Red, red wine...

... goes to my heaaaaaad... makes me forget that I.................ummm, '

(Clearly it makes me forget - amongst other things - the lyrics to this classic Neil Diamond track... )

However, I think you'll all agree with me that a good bottle of red (or 3) is definitely worth losing a few brain cells over.

And this week I am going to share with you some amazing deals I have discovered on cult Aussie reds, from three of Australia's most renowned producers.

Firstly we head over to Margaret River in Western Australia. Cape Mentelle is the winery in question and their cabernet-merlot blend, the 'Trinders' 2007 is an absolute cracker of a wine.

Deep, dark plum in appearance, with a fragrance of blackcurrant, lavender and tobacco, you'll be dying to jump into this baby the moment you take your first sniff. And the first sip will not disappoint: a palate of juicy ripe plums, blueberries and currants, with fine tannins leaving a long, lingering finish. It won't be long before you are faced with an empty bottle and confusion as to where it all went. It's that good. A suggested food match is pasta with wild mushrooms, or seared lamb.

At its RRP of around $30, its pretty good value. However, at this week's price (at you-know-where) of $18.90 in any six, its a no-brainer. Stock up now, or you'll kick yourself down the track. Don't say I didn't warn you!

The next cab (sauv) off the rank is Jacob's Creek St Hugo Cab Sauvignon 2005. This wine is made entirely from grapes grown in Coonawarra's famous terra rossa soil. Here's the lowdown: Classic regional mint and blackcurrant on the nose. The richness and intensity of fruit flavour is perfectly balanced with fresh acidity. A full bodied wine displaying a satisfyingly rich, textured palate of concentrated cassis and berry fruit flavours with well integrated tannins.

The St Hugo is in the top 25 of Australia's most collected wines, and usually retails for around $35. This week you can pick up a bottle for $26.90, so why not grab a few and start your own collection. Although, good luck with keeping them for longer than a few weeks!

We finish off with a wine from Wolf Blass - their The Grey Label Shiraz 2007. Wolf Blass have been making wines for over 30 years and have such an extensive range, the non-wine-nerd can easily get confused as to what's what. However, with the introduction of the coloured label system, this problem is made a lot easier. Their Platinum Label and Black Label are No 1 and 2 respectively; and these super-premium wines retail at over $130/bottle.

Their Grey Label is next in line, and the wines produced under this label are consistently brilliant and great value for money, especially in the case of the shiraz mentioned above. Usually retailing for around $35/bottle, this week stock up your cellar for $24.90/bottle in any six.

The grapes used in this drop are sourced wholly from the McLaren Vale region. Tasting notes as follows: aromas of rich, ripe berries with hints of pepper, spice and dark chocolate with a rich, soft, fruit palate with well-integrated oak, soft tannins and a long seamless finish.

There's no better time for a red wine tour of Australia, and with a six-pack consisting of the above wines, you can cover a good deal of this vast country, without even leaving your armchair.

However, you may need a long lie-down afterwards.

Get amongst it peoples!



Yours in Plonk



The Plonker