Coonawarra Classics.....

Get your tickets to Swirl, Sniff, Spit's Coonawarra Classics tasting here.

Think Coonawarra, and thoughts of sumptuous reds spring to mind – from the rich rust-coloured Terra Rossa soil for which it’s internationally recognised, to the prized red wines that have made it famous. There are the ruddy cheeks of those who tend the vines; the crimson sunsets that sweep across a vast horizon; and of course, there’s the fiery passion in the veins of our vignerons and winemakers. 

To that we've added some bubbles to get the evening going, a few white wines and matched it all to traditional greek food from Kafe Meze.

On Arrival
Katnook NV Sparkling
Dips served with pita bread (Melitzanosalata, Skordalia, Taramosalata, Tzatziki)

Bracket One, Riesling
Raidis Riesling 2015 + Blok Riesling 2008
Atherino + Dolmades

Bracket Two,White
Patrick Fumé + Parker Chardonnay 2014
Grilled Cuttlefish + Saganaki

Bracket Three, Shiraz
Redman Shiraz 2013 + Majella Shiraz 2013
Loukaniko + Biftekia

Bracket Four, Cabernet
Rymill Cabernet 2013 + Leconfield Cabernet 2013
Kokkinisto + Lemon Potatoes + Greek Salad

Bracket Five, Aged Cabernet
Katnook Cabernet + Wynns Cabernet
Paidakia + Fried Kolokythi

Fancy it? Get your tickets here.

Viet N Vino - Tuesday 10th May 2016

Tickets are now available (here) for Swirl, Sniff, Spit's next event - an evening of Vietnamese food with an attempt to match to this cuisine that is variously: aromatic, spicy, saucy.

We're not Sommeliers - but we enjoy good food and wine and part of the fun is looking to share the experience of trying to match wines to such cuisine. 

So Join us for a night of delightful Vietnamese and delicious Vino.

As always, we will discuss the food and wine matches, and give you a bit of insight into the styles on pour.

Looking forward to a great night of food, booze and cheer.

Line-up (final line-up and vintage subject to confirmation):

Bracket 1

1) Stargazer Riesling @StargazerWine
2) Te Whare Gewurztraminer @TeWhareRaWines

Match: Shrimp and Pork Rolls; Mini Spring Rolls

Bracket 2
3) Yangarra Pet' Nat' @Yangarra
4) Mac Forbes Woori Yallock Rosé @MacForbesWines

Match: Steamed Dim Sims; Salt and Pepper Stuffed Chicken Wings

Bracket 3
5) Kooyong Clonale Chardonnay

6) Jamsheed Beechworth Roussanne @JamsheedWines
Match: Salt and Pepper Squid; Chicken and Chilli With Coconut Sauce

Bracket 4

7) Farr Rising Gamay

8) Dub Style #1 Grenache
Match: Crispy Duck, Asian Greens and Plum Sauce; Fish With Tamarind Sauce

Bracket 5 

9) Izway Mates Mataro

Match: Beef with Lemongrass and Ginger

To join us for this exciting tasting, head on over to our ticketing platform Eventbrite:
http://vietnvino.eventbrite.com/

The M Word: Mourvédre, Mataro, Monastrell

Tickets are now available (here) for Swirl, Sniff, Spit's next event - focussing on the variety variously known as Mourvedre, Mataro and Monastrell.

Mourvédre, Mataro, potato, potato. What's in a name? Why in Australia do we see the same grape variety called variously Mataro, Monastrell or Mourvédre?  Why do we rarely see it shine in the spotlight on its own? Rather, we see it reduced to the letter 'M' in one of the many GSM (or variations thereof) blends that Australia does so well. 

It is some of these points, and hopefully more, that we plan going to explore. Mataro is not a new variety, nor:

"a case of the next big thing, rather it's an ancient beast of a vine that has survived in Australian soil for longer than just about any other grape variety"

Line-up (final line-up and vintage subject to confirmation):

Bracket 1

1) Andrew Seppelt Wines Esparté @barossandrew
2) Domaine de la Tour du Bonne

Match: Olive crostini with basil and lemon labne

Bracket 2
3) Woods Crampton Mataro Rosé 2015 @fourthwavewine
4) Bespoke Bros n/a

Match: Confit Duck with juniper

Bracket 3
5) Pikes SGM @PikesCV

6) Tim Smith MGS @TimSmithBarossa
Match: Yorkshire pudding topped with roasted rib-eye, jus and wild onions

Bracket 4

7) Tom Shobbrook Nouveau n/a

8) Ridgemill Estate Mourvédre @RidgemillEstate

Bracket 5 

9) Domaine Tempier Cuvee Classique n/a

10) Primitivo Quiles Raspaye Monastrell 2008
Match: Meatballs with tomato sauce and gremolata

Bracket 6 

11) Flaxman Wines Mataro @FlaxmanWines

12) Syrahmi Mourvédre @monsieurfoster
Match: Pork belly with cinnamon roasted apple and walnuts

Bonus Round

13) Ballycroft Wines Mataro VP

To join us for this exciting tasting, head on over to our ticketing platform Eventbrite:
http://mataro.eventbrite.com

"Hen's Teeth" - Wine and Food Event

Tickets are available for our 19th May tasting via Eventbrite here

hen’s teeth

1. plural form of hen's tooth
2. (idiomatic) anything very rare or impossible to obtain is said to be like finding hen's teeth.

OK, so we maybe stretching the idiom here - but the wines on show here are certainly rare, though not impossible to find, in an Aussie context.

Again we celebrate the pioneers, the growers, vignerons and winemakers who are choosing to express themselves via grape varieties so new to Australia, that they may be the only producers doing so.

As ever, we look to show some top drawer wines, impart a little knowledge and have a little fun.

At a new - to us - venue, the ticket price on this occasion includes matched canapés with each bracket of wines (sorry, no food substitutes available).

Wine and Food Pairings

Bracket 1

Coriole Picpoul 2015

Kaesler Stonehorse Palomino 2013

~ Fresh oyster with lemon

Bracket 2

Lost Valley Winery Cortese 2011

"An Ape is Loose" Greco

~ Crostini with zucchini, citrus, chilli and buffalo mozzarella 

Bracket 3

Dell'Uva Arinto

Billy Button Friulano

~ Salted cod fritters with lemon caper dipping sauce

Bracket 4

Vinteloper Refosco 

Sorrenberg Gamay

~ Buckwheat blini with beetroot and goat's cheese

Bracket 5

Dell'Uva Mencia

Hahndorf Hill Blaufrankisch

~ Meatball with spicy herbaceous Napoli and parmesan

Bracket 6

Woods Crampton Bonvedro

Ridgemill Estate Jaquez

~ Rich beef cheek ragu with polenta

Swirl Sniff Spit's Overseas Experience

Andrew Nielsen - Le Grappin

Tickets are available for Swirl, Sniff, Spit's February tasting; via ticketing platform Eventbrite, here.

Wanderlust! The early history of (white settlement in) Australia is full of the legends of intrepid explorers, of those seeking new frontiers and pushing new boundaries. The modern inception of that is OE, the beloved Overseas Experience.

Winemakers are no exception. Seeking inspiration from classic wines made overseas, drinking them in copious amounts too. And then there are those winemakers who take the time to make wines overseas, either on a permanent basis, to undertake vintage or just produce something under their own name elsewhere.

Can you see where this is heading....? So, pop Tuesday 17th February in your diaries...as Swirl Sniff Spit heads off for a bit of OE (passport not required).

Provisional Line-up (subject to change, vintage availability): 

Ulithorne Vermentinu 2013 @UlithorneWine
Timo Mayer Kemstal Kabinett Riesling Twitter 2011 n/a

Croser Tunakilla Riesling 2008 @Tapanappa
Le Grappin Beaune 1er Cru Les Greves Blanc @legrappin

Jane Eyre Sauvigny Les Baunes Aux Vergelesses 1er Cru 2011 @JaneEyreWines
Le Grappin 1er Boucherottes @legrappin

2 Men in Mendoza Uco Valley Malbec 2012 @TwoMenInMendoza
Jed Argentinian Cab Franc @JedWines

L'Imposteur Collioure AOC 2010 @MonsieurFoster
Fletcher Barolo 'Alta Pete' 2010 @FletcherWines

Swirl Sniff Spit's Iberian Wine Holiday

Holiday season is almost here...and to get you in the mood for our November tasting, we'll be featuring 12 wines from Spain and Portugal. The event is ticketed, tickets available via Eventbrite.

Our special guest host Pete Rogers of Naked Bunch Wines will guide us on a journey through the regions and styles of two of the oldest wine producing countries in Europe. Many of the producers Pete works with focus on native Iberian varietals, producing fruitful, authentically savoury wines that are balanced, elegant and importantly, delicious!

Come and join us on what is sure to be one of our best tastings this year.

Branco vs Blanco

Bracket 1

Quinta do Ameal Loureiro 2012, Vinhos Verdes Portugal 

Telmo Rodriguez ‘Gaba do Xil’ Godello 2013 Valdeorras, Spain

Bracket 2

Luis Pato Vinhas Velhas Branco (Bical blend) 2012 Regional Beiras Portugal 

Eidosela Albarino 2012 Rias Baixas, Spain @BodegasEidosela

Bracket 3

Alvaro Castro Dao Branco (Encruzado blend) 2011, Dao Portugal

Capcanes Mas Donis Blanc (Garnacha blanc) 2013, Montsant, Spain @cellercapcanes

Tinto vs Tinto

Bracket 4

Luis Pato Baga 2008, Regional Beiras Portugal 

Viernes Mencia 2012 Bierzo Spain

Bracket 5

Alvaro Castro Dao Tinto (Touriga blend) 2012 

Roda Sela 2011 Rioja

Bracket 6

Quinta do Vale Dona Maria ‘Rufo’ (Douro field blend) 2011, Douro, Portugal  

Alvaro Palacios ‘Camins del Priorat’ 2011, Priorat, Spain

Swirl Sniff Spit - Spring: New Beginnings and New Releases

Just quietly, tickets are available for out Spring tasting here.

Spring is the season of new life, of new beginnings and renewal. In the wine industry it's when the vines start 'springing' back into life, a process known as budburst, and it's also when we start to see new releases hit the shelves and become available through wine clubs.

At Swirl, Sniff, Spit we're keen to show the best of some of these releases as we see them. As ever, there may be a few quirks, a few releases that year-in-year-out offer excellent drinking and will be perfect for the warmer months ahead.

Final line-up subject to confirmation:

Sparkling
Smallfry Cinsault Grenache Pétillant Naturel Rosé 2014 @SmallfryWines
Yangarra Pet Nat 2014 @Yangarra

Semillon & Sauvignon Blanc
Briar Ridge 2014 @BriarRidge

Guthrie Wines 'The Little Things' Sauvignon Blanc 2014 @HugeWino

Riesling

Pewsey Vale Eden Valley 2014 @Pewseyvale

O'Leary Walker Watervale 2014 @OLearyWalker

Other Whites
De Bortoli Vinoque Oval Pinot Blanc 2014 @DeBortoliWines
Chaffey Brothers Wine Co Düfte Punkt 2014 @ChaffeyBrosWine

Rosé
Oliver's Taranga Chica Mencia Rosé 2014 @OliversTaranga
Chaffey Brothers Wine Co 'Not Your Grandmother's' Rosé 2014 @ChaffeyBrosWine
Dominique Portet Rosé 2014 @portetwines 

Reds

Yangarra PF 2014 @Yangarra

Battle of Bosworth Puritan 2014 @BosworthWines

We hope you can join us for our September tasting.

Swirl Sniff Spit - Session 35 - A New American Frontier

Tickets are available for our August tasting here.

"There exist limitless opportunities in every industry" so wrote inventor Charles F Kettering. This can apply equally to wine as it could any other industry, "and where there is an open mind, there will be a frontier".

A new frontier in American wine is the theme for our August tasting. Our host for the evening is Brad Hickey, himself a son of that great country, the man behind the Brash Higgins wine label; former Wine Director of 2 Michelin star New York fine dining establishment Bouley. In short, a man who knows wine and knows the new frontiers of wine being explored in his homeland.

Brad has personally selected a range of wines spanning this diverse country. Stylistically, varietally and regionally we will explore American wines from producer who are choosing to tread a different path to that which commonly prevails.

Come share in this rare opportunity to taste a diverse range of wines, lead by an individual who will inform, entertain and share in their enjoyment.

1. 2012 Paumanok Chenin Blanc-North Fork, Long island, NY @PaumanokWine

2. 2012 Hermann J. Wiemer “Dry" Riesling, Finger Lakes, NY

3. 2012 Dutton-Goldfield “Dutton Ranch” Chardonnay, Russian River, CA @DuttonGoldfield

4. 2010 Channing Daughters “Meditazione”, White Friulian Blend, Hamptons, Long Island, NY @CDWWine

5. 2013 Idlewild Grenache Gris, Gibson Ranch, Mendocino, CA

6. 2011 A Tribute to Grace Grenache, "Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard", Santa Barbara, CA

7. 2010 Sineann Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR

8. 2012 Peay Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, CA @PeayVineyards

9. 2010 Forlorn Hope “Mil Amores, Dewitt Vineyard”, (Touriga Nacional, Tinto Roriz, Trincadeira), Sierra Foothills, CA @ForlornHopeWine

10. 2011 Scholium Project “Gardens of Babylon” Red Blend, CA @ScholiumWines

11. 2011 Edmeades Zinfandel, Mendocino County, CA @EdmeadesWine

12. 2008 La Jota “Heritage", Howell Mt. Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, CA @LaJotaWines

Swirl Sniff Spit - Session 32 - April 2015

April's tasting sees us explore a number of wines that utilise different techniques - some new, most old - in which to express themselves and their terroir.

Wines such as Yelland & Papp's Roussanne made as many a Chardonnay is, to build texture and complexity; Brash Higgins' Zibibbo (ZBO) fermented in clay amphorae again to build texture but also to aid in longevity; The Lane Vineyard's Block 14 Shiraz and its inclusion of a portion of whole berries to aid in aromatics; Dandelion Vineyard's Lion's Tooth Shiraz Riesling, why add acid when Riesling can do the same naturally? You get the idea...we hope.

The unifying element is that each wine must stand up to what you have come to expect from Swirl, Sniff, Spit - and that is for a wine to be a quality drinking proposition.

The wines here are a diverse bunch, from across the country, from producers young and old. As ever, you be the judge.

Tickets are available here: http://SSSApril2014.eventbrite.com.au

Line-up:
1) Ar Fion 'Field Blend' 2012 @Salo1978
2) Best's Foudré Riesling 2013 @BestsWines
3) Y&P 2nd Take Roussanne 2013 @YellandAndPapps
4) Andrew Seppelt Wines Esparté 2013 @Barossandrew
5) BK Skin & Bones White 2013 @BKWines
6) Brash Higgins ZBO 2013 @BrashHiggins

Reds
7) The Lane Vineyard Block 14 Shiraz 2012 @TheLaneVineyard
8) Topper's Mountain Earth Child 2011 @ToppersMtnWines
9) Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand Petit Verdot - Boovability and Basket Range Vineyards Multi-Vintage
10) Dandelion Vineyards Lion's Tooth of Mclaren Vale Shiraz Riesling 2010 @DandelionWines
12) Timo Meyer Close Planted Pinot Noir 2013 

Swirl Sniff Spit - Session 30 - Tasmania

Brisbane boy Dave Cush was studying law when, working in a bottle shop, he was smitten. It was love. Love in a bottle.

After twelve years at the helm of leading Tasmanian producer Spring Vale, Dave has returned home to Brisbane – and naturally jumped at the chance to show to the #SwirlSniffSpit crowd the vinous delights of Tasmania at our 18th February tasting.

We’ll be looking at Tasmania through the lens that is Pinot Noir – a grape variety very reflective of terroir – and unarguably Tasmania’s signature grape variety.

This is a paid tasting ($20/ticket) and tickets are available now through Eventbrite.

All wines are from the 2012 vintage.

Bracket 1 - Tamar

Holyman @StoneyRise
Holm Oak @HolmOakWinesTas

Bracket 2 - Pipers Brook

Delamere @DelamereWine

Sinapius @Sinapius

Bracket 3 - East Coast

Spring Vale @SpringValeWines

Freycinet Twitter n/a

Bracket 4 - Coal Valley

Pressing Matters @PressingMatters @VineyardPaul
Glaetzer-Dixon Twitter n/a

Bracket 5 - Derwent Valley (Granton Sub-Region)

Derwent Estate @DerwentEstate

Stefano Lubiana Primavera @StefanoLubiana

Bracket 6 - Huon Valley

Home Hill @HomeHillWines
Sailor Seeks Horse @SSHWine

Special Event - A Sparkling Exploration with Dan Buckle, Domaine Chandon Australia

For our final event of 2013, we are pleased to bring you the opportunity to attend a very special tasting with Dan Buckle, Senior Winemaker at Domaine Chandon Australia which will focus solely on Sparkling wines and Champagne.

Limited places are available at this tasting where we will look at 12 exceptional examples - sparkling wine from Australia and around the world along with varietal groups and subregions of Champagne. 

Our host for the evening, Dan Buckle, joined Domaine Chandon two years ago having previously been the winemaker behind cool climate shiraz favourites Mount Langi Ghiran for eight years. Earlier this year, Dan was the winner of the prestigious Vin de Champagne award, presented by the Champagne Bureau Australia to recognise the best Champagne palates in Australia. 

Since Swirl Sniff Spit's inception, we have received more requests to hold a Champange tasting than for any other style, variety or region, yet we've never had the right opportunity for an event that would do the subject justice. So we are thrilled that Dan will be sharing his exceptional knowledge and hands on experience with us. 

Our venue for this event will be the beautiful and intimate 1889 Enoteca cellar room. Our hosts at 1889 Enoteca have put together a special menu for the event and guests will have the option to order meals which will be served at the conclusion of the tasting.

We look forward to welcoming you to this special event with Dan as our guide.

The list of wines Dan has personally selected for our tasting are listed below

When: Tuesday 3 December, 6pm for 6:30pm

Where: 1889 Enoteca, 10 - 12 Logan Road, Woolloongabba

How: Register online (ticketed event) at https://sparklingexploration.eventbrite.com.au

Bracket 1 - USA

Domaine Carneros by Taittinger Brut Cuvée NV, USA
Mumm Napa Brut Prestige NV,  USA
Roederer Estate Brut NV, USA

Bracket 2 - Australia

Domaine Chandon Cuvée 500
House of Arras Blanc de Blancs 
Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Cuvée Nina 2010

Bracket 3 - Champagne

Pierre Peters Cuvée de Reserve Brut NV 
Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs NV
Ruinart Blanc de Blancs NV

Bracket 4 - Champagne

Andre Clouet Grand Reserve Brut NV
Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru Brut Tradition NV
Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut NV
Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin Vintage

Further information on Dan Buckle:

Meet Domaine Chandon's Dan Buckle (article by Jane Faulkner)

Meet The Winemaker (video)