The Twisted Vine

www.thetwistedvine.com.au
247 Haddrill Road
Baskerville WA 6056
Phone: +61 (08) 9296 1348

The Twisted Vine used to be called Baskerville Wines but due to a change in ownership, the new management decided to rename the vineyard. It has a lovely outside dining area with a standard menu that is a little bit too expensive for my taste specializing in platters for two. They also ask a fee for tasting their wines ($5 for six wines) which was disappointing, and the tasting area seemed a bit cramped since as it occupies a corner of the restaurant.

2006 Classic Dry White A$ 19.80
The nose was very delicate and hard to pick up. The winery’s flowery description of this offering raised false expectations. It had a strong after-burn.

2006 Unwooded Chardonnay $19.80
A pleasing drink, meant to be savoured and light enough to satisfy most lighter style white drinkers.

2006 Rose/Rouge $20.00
Made from Chenin Blanc. Good colour, sweeter in style, kool-aid flavours. Pricey for what you get.

2006 Cabernet/Shiraz $23.00
This wine had some body, but again the after-burn was overpowering. Unfortunately better has been done for cheaper.

2006 Cabernet/Merlot $ 22.00
The best that Twisted Vine offered us on the day, but it seemed a bit light in colour, suggesting that it should be drunk soon. It had a lovely fruity nose, but little grip. The integration between fruit and alcohol was pretty good.

2006 Oscar Gold $ 22.00
When the owner confides that some of his patrons have confused this wine with water, I was alarmed. It has a watery look, but it is a very sweet wine and is good for after dinner drinks. It doesn’t demand much and is best suited for those social occasions when what you are drinking is of secondary concern.

Verdict: This vineyard has clearly gone through some rough times. Costly tastings and a premium price range restaurant will certainly assist the cash flow. Unfortunately, having wines that often barely qualify as “fillers” in a region abounding with excellent, value for money wines, cannot help their cause. I’d give this one a miss.