This week I 'ave been mostly drinking

Russell Wallace - General Manager - This week I 'ave been mostly drinking... nout, nothing, nada (unless you count Robinsons blackcurrant squash!).  Sad but true, this last week has been a totally dry week. So I guess what I need to fill this week is a "this week I wish I have been drinking" feature! For this there is one outstanding vineyard that has been releasing its new vintages for their bin ranges, thats right Penfolds.  Every year the hype seems to get greater and the demand bigger around this gem in the Australian wine crown. So wether you are a fan or a sceptic it is firmly here to stay and Robert Parker's newly released ratings for the wines seem set only to boost this. I have always had a fascination for Penfolds. Perhaps it is the dazzling array of wines they seem to keep adding to, but, more likely, it is the dinner I was lucky enough to enjoy at the Loch Lommond Golf Club 2 years ago in the company of the legend John Duval (if you don't know this particular legend he is the former wine maker responsible for creating the wines that are now iconic).  This year will see the release of the 2008 Grange which has just received the very rare accolade of 100 points!  So with this being a fantasy and all I can ignore what seems set to be a record breaking price tag for a record breaking wine can't I?  Well in truth no, and I will come back to explain why in just a second.  Next to the luxury wines of the Grange, RWT and 707, the 'little brother' wines of 389 and 407 are the next to get the limelight and with ratings also in the 90 point zone.  But then these are the kind of wines that generally speaking are sold within seconds of being bought so if you are looking for these from Exel Wines then again sorry but no can do. So it brings me to my champion the Penfolds Bin 28 2010, we have managed to hold back some stocks of this wine and with a 92 point rating (that is the same as the 389 at twice the price) it shall surely stand alongside the big names but at a fraction of the price.  This really brings us back to the raison d'etre of myself and the wider Exel Wines team: Quality and Value. With a price tag of around £20 it will still be a treat kind of wine, but ultimately a fantasy wine I can justify turning into reality very very soon and seeing if Mr Parker's ratings live up to my expectations.

Kieran German - Shop Manager - This week I 'ave mostly been drinking Tinpot Hut Sauvignon Blanc. With the exception of the truly extraordinary [not to mention unusual] GreyWacke Wild Sauvignon, the Tinpot Hut Sauvignon Blanc was the most palate-catching sauvignon I tasted during my recent jaunt to the Edingburgh wine tastings (of which you can read more here). Now, I like Kiwi Sauv; but when it comes to this sort of wine, my wife is the true connoisseur. So when I taste them I'm always more concerned with whether they're going to suit her superior tastebuds. This was the one I was sure of. At first sniff - faint hints of stoned fruit; substantial minerality; green salad. The nose is giving, but it's savoury. Onto the palate and you can almost feel the hairs of the kiwi-fruit skin. This is a dead dry wine, but it has a soft finish - none of the sharp acidity some of its peers show. And when you go back for a second sip green pepper is the overwhelming flavour. Who says Marlborough has no diversity? This is a wine made with some skill and great fruit. If my wife says so, it must be true.