Vallado (Quinta do Vallado), Douro, Portugal ($35)

A blend of tinta barroca, tinta roriz, touriga franca, & touriga nacional grapes. Funk - that was the only word I could think off to describe this. There was a lot going on in the nose and mouth and I couldn't put a traditional wine word on any of it. It just had some spicy funk to it. An enjoyable drink, though I think overpriced. Would be good at $18, but at $35 overpriced.

Novisimo Canepa, Carmenere 2007, Central Valley, Chile ($9)

Intriguing stuff. Light aromatics of dark berry - propably blueberry. Smooth on the palate but bery thin on the front 2/3rds with strong flavour coming in on the back. Straight after this we had Wild Rock merlot/malbec whose flavour firmly put this camenere's into place. At $9 not bad, and certainly a change to the usual stuff at that price point.

(Hanging Rock) Odd One Out, 'Cabernets' 2006, Macedon Ranges (sub $20)

A mixture of cab sav, cab franc, merlot and petit verdot - the latter providing the depth. Not as good an experience as the cellar door tasting offered. Not a lot on the nose, but shades of leather, wet stone & violets. On the palate this was an uneven experience. Though inoffensive, the wine lacked focus and the tannins were uneven. One can buy a Kiwi bordeaux blend like Wild Rock for the same price which knocks this offering into touch.

Chrismont, Barbera 2002, King Valley ($20?)

Slight cigar box on the nose with lovely balanced blackberry on the palate. Not too heavy. Nice finish. Very enjoyable with my tomato based meal.

Bass Phillip 'Village', pinot noir 2005, Gippsland ($58 restaurant price)

Great expectations of this, what with Bass Phillip's reputation and all.  Then came the shocks.  The light red colur was less of a surprise than the fact that the wine was clearly unfiltered and thus cloudy in colour.  With hindsight it should have been decanted what with the amount of sediment in it.  Notwithstanding that, the second big surprise was that it tasted as though it was freshly bottled - totally raw - nouveau.  A thoroughly unenjoyable drink verging towards vile.

Wild Rock, Merlot Malbec 2005, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand ($19.80)

A total steal of a wine at under $20, and I'm so glad I found a good vendor in Wine Bank on View in Bendigo to stock this.  A dark colour with some cigar box on the nose.  Blackberry coming through nicely on the palate with well spread tannin to the wine backbone.  Great stuff.

Darling Park, Syrah 2005, Mornington Peninsula ($28)

Nice wine this, reminding me in style of the competition from Hawkes Bay, NZ.  Nice dark fruit on the palate with plenty of tannin spread evenly and enjoyably across it.  A very enjoyable drink.