Two from Last Nite

[Aussie John]

2003 Giaconda Mcleay Road Shiraz

Beautiful coluor- deep claret and pure. Smells of burnt gum nuts and one of the weirdest palates I've encountered. Not really any varietal definition, if I'd been told this wine was pinot, cabernet, merlot or shiraz, I could have believed any of those options. Not really sure what to make of this, but it certainly doesn't impress!!
Drink: now (?)................................................75pts


1998 Zema Estate Shiraz

Deep dark claret, almost black with no signs of age. Porty on both the nose and palate, this was left on the vine just that little bit too long. Full bodied and good length, but not to my taste. Not unlike the Wynns Michael 1998. Both wines yet again make me wonder why Coonawarra persists in devoting some of its priceless red earth to this variety, when we have an abundance of magnificent shiraz terroir all over the remainder of SE Aus.
Drink: now-2010.............................................86pts

[Cellar Rat]

2003 Giaconda Mcleay Road Shiraz

Beautiful coluor- deep claret and pure. Smells of burnt gum nuts and one of the weirdest palates I've encountered. Not really any varietal definition, if I'd been told this wine was pinot, cabernet, merlot or shiraz, I could have believed any of those options. Not really sure what to make of this, but it certainly doesn't impress!!
Drink: now (?)................................................75pts

This is actually quite good compared to the 2003 McClay Rd Pinot I can only imagine the score you'd give it. IMO, neither of these wines should ever have been released. Mugs like me paid $25 for these as well - just as well it was only a few tasters. I have a long memory though.

[Gregoire]

As I recall, the 2003 vintage from Giaconda was not released as normal "Giaconda" because all of the wines suffered from smoke taint following the horrendous fires in the region that year. Only the Cabernet was released as "Giaconda Cabernet" and this too was discounted and marked-down due to said taint.

[roughred]

That's right Greg...essentially a second label.

Smoke taint is an issue with practically all of the 2003 wines I have tried from Beechworth (and many from the Ovens and Alpine Valleys). In fairness to many of these producers the smoky characters were not manifestly evident until after release with some time in bottle...so I dont think there was intention to hoodwink consumers. But with the wisdom of hindsight I think a lot of these wines would never have been released.

LL

[Aussie John]

That's right Greg...essentially a second label.

Smoke taint is an issue with practically all of the 2003 wines I have tried from Beechworth (and many from the Ovens and Alpine Valleys). In fairness to many of these producers the smoky characters were not manifestly evident until after release with some time in bottle...so I dont think there was intention to hoodwink consumers. But with the wisdom of hindsight I think a lot of these wines would never have been released.

LL

If the said producers were fair dinkum, and really didn't know of the "taint", then they should at least partially compensate their loyal customers. To be frank, I wouldn't have paid more than a cheap cleanskin price for that red, say $5.00 a bottle.

[Neville K]

Where the F# ark AJ. Under a rock? Acerbic bitter sweet decadence where art thou?

[Neville K]

This is actually quite good compared to the 2003 McClay Rd Pinot I can only imagine the score you'd give it. IMO, neither of these wines should ever have been released. Mugs like me paid $25 for these as well - just as well it was only a few tasters. I have a long memory though.

Tony,
why self-flagellate? Your antipathy to all things Mc Clay Rd Beechworth is well known, persistent, if not tiresome.

READ MY LIPS:
Y O U D O N OT H A V E T O B U Y R I C K ' S W I N E S!
Really it is not good for health. Leave them alone. TCA is NOT everywhere. The Bermuda Triangle of TCA is Canberra. The wines gods deliver it to you. That is your fate Sisyphus. To break the chain, don't buy Da Vinci's muse, La Giaconda. The smile will kill you. Let that be your mantra. Peace and goodwill.

[Aussie John]

Giaconda wines can be fantastic. The chard is one of the two best whites we produce, IMO. I don't have anything against RK, and indeed, I didn't even know this stuff was Giaconda when I wrote the note. (I have been OS for the past 18 months)... I added the "Giaconda" when the host told me about the wine towards the end of dinner!!

Have you had this wine Nev?? I doubt RK would be too proud of it.

[Neville K]

Giaconda is probably the most compelling wine producer in the country. The chardonnay is stunning; the shiraz dazzling; the cabernet very under rated and the pinot, well to be fair, variable (and maybe best forgotten). All things being considered this is a great marque. An Australian Grand Cru.

I did not buy any Mc Clay Rd. There was a good reason it was declassified. It was tough old boots for me. My enormous respect for RK is only enhanced because the 2003 Mc Clays show why they did not earn the Giaconda label. There should be applaud for that expensive honest assessment.

My comment to you AJ was not in regards to your wine note, but rather an aside to your MIA. My comment to (Tony) CR was 'same old, same old (diatribe); get off the hobby horse.' No one forces anyone to drink Giaconda. We should all get a life. Not a Corked life. Sorry. I don't get 4/12's of a dozen tainted by TCA. But it seems to happen regularly in Canberra. Hence the Bermuda Triangle. Maybe it is the evil in the Parliament working its track-suited voodoo from Capital Hill. There is an ill wind. 10 years of whiffiness. My 3c.

[Cellar Rat]

Giaconda is probably the most compelling wine producer in the country. The chardonnay is stunning; the shiraz dazzling; the cabernet very under rated and the pinot, well to be fair, variable (and maybe best forgotten). All things being considered this is a great marque. An Australian Grand Cru.

I did not buy any Mc Clay Rd. There was a good reason it was declassified. It was tough old boots for me. My enormous respect for RK is only enhanced because the 2003 Mc Clays show why they did not earn the Giaconda label. There should be applaud for that expensive honest assessment.

My comment to you AJ was not in regards to your wine note, but rather an aside to your MIA. My comment to (Tony) CR was 'same old, same old (diatribe); get off the hobby horse.' No one forces anyone to drink Giaconda. We should all get a life. Not a Corked life. Sorry. I don't get 4/12's of a dozen tainted by TCA. But it seems to happen regularly in Canberra. Hence the Bermuda Triangle. Maybe it is the evil in the Parliament working its track-suited voodoo from Capital Hill. There is an ill wind. 10 years of whiffiness. My 3c.

Maybe someone could unravel the twisted logic in this one for me Flaming at best. The pot calls the kettle black (yawn). That's it, you're off my xmas card list NK.

An Australian grand cru - Maybe for woodpeckers.

[Aussie John]

Thanks for clearing that up, Nev. My MIA was in Paris and London- got to drink plenty of Frog gear, 50% fantastic, 50% rubbish. Very little pedestrian wine in France, IMO, its either good or terrible.

Continue to find it amazing that top-flite Aussie wine is far cheaper in London than over here- you need to have a look at this, John Howard. Have seen 99 Grange over there for equivalent of $230. And everything is freely available. grrrrr