Search found 314 matches

by Cloth Ears
Mon Jan 08, 2024 10:01 am
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: POLL: How do you buy most of your wine?
Replies: 11
Views: 1172

Re: POLL: How do you buy most of your wine?

For me it depends on the month, and who sent me the most tempting emails. For example, Paringa have a cellar release sale on the first Saturday in December...so that month might be cellar door. Similar when Tahbilk have their yearly sale (although they may move that to online). Other months it might...
by Cloth Ears
Mon Jan 08, 2024 9:44 am
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: Right, what are we/you drinking now .. tonight
Replies: 6602
Views: 924746

Re: Right, what are we/you drinking now .. tonight

We had a nice chimichurri salmon last night, so I thought I'd break out one of the 2012 Dr Mayer. Ordinarily these lighter Pinots are not my cup of grape, but when something is done so well, you just have to be amazed (and delighted). I'm not good at describing these styles, but it smelled delicious...
by Cloth Ears
Mon Oct 17, 2022 1:18 pm
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: Right, what are we/you drinking now .. tonight
Replies: 6602
Views: 924746

Re: Right, what are we/you drinking now .. tonight

I managed to remember to open this a couple of hours beforehand. The end of the bottle told a sad tale, as I forgot to decant it and we missed a couple of mouthfuls due to residue. Not for the next 3? (2?) bottles that I still have!!! It's absolutely in the zone, the cork is only red on the end, the...
by Cloth Ears
Mon Oct 17, 2022 12:59 pm
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: Victorian floods Wineries
Replies: 4
Views: 525

Re: Victorian floods Wineries

I wonder how the 1860 Vines are looking, trying to get my bearings from the picture, the old vines were kind of on the main driveway in and to the left or thereabouts? So based on that that is about 2'oclock in the photos, and it looks as if about 5-10% of the vineyard is already underwater. More t...
by Cloth Ears
Mon May 16, 2022 3:59 pm
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: Old Australians From Climate Controlled Storage.
Replies: 230
Views: 15253

Re: Old Australians From Climate Controlled Storage.

Craig are you querying if I think professional storage worth it? Nope, if anything Jamie, I am convinced by it now. Although did do a 1990 Bin 707 test of a bottle found in a wooden trunk that was somehow placed decades earlier and a bottle that had been at 15 degrees for the same time and both bot...
by Cloth Ears
Mon May 16, 2022 1:09 pm
Forum: The World's Fine Spirits
Topic: Anyone into mezcal?
Replies: 2
Views: 1998

Anyone into mezcal?

Just discovering how much better these can be than the tequila I occasionally had shots of back in my childhood!
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by Cloth Ears
Mon May 16, 2022 1:07 pm
Forum: The World's Fine Spirits
Topic: All things Rum
Replies: 13
Views: 6338

Re: All things Rum

Going to a release of a 'first rum' from Jimmy Rum in Dromana. Judging by his previous cane spirit offerings, this should be pretty special. Got a taste from the barrel a couple of months back and I expect this to be more of the same. I did have a pretty nice one from up in the Atherton Tablelands w...
by Cloth Ears
Mon May 16, 2022 12:58 pm
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: Right, what are we/you drinking now .. tonight
Replies: 6602
Views: 924746

Re: Right, what are we/you drinking now .. tonight

For their 2nd tier Shiraz, this does bloody well. Just beginning to peak now, most of the tannin is only requiring careful decanting, but with lots of still young, fresh vibrant fruit - mostly of the dark plum variety. Matching tie and cuffs as far as the smell went. And a really long tail. I really...
by Cloth Ears
Mon Feb 28, 2022 10:41 am
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: Right, what are we/you drinking now .. tonight
Replies: 6602
Views: 924746

Re: Right, what are we/you drinking now .. tonight

Unusual blend, but drinking really nicely (considering it had a 220km ride in the car on Saturday). I rarely remember to take photos while we're drinking, so you'll have to take my work that it's got a nice purple colour still and is quite clear. A bit more florally than you'd think for a Shiraz ble...
by Cloth Ears
Mon Feb 28, 2022 10:31 am
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: February 2022 Purchases
Replies: 17
Views: 1380

Re: February 2022 Purchases

I hit Tahbilk on Saturday and picked up this mixed (Shiraz) dozen - one of the other participants managed to grab 13 dozen...the canny bastard! Also snagged 2 dozen of the Tahbilk 2014 Winemakers Selection Shiraz/Marsanne. Unusual blend, but drinking perfectly well now. And, judging by the purple co...
by Cloth Ears
Thu Jun 17, 2021 4:59 pm
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: TN: Paringa Estate "Estate" Chardonnay 2015
Replies: 1
Views: 321

Re: TN: Paringa Estate "Estate" Chardonnay 2015

We find the Estate Chardies are good for 10 years in general, while the Reserve (or The Paringa single vineyard) tend to be just coming in at around 10 years. Varies by vintage.

I'll have to see if we've any of the 2015 Estate and give it a try.
by Cloth Ears
Thu Apr 01, 2021 2:07 pm
Forum: The World's Fine Spirits
Topic: Yet to be broached...single malts
Replies: 2
Views: 770

Re: Yet to be broached...single malts

Young upstarts. Their websites probably tell most of the story. Archie Rose won the worlds best Rye whisky at the WWA last year, but were originally a gin distiller. Chief's Son has won Australia's best 'No Age Statement' single barrel the past two years and were always only going to be a single mal...
by Cloth Ears
Mon Mar 01, 2021 10:21 pm
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: Right, what are we/you drinking now .. tonight
Replies: 6602
Views: 924746

Re: Right, what are we/you drinking now .. tonight

2006 Paringa Estate Riesling - a pale golden yellow. nose and taste matching pretty well in this bottle. a little bit of green apple and crunchy green grape flavoured acid, but being submerged in the gold (I find it difficult to describe, like faint sweetness, faint honeysuckle, sauternes almost no ...
by Cloth Ears
Mon Mar 01, 2021 3:12 pm
Forum: The World's Fine Spirits
Topic: Yet to be broached...single malts
Replies: 2
Views: 770

Yet to be broached...single malts

I was having a look through my cellar and the drinks cabinet last week and found some unopened bottles (top - under 50%abv) Edradour 10YO; Chief's Son Imperial Stout; Chief's Son 2020 Distillers Select; Chief's Son Standard (Release 1); Chief's Son The Tanist; Chief's Son Single Barrel 05; Chief's S...
by Cloth Ears
Mon Mar 01, 2021 3:03 pm
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: February 2021 Purchases
Replies: 23
Views: 2312

Re: February 2021 Purchases

2 dozen Tahbilk 2017 'Family Series' Cabernet to keep the wolf from the door
6 Golden Drop 2017 Sparkling mango wine (yep - that's exactly what I thought! But it's dry and fairly neutral and seems to age OK)
by Cloth Ears
Mon Mar 01, 2021 2:56 pm
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: Wine cellar advice
Replies: 15
Views: 903

Re: Wine cellar advice

Hi all. I live in Melbourne and I have a small cellar that I made under my house. I have waterproofed the walls and did some insulation on walls and partial ceiling. Holds temperature at 19-20deg. Daily variance is at most 1 deg. Hot days might go up to 21deg. Unsure what the temperature will be du...
by Cloth Ears
Thu Jan 14, 2021 2:28 pm
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: 2020 Wines of the Year
Replies: 19
Views: 2002

Re: 2020 Wines of the Year

sparkling: 1997 Anderson Pinot/Chardonnay - last one, bugger! red: 2003 Paringa Reserve Shiraz white: 2012 Paulett Antonina Riesling budget red: 1990 Rosemount Estate Museum Release Cabernet Sauvignon budget white: 2015 Tahbilk Viognier $10 red: 2010 Nillahcootie Estate Merlot $10 white: 2010 Leeuwi...
by Cloth Ears
Sat Dec 26, 2020 9:08 am
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: Unheralded wineries you love
Replies: 37
Views: 3186

Re: Unheralded wineries you love

Reilly's
Dennis
Warrabilla
Anderson
by Cloth Ears
Tue Dec 08, 2020 8:36 am
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: Shiraz Viognier- the bee's knees or one for the dust bin?
Replies: 37
Views: 2748

Re: Shiraz Viognier- the bee's knees or one for the dust bin?

Yalumba certainly has good Viognier. I've not had the premium Virgilius but the second tier Eden Valley bottling is pretty smart. As the addition of less than 5% of other varietals to a single varietal wine is not required to be mentioned on the label, how many of the 'Shiraz' wines out there are a...
by Cloth Ears
Mon Dec 07, 2020 10:22 am
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: Shiraz Viognier- the bee's knees or one for the dust bin?
Replies: 37
Views: 2748

Re: Shiraz Viognier- the bee's knees or one for the dust bin?

IIRC, Viognier is used in small amounts with Shiraz, to soften the wine, stabilise the colour and add to the nose. But I believe it also ripens earlier than Shiraz, so I'm not sure how it's added. It would have to be during or before fermentation, otherwise you wouldn't get the colour stabilisation ...
by Cloth Ears
Mon Dec 07, 2020 10:10 am
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: December 2020 Purchases
Replies: 4
Views: 1057

December 2020 Purchases

We went to the back vintage tasting at Paringa Estate on Saturday: 3 x 2006 Estate Riesling - they ran out 10 minutes after these were put in our box 3 x 2007 Peninsula Chardonnay 2 x 2013 Estate Chardonnay 1 x 2012 The Paringa 'HB' Chardonnay 2 x 2009 Estate Pinot Noir 2 x 2008 Estate Shiraz 3 x 20...
by Cloth Ears
Thu Oct 22, 2020 10:59 am
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: Right, what are we/you drinking now .. tonight
Replies: 6602
Views: 924746

Re: Right, what are we/you drinking now .. tonight

Was drifting through the cellar yesterday for something to go with chicken/asparagus/pesto pasta and stumbled upon a 2011 Killikanoon barrel fermented Semillon. I think it was the last of the dozen we picked up on the SA tour in 2013. Simply delicious - lamenting that they died too soon... Still had...
by Cloth Ears
Thu Oct 15, 2020 12:03 pm
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: TN: Paringa Estate Reserve Shiraz 2003
Replies: 12
Views: 1121

Re: TN: Paringa Estate Reserve Shiraz 2003

p.s. good to see some burrata - have you ever tried a smoked version? Worth a taste IMO Mostly into the locally made mozzarella and fior di latte without the 'affumicata'... :D. Mainly because we find that smoking it tends to overpower the rest of the cheese flavour. This was the first time trying ...
by Cloth Ears
Wed Oct 14, 2020 11:09 am
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: The Jumping Grape
Replies: 13
Views: 1454

Re: The Jumping Grape

kenzo wrote:Anyone have a good source for Seppelt Show Reserve of any vintage? This thread reminded me I need to replenish...
Just about everyone is out, except Cellardoor.co - they have 2007 and 2008 for retail.
by Cloth Ears
Tue Oct 13, 2020 4:29 pm
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: The Jumping Grape
Replies: 13
Views: 1454

Re: The Jumping Grape

I don't know about Jumping Grape, but I've only ever seen one other NV sparkling red with a crown seal. Meadowbank, Grampians Estate, Seppelt, Teusner & Majella put their better vintage sparkling reds under crown. There's quite a few sparkling reds (and whites) around under crown seal, and this...
by Cloth Ears
Mon Oct 12, 2020 3:33 pm
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: The Jumping Grape
Replies: 13
Views: 1454

Re: The Jumping Grape

I don't know about Jumping Grape, but I've only ever seen one other NV sparkling red with a crown seal. Meadowbank, Grampians Estate, Seppelt, Teusner & Majella put their better vintage sparkling reds under crown. The one I'm thinking of was a Seppelt thing called Silverband (I think) that was a...
by Cloth Ears
Mon Oct 12, 2020 12:04 pm
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: TN: Paringa Estate Reserve Shiraz 2003
Replies: 12
Views: 1121

Re: TN: Paringa Estate Reserve Shiraz 2003

I think Paringa Estate were the first producer to give shiraz on the Mornington Peninsula real credibility when shiraz wasn't at all recognised in the region. Their style of Pinot was also the first one I tied that I enjoyed, very early in my wine journey Spot on! From their website: In 1984, Linds...
by Cloth Ears
Mon Oct 12, 2020 11:58 am
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: What is it?
Replies: 4
Views: 768

Re: What is it?

Air pump cork remover? We have a winner! Doesn't work with corks that are allowing air in (and naturally, out). And it can be a bit touch and go when the cork is very old and a bit brittle. But it (usefully) won't drop a bit of cork into the bottle, like some of my corkscrews can. It's also useful ...
by Cloth Ears
Sun Oct 11, 2020 6:32 pm
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: What is it?
Replies: 4
Views: 768

What is it?

Found this in my kitchen drawer. I know what it is - does anyone else?
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by Cloth Ears
Thu Oct 08, 2020 3:39 pm
Forum: All About Wine
Topic: TN: Paringa Estate Reserve Shiraz 2003
Replies: 12
Views: 1121

Re: TN: Paringa Estate Reserve Shiraz 2003

I've always liked the retro label of Paringa Estate and it has been on my radar as a good producer but have never had the fortune of finding it on a store shelf here in Canada. As we're local, we tend to go to the restaurant (mainly on their special nights) and they have a 'back vintage tasting' da...