Australia's First, and best, wine discussion board, and group ... Join Us!
Sounds like the last thing you should be doing with itWAwineguy wrote:2006 James Irvine Grand Merlot
This was like syrup, treacle. Very thick, and at 15% alcohol quite potent. I think I need to drink the rest of these.
, but I get what you're saying 
.We had the 06 at an offline recently and it didn't seem like that (to my recollection)WAwineguy wrote:2006 James Irvine Grand Merlot
This was like syrup, treacle. Very thick, and at 15% alcohol quite potent. I think I need to drink the rest of these.
I've had the 2006 James Irvine Grand Merlot three times now, and 2004/2005 vintages several times as well. I find quite a bit of bottle variation with these wines (storage? cork?). The one we had at the offline recently was a good bottle, but not a great one. It certainly wasn't syrupy from what I recall.Rossco wrote:We had the 06 at an offline recently and it didn't seem like that (to my recollection)WAwineguy wrote:2006 James Irvine Grand Merlot
This was like syrup, treacle. Very thick, and at 15% alcohol quite potent. I think I need to drink the rest of these.
Maybe others at the offline can shed some more light or tasting notes.
Good job Craig, your almost at the finish line!phillisc wrote:Not much at all...
Doing dry July...its fu*king killing me...have been to a number of events, drinking mineral water
Cheers Craig
Thanks for this great note and comparison Mark...have approx a dozen of each of these. When I looked at 82, 86, 90 and 91 of these wines side by side, about 5 years ago, I was of the exact impression. 82 BL is an absolute star and expect that John Wade made an assessment that it was time for a top marque. 82 JR beautiful, but pipped by the BL. I found 86 BL to be streets ahead of the 86 JR (IMHO not yet ready) and that 90 and 91 were closer together.rooman wrote:Over the past week I have had an interesting comparative tasting between the Wynns Black Label 1998 and the Wynns John Riddock 1998.. The former is now drinking beautifully, soft velvety tannins, cedar, leather, tobacco box secondary flavours on full display. By way of contrast, the Wynns JR is still very much closed down, dormant fruit, larger robust tannins. IMO still a waste of money drinking the JR at present. I will try and leave the remaining bottles for another 5-10 years in the belief that eventually it will emerge from its slumber and produce a spectacular wine.
Craig(NZ) wrote:Looks like 1996 Henschke Cyril tonight
My pleasure. I think the JRs make excellent birth year wines. They are really made for the very long haul ie once one's children have come of drinking age.phillisc wrote:Thanks for this great note and comparison Mark...have approx a dozen of each of these. When I looked at 82, 86, 90 and 91 of these wines side by side, about 5 years ago, I was of the exact impression. 82 BL is an absolute star and expect that John Wade made an assessment that it was time for a top marque. 82 JR beautiful, but pipped by the BL. I found 86 BL to be streets ahead of the 86 JR (IMHO not yet ready) and that 90 and 91 were closer together.rooman wrote:Over the past week I have had an interesting comparative tasting between the Wynns Black Label 1998 and the Wynns John Riddock 1998.. The former is now drinking beautifully, soft velvety tannins, cedar, leather, tobacco box secondary flavours on full display. By way of contrast, the Wynns JR is still very much closed down, dormant fruit, larger robust tannins. IMO still a waste of money drinking the JR at present. I will try and leave the remaining bottles for another 5-10 years in the belief that eventually it will emerge from its slumber and produce a spectacular wine.
I was lucky to get a couple of magnums of the 82 BL ex winery in the days before corporate bean counters had everything under lock and key, in a mixed 6 magnum pack, 72, 78 thrown in as well, for about $50 per magnum each. I think 2022 will be a good time to open another one.
Cheers
Craig
PS I may be in SA for business in the next month or so. For me its the first time in decades. It would be great to catch up for a mini offline. I will be with two red drinking nuts.phillisc wrote:
Thanks for this great note and comparison Mark...have approx a dozen of each of these. When I looked at 82, 86, 90 and 91 of these wines side by side, about 5 years ago, I was of the exact impression. 82 BL is an absolute star and expect that John Wade made an assessment that it was time for a top marque. 82 JR beautiful, but pipped by the BL. I found 86 BL to be streets ahead of the 86 JR (IMHO not yet ready) and that 90 and 91 were closer together.
I was lucky to get a couple of magnums of the 82 BL ex winery in the days before corporate bean counters had everything under lock and key, in a mixed 6 magnum pack, 72, 78 thrown in as well, for about $50 per magnum each. I think 2022 will be a good time to open another one.
Cheers
Craig
I tasted the 1998 John Riddoch at cellar door back in 2001. I asked that it be poured in a glass first while I tasted through their other wines. I took my time there, writing notes and conversing with the staff, and kept nosing the Riddoch. It was wound tight, dark and brooding. When I finally got to the wine I was impressed with it's depth and structure. I thought at the time that it was a wine that would last decades. I'm not surprised that it is still needs time. Wish I had some, but instead will have to make do with the 1994 Riddoch.rooman wrote:Over the past week I have had an interesting comparative tasting between the Wynns Black Label 1998 and the Wynns John Riddock 1998.. The former is now drinking beautifully, soft velvety tannins, cedar, leather, tobacco box secondary flavours on full display. By way of contrast, the Wynns JR is still very much closed down, dormant fruit, larger robust tannins. IMO still a waste of money drinking the JR at present. I will try and leave the remaining bottles for another 5-10 years in the belief that eventually it will emerge from its slumber and produce a spectacular wine.
Well done Ozzie...always a treat...JR my desert island wine.Ozzie W wrote:We were treated to a bottle of the 82 John Riddoch at an offline last night. Tasted blind in a line-up of other Aussie, NZ and Bordeaux Cabs. A pristine bottle and it was unbelievably magnificent! WOTN for me. Thanks Con!
Yes like a diabetic at Cadbury'sCactus wrote:Anyone else excited about the upcoming 2015 John Riddoch? The 2015 BL was so so good. Surely the JR will be the goods.
yes I know). However after 53 days without rain, we finally got some over the weekend and although not a huge amount, it's freshened things up nicely. So rather than the more usual cold water, chinotto or beer, it's nice to look forward to a wine.
Thanks Ozzie, I was sweating pulling the cork out on this and was glad it came out in one piece, first whiff smelt a bit green and leafy and was a bit worried but there was no need to be in the end.Ozzie W wrote:We were treated to a bottle of the 82 John Riddoch at an offline last night. Tasted blind in a line-up of other Aussie, NZ and Bordeaux Cabs. A pristine bottle and it was unbelievably magnificent! WOTN for me. Thanks Con!
Dinner at tets this coming Saturday night - a few great bottles planned & sourced over the past month or so.deejay81 wrote:Tetsuya'sTiggerK wrote: What restaurant is that? Good?
$30 corkage for 1st bottle, $45 pb after that.
Overall was a really good experience, Seafood based dishes were excellent, Duck dish was good, Wagyu dish was OK.
They gave us a tour of the kitchen and cellars, had a chat with the head chef and one of the somms who turned out to be a high school alumni which was kind of cool.
We've had two of '98 John Riddochs in recent times, and whilst my tasting notes have been glowing, the wine remains somewhat less than memorable. It may well become a star in future years, but for me other wines have out-shone it (the 2004 Seppelt St. Peters Shiraz, although hardly a fair comparison, was the star of the night at the last tasting)... and the relatively humble black label cabernet remains, for me, far, far better value.rooman wrote:Over the past week I have had an interesting comparative tasting between the Wynns Black Label 1998 and the Wynns John Riddock 1998.. The former is now drinking beautifully, soft velvety tannins, cedar, leather, tobacco box secondary flavours on full display. By way of contrast, the Wynns JR is still very much closed down, dormant fruit, larger robust tannins. IMO still a waste of money drinking the JR at present. I will try and leave the remaining bottles for another 5-10 years in the belief that eventually it will emerge from its slumber and produce a spectacular wine.
Well I hope you cancelled the booking and went elsewhere. I think their food is overrated anyway these days, especially for the price. Seems stuck in time, yeah it's good, but the wow factor just not quite there for me the last few times, and when cost is 300+ p.p I'm over it. And now no BYO, completely!!shauno wrote:Dinner at tets this coming Saturday night - a few great bottles planned & sourced over the past month or so.
Just called to confirm - THEY NO LONGER DO BYO!
18 years & now the policy has changed, no mention at the time of booking either - asked to make an exception just for one bottle of Cristal - refused!
