Celebrating our 25th year in Adelaide and with my current employer we opened this. Frankly we were a little underwhelmed. It was very much alive with colour that was amazing for such an old wine, good acidity with oak and tannins fully integrated everything was there except fruit. And I think it never was unless this was a bad bottle but I don't think so. Going by the low alcohol I reckon it was picked too early. Perhaps in the style of early to mid 1980s Coonawarra cabernets picked too early ala Mildara Alexander which I think tipped the scales at a smidgen over 12%. Very long lived wines but nothing to live for.
Carl
Ouch. Might pull a few corks myself based on this note
1990 Wynns Black Label Cabernet Bright vibrant red, still with hints of purple. Classic Coonawarra herbal lift on the nose and initially on the palate. Beautiful cassis fruit followed with chalky tannins and cedary oak. Opened last night and more integrated tonight. As i sit, sip and type with the wood fire raging and a nice aged T bone to come life is beautiful.
Opened a Moet & Chandon NV thats been in my wine fridge for about 3 years. Purchased this from Costco a while back and forgot about it.
This tasted great! honey, toast, and all that. Was the best M&C NV i've ever had.. was kinda worried it was past it, but came out happy. Had this with a 50cm pizza from Via Napoli
I might buy some more and keep it in the fridge for a few years again!
2010 St Hugo Cabernet, Coonawarra. I thought this was excellent. Decanted for 1 hour prior to serving, the nose was text book Coonawarra. The palate was rich and lush with a very good depth of flavour. There was a hint of grippy tannin, but that will meld in time. This was a crowd pleaser.
2012 Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz, McLaren Vale. I loved this wine. Consumed over 2 hours it really started to shine towards the end of the bottle with more air time and I can see the hallmarks of a wine that will age graciously and superbly. Dark fruits, a hint of chocolate and very well integrated oak, the finish was lovely and velvety smooth.
2008 Grosset Gaia, Clare Valley. I picked this up from the cellar door a few years ago now, and have been looking forward to drinking it ever since. As soon as the wine hit the glass the class of this wine was apparent. Rich, luscious and ripe Cabernet Fruits, softened and rounded out by the Cab Franc and addition of merlot, gave way to a wine with exceptional length and finish. A stunning Cabernet blend that has plenty of life left in it. I was pleasantly surprised how good this was and pleasure to drink.
Michael R wrote:2010 Kumeu river hunting hill Chardonnay 2013 Farr Rising Pinot 2011 Wendouree Shiraz
Michael, I was thinking of having a look at this "early drinking" Wendouree...can I ask what you thought before I crack the screwcap?
Simon
Hi Simon I liked it. More so on the first night than the second. Just popped and poured, enjoyed the youthful character. Finish was average. Decent wine which I'd drink again but wouldn't buy another.
1967 Pio Cesare Barbaresco- Very smart old wine and don't believe the generalizations about Barolo versus Barbaresco. The later consistently produces freaky old wines. This no exception.
Oddero Vigna Rionda 1999-Wonderful stuff from a powerhouse Serralunga master vineyard.
94pts+
Faiveley NSG " Les Porets" 1er Cru- Prepare this as you would a Barolo!
92pts+
Neumesiter Morafeitl Sav Blnc 2007- Unbelievable what everyone other than NZ & Oz can do with sauvignon blanc. This is a great Styrian producer in Austria.
94pts
"Barolo is Barolo, you can't describe it, just as you can't describe Picasso"
2008 Keith tulloch semillon, hunter valley, screw cap, 11.5% Light yellow, Lime, fresh cut grass, good acidity, tasted blind I would have thought it was riesling. 1st of 6 bought at auction delivered yesterday, thinking it could grow into something very nice with time It doesn't appear to b a wine with 7 years of age, seems much younger.
Clarendon Hills Old Vines Grenache Blewitt Springs Vineyard 2001- Pronounced VA, raspberry/cherry confit, with a savory & animal hide at the edges. Rich and full bodied, there's the remnants of years earlier heady Christmas cake mix, a citrus like tang and typical grenache warmth. Pepper, spice, eucalyptus echo on the warm and piercing finish.
Day two sees the VA dominate the fruit making enjoyment tough- even a seasoned drinker will be unsteady on their feet if opting for a third glass. The VA is so out of whack I'll hide behind the TCA scalped possibility - I see this effect in nebbiolo.
I have little experience with this producer so anyone ?
NR
"Barolo is Barolo, you can't describe it, just as you can't describe Picasso"
2012 Metala White Label Shiraz Cab - Bottle No 160149
How many bottles of this stuff did they make???? Anyway, Didn't really pair well with the pie but it didn't not pair with it either, I was just hungry and Lauren and I both wanted a drink. Decanted and poured. Dark purple with a little bit of red. Initially lots of raisins and blackcurrents from the decanter, then in the glass, more black fruit bit of eucalyptus and menthol. Upon tasting, more black fruits, a bit of leather, and some fine tannins, couldn't really notice too much oak either. For how much I paid for this ($13 in a six pack or so possibly less), this is great stuff with or without meat pies!
Celebrating our 25th year in Adelaide and with my current employer we opened this. Frankly we were a little underwhelmed. It was very much alive with colour that was amazing for such an old wine, good acidity with oak and tannins fully integrated everything was there except fruit. And I think it never was unless this was a bad bottle but I don't think so. Going by the low alcohol I reckon it was picked too early. Perhaps in the style of early to mid 1980s Coonawarra cabernets picked too early ala Mildara Alexander which I think tipped the scales at a smidgen over 12%. Very long lived wines but nothing to live for.
Carl
Ouch. Might pull a few corks myself based on this note
Had a magnum of this the weekend before last, and it was similarly disappointing, it was all there, but just wasn't happening. I had a very similar experience with a couple of previous bottles some years ago. That was my last, fortunately I guess.
veni, vidi, bibi also on twitter @m_j_short and instagram m_j_short
2 very different 4* wines. Last night a friend cooked and served 1989 Trevallon blind. Trudi thought it was an older Auz wine and you can see where she was coming from: similar grapes, hot climate. Touch of cedar in the nose. Mature looking with a light Pinot colour. Crunchy acidity made me first think of an old Volnay, but In amongst the animal tones was a core of fruit that gave the wine an incredible drinkability. Lasted about 30 mins. Brilliant. My friend who served it buys a lot of high end Burgs, has lots of top Bordeaux, but old Trevallon is his real passion.
Tonight At home a request was put in for a good Shiraz and so I opened my only bottle of Andre Thomas, the 2007 Sweetwater. Unfortunately Thomas does not seem to be available in Europe and this came from the Small Winakers shop in the Hunter Valley. This seems to be in a perfect place just now. Primary red fruit and cherry dominates the nose, but it's the palate where the class shows. lovely balance between the oak, concentrated fruit and acidity. It does not have the sheer drinkability of the Trevallon, but it's classier and more polished, with a longer finish. Very differant wine, but just as good
This is my church, this is where I heal my hurts. For tonight, God is the Auswine Wine Forum
Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz 2007 - got half a dozen of these a few years ago for about $5 a bottle. Last night's was the first that I enjoyed out of the 4 or 5 I've opened. For some reason it had everything going for it whereas the previous ones were out of balance and lacked great fruit. Probably would have been better off just buying one good $30 bottle of something else! Waterwheel Bendigo Shiraz 2010 - used to be lovely wines but this one was simplistic and uni-dimensional.
If you can remember what a wine is like the next day you didn't drink enough of it Peynaud
2014 Jauma Gramp Ant Grenache McLaren Vale, 13.8%, cork with wax seal. Decided to try something different. Comes from a producer of "natural hand crafted wines", unfiltered, wild yeasts and minimum sulphar, no addition of acid and tannins. Despite its youth, it appeared older than its vintage, perhaps lacking freshness and vibrancy (no added acid?), cloudy in appearance (unfiltered). Despite this, it was enjoyable and a touch intriguing. The wine evolved over the two nights I consumed it. Red berry fruits without being "jammy" with an earthy funky feel. Medium bodied, with at times touching upon a "full bodied Pinot feel". A wine that is not meant to be cellared, and certainly that meets the winemakers objective - "gluggable". Am I glad that I bought and tried it at around $30? - Yes Will I buy more of this wine? - Maybe, could be good to re-vist
A couple over a long pizza lunch yesterday.. 2012 Wynns shiraz...went long on this...yum yum yum, great wine for the price berries +++lovely mouth feel with gentle tannin. 2010 Wirra Wirra RSW... a surprise, mocha, pepper, spice. A really slippery wine, almost tasted chilled if this makes sense...has years to go and a great representation of MV shiraz.
2010 Metala white label. It's got a lot of mullberry going on with plumb and dark berry. There are some secondary flavours starting to emerge in the back ground. the finish is nice and persistent. Good little wine. Should keep going for a long time but nice enough to drink now.
never underestimate the predictability of stupidity
Gillman 2006 Mataranka Cabernet Franc , Merlot & Malbec- Cassis pastille, spices, pepper with gentle fresh oak supporting. Medium bodied, I can't see the wine maturing to any further glory, and now it sits in a good place with sweet black fruit flavors carried on a good length with very fine tannins almost resolved. There's a lovely cool climate high note throughout.
At $70 Kiwi a bit cheeky.
90pts
Last edited by JamieBahrain on Thu May 21, 2015 8:06 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"Barolo is Barolo, you can't describe it, just as you can't describe Picasso"
woodlands chardonnay 2014 opened last night and was pleasantly surprised, lovely fresh, ripe stone fruits and nice acidity, just enough oak to make it all dance together in time. tonight much the same and a little bit better. I think I will be grabbing a dozen to put away for 5 or 10 years, but it is drinking so well now its going to be hard to keep away from them what great value for 20 odd dollars a bottle
Last edited by Bobthebuilder on Thu May 21, 2015 10:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Howard Park Leston Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Yum. Drinking without food, but drying tannins would make it preferable with food. Maybe at its peak; maybe not there yet. Under screwcap and a great ad for the slow but sure development of cabernet under screwcap.
Krug. MV based on the 2005, this is pretty serious stuff, and has a lovely maturity about it. Not cheap, but as good as any vintage Champagne I have ever had.
2012 Thorn-Clarke Nebbiolo 11.5%. As what you would expect with a $20 Nebbiolo. Nothing too serious ; Raspberries mixed in with sour cherries, light bodied, with fine tannins & acid. Drinking well now, however not a long term prospect. Not that I am experienced with Nebbiolo, however a good approachable introduction to the grape variety. It would have to be one of the lowest alcohol wines to come out of the Barossa that I have recently experienced.
2013 Henschke 'Henry's Seven' GSM. This is quite robust. Purplish red with sweet savoury fruit, quite a bit of grip and a lovely finish. Very moreish on this second night open. Last night was more of a fruit romp. Cellar 3-5 with confidence (possibly quite a bit longer. Very, Very Good.
Phil H wrote:2012 Thorn-Clarke Nebbiolo 11.5%. As what you would expect with a $20 Nebbiolo. Nothing too serious ; Raspberries mixed in with sour cherries, light bodied, with fine tannins & acid. Drinking well now, however not a long term prospect. Not that I am experienced with Nebbiolo, however a good approachable introduction to the grape variety. It would have to be one of the lowest alcohol wines to come out of the Barossa that I have recently experienced.
Hi Phil
Was this the 'Morello' Nebbiolo? The bottle I had recently was irredeemably stinky/bretty. Just curious as to whether I might have had a dud bottle as I generally find all the Thorn-Clarke wines very good and excellent VFM.
Hi Michael, It was the Morello, but I could not see any faults with it being very fresh. It was good, but not great, something different for those wanting to venture away from Shiraz. As expected with Nebbiolo, more Pinot like with tannins. The last time I tried this wine was the 2007 vintage with 5 years on it. I would give this wine a similar 5 year drinking window. The bonus being 11.5% alc, making it a good mid week wine. Post Edit: Also agree with great value for money. Still enjoying 05 & 06 Shotfire Shiraz..
Last edited by Phil H on Thu May 21, 2015 9:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
. Oak is quite noticeable too, but not unbalanced.
