Wendouree 2020 Mailer

[Hacker]

CC got hit yesterday and it looks like I got scaled back a little. Sydney. I did order across the range, will see what is cut back when the boxes turn up.

[phillisc]

Yep cc hit this afternoon for the exact amount.
Cheers Craig

[JamieBahrain]

I ordered six of everything and CC billed for $1200. So maybe half?

Very interesting. Never had this before. Have been given full orders for 20+ years.

I had the wines sent to Melbourne- instead of Adelaide- as I thought they would be easier to retrieve. Perhaps this is the issue or yields are down?

[Hacker]

Jamie, I can only guess as you said, yields down. I suppose I am happy with that - it's not that I can do anything about it! I have a fairly handy stash going back 25 or more years. Happy to share the love.

[Matt@5453]

I ordered six of everything and CC billed for $1200. So maybe half?

Very interesting. Never had this before. Have been given full orders for 20+ years.

I had the wines sent to Melbourne- instead of Adelaide- as I thought they would be easier to retrieve. Perhaps this is the issue or yields are down?

Correct, 2018 yields well down. 2019 and particularly vintage 2020 are down even further. It would be definitely hard to allocate a lot of straight 6's with the number of people on the annual mailer given the low volumes available.

[Cactus]

Cc hit this morning. Sydney based. Charge is 1150.40, I ordered 6 of everything including the Muscat. So I figure I have maybe 15 to 18 non muscat bottles.

[Matt@5453]

For those that maybe interested, Nick Stock was in the Clare Valley yesterday, below are his thoughts on the new releases.

Kinda' wets the appetite' to crack some open soon to have a look at them, but given the comments I've heard previously (some of the best releases in a very long time), mine are now buried deep away.

WENDOUREE 2018’s >> I tasted these new releases today as their team is busy in the cold cellar packing orders for the mailing list. My overall impression is that these are exceptional quality across the board. The Shiraz Mataro and Cabernet Malbec blends are consistently standout wines and these are both highlights in 2018. The straight Shiraz 2018 is outstanding. Perhaps the best since the great 1991 and certainly the best release of this wine under screw cap. It is a beacon of vineyard-derived style and quality that is born of careful refinement and sensitive handling in the cellar. Sets a shining example for Australian shiraz and shows a brand of purity and power that cuts to the core of vineyard pedigree

[phillisc]

Thanks Matt, suspect these wines will be fantastic...my little boxes arrived today. Aust. Post round the houses, Clare, Netley, Adelaide, Wingfield, Adelaide, delivered WTF...such an inefficient system. I would be happy to drive the 130 KM, pick them up, have lunch and drive home.
After the Marius order and this one, taking a breather
Cheers Craig

[JamieBahrain]

I ordered six of everything and CC billed for $1200. So maybe half?

Very interesting. Never had this before. Have been given full orders for 20+ years.

I had the wines sent to Melbourne- instead of Adelaide- as I thought they would be easier to retrieve. Perhaps this is the issue or yields are down?

Correct, 2018 yields well down. 2019 and particularly vintage 2020 are down even further. It would be definitely hard to allocate a lot of straight 6's with the number of people on the annual mailer given the low volumes available.

Fair enough but this would be a new practice? Yields have been down prior and full orders provided to long term mailing customers. I've not a problem with "fairness" incidentally.

I didn't want to fall off the list this year by not ordering. Offered my allocation to a Hong Kong friend who couldn't believe his luck. So my Wendouree 2018's were exported.

Hopefully next year I'm back in the mix. Though in preparing for possible retirement 900+ bottles of Wendouree may well be enough anyways. Can't see myself having the opportunity to present large numbers of Wendouree as Hong Kong does- and perhaps not even with the same level of broad fascination from a group of wine enthusiasts.

[Hacker]

I got trimmed by 3 bottles of shiraz and cab malbec. Got all the rest of my order. My loss is someone elses gain, that's fine.

[A_Steady]

CC hit for full 18 bottle order, pretty well order the same 18 every year.
Red crayon, Tas.

[WAwineguy]

Nothing here in WA yet

[DJ1980]

Nothing here yet. Red QLD

[livcoll]

Still waiting. Red stripe Adelaide. Never really had an issue before except 2015 like many. 18 bottles. A mate who has been on list exact same time had cc charged last Tuesday. He sent in after me.

Make of that what you will lol.

[tarija]

Don't really care if I don't get anything this year, there's plenty of good bargains around. Kinda wish I didn't mail back my order form.

[Alex F]

I would love to take what you don't want if you are in Sydney

[livcoll]

Still waiting. Red stripe Adelaide. Never really had an issue before except 2015 like many. 18 bottles. A mate who has been on list exact same time had cc charged last Tuesday. He sent in after me.

Make of that what you will lol.

Update. Have recently been charged for 18 bottles.

[JamieBahrain]

Lita sent me an apology for my order not being fulfilled due a shortage of wine this vintage. Six of everything ordered and I received 3 of everything.

Must be grim- never had a letter nor a reduction of my order prior.

[mse]

My C/C was dented by $13xx. Could not quite figure out what's in the mix?
I would prefer receiving less for the Malbec and Shiraz Malbec as they are a tad subtle for my liking (though I only started ordering from 2012 vintage).
A thorough mix would be ideal.

[trufflequeen]

Red stripe, order form returned within a day of receipt. Card charged sub $1,000 and order of 3 boxes delivered today. I received 3 x everything with the exception of the straight cabernet (2 bottles) and just 1 x bottle of the cab malbec. I'd written on the order form that I'd happily take extra bottles cab malbec if surplus was available. First time I've received less than ordered, but looking forward to laying these wines down and tasting them down the track.

[livcoll]

Seems a tad bit of difference in reviews RE 2018’s
Wine Front (MB/GW) suggest good vintage. James Suckling (NS) excellent.
WF - 2018 Shiraz 94pts
NS - 2018 Shiraz 100pts

Only one way to work out who more agree with I guess!

[phillisc]

Seems a tad bit of difference in reviews RE 2018’s
Wine Front (MB/GW) suggest good vintage. James Suckling (NS) excellent.
WF - 2018 Shiraz 94pts
NS - 2018 Shiraz 100pts

Only one way to work out who more agree with I guess!

With respect, points for Wendouree's are absolutely arbitrary. I wouldn't know anyone who buys the wines based on points, nor would it matter what the points were.
Cheers Craig

[JamieBahrain]

What's interesting is the Suckling reviews are international. I haven't seen this before. This could see more interest in secondary market Wendourees which are modestly priced.

The WF reviews reminded me of the 94 shiraz, or perhaps it was the 95, but anyways, a classically Wendouree release from a fair vintage.

Recent UK offer!



A.P. Birks Wendouree
VINTAGE
FORMAT
QTY
£-BTL
SCORE JH
Cabernet Malbec
1997
75cl
12
£130

Cabernet Malbec *
1998
75cl
1
£130
94
Cabernet Malbec *
1998
75cl
2
£130
94
Cabernet Malbec *
1999
75cl
2
£115

Cabernet Malbec
1999
75cl
8
£115

Cabernet Malbec
2000
75cl
2
£95

Cabernet Malbec
2001
75cl
2
£95

Cabernet Malbec
2002
75cl
5
£95

Cabernet Malbec *
2002
75cl
1
£95

Cabernet Malbec
2003
75cl
4
£95

Cabernet Malbec
2004
75cl
12
£95

Cabernet Malbec
2005
75cl
12
£95
96
Cabernet Malbec
2006
75cl
11
£95

Cabernet Malbec
2009
75cl
9
£95
95
Cabernet Malbec
2013
75cl
8
£95
97
Cabernet Malbec
2014
75cl
6
£95
96
Cabernet Malbec
2015
75cl
10
£95
95
Cabernet Sauvignon
1999
75cl
5
£130

Cabernet Sauvignon
2000
75cl
1
£130
94
Cabernet Sauvignon
2001
75cl
1
£130

Cabernet Sauvignon
2002
75cl
7
£130

Cabernet Sauvignon
2005
75cl
5
£130

Cabernet Sauvignon
2009
75cl
8
£130
96
Cabernet Sauvignon
2013
75cl
12
£130
97
Cabernet Sauvignon
2014
75cl
17
£130
97
Cabernet Sauvignon
2015
75cl
6
£130

Malbec
2005
75cl
10
£95

Malbec *
2005
75cl
1
£95

Malbec
2006
75cl
9
£95
93
Malbec
2013
75cl
11
£95
95
Malbec
2015
75cl
12
£95

Malbec MAG
1990
150cl
1
£445

Malbec MAG
1991
150cl
1
£445

Shiraz
1996
75cl
1
£260
94
Shiraz
1997
75cl
2
£185
88
Shiraz
1999
75cl
3
£170

Shiraz
2000
75cl
3
£170

Shiraz
2003
75cl
2
£170
93
Shiraz
2005
75cl
2
£170
95
Shiraz
2006
75cl
6
£170
97
Shiraz
2009
75cl
12
£170
95
Shiraz
2013
75cl
1
£185
98
Shiraz
2014
75cl
3
£170
97
Shiraz
2015
75cl
2
£185
98
Shiraz MAG
1990
150cl
1
£895

Shiraz Malbec
1997
75cl
7
£115

Shiraz Malbec
1999
75cl
14
£110
93
Shiraz Malbec
2000
75cl
5
£100

Shiraz Malbec
2001
75cl
3
£100

Shiraz Malbec
2003
75cl
5
£100

Shiraz Malbec *
2003
75cl
1
£100

Shiraz Malbec
2004
75cl
12
£100

Shiraz Malbec
2005
75cl
12
£100

Shiraz Malbec
2013
75cl
4
£100
96
Shiraz Malbec
2014
75cl
6
£100
95
Shiraz Malbec
2015
75cl
6
£100
96
Shiraz Malbec 'Pressings'
2005
75cl
12
£100

Shiraz Mataro
1995
75cl
1
£130

Shiraz Mataro
1996
75cl
2
£130
93
Shiraz Mataro
1997
75cl
4
£115

Shiraz Mataro *
1997
75cl
2
£115

Shiraz Mataro
1998
75cl
1
£110
93
Shiraz Mataro
1999
75cl
14
£110

Shiraz Mataro
2000
75cl
10
£110

Shiraz Mataro
2001
75cl
2
£110

Shiraz Mataro
2002
75cl
5
£110

Shiraz Mataro
2003
75cl
6
£110

Shiraz Mataro
2005
75cl
6
£110
94
Shiraz Mataro
2009
75cl
6
£110
94
Shiraz Mataro
2013
75cl
12
£110
96
Shiraz Mataro
2014
75cl
12
£110
97
Shiraz Mataro
2015
75cl
6
£100
97
Shiraz Mataro
2017
75cl
1
£100

[livcoll]

Seems a tad bit of difference in reviews RE 2018’s
Wine Front (MB/GW) suggest good vintage. James Suckling (NS) excellent.
WF - 2018 Shiraz 94pts
NS - 2018 Shiraz 100pts

Only one way to work out who more agree with I guess!

With respect, points for Wendouree's are absolutely arbitrary. I wouldn't know anyone who buys the wines based on points, nor would it matter what the points were.
Cheers Craig

Haha I don’t buy them on points either...in fact I’ll be opening a 2011 Wendouree Malbec this weekend..and not sure you actually do intend your comments with respect as you have drawn inferences from things I haven’t said...

I was more interested in their descriptions varying on either whether it was exceptional and or good vintage. Which has been previously discussed on this thread. The points differential (as the system is developed to do) just highlights their different takes.

[JamieBahrain]

I found their 2011's good dry reds.

[Croquet King]

Card got charged today. Not for the full amount.
Sydney - red stripe - returned the next day

I ordered 6 x Cab, 6 x Sh, 6 x Sh / Mat.

Does $17.50 freight seem right per 6 pack to Sydney?
If so looks like I got 3 cab, 3 Sh and 6 sh / mat

[Matt@5453]

maybe I should just unload and tell them where to go - I don't need the stress each year - I think once I've got a full allocation.

I can put my $ elsewhere

Card got charged today. Not for the full amount.
Sydney - red stripe - returned the next day

I ordered 6 x Cab, 6 x Sh, 6 x Sh / Mat.

Does $17.50 freight seem right per 6 pack to Sydney?
If so looks like I got 3 cab, 3 Sh and 6 sh / mat

Looks like you did okay in the end then

[Croquet King]

Looks like you did okay in the end then

I did indeed - just hate the stress.

I always give some bottles to a friend of mine each year, as we often share purchases.
Overall not bad I guess. Maybe I won't unload on them - this year

[itspetebtw]

Card got charged today. Not for the full amount.
Sydney - red stripe - returned the next day

I ordered 6 x Cab, 6 x Sh, 6 x Sh / Mat.

Does $17.50 freight seem right per 6 pack to Sydney?
If so looks like I got 3 cab, 3 Sh and 6 sh / mat

Nice one...I’m red stripe in Sydney also, got my form in a couple of days after receiving and still waiting for my CC to be hit. Was contemplating a call to make sure they have my form, but might hold off a bit longer - don’t want to poke the bear!!

[phillisc]

Seems a tad bit of difference in reviews RE 2018’s
Wine Front (MB/GW) suggest good vintage. James Suckling (NS) excellent.
WF - 2018 Shiraz 94pts
NS - 2018 Shiraz 100pts

Only one way to work out who more agree with I guess!

With respect, points for Wendouree's are absolutely arbitrary. I wouldn't know anyone who buys the wines based on points, nor would it matter what the points were.
Cheers Craig

Haha I don’t buy them on points either...in fact I’ll be opening a 2011 Wendouree Malbec this weekend..and not sure you actually do intend your comments with respect as you have drawn inferences from things I haven’t said...

I was more interested in their descriptions varying on either whether it was exceptional and or good vintage. Which has been previously discussed on this thread. The points differential (as the system is developed to do) just highlights their different takes.

livcoll, as I said with respect and even more so with whatever inference or premise you draw from my comment, rightfully that is up to you. What my intention was is comment on the content of the post, and wouldn't matter who wrote it, even Gary or Mike themselves.
So, here's the thing or at least my take on it;
Points for Wendouree are arbitrary, particularly those from a US scribe whose intention is drum up hysteria and potentially feed the ego of investors and or trophy hunters and or those flippers/flickers who feed the secondary market.
It's a small make, witnessed here and everywhere in discussions about the wine, with plenty clamoring to get a few bottles. The post reflecting prices those are willing to pay in UK markets is testament to that. The attraction for most here in Australia of course is the history and the price. VFM over 30 years is off the scale! The average punter when their mailer arrives, or those who pay much more at selected retailers that get an allocation don't think for a second, its only 94 points this year...won't bother. Tony Brady doesn't buy into (at least publicly) X vintage was a cracker, or X vintage was slightly better than Y vintage. He might comment, that climate, rain, harvest all varies, but they do their best in the winery to produce a quality product. I am assured that for example, nothing released from 07, indicating if not up to scratch, then not made. You could argue that 11 may be the same, but might have got the fruit off before the hail storms went through. Will certainly be interested on your note on the Malbec. I only have Shiraz and Cabernet from that vintage.

In regards to points and those who anoint them (have a lot of time for Gary by the way, calls it as he sees it), again its an arbitrary crystal ball gazing exercise with Wendouree. One you actually need to like the style, big vs. restrained and everything in between. Two, time is required for a complete assessment. Three, context is essential, the ability to compare multiple wines across multiple vintages, as we did at the excellent offline in 2016.
Points might be important to some, and that I appreciate. It may be the deciding factor that you pass, but I would think that incredibly rare for the Wendouree buyer
No disrespect intended, I acknowledge on occasion that my posts get some folks fired up, but feel in this instance with a 30 year buying and tasting history it gives me a little skin the game. Great to see you are also in Adelaide, there are a couple of us when the whole Covid thing blows over, would love to do another Wendouree offline.

Cheers Craig