffee beans and earth. In the mouth it’s dry with a super smooth finish. There’s notes of cherries and pomegranate coming through for us.

This wine was sent to me direct from Wingara Wine Group as a sample, I was under no obligation to post about it.

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy.

#winesample #wingarawinegroup #lalalandwines #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

Wind, rain or shine, it’s always Rosé weather am I right?

It’s definitely getting colder here in Gippsland however we have also had some beautiful autumn 🍂 days.

I received this new release sample recently and I couldn’t wait to get stuck in. Atze’s Corner are based in SA’s Barossa Valley and have grape vines on their estate dating back to 1912!

This ‘Wild Rose’ rosé is made from Old Vine Grenache (50%), Graciano (25%) and Mataro (25%). It’s not everyday you come across an old vine Grenache rosé so as you can imagine this one is available in limited quantities. $25 via the atzes.com website.

So what did I think? I found it a sunset pinky-peach colour on the eye. The nose made me think of juicy watermelon and peaches with some lemon zest and a sprinkling of spice. In the mouth it’s super smooth and easy drinking with plentiful strawberry flavours intertwined with stonefruits and refreshing citrus. YUM!

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#gifted #opinionsaremyown #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

February 9th (that’s tomorrow) is #WorldPizzaDay so I thought I’d get some practice in before the big day 😜🍕❤️

When #wine and #pizza matching, you really can’t go wrong with an Italian tipple. After visiting Tuscany back in 2011 it really sparked my love of Chianti and thanks to the team at Vino Bambino they recently introduced me to this Querceto Di Castellina 2016 L’Aura Organic D.O.C.G Chianti Classico.

QDC have been sustainable since 1998 and certified organic since 2012 🌱 You can buy it for $38 via the Vino Bambino website.

In the glass it’s an enticing juicy ruby red shade. The nose conjures up thoughts of red liquorice, berries and vanilla infused cherries. In the mouth it’s smooth and fruity with a dry, rounded, tannin infused + long finish with a distinct cocoa-powder note to it. Divine. Between the wine and the pizza (probably my most favourite food), and the company of my Mr Spittoon, I was blissfully happy ❤️

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#gifted #opinionsaremyown #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

We discovered this little beauty on the weekend while on our vineyard retreat at Toms Cap Vineyard Retreat here in Gippsland. It’s a dry style Riesling that both Mr Spittoon and I picked out as our favourite from the cellar door tasting.

After the tasting we then went on to enjoy a bottle with our lunch, which matched wonderfully with my local rock flathead in light tempura batter with fries and fresh garden greens (aka fish’n’chips) and then went on to buy two more bottles 😂

Both of which have funnily already disappeared 🤷‍♀️

In the glass it’s a light yellow shade. On the nose it makes me think of fresh pears, sea breeze and orange zest. While in the mouth it’s smooth with tropical fruits but has a super crisp and refreshing acidity. So good!

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy! #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

Rosé and Netflix, it’s pretty good combo if you ask me and it seemed to pair with Gotham very well 😋

This Menhir Salento Novementi Rosato comes from Salento in Italy. It’s made from the Negroamaro grape variety which is native to southern Italy (aka the ‘heel’ of Italy). Negro means black which makes sense as this variety tends to produce very deep red wines.

I found it the colour of watermelon 🍉 on the eye. The nose made me think of tropical sherbet (well actually tropical raro for the Kiwis out there who know what that is), strawberries and those banana hard marshmallow lollies. While in the mouth it has a ceamy well rounded texture with a very smooth citrus acidic finish and thirst quenching hints of watermelon and cranberry. Yum!

A big thanks to Vino Bambino for this sample!

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#gifted #opinionsaremyown #tcweekdaywine
— 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

I just have to say, I’m loving your portfolio right now Vino Bambino! Mark and the team recently sent me a few samples over to try and each wine is really hitting the spot! Thanks guys 😘

This one here is a 2016 Vermentino from Vigna Bottin in McLaren Vale, South Australia. I matched it up with a super easy and delicious homemade pesto pappardelle pasta from the Dish magazine. The crispy prosciutto on top was my addition to the recipe 👌

I figured you can’t go wrong matching an Italian grape variety with Italian cuisine and oh boy it was delicious! Fun fact; Vermentino is also known as Rolle, Favorita and Pigato.

In the glass it’s a pale yellow shade. Notes of herbs, freshly grated lemon rind and green apples come to mind when giving this one a good sniff. In the mouth it’s exceptionally crisp and refreshing, the perfect match to pasta with its wonderful acidity.

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#gifted #opinionsaremyown #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

I love wine for 2 reasons. It evokes excitement (especially if I’m trying something new) and it evokes memories.

This bottle of Grace Farm 2017 Malbec from WA’s Margaret River region evoked memories of an A-MAZING Grace Farm dinner I went to at Petite Mort in 2017. It was at this dinner that winemaker, Jono, told us about the challenging vintage of 2017 and that the grapes were picked nearly 3 weeks later than normal. He advised us to keep an eye out for 2017 Margaret River wines as they’ll be interesting.

Grace Farm have about 500 Malbec vines, so not a huge amount. This is the first year they’ve crafted a 100% Malbec wine. The grapes are typically blended however the 2017 was simply too good to blend. Only 70 dozen cases were produced and it sells at $45 per bottle.

In the glass it’s a black plum red colour. White pepper, blueberries, plums and cocoa come to mind when I give it a good sniff. While in the mouth it’s full of juicy fruits and graceful tannins. After having a sip, we decided to put it in the decanter for 30 mins which really opened and softened it up 👌

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#gifted #opinionsaremyown #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

After trying the 2017 Xabregas Wines Reisling earlier in the year which my mum picked for #thetcwineclub, the lovely team at Xabregas in WA’s Great Southern wine region offered to send both me and my Mum a bottle of the 2018 Riesling to try – how sweet is that 🙂 Thank you Xabregas!

I decided to match the 2018 with some homemade pho and it went down an absolute treat. In fact it was a super refreshing meal.

As you’ll see from the back label, it’s definitely on the dry end of the spectrum for a Riesling – which is my style of Riesling and my Mum’s too.

Here are my notes for the 2018:

In the glass it’s a pale shade of yellow. On the nose it is super fresh with the hallmark Riesling minerality and plenty of citrus (lemon, lime and grapefruit). That citrus-driven nature flows through to the palate with a lick of fresh juicy pears and wow, it’s extremely gluggable if I do say so myself.

What a beauty! You can see a comparison of my notes for both vintages here: https://travellingcorkscrew.com.au/blog/xabregas-riesling-mount-barker/

This bottle was sent to me directly from Xabregas to taste, I was under no obligation to post about it.

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#winesample #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

Saturday was Fizzy & Crackle’s 5 year adoption anniversary, so it seemed fitting to open this tipple. They’re very spoilt kitties too, that’s their luxe teepee ⛺️ in the photo behind the bottle 😹

A big thanks to Dialogue PR for this sample bottle. You ladies nailed it on the head, cats + wine = one happy TC!

The Fat Cat wine range is available at Dan Murphy’s and BWS and this is a new release in the range. The Cat Amongst the Pigeons 2018 Eden Valley Chardonnay sells for $29.

I found it a bright yellow colour with hints of gold in the glass. When I gave it a good whiff, images of white flowers, apricots and citrus came to mind. While in the mouth it has a lick of juicy melon and lemon with a slight syrupy mouthfeel and a nip of vanilla. Not as big and bold as I typically like my Chardonnay however I still finished every drop. If you like a light and fresh Chardy, this is for you!

PS: The cooler climate of the Eden Valley is ideal for making lighter style Chardonnay like this one. It’s also a top notch region for Riesling and Shiraz 😉

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#gifted #opinionsaremyown #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

This was another one of the Toms Cap tipples we enjoyed on our weekend stay at their vineyard cottages here in Gippsland last weekend. This 3 Dog 2017 Chardonnay is barrel fermented yet retains a lot of crisp freshness.

We enjoyed a glass or 3 while in the spa pool at our cottage while the sun set, it was bliss! It is also nice that the cottages have decent glassware - they were Riedel 🙌

In the glass it’s a medium yellow shade. The nose makes me think of nectarines, vanilla spice, a sprinkling of almond flakes and a slice of honeydew melon. In the mouth I find it rather textural up front with a nice refreshing acid driven finish. A delicious balance of oak and citrus. $34 a bottle.

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy! #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

Have you ever had a Versecco bubbles?

This awesome Sparkling Non-Vintage creation from Vigna Bottin Wines in SA’s McLaren Vale is a blend of Vermentino & Fiano made in the same way champagne is made (aka Methode Traditionnelle).

A massive thanks to Vino Bambino for this sample and introducing me to this unique and extremely fun sparkling wine. I enjoyed it with my birthday lunch sushi 🍣 🥂👌

On the eye, I found it a lemon shade with a slight emerald hint. Notes of herbal fruit tea, drunken pears and hints of nuts and aniseed spring to mind when I give it a sniff. While in the mouth it’s extremely smooth with controlled acidity. I love the feel of the spritzy bubbles on my tongue 😝

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#gifted #opinionsaremyown #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

Thank you all for the birthday wishes! I had a fabulous day yesterday which of course involved plenty of bubbly including this Pol Roger Champagne 2009 Vintage Brut which went down exceptionally well with our picnic.

It’s made from 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay and retails for approximately $114.

Pol Roger NV was the very first champagne I can remember tasting (when I worked at Glengarry in Auckland, New Zealand). From that point, I knew champagne was the drink for me!

Naturally in true birthday girl style, I had to Sabre it open. Thank you Mr Spittoon for capturing the moment 😘

In the glass this 09 champagne is a sparkly lemon shade with very tiny shimmering bubbles. The nose evokes thoughts of fresh bread, floral perfume and vanilla citrus. While in the mouth it’s smooth and round with an incredibly long citrusy finish. It’s got a peachy, nectarine oomph however it has incredibly moreish delicacy to it. More please 🥂

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy! #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

I’m only days away from turning another year older so I thought I better live it up with wine, homecooking and Netflix last night (and also tonight too 😂).

The wine is a Valpolicella Classico 2016 from Begali Lorenzo in Veneto, Italy. I received this sample from the lovely Vino Bambino team. I couldn’t go past it as my blind tasting WSET level 3 exam included a Valpolicella - so it brings back memories for me!

It’s a DOC wine which is made from mostly Corvina and Rondinella grapes. I find Valpolicella an easy drinking red wine with a good amount of acid on it. This makes it great for matching with food!

I used a recipe from the Dish magazine for grilled Korean glazed salmon with fresh mango and cucumber relish and what an awesome match it made for the wine. It made the flavours in the wine explode, in a good way. Because of the acidity in the wine, it goes nicely with fatty fish like salmon 👌

In the glass it’s a ruby red. On the nose it’s wonderfully fragrant with spiced cherries a hint of florals and a touch of ash come to mind. While in the mouth it’s supple and soft with those bright cherry 🍒 notes and hints of spice coming through. A fun wine that teams well with the comedy section on Netflix 📺

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#gifted #opinionsaremyown #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

Happy Rosé Day everyone!!

Together with my sister-in-law, I recently cracked this sample from Jane Brook Estate in Perth’s Swan Valley (thank you!!).
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This bubbly rosé is made from Malbec & Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown in Margaret River and I have to say, it went down mighty well on the deck in the sun 🙌

Here are our notes:

Cherry red in the glass with small bubbles that cruise to the top of the glass. On the nose it’s a bit like ribena, think blackcurrant, cranberries and red flowers. In the mouth it’s nicely balanced - not sweet but not overly dry either. As the tasting panel said “you could easily knock back a few bottles, it’s an all day drinking bubbles”.
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All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#gifted #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

Have you tried the 3drops 2018 Great Southern #PinotNoir that was released in Feb yet?

The lovely @joanne3drops sent me over a bottle to taste which I enjoyed out of my beautiful @riedelaustralianz Pinot Noir glass. The curves on those #wine glasses are so sexy 💋

2018 was a great vintage in WA’s #GreatSouthern region with the perfect climate to produce stunning Pinot like this one.

If you’re not already aware, the 3drops name refers to 3 of life’s most precious liquids - wine, olive oil and water 💧

This 18 Pinot is a must try for all Pinot lovers - team it with some charcuterie and you’ll be in heaven! From it’s ruby red colour to wild strawberries, currants and a hint of smokiness on the nose. The palate is juicy, smooth and has that perfect balance of fruitiness and spice. If you have the willpower and can put away a few bottles into the cellar for a few years, it’ll be well worth it for those earthy/savoury characters that’ll develop 🤤 $32 a bottle via 3drops.com/shop

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#gifted #opinionsaremyown #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

Arlewood are located in Margaret River and I’ve been lucky enough to try a few of their wines and really enjoyed them. These guys started up shop in 1984 and are also known for their sheep 🐑 farming.

This 2015 La Bratta Bianco is part of the Vino Bambino portfolio and I couldn’t wait to try the sample they sent me. It’s made from mainly Sauvignon Blanc (79%) with a hint of Semillon (16%) and splash of Chardonnay (5%). French oak and extended time on the yeast lees were part of the making of this wine.

The name of the wine is inspired by the village La Bratta in Northern Italy where the family’s ancestors come from and where the family started making wine. Not to mention, this quirky little wine also received a mighty 97 points in James Halliday’s 2019 Wine Companion 🏆

In the glass, I found it a yellow with a bright highlight through it. On the nose it makes me think of grapefruit zest, hay, florals and passionfruit. As I sip it, I notice a juicy, creamy texture which covers the entire mouth, there’s a bite of acidity followed by a long fresh fruit forward finish. Thoroughly enjoyed this one!

You can find it on vinobambino.com.au for $38.

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#gifted #opinionsaremyown #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

Tuesday’s are for Viognier! If you haven’t tried “vee-own-yay” before then it might be time. It’s grown around the world, it can be oaked and it typically has a silky oily texture to it. It’s a yummy white wine to compliment dishes that include lemongrass, almonds and aromatic herbs in my opinion 🌿 🍋 🥜

This beauty is the Baillieu Myer ‘Elgee Park’ Family Reserve Viognier from Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. The award winning Elgee Park range is made under contract by winemaker Geraldine McFaul.

It’s a pale yellow shade in the glass with a diamond-like shimmer to it. The nose evokes thoughts of perfume-y honeysuckle, citrus, banana passionfruit, apricots and a slight hint of smoke. In the mouth it’s soft and rounded with refreshing acidity and creamy fruits. Extremely well balanced.

A big thanks to Vino Bambino for introducing me to this wine. You can buy it through their website for $30.

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#gifted #opinionsaremyown #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

Rosé and homemade 12 hour slow cooked pulled pork is a favourite combo of mine! I recently tried out a recipe from the Ripe Deli cookbook alongside homemade bbq sauce and pineapple 🍍 salsa and it was insanely good teamed with this Baillieu Vineyard 2018 from Mornington Peninsula which I received from Vino Bambino recently.

This rosé is made from hand harvested Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes. To gain the colour it spends about 6 hours with the skins (this is called maceration). It retails for $25.

I found it a peachy colour in the glass with a slight golden tinge. Pastry, citrus zest, pot pourri and fresh watermelon came to mind when I stick my nose into the glass. While in the mouth crisp apple, fresh raspberries and grapefruit tartness come through for me. The finish is dry with a hint of aniseed. Nice flavour that marries well with the pulled pork 👌

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#gifted #opinionsaremyown #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

Salatin Winery in Veneto, Italy have been producing wine since 1528!!

This D.O.C ‘Carattere’ Prosecco is certified organic. Made from the Glera grape 🍇 variety and is suggested to match with seafood and risottos. I haven’t tried many, if any, organic Prosecco’s so I was very excited to try this sample from Vino Bambino 😘

To gain the organic certification, it means;

🌱 The grape is produced with no chemical substances (pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, …) and without GMOs.

🌱 The winemaking takes place with oenological products and through processes permitted by EU Regulation 203/2012.

So how does it taste?

It’s a lemon-lime colour in the glass. The nose makes me think of fresh lemongrass and crisp apples. It really tickles the nose with its energetic bubbles. In the mouth those vibrant bubbles are exceptionally smooth and refreshing. It’s a very elegant Prosecco, which Mr Spittoon and I both really loved. A stand out for $28.

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#gifted #opinionsaremyown #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago

Casey @ Travelling Corkscrew

✔️ Certified organic
✔️ Low Preservative
✔️ Vegan Friendly
✔️ Carbon Neutral

These are all attributes of this Temple Bruer Organic Wines ‘The Agonist’ 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot from South Australia’s McLaren Vale region. The Agonist range consists of 6 wines all made in small batches from single vineyards.

There are 2 whites (Chenin Blanc and a Gewürztraminer) and 4 reds (this one, a Tempranillo Shiraz, a Saperavi and a Shiraz Cab Sauv) in the range. The whites retail for $26 and the reds for $35.

Mr Spittoon and I really enjoyed sipping on this bottle of red while watching Gotham on Netflix (oh how memories of The OC come back to me!).

In the glass it’s virtually opaque with a super deep garnet-purple tinge to it. The nose conjures up thoughts of fresh blackberries, cherry wood and a certain savouriness. While in the mouth I immediately notice the long finish and on a second sip I enjoy the upfront cassis and sweet mint with flavours that coat the mouth and are accompanied by rounded smooth tannins. Lovely!

All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!

#gifted #opinionsaremyown #tcweekdaywine — 7 years ago