Littore Family Wines. 2008 Tempranillo

General: This was remarkably cheap so I thought I'd give it a go.

Variety: Tempranillo

Region/G.I.: Central Victoria, Heathcote and Northern Victoria

Alcohol: 13.5%

Bouquet: Surprisingly complex. It is quite plummy with some menthol and a touch of oak

Flavour: Disappointing after the nose. This is a straightforward wine which is very plummy without much tannin or dryness to provide much complexity in flavour. A weak savoury dryness exists but more needed to support the fruit up front.

Points: 80

Notes: At $5.70 (97 Kc) it's a bargain. A fine, simple drink!

De Bortoli "Sero". 2005 Syrah Tempranillo

General: I tasted another of the "Sero" range last year and was impressed. I found this at a local bottle shop. Very nice choice.

Varieties: Syrah, Tempranillo (it appears that from 2006 the maker reverts to the more common "Shiraz" usage)

Region/G.I.: North East Victoria, King Valley, VIC

Alcohol: 14.5%

Bouquet: Moderate, not over-powering earthy and animal tones. I really enjoy these smells but I know I am in the minority. There are hints of raspberry there as well.

Flavour: Medium bodied with a nice dry finish. This wine opened up considerably after an hour. There is an initial rush of fruit, raspberry being predominant followed by the dry finish. Once properly opened, the wine flavour is much more even with meaty flavours and cedary tones complementing well. Still, I thought it not so complex.

Points: 83

Notes: This is very enjoyable and I will be buying a few more as I like this style of wine. At $14 (252 Kc) - undiscounted, it is very good. De Bortoli seems to be a group which can do no wrong.

Pensilva Estate 2008. Shiraz

General: It's a good time of the year for Shiraz. I discovered after buying this that it is a "home brand" for one of the big supermarket chains. As Shiraz goes, it's fine. Fine but not great.

Variety: Shiraz

Region/GI: Fleurieu, McLaren Vale, SA

Alcohol: 14%

Bouquet: Fleshy, ripe plums with some secondary tones of woody oak

Flavour: Silky smooth. Fruit matches that of the nose. Light-to-medium body. Nice dry finish. Not complex but enjoyable

Points: 82

Notes: Quite a nice bottle of wine. It does not stand out as remarkable and given the choice here, it may be some time before I return to it. Discounted at $11 (187 Kc) it's a fair price.

Cassegrain. 2004 Reserve Shiraz

General: I had some friends around for dinner last night and some of them brought this wine. I almost fell off my chair when I tasted it. It was awesome. I saved a little to try again today. Fantastic stuff!

Variety: Shiraz

Region/GI: Northern Rivers, Hastings River NSW

Alcohol: 13.5%

Bouquet: Great complex nose. Cedary tones mingled with stewed fruit (plum?) and some spice, black pepper slightly ahead of cinammon.

Flavour: Wonderful. Lengthy stewed fruit evenly spread throughout with a peppery undertone. Delicate tannins. Great structure.

Points: 88

Notes: I am surprised to find this comes from Northern Rivers as this is a small and little known district. This wine has been sitting in a cellar for a while. The 2007 Reserve Shiraz is currently on sale at $35 (630 Kc). The winery has been added to the list of places to visit.

Fischers. 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

General: After buying this, I discovered it is the private label of a small wine chain here. I tasted it two weeks ago and didn't like it. I retasted my second bottle tonight with similar results.

Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Verdot

Region/GI: Fleurieu, Langhorne Creek, SA

Alcohol: 14.3%

Bouquet: The bouquet is very nice - very plummy with a hint of vanilla. (If I tasted this blind, I would not guess Cab Sav)

Flavour: Not good. Simple and rather flat, the only good thing about it is the dry finish.

Points: 76

Notes: At $15 (270 Kc) there is so much better wine on the market. I won't be trying this brand for a very long time.

Tintara. 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

General: Something being shared by my sister. Fabulous.

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region/GI: Fleurieu, McLaren Vale, SA

Alcohol: 14%

Bouquet: Deep. Actually a little more plummy than blackcurrant although both present.

Flavour: Dense. Complex. The blackcurrant comes through in the taste as well as dark chocolate. While savouring these flavours which are lengthy, a very smooth, dry tannic finish completes the sensation. Great stuff.

Points: 87

Notes: The 2005 is no longer available in store. The 2007 retails for $27 (486 Kc). The funny thing is that my sister received this as a gift from a friend who took it from her boyfriend's wine collection. It seems he has good taste and we enjoyed it.

Campbells. 2008 Shiraz Durif

General: I'm tracking down various Durif blends at the moment as they seem to be well done here. This was a very enjoyable choice.

Varieties: Shiraz, Durif

Region/GI: North East Victoria, Rutherglen

Alcohol: 14.5%

Bouquet: Wonderfully balanced bouquet with equal measure raspberry, earthy spice and something like Christmas cake (stewed prunes, sultanas)

Flavour: Given the age, I expected something aggressive but this is surprisingly smooth. Medium length with a mild, tannic finish. The fruit flavours of ripe (black) cherry, hints of raspberry and prunes exist throughout the sip. Gentle and well done.

Points: 83

Notes: I opened the bottle yesterday and prefer the taste today. The complexity is much more apparent and I am tempted to rate it a little higher. I'll be buying more of this at the reasonable price of $14 (c. 250 Kc).