New vintage of our best selling rosé

Since we began DiscoverVin in 2011, this lovely dry rosé from Chateau La Rayre in Bergerac has been one of our best selling wines.

It seems to appeal to wine lovers who would not normally look at rosé. It is darker in colour and has more body than other styles of rosé (this is achieved by pressing the skins with the juice which otherwise would be clear). From the colour you might think it to be sweet but it is textural and dry.

Many of our regular customers have tried or bought this wine. If you haven't, give it a go and we are sure you will enjoy it!

Region/Terroir: Bergerac.

Grapes: Merlot and cabernet franc.

Our Tasting notes: Blackcurrant, raspberry and strawberry nose with an ample unctuous palate. Beautiful balance and freshness. Lovely dry finish. This new vintage is a a winner!

Alcohol:13%

Drink on its own or with food. It's  a great wine to take to a bbq, or to the beach, or to have with noodles or enjoy as a sunset tipple on the verandah - it goes with just about anything! Drink chilled.

This would be perfect to have on hand for barbies, picnics, end of year break ups, Christmas, New Years Eve etc !

To order click on this link. Trade price available on application.(info@discovervin.com.au) 

Rosé for languid days of summer and autumn

Living in North East Victoria we love having 4 distinct seasons and we particularly love summer. We love being able to pick from the garden, tomatoes warmed by the sun  for salads and BBQs.

#summer #tomatoes !

A photo posted by discovervinwines (@discovervinwines) on Feb 6, 2015 at 6:58pm PST

But its hot! And that means its "rosé o'clock".

Not so many summers ago, rosé was a bit uncool and unfashionable. Now we have realised its the prefect summer wine. The best rosé wines are crisp dry and refreshing. They are a prefect match to tomatoes and salads.
They are a perfect wine for a pre-dinner drink with olives under a shady tree or a glass by the pool. They are a perfect solution to the heat. We love a cold bottle of rosé for an autumn picnic on a warm sunny day.

So hot ! #Rosé time! #wine #summer #coolchange

A photo posted by discovervinwines (@discovervinwines) on Feb 7, 2015 at 11:49pm PST

But rosé is now cool and fashionable. Rosé sales are soaring.  In France rosé now outsells white wine. Provencal rosé was rationed in New York and the Hamptons last summer! This week surging rosé sales were reported in the US.


Here's 2 perfect dry rosé wines on offer from DiscoverVin.

The first, Chateau La Rayre Bergerec Rosé 2013 ($26.50), is slightly darker in colour and has a slightly bigger mouth feel (the colour comes from briefly leaving the skin in contact with the grape juice). It is organic (no pesticides and herbicides, minimal sulphur) and it was reviewed recently by Sean Mitchell AIWS in the Grape Observer


"There is much talk of context in wine tasting, and that perhaps more should be made of it.  Today's context is that it is high summer, 37 degrees outside and climbing, with gusty northerly winds testing the mettle of some new tree plantings.  So, in two words, largely awful.  A chilled bottle of rosé therefore seemed a rather good idea with lunch.   From the 2013 vintage, this rosé is from Chateau La Rayre in Bergerac (inland of Bordeaux) and is a blend of one part merlot, and two parts cabernet franc.  The result is refreshing, dry on the palate, and has attractive and balanced flavours reminding of strawberries and raspberries.  This wine is recommended - I really quite liked it - and is perfect for summer."








The second is a classic Provencal rosé Domaine de la Croix Irresistible rose 2013 ($29.90). 

It's crisp and refreshing. Close your eyes, and you could be on a beach in Provence! It was also reviewed by Sean Mitchell in the Grape Observer.


"This rosé speaks of salty, humid air, and long warm days.  A very light salmon in colour, it refreshes with its reminders of rose petals and fresh lemons.  A blend of cinsault, shiraz and grenache, this is a typical Côtes de Provence rosé to be enjoyed with seafood and summer."


Click here to find these wines online.





Prices above are for our on-line customers. Trade enquiries welcome via info@discovervin.com.au

DiscoverVin Top 10 wines of 2014

Here is a look at our most popular wines of 2014. 

It makes for some interesting reading, none the least for the prominence of rosé. 

For the second year in succession two rosé wines have made the top 10! Once considered sweet and uninteresting, dry rosé certainly appears to be making a resurgence in Australia as it is in Europe. In France in 2013 rosé sales exceeded white wine sales for the first time. Similarly we appear to be in the middle of a rosé revolution ! If you have never had a French rosé we suggest that you try one of these wines.

Here are the first 5 of our top 10 wines for 2014. We will blog about wines 6-10 next week!

1. Chateau de La Bouyere Bordeaux Blanc 2013 $22.50

We are thrilled to see this lovely easy drinking white wine making the it to the top of our list again in 2014 as it did in 2013. 

It has struck a chord as a good value easy going alternative to NZ savvy blanc. It was a big hit when served cold and crisp on a hot week-end at the Paris to Provence Festival in Melbourne in November. Sommeliers are reporting customers coming in and asking for "that" French white they had last time.

Its a stylish wine. A blend of semillon and sauvignon blanc.  Crisp and refreshing, perfect on its own , with nibbles or with salads or seafood and can stand the heat in spicy Asian dishes. Great value. No wonder its flying!

If you would like to see some of the technical details or grab a case, click here

2. Domaine de la Croix Irrésistible AOC Cotes de Provence 2013 $29.90

Number 3 last year and just short of number one this year. 

The name says it all.  Irresisitible!  An irresistible rosé from Provence, the home of rosé.

Domaine de La Croix, created in 1882, has an outlook to the beaches of St Tropez. It has the classification of cru class. Very few Provençal producers are given the cru classé classification, denoting an exceptional winery.

In 2011 Vigneron magazine named this as one of the three best producers in Provence.

For more information in general on rosé and its rising popularity here's a link to an article on rosé that we wrote for French Living magazine in January 2014. 

For more technical details or to place an order click here.

3. Domaine Roche-Audran Cotes du Rhone rouge 2012 $25.90

From a biodynamic producer on the Cotes du Rhone. A delicious grenache/shiraz which is excellent value for money for the quality of this artisanal wine. It was cited in the 2015 Guide Hachette- France's premier wine guide!

Domaine Roche-Audran has been following biodynamic practises since 2006. It is situated on 3 separate sites on the Cotes du Rhone and uses vines between 35 and 100 years old. Vincent Rochette has developed a growing reputation for producing quality wines of character.

70% Grenache, 15% Carignan, 15% Syrah

For more technical information or to place an order click here





4. Chateau La Rayre Bergerac Rose 2013 $26.50

Wow! A second rose in the top 10 for 2014. 

This rosé seems to appeal to wine lovers who say they "don't like rosé" once tried they love it!

It is darker in colour and has more body than other styles of rosé (this is achieved by a pressing of the skins with the juice which otherwise would be clear). It has a loyal following with many repeat customers.

Try some and you will see what all the hype about rosé (and in particular French rosé) is all about. 

More details can be found here .

5. Domaine Bellegarde Cuvée Tradition Jurançon Moelleux 2012 

The sweet wines of Jurançon are amongst the great sweet/dessert wines of the world. They are great value for money compared to dessert wines from other regions. This is an excellent example- luscious complex fruit, balance, length and not too sweet on the finish. We are so happy to see a desert wine make our top 5 wines of the year!

Gorgeous late picked dessert wine and "sensational value for money" Winsor Dobbin. Domaine Bellegarde is a certified organic producer. It received 17 points by Jancis Robinson and featured in her "Top-tip whites and fortifieds" December 2014.

Available in 375ml for $28 or 750 ml for $35.90

For more information on this amazing wine, click here.



Thanks to all of you who purchased wine from us in 2014. Thank you for coming on our adventure to find interesting and good value wines from France!

Prices shown reflect our online price. Trade prices on application: 0260 206 016 or info@discovervin.com.au

Here's an updated link to the rest of our top 10- five more interesting, authentic and good value wines!

A (very) long lunch at Melbourne Food and Wine Festival

As part of the 2014 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, it was a great pleasure to collaborate with  Damien, Daniel, Georgie, Lincoln and the team at Van Haandel and Comme to stage a french Long Lunch. The theme of the festival in 2014 was water and we spoke about the influence of the great rivers and Gironde estuary of the Bordeaux region in shaping terroir and the production of premium wines. Some great food and wine was served and everyone seemed to have a great afternoon! 




Luckily the weather was perfect and 85 people came along for this superb food and wine event in Alfred Place.

First up was the entrees: Baked Oysters, leeks, comté gruyere & Vin Jaune; Mussel and saffron soup, fennel, basil; Cassoulet of garlic snails. 

The oysters were washed down with the delicious Grand Bateau Bordeaux Blanc 2012 A semillon/sauvignon blend made by the grand cru team at Chateau Beycheville and given 91 points recently in the Courier Mail in Brisbane.



We then moved onto the ever popular Chateau La Rayre Bergerac Rosé 2012 which was great with the mussel soup and with the cassoulet (and on its own!) . It was a burst of colour and flavour! 



On to a platter of main courses. Squab, grapes, foie gras parfait. Beef, vol au vent, Bordelaise sauce. 2 delicious and inexpensive reds showing off the left and right bank of Bordeaux - Château Senilhac la Prade, 2009 and Château Truquet, 2011. (The Senilhac La Prade has now sold out, but something similar from the same excellent vintage is Chateau Haut-Belian 2009 )

Cheese platters arrived followed by desserts to share- madelines, canelé, lemon curd and cream. Dessert wine was poured- the delightful Chateau Le Pradey 2009 Sainte-Croix-du-Mont just across the Garonne river from Sauternes (but selling for a fraction of the price of Sauternes and Barsac wines).

Surprisingly, nobody was in a hurry to leave! 

For information on upcoming events, sign up for our monthly mailing list at info@discovervin.com.au or keep an eye on our events page.

DiscoverVin Top 10 wines for 2012

We wish all our friends and followers a Happy New Year!

The team at DiscoverVin have had a busy and satisfying year and it has been our pleasure to look after you all.

Here is a look at our most popular wines of 2012, based on volume of sales. (Where we have clicked over to a new vintage during the year we have counted all the sales of that wine together, regardless of the vintage.)

The following makes some interesting reading, none the least for the prominence of rosé. Two rosé wines have made the top 10! Once considered sweet and uninteresting, dry rosé certainly appears to be making a resurgence in Australia as it is in Europe. In France in 2012 rosé sales have exceeded white wine sales. Similarly we appear to be in the middle of a rosé revolution !

Here are the first 5 of our top 10 wines for 2012. We will blog about wines 6-10 next week

1. Chateau La Rayre Bergerac Rose 2010 $17.99

Wow! A rose as our best seller for 2012.

This rosé seems to appeal to wine lovers who would not normally look at rosé. It is darker in colour and has more body than other styles of rosé (this is achieved by a pressing of the skins with the juice which otherwise would be clear).

Try some and you will see what all the hype about rosé (and in particular French rosé) is all about. 

This wine has been included in the Rosé Revolution promotion this summer. 

It was also selected by French wine critics and consumers in the Guide "Un vin presque parfait" (an almost perfect wine). A panel of critics and consumers selected 400 french wines from several thousand to be given this accolade.

From Sean Mitchell  Grape Observer ...regarding the 2009.."I enjoyed drinking this rosé from Bergerac situated to the east of Bordeaux, a blend of two thirds cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon and one third merlot.  A deeper hue of salmon pink in colour, the aroma is of crisp and crunchy peaches.  The palate reveals spices, nectar and a savoury balance.  Good drinking and well priced."

More details can be found here

2. Domaine de l'Ancienne Cure Bergerac Rouge 2008

A complex and elegant red wine. It is typical of the good value wines that DiscoverVin is bringing to wine lovers in Australia.

You won't find this on our website as we are currently sold out! But we have managed to secure a small parcel that is "on the water" at the time of writing- please call 0260206018 or email info@discovervin.com.au for details and to pre-order

Region: Bergerac

Grapes: Merlot 70%, Cabernet sauvignon 15%, Cabernet franc 15% 





Our tasting notes: A deep red and violet purple colour . The nose is lifted and complex that is a complex melange of fruit, subtle spices including green pepper, liquorice, prunes, black cherries and some toasty elements. The palate reflects the complexity of the nose with lovely ripe fruit and spice wrapped in fine tannins This wine has great structure balance and length.


A lovely complex red and great value at the price.

3. Domaine de la Croix Irresistible AOC Cotes de Provence 2010 $25

The name says it all.  Irresisitible!  An irresistible rosé from Provence, the home of rosé. What a great looking bottle and a great tasting wine!

Domaine de La Croix, created in 1882, is situated near the village of La Croix Valmer with an outlook to the beaches of St Tropez. It has the classification of cru classé.


Very few Provençal producers are given the cru classé classification, denoting an exceptional winery.







Reviewed by Max Crus, The Daily Examiner Saturday March 17 2012 “A friend once said that she didn’t like rose until she had had one in Provence. I now understand the fuss. The real de la McCoy 8.8/10”. Other reviews on this wine can be accessed on our media reviews page.

And a testomonial from a happy customer.."the domaine de la croix is the ‘winner’. Although we thought all three rose that we sampled were incredibly drinkable the domaine de la croix was even more so – truly delicious. " David Sydney 14/5/2012
Madison magazine says " if decadence is what you’re after, then you won’t be able to resist La Croix, Irrésistible Rosé 2010" 
This wine is being featured in this summer's Rose Revolution activities

For more technical details etc quick here

4. Chateau Jolys Jurançon sec 2010 $19.90

This Jurançon Sec represents great value for money. If you are looking for something other than chardonnay or sauvignon blanc this summer, but don’t want to pay a fortune, this is pretty hard to beat!


"What a gorgeous wine. Lovely balance between fruitiness and elegance. Its dry but fruity; something different & appealing for the summer months ahead" David Sutherland-Smith Border Mail October 14, 2011.









The current vintage-2010- has received a great review by Sean Mitchell of the Grape Observer. "This wine is a winner......The 2010 vintage of Chateau Joly's Jurançon Sec is a very attractive wine indeed ‐ almost like a better version of a sauvignon blanc. Bright and a pale intensity gold in colour, it opens to a pronounced intensity aroma of grass, gooseberries, lemons, jasmine, with just a slight touch of exotic paw paw fruit. The palate is held together well by its firm acidity, it is dry, with medium body, warming alcohol and pronounced intensity flavours that are similar to its aroma, though more firmly seasoned with spices. The length is between medium and long. At $18.99 a bottle for this good level of quality, this wine deserves to fly off the shelves. 89 points(very good)"

5. Chateau de La Bouyere Bordeaux Blanc 2010 $18.90

We are thrilled to see this lovely easy drinking white make the top 5. It was a big hit when served cold and crisp on a very hot week-end at the Paris to Provence Festival in Melbourne in November.

The Queyrans family has owned Chateau de la Bouyere for more than a century.  The vineyard is located at the top of Donzac, 45 km to the south of Bordeaux.  Grape production, wine making and ageing all take place on the family estate.  Vines have an average age of 30 years.

Region/Terroir:  AOC Bordeaux Blanc
Grapes:  Semillon (80%), Sauvignon Blanc (20%).
Ageing:  Drink now.  Serve at a cool temperature around 12°C.
Our Tasting notes:  Lovely pale golden colour with little hints of green. An expressive nose with fragrances of citrus fruits that evolve towards nuances of tropical fruits.  The mouth is harmonious and fruity with a great round, rich mouth feel due to the ageing on fine lees.  Delicate and balanced.  A lovely wine at this price.

A stylish wine.  Crisp and refreshing, perfect with salads.

So that's the first 5 of the top 10.

Wines 6-10 include 3 reds (Chateau Lagarde  from Saint Emilion, Chateau Haut-Belian from Bordeaux, Chateau de Saurs from Gaillac ) a great Graves white from a famous French wine and food family (Ch Haut Peyrous)  and our top selling dessert wine (Chateau Jolys Cuvée Jean). 

More on these next week.

Happy new year!

Almost a perfect wine- La Rayre Rosé

One of the stars of this summer's Rose Revolution is Chateau La Rayre Bergerc Rose 2010. 

For the second year running this wine has been selected by French consumers for a guide called "almost a perfect wine" (A vin presque parfait). 

A consumer-led panel (some wine experts are also on the panel) selects about 200 wines from the thousands available to have this title, "almost a perfect wine". Wines are choosen on the basis of taste (funny that!) and price/value for money. Given this wine tastes delicious and sells for under $20, its not a surprise really that it has been chosen 2 years in a row!

To date this has been one of our best selling wines- it seems to appeal to wine lovers who would not normally look at rosé. It is darker in colour and has more body than other styles of rosé (this is acheived by a pressing of the skins with the juice which otherwise would be clear). We poured this wine at The Paris to Provence Festival in Melbourne Nov 23-25 and it had a great response.

"Enjoying the La Rayre rosé tonight. Alison says her favorite rosé ever. Big call for her!" James, Melbourne 1/5/2012

Here are some of the technical details:

Region/Terroir: from the appellation Bergerac.

Grapes: Made from merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc.

Wine making: Made by the saignée method at low temperature.

Our Tasting notes: Blackcurrant nose with an ample unctuous palate. Beautiful balance and freshness.

Alcohol:13%

Drink young and chilled. Drink on its own or with food. A great wine to take to a bbq or to the beach-goes with just about anything! A great lunch wine or for a sunset tipple or in the heat when you don’t feel like a red. Almost perfect!