Hi Good Peoples,
Its that time of the week; what have you been drinking?
Last night I opned a bottle of Happs Three Hills 1999 Cabernet Franc
A touch of VA; nothing sweet about this wine the bouquet showed dry straw/caramel blackcurrant, chocolate, cedar and pepper. A well-balanced and youthful wine with fresh acid, deeply seated fruit which is still partially buried very fine tannins. Blackberry, herbs, smoky oak, and eucalyptus flavours fill the mouth and finish long. As the wine opened leathery flavours also emerged. A very interesting wine, it will probably benefit from another few years in the cellar. Rated as Highly Recommended.
Now its your turn to tell us what you have been drinking.
It's Sunday guys.....
Finished off the remaining half-bottle of Bremerton Old Adam 2001 and it was still in good shape, though the faint bitterness had increased a little. A good wine, but it might be better to drink younger rather than older?
Tonight
2002 Capcanes Mas Collet (Montsant DO, Spain)
Had been recommended on UK board and although a good quaffer, wasn't in the big hitters league. Improved a little with airing. Fair for the price, but had hints of thin weediness that seem to hit me in cheaper euro quaffers.
Ian
Tonight
2002 Capcanes Mas Collet (Montsant DO, Spain)
Had been recommended on UK board and although a good quaffer, wasn't in the big hitters league. Improved a little with airing. Fair for the price, but had hints of thin weediness that seem to hit me in cheaper euro quaffers.
Ian
Again, no proper notes because I'm still slack...!
03 Robert Johnson Shiraz Viognier: Not bad, but at $30 a bottle... nothing great, either. Lacked flavour intensity and length.
01 Chandon ZD: Great. Almonds, nuts, bread, with bits of peach and melon. Long length. Beautifully dry. Love the crown seal - why are there so few of those around?
01 Seppelt Salinger: Not so great - corky.
01 Houghton Margerat River Sabernet Sauvignon: Not bad. Lovely fruit and oak balance, loads of tannin and acid providing a nice medium for the fruit... but something's not quite right with the palate. Can't put my finger on it... it's not faulty, maybe it's a bit green. I'd still prefer the Howard Park Leston for around the same $$.
Other than that, just the usual stuff. Slow week!
03 Robert Johnson Shiraz Viognier: Not bad, but at $30 a bottle... nothing great, either. Lacked flavour intensity and length.
01 Chandon ZD: Great. Almonds, nuts, bread, with bits of peach and melon. Long length. Beautifully dry. Love the crown seal - why are there so few of those around?
01 Seppelt Salinger: Not so great - corky.
01 Houghton Margerat River Sabernet Sauvignon: Not bad. Lovely fruit and oak balance, loads of tannin and acid providing a nice medium for the fruit... but something's not quite right with the palate. Can't put my finger on it... it's not faulty, maybe it's a bit green. I'd still prefer the Howard Park Leston for around the same $$.
Other than that, just the usual stuff. Slow week!
Two very different Pinots this week...
Bass Phillip Pinot Noir 2004 Guppsland
pale in colour with an slight strawberry and spice nose.
sweet red berry fruit with strongish sweet spices - cinnamon and clove.
fine tannins.
Phaedrus Pinot Noir 2003 Mornington Peninsula
disconcertingly strong creme caramel flavours dominate the nose.
Never had creme caramel experience before in a pinot before. In hindsight it wasn't unpleasant, but just so far out of what I was expecting it it distracted me from the wine beneath it...
Bass Phillip Pinot Noir 2004 Guppsland
pale in colour with an slight strawberry and spice nose.
sweet red berry fruit with strongish sweet spices - cinnamon and clove.
fine tannins.
Phaedrus Pinot Noir 2003 Mornington Peninsula
disconcertingly strong creme caramel flavours dominate the nose.
Never had creme caramel experience before in a pinot before. In hindsight it wasn't unpleasant, but just so far out of what I was expecting it it distracted me from the wine beneath it...
David G
"I'm going to die with a twinkle in my eye cause I sung songs, spun stories, loved, laughed and drank wine"
"I'm going to die with a twinkle in my eye cause I sung songs, spun stories, loved, laughed and drank wine"
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JamieBahrain
- Posts: 3754
- Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2003 7:40 am
- Location: Fragrant Harbour.
Two wines I was delighted with this week. Firstly, Rockford Moppa Springs 98. Good bottles entering into an interesting phase. Lovely secondary development on a rustic base.
Bannockburn Shiraz 99. The brett RB mentioned was spotted. This bottle has been cellared professionally since release, so a little Rhone poney complements the virtues of the wine nicely. Cool climate Geelong shiraz, with a hint of pinotosity, appropriatly structured and drinking very well.
Bannockburn Shiraz 99. The brett RB mentioned was spotted. This bottle has been cellared professionally since release, so a little Rhone poney complements the virtues of the wine nicely. Cool climate Geelong shiraz, with a hint of pinotosity, appropriatly structured and drinking very well.
05 Petaluma 'Hanlin Hill' Riesling: spot on distinctive nose and taste of a petaluma. As always one of my fav. rieslings. Somehow I bauk at the cost, but for around 20bucks its great stuff.
02 Mamre Brook Cab Sav: Can't keep my hands of these. A pleasure to drink. Classic full throttle cabernet nose and palate, with not a donut in sight. Hanging out for the 04's when avail.
02 Mamre Brook Cab Sav: Can't keep my hands of these. A pleasure to drink. Classic full throttle cabernet nose and palate, with not a donut in sight. Hanging out for the 04's when avail.
Friday. 2005 Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough) appears to me to be picking up more residual sugar with every vintage. At any rate the old polarising style of sharp catÂ’s pee NZ sauvignon is well and truly banished; this instead send a veritable pot-pourri of tropical fruit-salad and passionfruit aromas into the air. The palate is sweet of fruit and fresh of acid and does feel somewhat contrived, but not freakishly so. An undemanding affordable (A$13) quaffer which my wife loves.
We had friends for dinner on Saturday to partake of kangaroo fillets and sundry dip and cheese courses.As an aperitif, we drank my remaining bottle of 1994 La Gallais/Egon Müller Wiltinger Braune Kupp Spätlese (Saar, AP 11-95, 8.0%). Light yellow in colour, there’s a whiff of petroleum on the nose, and the palate resolves into one of those irresistible candy-apple trace-fruits in which the laser-fine acidity carries the aged-yet-fresh fruit beautifully. Such lightness, such persistence; I could drink gallons of this.
Rummaging in the cellar, I found a 1986 Wynns Coonawarra Estate ‘John Riddoch’ Cabernet Sauvignon to compare and contrast with a 1994 Chateau Léoville Barton (St Julien), and a fascinating exercise it was. The Wynns was holding very well, with soft, ripe yet attractively herby fruit, the gentle remains of high quality oak (a smidge of vanilla from US sources?) and a lovely smooth even finish. The Léoville aromas were slightly more restrained, a little more reminiscent of cedar, and the palate was slightly better structured than the Wynns, but perhaps more bony and angular.
The two wines did a fascinating job of demonstrating two sides of the same varietal coin (although how much merlot is in the St Julien, I wonder?). 1994 in Bordeaux seems to be one of those neither-one-thing-nor-the-other vintages, and I suspect that for many of the wines there’s nowhere much left to go, so it was pleasing that the Léoville was as attractive as it was. 1986 was the best year of the decade in Coonawarra on the other hand, so I’d expect a pretty good showing from Wynns’ top cuvee. John Riddoch gets the full orchestra treatment applied to the select best fruit of the vintage, and weighs in at a thundering(!) 13.6% alcohol. Even relentlessly parochial ‘New World’ or ‘Old World’ palates would surely have grudgingly conceded the quality in the opposing teams’ twelve and twenty year old offerings here. Fruit sluts may have been disappointed…
The two cabernet-based wines were only briefly interrupted by a 1990 Mt Langi Ghiran Langi Shiraz (Grampians). A label whose reputation seems to have taken a roller-coaster ride (once acclaimed by the Wine Spectator, but with a lower profile today) presumably on the basis of wide vintage variation, itÂ’s not a wine with which I have much experience. This example is towards the paler end of brick-red, with a frankly exhausted nose climbing from the glass. The aromas are of mouldy old leaves, not offensively so, but hardly enticing. The palate is quite light, not especially persistent, and thereÂ’s some background volatility as well. (We left this on the night, and I came back to it 24 hours later to find little change; itÂ’s certainly drinkable, just not very exciting or interesting. Probably should have been drunk half itÂ’s life ago.)
Finally, another cellar orphan bit the dust, a half of 1996 Oremus Tokaji Late Harvest Furmint. This is quite dark now, seriously orange/gold in colour. Typical apricot/botrytis aromas abound, but the real interest here is the palate; the initial rotten/sweet fruit flavours give way to a surprisingly dry finish, which makes the wine very drinkable indeed. Rich and warm (13.0%), itÂ’s pretty damn acceptable for the presumably modest position it holds in the Hungarian hierarchy.
Cheers,
Graeme
We had friends for dinner on Saturday to partake of kangaroo fillets and sundry dip and cheese courses.As an aperitif, we drank my remaining bottle of 1994 La Gallais/Egon Müller Wiltinger Braune Kupp Spätlese (Saar, AP 11-95, 8.0%). Light yellow in colour, there’s a whiff of petroleum on the nose, and the palate resolves into one of those irresistible candy-apple trace-fruits in which the laser-fine acidity carries the aged-yet-fresh fruit beautifully. Such lightness, such persistence; I could drink gallons of this.
Rummaging in the cellar, I found a 1986 Wynns Coonawarra Estate ‘John Riddoch’ Cabernet Sauvignon to compare and contrast with a 1994 Chateau Léoville Barton (St Julien), and a fascinating exercise it was. The Wynns was holding very well, with soft, ripe yet attractively herby fruit, the gentle remains of high quality oak (a smidge of vanilla from US sources?) and a lovely smooth even finish. The Léoville aromas were slightly more restrained, a little more reminiscent of cedar, and the palate was slightly better structured than the Wynns, but perhaps more bony and angular.
The two wines did a fascinating job of demonstrating two sides of the same varietal coin (although how much merlot is in the St Julien, I wonder?). 1994 in Bordeaux seems to be one of those neither-one-thing-nor-the-other vintages, and I suspect that for many of the wines there’s nowhere much left to go, so it was pleasing that the Léoville was as attractive as it was. 1986 was the best year of the decade in Coonawarra on the other hand, so I’d expect a pretty good showing from Wynns’ top cuvee. John Riddoch gets the full orchestra treatment applied to the select best fruit of the vintage, and weighs in at a thundering(!) 13.6% alcohol. Even relentlessly parochial ‘New World’ or ‘Old World’ palates would surely have grudgingly conceded the quality in the opposing teams’ twelve and twenty year old offerings here. Fruit sluts may have been disappointed…
The two cabernet-based wines were only briefly interrupted by a 1990 Mt Langi Ghiran Langi Shiraz (Grampians). A label whose reputation seems to have taken a roller-coaster ride (once acclaimed by the Wine Spectator, but with a lower profile today) presumably on the basis of wide vintage variation, itÂ’s not a wine with which I have much experience. This example is towards the paler end of brick-red, with a frankly exhausted nose climbing from the glass. The aromas are of mouldy old leaves, not offensively so, but hardly enticing. The palate is quite light, not especially persistent, and thereÂ’s some background volatility as well. (We left this on the night, and I came back to it 24 hours later to find little change; itÂ’s certainly drinkable, just not very exciting or interesting. Probably should have been drunk half itÂ’s life ago.)
Finally, another cellar orphan bit the dust, a half of 1996 Oremus Tokaji Late Harvest Furmint. This is quite dark now, seriously orange/gold in colour. Typical apricot/botrytis aromas abound, but the real interest here is the palate; the initial rotten/sweet fruit flavours give way to a surprisingly dry finish, which makes the wine very drinkable indeed. Rich and warm (13.0%), itÂ’s pretty damn acceptable for the presumably modest position it holds in the Hungarian hierarchy.
Cheers,
Graeme
A quiet week on the slops...
Of most interest was a 2005 Penfolds Cellar Reserve Gewurztraminer from the Eden Valley. Little on the nose, citric, with a hard minerality. Not at all what I was expecting. Closer inspection of the label revealed that the wine spent time on lees which has served to counter some of the florals one comes to expect. In the mouth it was textural rather than taught, with camembert like phenolics. No goubt the wine is Alsace inspired, but not what I had hoped for. The wine had softenend by the next night to reveal some hints of jasmine and a more approachable spice laden palate.
LL
Of most interest was a 2005 Penfolds Cellar Reserve Gewurztraminer from the Eden Valley. Little on the nose, citric, with a hard minerality. Not at all what I was expecting. Closer inspection of the label revealed that the wine spent time on lees which has served to counter some of the florals one comes to expect. In the mouth it was textural rather than taught, with camembert like phenolics. No goubt the wine is Alsace inspired, but not what I had hoped for. The wine had softenend by the next night to reveal some hints of jasmine and a more approachable spice laden palate.
LL
Giaconda Pinot Noir 2000
I opened this with a little trepidation. Have been reading some scary, negative stuff about this wine lately, and to be honest I was expecting a piss-weak, over-the-hill, lolly-like wine. First sniff apres-debouche was a good one. There was plenty of excitement therein. Decanted, sniffed again, sipped, then waited ten minutes.
Nose was full-on. Berries, spice with a capital S, earth. Kinzbrunner was messing with "funky" stuff here, and it showed. Palate full-on too. Also bursting with fruit and Spice. Full bodied. Delicious. And long.
Reminded me a little of the 1997 Paringa Estate I had a while back. That kindof "shiraz drinker's pinot" style.
Not everyone's cuppa, and a very "out there" pinot, but I loved every drop. I have three more, and I'm keeping them to drink. I expect that they will be just as interesting in a few years.
I opened this with a little trepidation. Have been reading some scary, negative stuff about this wine lately, and to be honest I was expecting a piss-weak, over-the-hill, lolly-like wine. First sniff apres-debouche was a good one. There was plenty of excitement therein. Decanted, sniffed again, sipped, then waited ten minutes.
Nose was full-on. Berries, spice with a capital S, earth. Kinzbrunner was messing with "funky" stuff here, and it showed. Palate full-on too. Also bursting with fruit and Spice. Full bodied. Delicious. And long.
Reminded me a little of the 1997 Paringa Estate I had a while back. That kindof "shiraz drinker's pinot" style.
Not everyone's cuppa, and a very "out there" pinot, but I loved every drop. I have three more, and I'm keeping them to drink. I expect that they will be just as interesting in a few years.
Let the kids out!
2005 Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough) appears to me to be picking up more residual sugar with every vintage. At any rate the old polarising style of sharp catÂ’s pee NZ sauvignon is well and truly banished; this instead send a veritable pot-pourri of tropical fruit-salad and passionfruit aromas into the air. The palate is sweet of fruit and fresh of acid and does feel somewhat contrived, but not freakishly so. An undemanding affordable (A$13) quaffer which my wife loves.
Yeah have to agree, this label has gone to the dogs since montana took it over, ditto the riesling. Another example of someone with plantings in marlborough doing their best to beat the marlborough out of their wine. I hate r/s in sauvignon blanc
If you want an 05 that is very classical try the Allan Scott, that is scrummy
03 Guigal Cote du Rhone - Opens with a green steminess on the nose but it quickly lifts, and then you look through the bottom of the glass and up into the chandelier of horror movie red. To begin with I'm worried that the sweet redskin nose is going to ruin it but once decanted for 3hrs dark berries and dark black soil start to give it some gravitas and remains the wines main attraction all through the night. It's not over-ripe but has generous fruit on the palate, gently persistant tannins, and good length but although it is only13% it still presents a tad hot. By its 8th hr truffle comes up out of the soil dominating a sombre raspberry with a pleasant elastoplasty (not plastic bandaid) character with strong acids and dusty herb garden. Not enough experience to give it real points but on a yum scale it still gets 88/100 with points lost by a thin texture.
05 Madfish Riesling - Passionfruit and pineapple and some citrus. Not broad but I find tropical characters too cloying as they dominate any mineral elements. Some will like it but I'm a slateiste with it comes to Riesling. Drink it in your pasta 83/100
99 Allanmere Trinity Semillon - Melted butter colours over hay. Buttery and dry aged Sem characteristics as expected with honeydew melon refracted into a buttered toast palate that is heading toward an almost bortrytised, honeyed elevation. It's this side of a non-sticky dessert wine. It's a bit tired and all over the shop but I was feeling a bit left of centre myself after the Guigal and enjoyed it hoips. 87/100
05 Madfish Riesling - Passionfruit and pineapple and some citrus. Not broad but I find tropical characters too cloying as they dominate any mineral elements. Some will like it but I'm a slateiste with it comes to Riesling. Drink it in your pasta 83/100
99 Allanmere Trinity Semillon - Melted butter colours over hay. Buttery and dry aged Sem characteristics as expected with honeydew melon refracted into a buttered toast palate that is heading toward an almost bortrytised, honeyed elevation. It's this side of a non-sticky dessert wine. It's a bit tired and all over the shop but I was feeling a bit left of centre myself after the Guigal and enjoyed it hoips. 87/100
simm.
"I ain't drunk! I' still drinkin' !!"
"I ain't drunk! I' still drinkin' !!"
1991 Brands Laira Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon: I got this bottle in perfect condition from a known cellar, the fill level less than 1 cm below the base of the capsule. Dark to inky brick/brown with a tawny/orange rim. An incredibly developed bouquet at first of sandalwood/buttery oak, cedar, and hints of tomato and celery sticks. There’s also a hint of volatility at first that grows in intensity as the wine sits in the glass, and the sweeter characters become more savoury with some prosciutto and leather appearing with breathing. The mid-weight palate is likewise fully developed and balancing on a razor-thin edge, a slightly volatile and stocky tomato entry followed by a powdery structure and chewy/earthy fruit with some spicy mint and coffee accents. The finish is slender and long, very attractive at first with a delicate nutty/cream-coffee aftertaste, but by the end of the bottle that volatility is taking over. I really enjoyed this nice old wine although it’s on the verge of falling apart - drink now.
2003 Brian Barry Jud’s Hill Clare Valley Riesling (Screwcap): Light straw/green. A very stinky nose at first, with cheesy/fishy and herbaceous notes embedded in a wall of lemon pith. The palate’s also sullen, spicy and slightly savoury, with slender, pithy fruit and mineral outweighed by the 13.8% alcohol making it flat and unattractive. By the second night it had sweetened up remarkably, with creamy/lime blossom, spicy mineral and hessian on the nose, and some fennel and succulent lemon fruit on the palate. Just as I was about to write this one off as being in a big hole, and it seemed to actually freshen up with the extended breathing rather than developing tertiary characters. Under that screwcap I honestly haven’t a clue where this one is going.
2005 Longview Iron Knob Adelaide Hills Riesling (Screwcap): Extremely pale green/straw (almost colourless). This opened with fresh lemon/lime blossom, freshly crushed limes and mineral, but then unexpectedly turned decidedly yeasty/sweaty. The palate opened surprisingly yeasty this time, followed by tingly/spritzy lime and mineral characters, finishing off with classic sweet lime juice. I wasn’t as impressed as when the wine was released six months ago, with those yeasty and sweaty (reductive?) characters and tingly alcohol (13%) appearing this time around.
Cheers
Ian
2003 Brian Barry Jud’s Hill Clare Valley Riesling (Screwcap): Light straw/green. A very stinky nose at first, with cheesy/fishy and herbaceous notes embedded in a wall of lemon pith. The palate’s also sullen, spicy and slightly savoury, with slender, pithy fruit and mineral outweighed by the 13.8% alcohol making it flat and unattractive. By the second night it had sweetened up remarkably, with creamy/lime blossom, spicy mineral and hessian on the nose, and some fennel and succulent lemon fruit on the palate. Just as I was about to write this one off as being in a big hole, and it seemed to actually freshen up with the extended breathing rather than developing tertiary characters. Under that screwcap I honestly haven’t a clue where this one is going.
2005 Longview Iron Knob Adelaide Hills Riesling (Screwcap): Extremely pale green/straw (almost colourless). This opened with fresh lemon/lime blossom, freshly crushed limes and mineral, but then unexpectedly turned decidedly yeasty/sweaty. The palate opened surprisingly yeasty this time, followed by tingly/spritzy lime and mineral characters, finishing off with classic sweet lime juice. I wasn’t as impressed as when the wine was released six months ago, with those yeasty and sweaty (reductive?) characters and tingly alcohol (13%) appearing this time around.
Cheers
Ian
Forget about goodness and mercy, they're gone.
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Andrew Jordan
- Posts: 763
- Joined: Wed May 05, 2004 11:53 am
- Location: Sydney
2002 Penfolds Shiraz Bin 28 Kalimna
First bottle of the six-pack I bought on release. Lovely nose of jammy dark fruit, chocolate, cedar, with a touch of spice. The palate continues along the fruit theme, with blackcurrant/berry and plum coming to the fore. Not as much oak as I expected but the wine definitely isn't a fruit bomb either. Elegant, well-balanced with soft tannins and enough acid to keep it chugging along for a few more years yet. Medium length drying finish. Definitely has room to improve as it does appear a bit simple right now but should gain complexity with some bottle age. Give it a couple more years and it should be drinking quite nicely. For the price, good value for your hard earn buck. Well done Penfolds.
2004 Kalleske Clarry's Barossa Red
Nice nose of berries, mint and herbs, this wine has a very flavour-some palate which is smooth, and has nice balance and structure. Lots of spice and berries with a savoury medium length finish of soft tannins. Drinking very well now and has gained more weight since the last bottle we had 6 months ago.
2002 d'Arenberg d'Arry's Original
Another 80/20 Grenache/Shiraz blend followed the Kalleske. Again plenty of berry on the nose, with hints of spice and oak in the background. Palate again was packed full of flavour, lots of fruit - red berries, raspberries - mixed with spice and oak. Definitely a more complex wine than the Kalleske. Great structure and balance with a medium length finish of fine tannins. Could do with a few more years in the cellar to soften up but other than that a very enjoyable wine.
1996 Orlando Shiraz Centenary Hill
The first of 2 wines consumed at dinner during the week with a friend from Brisbane who is a self confessed Barossa Shiraz fan. The bottle was clad with so many Trophy and Gold Medal stickers that this wine had won at wine shows across the country that is was hard for my friend to work out what he was drinking. Unfortunately not decantered. Crimson in colour the nose displayed aromas of vanilla, plums, raspberry, and malty oak. The palate was thick and mouth coating with lots of ripe fruit, chocolate, coffee and malted oak latching on to every taste bud in your mouth. Although it had plenty of flavour, it just lacked something for me. Not as complex as I would have expected. Although it had a medium-long length finish I am beginning to think that this wine is no longer my perferred drinking style.
2002 Kalleske Shiraz Greenock
Haven't had this vintage for nearly 2 years and was the 2nd wine I bought along with me to dinner. This wine is all class and is steps above the '03 and '04 releases. Midnight black in colour, glass staining stuff, the nose displayed loads of blackberry, chocolate, vanilla, spice and oak. The palate was like drinking the finest silk money can buy, rich and smooth with no traces of the 15.5% alcohol content. Terrifically balanced, loads of sweet fruit and dark chocolate envelop the mouth coating it for a roller-coaster ride of a finish that lasts for ever. A complex wine that will age for many years to come. However, it is drinking so well right now it is hard to convince myself to put the rest away. May have to lock them up and throw away the key! In the words of RP, this truely is a "full-throttle", sensational wine that only the Barossa can produce. WOTY so far for me by a mile.
2000 Petaluma Coonawarra
First bottle of a six-pack purchased on release. 50/50 Coonawarra blend of Cabernet and Merlot. Deep purple the wine displays aromas of strong blackcurrant, followed by chocolate, coffee, and savoury French oak. The palate is full, smooth, and balanced and is packed with blackcurrant flavour, with a strong supporting cast of oak and acid. Medium/long finish with dry/fine tannins. This wine definitely needs more time so as to soften up the ruff edges and integrate but once it does it should be a very smart wine indeed. Do not agree with Parker on this one (WA 84) as history "does" suggest this wine does improve immensely with some bottle age, and to be quite frank, the experience he talks about having with this wine must be very limited. Like most Coonawarra cabernet's, give it some time and patience and you will be handsomely rewarded.
Planning to have a bottle of the Rockford Black Sparkling tonight which RB so kindly arranged to buy for us. It was nice meeting you Brian and thanks again for the wine. You made Beck very happy which means I am in the good books for the next couple of days.
Owe you one. Have a safe trip to MR.
First bottle of the six-pack I bought on release. Lovely nose of jammy dark fruit, chocolate, cedar, with a touch of spice. The palate continues along the fruit theme, with blackcurrant/berry and plum coming to the fore. Not as much oak as I expected but the wine definitely isn't a fruit bomb either. Elegant, well-balanced with soft tannins and enough acid to keep it chugging along for a few more years yet. Medium length drying finish. Definitely has room to improve as it does appear a bit simple right now but should gain complexity with some bottle age. Give it a couple more years and it should be drinking quite nicely. For the price, good value for your hard earn buck. Well done Penfolds.
2004 Kalleske Clarry's Barossa Red
Nice nose of berries, mint and herbs, this wine has a very flavour-some palate which is smooth, and has nice balance and structure. Lots of spice and berries with a savoury medium length finish of soft tannins. Drinking very well now and has gained more weight since the last bottle we had 6 months ago.
2002 d'Arenberg d'Arry's Original
Another 80/20 Grenache/Shiraz blend followed the Kalleske. Again plenty of berry on the nose, with hints of spice and oak in the background. Palate again was packed full of flavour, lots of fruit - red berries, raspberries - mixed with spice and oak. Definitely a more complex wine than the Kalleske. Great structure and balance with a medium length finish of fine tannins. Could do with a few more years in the cellar to soften up but other than that a very enjoyable wine.
1996 Orlando Shiraz Centenary Hill
The first of 2 wines consumed at dinner during the week with a friend from Brisbane who is a self confessed Barossa Shiraz fan. The bottle was clad with so many Trophy and Gold Medal stickers that this wine had won at wine shows across the country that is was hard for my friend to work out what he was drinking. Unfortunately not decantered. Crimson in colour the nose displayed aromas of vanilla, plums, raspberry, and malty oak. The palate was thick and mouth coating with lots of ripe fruit, chocolate, coffee and malted oak latching on to every taste bud in your mouth. Although it had plenty of flavour, it just lacked something for me. Not as complex as I would have expected. Although it had a medium-long length finish I am beginning to think that this wine is no longer my perferred drinking style.
2002 Kalleske Shiraz Greenock
Haven't had this vintage for nearly 2 years and was the 2nd wine I bought along with me to dinner. This wine is all class and is steps above the '03 and '04 releases. Midnight black in colour, glass staining stuff, the nose displayed loads of blackberry, chocolate, vanilla, spice and oak. The palate was like drinking the finest silk money can buy, rich and smooth with no traces of the 15.5% alcohol content. Terrifically balanced, loads of sweet fruit and dark chocolate envelop the mouth coating it for a roller-coaster ride of a finish that lasts for ever. A complex wine that will age for many years to come. However, it is drinking so well right now it is hard to convince myself to put the rest away. May have to lock them up and throw away the key! In the words of RP, this truely is a "full-throttle", sensational wine that only the Barossa can produce. WOTY so far for me by a mile.
2000 Petaluma Coonawarra
First bottle of a six-pack purchased on release. 50/50 Coonawarra blend of Cabernet and Merlot. Deep purple the wine displays aromas of strong blackcurrant, followed by chocolate, coffee, and savoury French oak. The palate is full, smooth, and balanced and is packed with blackcurrant flavour, with a strong supporting cast of oak and acid. Medium/long finish with dry/fine tannins. This wine definitely needs more time so as to soften up the ruff edges and integrate but once it does it should be a very smart wine indeed. Do not agree with Parker on this one (WA 84) as history "does" suggest this wine does improve immensely with some bottle age, and to be quite frank, the experience he talks about having with this wine must be very limited. Like most Coonawarra cabernet's, give it some time and patience and you will be handsomely rewarded.
Planning to have a bottle of the Rockford Black Sparkling tonight which RB so kindly arranged to buy for us. It was nice meeting you Brian and thanks again for the wine. You made Beck very happy which means I am in the good books for the next couple of days.
Owe you one. Have a safe trip to MR.Cheers
AJ
Cabernet is ... and will always be ... KING!
AJ
Cabernet is ... and will always be ... KING!
2000 d'Arenberg Footbolt Shiraz
Had with a few other at the Saturday BBQ, nothing outstanding but is pleasant enought drinking at the moment. I have a couple more that will get consumed in the next year or so.
2004 Warrabilla Cleanskin Durif
Purple wiht purple rim. Plums, aniseed, dark berrys and some vanilla oak a lovely rich nose that reveals more with every sniff. Not hugely tannic like a parola but and is fairly well balanced at this time. Palate has a huge mouthfull of fruit with a medium length finish, this is a full bodied wine and definately not your usual clean skin. 10th aniversery special for mailling list members and would have to be the bargain of the year for me
Glen
Had with a few other at the Saturday BBQ, nothing outstanding but is pleasant enought drinking at the moment. I have a couple more that will get consumed in the next year or so.
2004 Warrabilla Cleanskin Durif
Purple wiht purple rim. Plums, aniseed, dark berrys and some vanilla oak a lovely rich nose that reveals more with every sniff. Not hugely tannic like a parola but and is fairly well balanced at this time. Palate has a huge mouthfull of fruit with a medium length finish, this is a full bodied wine and definately not your usual clean skin. 10th aniversery special for mailling list members and would have to be the bargain of the year for me
Glen
Winner of the inaugural RB cork-count competition
Runner up RB-NTDIR competition
Runner up TORB TN competition
Leave of absence second RB c-c competition
Runner up RB-NTDIR competition
Runner up TORB TN competition
Leave of absence second RB c-c competition
2000 Fattoria Zerbina, Marzieno. This is a Sangiovese (YYY, Gambero Rosso) from the Emilia-Romagna region. 14 Euros. Not decanted. After opening immensely aggressive, with a mouthfeel like hedgehog on tom-yum. Very mellow and highly drinkable after 2 hours. Dark purple, almost opaque, perfumed aromas of white pepper, caramel, strawberry and a hint of clear acetone (a small dose of acetone is actually not that unpleasant). I canÂ’t manage to describe the complex flavours, there is initially some sweet dark fruit but after 3 seconds tongue-shriveling tannins kick in, not too hard, though. Medium-long aftertaste dominated by dry tannins (still lots of them), roasted coffee and low nice acidity. Last bottle. 89/100
2000 Temple Bruer Shiraz-Malbec. Black with a dark purple rim, serious oily legs. Very rich flowery-fruity aromas, some vanilla and liquorice. Full-bodied, dark fruit-driven flavours, more pronounced liquorice and vanilla here, a bit ‘salty’ (reminding me of sundried tomatoes, which is very characteristic of this wine), very round, somewhat oily and a nice dry finish (medium-long) with soft tannins and the omnipresent vanilla and liquorice . This is one of my favourite QPR aussies. 10 Euros, 8 bottles left. 90/100
2000 Temple Bruer Shiraz-Malbec. Black with a dark purple rim, serious oily legs. Very rich flowery-fruity aromas, some vanilla and liquorice. Full-bodied, dark fruit-driven flavours, more pronounced liquorice and vanilla here, a bit ‘salty’ (reminding me of sundried tomatoes, which is very characteristic of this wine), very round, somewhat oily and a nice dry finish (medium-long) with soft tannins and the omnipresent vanilla and liquorice . This is one of my favourite QPR aussies. 10 Euros, 8 bottles left. 90/100
At this Lunar New Year season– my grouping had an impromptu get together at my place for some wine to unwind from the initial celebrations.
Since its only 7 of us and only 4 able bodied winos – we decided to limit ourselves and drink 2 whites and 2 reds. At the first stage – we were actually going for much more than that – starting with the old world and then going for the full bodied ones.
We started with –
2003 Lake Chalice Sauvignon Blanc - A bright and vibrant wine, with apricot and apple notes backing the slightly grassy character nicely as the flavors linger.
1995 Louis Jadot Corton-Charlemagne – Yeah it was different. Chardonnay versus Sauvignon Blanc. Big and powerful – and still tight after 10 years. Full of tropical fruit, mineral notes with pear and green apples. Texture seems more like that of a South Australian Shiraz!
1995 Chateau Clerc-Milon – Decanted and aerated this for 3 hours. Was it a good wine? I can’t say. All I can say is that I had wasted my money when it was first released in the stores for A$85/- equivalent. Nose has certainly improved over 2 years ago. But that evaluation of the nose was judging from a very low aroma baseline. Taste? I had to suck and make those rude noises to get some palate. Very faint taste of roasted herbs, cedar and spice. And maybe. Just maybe – some blackberries. I have got 2 more bottles, and I sure hope they will evolve over the next 3 years and reveal what the Spectator saw in it. Coz I don’t get much now.
1993 Le Bon Pasteur – This was indeed a surprise, as I didn’t expect much from a Pomerol in the 1993 vintage. No decanting and no aeration and yet we all got a sweet ‘coffee-shop’ smell you get when you pass a cappuccino outlet in the morning. Some cherries? Medium bodied with a soft texture (hey - anything felt soft after the Clerc-Milon). Tasted yummy.
Had wanted to go for the heavy stuff like the Tait Basket Pressed 2002 (and more) – but we were already plastered. It had been a heavy week with commitments to fulfill. It was a good break and weekend.
Since its only 7 of us and only 4 able bodied winos – we decided to limit ourselves and drink 2 whites and 2 reds. At the first stage – we were actually going for much more than that – starting with the old world and then going for the full bodied ones.
We started with –
2003 Lake Chalice Sauvignon Blanc - A bright and vibrant wine, with apricot and apple notes backing the slightly grassy character nicely as the flavors linger.
1995 Louis Jadot Corton-Charlemagne – Yeah it was different. Chardonnay versus Sauvignon Blanc. Big and powerful – and still tight after 10 years. Full of tropical fruit, mineral notes with pear and green apples. Texture seems more like that of a South Australian Shiraz!
1995 Chateau Clerc-Milon – Decanted and aerated this for 3 hours. Was it a good wine? I can’t say. All I can say is that I had wasted my money when it was first released in the stores for A$85/- equivalent. Nose has certainly improved over 2 years ago. But that evaluation of the nose was judging from a very low aroma baseline. Taste? I had to suck and make those rude noises to get some palate. Very faint taste of roasted herbs, cedar and spice. And maybe. Just maybe – some blackberries. I have got 2 more bottles, and I sure hope they will evolve over the next 3 years and reveal what the Spectator saw in it. Coz I don’t get much now.
1993 Le Bon Pasteur – This was indeed a surprise, as I didn’t expect much from a Pomerol in the 1993 vintage. No decanting and no aeration and yet we all got a sweet ‘coffee-shop’ smell you get when you pass a cappuccino outlet in the morning. Some cherries? Medium bodied with a soft texture (hey - anything felt soft after the Clerc-Milon). Tasted yummy.
Had wanted to go for the heavy stuff like the Tait Basket Pressed 2002 (and more) – but we were already plastered. It had been a heavy week with commitments to fulfill. It was a good break and weekend.
-
Mike Hawkins
- Posts: 2734
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 9:39 am
1996 Billecart BdB - Corked. Will be requesting a replacement today
1996 Laurent Perrier Brut - not the best bottle - maybe slightly corked as well. Subdued nose and palate.
2002 - Kays Amery Vineyard shiraz. Had planned to try a Hillside, but opned this one by mistake. Too hot for my taste
1996 Peter Lehman Black Queen - this seemed far more youthful than the bottle I had 2 weeks ago. Drinking really well now, and this wine has improved in my estimations of it (I'd now put it almost on par with the Leasingham CC and behind Rockford, Joseph and Seppelts).
2001 Devils Lair Cab - a ripper. Quintessential MR cab.
2001 Wynns Cab - I'm beginning to enjoy this more than I did a year ago. The house quaffer.
2003 Chateau Lagrange - one of my first looks at 03 Bordeaux. The nose initially reminded me of the 2001 Rockford Rifle Range. This wine is very much new world in style, and quite frankly, a tad disappointing. I hope the rest of the 03s I've bought en primeur turn out a bit more complex and enjoyable.
1996 Laurent Perrier Brut - not the best bottle - maybe slightly corked as well. Subdued nose and palate.
2002 - Kays Amery Vineyard shiraz. Had planned to try a Hillside, but opned this one by mistake. Too hot for my taste
1996 Peter Lehman Black Queen - this seemed far more youthful than the bottle I had 2 weeks ago. Drinking really well now, and this wine has improved in my estimations of it (I'd now put it almost on par with the Leasingham CC and behind Rockford, Joseph and Seppelts).
2001 Devils Lair Cab - a ripper. Quintessential MR cab.
2001 Wynns Cab - I'm beginning to enjoy this more than I did a year ago. The house quaffer.
2003 Chateau Lagrange - one of my first looks at 03 Bordeaux. The nose initially reminded me of the 2001 Rockford Rifle Range. This wine is very much new world in style, and quite frankly, a tad disappointing. I hope the rest of the 03s I've bought en primeur turn out a bit more complex and enjoyable.
Krondorf Show Reserve Shiraz 2002Barossa Valley, HMMMM, free tooth pick in every glass. seemed a bit thin and oak dominates at the moment, can't see this wine resolving. Not very attractive to my mind, diluted mulberry. Won a Bronze at Hobart RAST wine show, probably for quality oak, but really. This was a gift, anyone seen this about?
Many wines tasted over the past few weeks but here are the most interesting:
Bannockburn Shiraz 1999
I loved this wine. It had lovely cool climate fruit with no signs of any heaviness and a texture which to me is shiraz fruit in the hands of a pinot lover. Sadly a one off for me but a great memory
Neil Ellis Stellenbosch Shiraz
Tasted just after the Bannockburn it fell short but still a nice wine with a different texture and profile to any Aussie style but still familiar with nice black fruit and a lick of American oak.
Vincent Girardin Santenay les Gravieres 1er cru 1999
I had to clear out my wines from my parents cellar since they were moving and had to ship my wines from Sydney down to Melbourne. When packing I noticed this cork had started to come out and when I checked the top of the cork was badly stained. I then opened that night in Sydney with low expectations. happily it was on song with great depth beyond what is expected of this appelation. Very much in the new world style but a good wine from a favourite producer.
Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz 1998
This was good but no real definition. It didn't really show its Victorian roots to me and could of been from anywhere
Monmouseau Vouvray 1996
Semi sweet with lovely honeyed tones with grilled. Vouvray truly rocks. Just a baby even in a half bottle.
Bannockburn Shiraz 1999
I loved this wine. It had lovely cool climate fruit with no signs of any heaviness and a texture which to me is shiraz fruit in the hands of a pinot lover. Sadly a one off for me but a great memory
Neil Ellis Stellenbosch Shiraz
Tasted just after the Bannockburn it fell short but still a nice wine with a different texture and profile to any Aussie style but still familiar with nice black fruit and a lick of American oak.
Vincent Girardin Santenay les Gravieres 1er cru 1999
I had to clear out my wines from my parents cellar since they were moving and had to ship my wines from Sydney down to Melbourne. When packing I noticed this cork had started to come out and when I checked the top of the cork was badly stained. I then opened that night in Sydney with low expectations. happily it was on song with great depth beyond what is expected of this appelation. Very much in the new world style but a good wine from a favourite producer.
Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz 1998
This was good but no real definition. It didn't really show its Victorian roots to me and could of been from anywhere
Monmouseau Vouvray 1996
Semi sweet with lovely honeyed tones with grilled. Vouvray truly rocks. Just a baby even in a half bottle.
Many wines tasted over the past few weeks but here are the most interesting:
Bannockburn Shiraz 1999
I loved this wine. It had lovely cool climate fruit with no signs of any heaviness and a texture which to me is shiraz fruit in the hands of a pinot lover. Sadly a one off for me but a great memory
Neil Ellis Stellenbosch Shiraz
Tasted just after the Bannockburn it fell short but still a nice wine with a different texture and profile to any Aussie style but still familiar with nice black fruit and a lick of American oak.
Vincent Girardin Santenay les Gravieres 1er cru 1999
I had to clear out my wines from my parents cellar since they were moving and had to ship my wines from Sydney down to Melbourne. When packing I noticed this cork had started to come out and when I checked the top of the cork was badly stained. I then opened that night in Sydney with low expectations. happily it was on song with great depth beyond what is expected of this appelation. Very much in the new world style but a good wine from a favourite producer.
Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz 1998
This was good but no real definition. It didn't really show its Victorian roots to me and could of been from anywhere
Monmouseau Vouvray 1996
Semi sweet with lovely honeyed tones with grilled. Vouvray truly rocks. Just a baby even in a half bottle.
Bannockburn Shiraz 1999
I loved this wine. It had lovely cool climate fruit with no signs of any heaviness and a texture which to me is shiraz fruit in the hands of a pinot lover. Sadly a one off for me but a great memory
Neil Ellis Stellenbosch Shiraz
Tasted just after the Bannockburn it fell short but still a nice wine with a different texture and profile to any Aussie style but still familiar with nice black fruit and a lick of American oak.
Vincent Girardin Santenay les Gravieres 1er cru 1999
I had to clear out my wines from my parents cellar since they were moving and had to ship my wines from Sydney down to Melbourne. When packing I noticed this cork had started to come out and when I checked the top of the cork was badly stained. I then opened that night in Sydney with low expectations. happily it was on song with great depth beyond what is expected of this appelation. Very much in the new world style but a good wine from a favourite producer.
Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz 1998
This was good but no real definition. It didn't really show its Victorian roots to me and could of been from anywhere
Monmouseau Vouvray 1996
Semi sweet with lovely honeyed tones with grilled. Vouvray truly rocks. Just a baby even in a half bottle.
macau fan wrote:1995 Chateau Clerc-Milon – Decanted and aerated this for 3 hours. Was it a good wine? I can’t say. All I can say is that I had wasted my money when it was first released in the stores for A$85/- equivalent. Nose has certainly improved over 2 years ago. But that evaluation of the nose was judging from a very low aroma baseline. Taste? I had to suck and make those rude noises to get some palate. Very faint taste of roasted herbs, cedar and spice. And maybe. Just maybe – some blackberries. I have got 2 more bottles, and I sure hope they will evolve over the next 3 years and reveal what the Spectator saw in it. Coz I don’t get much now.
Sounds like it might be corked to me,
From the weekend but took to mid week to write it up:
Dinner at Auge:
Ashton Hills Chardonay 2004: tropical fruits like pineapple and mango with a slight vanilla oak influence. long racy, acidic finish. Good chardonay in adelaide hills style
Godolphin 2004: a wine i had been looking forward to trying and it did not dissapoint. Focused, prisitne fruit with a core of cassis and plum yet with an ethereal quality missing in a lot of Barossan wines. Cant wait to see it in 5 years time.
Sunday lunch:
Fox Creek Reserve Shiraz 1999: concentrated, rich McClaren Vale shiraz with spice, cedar, chocolate and smokyness. A well balanced wine that did very well with rare steak
Dinner at Auge:
Ashton Hills Chardonay 2004: tropical fruits like pineapple and mango with a slight vanilla oak influence. long racy, acidic finish. Good chardonay in adelaide hills style
Godolphin 2004: a wine i had been looking forward to trying and it did not dissapoint. Focused, prisitne fruit with a core of cassis and plum yet with an ethereal quality missing in a lot of Barossan wines. Cant wait to see it in 5 years time.
Sunday lunch:
Fox Creek Reserve Shiraz 1999: concentrated, rich McClaren Vale shiraz with spice, cedar, chocolate and smokyness. A well balanced wine that did very well with rare steak
Premierships and great wine... that is what life is all about