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

[Benchmark]

2017 Telmo Rodriguez Bodega Lanzaga LZ Rioja

Tempranillo, Graciano and Garnacha, all I can really identify is the Tempranillo.

Ripe and concentrated fruit, some sweet spices from the fruit because I don't get any oak here. In the mouth it is dark cherries, cranberries and little else. Everything is super intense. It is balanced, sure, but after all the savoury, elegant Italians over the last few weeks this just seems all too intense. Nothing wrong with it, but it is full on.

We drank it on a Friday night while we caught up with friends online. It was perfect for that. We were on to a second bottle pretty quick. I really should not be complaining.... have I really become such a light weight?

[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LlyMEHvZLq ... 28-h437-no[/img]

[Mahmoud Ali]

I bought a bottle of the 2001 Peter Lehmann 'The Futures' Shiraz, Barossa (14%) many years ago on the basis of a friend's recommendation. I had already pretty much given up on Lehmann's shirazes because they had so many tiers it's difficult to get a handle on where the fruit comes from and the quality level. I don't think I have any Lehman reds except for the Mentor because it probably contains their best cabernet fruit.

Anyway, onto the wine, now 19 years old. I'm glad I only bought the one bottle but more than that, I wish I had bought something else. Sweet red fruit and glossy, not much structure or spine, it offered no real interest, like holding a pet animal without a bone in its body. Perhaps it just needed more time, who knows.

LehmannFutures'01.jpg

[Rory]

2015 Mastrojanni Rosso di Montalcino.

Lovely roasted capsicum and onion skin aromas. Bold, very gluggable palate of similar flavours with a savoury lick.
Oak is present, but i feel will integrate with age in bottle to become complete.

Very nice.

[Sean]

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[Mahmoud Ali]

Sounds like a very nice wine Sean. I wonder if I can find it here in Canada.

[ticklenow1]

2012 Noon Reserve Cabernet. Langhorne Creek One of the better Noon’s I’ve had in the last few years. No alcohol heat and while it was full bodied, it had a certain elegance about it which I rarely find in Noon wines. 3.5/5

2009 Ballycroft Small Berry Cabernet. Langhorne Creek Really easy drinking wine that had layers of chocolate. Fruit struggling a bit against the oak, but very nice. 3.5/5

2017 Hoddle’s Creek Syberia Chardonnay. Yarra Valley Absolutely lovely wine. What a stunner and I can’t see another Chardonnay beating this for WWOTY, maybe even WOTY. Lovely lime and grapefruit flavours, oak in check and just perfectly balanced. 4.5/5

2010 Yalumba FDR1A Cabernet Shiraz. Eden Valley Perfect example of the great aussie red - Cabernet Shiraz (or vice versa). Under cork and all the better for it. Perfectly aged and while I can’t see it getting any better, it should hold for 2/3 more years. I often find the critics drinking windows miles off, but CM and JH have both said 2021 or 2019 respectively and for once, they were spot on with this. 4/5

Cheers Ian

[Sean]

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[Sean]

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[Rory]

2015 Oakridge 864 Funder & Diamond Chardonnay.

Looks great! Cashew nut, matchstick and peach aromas, flowing into a complex, very likeable palate. Its not overly powerfull, but its complexity and length keeps the interest up.

[Benchmark]

2017 Antinori Tenuta Guado al Tasso Bolgheri Scalabrone

First thing to note is the artistic image. You're welcome.

Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah blend.

My first bottle Rosé. Very pretty nose. Grapefruit, strawberries and melons. No real savouriness or spice that I was expecting. The palate was disappointing. The same fruit present on the front palate. It was pleasant in the mouth, but faded quickly, no real length and no acid to give it any sort of structure.

I have another Rosé to try. Maybe this was not a great example. I will persist, but not indefinitely. Rosé might not be my thing.

[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TPSShzxsEv ... 00-h802-no[/img]

[phillisc]

Just pulled a perfect cork on a 98 Mt Ida Heathcote Shiraz, when Toni Stockhausen was the wine maker and Mildara Blass were in existence.
Will sit in the decanter for an hour, to go with lamb rack and duck fat tatties. Deep deep black and smells amazing...will report later

Cheers craig

[phillisc]

[quote="phillisc"]Just pulled a perfect cork on a 98 Mt Ida Heathcote Shiraz, when Toni Stockhausen was the wine maker and Mildara Blass were in existence.
Will sit in the decanter for an hour, to go with lamb rack and duck fat tatties. Deep deep black and smells amazing...will report later
Fabulous nose of violets, leather, herbs, on the palate showing plenty of fruit lovely mouth coating fruits, finishing with the most delicate tannins. I am not sure if this has peaked or has a little left in the tank. Either way a great bottle.
Cheers Craig

[Dragzworthy]

Clos du Marquis 2005
Popped and decanted for about an hour. Left half the bottle to taste tomorrow and compare. My initial thoughts are that tertiary flavours will come out more and it will be better post aeration. The first half of the bottle was tight. There's blackberry jam and plum suggesting a dominant merlot profile but I was surprised that secondary flavours dominate the fruit. I got a good amount of vanilla, leather and there's some slight greenness (pyrazine) as well as a touch of cedar. I didn't detect as much tobacco as others.
Second day the wine had improved but the jury is still out on a lot of 2005 Bordeaux (notably left bank) to my mind. The tannins are grippy and the wines are powerful but I think they lack fruit or, said again, the balance doesn't feel right despite this vintage being heralded by most critics (mental picture of James Suckling "I'm 98 points on that").

[Benchmark]

2016 Lamole di Lamole Chainti Classico

After the deflating Barbaresco experience (see Barolo thread), we reverted back to our comfort zone, Chianti.

Like the Felsina, Fontodi and the Querceto, Lamole di Lamole is a staple for us. Reliably delivers every time.

Straight from the bottle as the Barbaresco was collapsing in our only decanter, on the nose it is all dark cherries, pretty flowers and that classic savoury element that is distinctly Chianti. On the palate, more of those cherries, well balanced, and excellent length. The finish is all about that savouriness again. A fantastic wine at its price point.

There is something reliable about Sangiovese from Tuscany. It consistently delivers at almost every price point.

[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gpavLfmys8 ... 04-h437-no[/img]

[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/QiOujIAT42 ... 00-h406-no[/img]

[Rossco]

La Boheme La Boheme Act Four Syrah Gamay
Popped and poured. 1st night was very green, stalky and felt like the fruit was underripe.
2nd night was much better. A lot of that greenness had gone, the pong had blown off and the wine had filled
out nicely. Fruit had settled down as well. Wouldnt buy again, but im pretty happy with this wine and would love to see a straight Gamay from them, less
whole bunch and more pure red fruits.... that would be really interesting!

2013 De Bortoli Single Vineyard Section D4 Nebbiolo (Yarra Valley)
Much better than the Act 4. Vines planted in 2005, so this had to be one of their first commercial vintages?
You can tell the vines were young, has lost that fruit power and winemaking influence has taken over a bit. Again feels
like there is some whole bunch in there, oak has integrated well, but still overpowers the fruit (again young vines). Darker in the glass too,
Feels like its plateaued. Would love less oak, more red cherry/strawberry fruit. I wonder if anyone has imported some old large Italian Botti
(im quite partial to slavonian oak for Neb) to trial their Nebbs with?

[brodie]

2016 Lamole di Lamole Chainti Classico

After the deflating Barbaresco experience (see Barolo thread), we reverted back to our comfort zone, Chianti.

Like the Felsina, Fontodi and the Querceto, Lamole di Lamole is a staple for us. Reliably delivers every time.

Straight from the bottle as the Barbaresco was collapsing in our only decanter, on the nose it is all dark cherries, pretty flowers and that classic savoury element that is distinctly Chianti. On the palate, more of those cherries, well balanced, and excellent length. The finish is all about that savouriness again. A fantastic wine at its price point.

There is something reliable about Sangiovese from Tuscany. It consistently delivers at almost every price point.

Hi Grant, yes indeed. Pretty every time I open a Chianti or Brunello my first immediate feelings are; (a) why don't I open these more often and (b) I need more of these in the cellar! I do understand the frustration with Nebbiolo, it can hit greater heights but there is a lot variability out there and can be a mine field for the uninitiated.

Nice note and sounds lovely. 2016 vintage is had very good reviews. Here is what Galloni said about 2016;

“As good (or better) as the 2015s are, the 2016s have the potential to surpass them. A balanced growing season with no shock events produced a set of truly exceptional, highly promising wines. The 2016s are distinguished by their superb aromatic presence, silky tannins, layered fruit and fabulous sense of harmony. The 2016s I have tasted so far point to a high quality vintage that may very well turn out to be profound.”

Brodie

[Ian S]

I've had great success with Chianti, and in a leaner style Vino Nobile. The better Sangiovese wines of Emilia-Romagna have also impressed. However Brunello had plenty of chances to impress me, but I've had far too many disappointments of over oaky / plush but poorly structured wines, that have often aged very badly. One bottle left and I won't be seeking out any more.

[Rory]

2013 Eileen Hardy Chardonnay.
In a blind line up, this would be difficult to pick as a seven year old. Still quite tight with a good acid backbone. The flavours are there, typical cool climate. But i reckon this has another 5 years to go before it reaches its peak. Lovely driven wine.

2016 Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rouge.
Juicy, quaffable, length. For around low $20, its a great winter go to wine. Brilliant value.

2015 Rockford GMS.
Great sweet/savoury balance on both the nose and palate, Will build flavours with age, but its only downfall is a shortish length of palate.

[Sean]

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[Sean]

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[Dragzworthy]

Sesta di Sopra Brunello Di Montalcino 2008
Bottle age has done this wine kindly but it's in no danger of reaching a turning point downhill. There's a lot of dark cherry and tertiary licorice, leather and black tea. Not sure how to describe the back palate and nose, there's a saline quality thats familiar yet hard to pinpoint ....but beguiling.

[Benchmark]

2012 Château Laforge Saint-Émilion

I have little experience with Bordeaux and have little patience with merlot.

This was an impulse buy from Shell to round out a six pack.

90% Merlot.
10% Cabernet Franc.

Lots of cherries and chocolate on the nose but there is some herbs and tobacco supporting the fruit to make it interesting, maybe from the Cabernet Franc. Plenty of fruit on the palate, the green herbs are replaced by a leathery deal. There is a pretty mineral component that Shell pointed out which I could not nail down. The tannins are soft and while the wine remains well balanced it is fading on the finish. This is a one of the best Merlot dominant wines I have had and reframes the grape for me. I don't think this wine will improve with more cellaring. We got lucky with this one.

[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/O_T53GdS3L ... 00-h402-no[/img]

[Dragzworthy]

2012 Château Laforge Saint-Émilion

I have little experience with Bordeaux and have little patience with merlot.

This was an impulse buy from Shell to round out a six pack.

90% Merlot.
10% Cabernet Franc.

Lots of cherries and chocolate on the nose but there is some herbs and tobacco supporting the fruit to make it interesting, maybe from the Cabernet Franc. Plenty of fruit on the palate, the green herbs are replaced by a leathery deal. There is a pretty mineral component that Shell pointed out which I could not nail down. The tannins are soft and while the wine remains well balanced it is fading on the finish. This is a one of the best Merlot dominant wines I have had and reframes the grape for me. I don't think this wine will improve with more cellaring. We got lucky with this one.

[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/O_T53GdS3L ... 00-h402-no[/img]

The right region to retry Merlot. The game changer fore on the grape was a Pomerol Clos L'eglise 2008. I think we are given this idea that merlot is a bit flat and flabby because it's hard to find decent quality fruit in Australia.

[Benchmark]

The right region to retry Merlot. The game changer fore on the grape was a Pomerol Clos L'eglise 2008. I think we are given this idea that merlot is a bit flat and flabby because it's hard to find decent quality fruit in Australia.

I have a bad habit of writing off wines after a few bad experiences. Merlot in Australia is probably not the place to draw a line on Merlot. Even the Irving's that are apparently the best expression seemed a little one dimensional.

I will keep an eye out for right bank Bordeaux on the sales and see if I can get a grasp on how good Merlot might look.

The Pomerol Clos Lèglise, will it destroy the bank account?

[Dragzworthy]

The right region to retry Merlot. The game changer fore on the grape was a Pomerol Clos L'eglise 2008. I think we are given this idea that merlot is a bit flat and flabby because it's hard to find decent quality fruit in Australia.

I have a bad habit of writing off wines after a few bad experiences. Merlot in Australia is probably not the place to draw a line on Merlot. Even the Irving's that are apparently the best expression seemed a little one dimensional.

I will keep an eye out for right bank Bordeaux on the sales and see if I can get a grasp on how good Merlot might look.

The Pomerol Clos Lèglise, will it destroy the bank account?

about the same as a Diana Madeline here!

[Benchmark]

Destroy, no. Cause pain, yes. Hahaha.

[Sean]

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[Sean]

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[Willard]

Coriole Sangiovese 18 - An older, well established vineyard loaded up with sangiovese now, also newer vines with different clones in the mix. Could be that or the style is changing a little. Medium-bodied and not as dry and grippy as it used to be. Mid red coloured and lovely perfumed aromas. Cherry, strawberry, aniseed and herbs. Got a bit earthy too. Older oak seems to work with this. Again I’m thinking savoury tannins if that’s helpful, maybe not. Drank this too quick to think about it too much. A few years on it would be interesting however.

This has often been a bit of a go-to, I typically enjoy it. Have to give the ‘18 a go to see.

[Sean]

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