Post Election drinking reports...

[TORB]

Hi Good Peoples,

The election is now over so its time to get your weekly drinking reports in. Last night, whilst watching the election results I drank a bottle of Peter Lehmann 1994 Black Queen. Bloody terrific it was too, the wine (as well as the election result) and like Little Johnnies reign, its not going anywhere anytime soon so there is absolutely no hurry to drink them. It should be very longed lived.

Also, during the week I opened a 97 Eileen Hardy Shiraz which was very drinkable but showing a noticeable amount of Brett. It was still quite drinkable and more a case of adding complexity rather than getting in the way. It was the first time I noticed Brett in this vintage of the wine.

Now what have you guys been drinking?

(Now where is my share of the X billion $$$ that Costello is going to spend, I don't want my share to go to eductaion, I would rather they sent me a cheque so I could buy some wine. )

[Colin]

Went out to dinner last night where the host provided two red wines I had never had before, one because it was home made.

The first was the home made 2001 Merlot, that's all that was on the label, made by the hosts father who is of Italian origin. To tell the truth this wine was better than some of the stuff I buy commercially. Plum red in colour but slightly transparent. Sweet plum flavours and a dry finish, slightly bitter at the end. A good job for a homebrew.

The next was a 2000 Yalumba Barossa Shiraz. Full of oak and one dimensional dark fruit flavours, I think this needed more time breath which it didn't get. A few years needed in the bottle required.


Colin

[Anonymous]

I opened a bottle of 1999 Stringy Brae Shiraz to watch the election results come in. I am now down to my last bottle, just when it has turned itself on.

I spent the week in northeastern Victoria visiting some of the wineries in Beechworth and Rutherglen. I managed to write down some notes on only a few bottles.

<b>2002 Warrabilla Reserve Shiraz</b>: HUGE!! The nose produced blackberry, chocolate mint and cedar. The palate followed with Nana's old moist fruitcake with the glazed cherries in the mix. I tasted this in January 2004 with the tasting pack sent every year to wine club members. I bought the 2002 Reserve Duif, but now I have the shiraz as well. Drink in 8-15 years. $22

<b>2002 Pennyweight Beechworth Pinor Noir</b>: As soon as I took a whiff I thought brett. Lots of cherries and spice on the palate and a clean finish. $28

<b>2002 Pennyweight Beechworth Shiraz</b>: This wine impressed me the most of the Pennyweight range. Notes of sweet fruits with a palate of pepper, spice and chocolate. Well integrated tannins and a long finish. $26

<b>2002 Pennyweight Beechworth Cabernet Blend</b>: Notes of sour fruits and cranberry, palate of ripe cherries with a long and dry finish. $26

I also visited Booth's in Glenrowan to check out the Taminick Cellar range. The 2002 Premium Shiraz, Cliff Booth Shiraz and Premium Cabernet Sauvignon were all very impressive. These wines are from 85 year vines that produce very deep coloured, concentrated and long lived wines. All this for $16.

[n4sir]

2002 Browns of Padthaway Sauvignon Blanc (Stelvin): Pale straw colour. A perfumed and spicy nose of grass, pickled capsicum, sweet lychees and tropicals. The palate is just as soft, spicy and creamy, with green-apple characters going the distance over four nights. While I don’t think this will age as long as the 2002 Paracombe, this is a fantastic value-for-money SB.

1998 Penfolds Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz: Light crusting. Inky crimson with a hint of purple on the rim. An elegant nose not unlike the 1998 Redman; earth, blackberry, chocolate and supporting cedar oak, the green/leaf characters. The palate has a very bitey entry of green tannin and acid, that really does lead the fruit. I’m not sure where the wine is going; the tannins seem to be out of balance this time around, but maybe it wasn’t a good bottle.

1998 Primo Estate Moda Amarone Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot: Amazingly almost no crusting. Inky red/crimson colour. Briary/earthy red berries matched by malty oak at first on the nose, swallowed up by iodine/blackcurrants with air, and finally some complex biscuity notes. The palate features a rich flush of sweet earthy blackcurrant fruit, spicy tannins, and a minty finish with some coffee on the aftertaste. While the wine isn’t very hot, that 14.5% alcohol is noticeable, and it surprisingly seems to lack body and depth compared to the 1999 vintage. I got this at auction, and while the capsule and ullage level looked perfect, it may have been a poor bottle.

2001 Mitchell Peppertree Shiraz (Stelvin): Dark red/purple. Beautiful nose of reduced blackberries, tobacco, spice, herbs, star anise, white pepper and oyster. The palate is just as rich, with raspberry, blackberry, tobacco, earth, a touch of pepper, and vanilla oak in support. In contrast to the 2002 there was no stinkyness from the start, and that screwcap is working in the wine’s favour. Brilliant.


Cheers,
Ian

[Stewart]

I'm cheating a bit as these notes probably encompass a 10 day period. Anyway......

Sugarloaf Shiraz 2002
Took a while to open up in the nose and palate. Big nose, lots of vapour and berries, underpinned with spicy, peppery notes. More soft berries in the mouth, some sweetness (not over-done), and some faint licorice. Pepper is much less pronouced. Tannins and some heat drive a long, penetrating finish. Great effort off 6 year old vines.

Ten Minutes by Tractor Pinot Noir 2001
Light cherry red in the glass, almost rose like. The nose follows closely, shows bright cherry fruits, a little candy like, but attractive nevertheless. More seriosly palate structure, the sweetish simple fruits play at the edges but a decent lick of sour fruits and some bitterness kicks in. Good finish. Drinking best over 2004 and early 2005.

Ten Minutes by Tractor Chardonnay 2002
Whilst many blow the trumpet of the SA 2002 vintage for reds (and rightly so in most cases) I have found the same year for chardonnay in Mornington to be excellent. Pale gold in the glass, looks relatively young for a 2 year old chardonnay. Sweet, lifted nose, very ripe, with some faint burn from the alcohol? Very mouthfilling, powerful style with a long finish. Again some heat from the alochol but it does fill the palate out somewhat. There's a touch of bandaid - brett? - but acceptable and does add a layer of funkiness. Pretty good wine, but perhaps not for the faint hearted.

Koltz GSM 2002
Rich, ripe, penetrating with fruit cake notes. Some heat evident. Powerful, sweet palate. None of the 3 varieties really dominates. Good length with some heat and tannin. Wood not really noticable. Some bitterness at the finish. Seems very young and just a little too sweet for me right now. Not as good as a bottle tasted 2 monthd ago.

Watervale Riesling 2004
Lifted, powerful upfront fruity nose. Almost speaks of ripe sauvignon blanc. More power in the mouth, very mouthfilling but a little sear from the acid. Quite tight and tart, fruitiness nothwithstanding. Probably needs 3 years+ in the cellar.

Polish Hill Riesling 2004
Tight, subdued nose, doesn't give much away, bar a few minerally notes. Long in the mouth, somes good intentity. Nice mineral, chalk notes. Good acid levels - drives length. Should be very good in time. Demands cellaring.

[George Krashos]

To drown our sorrows, a generous friend brought over two Rockford wines, a '94 Grenache and a '93 Basket Press.

Both were very impressive, but the WOTN was the grenache for complexity and development of secondary flavours whilst retaining impressive fruit. The BP had a minty/green nose which was indicative of the vintage and a bouquet that I haven't found in any other BPs of my acquaintance. It was still very primary and youthful with savoury, dark fruit and long, balanced tannin. I was going to try one of mine but after this, I'll hold off for another 2-3 years. For an unheralded vintage, this '93 is going very well. The grenache just made me excited about the 96s and 97s sitting in my cellar. I won't touch them for 5 or so years.

-- George Krashos

[Wizz]

To celebrate/commiserate Saturday night (I'm not saying which )We opened a bottle of 00 Seppelt Salinger that was still hanging around. Those that picked this as not being an ager were right, this has progressed fast in the last 6 months. Picking up some vegemitey mushroomy complexity, but drink up.

Some others from the last two weeks:

04 Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc: this is nice without being super impressive, some musky sweetness here which seems to be a gram or five of residual sugar. needs to be drink very cold.
99 Richmond Grove Watervale Riesling: After having my doubts on previous bottles, this is in good shape for the long haul, still very primary lime, with some petrol elements creeping in. Yummy.
91 Lindemans St George: I've had about 9 of these and this was the best of the lot. CLassic Coonawarra, Cassis, pencil shavings, cedar, mint. THis bottle could go another 5, and maintains my faith in aging Coonawarra Cabernet.
00 Rockford BP: My second bottle (I only bought two) Quite a lot written about this wine on forums in recent times. blueberry, blackberry, boysenberry nose with some licorice and a touch of menthol. Palate leathery, vanilla/caramel and the same berries and some black cherry. Softening tannin, developing early. NB this bottle the cork was quite wet right to the top. For me this is still an early drinker.

and at an instore on Saturday:

04 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, which is searingly acidic, crisp and dry. Cats Pee and Gooseberry. Bracing at close to room temperature, this will surely be a treat for SB lovers served cold.

Also the Wild Rock releases from Craggy Range:
04 Sauvignon Blanc: More dried herb and fruit salad, a touch of barrel ferment or maybe some semillon here
04 Rose (Pinot Noir): Funky little beast after the Barossa Roses I usuasly6 frequent. screams pinot noir, bone dry and savoury, smashing lunchtime wine for a hot summer
02 Merlot Malbec: Buttery elements overshadow the fruit, I think this is the Malbec. Plummy and pencil shavings apart from that.
[/b]

[Pelican]

Although not ill ( yet ) myself out of sympathy for my dear Pelicanette who has the dreaded cold/flu no real interesting wines this week

However I offer the following tasting notes anyway....

Throaties cough lozenges - a bit like cask cabernet'

Butter menthols - chardonnay

Robitussin Expectorant (plastic stelvin) : Mitchell Growers Grenache

St Agnes 7 star brandy : Prevention is better than Cure indeed !

[Davo]

Pelican,

Comiserations from one who has also had a fruitless week.

I personally prefer either the Senega and Ammonia (bottled under screwcap) or the home blend (even thirds of Lemon Juice, Honey, and Olive Oil, shaken, not stirred) to the Robitusson, but then I never really did like Greenash. I have only ever found one that could really be called wine, at least in the Davo Dictionary of Wine Definitions.

Oh, and as to the brandy, try a Jagerbomber instead. I can of Red Bull with a full shot of Jagermeister for the energy giving cough mix. In fact I am guzzling one almost as I type.

Hope you improve rapidly and are soon enjoying the fruits of someone elses labour.

[Guest]

2002 Saltram MB Shiraz:
Bought a bottle of Mamre Brook Shiraz 2002, on thursday, and when i got to the counter the Dan Murphys store staff rang through 19.99 (Adelaide Store) and lucky that i challenged the price because i read 16.90...good price and quite a good wine. Despite being on the tail end of a cold and sore throat, i was impressed.

[Kieran]

I find that Jaegermeister is really useful. Particularly if you're fresh out of syrup of ipecac.

Kieran

[Neville K]

1994 Mount Mary Pinot Noir
Colour far from pristine it had a brick red muddiness. The bouquet was typically complex, but the palate revealed a nervy fractious wine with spiteful acid backbone. It was the vinous equivalent of the annual report to Mt Mary subscribers. This wine was not a happy vegemite. Difficult.

2000 De Bortoli Pinot Noir
A wine I have always enjoyed and it just keeps getting better. It is honest without going to war. It has no duplicity. It bore no resemblance to the election result.

Pizza and the remains of a 1996 Craiglee shiraz, courtesy of Pat Carmody care of Phil Hude's Armadale Cellars tasting were the order of the day. The 1996 has always been a lighter, early drinking wine with little substance beyond the short to medium term. It underscores how Craiglee speaks always eloquently of vintage and terroir. No other wine was opened given the unfolding result. My brother, my country, why have you done this? Coopers awash tears.

Neville K

[David Lole]

Pelican,

Comiserations from one who has also had a fruitless week.

I personally prefer either the Senega and Ammonia (bottled under screwcap) or the home blend (even thirds of Lemon Juice, Honey, and Olive Oil, shaken, not stirred) to the Robitusson, but then I never really did like Greenash. I have only ever found one that could really be called wine, at least in the Davo Dictionary of Wine Definitions.

Oh, and as to the brandy, try a Jagerbomber instead. I can of Red Bull with a full shot of Jagermeister for the energy giving cough mix. In fact I am guzzling one almost as I type.

Hope you improve rapidly and are soon enjoying the fruits of someone elses labour.

Man, I feel for you. Things, hopefully, will be on the improve soon. Took me 3 weeks to shake the bastard.

[David Lole]

Jean-Marc Brocard 1998 Vaudesir Grand Cru Chablis
Jean-Marc Brocard 1998 Fourchaume 1er Cru Chablis
La Chablisienne 1998 Blanchots Grand Cru Chablis

All bloody good and all ready to drink. Perhaps says something about the vintage.

Otherwise, a fantastic night of wine and food with Adair and Mardi on Friday night.

Without a doubt, another highlight of the year.

Every wine of Outstanding quality, lovely food (apart from the saltiness of the lamb shank sauce), great company and most pleasant ambience.

The Wines

Hugel Riesling Vendange Tardive 1989 - textbook late-picked Alsatian approaching its peak drinking window. Founded in 1639, Hugel are touted as the originators of this style. This will last for many years.

Giaconda Chardonnay 1998 - another fantastic bottle that made the mind boggle with the way it grew and improved in the glass over several hours. Last sip the best. Aristocratic, racy and blessed with sublime nuance and superb delineation, this, surely, must be Australia's classiest, most profound Chardonnay - thank you, Adair and Vlad.

La Mission Haut Brion 1981 - from an underrated vintage, this fully mature wine hardly stood still offering up ever-changing aromas of intense cassis, vegetable compost, cedar, sweet corn, sandalwood and minerals. The impressive mid-weight palate finished with a textbook Graves gravelly flavour (not texture) and melted tannins.

Chateau Beychevelle 1982 - a much deeper wine in all respects than the La Mission. Loaded with gorgeous plummy fruit (amongst lotsa other things) the feature that took my breath away was the quality of a prodigious, fine tannin structure seamlessly woven through the back palate. Has time to go.

Penfolds Bin 389 1971 - mindblowing varietal Cabernet nose with umpteen secondary and tertiary characters providing great interest. A priviledge to taste this perfectly preserved bottle of vinous joy. Adair, great work for snaring this beauty. A real treat!

Rockford Basket Press Shiraz 1998 - After a little discussion, Vlad and I picked this COTB. Drinking superbly, this well-crafted, ballsy wine smothers the olfactories with mountains of classic chocolatey Barossa fruit and subtle oak. Terrific texture, perfect balance and a bright future for this wonderful wine. Another unreal experience, Adair.

Bourillon D'Orleans Vouvray Moelluex 1990 - amazing deep bright gold this fascinating unctious drop compares favourably in quality with a top cru from Sauternes. Typically shows spicy apply fruit amongst a plethora of Sauterne-like complexities. Ready to go now although there's sufficient acid for it to hold for several years.

Fantastic to meet up with Vladimir, Ann and baby Vienna for the first time.

The Roosterman's got lots of pics.

[Guest]

Katnook Cabernet Sauvignon 2000- Always a great expression cabernet. Varietal and with a rich yummy streak.

Henschke Mte Edelstone 95- I usually find this one of the best shiraz from the vintage-good old vine fruit with complex oak nuances. This was good but not as good as other bottles.

Katnook 2001 Chardonnay- Stock standard barrel fermented Australian chardonnay. Pine-melon,malo nose. Rich flvours and a no fuss clean finish. Good.

Cape Mentelle Shiraz 2001- New oak, medium bodied with fine berry flavours. Not bad.

And the foreigners-

Frescobaldi Beneffizio 2001 chardonnay- Cool climate expression. Delicate fruit nuances on a luscious palate with lovely balance.

Pio Cesare 1999 Barolo- Needs a good deal of time in a decanter. Atypical Barolo aromas of jammy blackberry, violets and dry spice. Medium bodied with licorice on the front palate with back palate almond fruit flavours leading into a long, dry finish. All is great here bar the price. Piedmont must have been discovered long ago!

Gosset Grande Reserve Champagne- The house champagne for the wife-or she wishes it was! Citrus initially, then complex yeasty, hazelnut and fresh butter. Sprightly with a return of the citrus nuances to complete a complex champagne.

La Roseraire de Gruaud Larose 1996- Sound medium weighted St Julien. Delicate with mature tannins. At it's peak.

Bouchard Pere & Fils Les Enfant Jesus Burgundy 1999- A good deal of seepage from the cork. Good Burgundian presence but the luscious fruit of previous bottles missing.

If you love shiraz you will love the wines of Douro in Portugual-

The wines of Quinta das Verdelhas or Carm is it. The bottle labelling awfully confusing. All wines from the well regarded 2000 vintage.

Touriga Nacional- Inky coloured with a big blackberry nose. Full bodied with powerful, powder like tannnins dominating. Far more decadent than the straight Touriga Franca. The palate has a savouriness about it. But coupled with the power of the nose and the tannins and finish, leaves a black hole like effect.

Touriga Franca- Intense dark-purple, with a youthful shiraz rawness. Ripe blueberry and cassis evident, vegemite too ( have noted this in other Douro wines ). Good fruit concentration and finishes warmer than it's Nacional sibling.

Douro Carm Reserva 2000 Vinho Tinta- Blend of Touriga Nacional and franca, aswell as Tinta Roriz. Opaque dark purple. Jammy dark fruits ( not cloying ) and new oak aromas of roasted coffee and vanilla bean, background chocolate notes aswell. Over time blue berry quite pronounced. Smooth, savoury palate-but again a little let down by lack of fruit concentration. Mouth watering acids with fine tannins balance. There is good flavour persitance in the wine's moderate length.

All of the above have a black hole like effect- big powerful black fruit aromas slide into a more restrained palate concentration and a rapid build on the finish, with dark fruit flavours persisting.

The grape varieties of Douro traditionally made Port. The dry tabel wines now produced, with the investment in new technology and new oak, are very good to excellent. Australian shiraz lovers would easily understand and come to enjoy the wines of Douro.

[JamieBahrain]

Was me above

[PaulV]

2004 Clonakilla Riesling [Stelvin] Mainly citrussy nose but lacking any real definition. Similar on the palate, actually quite broad and again ill-defined, lacking any minerality or structure. disappointing.

Having a bit of an italian meal so:

2002 Antinori Campogrande, Orvieto Classico. From Umbria made principally from trebbiano plus other native varieties. Waxy, lemony nose and a midweight palate of honey, lavender and slight maderisation. Not bad but would have been better last year.

Had it with the asparagus/scallop risotto recipe from last weeks SMH Good Living. Excellent .

1998 Fontodi Vigna del Sorbo Chianti Classico Riserva Now this was a beautiful classic tuscan sangiovese. A single vineyard red by one of Tuscany's best makers. Rich dark red. Lovely liqueur cherry nose and herby, spicy oak touches. Rich, sexy palate of dark cherries , some earth and a long finish. Beautiful balance between fruit and tannins - not quite at its peak , maybe in another couple of years. Outstanding.

1998 Fattoria di Petroio Lenzi Chianti Classico Riserva
Mid to intense blood red. Earthy slightly bretty nose, with some red cherry notes and vanillan oak. Not as big as the fontodi, more rustic and acidic, and the tannins are more resolved. Some savoury, briar, raspberry and smokey flavours. Very nice and honest a slight short finish just robs it of being an excellent chianti.

Both went very well with an AC Butchery rolled and boned shoulder of veal stuffed with dried tomatoes and pinenuts with a broadbean, pecorino, rocket and mint salad.

Scanavino? Moscato D'Asti Was in a rush to pick up one of these for desert and the only one available at the local bottle shop was this non-vintage example on special for $10.99 Only 4.5% alcohol , made I think of the frontignac grape. lovely fresh grapey nose, fresh fruity light weight palate but with quite a strong hard phenolic finish. Also lacked enough acid so that the 2nd and 3rd galss started to pall. I'm sure there are much better wexamples. Average.

Had it with a pancotta, chocolate sauce and strawberries.

As I have often fouind with Italian wines the reds are far superior to the whites - though these 2 whites are from the commercial and lower end of the market unlike the 2 reds.

Cheers

Paul

[Brucer]

Hi everyone,
Will report in, but must mention that this was Bathurst Race Day, and much Sparkling Shiraz was comsumed before any reds. Go the SS!

Charlie Melton 96 Disgorge Sparkling Shiraz.
Go Charlie! 96

Leasingham 92 Sparkling Shiraz ( for Torb)
Exceptional. 96

Seppelt 93 Original Sparkling Burgundy
Um....trying to remember......and this was midday!

02 Seppelt Original Sparkling Burgundy
A very sweet confectionary, but most enjoyable.

97 Reynell Shiraz
I loved this on release, and this stood up very well in the following company. 90

98 Hamilton Centurian Shiraz
This is oak driven, and whilst the oak isnt not bad, even on the second day, its still too oaked. Score 84

98 Tyrrells Rufus Stone McLaren Vale Shiraz
Ah, this wine was pretty boring, probably okay with a hot Asian dish.
The next night , the balance was poured down the sink. Score 86

98 Lake Breeze Winemakers Reserve Shiraz.
I love the 96 of this. First time I pulled a 98. Eucalyptus is the first thing on the nose. As all Lake Breeze I have tried. The winery has huge old gum trees lining the paddocks of vines. The wine is still too young, and was showing much better the second day. You have to like mint/gum!
Score 88

96 Penfolds 389.
This was the best still wine of the night by a country mile. Still needs time, but if you have some, pull a bottle. 96

Today was Chinese lunch, and the first whites Ive had this season.

95 McWilliams Lovedale Semillon
Lovedale is worth the money. It simply gets better with age. The 95 still has lots of life, and goes so well with Chinese seafood.
Id give it 94

02 Mt Horricks Semillon.
Rather different from the Lovedale. This has seen some oak, and was sweeter on the palate, but still very enjoyable. 90

Earlier in the week.................

98 Gemtree Shiraz
McLaren Vale, made by Mike Brown, who has worked with Warren Randall at Manning Park.
This wine showed some reductive characters, which I have recently found out,are associated with sulphide charters. I found it pretty average, which was disappointing.

98 Veritas Hanish Shiraz.
This wine is simply spectacular. If you have some, then open one. It is basically , what I look for in a wine. Its thick, its rich, it has lots of flavour, its balanced. I could not stop drinking it!
I did leave a bit for the next day, and it told me that there is still 3 years in it, under good cellaring conditions. The latest Veritas mailer said.......
drink now, I would say now to 3 years. Simply wonderful. 98

99 Veritas Hanish Shiraz.
While on a roll! This wine is not as lush as the 98, it is leaner, more tannins, but it has something, and calls for time. I drank this over 2 nights, and the second night it opened up, and showed more fruit.
It is very different to the 98. Drink the 98 soon, drink this after the 98s. It needs time. There has been a lot of comments about the 98/99s from Barossa..
I think the 98 is far better now, and will always be a better wine. The 99 will hit its straps in about 5 years.

[Anthony]

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 on how ripe I like my reds and don't think it will go the distance in the long term. Quite porty and def. not my style of red but I can see how others like it.

Pikes Riesling 2004: not the best 04 riesling I have had, quite commercial and bland.

Leo Buring Leonay Riesling 04: another stunning Leonay. Tight and restrained with plenty of zing to it. Will live for years.

Six Foot Six Pinot Noir 2002: a new label out of Geeling. For a sub $20 pinot this was not too bad.

Lawsons Dry Hills Pinot Noir 2002: this drunk better on the second and third day after opening which is quite bizarre for a Pinot. Quite solid in structure but had plenty of fruit weight to support it. Pretty good effort.

Cheers
Anthony

[Paul T]

Well as someone who'll be sad to see those amazing tassie forests shipped off for woodchips we opened a Rockford BP 99...didn't cheer Nic and I up much even though the wine was stunning. What else would you expect from a Byronite.

Cheers

Paul

[Rory]

Over dinner on saturday night...

'03 Scorpo Pinot Gris.
Still the best Oz Pinot Gris I've tasted... beautifull.
'00 Mount MAry Triolet.
I like the style, but this was not a good example of it. I've had better vintages of this. Lacked fruit weight and length.
'99 Yarrabank Cuvee.
A very drinkable and quality Oz sparkling.
'04 Wilson Vineyard Polish HIll Riesling.
Not quite as good as the '93 & '92, but still very,very nice.
'93 Cullen CAb/merlot.
Rates up there as the weakest vintage they have produced. Will never get better.
'93 Petaluma Coonawarra.
Now if this didn't serve me up a lesson in wine, nothing will. At first it smelt "cooked", you know, been exposed to some heat somewhere (I purchased it at auction). gave it to a mate to smell, and he concurred...gone. But the palate seemed kind of o.k., which was driving me batty.
So, luckily I didn't turf it down the sink, coz an hour later it had morhed into one of the stanout wines for a long time (and certainly the night).
Outsatnding, lovely, calss, call it what you want...a great wine!

'01 Clonakilla SHiraz/Viognier.

Couldn't ley everyone else go tasting all the Oz Rhone styles without my share.
Great wine, obviously young, but boy, what structure and fruit. Topped of the night beautifully.

Rory

[Neville K]

Over dinner on saturday night...

...
'01 Clonakilla SHiraz/Viognier.

Couldn't let everyone else go tasting all the Oz Rhone styles without my share.
Great wine, obviously young, but boy, what structure and fruit. Topped off the night beautifully.

Rory

Rory you are truly decadent in the full sense of the word:
 "1. That is in a state of decay or decline; falling off or deteriorating from a prior condition of excellence, vitality, prosperity, etc.
 ...
    2.    a. Said of a French school which affects to belong to an age of decadence in literature and art. Hence n., a member of this fraternity.
     b. Said of other schools of literature and art characterized by decadence; spec. = ÆSTHETIC a. 4. So as n.
    Hence decadently adv. "


 
Rome is burning and you were drinking inter alia; that is, among other things, Clonakilla shiraz viognier...;
Australia's best Pinot Gris; comparing and contrasting difficult 1993's....

My brother, my country???!! They know not what they do.

Whatever happened to Don's Party?
Neville K

[Daryl Douglas]

Well as someone who'll be sad to see those amazing tassie forests shipped off for woodchips we opened a Rockford BP 99...didn't cheer Nic and I up much even though the wine was stunning. What else would you expect from a Byronite.

Cheers

Paul

The local smarmieness (a failed businessperson) more than trebled it's safety margin But I suppose the alternatives haven't been up to the task except for the member who it rolled a few elections ago. At least the previous incumbent was an officer in the Army Reserve while the current one just sucks up to the considerable defence force community here and made a big thing out participating in the pollies in the forces (for a week?) program.

Wonder what will be done with the money from the sell-off of the remaining 51% of Telstra. How much of the proceeds will end up being directed to the near-desperate need for serious water and energy conservation measures this country needs? With shares worth many $billions, T3 will probably be timed for the proceeds to roll in in time for the next pre-election budget bribe. But I doubt I'll gain anything from it. The marginal telcos are already worried about the unleashing of a behemoth monopoly that already has severely restricted them from using the infrastructure built on the taxes of, mostly, the PAYG/PAYE taxpayer over many years that will be sold off to private (read moneyed/institutional) interests. Sacking at will is first on the agenda, so unpaid overtime seems bound to go through the roof with it's inevitable damaging affect on families, regardless of the lip service paid to family values.

I reject old-growth forest logging as a viable concept too. Can't see the logic of it at all. Sustainability? More pine plantations? They don't do much for cuddly koalas.

daz

[ChrisH]

Some comments in the aftermath from Labour identities :

Senior Labor identities lambasted his campaign and his failure to offer a positive, growth-focused economic agenda.

"Labor was comprehensively done, especially in strategic terms ... there was hardly a mistake they didn't make."

"Instead of talking about health, we were sidetracked with our forests policy," one said.

If you want to win an election, you have to appeal to the majority on the basic issues that affect them day-to-day. This is the harsh reality. They didn't and they lost.

regards
Chris

[Kieran]

The sad thing about democracy is that elections are won by appealing to the lowest common denominator.

Kieran

[Paul T]

Yep...we all seem to care about ourselves and the day to day. However somethings are just more important than that. It will be interesting to see what happens over the next few years.

Once those trees are gone...they cannot be replaced. I'm glad i've had the pleasure of seeing them while they are still there. My kids wont get the same opprtunity. Thats sad.

Cheers

Paul

[TORB]

The sad thing about democracy is that elections are won by appealing to the lowest common denominator.

Kieran

Nice idea but you are rong!

Its an erection (not an election) cause some pr**k of a politician always gets "up" and wins.

[Paul T]

The sad thing about democracy is that elections are won by appealing to the lowest common denominator.

Kieran

Nice idea but you are rong!

Its an erection (not an election) cause some pr**k of a politician always gets "up" and wins.

You hit the nail on the head Torb..no matter what our personal political leanings are...we still end up with a bunch of self interested pr**cks in parliament...who will turn their coats at the first sign their seat is in danger.

Enough of this political crap..lets get back too important matters...good plonk!

cheers

Paul