Weekly Drinking Thread commencing 1/6/13

[dlo]

I have been away on another two week tour of Victoria - plenty of jazz, wine and good times.

Whilst on the Mornington Peninsulsa, I stopped in for a half hour chat/banter/tasting with Stonier's staff. Their current release Reserve Chardonnay is, quite amazingly, the 2007! - a discreet wine that will may one day achieve something approaching "greatness", albeit with a few remaining doubts. All worked lees/barrel/ferment characters on the nose, very little fruit; the palate's better with a modicum of melon fruit and delicate cashew/spicy oak, relatively good structure and a tight, acid infused finish and very good length. 88 points and a no buy at $50 for me. I did like the standard 2007 Stonier Chardonnay more, obviously not as heavily worked and a touch broader (and more generous) in the fruit department but still an excellent wine that will keep for several years. 90. A buy at $29. ($27 by the case). My favourite wine on the day was the 2010 Lyncroft Vineyard Chardonnay - a wine reminiscent of a fine Puligny-Montrachet - brimmimg with tightly-coiled top flight fruit and oak and a structure to die for. The 14.5% alcohol, normally a negative to my palate, didn't present itself over the time the wine was in my glass and I bought a bottle for $45 to assess over far more time and in greater detail. The only Pinot I tried (I asked to taste the best on offer) was a 2006 Reserve that was quite simply appalling for the price. Very insipid colour, simple cherry and strawberry nose and, similarly, a light mouthwash palate of simple fruit, very little structure and a short finish - 65 points. The staffer seemed pretty pissed off with my criticisms and my request on what positives he saw in the wine drew a comment of "less is more" - needless to say, it went down like a lead balloon.

Don't have time to write up notes on the case I opened but the following were mostly excellent to outstanding with the 1975 Bullers Vintage Port a cut above the pack. I've added just a few comments for posterity ....

1991 Orlando Lawson's Shiraz - drink up
2001 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling - great for an unheralded vintage
2001 Yalumba Hand-Picked Riesling - very ready - very good/excellent
1997 Marquis D'angerville Volnay Clos des Ducs - disgraceful
1999 Bouchard Père et Fils Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot - excellent - still needs quite some time to fully come together - will never be great though
1996 Ch. Leoville Barton - exciting young wine, absolutely no hurry here.
1996 Seppelt Dorrien Cabernet - superb, unbelievable fruit
1994 Moss Wood Cabernet - superb - quintessential Australian Claret
2004 Lindemans Limestone Ridge Shiraz/Cabernet - excellent +
1998 Schiffmann-Junk Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling-Auslese Gold Capsule, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer - excellent (not as good as the previous or subsequent bottles)
1998 Orlando Coonawarra St Hugo Cabernet - utterly brilliant!

I'll be away again on Thursday for a week of jazz at Merimbula - perhaps someone would be kind enough to start up another thread next Sunday, the 9th June?

[sjw_11]

Coriole Fiano 2010... Nice wine, very savoury and textural, with notes of cut grass, citrus peel, and only the slightest phenolic grip - adding structure without overwhelming.

Hugh Hamilton The Rascal Shiraz 2011... Far too young. Liquer black fruits, plum compote, alcohol, warmth, after 3 days still fairly inscrutable.

Jenke Cabernet 2001... Cork. Slightly green, herbal, red berry nose, a hint of earth and chocolate, mid-bodied on the palate, a little lean. Drinking OK but nothing special.

[Mike Hawkins]

Thanks DLo,

I had one of the 96 Dorriens last year and thought it was as good as you did. Shame they don't make it any more.

Mike

[AaronL]

Adventures in wine auctions

I like to find wines from either strong producers in lesser vintages, or lesser producers in stronger vintages, which in the latter case led me to:

1996 Waninga Shiraz- I had never heard of this Clare Valley producer before (and I can't find much information about them) but 1996 was very kind to all in South Australia. Things were looking up when the cork emerged, with only the tip of it stained red. However, that was the highlight of this bottle. The wine itself was really sweet and porty, with a heap of barnyard, animal smells. Pretty unpleasant. Hoping for a Lazarus like turnaround was also futile, as the next night there was little, if any, improvement so down the sink.

1996 Waninga Shiraz- Yes that's correct. Unperturbed from the previous experience, I opened my second (and thankfully last) bottle of this the next night. Again, cork looked pristine, but the aromas wafting from the bottle were similar to the last, but to a much lesser extent. This dissipated to reveal a wine heavily influenced by oak. The fruit had faded away, and left a wine that was sadly at the end of it's window. To redeem the situation, I pulled a Kurniawan and added a dash of 2009 Merlot, and instantly, the sum of the wine was much better than its parts

2003 Yellow Tail Shiraz "The Premium"- I never thought I would be a Yellow Tail drinker but I was always keen to try this. This won a Stodart Trophy a few years back which made it even more compelling. As for the wine, 2003 was a tough vintage, and with the amount of fruit available to the Casella empire I thought they would have access to some good fruit. Well the fruit was good, but it just wasn't great. Didn't help that it was also subject to a heap of high charred oak. I can't see what the wine judges saw in this wine, and I think you'd be pretty disappointed if you paid $50 and are still yet to drink them.

[phillisc]

Adventures in wine auctions

I like to find wines from either strong producers in lesser vintages, or lesser producers in stronger vintages, which in the latter case led me to:

1996 Waninga Shiraz- I had never heard of this Clare Valley producer before (and I can't find much information about them) but 1996 was very kind to all in South Australia. Things were looking up when the cork emerged, with only the tip of it stained red. However, that was the highlight of this bottle. The wine itself was really sweet and porty, with a heap of barnyard, animal smells. Pretty unpleasant. Hoping for a Lazarus like turnaround was also futile, as the next night there was little, if any, improvement so down the sink.

1996 Waninga Shiraz- Yes that's correct. Unperturbed from the previous experience, I opened my second (and thankfully last) bottle of this the next night. Again, cork looked pristine, but the aromas wafting from the bottle were similar to the last, but to a much lesser extent. This dissipated to reveal a wine heavily influenced by oak. The fruit had faded away, and left a wine that was sadly at the end of it's window. To redeem the situation, I pulled a Kurniawan and added a dash of 2009 Merlot, and instantly, the sum of the wine was much better than its parts

2003 Yellow Tail Shiraz "The Premium"- I never thought I would be a Yellow Tail drinker but I was always keen to try this. This won a Stodart Trophy a few years back which made it even more compelling. As for the wine, 2003 was a tough vintage, and with the amount of fruit available to the Casella empire I thought they would have access to some good fruit. Well the fruit was good, but it just wasn't great. Didn't help that it was also subject to a heap of high charred oak. I can't see what the wine judges saw in this wine, and I think you'd be pretty disappointed if you paid $50 and are still yet to drink them.

Hi Aaron, Waninga was a small winery in the skilly hills adjacent to Skillogalee in the Clare Valley. The cellar door was a beautiful old stone building, the private home stead actually and had a lovely garden and dam setting. 1996 was the last vintage I believe before the small family operation was sold ironically to the Palmers next door ( proprietors of Skillogalee). The fruit all now goes into these wines.

When I visited, they had a 96 shiraz and a 96 reserve shiraz. The wines were very impressive and were very good value. Thanks for reminding me, I have a mixed case somewhere that I will now have a look for. Sorry that your experience wasn't so good.

Cheers Craig.

[AaronL]

Thanks Craig for the update. I could see that earlier in the Waninga's life, it had been a very good wine. It's just that it's drinking life had ended a few years earlier when the fruit started to fade and the oak took over. Well, for these bottles anyway. Hope you have better success and would be keen to hear your results. The 1996 Reserve does sound very interesting.

[George Krashos]

"Pulled a Kurniawan" ...

-- George Krashos

[monghead]

I have been away on another two week tour of Victoria - plenty of jazz, wine and good times.

Whilst on the Mornington Peninsulsa, I stopped in for a half hour chat/banter/tasting with Stonier's staff. Their current release Reserve Chardonnay is, quite amazingly, the 2007! - a discreet wine that will may one day achieve something approaching "greatness", albeit with a few remaining doubts. All worked lees/barrel/ferment characters on the nose, very little fruit; the palate's better with a modicum of melon fruit and delicate cashew/spicy oak, relatively good structure and a tight, acid infused finish and very good length. 88 points and a no buy at $50 for me. I did like the standard 2007 Stonier Chardonnay more, obviously not as heavily worked and a touch broader (and more generous) in the fruit department but still an excellent wine that will keep for several years. 90. A buy at $29. ($27 by the case). My favourite wine on the day was the 2010 Lyncroft Vineyard Chardonnay - a wine reminiscent of a fine Puligny-Montrachet - brimmimg with tightly-coiled top flight fruit and oak and a structure to die for. The 14.5% alcohol, normally a negative to my palate, didn't present itself over the time the wine was in my glass and I bought a bottle for $45 to assess over far more time and in greater detail. The only Pinot I tried (I asked to taste the best on offer) was a 2006 Reserve that was quite simply appalling for the price. Very insipid colour, simple cherry and strawberry nose and, similarly, a light mouthwash palate of simple fruit, very little structure and a short finish - 65 points. The staffer seemed pretty pissed off with my criticisms and my request on what positives he saw in the wine drew a comment of "less is more" - needless to say, it went down like a lead balloon.

Don't have time to write up notes on the case I opened but the following were mostly excellent to outstanding with the 1975 Bullers Vintage Port a cut above the pack. I've added just a few comments for posterity ....

1991 Orlando Lawson's Shiraz - drink up
2001 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling - great for an unheralded vintage
2001 Yalumba Hand-Picked Riesling - very ready - very good/excellent
1997 Marquis D'angerville Volnay Clos des Ducs - disgraceful
1999 Bouchard Père et Fils Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot - excellent - still needs quite some time to fully come together - will never be great though
1996 Ch. Leoville Barton - exciting young wine, absolutely no hurry here.
1996 Seppelt Dorrien Cabernet - superb, unbelievable fruit
1994 Moss Wood Cabernet - superb - quintessential Australian Claret
2004 Lindemans Limestone Ridge Shiraz/Cabernet - excellent +
1998 Schiffmann-Junk Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling-Auslese Gold Capsule, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer - excellent (not as good as the previous or subsequent bottles)
1998 Orlando Coonawarra St Hugo Cabernet - utterly brilliant!

I'll be away again on Thursday for a week of jazz at Merimbula - perhaps someone would be kind enough to start up another thread next Sunday, the 9th June?

Nice drinking as usual dlo.
Had an 88 Marquis d'Angervile recently, and yes, I don't get it...
Love the 98 St Hugo as you do.
Agree that in general 96 Bordeaux are in general still way too young.

Cheers,

monghead.

[TiggerK]

Had an 88 Marquis d'Angervile recently, and yes, I don't get it...

Hey Len, have to say I got it as pretty darn nice wine! As soon as I smelt the nose on that 1988 d'Angerville, it took me back to Shannon's RareWineDinners old Burgundy night a month or so ago. The nose at least to me was definitely quality old Burg, the palate perhaps less so (old & elegant vs vibrant & structured). I've not got your level of knowledge of Bordeaux so can't say too much about the Graves/Medoc comparisons. Certainly will be interesting to try a few different vintages to see how this label fares generally though..

[Teisto]

In comparison to everything else being drunk at the moment a very poorly

2005 Kalleske Pirathon Probably drinking as good as it will get - still a good colour, balance between fruit and tannin for $20 is good.

[Duncan Disorderly]

Just drinking my inaugural Langton's purchase, a 2000 Tardieu-Laurent 'Guy Louis' CdR. It's superb with garrigue, cherry, lavender, and a bunch of other things going on.

After work a colleague opened a bottle of 1997 Zema Estate Cab Sauv, which was also rather lovely. While the cork was wet, the nose was expansive (another colleague who said he wasn't going to have a splash succumbed on a whiff of the savoury aroma from across the room) and the tobacco, leather, plums and currants were divine.

[TravisW]

Just finishing a bottle of Penfolds Clare Estate 1994 with Rib Eye Steak. Bloody yum! It started off all thin and weedy, but with 20 minutes air it started to come around on the decanter. An hour and a half later it is still kicking on with it's deep blackfruits, meat and leather. Not completely developed, but in a great spot. Tannins are a little knackered but hey, who cares?

Cheers, Travis.

PS: Good to hear that you enjoyed the Zema Estate. I've never been able to drink the stuff let alone buy it ever since our first visit to the Coonawarra back in 1998. You would think that two, keen, young things turning up at your cellar door in the middle of the week, in the middle of nowhere, would twig to the owners that "Hey, these people must be serious". But no. After an age of waiting at a vacant cellar door, the elderly mother (I'm guessing) strolls in to "serve" us their wines. I've never heard so much huffing and sighing in my life. No eye contact. Short answers to questions. No smiles. In retrospect I'm not sure she was 100%, but we made our excuses and sodded off... never to touch the stuff again. Shame.

[griff]

2008 Bodegas Maurodos San Roman Toro
Chocolate and coffee notes suggest a similar oak regimen to Mauro (less experience with older Vega to comment but apparently similar again as per the winemaker). Not overtly oaked however and perfectly integrated with the soft dark fruited palate. Excellent wine and the missus said if she were to drink one wine for the rest of her life this would be a contender. No Australian importer from what I can gather. What a shame (hint, hint).

cheers

Carl

[griff]

2007 Raveneau Valmur Chablis Grand Cru
Yum! I can't do justice to this one apart from the first word of this note. On opening it was all smoke and white flowers. Some minerality but not typical Chablis for me with no salinity. After a couple of hours it had deepened and broadened. Lemon oil was the dominant note. Again a wine that was a constant evolution in the glass. Outstanding. Was told it was a little young to open but when it was under $100 at the restaurant then what the heck!

cheers

Carl

[Duncan Disorderly]

Good to hear that you enjoyed the Zema Estate. I've never been able to drink the stuff let alone buy it ever since our first visit to the Coonawarra back in 1998. You would think that two, keen, young things turning up at your cellar door in the middle of the week, in the middle of nowhere, would twig to the owners that "Hey, these people must be serious". But no. After an age of waiting at a vacant cellar door, the elderly mother (I'm guessing) strolls in to "serve" us their wines. I've never heard so much huffing and sighing in my life. No eye contact. Short answers to questions. No smiles. In retrospect I'm not sure she was 100%, but we made our excuses and sodded off... never to touch the stuff again. Shame.

I've enjoyed some lovely Zema Estate cab's over the years, although I've never been to the cellar door, which may have been something of a blessing...

[monghead]

2009 Maison Leroy Bourgogne Rouge

Young red cherries, raspberries, alluring hints of five spice. Slightly tart, sappy.
Solid Good

[griff]

2008 Wynns Coonawarra Estate V&A Lane Shiraz
With all the talk of Wynns this was the last to be drunk in the UK. Beat the pants off a 2004 St Henri Shiraz. While that was still closed, young and gangly, this was silky smooth with morello cherries to the fore. Cool, medium weight and just had 'it'. Scary good and may just have to call it Outstanding. Now just a few more to go...

cheers

Carl

[Michael R]

2010 Weingut Knoll federspiel Riesling, Wachau
Quite floral, generous medium body, with clean bright citrus flavour. Bought off the list at Mr Wongs, was very food friendly, and thoroughly enjoyable. Mr Wongs was very good btw, some top quality dishes, service patchy but servers were very nice and easily forgiven.

2000 Krug, Champagne
Was mentioned to me that this was a v different beast to the standard, and that was indeed the case. A toned down version of everything, lighter style I suppose. Plenty of fizz and energy, perhaps one for Dom P drinkers. I liked it, I didn't love it.

1991 Penfolds St Henri
Beautiful wine. Won't improve for my tastes but should hold at this level for a few more years. Plenty of fruit, maybe not enough structure to suggest another decade in a canter, this bottle at least. My inner point scorer suggests 92 points

[Mike Hawkins]

2000 Krug, Plenty of fizz and energy, perhaps one for Dom P drinkers. I liked it, I didn't love it.

Intriguing description ! I'm having both next Thursday alongside Goisses, Cristal, Comtes and Grande Annee. Will report my thoughts for what they're worth.

[Phil Wilkins]

2003 Jean Grivot Chambolle-Musigny La Combe d'Orveau
Not as butch as anticipated even with the 03 style. Red fruits, smoke, bitter chocolate and tannins on the palate which become refreshingly delicate after a long decant. A bit pissy and vegetal at only 13%vol and I didn’t find this as delicious as I’d have thought. Reminds me of a 2002 CdP. I’m certainly not thrilled by this although time should be its friend. 13%vol. 87pts

2003 Lopez de Heredia Gravonia Rioja Blanco
An absorbing waxy nutty nose with lemon oil, saffron, vanilla and developed aged characteristics. Gorgeous light oxidation here make this wine captivating, complex and very lovely. And get this, the alcohol is only 12.5% which is remarkable for an ‘03. Drink at cellar temperature not chilled. 90pts

1995 Dead Arm Shiraz
This opened with quite a musty pong but with air the soft, rich, round and ripe notes fuse with earthy plum/bramble characteristics and become more tertiary in feel and flavour with time. Strong extraction and medium acid are at the fore and while this still has time on its side I’d drink now before the dreaded prune notes appear. Not a wow wine but enough interest here to make this a highly enjoyable bottle. 14%vol. 91pts

[phillisc]

Very quiet of late and you could say that this one is in the bargain bin.
2000 Annies Lane Riesling (cork, 11%)

I absolutely love it when something for around $7 gives this much enjoyment.
Brilliant golden yellow hue, clear as a spring day
The tiniest wiff of kero which diassapeared very quickly, most of the primary fruit gone, but still a little lemony and lime
Palate still had that lovely acidy zingy buzz, almost spritzy then rounding out with a hint of residual sugar and a slightly caramelised taste on the end.

Last of the case, very pleasant accompanyment to a green chicken curry.

Cheers
Craig.

[Brucer]

Adventures in wine auctions

I like to find wines from either strong producers in lesser vintages, or lesser producers in stronger vintages, which in the latter case led me to:

1996 Waninga Shiraz- I had never heard of this Clare Valley producer before (and I can't find much information about them) but 1996 was very kind to all in South Australia. Things were looking up when the cork emerged, with only the tip of it stained red. However, that was the highlight of this bottle. The wine itself was really sweet and porty, with a heap of barnyard, animal smells. Pretty unpleasant. Hoping for a Lazarus like turnaround was also futile, as the next night there was little, if any, improvement so down the sink.

1996 Waninga Shiraz- Yes that's correct. Unperturbed from the previous experience, I opened my second (and thankfully last) bottle of this the next night. Again, cork looked pristine, but the aromas wafting from the bottle were similar to the last, but to a much lesser extent. This dissipated to reveal a wine heavily influenced by oak. The fruit had faded away, and left a wine that was sadly at the end of it's window. To redeem the situation, I pulled a Kurniawan and added a dash of 2009 Merlot, and instantly, the sum of the wine was much better than its parts

2003 Yellow Tail Shiraz "The Premium"- I never thought I would be a Yellow Tail drinker but I was always keen to try this. This won a Stodart Trophy a few years back which made it even more compelling. As for the wine, 2003 was a tough vintage, and with the amount of fruit available to the Casella empire I thought they would have access to some good fruit. Well the fruit was good, but it just wasn't great. Didn't help that it was also subject to a heap of high charred oak. I can't see what the wine judges saw in this wine, and I think you'd be pretty disappointed if you paid $50 and are still yet to drink them.

Tim Adams made their shiraz, and Jeffrey Grosset made the cabernet. The vinyards were sold to Skilogallee about 10 years ago.

[Michael R]

Mike...you are Auswines Champagne warrior!
I had you and Monghead in mind when i made the Dom P reference.
Hopefully my comments arent a nonsense post your tasting

[AaronL]

Tim Adams made their shiraz, and Jeffrey Grosset made the cabernet. The vinyards were sold to Skilogallee about 10 years ago.

Thanks Bruce. That's a couple of handy winemakers!

2000 Annies Lane Riesling (cork, 11%)
I absolutely love it when something for around $7 gives this much enjoyment.

That's a great result from a 2000 riesling. I've been working my way through a 6 pack of the 2002 version with similar results. I may have 1 or 2 left earmarked for summer drinking.