Local wines for teh win!

another way to see where is the best to get good,yet not overpriced wines is to join a club – don’t know if the canberra club runs a wine appreciation club, but they might still do. they can help you get the best prices at the cellar, as many vintners work closely with these sorts of clubs – mainly to get their particular brands in the market. (you don’t go to the cellar, it comes to you) and it gives you the opportunity to sample a wide range of wines. (just don’t drive to the meeting)

Not saying it’s always the case but at least a couple of times I’ve bought wine from the cellar door only to discover it $5 a bottle cheaper in the grog shop in town.

johnboy said :

Local booze shops often do better deals than cellar doors in my (limited) experience,

By the time you’ve driven out to the vineyard, talked to the salesman and sampled the wares chances up you’re buying.

sorry, JB, my family all live near / on vineyards, in fact, my father used to run a little web business called webwines – this had to be shut down after the death of a local vintner, who was a very good friend and business partner. I spend a lot of time down on the fleurieu peninsula – got to go to the winery that makes royal reserve port…. could have wept. oh, the memories….

cleanskins that I picked up on that trip cost me between $2 & $15 a bottle. some are cellared, others have been consumed.

I have heard that the Snowy River Winery at berridale has re-opened, must take a trip up there soon.

Yass river winery is producing some good wines, but when we do the winery trip out there to that region, we are looking for cellar bottles. (and are prepared to pay)

For a really good white, not a local, mind you, try the cawarra range. not expensive, but a really good drop.

I believe that they have produced a red, must see how it stacks up.

skidbladnir: my understanding is that cask wine has a shorter shelf life than bottled wine and usually keeps for about 12 months – not really destined for the cellar.

Once opened however, it does keep longer than bottled wine, making it really useful for using squirts here and there in cooking.

Local booze shops often do better deals than cellar doors in my (limited) experience,

By the time you’ve driven out to the vineyard, talked to the salesman and sampled the wares chances up you’re buying.

1st choice liquor has a good range of cleanskins.

Reply

Cask wine is the go for the budget conscious…

Its cheap for the volume of wine, and is more useful if you don’t mind showing off the box in the fridge\on the shelf.
Its still the same wine, just packaged differently and keeps for longer.
(Which is a factor when you don’t drink a copious quantity of wine)

johnboy said :

Just something you’re going to have to overcome I’m afraid.

As for the casks it’s because I can’t afford that many bottles of $25 wine.

Canberra wine has a reputation for being of reasonable quality, but expensive compared to alternatives in the same range.

best to try visiting “the cellar doors” they usually don’t sell clean skins through the shops.

Just something you’re going to have to overcome I’m afraid.

As for the casks it’s because I can’t afford that many bottles of $25 wine.

Canberra wine has a reputation for being of reasonable quality, but expensive compared to alternatives in the same range.