Hi good peoples,
I have no idea where the last week has gone to, it is simply flown. It's that time of a week again, drinking reports, vibes or impressions are now due.
From memory, I drank nothing new during the week (except for last night at a dinner with the mad Hungarian that that is another story which will be told later.)
I hope you're wine week was more exciting than mine, so please tell us all about it.
Well, blow me down, its Sunday again....
Alrighty,
Mixed bag (as per usual)........
<b>Grove Estate Semillon 2000</b>
This sem shows good intermediate development colour - bright light yellow - infact looking for all the world like a 3yr chard. Classic nose of lemon, a little toast , a touch of fruit sweetness and some underlying pepper. More lemon in the mouth but does give way to some tropical fruit notes. A acid / citrus feel underpins, driving length. Looking great for a 5 year old and has got another 5 to go (easily). The sliver of upfront fruitiness makes this very approachable, and provides a good halfway house between the austere Hunter style and its more flamboyant Margaret River counterpart.
Ripe, lifted nose with sweet fruits but muted with some oak. Big in the mouth; very ripe with nice tannins (not agressive), some heat, more assertive sweet berry fruit, but the oak is less apparent than the nose would suggest. Finish is long, helped by the 16.5%.
<b>Arakoon Doyen Shiraz 2003</b>
Ripe, lifted nose with sweet fruits but muted with some oak. Big in the mouth; very ripe with nice tannins (not agressive), some heat, more assertive sweet berry fruit, but the oak is less apparent than the nose would suggest. Finish is long, helped by the 16.5%.
This wine won't please everybody but you have to hand it to Ray and Patrik - they make no apologies for the wine they are trying to make - and for the most part succeed. My experience with the last 3 vintages shows the wine always has the fruit to match the structure and the alcohol is always carried well, although perhaps a little more obvious this year than in 2002 and 2001. Hard to put a finger on a drinking window but it couldn't hurt to leave this baby until early 2006 (at least).
<b>Arakoon Blewitt Springs Shiraz 2003</b>
Pretty nose; quite pronounced fresh fruits, clearly ripe, yet quite serious with good depth. A bit lighter than expected in the mouth (initially) but this is not a negative in any way. Fruit is very bright early but does firm up with some licorice and berry fruit, a touch of bitterness and some subtle wood. Probably a bit young as it feels just a smigden disjointed but don't let this detract, it's a good drop and one of the better 2003 McLaren Vale reds tasted recently.
Mixed bag (as per usual)........
<b>Grove Estate Semillon 2000</b>
This sem shows good intermediate development colour - bright light yellow - infact looking for all the world like a 3yr chard. Classic nose of lemon, a little toast , a touch of fruit sweetness and some underlying pepper. More lemon in the mouth but does give way to some tropical fruit notes. A acid / citrus feel underpins, driving length. Looking great for a 5 year old and has got another 5 to go (easily). The sliver of upfront fruitiness makes this very approachable, and provides a good halfway house between the austere Hunter style and its more flamboyant Margaret River counterpart.
Ripe, lifted nose with sweet fruits but muted with some oak. Big in the mouth; very ripe with nice tannins (not agressive), some heat, more assertive sweet berry fruit, but the oak is less apparent than the nose would suggest. Finish is long, helped by the 16.5%.
<b>Arakoon Doyen Shiraz 2003</b>
Ripe, lifted nose with sweet fruits but muted with some oak. Big in the mouth; very ripe with nice tannins (not agressive), some heat, more assertive sweet berry fruit, but the oak is less apparent than the nose would suggest. Finish is long, helped by the 16.5%.
This wine won't please everybody but you have to hand it to Ray and Patrik - they make no apologies for the wine they are trying to make - and for the most part succeed. My experience with the last 3 vintages shows the wine always has the fruit to match the structure and the alcohol is always carried well, although perhaps a little more obvious this year than in 2002 and 2001. Hard to put a finger on a drinking window but it couldn't hurt to leave this baby until early 2006 (at least).
<b>Arakoon Blewitt Springs Shiraz 2003</b>
Pretty nose; quite pronounced fresh fruits, clearly ripe, yet quite serious with good depth. A bit lighter than expected in the mouth (initially) but this is not a negative in any way. Fruit is very bright early but does firm up with some licorice and berry fruit, a touch of bitterness and some subtle wood. Probably a bit young as it feels just a smigden disjointed but don't let this detract, it's a good drop and one of the better 2003 McLaren Vale reds tasted recently.
Last edited by Stewart on Mon Jan 24, 2005 1:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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thelongroad
- Posts: 46
- Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2004 4:12 pm
- Location: melbourne eastern suburbs
A few things this week -
Last night with a chinese banquet, mainly whites tho, so beware
2003 punt road riesling - very germanic - can drink a lot of this
2003 tamar ridge sav blanc - not too bad - little on the tinned asparagus side for my taste
yarra ridge chardy - cant remember the vintage - was a friends bottle - bit ho hum ... not my cup of joe
2003 wynns shiraz - had the rest of this bottle last night with dinner having opened and tasted on friday night ... interested to see what anyone else thinks about this new release - i was really disappointed - didn't really deliver anything and by last night seemed to already be tired and faded
2004 long flat pinot noir - killed by a ridiculously hot chilli dish we kinda weren't expecting in the banquet... will need another look
2002 and 2003 waterwheel shiraz - haven't had a waterwheel since about the 1999. Both these wines were drinking well - they seemed a little more savoury than i recall the waterwheels - still high in alcohol but not seeming to pack the jammy sweetness and low tannin combo i recall.
2003 punt road bot. semillon - gorgeous sticky - impressed me as well as the others munching on the excellent if not predictabe banana fritters and icecream
oh yeah.... and some seppelt gr113 for coffee and chocolate goodies much later on... damn i love that muscat
cheers - JB
Last night with a chinese banquet, mainly whites tho, so beware
2003 punt road riesling - very germanic - can drink a lot of this
2003 tamar ridge sav blanc - not too bad - little on the tinned asparagus side for my taste
yarra ridge chardy - cant remember the vintage - was a friends bottle - bit ho hum ... not my cup of joe
2003 wynns shiraz - had the rest of this bottle last night with dinner having opened and tasted on friday night ... interested to see what anyone else thinks about this new release - i was really disappointed - didn't really deliver anything and by last night seemed to already be tired and faded
2004 long flat pinot noir - killed by a ridiculously hot chilli dish we kinda weren't expecting in the banquet... will need another look
2002 and 2003 waterwheel shiraz - haven't had a waterwheel since about the 1999. Both these wines were drinking well - they seemed a little more savoury than i recall the waterwheels - still high in alcohol but not seeming to pack the jammy sweetness and low tannin combo i recall.
2003 punt road bot. semillon - gorgeous sticky - impressed me as well as the others munching on the excellent if not predictabe banana fritters and icecream
oh yeah.... and some seppelt gr113 for coffee and chocolate goodies much later on... damn i love that muscat
cheers - JB
Who took the cork out of my lunch?
W.C. Fields
W.C. Fields
I've had a lovely week following the Jacobs Creek Tour Down Under cycle race. Although I did not get around to sampling the sponsors product I did still find time to imbibe some wines.
Managed to fit in lunch on Friday at the Bridgewater Mill Restaurant. Food and service was excellent - for some reason Croser sparkling tastes better there. Also had an 02 Petaluma Chardonnay - was a bit blowsy I thought and a bottle of 2000 Guigal Crozes-Hermitage for $59 which was a nice gentle Rhone wine with a lovely clean finish. Also a glass of 1999 Petaluma Botrytis Semillon " Essence " which was very sweet and thick in an impressive way although one glass was enough.
2004 Dog Point Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ( $26 ) : very good intense Sauvignon Blanc - I rate Dog Point highly as a producer based on the few times I've had their wines. Very Good.
2003 Pascal Delauney Val de Loire Rose d'Anjou ( $10 ) : nice mild strawberry fruit with a lovely dry finish that Australian producers either won't or can't do. Good value.
2002 Metala Shiraz Cabernet ($12) : Simple cola like red wine - Langhornes Creek firewater !
2002 Peter Lehmann Shiraz ( $22 ) : Had at the local pub as Pelicanette and I were too tired to cook at home on Wednesday night after riding our bikes around the Barossa earlier in the day. As soft as poking the belly of a fat lycra clad cyclist..........
Managed to fit in lunch on Friday at the Bridgewater Mill Restaurant. Food and service was excellent - for some reason Croser sparkling tastes better there. Also had an 02 Petaluma Chardonnay - was a bit blowsy I thought and a bottle of 2000 Guigal Crozes-Hermitage for $59 which was a nice gentle Rhone wine with a lovely clean finish. Also a glass of 1999 Petaluma Botrytis Semillon " Essence " which was very sweet and thick in an impressive way although one glass was enough.
2004 Dog Point Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ( $26 ) : very good intense Sauvignon Blanc - I rate Dog Point highly as a producer based on the few times I've had their wines. Very Good.
2003 Pascal Delauney Val de Loire Rose d'Anjou ( $10 ) : nice mild strawberry fruit with a lovely dry finish that Australian producers either won't or can't do. Good value.
2002 Metala Shiraz Cabernet ($12) : Simple cola like red wine - Langhornes Creek firewater !
2002 Peter Lehmann Shiraz ( $22 ) : Had at the local pub as Pelicanette and I were too tired to cook at home on Wednesday night after riding our bikes around the Barossa earlier in the day. As soft as poking the belly of a fat lycra clad cyclist..........
I cracked open a '95 Orlando Centenary Hill Shiraz midweek. This was on the shelf at a store here in Christchurch and they had two others, which I was willing to purchase if the wine was good. Nothing better than buying ten year old wine off the shelf at yester-year prices.
I had half the bottle at first sitting and returned to finish it off 24 hours later. I must admit I was a little disappointed. It was a well made wine and great to have something a little older without diving into the cellar, but I found the oak a little 'burnt', despite an enjoyable finish. It was very typically old vine Barossa fruit, but I struggled to find anything assertive on the palate. Nice, but not worthy of further purchase (for this particular vintage, which incidentally, was my first Centenary Hill).
Friday night rolled around and somehow I ended up sharing a bottle of '96 Pol Roger with a friend. I'm sure everyone's heard enough about this champagne, so I'll be brief. It was my first '96 Pol and I found it very well balanced - oak use wasn't heavy and it was rich in a very elegant way. The finish was long and I preferred it once it had warmed up a little. I picked up lemon/lime aromas with creamy vanilla and think it's a wine that will age well and reach prime drinking in a few years yet.
Looking forward to trying an '03 Noon Eclipse and '02 The Strui in the coming week.
I had half the bottle at first sitting and returned to finish it off 24 hours later. I must admit I was a little disappointed. It was a well made wine and great to have something a little older without diving into the cellar, but I found the oak a little 'burnt', despite an enjoyable finish. It was very typically old vine Barossa fruit, but I struggled to find anything assertive on the palate. Nice, but not worthy of further purchase (for this particular vintage, which incidentally, was my first Centenary Hill).
Friday night rolled around and somehow I ended up sharing a bottle of '96 Pol Roger with a friend. I'm sure everyone's heard enough about this champagne, so I'll be brief. It was my first '96 Pol and I found it very well balanced - oak use wasn't heavy and it was rich in a very elegant way. The finish was long and I preferred it once it had warmed up a little. I picked up lemon/lime aromas with creamy vanilla and think it's a wine that will age well and reach prime drinking in a few years yet.
Looking forward to trying an '03 Noon Eclipse and '02 The Strui in the coming week.
Max
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Avant d’être bon, un vin doit être vrai
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Avant d’être bon, un vin doit être vrai
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David Lole
No wine for over a week due to illness. 
Now that I've recovered, opened quite a few with friends and family this weekend.
Ferngrove 2002 Riesling - very youthful colour; nice florals and lotsa lime on the nose; juicy, soft citrus mouthfilling fruit with a pleasant, tranquil, slightly sweet departure of some length, but lacking acidity and authority. Drink now. Very Good
Howard Park 2001 Riesling - mid straw. Potent nose of lime, herb, some grassiness and a little toast. Just as powerful and compelling on the palate with bucketloads of crunchy acidity for the long haul. Excellent. Drink now - 2010.
Marc Bredif 1985 Vouvray - very bright lemon. Sulphur on the nose at first. This improves dramatically with air - waxy apples, acacia and integrated honey on slightly charred toast. Very tight and perfectly structured with indelible, crisp acidity. Touch of RS in there, too. Freaky. Excellent/Outstanding. Drink now to 2025.
Montgomery's Hill 2002 Chardonnay - lovely bright pale straw colour. Aromatically, very tight but full of interest with beautifully melded fig, melon and white peach fruit over nutty barrel ferment characters and subtle spicy oak. Follows with a similar flavour profile, excellent restrained structure and a terrific long departure brimming with poise, balance and vivacity. Rated as Excellent and will certainly cellar very well. A revelation. A small Albany producer with the wines made at the Porongorup winery (John Wade - consultant). One worth seeking out.
Cullen 1991 Cabernet Merlot - lovely deep "berried" wine with gorgeous savoury oak hoverering in the background. May not be the greatest of years in Vanya's eyes, but still awfully darn good and in need of another 5-8 years for the acid and tannins to resolve with the wonderful fruit. Excellent + with the potential for a higher rating later.
Oakridge 1990 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - I've drunk nearly 2 cases of this over the years, and this bottle seemed on par with my most recent bottle, albeit both my drinking buddies suggested it was slightly corked or filtered through tinea-infested socks! Perhaps the merest hint of taint on the nose after exaggerated swirling, but the palate was sound revealing mature cigar- and spice-box, herb-tinged cassis with an underpinning of savoury/mocha oak, leafiness and notes of wet earth and forest floor. Very long and satisfying with everything in its place. Excellent. Drink now.
Now that I've recovered, opened quite a few with friends and family this weekend.
Ferngrove 2002 Riesling - very youthful colour; nice florals and lotsa lime on the nose; juicy, soft citrus mouthfilling fruit with a pleasant, tranquil, slightly sweet departure of some length, but lacking acidity and authority. Drink now. Very Good
Howard Park 2001 Riesling - mid straw. Potent nose of lime, herb, some grassiness and a little toast. Just as powerful and compelling on the palate with bucketloads of crunchy acidity for the long haul. Excellent. Drink now - 2010.
Marc Bredif 1985 Vouvray - very bright lemon. Sulphur on the nose at first. This improves dramatically with air - waxy apples, acacia and integrated honey on slightly charred toast. Very tight and perfectly structured with indelible, crisp acidity. Touch of RS in there, too. Freaky. Excellent/Outstanding. Drink now to 2025.
Montgomery's Hill 2002 Chardonnay - lovely bright pale straw colour. Aromatically, very tight but full of interest with beautifully melded fig, melon and white peach fruit over nutty barrel ferment characters and subtle spicy oak. Follows with a similar flavour profile, excellent restrained structure and a terrific long departure brimming with poise, balance and vivacity. Rated as Excellent and will certainly cellar very well. A revelation. A small Albany producer with the wines made at the Porongorup winery (John Wade - consultant). One worth seeking out.
Cullen 1991 Cabernet Merlot - lovely deep "berried" wine with gorgeous savoury oak hoverering in the background. May not be the greatest of years in Vanya's eyes, but still awfully darn good and in need of another 5-8 years for the acid and tannins to resolve with the wonderful fruit. Excellent + with the potential for a higher rating later.
Oakridge 1990 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - I've drunk nearly 2 cases of this over the years, and this bottle seemed on par with my most recent bottle, albeit both my drinking buddies suggested it was slightly corked or filtered through tinea-infested socks! Perhaps the merest hint of taint on the nose after exaggerated swirling, but the palate was sound revealing mature cigar- and spice-box, herb-tinged cassis with an underpinning of savoury/mocha oak, leafiness and notes of wet earth and forest floor. Very long and satisfying with everything in its place. Excellent. Drink now.
Maximus,
I know exactly what you mean about the burnt oak in the 95 Centenary. I found the same problem when I tried the wine on release. The 96 does not have the same problem is a far better wine. FWIW, Woolworths must have bought tons of the stuff as it is available in most Macs liquor stores in New South Wales for 50 bucks a bottle.
I know exactly what you mean about the burnt oak in the 95 Centenary. I found the same problem when I tried the wine on release. The 96 does not have the same problem is a far better wine. FWIW, Woolworths must have bought tons of the stuff as it is available in most Macs liquor stores in New South Wales for 50 bucks a bottle.
Maximus, I did a vertical of Centenary a couple of years back and found the 95 to be the poorest in the line. An adequate vintage generally in the Barossa but they struck out on this one.
I rated the 2002 Struie as excellent, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
The 2003 Noon Eclipse is also very good. The Eclipse really is the unsung hero in the Noon lineup, every year I get blown away by how good it is, I think it just lives in the shadow of the Reserves.
The 2002 Eclipse won the Blacktongues Grenache tasting last year and I've got the 2003 ready for this years Grenache tasting which will include many of the excellent examples currently (or soon to be released) from the Barossa like Burge Family, Schwarz, Kalleske, Glaymond and the best from elsewhere like Fonthill, Pirramimma etc
I rated the 2002 Struie as excellent, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
The 2003 Noon Eclipse is also very good. The Eclipse really is the unsung hero in the Noon lineup, every year I get blown away by how good it is, I think it just lives in the shadow of the Reserves.
The 2002 Eclipse won the Blacktongues Grenache tasting last year and I've got the 2003 ready for this years Grenache tasting which will include many of the excellent examples currently (or soon to be released) from the Barossa like Burge Family, Schwarz, Kalleske, Glaymond and the best from elsewhere like Fonthill, Pirramimma etc
Cheers - Steve
If you can see through it, it's not worth drinking!
If you can see through it, it's not worth drinking!
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JamieBahrain
- Posts: 3754
- Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2003 7:40 am
- Location: Fragrant Harbour.
Hello all.
Quiet week where beer was the dominant beverage-sadly.
But did have a bottle of Penfold's St Henri 1999 whilst enduring De Caprio's new film.
The St Henri was a little muted in the fruit department, possibly heat affected, with pronounced malty nuances and lovely St Henri oak treatment evident. Tannin is powerful at the moment ant the finish is impressive.
I am sure well cellared 99's will go great guns in a few years; this bottle may have enjoyed a little Malaysian sunshine.
Quiet week where beer was the dominant beverage-sadly.
But did have a bottle of Penfold's St Henri 1999 whilst enduring De Caprio's new film.
The St Henri was a little muted in the fruit department, possibly heat affected, with pronounced malty nuances and lovely St Henri oak treatment evident. Tannin is powerful at the moment ant the finish is impressive.
I am sure well cellared 99's will go great guns in a few years; this bottle may have enjoyed a little Malaysian sunshine.
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Anonymous
I am tasting a range of 2002 cab savs for the cellar. I managed to get through 4 this week.
<b>2002 Saltram Mamre Brook Cab Sav</b>: I was looking for a cab sav around $20 and this is just perfect.
<b>2002 Wolf Blass Gold Label Adelaide Hills Cab Sav Can Franc</b>: I had a glass of this following the Mamre Brook and it didn't live up to the Barossa red. Not overally complex, but a good drink. I tasted this again after 24 hours in the decanter and it had improved somewhat. My next adventure will be to try the Barossa Gold Label Shiraz 02.
<b>2002 Evans and Tate Margaret River Cab Sav</b>: I let this decanter for a couple of hours before drinking. Not a bad drop, but not in the class of the Mamre Brook, or Wolf Blass for that matter.
<b>2002 Neagles Rock Cab Sav</b>: I have a case of this and I wanted to see how it compared to the above. I love big clare valley cab savs and this was a beauty. I really need more cab savs from the Clare.
I did open one shiraz;
<b>1999 The Willows Barossa Shiraz</b>: Aging well. Very savoury. Drank the bottle (with a little help) within a few hours, so it must have been pretty good.
Any other cab savs in the $18-30 range that I should look at for the cellar?
<b>2002 Saltram Mamre Brook Cab Sav</b>: I was looking for a cab sav around $20 and this is just perfect.
<b>2002 Wolf Blass Gold Label Adelaide Hills Cab Sav Can Franc</b>: I had a glass of this following the Mamre Brook and it didn't live up to the Barossa red. Not overally complex, but a good drink. I tasted this again after 24 hours in the decanter and it had improved somewhat. My next adventure will be to try the Barossa Gold Label Shiraz 02.
<b>2002 Evans and Tate Margaret River Cab Sav</b>: I let this decanter for a couple of hours before drinking. Not a bad drop, but not in the class of the Mamre Brook, or Wolf Blass for that matter.
<b>2002 Neagles Rock Cab Sav</b>: I have a case of this and I wanted to see how it compared to the above. I love big clare valley cab savs and this was a beauty. I really need more cab savs from the Clare.
I did open one shiraz;
<b>1999 The Willows Barossa Shiraz</b>: Aging well. Very savoury. Drank the bottle (with a little help) within a few hours, so it must have been pretty good.
Any other cab savs in the $18-30 range that I should look at for the cellar?
zanlation wrote:<b>2002 Wolf Blass Gold Label Adelaide Hills Cab Sav Can Franc</b>: I had a glass of this following the Mamre Brook and it didn't live up to the Barossa red. Not overally complex, but a good drink. I tasted this again after 24 hours in the decanter and it had improved somewhat. My next adventure will be to try the Barossa Gold Label Shiraz 02.
I thought the 02 Wolf Blass Gold Label Adelaide Hills Shiraz Viognier was one of the better wines I drank in 2004. Really sorry when there was no more. Hope you had the chance to get some before it sold out.
The 03 of this wine is now available (14.5%) and I was hoping someone had tried it before I invested my hard earned in it. No response so I just had to do it myself.
Not up to the 02 at this stage. Initial nose and taste were a little confectionary. After two hours it began to blossom showing definate similarities to the 02. Next night it showed much better and outperformed an 03 Innocent Bystander S/V (14%) that was opened. All this considered, I think it (W/Blass) will be a very good wine and I am buying more to drink in the next 2 to 5 years.
Graham
Chardonnay: A drink you have when there is no RED wine, the beer hasn't arrived and the water may be polluted
Normans Chais Clarendon Cabernet 1999
Powerful dark berry, pepper and clove aromas. In the mouth, similar flavours in addition to anise and chocolate. Unfortunately I also detected some stewed plum / jammy characters, in addition to a little too much VA. Was this cooked? Nice grainy tannins, and a good dollop of dark french oak. Apart form the aforementioned fault (if indeed it wasn't meant to be like that), I felt that this was fairly impressive, containing excellent fruit for its price tag (~$18). I wouldn't mind trying a couple that had been cellared well.
FWIW, I also had the option of buying 9 bottles of Kilikanoon Covenant 2000 for $25/bottle. As my financial situation isn't that good at the moment, I regrettably turned it down. I hadn't tasted the wine, and wasn't 100% sure of its normal price.
On a lighter note, I was able to procure a few bottles of Seppelt DP63 muscat and DP57 Tokay (both new and old 375mL format) for $18.50/bottle. As a self proclaimed fortified freak, I gleefully snapped these up.
... and, because they couldnt find it on the price list, a FREE bottle of Laroche Petit Chablis 2000 (White Burg). If anyone has tried this, please let me know what you think.
These were all from a closing down sale of the delivery arm of one of the local wine outlets in Brisbane. There were still plenty of wines left at COB on Sunday (final day). Keep an eye out on wine auctions for a stack of wine (incl the Kilikanoons) going cheaply...
Powerful dark berry, pepper and clove aromas. In the mouth, similar flavours in addition to anise and chocolate. Unfortunately I also detected some stewed plum / jammy characters, in addition to a little too much VA. Was this cooked? Nice grainy tannins, and a good dollop of dark french oak. Apart form the aforementioned fault (if indeed it wasn't meant to be like that), I felt that this was fairly impressive, containing excellent fruit for its price tag (~$18). I wouldn't mind trying a couple that had been cellared well.
FWIW, I also had the option of buying 9 bottles of Kilikanoon Covenant 2000 for $25/bottle. As my financial situation isn't that good at the moment, I regrettably turned it down. I hadn't tasted the wine, and wasn't 100% sure of its normal price.
On a lighter note, I was able to procure a few bottles of Seppelt DP63 muscat and DP57 Tokay (both new and old 375mL format) for $18.50/bottle. As a self proclaimed fortified freak, I gleefully snapped these up.
... and, because they couldnt find it on the price list, a FREE bottle of Laroche Petit Chablis 2000 (White Burg). If anyone has tried this, please let me know what you think.
These were all from a closing down sale of the delivery arm of one of the local wine outlets in Brisbane. There were still plenty of wines left at COB on Sunday (final day). Keep an eye out on wine auctions for a stack of wine (incl the Kilikanoons) going cheaply...
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Andrew Jordan
- Posts: 775
- Joined: Wed May 05, 2004 11:53 am
- Location: Sydney
Zanlation wrote:
I would look out for the 2001 Voyager Cab Merlot at around $30. Also around this price point is the:
2001 Turkey Flat Cab which is wonderful. Haven't tried the 2002 but this has just been released which is worth a try as well.
2001 The Willows is a very nice Cab for around $25.
2002 Rockford Rifle Range just over $30
2002 Majella around $30
2001 Katnook around $30
2002 Peter Lehmann Barossa Cab is excellent value. You can find it for $14 per bottle and a good quaffer for the next 5 years.
AJ
Any other cab savs in the $18-30 range that I should look at for the cellar
I would look out for the 2001 Voyager Cab Merlot at around $30. Also around this price point is the:
2001 Turkey Flat Cab which is wonderful. Haven't tried the 2002 but this has just been released which is worth a try as well.
2001 The Willows is a very nice Cab for around $25.
2002 Rockford Rifle Range just over $30
2002 Majella around $30
2001 Katnook around $30
2002 Peter Lehmann Barossa Cab is excellent value. You can find it for $14 per bottle and a good quaffer for the next 5 years.
AJ
Some nice wines over the week-end
2002 Petaluma Riesling Developing quicker than I expected. The acid level has dropped and quite a big but well structured wine. Not as good as on release but may be going into a bit of a dumb phase. Very Good
1999 Orlando Steingarten Riesling Lovely lime and lemon nose. Excellent fruit with strong acid cut. Will last a decade at least. Excellent
1999 Grossot Polish Hills Riesling. Nice contrast to the Eden Vallley steingarten. Much more citrus and orange blossom. Slightly richer on the palate with good acid but noty as steely. Unlike a number of grossot lately, nice green/lemon colour rather than mid gold. Excellent
1993 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon corked.
This is about my 3rd corked 1993 Vat 1 from different cases. Was there a problem with corks that year
1989 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon What a contrast to the above. Have been drinking thru a case of this over the past decade and have to say it hasn't changed much in the last 5 odd years. Incredibly complex limey, lemony, straw and macadamia nut nose. Mid weight palate with heaps of fruit complexity and lovely lingering acid finish. Will probably go at least another decade if well cellared. Outstanding.
1983 Francious Ravenau Chablis 1er "La Foret" This was pulled from the cellar with some trepidation. Not need. Absolutely magnificent wine. Still only mid yellow in colour. Still fresh iodiney, nutty nose and quite a big -weighted wine in the mouth - more a white burgundy than a chablis. Lovely and fresh with bell clear chardonnay fruit and a beautiful long finish. Probably the wine of the week-end.
1999 Fattoria di Petroio Lenzi Chianti Classico Reserva . Mid red. Excellent cherry liqueur and some earth and spices on the nose. More cherries and black fruit on the palate , still some tannins and nice acid touch with fruit to meet the tannins and acid. Excellent
1986 Lakes Folly Cabernets Excellent mid red with some slight browning. Bit of bottle stinkl on opening which blew off to show a lovely mid weight claret style red. Lots of earth and leather, a touch of cumin and tar. Drinking at its peak. In excellent condition. Very good to excellent
1978 Chateau Pichon Lalande In much better condition with better fruit than a '78 Leoville Lascases drunk recently. Pencil shavings with a wisp of capsicum. Still black fruits with perfectly resolved tannins. Drinking a point. Not the most complex claret but lovely with some veal cutlets.
1992 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz Just shows you what excellent fruit in an ordinary year can produce. Beautifully balanced mid weight barossa shiraz . For once nicely handled american oak which didn't poke out from the wine but rather complemented the black blackberry, leathery fruit by lifting and giving more complexity to the palate. One of the best '92's I have ever had. Well done.
1999 Cascina Guili Barbera D'Alba Lovely rich blood red colour. Lots of tea roses on the nose with lavender and licorice , maybe some tar. Quite a rich palate with lots of fresh juicy red fruits and acid. Excellent wine and must buy some more. Cut through the richness of some pan fried venison with a beetroot sauce.
1983 Chateau De Malle Medium yellow with no browning. Excellent quite rich sauternes with no VA burn. Maybe not that complex but perfectly suited a nectarine tart. Excellent.
[/b]
Cheers
Paul
2002 Petaluma Riesling Developing quicker than I expected. The acid level has dropped and quite a big but well structured wine. Not as good as on release but may be going into a bit of a dumb phase. Very Good
1999 Orlando Steingarten Riesling Lovely lime and lemon nose. Excellent fruit with strong acid cut. Will last a decade at least. Excellent
1999 Grossot Polish Hills Riesling. Nice contrast to the Eden Vallley steingarten. Much more citrus and orange blossom. Slightly richer on the palate with good acid but noty as steely. Unlike a number of grossot lately, nice green/lemon colour rather than mid gold. Excellent
1993 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon corked.
This is about my 3rd corked 1993 Vat 1 from different cases. Was there a problem with corks that year
1989 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon What a contrast to the above. Have been drinking thru a case of this over the past decade and have to say it hasn't changed much in the last 5 odd years. Incredibly complex limey, lemony, straw and macadamia nut nose. Mid weight palate with heaps of fruit complexity and lovely lingering acid finish. Will probably go at least another decade if well cellared. Outstanding.
1983 Francious Ravenau Chablis 1er "La Foret" This was pulled from the cellar with some trepidation. Not need. Absolutely magnificent wine. Still only mid yellow in colour. Still fresh iodiney, nutty nose and quite a big -weighted wine in the mouth - more a white burgundy than a chablis. Lovely and fresh with bell clear chardonnay fruit and a beautiful long finish. Probably the wine of the week-end.
1999 Fattoria di Petroio Lenzi Chianti Classico Reserva . Mid red. Excellent cherry liqueur and some earth and spices on the nose. More cherries and black fruit on the palate , still some tannins and nice acid touch with fruit to meet the tannins and acid. Excellent
1986 Lakes Folly Cabernets Excellent mid red with some slight browning. Bit of bottle stinkl on opening which blew off to show a lovely mid weight claret style red. Lots of earth and leather, a touch of cumin and tar. Drinking at its peak. In excellent condition. Very good to excellent
1978 Chateau Pichon Lalande In much better condition with better fruit than a '78 Leoville Lascases drunk recently. Pencil shavings with a wisp of capsicum. Still black fruits with perfectly resolved tannins. Drinking a point. Not the most complex claret but lovely with some veal cutlets.
1992 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz Just shows you what excellent fruit in an ordinary year can produce. Beautifully balanced mid weight barossa shiraz . For once nicely handled american oak which didn't poke out from the wine but rather complemented the black blackberry, leathery fruit by lifting and giving more complexity to the palate. One of the best '92's I have ever had. Well done.
1999 Cascina Guili Barbera D'Alba Lovely rich blood red colour. Lots of tea roses on the nose with lavender and licorice , maybe some tar. Quite a rich palate with lots of fresh juicy red fruits and acid. Excellent wine and must buy some more. Cut through the richness of some pan fried venison with a beetroot sauce.
1983 Chateau De Malle Medium yellow with no browning. Excellent quite rich sauternes with no VA burn. Maybe not that complex but perfectly suited a nectarine tart. Excellent.
[/b]
Cheers
Paul
PaulV wrote:1989 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon What a contrast to the above. Have been drinking thru a case of this over the past decade and have to say it hasn't changed much in the last 5 odd years. Incredibly complex limey, lemony, straw and macadamia nut nose. Mid weight palate with heaps of fruit complexity and lovely lingering acid finish. Will probably go at least another decade if well cellared. Outstanding.
Hello Paul,
Great to see that you have bottles of the great 1989. I presume your 1989 wines also have the original cellar door labels and are not aged releases from the Tyrrell's cellar. My experience tells me that your cellar is much better. I have bought and tasted numerous 1989 Vat 1s, but all directly from Tyrrell's and none of them great.
Kind regards,
Adair
-
PaulSheldon
- Posts: 87
- Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2003 1:32 pm
- Location: Perth
1998 Wynns Black Label Cabernet
I've been a bit rushed of late for taking notes, or even for doing a lot of drinking for that matter. The other night I pulled a 98 Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon out. This wine is developing nicely but is still quite youthful both in colour and palate. Some nice secondary earthy characters developing but its still mainly primary fruit. I really like this stuff, its a very good example of Coonawarra Cabernet. If you have a case of this it might be worth opening a bottle, but if you only have a couple I would wait a while longer yet.
Paul
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Guest
707 wrote:The 2003 Noon Eclipse is also very good. The Eclipse really is the unsung hero in the Noon lineup, every year I get blown away by how good it is, I think it just lives in the shadow of the Reserves.
The 2002 Eclipse won the Blacktongues Grenache tasting last year and I've got the 2003 ready for this years Grenache tasting which will include many of the excellent examples currently (or soon to be released) from the Barossa like Burge Family, Schwarz, Kalleske, Glaymond and the best from elsewhere like Fonthill, Pirramimma etc
Do you think the 02 Eclipse is already in its peak given the drinking reccomendation on the bottle is 2005-2012+? Do you think it could go longer than 2012? Its pretty hard to find reviews on Noon stuff so just after some opinions.
Cheers
Guest, the 2002 Eclipse is a great drink right now but will continue to improve I'm sure. I had a 1998 a while back and that's still a bit tight but sings well, plenty of time left and the 2002 is somewhat similar. Do you really need it to push past 2012? I think 6-8 years it would be hard to resist.
Zanlation, the great Cabernet hunt is on!
I've been really impressed with 2002 Barossa Cabernets, some will fit your range, a few may just tick over the $30 mark but they're worth it. My pick are the Rockford Rifle Range, Glaymond only available from Auswine, Kaesler, Charles Melton, Turkey Flat I want to see again as the bottle I tried was very eucalyptus. Keep an eye out for the Blacktongues 2002 Barossa Cabernet tasting notes here on Auswine in the next month or so.
In Clare IMO Kilikanoon Blocks Road is about tops, Where are you located as I've got access to a ripper Clare Cabernet without labels at a silly price.
Coonawarra has a heap of good ones at present depending on your palate, Majella, Katnook, Zema, Hollick 2002 only, Leconfield is making a statement, Penley, Redman. You probably need to try and se what suits your taste of course.
In McLaren Vale, the 2002 Kays at about $22 is brilliant. They'll ship if you're not in Adelaide.
Keep on posting your finds.
Zanlation, the great Cabernet hunt is on!
I've been really impressed with 2002 Barossa Cabernets, some will fit your range, a few may just tick over the $30 mark but they're worth it. My pick are the Rockford Rifle Range, Glaymond only available from Auswine, Kaesler, Charles Melton, Turkey Flat I want to see again as the bottle I tried was very eucalyptus. Keep an eye out for the Blacktongues 2002 Barossa Cabernet tasting notes here on Auswine in the next month or so.
In Clare IMO Kilikanoon Blocks Road is about tops, Where are you located as I've got access to a ripper Clare Cabernet without labels at a silly price.
Coonawarra has a heap of good ones at present depending on your palate, Majella, Katnook, Zema, Hollick 2002 only, Leconfield is making a statement, Penley, Redman. You probably need to try and se what suits your taste of course.
In McLaren Vale, the 2002 Kays at about $22 is brilliant. They'll ship if you're not in Adelaide.
Keep on posting your finds.
Cheers - Steve
If you can see through it, it's not worth drinking!
If you can see through it, it's not worth drinking!
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David Lole
Thanks for the notes, Paul. Very nice line-up! I've added some comments in bold and italics.
PaulV wrote:Some nice wines over the weekend.
2002 Petaluma Riesling - Developing quicker than I expected. The acid level has dropped and quite a big but well structured wine. Not as good as on release but may be going into a bit of a dumb phase. Very Good
Sounds like a bottle under cork and an errant bottle at that. Tried one last night - excellent/outstanding. Fresh, crisp, steely, long and with years in front of it.
1999 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling - Nice contrast to the Eden Vallley steingarten. Much more citrus and orange blossom. Slightly richer on the palate with good acid but not as steely. Unlike a number of Grosset's lately, nice green/lemon colour rather than mid gold. Excellent
I've been enjoying several of these lately.
1993 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon - corked.
Problems with corks every bloody year, Paul! Seen several TN's with the same horrible outcome over a long period of timeand
1983 Francious Raveneau Chablis 1er "La Foret" - This was pulled from the cellar with some trepidation. Not need. Absolutely magnificent wine. Still only mid yellow in colour. Still fresh iodiney, nutty nose and quite a big -weighted wine in the mouth - more a white burgundy than a chablis. Lovely and fresh with bell clear chardonnay fruit and a beautiful long finish. Probably the wine of the week-end.
With Dauvissat, my favorite Chablis producer. Amazing wines!
1986 Lakes Folly Cabernets - Excellent mid red with some slight browning. Bit of bottle stink on opening which blew off to show a lovely mid weight claret style red. Lots of earth and leather, a touch of cumin and tar. Drinking at its peak. In excellent condition. Very good to excellent
Surprising how well these elegantly wrought wines last.
1978 Chateau Pichon Lalande - In much better condition with better fruit than a '78 Leoville Lascases drunk recently. Pencil shavings with a wisp of capsicum. Still black fruits with perfectly resolved tannins. Drinking a point. Not the most complex claret but lovely with some veal cutlets.
Had one of these with Baby Chickpea last month. Perfectly resolved alright. Ours was stellar on the nose and held very well in the glass, only fading slightly after a couple of hours. Lovely wine.
1992 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz - Just shows you what excellent fruit in an ordinary year can produce. Beautifully balanced mid weight Barossa Shiraz. For once nicely handled american oak which didn't poke out from the wine but rather complemented the black blackberry, leathery fruit by lifting and giving more complexity to the palate. One of the best '92's I have ever had. Well done.
This has always been well balanced and a delight to drink. Sadly, I have no more left. Must try and get some more
David Lole wrote:Thanks for the notes, Paul. Very nice line-up! I've added some comments in bold and italics.PaulV wrote:Some nice wines over the weekend.
2002 Petaluma Riesling - Developing quicker than I expected. The acid level has dropped and quite a big but well structured wine. Not as good as on release but may be going into a bit of a dumb phase. Very Good
Sounds like a bottle under cork and an errant bottle at that. Tried one last night - excellent/outstanding. Fresh, crisp, steely, long and with years in front of it.
Hi David
You're right, should have mentioned it was under cork and not a stelvin seal. Your notes suggest that the difference between cork and stelvin is already quite significant
Cheers
Paul
David Lole wrote:Thanks for the notes, Paul. Very nice line-up! I've added some comments in bold and italics.PaulV wrote:Some nice wines over the weekend.
2002 Petaluma Riesling - Developing quicker than I expected. The acid level has dropped and quite a big but well structured wine. Not as good as on release but may be going into a bit of a dumb phase. Very Good
Sounds like a bottle under cork and an errant bottle at that. Tried one last night - excellent/outstanding. Fresh, crisp, steely, long and with years in front of it.
Hi David
You're right, should have mentioned it was under cork and not a stelvin seal. Your notes suggest that the difference between cork and stelvin is already quite significant
Cheers
Paul
Adair wrote:PaulV wrote:1989 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon What a contrast to the above. Have been drinking thru a case of this over the past decade and have to say it hasn't changed much in the last 5 odd years. Incredibly complex limey, lemony, straw and macadamia nut nose. Mid weight palate with heaps of fruit complexity and lovely lingering acid finish. Will probably go at least another decade if well cellared. Outstanding.
Hello Paul,
Great to see that you have bottles of the great 1989. I presume your 1989 wines also have the original cellar door labels and are not aged releases from the Tyrrell's cellar. My experience tells me that your cellar is much better. I have bought and tasted numerous 1989 Vat 1s, but all directly from Tyrrell's and none of them great.
Kind regards,
Adair
Hi Adair - how's fatherhood going - just such a snack isn't it
Yep wines bought back in 1990 from the vineyard and cellared at home. Actualy never have had a cork problem with my '89's but early 90's don't talk about it
Cheers
Paul
I went out last night for Chinese, stinking hot night but I wanted to have a nice Pinot Noir for a change so looked at NZ and Tassie stuff that didn't break the bank. Ended up with a Tamar Ridge 2003 at $23.
Tamar Ridge 2003
I asked for an ice bucket to keep the wine at lower than the room temperature, sat it on top of the ice, good move. Colour was as dark as you could get. On the nose it was rich plum and black cherries, very smart aromas. On the palate it was black cherries, prunes and black tea, no usual lolly sweetness you get from mainland Pinots, a very intense wine with empressive style. Highly recommended for the price.
Colin
Tamar Ridge 2003
I asked for an ice bucket to keep the wine at lower than the room temperature, sat it on top of the ice, good move. Colour was as dark as you could get. On the nose it was rich plum and black cherries, very smart aromas. On the palate it was black cherries, prunes and black tea, no usual lolly sweetness you get from mainland Pinots, a very intense wine with empressive style. Highly recommended for the price.
Colin
Let us have wine and women, mirth and laughter. Sermons and soda water the day after.
PaulV wrote:
Hi David
You're right, should have mentioned it was under cork and not a stelvin seal. Your notes suggest that the difference between cork and stelvin is already quite significant
Cheers
Paul
Paul, David,
I concur. I posted these nostes a couple of weeks ago:
Petaluma Riesling 2002
Bottled under stelvin. Pale straw in colour. Bright fruit aromas of lime, green apples and lychees with that distinctive petaluma 'mineraliness'. Searing acidity on the palate with complex fruit flavours that really linger. Forget secondary aged characters, this one hasn't developed at all, and is even strugling to define its Primary fruit flavour profile. Long life ahead. Brilliant wine.
Cheers
Howdy all 
For me it's been a very enjoyable though pretty pedestrian fortnight in vinous terms, just some impressions (without a hint of real note taking..when will I ever learn? 
).
Small Gully Shiraz 2000 - $11 auction - Lovely Barossa chocolate and dark creamy berry flavours, medium body, good supple structure and a very respectable length on the finish. Has 5+ years left, 3 or more on the improve. A complete unknown, bought as a daily drinker. Good/Very Good, easily a 4/5 for value at this price.
Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz 2002 - $28 - Asleep on the job. Nothing but a (fairly good) taste of oak and some dark, astringent but sweet, red berries. This bottle didn't yield much, even with a good with airing. Tough call; I think it'll snap out of it and be a great Brown/Grey Label in 4-5 years. Not rated though
Wolf Blass Yellow Label 1998 - $15 auc - Plain lovely drinking, without a hangup or a hangover...the last few vintages just haven't really reached the same level, the 1999 being even better and everything after that a a step down. Ready now, will hold maybe 3-4 years though. 4/5 for value this time.
Bidgeebong Gundagai Shiraz 2003 - $23 - A repeat of the 2002, though right now more tightly knit. 'Juicy Fruit' is an apt description, but there is a solid structure there too, mouthfilling with length to match. Will be very interesting in a couple of years (and up to 10+). Hits a comfortable Very Good+ with 4 and a bit/5 for value.
Taylors Shiraz 2003 - $12 - Big wine for the money, weighs in at 15%, but carries it well. There is cellaring potential here too, given the structure, but just how will it improve other than 'easing off' I don't know? Maybe it doesn't matter at this price point Good/Very Good.
Leasingham Bin 61 Shiraz 2002 - $18 - Home run. Period. I think I've said it before, but this is a great Bin 61. Big structure, range and depth of flavour (what you can't find here you don't want in a wine at this price, or you'd just feel guilty). A solid length, power finish. Don't be fooled by the 13.5% alc/vol, this is a (fuzzy and warm) little beast which will still be going in 7-10 years. Very good+...almost Excellent, 4.5/5 for value. Can't wait to see the Classic Clare for this vintage?
Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz 2002 - $45ish - Big, brooding wine...with a solid serving of class. Saturated!, a beautiful marriage of fruit and oak. Tastes like McLaren Vale all the way (hope that's where it's from now that I've said that! ) I can't quite agree with the calls of 'Grange Quality' yet, but this is sure to be a stunner in time. Right now, I'm happy to give it a 'Dead Arm Twister' rating though 
4(and 1/3, why not?)/5 for value, try again in a few years and rest assured it'll go for a long while yet.
Chateau Rauzan-Segla 1985 - $75ish auc - One of a small lot, I can only hope the other bottles are as good. At 20 years, this Margaux is full of life. Pretty dull at first, then after a good airing a complex dark berry nose streams out of the glass...with that somehow and contradictory reserved flamboyance one rarely (but not never) finds outside of France (ducking for cover). Not massive or mouthcoating, but with persistant length. Excellent with herb-crumbed chicken breast. Will hold for a few years more, but I can't see it getting better. Very Good/Excellent. At the price, wonderful for what it is (4/5?), but for my New Year's palate I think I'll take (almost) two John Riddochs next time...or save the lot, for a little, Chateau Margaux.
Happy Drinking!
Jakob
[edit]...almost forgot: The Willows Shiraz 2001 - $24 - Cardamom and cinnamon spice over red berries, good concentration and length. Interesting flavour profile for an, I think, authentic Barossa wine. Very good+ with a at least 5 years ahead.
For me it's been a very enjoyable though pretty pedestrian fortnight in vinous terms, just some impressions (without a hint of real note taking..when will I ever learn? ).
Small Gully Shiraz 2000 - $11 auction - Lovely Barossa chocolate and dark creamy berry flavours, medium body, good supple structure and a very respectable length on the finish. Has 5+ years left, 3 or more on the improve. A complete unknown, bought as a daily drinker. Good/Very Good, easily a 4/5 for value at this price.
Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz 2002 - $28 - Asleep on the job. Nothing but a (fairly good) taste of oak and some dark, astringent but sweet, red berries. This bottle didn't yield much, even with a good with airing. Tough call; I think it'll snap out of it and be a great Brown/Grey Label in 4-5 years. Not rated though
Wolf Blass Yellow Label 1998 - $15 auc - Plain lovely drinking, without a hangup or a hangover...the last few vintages just haven't really reached the same level, the 1999 being even better and everything after that a a step down. Ready now, will hold maybe 3-4 years though. 4/5 for value this time.
Bidgeebong Gundagai Shiraz 2003 - $23 - A repeat of the 2002, though right now more tightly knit. 'Juicy Fruit' is an apt description, but there is a solid structure there too, mouthfilling with length to match. Will be very interesting in a couple of years (and up to 10+). Hits a comfortable Very Good+ with 4 and a bit/5 for value.
Taylors Shiraz 2003 - $12 - Big wine for the money, weighs in at 15%, but carries it well. There is cellaring potential here too, given the structure, but just how will it improve other than 'easing off' I don't know? Maybe it doesn't matter at this price point
Good/Very Good.
Leasingham Bin 61 Shiraz 2002 - $18 - Home run. Period. I think I've said it before, but this is a great Bin 61. Big structure, range and depth of flavour (what you can't find here you don't want in a wine at this price, or you'd just feel guilty). A solid length, power finish. Don't be fooled by the 13.5% alc/vol, this is a (fuzzy and warm) little beast which will still be going in 7-10 years. Very good+...almost Excellent, 4.5/5 for value. Can't wait to see the Classic Clare for this vintage?
Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz 2002 - $45ish - Big, brooding wine...with a solid serving of class. Saturated!, a beautiful marriage of fruit and oak. Tastes like McLaren Vale all the way (hope that's where it's from now that I've said that!
) I can't quite agree with the calls of 'Grange Quality' yet, but this is sure to be a stunner in time. Right now, I'm happy to give it a 'Dead Arm Twister' rating though 4(and 1/3, why not?)/5 for value, try again in a few years and rest assured it'll go for a long while yet.
Chateau Rauzan-Segla 1985 - $75ish auc - One of a small lot, I can only hope the other bottles are as good. At 20 years, this Margaux is full of life. Pretty dull at first, then after a good airing a complex dark berry nose streams out of the glass...with that somehow and contradictory reserved flamboyance one rarely (but not never) finds outside of France (ducking for cover). Not massive or mouthcoating, but with persistant length. Excellent with herb-crumbed chicken breast. Will hold for a few years more, but I can't see it getting better. Very Good/Excellent. At the price, wonderful for what it is (4/5?), but for my New Year's palate I think I'll take (almost) two John Riddochs next time...or save the lot, for a little, Chateau Margaux.
Happy Drinking!
Jakob
[edit]...almost forgot: The Willows Shiraz 2001 - $24 - Cardamom and cinnamon spice over red berries, good concentration and length. Interesting flavour profile for an, I think, authentic Barossa wine. Very good+ with a at least 5 years ahead.