Wine tasting today! The surf looked pretty terrible so caught up on some life admin including posting off various documents for rego and UK working visa. Hope they get where they're meant to be going, the post office guy was in boardies and a floral shirt and when I asked him now long the registered-post documents would take replied "f#ck knows mate!". Hmm.
Anyway, Jack had consulted one of his wine-connoisseur mates (thanks Tom) for a top 5 of the local wineries and booked a half-day private tour for us. Starting at noon, we were picked up but a very nice local guy called Kim and taken around for the afternoon in our own mini-van. Great day and I learnt a lot about wine, the region and heard a few stories of people getting loose on Kim's previous tours (we behaved ourselves in comparison).
Here are the wineries in order and my favourites wines, write these down!
Cullen: didn't rate any of these myself but the rest of the crew liked the 2007 Mangan (Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot) for $45.
Voyager Estate: probably the best hit rate, I could happily drink any of these (white and red) but really liked the 2006 Shriaz ($32) and the 2004 Cabernet Sauvigon Merlot ($60). We had lunch here too which was great.
Leeuwin Estate: the 2001 Art Series Cab Sav (something like $89 a bottle) was the winner here.
Cape Mentelle: the 2007 Chardonnay ($41) was the best (chardy) of the day, also really liked the 2007 Sangiovese ($25) and the 2007 Zinfandel ($49). I bought a Botrytis-style dessert wine too which was cellar door only. Highly rate Cape Mentelle, definitely one to remember.
Vasse Felix: the 2006 Shiraz ($35) was the best shiraz of the day, the 2008 Tempranillo ($25) was great and I also really liked the 2008 Cane Cut Semillon dessert wine ($23).
Slightly tipsy by the end of the day so went to the pub to finished the job with a couple of beers and bowl of beef stew!
