Secret Cellar opens: Barossa, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley and Coonawarra cabernet and shiraz caught in China trade freeze
Four high-scoring shiraz and cabernet from the Barossa, McLaren Vale, Clare and Coonawarra are offered in a special mystery deal.
Four bold reds lurk in the corner, the prize of gamblers smart enough to know a sure bet when they see one.
There’s no need to chase long shots here. Sometimes a dead-set certainty is just that.
And so it is with The Australian Wine Club’s Secret Cellar: our mystery deal where we ask you to place your order without knowing what’s on offer.
It’s the big blind of wine but there’s really no risk to take – if you really don’t like what you receive, we’ll refund your bet.
We began our Secret Cellar series last year after China’s communist leaders effectively banned importing Australian wines, creating an oversupply here.
The Secret Cellar is our way of offering deep discounts to help reduce the oversupply while protecting wineries’ brands which have taken many years to establish.
This is the fifth time we’ve opened the Secret Cellar since the start of last year and, each time, our followers have responded en masse, enjoying wines at extraordinary prices and helping our wineries reduce their stock holdings.
Today, we’re offering four gold-medal winning reds, two shiraz and two cabernet sauvignon, each having scored stellar ratings of between 95 points and 97 points. These are high quality wines that normally retail for up to $80 a bottle. Two of the wines are made from extremely old vines, while another is the wineries’ top label, only released in outstanding vintages.
The four wines are on offer today for less than $33 each. That’s about 50 per cent off and a saving across the dozen of $400.
There’s also the option of adding three bottles of a 95-point chardonnay from Yarra Valley to your cellar, bringing your bottle price down further to $30.99 each.
The wines are only available at these prices through the dozen or 15-bottle offer – not in straight dozens of one particular wine.
At the Wine Club, we’re delighted these wineries have put their trust in us to protect their brands. They’re busy building new export markets but it will take years to replace the $1bn in lost sales that were being generated in China each year.
I’ll give you as much information about these wines as I can without giving the wineries’ identities away. And remember, we do offer a money-back guarantee, as well as free freight to your door. There is a reason that these Secret Cellar deals have become our most popular offers. Sometimes something too good to be true is true.
Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
From a Barossa institution comes this old-vine cabernet dripping in old-school charm. Rich, velvety and concentrated. Violets, mocha and herbs on the nose. Ripe blackberries, fruits of the forest and cassis flavours spill from the glass; milk chocolate and licorice offer a luxurious embrace, while black olive tapenade notes add a savoury edge. Plenty to consider. Fine-grained tannins hold the show together. Basket-pressed and matured in new and seasoned French oak for 18 months. Awarded 96 points from Andrew Caillard MW. 14% alc; RRP $80 a bottle.
SPECIAL $32.92 a bottle in Secret Cellar dozen
Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Intense luscious style from a Clare winery with rock star appeal. Juicy blackcurrant and plums dance into the night, with menthol, green pepper and fennel adding complexity. Christmas-cake richness delivered on a smooth bed of integrated tannins. From dry-grown vineyards; matured for 24 months in new and seasoned French oak. 95 points at the Melbourne International Wine Competition. 15% alc; RRP $50 a bottle.
SPECIAL $32.92 a bottle in Secret Cellar dozen
Some of the oldest vines in Coonawarra contribute to this medium-bodied classic from the land of terra rossa. Evolved plums and mulberries on arrival, with touches of cedar, capsicum, vanilla and spice in the background. Complex and restrained, with gentle tannins leading to a long finish. Aged for 21 months in French oak. After seven years in the cellar, ready now with a juicy rack of lamb. 97 points from James Halliday. 14.5% alc; RRP $80 a bottle.
SPECIAL $32.92 a bottle in Secret Cellar dozen
This label is the top tier of wine from one of McLaren Vale’s most respected producers. Only released in the best vintages. Modern style of shiraz where precision and balance is key. Fresh fruit flavours – dark plums, blackberries, boysenberry, red currants – sit on an elegant frame of smooth tannins and natural acid. Generous flavours run on and on but there’s no heaviness in the mouth. A beautiful, polished wine. 95 points from Team Halliday. 14% alc; RRP $55 a bottle.
SPECIAL $32.92 a bottle in Secret Cellar dozen
REDS DOZEN Three bottles of each wine above for $32.92 a bottle
BONUS 15-bottle deal Add three bottles of Yarra Valley Chardonnay for $30.99 a bottle across the 15 bottles.
From one of the Yarra’s five-star wineries, with decades of runs on the board. Full-flavoured style, showing intense flavours of stone fruits and cashew nuts that linger through a persistent finish. Sourced from older vines, hand-picked and whole bunch-pressed. Adroit use of new and seasoned French oak. 95 points from Halliday. RRP About $35 a bottle.
Order online or phone 1300 765 359 Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm AEST. Deals available only while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine, LIQP770016550. John Lehmann is the managing director of The Australian.
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