OK…I feel a wee bit better after blowing off some steam in last month’s wine rant – I actually had a bar owner say he needed some words with me, I guess I must have struck a cord. So here comes my second volley…

Retail Wine Prices

I strive very hard to support small independent wine merchants and I would hazard a guess that at least 90% of the wine I buy comes from them. They are repositories of great wine knowledge; they almost always have interesting, small producer wines on offer; and they somehow are able to do it at a very fair price. But every so often I am forced to venture over to the dark side of the retail wine world (the Big Fellas) and it irritates me to no end.

First in the cross hairs: Vintage Cellars. Whoever at Vintage Cellars came up with the buy-6-bottles-to-get-sort-of-close-to-actual-retail-price should be taken out and slapped silly. A decent portion of my wine buying is spur of the moment (like when going to a BBQ), but I really abhor paying Vintage Cellars (and in reality, behemoth Coles*) a $4 to $10 premium just because I want one bottle, not 6. Also, I do not own a car, so 6 bottles or more of wine on my bike is a big ask. And finally, before committing to a 6 bottle purchase, I always like to try the wine, so once again I am forced to pay a single bottle premium just to taste.

Second up on the shooting range: Dan Murphy’s. My major gripe with them is that they have opted to play the high-low pricing game so effectively and frustratingly utilized by their supermarket parent. The high-low pricing game is when you buy a bottle of wine one week at say $11 (which is probably at a loss which is not good for the wine business), think it’s a pretty good drop and head back the next week to buy some more and voilá – it is now $15. Now their costs could not have changed that drastically in a week, but I guess they are hoping you will just roll your eyes in frustration and buy it anyway because it was good and you don’t have the time to futz around looking for another option. The small independent merchants seem to be able to consistently (and fairly) price their wines week to week, why can’t Dan Murphy’s?

Cleanskins – WTF?

Frankly, I just do not get cleanskins and by cleanskins I mean the generic ones found at such places as the Australian Cleanskins Group. I have tried and failed to wrap my head around them, with the one exception of hosting a big party for 40 folks who won’t pay any attention to what they are slurping and the biggest issue for you is simply the cost. If you are at all interested in learning about wine, what do you learn from buying and drinking a cleanskin? Nothing really, in my opinion. No name, no producer - won’t be here in the same shape or form next year or vintage. With the likes of Wynns Bin 555 Shiraz or Red Knot Shiraz (2nd label of Shingleback) floating around for sub-ten bucks a bottle (or the Water Wheel Homestead Red reviewed below), why waste your time, money or wine-drinking opportunity on a no-name wine. Granted, they are not stunning wines but at least with a branded name, even a second label, you are learning something about a producer that will most likely be around after the dust settles, and may entice you to make the step up to their better juice.

To be fair about it, there are some different and interesting cleanskin options around such as Peter Howland’s Hidden Talent. Peter is a winemaker (Peter Howland Wines) who decided to start the online site Hidden Talent which is, as described in his own words, a “new wine retail concept, put together by winemakers, of small batches of premium boutique wine. The wines are incredible value and come direct from the producer, much like an on-line growers market. However, these wines are too good to go under the winemakers’ label at this price, so they’re hidden.” Which is all well and good except that: (a) I am not at all sure my palate or wine tastes agree with his or anyone else’s for that matter; and (b) this option is seriously lacking in the convenience factor, that you won’t be picking one up on the way home from work or be able to try a bottle before you purchase a case.

*If you were not aware, Coles and Woolworths control around 1,350 outlets under the various banners of Liquorland, Vintage Cellars, Theo’s, 1st Choice, Dan Murphy’s, BWS and Woolworths Liquor. In my previous article, I provided a link to a very scary list of the numerous house brands these guys produce that hides the fact you are buying and consuming a big supermarket brand wine.

Now let’s get to the happy, happy, joy, joy of this piece…

Quattro Mano Duende Pinta 2010 $20

Quattro Mano is the result of the dreams and plans of 3 Barossa mates - Anthony Carapetis, Philippe Morin and Chris Taylor – who between them have over 50 years of collective wine business experience. As Australia begins to feel the impact of global warming, many winemakers are starting to explore various grape varieties that will thrive in warmer temperatures and Quattro Mano was established in 2006 to allow them to pursue a passion for these less-than mainstream varieties and European wine styles. The Duende, a difficult-to-define Spanish word that some loosely translate as ‘soul’, is a blend of 50% Touriga, 30% Tinta Cao and 20% Tinta Amarela (all traditionally used in making port). For me, the most striking quality of this wine was a beautiful brightness on the palate. The Duende exhibits tremendous red fruit freshness with very soft tannins that make it a fantastic partner for food. And if this wine tickles your palate, then take the next step up to the La RETO (means ‘the Challenge’ in Spanish) Tempranillo for some vino estupendo!

Water Wheel Homestead Shiraz/Malbec/Cab Sav 2008 $10-$13

So far in the year 2011, this has to be one of the best nightly quaffers I have been fortunate enough to come across. I have always liked the juice these local Victorian folks (up Bendigo way) put out at a more than a fair value price, but this release takes the proverbial cake. A red blend of Shiraz (87%), Malbec (7%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (6%), this is simply a guzzler or seriously good BBQ juice. Amazing at this price level, I was very impressed with the richness of flavours (think ripe black fruit), wonderful palate weight and an impressive level of balance. This wine is far beyond good value; it is worthy of a case (if not cases) purchase.

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