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

[mjs]

Second last tasting in the Festival of Birthday, or "FestiMal". Some oldies from the cellar. All looked good, Grange and 707 were exceptional, Bin128 was surprisingly good, I threw in the Seaview as a bit of a curio, but it was still holding up. The St Henri wasn't the best bottle I've had of this wine, even though it was clinic'd in 2002. The La Lagune was a really nice old wine, coffee, wonderful bouquet, you could still see structure

2004 Penfolds Grange
1998 Penfoldes Bin707
1987 Seaview cabernet
1981 Penfolds Bin128 Coonawarra Claret (Shiraz)
1972 Penfolds St Henri
1966 Ch La Lagune

last tasting of the FestiMal later today, some Penfolds special bin wines, bookended by Wynns JR

[Matt@5453]

A few notes / impressions from the last few weeks.

A trio of McLaren Vale Shiraz’s:

2021 Beresford Wines ‘Classic’ Shiraz, McLaren Vale
2021 Olivers Taranga Shiraz, McLaren Vale
2021 Taylors Wines Masterstroke Shiraz, McLaren Vale

All of these wines demonstrate the quality of the 2021 vintage, even at a reasonable price points, the structure and depth of flavour shows the hallmark of a terrific vintage, oak plays a supporting role to the fruit. 2021 McLaren Vale is a ripper in my mind.

2022 Brothers at War “Some Other Guy” Grenache Shiraz Mataro, Clare/Barossa. I really enjoyed the structure, elegance and spice notes of this wine. Quality wine.

2022 Sidewood Estate Shiraz, Adelaide Hills. This has a nice white pepper note to it, with a richness to the wine I rather like. I’ve had a couple bottles of this now, and really enjoy it.

2024 Sidewood Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide Hills. A fantastic example, fresh, vibrant and nice acidity.

2023 Kirrihill Regional Series Riesling, Clare Valley. This is drinking really well, beautiful fruit weight and balance - with a softer acid profile.

2023 Henschke Peggy’s Hill Riesling, Eden Valley. Precise and elegance here, an acidic 'zing' - a lovely wine for fresh king George whiting

2020 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon. I really enjoyed this, quite approachable now with a nice richness to it, distinctly cabernet and Coonawarra.

2018 Standish Wines ‘The Relic’ Shiraz. This wine had been open for about 6 hours. Served blind. It tasted like prunes, it felt ‘hot’, confected, with a massive whack of oak. I guessed it as a Greenock Creek wine. One glass was enough. hmm.

[Rossco]

Second last tasting in the Festival of Birthday, or "FestiMal". Some oldies from the cellar. All looked good, Grange and 707 were exceptional, Bin128 was surprisingly good, I threw in the Seaview as a bit of a curio, but it was still holding up. The St Henri wasn't the best bottle I've had of this wine, even though it was clinic'd in 2002. The La Lagune was a really nice old wine, coffee, wonderful bouquet, you could still see structure

2004 Penfolds Grange
1998 Penfoldes Bin707
1987 Seaview cabernet
1981 Penfolds Bin128 Coonawarra Claret (Shiraz)
1972 Penfolds St Henri
1966 Ch La Lagune

last tasting of the FestiMal later today, some Penfolds special bin wines, bookended by Wynns JR

Happy birthday Malcolm. Looks like you are certainly celebrating in style!
66 LaLa would have been an experience. Same as 707 which can age exceptionally well. I will never forget the 90 & 91 I had many years ago.


Anyhoo have a great FestiMal !

[mjs]

Ok, last event in the FestiMal of Birthday, some exceptional cabernet based wines from the cellar, saving the best till last, some Penfolds special bins bookended by Wynns JR. Just extraordinary, the wines kept getting better and better as the tasting went on, certainly a tasting to be remembered

2005 Wynns John Riddoch
very black red, and quite tannic still, needs time, a rich cabernet, but excellent structure, taste again in ten years

2004 Penfolds Bin60A Coonawarra Cabernet Barossa Shiraz
Wow, wow! What a bouquet, a complete wine, albeit, still in its relative infancy, even after 20 years. Spice from the Barossa shiraz, structure from the Coonawarra cabernet. Hope to try this in another ten years

2004 Penfolds Kalimna Block42 Cabernet
Wow, wow! Massive wine, but still very primary, needs time, beautiful rich Barossa cabernet from the world's oldest cabernet vines still producing fruit.

1996 Penfolds Kalimna Block42 Cabernet
Wow, wow, wow! Last tasted this in magnum and bottle about five years ago, has now developed into an even more gorgeous cabernet, fully resolved, still good fruit, cassis, some secondary characters, just a beautiful drop

1990 Penfolds Bin707 Cabernet
Wow, wow, wow! A wonderful wine, beautiful bouquet. Soft tannins, still plenty of fruit, but also beautiful aged characters

1990 Penfolds Bin90A Coonawarra Cabernet Barossa Shiraz
Wow, fucking wow, fucking wow! Just sensational. Magnificent colour. Best bottle of 90A I have had, and there has been a few. Absolute pleasure to drink right now, loved smelling the glass, beautiful in the mouth

1982 Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon
My last bottle of this wine bought back on release in about 1985. Had some herbaceous notes which perhaps let it down a little, but still very very good

Probably shows how much I like good bottles of Cabernet Shiraz done well. The 90A and 60A were just sublime, the 90A at 34 years of age is at its peak and the the 60A has a massive life ahead still. The 707 as a straight cab not far behind.

[mjs]

Second last tasting in the Festival of Birthday, or "FestiMal". Some oldies from the cellar. All looked good, Grange and 707 were exceptional, Bin128 was surprisingly good, I threw in the Seaview as a bit of a curio, but it was still holding up. The St Henri wasn't the best bottle I've had of this wine, even though it was clinic'd in 2002. The La Lagune was a really nice old wine, coffee, wonderful bouquet, you could still see structure

2004 Penfolds Grange
1998 Penfoldes Bin707
1987 Seaview cabernet
1981 Penfolds Bin128 Coonawarra Claret (Shiraz)
1972 Penfolds St Henri
1966 Ch La Lagune

last tasting of the FestiMal later today, some Penfolds special bin wines, bookended by Wynns JR

Happy birthday Malcolm. Looks like you are certainly celebrating in style!
66 LaLa would have been an experience. Same as 707 which can age exceptionally well. I will never forget the 90 & 91 I had many years ago.


Anyhoo have a great FestiMal !

Thanks Rossco, the FestiMal has now concluded

[phillisc]

Well done Malcolm, I can fondly remember a tasting at Melbourne St Cellars that John put on, when the 2004 Pennies special bins were allocated to punters...$400 each IIRC, and certainly could not afford wines at that price. Yes they were fantastic then, so would be magnificent now.

Fortunate to have 3 of the 7 above. Happy birthday!
Cheers Craig

[mjs]

Craig,

Well, I guess I didn’t think too much about how much it would cost to dawdle down to Dans (looking forward to the new Malvern shop by the way) and purchase these wines now! The ‘04’s were about $400 when I splurged on a few of them, maybe 12/13 years ago. Fortunately still have one 60A, a couple of 04 B42’s and a few 96 B42’s in the cellar. The 04 Block42 is pretty exxy now partly due to the Ampoule thing.

Cheers, Malcolm

[phillisc]

Indeed,

I sold most of my 707s but have a couple left and of course have the JRs, purchased on release.
I feel less guilt now on what I paid for wines way back then, even the 4 or 5 bottles of Grange that cost me between $80-110, look reasonably good value.
I would really like to get a Bin 620 or 180, just to see if this is the best that Coonawarra has ever delivered, but I suspect and who knows I might already have a wine or two in the cellar that compares? I just baulk at the $1000+ price tag

Incredible line up wines you had though!

Yes hope there's a price war between the new DMs and the FC up the road...its certainly a prime spot...no teetotallers where we reside
I recall the manager at FC, (or Quaffers as it was known back then when it opened 20 years ago), saying they took $400 grand in the first week...lot of beer and Bundy then!!

Cheers Craig

[Chuck]

90A is the best wine I've had but I'm limited mostly to OZ wines

[ticklenow1]

At restaurants while in Melbourne….

2023 Bulman Gary’s Grenache. Blewitt Springs. Stunning, just stunning. Nose is beguiling and palate follows suit. Last glass the best. Have 3 in the cellar and immediately ordered 3 more. Best Grenache I’ve had this year and I drink quite a bit of it. Can’t wait to see how this ages…or will I? 5/5
2009 Craiglee Chardonnay. Has aged superbly and quite complex. A touch flabby but really enjoyed it. 3.5/5
2013 Dom Perignon. My wife enjoyed this but not her favourite Champagne. Needs more time. 4/5
2023 Giant Steps Chardonnay. If this is the quality of the base Chardonnay, can’t wait to taste the Single Vineyards. 4/5
2023 Dhillon Glenhope Vineyard Chardonnay. Complex and like the Giant Steps, very commendable for a second wine. 4/5
2020 Moscone Nebbiolo d’Alba. Fairly simple but nice enough with an authentic style Italian Pizza. 2.5/5

Cheers
Ian

[mjs]

90A is the best wine I've had but I'm limited mostly to OZ wines

The 90A was by far the best drinking wine last weekend at 34 years of age. Pretty sure the 04 B42 and 60A will be even better with time, and they do need a little more time to get into that maximum pleasure mode. After all, they are only 20yo wines

[Mike Hawkins]

90A is the best wine I've had but I'm limited mostly to OZ wines

The 90A was by far the best drinking wine last weekend at 34 years of age. Pretty sure the 04 B42 and 60A will be even better with time, and they do need a little more time to get into that maximum pleasure mode. After all, they are only 20yo wines

That was a pretty decent line up you had… very nice indeed!

I must have had the 90a seven or eight times, and all but one have been some of the best Aussie red wine experiences. I can’t wait to try it again after reading your note. Might try one alongside the 04 60a.

[Matt@5453]

Popped and poured a 2022 Wynns Coonawarra Black Label Shiraz on saturday night, and had a glass last night. Very impressive wine with a nice spice note that I find very attractive in it. Dare say one of the better wines I have tried recently.

Going back to buy the remainder at its discounted price...

[phillisc]

Popped and poured a 2022 Wynns Coonawarra Black Label Shiraz on saturday night, and had a glass last night. Very impressive wine with a nice spice note that I find very attractive in it. Dare say one of the better wines I have tried recently.

Going back to buy the remainder at its discounted price...

Yes indeed Matt, at the Wynns new release dinner, a month or two back, thought this was sensational...so rich, plush and brooding. A delicious wine, and a very different style to the 2022 V&A Shiraz, which was very thin and light in comparison. The 2022 Michael should be very good.

I am a little surprised just a month after release, that the chains have got hold of this and the BL Cabernet and thumped the living suitcases out of it...with cash rewards through a third party, I picked these up last week for a tick over $20 a bottle. The Cabernet is a 100 000+ dozen make and not sure of the Shiraz having 1895 components in it, but surely blended with other blocks, to equally be a substantial quantity.
No doubt will pick up more over the coming months.
Cheers Craig

[Matt@5453]

Popped and poured a 2022 Wynns Coonawarra Black Label Shiraz on saturday night, and had a glass last night. Very impressive wine with a nice spice note that I find very attractive in it. Dare say one of the better wines I have tried recently.

Going back to buy the remainder at its discounted price...

Yes indeed Matt, at the Wynns new release dinner, a month or two back, thought this was sensational...so rich, plush and brooding. A delicious wine, and a very different style to the 2022 V&A Shiraz, which was very thin and light in comparison. The 2022 Michael should be very good.

I am a little surprised just a month after release, that the chains have got hold of this and the BL Cabernet and thumped the living suitcases out of it...with cash rewards through a third party, I picked these up last week for a tick over $20 a bottle. The Cabernet is a 100 000+ dozen make and not sure of the Shiraz having 1895 components in it, but surely blended with other blocks, to equally be a substantial quantity.
No doubt will pick up more over the coming months.
Cheers Craig

I had to look twice at the pricing. I picked up the remaining bottles of the BL Shiraz and a few of the BL Cabernet too.
What are your thoughts on the BL Cabernet? If I get a chance will open one on the weekend.

[phillisc]

Matt, I will open one this weekend.
If memory serves, stacks of fruit, good depth, medium to full bodied, certainly worth a dozen. I will be on the look out for further discounting...I managed to pick up 24 bottles of the 2021 for $20:25 each...bargain really.
Yep I'm biased, at the price point, 60+ vintages and experienced winemakers at the helm, no other cabernet in Australia comes close.

Cheers Craig

[Chuck]

Can anyone please PM me the retailer selling BL at stupid prices. Ta

Chuck

[phillisc]

Can anyone please PM me the retailer selling BL at stupid prices. Ta

Chuck

PM sent
Cheers Craig

[WineRick]

Last weekend, a long time mate from Beechworth visited my wife and I in Adelaide (via Kununurra - but that's a story for another day!) so felt it a good opportunity to open some decent bottles. Previously, he's been most generous when visiting direct from Beechworth, but this time any wine would have needed some time to recover from a near 3,000 km trip.

First up, some nice steaks so after,
2023 Jim Barry Watervale Riesling as a starter we coupled,

2019 Vasse Felix 'Tom Cullity' Cabernet &
2019 Wynns 'John Riddoch' Cabernet - interesting contrast. Vasse Felix was open, showing the glorious MR cab attributes and generous on both bouquet and palate. A contrast to the Riddoch, which was more powerful yet restrained, great Coonawarra Cabernet character but drunk too young!

A 2019 Dalrymple 'Ouse' Pinot -for lunch next day - unctuous, long-flavoured and at its peak. Great Tassie Pinot.

NV Arras Brut Elite began a lovely seafood evening ( featuring some KG Whiting he'd picked up in Port Lincoln ) followed by a bracket of,

2023 Ashton Hills Reserve Chardonnay
2017 Penfolds Bin 17A - two very good Chardonnays; rich yet balanced - both showing great varietal character allowed to take centre stage with very restrained, classy oak.

2022 Traviarti Beechworth Rossi with cheese; a youthful, lighter style Neb. To finish,

1995 Quinta do Noval
2000 Taylors good excuse to open up and compare two good-uns! (Stood up for a week, carefully decanted over my German torch and enjoyed over 2 nights.) Slept well that night.

Next day, some (marinated ) char-grilled steaks, preceded with,

2019 Schlumberger 'Ketterle' Grand Cru Riesling - stunning, dry German white of both power and finesse. Then,
2019 Trediberri 'Berri' Barolo
2017 Pichon Lalande - wow, lucky we had time, and large glasses, to enjoy these reds following decanting. Pretty much typical of both variety and region.
Thought it a good time to open that
2003 Ch. d'Yquem (375) I'd kept in the wine fridge for all those years. Simply stunning.

Began to think that we should slow up a tad, so dinner, over a lamb dish, was started with,
2012 Pol Roger - a singleton bottle - superb, still showing some lovely strawberry Pinot.
2017 Tapanappa 'Foggy Hill'
2022 Bay of Fires - two impressive Pinots of differing ages. Then, because it was the last night,
1994 Fonseca VP - my favourite port house since a 1970 tasted when working for Orlando in the mid-'70's, the then Australian importer. (Got to meet both Bruce, and later son David Guimaraens, when working in NE Vic in the mid '80's.)

My mate and I have both been collecting for over 40 years and it's a joy to open those 'special' bottles you've carefully cellared, not knowing exactly when is the right time - then an old friend visits and you know it's time to grab the corkscrew and decanter.

Farewelled him the next morning. Some great palate memories. We're catching up in October, in Beechworth, so some good bottles are anticipated!

[mjs]

Know exactly what you mean, given a whole lot of bottles opened here over the last couple of weeks, great stuff, that's what wine enjoyment is about

[JamieAdelaide]

Love to hear about your Beechworth trip. Nice wines too btw

[Sean]

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[VinoEd]

Thanks for the notes Sean.

I purchased a few of the LEAS Cabernet - haven’t tried one yet, great to hear it’s showing well - seems to be a well regarded vintage.

Cheers Ed

[Chuck]

Last bottle of Wynns 2008 Black Label Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. From our old Adelaide wine cellar. Decanted for 2.5 hours. Plenty of sediment. Inky black showing no signs of age. Cassis, black fruits, modest oak. Everything fully integrated but hardly out of primary stage. Acid and oak now in the background. A nice wine that was nice without being great.

[phillisc]

As in the decanter thread
Wynns 2022 BL Cab. Sublime.
Inky black, such a good nose, dark fruits, a bit of spice. Palate of dark fruits a bit of olive, no discernable oak... scary easy to drink now. Long plush mouth feel with drying tannins. Just a cracker of a wine...for a 100, 000 plus dozen make the consistency and quality is remarkable. Will source more as just over a dozen bottles in the cellar simply won't cut it.

2019 Leconfield Cabernets, mix of Cab Sauv and Cab Franc. Lovely nose, violets, plums, big palate with an even bigger whack of oak. A fraction disjointed, but think time will be kind...needs 5 years.
Cheers Craig

[phillisc]

2021 Majella The Composer Cabernet.
Picked these up in the recent sale, $18 a pop. Really enticing nose, dark fruits, spice, palate allover the place unfortunately, oak and tannin all out of whack. No discernible acid, or harsh edges, but not great. Time maybe kind, poor representation of the vintage.
I have never been enamoured with the second/third string labels from Majella. I know the musician has picked a swag of gongs and people here rave about it, but for me the standard Cabernet, plus The Mallea and GPL are miles ahead. Will taste all three again this Friday at the roadshow, but can't see me getting any more of this.
Cheer Craig

Update, even more disjointed on day 2, couldn't drink it, so down the sink. Had a Hendricks instead

[VinoEd]

A few recent ones…

2017 CW Ferguson is excellent. It’s bold. Plenty of dark red fruit, hints of pepper, chalky tannins, long finish. Will go the distance.

2005 LEAS Cabernet is one of my favourite wines. This isn’t the best bottle I’ve had if I’m being picky, but it’s amazing nonetheless. Fruit, moving into secondary, leather, dusty, integrated tannins. Soulful.

2021 Sidewood Shiraz picked up for a steal. A lovely mid week drink. All the components are there. Pop and pour. Drink within 10 years.

Cheers Ed

[Matt@5453]

A couple of easy drinking wines over course of Fathers day:

2023 Henschke Peggy’s Hill Riesling, Eden Valley. A beautifully crafted wine, fruit driven with lovely limes, some slate/mineral tones, nice acidity with very good length. A real crowd pleaser.

2022 John Duval Concilio Grenache/Shiraz (86%/14%), Barossa..

Drinkability + here. Bright fruits, textural, savoury with lovely tannins and long finish.

[mychurch]

EC5A5A6F-019C-4764-BE86-2CDE77C8A225.jpeg

Exceptional tasting as ever in Amsterdam with the boys. I took along 3 of the best Auz wines I know of and it was interesting to see the reaction, especially to the 04 Drumborg. European Riesling is very different to the Auz style and i think you need to try a few of the aged versions before you finally get it. It went great with the BBQ salmon, but I rated it higher than the other very experienced tasters. The Triolet cork almost broke the Durand, but the contents were fine.

I rated 6 wines at 4.5*, which is probably a record for me. The 96 Trevalon White was the one to drink today. Incredibly complex with a finish that was up with the Talijancich. The Grivot Echezaux was in its window and so round and and balanced, especially after a clunky Gantenbin. Superb, but I thought the 96 Haut Bailly was the best if the reds. Fully resolved and dripping in Pessac terroir - the bottles that was drunk the quickest on the day.

The 76 Deinhard was served at my first wedding in 89 and kudos to Jelle for finding a bottle and remembering the story. It’s TBA, so almost immortal, and lived up to the memory and the reputation of the vintage.

[Sean]

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