The Auswine Forum

Looking forward to this in a couple of weeks Gav.

Franco, myself and a couple of our vineyard workers are driving over through Coonawarra which should be good.

Glad you liked the Blanc Gavin.

It has gone really well for us. Frnaco has been playing around with Blanc for a while (back to 03 from memory) and this is the first commercial release. It should age really well.

The 2006 has just been released and Franco thinks it is the best Pinot Noir he has made. It probably has more in common with 2004 (slightly brighter fruits than 2005) and should cellar really well. The 2006 Chardonnay is drinking well now and should hold for another 5 years or so. I drank a bottle o...

Hi Ric,
had the 96 St George a few times over the last couple of months. Seems to be builing complexity every time I try it. I wish Lindemans could make wine like this again.

cheers
anthony

Opened a bottle of the 1996 Lindemans Museum Release St George Cabernet Sauvignon and boy was I surprised. Beautifully balanced with fruit and tannin's intergrating perfectly. With the last few releases of St George (and also Limestone and Pyrus) not really impressing this was a welcolme surprise. C...

Hi everyone, highlights this week were a Produttori del Barbaresco 1995 which was a good change to many of our australian reds. Dry and savoury with plenty of acidity and tannins. Drunk over 2 nights and was hitting it's straps by the 2nd night. I have also been drink my with through 2005 vintage Ri...

Caught up with Grant Dodd and my brother at the Healesville hotel last week. Wines we tried: Hillcrest Yarra Chard 03: came to the table way too cold but over the course of the dinner opened up to be a very nice wine. This should drink well over the next five years. Martinborough Pinot noir 2002: in...

Had 3 out of the last 4 days off which has been great. Spend Friday up at our vineyard Hoddles Creek plunging some of our 05 Pinot and the rest of the weekend chilling out. Here is some of the wines I have had: Epis & Williams Cabernet Sauvignon 2000: I don't where this wine is going to go. Star...

Hi Vintry, I am very interested in your comments regarding the 98 Bannockburn Shiraz. I have had this wine three times in the last 2 years and have been blown away each time. The last was about 6 months ago at an Offline and if fooled everyone. Stood up to wines double the price. I have 11 bottles l...

Looking really good from what I hear. Vintage in South Australia is well under way with Clare is picking at the moment. Yarra Valley is about 3 weeks away.

cheers
anthony

It was a great night and my food was very good. Highlights were for me the Domaine Caillot "Le Limozin" '97 Meursault and the SCE Domaine Ramonet, Chassagne Montrachet "Morgeot" 1er Cru. Both were awesome wines and really illustrates just how good White Burgundy is. The Seppelt 84 has always been a ...

Had the graveyard shift on Friday night and thought I'd crack a bottle of By Farr Sangreal (in other words Pinot Noir) 2003 with some takeaway chinese. This wine was good. Not overcooked (like many 03 Vic Pinot's) and had some real Pinot complexity to it. Good palate length and a perfect match with ...

I wonder it we will see 'buy a bottle of grange and get a free slab of crown lager'? I know southcorp has been put through the ringer by many but in dealing with both companies, southcorp is a breeze to deal with in comparison to Beringer. I would hate to think of what Beringer/Fosters will do with ...

I wonder it we will see 'buy a bottle of grange and get a free slab of crown lager'? I know southcorp has been put through the ringer by many but in dealing with both companies, southcorp is a breeze to deal with in comparison to Beringer. I would hate to think of what Beringer/Fosters will do with ...

Seems like an expensive glorified cleanskin to me. I know McGuigan was selling them fruit for some of their 'house wines' and wouldn't be surprised if the fruit came from a major company who had excess grapes. The Pinot might be ok, whowever it is already 5 years old and might be starting to get tir...

Hi everyone, the last week has been great especially all the days off to recover and sleep. Highlights from the last week would be: Henschke Abbotts Prayer 93: didn't know what to expect from this wine but was pleasantly surprised. Definetely in it's prime, it had a very good balance of primary and ...

Guest, the reason why Winefront is so good is because Cambell takes pride in what he does. I don't mind waiting a couple of weeks or recieving two issues at once because I know for what Cambell charges, me the reader is well in front. Why rush out an issue 3/4 done for the sake of getting out on tim...

Sorry Kieren,
must have been that extra glass of Shiraz that got me. I meant crown seal for the sparkling. But in general how many people have had brett effected wines sealed under stelvin?

cheers
anthony

Had some great wines this week with the highlight being the 2000 Giaconda Warner Shiraz . Still evolving but absolutely perfect. A 91 Vintage Pommery was very good. I didn't think 91 was such a good year in champagne. This was very mich is the Bollinger style of champagne. Also last night a 91 Louis...

Been a pretty big week with the races on saturday and my twin brother winning a couple of trophies at the 04 Vic Wine Show. Some of the highlight have been: At the races: 2003 seppelt St peters Shiraz: this should be out later next year and boy is it a good wine. Great balance and more savoury than ...

Good to see a return to form from charlie. Brucer do you think the 02 Charlie Melton Shiraz is one that will benefit from time in the cellar?

cheers
anthony

Hi sweettooth, keep an eye out for some of the 2002 stickys especially the 02 Miranda Golden botrytis which is a really smart drink for the money. The key too good stickys in australia is to get the balance between acidity and sweetness right. If you don't they won't go anywhere and will fall down w...

Hi Chuck, actually had this wine last weekend with my mate starboy over in coonawarra. From memory the wines we had on Friday afternoon were: 59 Rouge Homme Cab 62 Penfolds 60A Penfolds 80A 79 Redman Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Brands Cabernet Sauvignon 82 Wynns John Riddoch 90 Bin 707 90 Penfolds 90A 90 ...

Hi everyone, some good and bad bottles drunk during the week: Pommery Blanc de Noirs : starting to show its age and would have probalby been better in its youth. Lacked the vibrancy of so many of the great champers I have had in the last year. St Michaels Heathcote Shiraz 2002 : puching the envelope...

Hi everyone: this week at some good wines: Pikes Clare Valley Riesling 2004: great match with Chinese. Probably not the best 04 Riesling I have tried, but not too bad. Lime, minerals and plenty of acidity. Yalumba Hand Picked Shiraz Viognier 1998: Yalumba's first comercial release of this wine and i...

Hi everyone, had some pretty good wines over the week. Pizzini King Valley Nebiollo 1998: very italian on the nose, dried herbs, tobacco. The palate is probably not as savoury as I would like but a damn good effort. Chrismont King Valley Sangiovese 2003: I think this is due out in a few months and w...

An interesting week. Evans and Tate Redbrook Chard 01: good without being great and not worth $50 asking price. E&T Redbrook Cab 01: really smart wine. Was actually quite suprised that this wine was still so vibrant and youthful. Has another 10 years at least in it and has not peaked yet. cheers...

Hi Campbell, would be an interesting comparison. Didn't know good old' Myrt could produce such good wine!! Also shows you what a gun winemakers like Rick are capable of. Why don't we go up there, buy the fruit and label the wine Castelgiaconda? I'd love to know the history of that vineyard and why R...

Drunk some pretty good wines this week. Argiano Brunello di Montalcino 1997: very good, can't wait for the 1999. This wine (and others like it) are the reason why so many people have fallen in love with Italian wine. Rockford Eden valley Riesling 2001: probably ready to drink now. Lime, lemon, touch...

I am pretty sure they are available within a week. Here is the tasting note from BRL: WINEMAKER STUART BOURNEÂ’S COMMENTS: COLOUR: Deep brick red with flashes of earthen. BOUQUET: Intense cherries, plum, chocolate and coffee with an imparting presence of well-integrated oak. PALATE: Power...