© 1997 JDM Enterprises All Rights Reserved Vol. I No. 41 How To Subscribe ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY by Jerry D. Mead About a dozen California wineries were founded in 1972, which means there's a bunch of 25th anniversary wines around. One of those is Carneros Creek Winery in the Carneros region of Napa County. CC is a specialist in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. One of my favorite wines from CC each year is a youthful easy to drink style of Pinot Noir that goes by the name of Fleur de Carneros. BEST BUY WINE OF THE WEEK Fleur de Carneros 1996 Pinot Noir ($12 or less) The body of Beaujolais! The soul of Burgundy! Light, fresh, fruity and delicate, not unlike a youthful Beaujolais. But absolutely true and complex Burgundian style Pinot Noir flavors and after-flavors. A great red wine for beginners, but sufficiently complex to please the connoisseur crowd. A great lunch wine, or open for dinner with veal, ham, pork, turkey, chicken or Fettucini Alfredo. Rating: 92/90 Newly released, if your merchant doesn't have it yet, contact the winery for more information: Carneros Creek Winery, 1285 Dealy Lane, Napa, CA 94559 (707) 253-9464; E-mail: wineinfo@carneros-creek.com AUSSIE UPSTARTS The Australian wine industry has come a long way baby. Just 20-some years ago, the only Aussie wines in the U.S. were some very mediocre, very inexpensive wines, sold exclusively through supermarkets. Since then, Aussie wines have developed a reputation for great value, especially in its red wines, and is also able to attract world class prices for what have become world class wines. Brands like Rosemount, Penfolds, and numerous others, have become frequent winners at international wine competitions and are sold in the best shops and restaurants in the U.S. The latest move is toward making limited quantities of some of the best small, even tiny, producers, of Australia, available in the U.S. These wineries are the equivalent of the "boutique" wineries of California's premium growing regions that everyone fights to acquire. One company, called Ausvin, is dedicating itself to importing these wines and is currently marketing in more than 30 states. The only problem is that every wine is not available in every market because of limited availability. Consumers or dealers can contact them directly for information on retail availability on specific wines: Ausvin, USA, 1212 Avenida Chelsea, Vista, CA 92083 or call toll free 1-888-598-7888. Mitchell 1995 "Clare Valley" Semillon ($16) Chardonnay style, but Semillon varietal character all the way. Fresh fig and a bit of leaf tobacco, nicely oaked but not "oaky." Dry, but with an almost sweetish impression in the finish. Rating: 90/85 Little's 1995 "Hunter Valley" Semillon-Chardonnay ($16) This is a love or hate wine. I happen to fall in the "love" camp. Unique earthy-mineral-petroleum character and heavily oaked in what I'd guess to be heavy toast barrels. Fruit is somewhat subdued behind all the technique, but what their is is in the apple-tropical vein. Very long, complex, smoky-toasty aftertaste. Rating: 92/87 Allandale 1995 "Hunter Valley" Chardonnay ($18) Ripe, rich, very tropical with some melon flavors as well. Voluptuous, sensuous...very long complex finish. A lovely wine that would be even better with a touch more acid. Rating: 90/84 Allanmere 1996 "Durham" Chardonnay ($19) "Durham" is a proprietary name...not an appellation. Pleasant citrus and apple style, crisp with lively acidity. Less complex wood notes. Rating: 88/82 Yering Station 1995 "Yarra Valley" ($18) This Bordeaux-style blend is 70 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 15 percent Merlot and 15 percent Cabernet Franc. Very forward, ripe berry and currant flavors with some earthy-smoky afternotes. Nice wine, but not especially complex and a tad pricey. Rating: 86/82 Wakefield 1994 "Clare Valley" Cabernet Sauvignon ($19) Classic Berry varietal character with some green olive quality. Medium bodied and very drinkable. Rating: 88/83 Brian Barry 1994 "Clare Valley" Cabernet Sauvignon ($18) Call this very special wine a "Best Buy" even though it is not inexpensive. Big, inky, highly extracted, intensely flavored red wine, with an oxblood color deep enough to stain the glass it's served in. Mostly cassis and deep black cherry flavors with interesting and complex wood notes. Caution: There contains nearly 15 percent alcohol, so be especially moderate. Rating: 96/90 Stafford Ridge 1992 "South Australia" Cabernet-Merlot ($22.50) Tasted totally blind, I would have guessed it to be a very good "Cru Bourgeois" Bordeaux. Intense berry fruit with wonderful new barrel (heavy toast) bouquet and flavor. Very complex. Rating: 97/85 Charles Stuart 1995 Cabernet-Syrah-Merlot ($16) The Aussies do a lot of this multi-variety labeling, with specific percentages listed, in this instance 55 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 percent Syrah and 15 percent Merlot. Plum and berry fruit and you can definitely taste the Syrah contribution. Nicely wooded; smoky aftertaste. Rating: 90/86 Charles Cimicky 1995 "Barossa Valley" Shiraz ($22) Shiraz is the synonym for Syrah that the Aussie's most frequently use. This wine is for those who like 'em big...really big...for those folks who go for the intense "old vines," tending toward late harvest, Zinfandels and Petite Sirahs out of California. Smoky, earthy, really ripe plum flavors. Big body...big fruit...big everything! This is a great red wine with a 20 years (at least) cellar potential. Track this one down if you can. Rating: 98/85 Wines are scored using a unique 100 point system. First number rates quality; second number rates value. HOME © 1997 JDM Enterprises. All Rights Reserved The Mead On Wine WebSite is designed, maintained and hosted by Wines on the Internet. Latest Update: November 14, 1997