For the seventh consecutive year, Langmeil Winery has retained its Five Red Star rating from James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion, placing it in the top 5% of premium Australian winemakers.

James Halliday is considered the authority on Australian wine, so if you’re going to listen to the critics, you could do a lot worse than take a suggestion or too from him when it comes to the wine from down under. He, like US critic Robert Parker, uses a 100 point scoring system.

The highest score Halliday gave ANY wine in 2010 was 96 points. This included the likes of the Jim Barry Armagh, Glaetzer’s Amon-Ra and Penfolds Grange. This year, Langmeil’s Freedom Shiraz 2008 received an almighty 97 points, and their Orphan Bank Shiraz 2008 a brilliant 96 points. It wasn’t only at the high-end that Langmeil excelled. We were delighted, although not altogether surprised, that the Three Gardens SMG 2009 landed 90 points. A very solid score for a wine at that price level.

Langmeil’s highlights from the 2012 results

Langmeil Freedom Shiraz 2008 (97 points)

“Fractionally more developed colour than Orphan Bank; likewise picked before the heat and with exceptional depth, richness and intensity to its multifaceted and layered aromas and flavours; open-fermented, basket-pressed and matured for two years in two-thirds new French barriques. Excellent tannins. Both wines have wonderful drive and length.”

Langmeil Orphan Bank Shiraz 2008 (96 points)

“Strong crimson-purple; a top quality shiraz, picked before the heatwave and made using the same techniques as Freedom, and has similar intensity, focus and length; here only one-third new French barriques, but the oak is a positive contributor.”

Langmeil Jackaman’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (94 points)

“A wine that honours its 60+-year-old vines, with hand pruning, hand picking, small bunch open fermenting, basket pressing and fermentation in French oak (50% new). The vintage posed a supreme challenge for cabernet but the wine passed the test with its redcurrant fruit and fine tannin support.”

Langmeil Valley Floor Shiraz 2008 (91 points)

“Opaque purple-red; a luscious rich and ripe (but not overripe) medium- to full-bodied Barossa shiraz, the plum, blackberry and prune flavours augmented by well integrated mocha/vanilla oak.”

Langmeil Three Gardens SMG 2009 (90 points)

“Relatively light colour, with good hue; a thoroughly amiable wine, the blend of Shiraz / Mourvedre / Grenache coming together well on the light to medium-bodied palate, with its spicy, juicy and soft tannins. Good balance.”

Highlights from Woodstock and Bleasdale Wineries

Bleasdale Powder Monkey Shiraz 2008 (95 points)

“Oak dominates the bouquet at first, but there is an underlying power of black fruits and graphite lurking beneath; the palate is incredibly solid and the concentration and complexity of the fruit undoubed;”

Bleasdale Generations Shiraz 2008 (93 points)

“Quite a dark personality is presented in this wine, with blackberry, tar, bitter chocolate and a touch of mint; the palate reveals a strong presence of dark fruits, and the oak and sweet fruit marry harmoniously on the mid-palate, with the savoury edge prominent on the finish. Diam.”

Bleasdale ‘T&M’ Tempranillo Malbec 2008 (90 points)

“A 60/40 blend, with cherry and plum tracking the two varieties allied with nuances of spice and chocolate, the tannins fine, the length good.”

Bleasdale Broad-Side Red Blend 2009 (89 points)

**Tasting notes yet to be released**

Woodstock ‘The Stocks’ Shiraz 2007 (96 points)

“This is a selection of the best barrels of shiraz from the century-old vines near the winery; the colour is good, the wine with a great array of spice, dark chocolate, black cherry and blackberry fruit; while only medium-bodied, it has outstanding length bolstered by fine, savoury tannins. 96 points.”

Woodstock Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (90 points)

“Relatively early picking has paid dividends, injecting cassis/red fruit notes into the wine, the bouquet fragrant, the palate medium-bodied, tannins just within bounds.”

Woodstock Shiraz – Cabernet 2008 (90 points)

“While exuberant, has better balance and control than the 2006 Shiraz, the black fruits nicely tightened by tannins on the finish, dark chocolate in the background. Will develop well.”

Pictured, Langmeil directors Richard Lindner, Carl Lindner and Chris Bitter. 20% off all Australian wines under €25 until the end of August.

This month we’re only giving away one bottle for our August contest… but it’s a good un.

Planted way back in 1843 by blacksmith Christian Auricht, one of the first German settlers in the Barossa Valley, Langmeil‘s Freedom vineyard today contains the oldest surviving Shiraz vines in the world.

Just last week James Halliday awarded the 2008 vintage of Langmeil’s The Freedom 1843 Shiraz 97 points, one of the highest scores ever awarded by the esteemed critic and world authority on Australian wine.

Fancy a taste of 168 years of history? We’ve one bottle to give away in this month’s contest.

To win, you must be subscribed to the Curious Wines newsletter. We’ll be including a not-too-difficult question and instructions on how to enter in our August newsletter going out soon.

Just missed it? Sign-up here and you’ll automatically get it sent to you.

If you love Australian wine, July’s contest is for you.

This month, we’ve the stunning latest edition of James Halliday’s Wine Atlas of Australia to give away, the award-winning and definitive book on Australian wine, with information on more than 550 wineries from over 70 regions. Each section is sumptuously illustrated, with analysis on each region, the grapes grown, the soil, the climate and the winegrowing history, and an introduction to the most respected Australian wineries and their signature labels.

Include two of our favourites from one of James Halliday’s 5 star wineries Langmeil – the 2009 Three Gardens and the brand new 2010 Eden Valley Chardonnay – plus a topographic map of the Barossa Valley, and you’ve July’s prize pack.

To win, you must be subscribed to the Curious Wines newsletter. We’ll be including a not-too-difficult question and instructions on how to enter in our July newsletter going out soon.

Just missed it? Sign-up here and you’ll automatically get it sent to you.

Good luck!

Back at the start of last month we had a bit of fun for our monthly contest. Inspired by the snazzy names and labels on our latest finds from Oz, Some Young Punks, we asked you for some new ideas for the quirky wine-making trio.

We asked Col McBryde of the Punks to pick a winner from the great list of suggestions, his response: “Gamay Death Ray. Awesome.”

We agree. Well done to the Grapes of Sloth himself, Paul Kiernan, great suggestion. We’ve James Halliday’s Australian Wine Encyclopedia and a bottle of Col’s finest on their way to you, Paul, trust you’ll enjoy.

We’re celebrating Australia in Curious Wines, this month and last, so November’s give-away is another must-have in any wine-lover’s book collection (and wine-rack!).

James Halliday is the authority on Australian wine with an unparalleled knowledge of the industry gained over 40 years making, tasting, judging and writing about wine. Last year, for the first time, his unrivalled knowledge about all aspects of wine was channelled into The Australian Wine Encyclopedia.

More than 800 meticulously researched, authoritative entries cover everything from the personalities involved in the evolution of wine and the great estates that have filled the country’s cellars to the viticulture, climate and natural challenges posed by Australia’s wine regions. The Australian Wine Encyclopedia investigates, articulates and ultimately celebrates all that makes up the Australian wine landscape.

We’ve one copy to give away, along with a bottle of the mercurial Squid’s Fist by Some Young Punks, featured in last weekend’s Sunday Tribune by Lar Veale.

TO WIN, we’re going have a bit of fun this month:

Some Young Punks have come up with some of the most imaginative wines, labels and names we’ve ever come across, such as Passion Has Red Lips, Battle Island, Quickie!, Naked On Roller Skates and Monsters Monsters Attack! (Check out the full line-up on the Punks’ website.)

We want you to come up with a new wine for the Punks to consider. Simply give us the grape (or blend of grapes) you’d love to see them try, along with the name you think would best represent it. The best (funniest, quirkiest, most entertaining, most ingenious) idea, as selected by the Punks themselves, wins the prize. It’s that simple.

Leave your entries here in the comments below, or on our Facebook page under this post. Good luck!

Our October prize featured James Halliday also, with his Australian Wine Companion 2011 and a 93-pointer rated by the man himself up for grabs. Congratulations to Debbie Stone, who left one of 96 correct answers between our blog and Facebook page.

Continuing our Australian theme for the month, our October prize is a must-have for all lovers of wine from the land Down Under.

James Halliday is the authority on Australian wine with an unparalleled knowledge of the industry gained over 40 years making, tasting, judging and writing about wine. His Australian Wine Companion has become the indispensible handbook for professional and amateur enthusiasts for this increasingly diverse and ever-more exciting country.

The 2011 edition is just out, with a staggering 1,487 winery reviews, ratings on over 6,000 wines and a whole lot more on the regions, vintages and information for visitors.

We’ve one copy to give away along with two bottles from one of Halliday’s top-rated 5 red star wineries, including a 93-pointer!

To enter, all you need to do is answer this simple question:

Langmeil’s Freedom Shiraz is produced from what are believed to be the world’s oldest surviving Shiraz vines, in the Freedom vineyard, Barossa Valley. In what year were these vines planted?

Simply leave your answer along with your name in the comments below and you’re in the draw. Just remember to leave us your email address when you’re leaving your comment – email addresses will not be displayed publicly and will not be used for anything other than contacting you if you win.

One lucky winner will be pulled from the hat from all entries here and on our Facebook page where you can also leave your answer. Best of luck!

Congratulations to Jonathan Flack, winner of our September Indian Summer Chillin’ contest. A super snazzy wine cooler and two bottles of Muddy Water’s finest are on their way to you, Jonathan.