(S) Wolf Blass: "Red Label" Pink Moscato, from Barossa Valley, SA

Appearance
Rose-petal pink with a stead stream of fine bubbles.

Smell
Early: Sweet strawberries and some lemon zest.
Later: Strawberries and lemon are joined by musk and lime.

Palate
Semi-sweet with a decent amount of acidity, no tannin & light on for alcohol and body. Moderate intensity flavours of strawberries and limes. A great & affordable drop for a warm day or a spicy meal.

Tale
Wolfgang Blass was born in 1934 in Germany & after studying in Champagne & graduating witha  Masters in Oenology, Wolf moved to Australia in 1961. Within 5 years, Wolf had established his own brand, Wolf Blass Wines and in 1970 began working with his first winemaker, John Glaetzer.

The Wolf Blass brand grew in size and prestige, winning numerous awards, including the 1974-1976 Jimmy Watson Trophies, until the company was purchased by Mildara in 1991, creating the Mildara Blass Wine company. After a succession of industry acquisitions, the Wolf Blass brand now resides in the Treasury Wine Estates portfolio.

Price: $9
Quality: ☆☆☆☆
Value: ☆☆☆☆☆

www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_706965
www.wolfblass.com/en-au/wines/red-label/pink-moscato

(R) Kaiora Bay (Aldi): "Reserve" Pinot Noir 2014, from Central Otago, New Zealand

Appearance
A semi-transparent, dark garnet colour.

Smell
Early: Fruity & floral, dominated by dark cherries, plums and raspberries. Some savoury undergrowth notes round out the nose.
Later: Aromas have faded to cherry, with some raspberry.

Palate
Dry with reasonable acidity. Silky smooth tannins, light alcohol & body. The flavours are of tart cherries and wild strawberries, however the fruit tastes greener & slightly bitter towards the end of the bottle. The finish is a little short.

Tale
Unfortunately there's not much of a tale here, as this is an Aldi-exclusive. Aldi mentions the fact it's from Central Otago & has won a few awards, however little other information is given. In short, it's acceptable, but not a Pinot I'll be racing to buy again.

Price: $15
Quality: ☆☆
Value: ☆☆☆

https://www.aldi.com.au/en/groceries/liquor/wine/laundry-detail/ps/p/kaiora-bay-central-otago-reserve-pinot-noir-2014

(W) Tscharke: Eva 2016 Savagnin Frizzante, from Marananga, Barossa Valley, Australia

Appearance
Pale lemon with a persistent fizz.

Smell
Early: Very sublte aromas of apple, lemon pith, and finishing a little floral.
Later: Crunchy golden apple dominates, with plenty of white florals and some dry straw.

Palate
Semi-sweet, with enough acid to stop it feeling flabby or unctuous. Minimal alcohol (6%) & a light body with more of the same light flavours, where apple and lemon are backed by even more subtle floral and nutty flavours. This is an absolutely refreshing wine that is best served cold on a scorching hot day, with regular refills.

Tale
The Tscharke family left Hamburg, Germany in 1860, setting sail for a new life in South Australia. Damien Tscharke is a sixth-generation farmer, who at the age of 22, decided to branch out & make wine from the grapes his family had been growing for other wineries. A few years later the "Tscharke" label born and the current winery facilities were beginning to be developed.

"Lifestyle" appears to be the philosophy behind most decisions of Damien & Eva Tscharke, such as importing the cellar door building from Germany (Eva's homeland), running the cellar door to showcase Eva's pottery (which visitors can also buy), utilising sustainable viticultural practices, and keeping wine prices low so the wines can be enjoyed by all.

Unlike most wines I've reviewed on here, this bottle of Savagnin came straight from the cellar door in the Barossa Valley. Before visiting the Valley I hadn't even heard of Tscharke and only dropped-in on a word-of-mouth recommendation from the staff at Seppeltsfield. Now, Tscharke's Place sits at the top of my list of essential stops in the valley. If you are fortunate enough to visit, take a peek at the downstairs tasting room - it's the stuff wine dreams are made of!

Price: $10
Quality: ☆☆☆☆
Value: ☆☆☆☆☆

www.tscharke.com.au/product/2017-eva-frizzante-semi-sweet