McLaren Vale

Grape Expectations – Eight Wines that Pair With Summer and Fall.

Ok, first-things-first, I didn’t write the title for this article. “Grape Expectations” is way beyond my reaches of my creativity. Secondly; I wrote this article a couple of months ago for the Jacksonville Magazine “Taste” Edition…and I know we’re out of Summer now….but I think it still has relevance…since the weather here is Florida is so bloody-warm well into November! 4 Summer Wines Taltarni “Tache,” Brut Sparkling, Australia Description The term Tache (meaning “stained” in…

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Layer Cake Shiraz, South Australia 2009

Grapes 100% Shiraz Facts The popularity of Layer Cake really seems to have exploded over the last couple of years, and why wouldn’t it!?!? There’s picture of a delicious looking cake on the front label! People are suckers for good-looking wine labels (myself included). Layer Cake is a winemaking venture from Jayson Woodbridge (no connection to Woodbridge wine), who first first came onto the radar in 1998, with a little-known wine called Hundred Acre. He…

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Samuel’s Gorge Tempranillo from McLaren Vale, Australia.

Grape 100% Tempranillo Most often found in Spain, particularly in the Rioja wine region, the name Tempranillo is thought to be linked to the Spanish word “temprano” meaning “early”. The grape supposedly ripens weeks earlier than other varietals.   Facts So this would be my first Aussie Tempranillo, at least from what I can remember, but then again my memory is pretty horrible. Tempranillo has always been a grape that has fascinated me. It is…

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