I have just got back from Albury/ Rutherglen/Wagga for a week, and wanted to tell you about the Cellar Door Staff member from HELL.

 

 

It was early in the morning, and we were the first customers. Things were off to a good start, general discussions about usual stuff, then she started opening wines, talking non stop all the time, which didn't even give me the opportunity to say that I didn't want to try the particular wine she had decided to pour.  After she opened each bottle, she smelt the cork. This seemed to be the way she decided if the wine was ok or not. The Merlot was opened, the cork sniffed, and it was poured. It was very obviously badly corked, and when I said so, she gave me the cork to smell !

 

The bottle was taken out the back for others to try, and when she came returned, I expected her to say something like, yes, you were correct, it was corked, but we got "The decision was to open another bottle".  The next bottle was fine.

 

Anyway, after having to taste a number very average wines, we were asked what we were going to buy. My mate bought a bottle of Muscat. Then I was asked and my reply was, "Nothing".

 

Well, that didn't go down well, and I was told ...."I opened a lot of bottles for you".  This ignored the fact that earlier in the conversation, Mrs Pfeiffer had said that she opened fresh bottles every morning.

 

Anyway, the next thing she said to me, absolutely floored me, and I had to bite my tongue extremely hard. She said  "We don't like people like you!"

 

Can you believe that! 

 

I have made thousands of visits to cellar doors in my time, and I have never ever had anyone say anything like that to me. It was shocking. As you know, I am not out for a free drink; I have a large cellar and generally like to try before I buy.

 

On a brighter note, there were a few of standout wines in Rutherglen, from the two wineries that make the best wines in this area, IMO.

 

Bullers 2004 Valerie Monduese   $39   big (17.5%) and a great wine for an options game

 

Bullers 2004 Valerie Shiraz Viognier 

 

..... and of course my old favourite  2002 Calliope Shiraz, which was so good, I just had to buy more, as well as a couple of magnums.

 

(TORB's note - Last week, Andrew Buller rang me to tell me there are samples of these two 2004 releases on the way to me for tasting so expect full tasting notes soon.)

 

The Warrabilla 2004 Reserve Durif and Parolas Durif are looking fabulous.

 

I also bought a 6 pack of Stanton and Kileen Jacks Block, as it should be pretty good in 10 years, but it was not on tasting. We also tasted a lot of very ordinary wine that is not worth mentioning.

 

Bruce Routley

 

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