Tony Love – National Wine Editor for taste.com.au and The Advertiser Newspaper, SA.

Wholesome Flavour $12
H by Haselgrove 2009 Cabernet Merlot

With a winery based in McLaren Vale, most of the fruit for this crackingly good wine comes from around the same region, with a decent splash also from the Adelaide Hills and Padthaway.  It’s worth noting its great fruit too, beautifully blackcurranty with a satisfyiung wholeness, good structure and backbone to develop for a few years yet.  A brilliant bargain.

Rating:  4 glasses – A cut above
Value:  Sensational
Food:  Black olive braised beef

Ross Noble – Wine Writer for The Courier Newspaper, Adelaide Hills, SA.

Eighteen top wines for Father’s Day
Salute:  Bella Vigna Shiraz

Haselgrove was acquired by four Italian Australians in 2008.  Greg Clack is chief winemaker.  The Haselgrove Bella Vigna Beautiful Vineyard Shiraz 2009 is sourced from some of McLaren Vale’s best vineayrds and it shows in the depth of flavour.  There are ripe raspberry and blackberry aromas and falvours and well intergrated oak.  It is a rich, and rewarding wine that deserves prime beef or game, or maybe full flavoured cheeses.
$25 – Mail Order

In 2008 the business was acquired by four Italian-Australian wine stalwarts:  Don Totino, Don Luca, Tony Carrocci and Steve Maglieri.  The wines are released in four ranges:  at the top, the Il Padrone The Boss Series; next the Bella Vigna (Beautiful Vineyard) Series; then the Primo Taglio First Cut Series; and at the entry level, the ‘H’ by Haselgrove Series.  Exports to Europe and Asia.

Four Glasses out of Five

Bella Vigna McLaren Vale Shiraz 2008

Right in the mainstream of McLaren Vale style; sumptuous blackfruits, dark chocolate and cedar are intertwined with ripe tannins; good length and balance.  Screwcap.  14.5% alc.  Rating 93.  To 2020.  $25

Il Padrone The Boss McLaren Vale Shiraz 2007

Some colour development; the complex bouquet of blackfruits, mocha oak and dark chocolate leads into a medium- to full-bodied palate with more of the same; a barrel selection, but all new French oak, made only in exceptional vintages – curious, because ‘07 was certainly not exceptional, rather the reverse.  However, hyperbole to one side, this is a very good wine.  Screwcap.  14.5% alc.  Rating 93.  To 2027.  $48

Bella Vigna Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Light straw-green; a thoroughly appealing mix of citrus/lime and tropical fruits; the finish lingering and long in the mouth.  Screwcap.  12% alc.  Rating 90.  To 2012.  $20

Rusty-coloured leaves have mostly fallen from the vines in the Barossa Valley but, at many vineyards, great dark masses of shrivelled fruit remain. Most grapes are probably Grenache because it was a shocker year for this variety in the Barossa. Even those vignerons able to harvest clean, rot-free grapes found the flavour so dilute it was doubtful even for making rose´. That’s the bad news. Not much Grenache dry red from the Barossa in 2011. The good news is there are more great Grenache dry reds being produced in South Australia than ever, writes Huon Hooke in The Sydney Morning Herald.

Go to http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/top-drop/growing-appeal-of-grenache-20110625-1gk88.html to read more about the Grenache styles of South Australia and click http://www.haselgrove.com.au/2010/10/bella-vigna-grenache/ to read about our Single Vineyard McLaren Vale Grenache

Best McLaren Vale Shiraz + James Rogers trophy for Best Wine in its 1st Year of Production

Due to a huge response from the International Wine Challenge trophies, the Bella Vigna 2008 McLaren Vale Shiraz has now sold out. 

Be sure to look for it in your local outlet (see information below) and we look forward to the release of the 2009 Bella Vigna Shiraz and Cabernet in November – they’re sure to be crackers!

NSW Outlets
IGA Supermarket, BALGOWLAH HEIGHTS
Copacabana Cellar, COPACABANA
North Epping Cellars, EPPING
Wine Haven, KILLARNEY HEIGHTS
IGA Supermarket, LINDFIELD
Harris Cellars, PYRMONT
Callaghan Street Liquor Store, RYDE
Clareville Cellars, SYDNEY
Toongabbie Plaza Cellars, TOONGABBIE

VIC Outlets
Tica Teras, CARLTON
Casavini Restaurant, DONCASTER EAST
Il Duca Restaurant, EAST MELBOURNE
Barrio Cafe, IVANHOE EAST
Chillipadi, MELBOURNE CBD
Randalls, the Wine Merchant, NEWTOWN
Toorak Thai, SOUTH YARRA

First the 2008 Bella Vigna McLaren Vale Shiraz was awarded a gold medal at the International Wine Challenge in London.

Then it was awarded 5 stars by Winestate Magazine in their Shiraz Challenge.

Now it is in the running for Winestate’s Shiraz of the Year… only time will tell. 

Look for the results in the September issue of Winestate Magazine, but I’m sure that if we win, you’ll all know about it through the grapevine!

Meanwhile, you can purchase the Bella Vigna Shiraz from The Edinburgh Cellars at Mitcham for around $25 per bottle, or it’s available direct from the winery.  Just let us know if you’d like a case!

SERVE THIS WINE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE WITH BEEF RAGU OR A PLATTER OF MATURED CHEESES.
Enjoy now or cellar for up to ten years to enhance complexity.

REGION

The Coonawarra

COLOUR

Deep cherry with a cherry red hue.

AROMA

The aroma displays blackberry, red currants, cassis with underlying menthol and eucalypt.

PALATE

Fresh blackberry, clove and spice abound on the palate with an underlying tone of menthol, Matured in new and old French oak barriques for 15 months, this Cabernet Sauvignon was selected by the method of barrel classification and has a smooth tannin finish with great length.

ALCOHOL  13.5%

PRICE  $25 per bottle, $300 per dozen

SERVE THIS WINE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, DELICIOUS WITH RACK OF LAMB, STUFFED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS AND FRESH GREEN BEANS.
Enjoy now or cellar for up to ten years to enhance complexity.

REGION

McLaren Vale

COLOUR

Deep plum with a plum red hue.

AROMA

The aroma displays mulberries and plums with nuances of cigar box and cedar.

PALATE

Mulberry, blackcurrant, plums and hints of blackberry compbine with chestnuts and cashew.  Matured in a combination of new and seasoned French & American oak barriques for 18 months, this Shiraz was selected by barrel classification and has a smooth tannin finish with great length.

ALCOHOL  14.5%

PRICE  $25 per bottle, $300 per dozen

PERFECT WITH A MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE & COUS COUS.

Enjoy now or cellar for up to five years.  Serve this wine at room temperature.

REGION

McLaren Vale

COLOUR

Ruby red with a ruby red to pink purple hue.

AROMA

The nose displays perfumed fresh raspberries, blueberry and boysenberry supported by marshmallow, sweet vanilla spice and a dusty earthiness.

PALATE

The raspberry and blueberry aromas follow onto the palate with cooked rhubarb and a hint of sour cherry.  Matured in seasoned French and American oak, the wine displays fine grain tannins.

ALCOHOL

14.5%

Price $25 per bottle, $300 per dozen

SERVE WITH AN EYE FILLET & RED WINE REDUCTION ON A BED OF BABY BEETROOT & RUSTIC MASH.
Enjoy now of cellar for up to twenty years to enhance complexity.

REGION

McLaren Vale

COLOUR

Deep garnet to black with a garnet hue.

AROMA

The aroma displays aniseed, licorice, plums and mulberry with underlying sweet vanilla.

PALATE

The inaugural Il Padrone is a powerful and deeply flavoured McLaren Vale Shiraz matured in 100% new French oak. Aromas of plum and mulberry are complemented by earthiness and spice which follow onto the palate with savoury tannins.

ALCOHOL  14.5%

PRICE  $48 per bottle, $576 per dozen – sold in 6pks

SERVE THIS WINE CHILLED WITH A RIPE RUNNY BRIE OR CREME BRULEE & SUMMER BERRIES.
Enjoy now or cellar for up to five years to enhance complexity.

REGION

McLaren Vale

COLOUR

Deep ruby red with a ruby hue.

AROMA

The aroma displays cherry, blackberry and raspberry complemented by spicy, savoury notes.

PALATE

Fresh raspberries and fruitcake abound on the palate creating a clean, mouth filling mousse which tingles on the tongue and has great length.

ALCOHOL  13.0%

PRICE  $36 per bottle, $432 per dozen – sold in 6pks

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