The Auswine Forum

This week I tried two Californian wines to satisfy a curiosity. I've heard from people at work (and in Sideways ) that Cali Chardonnay is far too oaky with too much malo. The Newton Chardonnay 2003 was exactly that. I liken it to chewing on a piece of fresh Paw Paw dipped in oak chips. My parents th...

Here goes (my first tasting notes); Bannockburn Chardonnay 2000 Very dark yellow, most likely due to age. Intense fruit, richness on mid palate, still quite oaky with ripe stone fruit on the back palate. I bought two vintages of this wine on Langtons, the second being from 2002. I expected this to b...

I pretty much live on Langtons these days, but only try and by stuff when it's a bargain. Otherwise I tell them they're dreamin'. Langton's gives me the chance to buy the rarer wines I couldn't find in other places, and enjoy some older wines too. It was good for me to find out if cellaring was actu...

At 25 I was drinking bourbon, beer and playing sculling games to gooney juice (fruity lexica casks, why I don't know). Mind you it was always premium Bourbon and Beer. Wine unfortunately only grabbed me after 30. In hindsight, if only I started earlier too. Wow, the cellar I would have now. It is a...

I was wondering what sort of cellaring conditions people use? I myself just store corked bottles on racks and in bins (on their side of course) under the house. The screwcap ones are stored in sealed boxes in my cupboard. Does having a much better cellar just protect the wine or does it improve the ...

The bottle shock thing is true, which I discovered when the winery released it's '06 Sav Blanc. The first few weeks it tasted very dull and metallic, but then it opened up suddenly and was lovely. I'm sure I'll think of more odd questions I've had another time (there's lots!). agree, weird things h...

I work in a Cellar Door in the Yarra Valley, so I get plenty of questions regarding wives tales which I try to demystify. Some good ones have been; Spoons left in open bottles/glasses of Sparkling wine to keep the bubbles? (I work at Chandon)? Correct serving temperatures? (i.e. white at room temper...

I don't have a particularly large (300 odd) or diverse (99% Aus, 1% NZ) cellar, but I think I'm doing OK for someone who turns 25 in two weeks, and has only been into wine for a few years. Some of the wines to look forward to: Cape Mentelle Cabernet '95, '96, '02 and '03 Cullen DM Cabernet Merlot '9...

Hello there, as I mentioned in my intro profile, I am an employee of Domaine Chandon, and therefore Moet Hennessy, so its difficult for me to argue when Cape Mentelle and Cloudy Bay are mentioned. However.... Has anyone tried Stoniers '06 Savvy from down the Mornington Peninsh? I was thoroughly impr...