Which wines should I buy?

posted in: Buying Wine, News | 2

I’m ordering some wines, got any suggestions.

That was the question Clogs posted to the GMWC this week.

They’re questions you probably get asked regularly. “What wines have you been drinking?”. “What wine deals are around?”.

You might find yourself ready to order some more wine and about to order the same variety, the same labels, your favourite brands. But sometimes you need to try something new, you need a recommendation.

There are a lot of wine bargains around right now. The Covid-19-lockdown hospitality tragedy that has befallen a lot of Australia, and which persists in Melbourne, has meant that winery stocks that would normally be sold to restaurants are instead sitting in cellars. Cellar door stocks are sitting in boxes next to them.

It’s not a great time to be a wine producer trying to get through lockdown (and tackling harvest with all of the social distancing challenges) without your usual bread and butter income; hospitality and cellar door visits.

Except that…

Australian wine lovers right now have:

  • a stronger urge to enjoy a glass of wine, and more opportunity to do so (working from home means you’re not driving to work in the morning)
  • more disposable income.

Well, maybe more disposable income.

Presuming you’re lucky enough to still be employed in Australia, then the money you would normally spend on going to work, your social life and most other expenses related to leaving the house, are savings in your bank account.

So with our wine budgets larger and more important than ever… here’s what we’ve been buying recently.

Curly

  • Bests Riesling
  • Best Bin 01 Shiraz
  • Sticks Chardonnay
  • Sticks Pinot Noir
  • Tahbilk Marsanne (must be 2019…awesome vintage)
  • Redman Coonawarra Cabernet
  • Austin’s 6ft6 Pinot Noir
  • Rob Hall pinot

Statz

Tahbilk Marsanne, Curly just can’t stay away from the stuff! Another one we have a fondness for as a group, Tahbilk was one of our early field trip cellar door visits back in 2012. Order direct from them and join their free wine club and you can score a dozen of the 2019 marsanne for $143. Pretty sure Clogs found a bargain there.

Just popped in an order for a dozen of the 2019 Marsannes direct from Tahbilk. $143 delivered. God that’s good value!

Now to Rob Hall…

Rob Hall wines are a favourite of ours. Quality fruit from the Yarra Valley, an experienced winemaker and a price point around $25-$35. What more could you ask for? Order a dozen and you’ll get 20% off with free delivery (pretty sure Rob delivers to Melbourne in person).

A wrap for Rob Hall pinot noir
A wrap for the Rob Hall pinot noir

We convinced Clogs to place an order this week.

I often buy wines via Qantas wines, there are deals to be had when they have a sale and you can find bonus QFF points thrown in as well. I recently bought the Giant Steps premium pack and the Tosq pinot noir was a stand out.

I’ve loved Giant Steps wines since our visit to their cellar door back in October 2018. I regularly buy their entry level pinot noir, it is consistently delicious good value pinot.

So this week I also ordered from them directly after seeing this deal on their insta. A collection of six of their finest pinots for $299 to celebrate International pinot day.

I recommend you follow your favourite wine labels on insta and sign up to the newsletter on their website, that’s where they post their deals.

Now’s the time to be buying wine and re-stock your cellar, whatever its capacity. There are wine bargains available and Australia’s wine producers need support more than ever right now.

2 Responses

  1. Statz

    Thanks Curly. I realise now that I’ve overlooked a call to also support wine retailers, who are also doing it tough. It’s a fine balance in supporting the industry, between ordering direct from the wineries to maximise their revenue but also supporting local wine bars and online wine retailers.

    That might be the follow up post 😉

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