Capercaillie Chambourcin

I have a soft spot for chambourcin, I'm not sure why.  It stems from when M and I were on holiday in Berry, which was when I was introduced to the variety.  It can make big, heavy, spicy reds with lots of punch, and it's not something you see very often.  I cracked it open this evening so I could provide a glass of something to a friend of mine who had come over, and we weren't at all disappointed.  Capercaillie have made this wine predominantly in steel, so there is no heavy oakiness to get in the way of the flavour of the grape, which is a very full-flavoured variety.  

It's a lovely light ruby in colour, not as dense looking as some I've seen, and the palate reflects that, with no overly strong tannins.  The nose is full of that sweet dried fruit, fruitcake sort of smell, and the taste adds a delicious spiciness.  Definitely I wine I would buy again.  

Food: Veal.

Price: $25 a bottle.

Willow Bridge SBS

Judge a wine by its label.  Caligraphy and dark colours on parchment mean expensive, shimmering blue dragonflies mean affordable, summery, and delicious.  M and I opened this bottle, among any we could have chosen, chiefly because its exterior appealed to her.  Luckily, it was a good choice.  From Willow Bridge Estate, a fairly newish winery in the Ferguson Valley, WA, this blend of Sauvingon Blanc (60%) and Semillon (you guessed it, 40%) turns the red clay of the valley into a fresh, fruity, lingering delight.  The S mellows the SB, and together they deliver aromas of white peach and passionfruit, and a palate of tropical fruits, lime and pear.  

The other flavour I couldn't get away from was fish.  Not because the wine tasted like fish, but it transported me instantly to my favourite seafood restaurant.  Drink this wine with barramundi, and I guarantee you a taste sensation!

Food: As above.

Price: Between $16 and $20 a bottle.

Hungerford Hill Sauvignon Blanc

When I was at uni, I was part of the Wine Society, which was essentially an excuse for people to get together, drink wine, have dinners, and generally make the best of it. The major event put on by the society each year was a weekend trip to the Hunter; think fifty students on a bus, gradually getting more and more rowdy as one winery after another was visited, drained of its tasting bottles, and left behind in a shambles. One of the wineries I remember from that trip is Hungerford Hill, where we were treated to some sort of delicious food, as well as wine. I don't think it was lunch, but just what we ate escapes me.
By a happy coincidence, one of the bottles provided in my mixed case (the one I bought the other day; I didn't have the money for mixed cases when I visited the place) was a Hungerford Hill Sauvignon Blanc. It's a 2008 vintage, and I think it may still be a little young; though maybe I've had too much exposure to Malborough SBs. The nose is crisp and grassy, with green capsicum aromas typical of young fruit. They claim it has been fermented in oak, but it's hardly noticeable, with an almost painfully acidic palate of pineapple and citrus flavours.

Food: Salt and pepper squid.
Price: 25 bucks the bottle.

Sevenhills Inigo Shiraz

This was the first wine we tasted from the first case delivered from a hastily signed-up-to wine club. Signing up to 5 cases of wine a year taste untasted was a risky move, so we had high hopes that my foolish credit card waving would be repaid in full. Alas, this was not to be.
This is not an undrinkable wine, don't get me wrong. It's just not a very good shiraz. The colour is good, a deep plum, and the legs seem to promise a juicy mouthfeel. The nose has some good spicy cherry aromas, and hints of chocolate, but is a bit more spirity than is ideal. Once you have a gulp, you'll learn that the legs can lie. The wine is too light-bodied - the tannins are barely there, and the flavours run away down the back of your throat almost before you taste them. There are some good berry flavours in there, and a sort of cedary earthiness. In fact, we thought it had something of the light-bodied earth flavours of pinot noir, only it didn't work as part of a shiraz.
Nevertheless, if you bought it as a "light red", you'd drink it and be quite happy.

Food: Anything light or it'll overwhelm the wine.
Price: $19 a bottle.