The holidays’ over: and what a way to be greeted!!

New Umberto label in the flesh

Well I hope everyone had a relaxing January, spending time with family with a glass of something nice in your hand. I had two fantastic weeks off and arrived back at work today with a container from Italy. Talk about stepping straight back into it.

Considering how crazy December was (records were broken across all our businesses) we have been busy restocking with today roughly our 10th container for the year. Luckily in this container was more Umberto Luigi Domenico Prosecco. I think half of Australia have been crying for the first 15 days of January whilst we have been waiting on stocks of this wine.

This week will also see the arrival of the first shipment of Gianfranco Soldera wines in Australia via Mondo Imports. We drank a bottle of the 2006 last night and it blew us away. A bottle of 2004 in early December also showed so beautifully that left all of us at the table flabbergasted. No words needed to describe the quality.

This week we have the 2008 Soldera arriving, a wine that I think will be considered one of the ‘great Soldera’s’. I drank two bottles of this wine with Gianfranco in Italy and it is already so complete.

See below for Antonio Galloni’s review of the wine:

The 2008 Toscana Sangiovese lifts from the glass with striking perfume. Soft and silky on the palate, the 2008 presents an exquisite range of Pinot-inflected fruit backed up by super-silky, impeccably polished tannins. The 2008 spent 18 months in cask and finished its aging in steel, so it is quite different from virtually every other wine made at Case Basse, but it is drop-dead gorgeous just the same. Gentle hints of spice linger on the sensual, ravishing finish. This is an extraordinary wine from Gianfranco Soldera. Drink 2018-2038 96 points Antonio Galloni, Vinous

In other news:

A 97 point review from Gary Walsh at The Wine Front for Hoddles Creek Estate 1er Pinot Noir 2013 has seen this wine sell out at a wholesale level within 2 weeks of being released. You should be able to find stocks at good independents around Oz for the next few weeks before they sell out as well.

Family, sun, surf & Italian beer

I can’t say that I have drunk a lot of good wine. Most of the restaurants have massive mark ups for some pretty average wines. I did sneak up a couple of bottles of Roagna and Hoddles Creek Chardonnay which will go down a treat when we eat in.

I have however enjoyed spending the daylight hours at the beach, broken up by lunch (typically salad washed down with Italian beer). It is amazing to see my kids grow up and for them, a day at the beach with their family and friends is their idea (and mine) of perfection.
Life is short and time with family is so precious.

There is still lots of stuff happening whilst I have been away. New shipments from Luca Roagna and Salvatore Moliettieri plus heaps of containers full of #realitalianbeer.

Happy holidays!!!

After the hustle and bustle of a busy (but fantastic 2011), it is good to finally have a week off with my family and spend some serious time with my wife and kids before my crazy schedule begins.

Today was the perfect day. Up early for a drive down to the Mornington Peninsula and lunch (which consisted of Pizza and a glass of Pinot Grigio) at T’Gallant before heading to the beach for a swim. Finally we caught up with friends for a beer at their beach house before returning home.

Pretty much the perfect holiday schedule for me.

Can you ever have enough Nebbiolo?

One of the only negatives about being on holidays is the lack of choice when it comes to drinking. I alway pack a few good bottles in my bag and aim mainly to give wine a bit of a miss and just sit back in the sun and enjoy a few (Italian) beers.
However, after a few days, I start to get serious Nebbiolo withdrawals: you can never drink enough Nebbiolo.

Luckily I have a bottle of the 2006 Piero Benevelli Monforte Barolo put aside for dinner tonight. I have a feeling I might have a reason to celebrate 🙂

Calm before the storm..

After a busy year, I am off with my wife and two daughters on our annual October holiday for two weeks.

My phone is diverted, out of office placed on my emails and cold beer and the sun awaits.

My sweet little one.

Whilst winters in Australia are quite mild (today was a top of 16 degrees celcius), the cold still does get to you.
Twice a year I put our dog in a kennel and head for a beach holiday with my wife and two young children.

I can’t think of anything better than spending time away with my family. Normally I bring up with me a six pack of assorted wines to drink over the week, but more often than not, I am just as happy to have an ice cold Italian beer in my hand.