Australia Archives - Whirly Wines

Posted on November 4, 2022November 4, 2022 by Mr Whirly

October 2022 and moving into 2023…

Despite the very tricky times we have faced since the early part of 2022, Mr Whirly and Whirly wines still persues his passion for wines and trying to find unique wines at lovely prices for its clients, whether private, farm shops, small wine retailers and small restaurants.

But it’s not been easy. The Pandemic virtually killed off my restaurant market, only now beginning to recover and the farm shop market has suffered since the start of the year with the cost of living crisis. So it’s been a year of consolidation in 2022. Having said that I am still here and I am keen in 2023 to re-launch my wine business, travel and find some exciting new wines from the small, beautiful vineyard. In writing this, at Balnakeil Bothy opposite Cape Wrath, without my beloved Dash, whom I miss so very much but this does mean I can now travel to Italy and Spain in early 2023 and source some fabulous wines and write about my adventures in so doing.

In the meantime I have just imported this great wine below, made from the Airèn grape from Aruspide in Valdepeñas in the province of Ciudad Real in Castile- La Mancha. It’s a beautifully complex wine for the money ( it will be at the optimum price point of £10) and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did when I tasted it recently.

I will also create some exciting Australian mixed bottle gems for you to order in time for Christmas, combining older wines and the new wines that we imported at the beginning of the year from Passing clouds in Bendigo, 3 Drops in Mount Barker, Brick Kiln in Fleurieu and Lillypilly in Leeton. Please do keep an eye out for them But I shall send out posts too to remind you by email!

Thanks for your continued support, without you I cannot survive so remember shop local and support your local small wine importing business in SW16, South London!

**Brick Kiln 2013 Shiraz, 3 drops Cabernet franc**, 3 drops Shiraz 2018, Passing Clouds 2013 Cabernet-Shirazm Brick Kin Shiraz 2017, 3 drops Shiraz 2018

Posted on January 25, 2022March 1, 2022 by Mr Whirly

New wines just arrived from four wine regions and four states in Australia, some old favourites are back in town…..

Mr Whirly started his wine business off by travelling through the vineyards of Australia in 2000, from Margaret river in Western Australia ( and down to the Great Southern near the south west corner of this vast country when 3 Drops is from ) to the Hunter Valley in the south east corner of New South Wales.

It’s therefore a proud moment to say that once again, I go back to the roots of the business and have, after 3 years of barren discoveries due to so many issues with the world, bought over, despite the incredible difficulties with logistics and shipping, some beautifully crafted wines from some old favourite vineyards.

Passing Clouds in Bendigo, Victoria

These wines have always been one of my favourites from Victoria. They will be online soon, there is no rush since the wines are 2020 vintage and will need lots of time cellaring.

Lillypilly, Leeton, New South Wales

Noble Blend 2017: £20.50

2020 Halliday Wine Companion

A blend of Sauvignon blanc and Muscat. Full orange-gold. Lifted ripe apricot, vanilla cream. Candied peel and ginger flavours. Has freshness and line, and just enough of everything except perhaps bottle age. Give it a bit more time to fill out and complex further, but is still very good refined drinking now. 375ml. 12% alc vol

Fiumara 7: £26.85

Halliday Wine Companion

Jane Faulkner Published 01 August 2020
Tawny with a red sheen; very fresh and heady with ginger bread and panettone, hazelnut toffee, soused raisins and baking spices. A brandy flavour to the spirit, the palate is smooth, warming and this is a delight to drink. 375ml.

3 drops in Mount Barker, Great Southern, Western Australia ( New wine! Cabernet Franc 2018 as well as their Shiraz 2018)

Shiraz 2018: £25.75

This elegant Shiraz is deep red coloured. Its luxurious bouquet gives off fruit, spice and pepper fragrances. The palate is full of black cherry, plum and chocolate flavours, with cedary French oak undertones evident in the background. This wine can either be consumed upon release, or be cellared for about 10 years from vintage.

Cabernet Franc 2018 ( new wine to the UK): £22.50

Purple / red with vibrant hues. Rich youthful aromas of blackcurrant. Deep, concentrated wine, which translates to a medium-bodied, intense, beautifully -balanced and framed palate, with ample soft tannins and real harmony of components. A bold, bright, delicious red wine. Drink over the next 7-9 years.

Rob Diletti- winemaker

Reviews & Awards

Best Red in Show & top trophy honours in the Class 15 – Cabernet Franc at the invitation only Global Fine Wine Challenge 2021
94 points Ray Jordan, Cellar Talk, The West Australian.
Ranked #5 of 27 Cabernet Franc from Australia, Huon Hooke, The Real Review

Brick Kiln, McLaren Vale, South Australia.

Brick Kiln, McLaren Vale

Shiraz 2017: £27.50

“Matured in predominately American oak hogsheads (35% new) for 20 months. Impenetrable inky black core with a dark red black tinged hue. Ripe blackberry and liquorice aromas jump out of the glass followed by toasty vanillin oak, black cherry, earthy fennel and pepper. Full bodied, rich and intense, opulent blackberry, liquorice and black cherry fruits engulf the palate underscored by toasty vanillin oak, earth, spicy fennel and pepper characters. Velvet smooth tannins have good underlying structure. Powerful with a lavish textural feel it concludes long and succulent.”

Drink over the next 5-15 years.

If you are interested in anything immediately before they go online please write to Mr Whirly at [email protected]

Thanking you for your continued support…..

Mr Whirly

Posted on December 8, 2021December 8, 2021 by Mr Whirly

New Wines from Australia for Christmas….

It’s a great time of year to start to source and look for something really exciting for the festive season, whether it’s for your own personal consumption or as an individual and beautiful gift.

Look not further than here for such inspirations! I have already explained in the previous post about the lovely wines that Mr Whirly has imported from Alcardet in Spain: affordable, and yet well made wines that are “Sustainable” and look after the world and planet. Wines that you can buy direct from Mr Whirly, just please send me an email.

Just arrived this week are some new wines from Australia: its taken a while to get back to my old place, where I started to import wines from, but we have managed to focus on some sensational wines from some small vineyards that I have been working with for close to twenty years now. These wines are from the following vineyards & will be on the Whirly wine website next week for you to buy! If you would like to pre-order please do so at [email protected]

Three Drops, Mount Barker, Western Australia: Cabernet Franc 2018 and Shiraz 2018

Brick Kiln, McLaren Vale, South Australia: Brick Kiln Shiraz 2018

Passing Clouds, Bendigo, Victoria: Graeme’s blend 2018 ( Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz blend, a classic old school wine)

Lillypilly, Leeton, New South Wales; Lillypilly Noble Blend 2018 and Fiumara 7

Below is a press release from Three drops received from the owner, Joanne Bradbury. I am importing a new wine from them this December, their delicious Cabernet Franc

Media Release

3DROPS WINS GLOBAL FINE WINE CHALLENGE

3drops from Mt Barker has won one of the world’s most prestigious wine awards for its 2018 Cabernet Franc.

The wine was named Best Red in Show at the invitation only Global Fine Wine Challenge with results announced today.

It also won top trophy honours in the Class 15 – Cabernet Franc in the competition which features the best New World wines.

The competition is restricted to the top 120 wines from each country, including Canada, New Zealand, North America and South Africa.

Global Fine Wine Challenge Director, Ross Anderson said the award to 3drops “is a phenomenal result when you look at the wines they were up against, it is just staggering”.

Mr Anderson said the awards were akin to the Olympics of the global wine industry with countries competing against each other.

The awards, previously known as the Six Nations Wine Challenge (est: 2003) didn’t run last year because of COVID-19 restrictions, but in 2019 was dominated heavily by entries from New Zealand.

The 2019 Wine of Show went to Canada’s 2013 Cuvee Catharine Cart Blanche Blanc de Blanc from Henry Pelham Family Estate.

The 2019 Wine of Show went to Canada’s 2013 Henry of Pelham Family Estate Cuvee Catharine Cart Blanche Blanc de Blanc. The 2019 Red Wine of Show went to America’s Hartford Family Winery Dina’s Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel 2016. New Zealand’s Church Road Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2018 took out the 2019 White Wine of Show.

The last time an Australian wine won Wine of Show was in 2017 when Xanadu Reserve Chardonnay 2015 took out the Chardonnay trophy, White Wine of Show and Wine of Show awards.

There are no recorded Australian Red Wine’s having ever secured the Red Wine of Show trophy

Owner of 3drops, Joanne Bradbury, said the award was a credit to the efforts of winemaker Rob Diletti who had been making 3drops wines since 2003 and to viticulturist Ray Williams who planted the original vines and still manages the Wragg Road and Patterson’s vineyards.

Ms Bradbury said the Cabernet Franc trophy and the Best Red of Show were 3drops most significant awards to date.

“We are excited and honoured that a Cabernet Franc grown on our family farm has been selected as the best red wine in the Global Fine Wine Challenge.”

Posted on April 21, 2020April 24, 2020 by Mr Whirly

April 2020, “Wine of the Month”: Stefano Lubiana, “Organic and Bio Dynamic” Chardonnay 2013, Primavera, Granton, Tasmania

Nice…very nice…..I thought it was about time I put up something exciting and different on the Whirly wine of the month page. Aussie Chardonnay, ok is not that different. But when its 2013 and from Tasmania, down near Hobart on the Granton river and its made by one of the best winemakers down under, it is different…..

Mr Whirly says:

“I have been luck enough to be working with Stefano Lubiana for over 10 years. This is sadly the last of the wines I have from this great winemaker so if you like Chardonnay that has the same cudos and feel of Burgundy but is clearly of its own identity, then you should try this. I only have a handful of bottles left.”

Winemakers notes

Stefano Lubiana:

Review, Patrick Eckel: 2013 Stefano Lubiana Primavera ChardonnayOctober 20, 2015 Wine Rating 90

Stefano Lubiana is a producer with a focus on biodynamics, and has been crafting some excellent wines from Tasmania for a number of years now, with the Primavera range the entry level for the winery.

The nose is restrained and gives a mineral expression of white peach with a touch of oak.

The palate is lean in terms of fruit, with an enjoyable mouthfeel created through the competition of racy acidity and grapefruit pith. There is enough stone fruit, oak spice and cashew like complexity that suggest this will get even better with time.

Price: £29.95

For local postcodes, SW16, 17, 12 and 19 and most SW postcodes…..” FREE DELIVERY TO YOUR DOOR”

TO ORDER CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO GO TO THE WHIRLY WINE ONLINE SHOP!

Buy Online

Posted on November 19, 2017November 19, 2017 by Mr Whirly

Christmas Whirly wine mixed case offer & Smoked salmon from the Weald smokery, East Sussex….come in and order before the 7th December…..

Mr Whirly’s Christmas cases, chosen to match classic Christmas fare!

Half dozen

Amboise Tourraine, Bonnigal Vignerons, Limeray, Loire: richer than most Sauvignons from Tourraine since its been left on the lees for 5 months. Great match with smoked salmon.

Chateau Domaine de Viaud, Cote de Bourg, 2010, Bordeaux: soft tannins elegant Merlot based Bordeaux from Blaye, a mile across the Gironde from St Estephe. Wonderful with beef and cheese as well as most festive red meats and cheese

Azienda Marzuco, Syrah 2016, Castelvetrano, Sicily: Light, elegant Syrah, only 12.5 alc vol so very unusual indeed, normally Syrah is 14-15% alc vol. Wonderful wine with ham on Boxing day, it would take a little spice, if the ham has been baked in this way. Fruit led, red cherries with some soft black pepper.

Azienda Marzuco, Vermentino 2016, Castelvetrano, Sicily: The grape is from Sardinia but this is made in Sicily. Linear clean white wine with some mediterranean salt on the palate with ripe melon. Great with shellfish, fish or even Turkey.

Mas Rous, Muscat 2012, Cotes Catalane: dry Muscat, firm and grippy with some lovely orange zest on the finish. Great with goats cheese, Pecorino and Monchego.

Velenosi, Visciole NV, Marche, Italy: Old traditional way of making pudding wines in Marche, italy. They pick cherries in late Spring and make a syrup from the grapes then add grape juice from La Crima and Rosso Piceno grapes in September. Great freshness and acidity, you can really taste the red cherries. Perfect with Black forest Gateau ( the wine matches perfectly with chocolate)

Total: £92.50

Dozen

Domaine Robert, Limoux NV: cracking, crisp dry sparkling from Limoux near Carcassone, S. France,

made from Mauzac and a little Chenin. Great alternative to Champagne, made in the same way and not quite so expensive.

Azienda Marzuco, Vermentino 2016, Castelvetrano, Sicily: The grape is from Sardinia but this is made in Sicily. Linear clean white wine with some mediterranean salt on the palate with ripe melon. Great with shellfish, fish or even Turkey.

Amboise Tourraine, Bonnigal Vignerons, Limeray, Loire: richer than most Sauvignons from Tourraine since its been left on the lees for 5 months. Great match with smoked salmon on Christmas day morning as the lunch is prepared.

Graziano Chenin Blanc 2011, Mendocino, California: top end Chenin, not from the Loure, its home but from cool climate Mendocino in Northern California. Vanilla and cream bounce out of the glass. This wine is drinking beautifully for a 7 year old wine from California and shows that wines of this age can be made to last and develop in the bottle over this sort of time. Wonderful alternative to old Chardonnay.

Stefano Lubiana, Chardonnay 2016, “ Primavera” : another elegant wine from Lubiana, in the south of the apple isle, Tasmania, near Hobart. Oaked gently, cool climate Chardonnay of delight and wonder. Pick some quiet evening over Christmas and sit down and enjoy.

Willespie, Margaret river white 2011, WA: a blend Of chardonnay,Verdelho, Riesling and Semillon from one of the top wine regions of Australia: takes Pork ands spicy dishes oh so well.

Stefano Lubiana Pinot Noir 2013, “ Primavera”: elegant, fruit forward Pinot from Tasmania, one of the most exciting new world destinations for this elegant grape. Cool climate country down here. Strawberry and summer fruit notes with some spice and

Mas Rous, Muscat 2012, Cotes Catalane: dry Muscat, firm and grippy with some lovely orange zest on the finish. Great with goats cheese and Monchego.

Lillypilly Noble Blend 2006: Noble rot, blend of Semillon, Gewurtz, pineapple with orange blossom. Perfect sticky with a steamed ginger pudding or something similar.

Velenosi, Visciole, NV, Marche, Italy: Old traditional way of making pudding wines in Marche, italy. They pick cherries in late Spring and make a syrup from the grapes then add grape juice from La Crima and Rosso Piceno grapes in September. Great freshness and acidity, you can really taste the red cherries. Perfect with Black forest Gateau ( the wine matches perfectly with chocolate)

Total: £242.00

Weald Salmon, Flimwell, East Sussex

Whole side of Salmon unsliced: £45.00

Sliced side of smoked salmon: £48.00

Premier grade Gravadlax, whole side ; £52.50

Packs of 200 grams salmon: £12-14

Packs of 400 grams Salmon: £20-24

Posted on February 17, 2017February 17, 2017 by Mr Whirly

Wine tasting, Thursday 2nd March: “The Aussies are back in town”: Showcasing Top producers wines from Tasmania, McLaren vale and The Great Southern

Just before Christmas I imported some delights from Tasmania, McLaren Vale and The Great Southern in Western Australia. Stefano Lubiana makes some of the most sublime wines down under, let alone Tasmania, “The Apple Isle”. His Primavera wines are a pure delight and that night we will kick off with the Chardonnay 2014 and follow it with the Pinot Noir 2014. To follow we will then taste two Shiraz’s one from ” 3 drops” in Mount Barker, way down south of Perth not far from Cape Leeuwin where the Southern ocean meets the Indian: followed by a Brick Kiln Shiraz from McLaren Vale south of Adelaide in South Australia where I picked grapes for a $ a bucket in March 2000! We these last two wines we shall have some theatre and use the Ifawine air system to emphasise the importance of air before drinking bigger heavier reds.

7.0opm to 9.00pm: £30 for four 75ml measures plus snacks. Please book by emailing [email protected]. A minimum of 10 people and maximum of 20 for the event will apply. Payment must be taken before the event.

Posted on December 11, 2016December 13, 2016 by Mr Whirly

Mr Whirly’s Christmas cases!

Mr Whirly has hand selected cases of 6 and 12 with wines chosen to match classic Christmas fare!
From Blanquette Limoux whilst cooking to “La Roche Vineuse” Macon Gamay for the Turkey, to Lillypilly’s Fiumara No. 7 for your plum pudding, and everything in between, you are sure to find a wine for every course and every guest!
Discounted for a limited time only, until this Saturday 17th December

Half a dozen:

1. Blanquette de Limoux, Carte Ivoire, Domaine Fourn de Robert:

unknown sparkling wine from south of Carcassone; top stuff and great to try something new!

2. Amboise Tourraine, Bonnigal Vignerons, Limeray, Loire: richer than most Sauvignons from Tourraine since its been left on the lees for 5 months. Great match with smoked salmon.

3. Chateau Domaine de Viaud, Cote de Bourg, 2010, Bordeaux: soft tannins elegant Merlot based Bordeaux from Blaye, a mile across the Gironde from St Estephe. Wonderful with beef and cheese as well as most festive red meats and cheese

4. Alain Normand, La Roche Vineuse, Gamay 2014, Macon: lovely soft strawberry on the nose and palate and unusual that this grape is from Macon. Fabulous with turkey, duck and goose.

5. Mas Rous, Muscat 2012, Cotes Catalane: dry Muscat, firm and grippy with some lovely orange zest on the finish. Great with goats cheese and Monchego.

6. Lillpilly, Fiumara no 7, Leeton, NSW, Australia: Cross between a port and Pedro Ximenez A blend of special cuvee’s from over many years, this wine is the perfect match for Plum pudding on Christmas day!

Total: £93.50 With discount of 7%: £6.54 Total: £86.96

A dozen:

1. Champagne: Remy Bernard “Carte Blanche” NV, Allemant: small bubbles, delicate and moussey. Top quality wine made from the three classic Champagne grapes, Pinot Noir and Me- unier and Chardonnay.

2. Blanquette de Limoux, Carte Ivoire, Domaine Fourn de Robert: unknown sparkling wine from south of Carcassone; top stuff and great to try something new.

3. Amboise Tourraine, Bonnigal Vignerons, Limeray, Loire: richer than most Sauvignons from Tourraine since its been left on the lees for 5 months. Great match with smoked salmon on Christmas day morning as the lunch is prepared.

4. Perusini, Pinot Grigio 2015, Friuli, N. E. Italy: Pinot grigio as it should be in the glass from Fruili, the top white wine region of Italy.

5. Mehofer, “Organic” Gruner Veltliner, 2015, Wagram, Austria: light in alc, only 10.5%, and wonderful wine for the start of the day! Apples and pears, simple yet perfect.

6. Willespie, Margaret river white 2011, WA: a blend Of chardonnay,Verdelho, Riesling and Semillon from one of the top wine regions of Australia: takes Pork ands spicy dishes oh so well.

7. Chateau Domaine de Viaud, Cote de Bourg, 2010, Bordeaux: soft tannins elegant Merlot based Bordeaux from Blaye, a mile across the Gironde from St Estephe. Wonderful with beef and cheese as well as most festive red meats and cheese.

8. Alain Normand, La Roche Vineuse, Gamay 2014, Macon: lovely soft strawberry on the nose and palate and unusual that this grape is from Macon. Fabulous with Turkey, duck and Goose.

9. Bonfanti, DOC Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore 2014: small producer in Verona that makes very special wines indeed. Ripasso means two fermentations: rich yet sublime. Lovely Christmas day wine. New wine that has just arrived. 18 months in Barrel.

10. Mas Rous, Muscat 2012, Cotes Catalane: dry Muscat, firm and grippy with some lovely orange zest on the finish. Great with goats cheese and Monchego.

11. Lillypilly Noble Blend 2012: Noble rot, blend of Semillon, Gewurtz, pineapple with orange blossom. Perfect sticky with a steamed ginger pudding or something similar.

12. Lillpilly, Fiumara no 7, Leeton, NSW, Australia: Cross between a port and Pedro Ximenez A blend of special cuvee’s from over many years, this wine is the perfect match for Plum pudding on Christmas day!

Total: £195.00 With 10% discout: £19.50

Total: £175.50