Go on – admit it.  At some point, we’ve all hugged the life out of a cheap box of goon and regretted it the next day.  Regardless of that hangover – the humble cask holds a proud place in our nation’s history, it has been the training wheels for many of us who’ve gone on to become wine lovers. Tuesday 24 February 2015 will see this brilliant Aussie invention honoured with a 50th birthday party in the posh Sydney suburb of Vaucluse. The Wine Wankers have started the party early however, by tasting our way through 20 of the nation’s most premium cask wines.  We wanted to know; has the quality of cask wine improved, and if so – what is Australia’s best cask wine?  But before we get to the results – let’s get some background info out of the way, really quickly in bullet points! Invented by Riverland winemaker, Tom Angove in 1965 Invention was finally patented in April 1965 Idea was inspired by from the flexible packaging of old goat skins that stored wine in biblical times

Tom was inspired to store wine in a plastic bag and store it in a box The ‘airless flow’ of the cask is why the invention is genius; wine comes out, but no air goes in. So therefore the wine doesn’t become oxidised! In 1973, before wine casks really took off, each Australian was only drinking 9.8 litres of wine per year. Wine had a “special occasion only” image. After ten years of cask presence, per capita consumption rose to 19.3 litres. In 2015, the cask is still as popular as ever; one in every three glasses of wine drunk in Australia comes out of a cask Contents stay fresh for 6 weeks after opening If you haven’t ventured into the cask section of your local bottle shop lately, you’re in for a treat. Cask producers have responded to the trend of consumers drinking less wine, but drinking better quality.  You’ll now find real varieties and actual vintages, and even popular regions such as McLaren Vale and Marlborough.  What’s more, packaging size has reduced. 

You now find ‘magnum’ sized cask wines; The verdict – Australia’s best cask wines The Wine Wankers tasted each wine blind, by pegging the bladders to a Hills Hoist clothes line and re-enacting a game of Goon of Fortune!A$13 for 2 litres.  I’m not surprised a chardonnay took out top honours, Australia excels at terrific value chardonnay. Great balance with some lovely cool climate flavours of white nectarine, lemon and honeydew melon.  Value plus and very smart. Runner ups – whites Ta_Ku Sauvignon Blanc 2014 (Marlborough). A$24 for 1.5 litres.   Not too bad considering this does herald from a cask, lovely crisp tropical fruit and gooseberry flavours matched with some grassy herbal characters. Yalumba 2014 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc.   This is almost a perfect quaffing white wine blend, definitely a fridge staple! There’s plenty of interesting fresh and lively tropical fruit characters matched with fresh herbs.A$10 for 2 litres.  There’s a party in my mouth! 

This is what you should be buying if you’re having a pool party. Bags of fruity tropical flavours matched harmoniously with lemon and lime zest.  TOP REDS – EQUAL FIRST Debortoli Premium Cabernet Merlot.  A$16.50 for 4 litres.  A sensational wine with amazing balance and delicious cabernet fruit flavour of casis and oak.  Hardy’s The Chronicles Butcher’s Gold Shiraz 2012 (McLaren Vale) A$25 for 1.5 litres.  Terrific varietal flavours of plum and spice with lashings of toasty oak.best funny wine pics And finally, because we are celebrating a 50th, we should be celebrating with bubbles.  red wine for sale in indiaWine cask champagne to be exact.  buying french wine in germany

Take it away Cheryl.Error 404 - Page not found! The page you trying to reach does not exist, or has been moved. Please use the menus or the search box to find what you are looking for.Castello del Poggio Moscato. Classic Italian Moscato from the get go, the Castello del Poggio Moscato offers a lively nose filled with ripe peach and citrus. The palate doesn't stray too far from the initial aromatic impression, bringing more apricot and peach along with sweet tangerine taste together with well-honed acidity and remarkable balance. buy wine and milkPiedmont's Castello del Poggio Moscato is always a crowd-pleaser!best wine list sf Cupcake Moscato is a light-hearted white wine that embodies the sweet and fizzy expectations that have come to be somewhat synonymous with many Moscato wines on today's market. best wine for sandwiches

With plenty of residual sugar to keep the flavors sweet and alcohol low, the Cupcake Moscato brings fragrant floral notes to the nose and peaches and pineapple fruit to the palate. Perfect for sipping on its own or as an aperitif, consider pairing this Moscato with a fresh fruit tart or raspberry cheesecake. This Moscato brings apricots and almonds to the nose with a lively, honeysuckle component playing in the background. On the palate, you can expect vivid, ripe fruit with a favorable focus on melon, peach and tangerine to maintain the key talking points. This is a well-priced, well-managed Moscato with good distribution to boot. Easy to find with its bright blue bottle, the Ecco Domani Moscato is a sweet treat for those looking for a refreshing white wine with a slight effervescence, semi-sweet style and lower on the alcohol than your typical white wine. Expect vibrant aromas to include honeysuckle, tangerine, and ripe peach along with candied citrus on the palate with a decent dose of supporting stone fruit, well-managed acidity, and very food-friendly nature.

Arguably one of Piedmont's most notable names for authentic, easy to find, delicious to drink Moscato wine, Saracco puts together a gorgeous ensemble of floral aromas with beautifully balanced acidity. Lighter-bodied with a semi-sweet palate appeal and a refreshing fizz factor make this Italian white perfect for pairing with fresh seasonal fruit. Or if you prefer the yin and yang of the well-matched flavors of sweet and spice, mix this Moscato up to tame the palate heat of Asian fare or... This authentic Moscato releases delicate floral-filled aromas and exotic tropical fruit on the outset. With the palate profile packing D'Anjou pear and red apple nuances, the fizzy, fruit-forward themes run well balanced from the semi-sweet start to fairly, full finish. Often associated with introducing the world to "White Zin," Sutter Home has a knack for producing sweet-themed, crowd-pleasing wine. Their pink Moscato is no exception. Reminiscent of peaches and cream on the nose and playing the part again on the palate, this Moscato is brimming with ripe, rich stonefruit from pleasing start to fruit-laden finish.

Perfect for sipping anytime. Admittedly, this is one of the pricier Moscatos on our "top picks" list, yet once you've tasted what Ceretto can do with the Moscato grape we think you'll see why. Presenting plenty of passion fruit mingled with the sweet floral scents of orange blossom on the nose, this wine continues to gain intensity on the palate. Honeyed peach preserves and the concentrated tastes of candied fruit make their way along the palate profile. Good acidity, depth, and overall balance keep this... This light pink, slightly sweet Australian Moscato offers a flirtatious mix of strawberries and cream with a whisper of rose petal on the nose. Intense sweet fruit, playful frizz ante bubbles and an unexpected, enduring finish all collide to make this a must try Moscato. Barefoot Moscato - quite possibly the best bargain Moscato brand around, after all, $5 is tough to beat. This is a light-hearted, easy-going, non-vintage Moscato that brings all of the sweet, spritz flavors of juicy peach, a touch of apricot and some serious citrus to the glass.