"graham" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Martin" > wrote in message
> ...
>>I know it's only September, but this red gets my value for money wine of
>>the year award already. It's the Hardys Stamp of Australia Cabernet
>>Sauvignon 2008 - I bought a dozen at around $AUD6.60 the 1 litre bottle.
>>
>> The wine is a lovely robust melange of fully ripe berries, plums, sweet
>> vanillin American oak, mildly assertive tannins and a pleasant
>> aftertaste. Good on its own or with tucker and a stunner at the price.
>> Some very ordinary cask (bag in box) wines are dearer.
>>
>
> Perhaps they've changed the "formula". When I tasted this wine a few
> years ago it was so full of oak, I poured it down the sink right away, it
> was like drinking chocolate. It's the only wine to which I've ever done
> that!
> Graham

Oak is still there but not offensively so - to my palate. It was the
generous fruit that got me. Remember, we're talking about a wine that sells
for $6.60 the litre here. (and yes I do understand that bad wine is bad wine
at any price).

Re "Tucker" The school "tuck shop' will be well-known to English readers.
That's the one where Billy Bunter tucked into humbugs, cream buns and such
like.

Cheers!

Martin