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Member eNewsletter

October 2010 Edition

Welcome to your latest eNewsletter from Wine Selectors. The warmer weather means an excuse to chill down some wines, get outside and entertain. With this in mind, we asked the Tasting Panel all about Rosé, one of Australia’s most popular wine styles.

The Hunter Valley Wine Show is evidence that the region is riding a renaissance in winemaking with some fabulous Trophy winning examples of Shiraz and Semillon.

We also look at the naming rights given to fortifieds and what wines such as Tokay and Port are to be known as now.

Finally, we are pleased to announce the lucky winner of the Mariner Voyages competition.

Happy drinking and have a great October.

Greg Walls

Greg Walls, Managing Director

 In this issue
Make it a Wine Selectors festive event

The festive season is slowly but surely creeping up on us and many of our Members are planning to celebrate by attending a Christmas themed Wine Selectors event. We have two exciting events planned, one at De Bortoli Winery in the Yarra Valley and one at Bacchus Restaurant in Newcastle.

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Melbourne Christmas Dinner
Saturday 4th December 2010

In 2010 we celebrate Christmas and the festive season in one of Victoria’s most breathtaking settings – Locale at De Bortoli Winery in the Yarra Valley.

You and your guests will enjoy sampling the freshest local produce, lovingly prepared in accordance with the De Bortoli family’s Italian heritage by Chef Tim Keenan. The menu will showcase the best the region has to offer while the matched wines will be hand selected by Wine Selectors’ Wine Educator Chris Barnes and De Bortoli Chief Winemaker Steve Webber.

The event includes canapés and Sparkling on arrival, a three course menu and matched wines, a live band and plenty of room to dance!

This event will sell out so book early!

Newcastle Christmas Dinner
Thursday 2nd December 2010

Join us for an exceptional gastronomic experience at one of Newcastle’s most stunning venues and a heritage-listed landmark – Bacchus.

Bacchus prepares contemporary Australian cuisine with a strong classical French influence and is nothing short of fine dining at its best. Holding a coveted Chef’s Hat, recently awarded by the 2011 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide, Bacchus presents a chance to enjoy an exclusive dining experience.

For one night only, Wine Selectors has exclusive use of the restaurant and will be showcasing some of the best wines we have uncovered this year alongside an unforgettable menu.

This event will sell out so book early!
What’s in a name?

There’s been quite a bit in the press of late about the decision to change the names of our famous fortifieds. The European Union has recently decreed that the names Tokay, Port and Sherry cannot be used on wines from anywhere but the region of their origin. Although we have a century-old tradition of making fortifieds in Australia, we cannot claim the naming rights.

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So, to help you out, Wine Selectors has devised a quick guide to help you clear up any confusion.

Muscat is to keep the same name.

The fortified we have always known as Tokay has now been renamed Topaque.

Port is now regarded as Fortified and the descriptive words Tawny, Ruby and Vintage that are commonly used, will remain the same.

Sherry made in Australia must be labelled Aperta, Amontillado is now known as medium dry, Olorosso as medium sweet, Fino as dry and cream as cream Aperta.

Now you’ll never be confused again.
All that glitters is gold

The show season is well and truly under way (wine show season that is) and now the dust has settled on another fantastic Hunter Valley Wine Show. Wine Selectors is proud to be associated with many of the medal winners including Tyrrell’s, who managed to accrue an enviable tally of five Trophies for their Semillon and Shiraz.

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Also noticeable was McWilliam’s scoring a Trophy for their 2010 Verdelho, which is not normally a style that wins major awards in the Hunter show, but displays their belief in the variety. Congratulations also to Pepper Tree, Drayton’s, Thomas Wines, First Creek and Audrey Wilkinson for all being worthy recipients of Trophies.

In the Gold medal classes there were an impressive 64 medals awarded including Jackson’s Hill for its Reserve Semillon 2005 made by our Tasting Panel members Christian Gaffey and Trent Mannell. Well done indeed! Other notable Gold wins went to Tulloch, Pepper Tree, Briar Ridge, Krinklewood and Margan.
Refer a friend and receive a FREE gift worth $135!

As part of our 35th anniversary celebrations we've secured you a special gift valued at $135! Refer a friend* and you'll receive a bottle of Frances finest Champagne Pol Roger plus two European crystal champagne flutes to enjoy it in!

Champagne is one of life's great indulgences, but you don't have to be rich or famous to enjoy this luxury. Now you can treat yourself to one of the world's finest Champagnes, valued at $75, for FREE.

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All you need to do is refer your friends, or family and if they join* we'll send you a free bottle of Pol Roger Champagne NV so you can enjoy a taste of the best and see in the new year in style. PLUS you will also receive two European crystal champagne flutes to enjoy it in!

Pol Roger was founded in 1849 around the town of Epernay in the heart of France's Champagne region and this famous house remains owned and run by the founder's descendants. The Pol Roger family don't have to answer to shareholders, their chief commitment is to uncompromising quality - this ensures it's ranked among Champagne's finest houses. The epitome of style, Pol Roger Champagne NV delivers layers of toast, strawberry, peach, cream and citrus fruit flavours backed by cleansing acidity that give it remarkable balance and persistence.

You can enjoy a bottle of the best when you refer a friend and if they join* you'll receive a bottle of Pol Roger Champagne NV. You'll be able to really appreciate Frances finest when you sip it from your four FREE* Schott Zwiesel European crystal glasses valued at $60. The number one choice of our Tasting Panel, they'll add an extra dimension to your wine enjoyment.

Help us celebrate with this exciting gift worth $135. Stocks are limited so to secure yours, refer a friend today!

* View our full Terms and Conditions and our Privacy Policy.
Rosés are blossoming for spring

Now the warmer weather has returned there’s the opportunity to chill not just your whites, but Rosés too. The Australian climate is just perfect for this style of wine as it not only offers immense refreshment, but it can be matched to a wide variety of foods.

Rosé has great crossover appeal; it’s the closest you’ll get a white drinker to drinking red and similarly red drinkers who don’t drink white, yet seek refreshment on a summer’s day, can at least find solace in a glass of Rosé.

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Winemakers in Australia are experimenting with the style and producing great examples from a wide variety of grapes. A recent Tasting Panel tasting found that the regions doing it well were the Barossa and King Valleys and Mudgee and the most popular style of grape used was Grenache. The traditional French style of Rosé is bone dry but consumers here can choose between dry and slightly sweeter versions.

It suits lunchtime drinking in the sun thanks to its ability to refresh and can match everything from Tapas to seafood to spicy dishes, particularly Indian.

If you want to try a great Rosé, here’s one the Tasting Panel recommends for your first spring barbecue.
Bon Voyage to our winner

One very lucky Member is about to go on the trip of a lifetime thanks to Wine Selectors and Mariner Voyages. We can finally reveal the winner of our Mariner Voyages canal cruise around Burgundy including flights to Paris courtesy of Etihad Airways. The total prize was valued at an amazing $47,900!

We are pleased to announce that Mr L. Garrod & Mrs J. Garrod of Willoughby, NSW have the sheer unbridled joy of heading off to the...

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Burgundy wine region in France where they will enjoy a stunning canal cruise along the sleepy waterways of this ancient and picturesque wine region.

Here’s some of the experiences they can look forward to:
- accommodation in Paris for two;
- seven nights accommodation on a canal barge (penichette);
- lunch under the cellar vaults of the famous XIIth century Couches Castle at La Tour;
- a horse-drawn carriage ride through the historic village of Rully;
- dinner at the 3 star Michelin rated Lameloise in Chagny;
- wine tastings at some of the region's most stunning vineyards.

- PLUS Business Class flights to Paris courtesy of Etihad Airways;

- AND $5,000 spending money courtesy of Wine Selectors.

Congratulations to you Mr L. & Mrs J. Garrod, we hope you have a wonderful trip and thanks to Etihad airways and Mariner Boating Holidays for making it all happen.

If you would like more information on Mariner Voyages holidays please visit www.marinerboating.com