The Past months reds

[Brucer]

Its really been the past 2 or so months reds, as I update my cellar list.
All wine comments are from memory, as I dont take notes.

04 Turkey Flat Shiraz
Really lovely wine, in balance, great fruit, oak in the background.

98 Richmond Grove Barossa Shiraz
These are great value for money, and very reliable wines. This is no different, but needs to be drunk.

02 Scarpantoni Block 3 Shiraz
Opened 3 or 4 recently. Typical Block 3, different from most other Mclaren Shiraz. Good rich fruit, and oak is there. I have found best drinking with 5 years of release.

01 Scarpantoni Block 3 Shiraz
More riper fruit than 02, and bigger tannins. Still a good wine.

98 Peter Lehmann Shiraz.
Bit average, lacking in any excitement factor.

98 Hillstowe Marys 100 Shiraz
I like this, and dont like it! Its well made, and faultless, but the fruit weight is a bit thin. If that makes any sense?

02 Two Hands Angels Shiraz.
Not terribly nice. Over extracted grapes, not in balance.

98 Maxwell Lime Cave Cabernet.
This was great about 2 years ago, but now past its best, and not very pleasant. This got a high Parker score.

02 Wirra Wirra Shiraz.
This is okay, well made and in balance. RSW is far better.

98 Thomas Shiraz.
Hunter and McLaren fruit. Bit average, was better 2 years ago.

02 Cape Barron Old Vine Shiraz
Nice wine, good fruit, in balance. has a few more years left.

02 Doowie Doole Reserve Shiraz.
Essence of Mclaren shiraz. Fantastic sweet fruit, and oak in the background. Very good wine.

02 Two Hands Lilys Garden McLaren Shiraz.
Fantastic wine. Rich fruit, great oak, in balance. Just superb. 4 bottles opened.

02 Two Hands Bellas Garden Barossa Shiraz
As good as the wine above. Some bottle variation in both, but 2 of my favourite current drinking wines. 4 opened.

02 Two Hands Bad Impersonator single vinyard Barossa Shiraz.
This is one of those wines that with every mountfull, I say "Gee this is a top wine". Wish there was more like it. brilliant.

01 Wirra RSW
Too young yet, not intergrated, but its all there waiting.

96 Chapel Hill Shiraz.
Very nice drink. Holding up very well.

98 Chapel Hill Shiraz
Again, surprisingly, holding up very well. Good drink. Last bottles of both.

03 Charles Melton Father In Law Shiraz.
Wasnt expecting much, but it was a nice drink.

99 Cape Jaffa Siberia Shiraz.
Horrible. Could not drink. Not faulty.

01 Evans and Tate Shiraz
Was given this, and opened at a party. I was pleasantly surprised. Good.

01 Rich Burge Draycott Shiraz.
Not a bad wine, quite enjoyable, but nothing out of the ordinary.

94 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz.
This wine was very very good. It was in balance, and had aged really well, the fruit holding up beautifully.

00 Greenoch Creek Apricot Block Shiraz.
I really enjoyed this wine. It was much more forward than most Greenochs, due to the year, and the fruit was really sweet and yummy, and oak in the background.

01 Greenoch Creek Apricot Shiraz
Far too young. Much better the second night. Could be very very good in a few years. The wine above is much more approachable.

97 Greenoch Creek Creek Block Shiraz
Not that memorial. Trying hard to comment.

02 Rockbare Shiraz.
Opened 2, both the same, not enjoyable. Hard, thin, oaky, cheap!

00 Tattachilla Foundation.
Lovely wine. Great fruit, and sweet oak that was noticable, and very tolerable. Needs drinking up

01 Tattachilla Foundation
Very drinkable. Typical of style. Drink early

02 Kaesler Stonehorse Shiraz.
Not as good as the 98.

02 Charles Melton Shiraz.
Nice wine. I have found Charlies wine are not long keepers, so I have been drinking them earlier.

98 St Hallet Old Block Shiraz.
Not sure about this. Could be in a hole. Fruit is very savoury, and oak is in balance. Bit hard to get into, but after 2 glasses it was better. It is supposed to have a long life, and could well be excellent down the track.

02 Mr Riggs Shiraz.
This wine has come on a lot in the past year. I think it will age very well, and needs more time. reminds me a bit of Wirra RSW !!

02 Coriole Old Barn Shiraz Cab
Cellar door sales only. Costs $30. Worth the money. Great fruit, in balance, very gluggable.

01 Rosemount Traditional.
For me, rather simple, and no excitement. Others with me liked it a lot more than I did.

02 Olivers Taranga Shiraz
Pretty typical of McLaren Shiraz. a good drink.

98 Tintara Shiraz Reserve
Hard, sour, oaky, not enjoyable. Next

96 Charles Cimicky Signature Shiraz
Well past its drink by date. When young it was fantastic, but fruit has faded, and its got hard and tannic.

94 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz
I loved this 4 years ago, but now its only okay, as Basket press goes.
It will age, and could be much better in a few years.

98 Tattachilla Foundation.
Too old for me now. fruit has faded, and oak has come up past my tolerance level. I think Foundation needs to be drunk early, before they fall apart, which is pretty quick in my experience with this, as 95 and 96 did.

02 Ulithorne Fru Frigis Shiraz.
Good wine. rich fruit, oak in balance.

93 Mt Langhi Shiraz.
I could not drink this. It wasnt corked, didnt seem oxidised, just tasted like crap, and was tipped.

98 Charles Melton Shiraz.
This wine is at the end of its life, and should have been drunk 2 years ago.

01 Keith Tulloch Kester Shiraz.
Very Hunter. Not a bit Hunter fan, but its well made, and will age.

98 Steve Maglieri Steve Shiraz
Overoaked, and at the end of its life. Still, its not a bad drink.

01 Turkey Flat Shiraz.
What a surprise. Fantastic. Sweet fruit, and beautiful oak in the background. Far better wine than I was expecting.

01 Turkey Flat Cabernet.
Very variatal, well made, in balance, they have done it again.

97 Vasse Felix Heytesbury Cabernet.
Lovely wine, with years to go. Cassis fruit, good oak, in balance, noticable tannins.

96 Rockford Cabernet.
I am beginning not too like Rockford cabs. This was variatal, thin and weedy, and not enjoyable.

97 Turkey Flat Cabernet
Lovely wine.Drinking well now, but will age more I think.

02 Schubert Estate Gooseyard Block Shiraz.
This is the sort of wine I look for. Its got fantastic fruit, that is rich, and simply tastes brilliant. The oak is barely noticable, but shows itself more on day 2. This is one of the best young wines I have tasted this year.

01 Heritage Rosscos Shiraz
Another Barossa shiraz with the big ripe fruit, big oak treatment. Its a good , well made wine, but its just another Barossa shiraz.

02 Heritage Rosscos Shiraz
Similar to above, but the fruit is not as ripe, due to the year I suppose.

98 Wirra Angelus Shiraz.
I love Wirra wine, and this is another well made, well oaked, in balance Cab, that will go a few more years yet.

02 Bullers Calliope Shiraz.
Brilliant wine. Still evolving. Fantastic ripe fruit.

94 Eileen Hardy Shiraz
Good wine, oak is starting to poke its head up a bit. Not terribly exciting.

98 Maxwell Reserve Shiraz.
Rather spicy for McLaren. Close to the end of its life.

98 Haselgrove H Reserve Shiraz
I have drunk heaps of this, and its close to the end. Good wine

97 Seppelt Great Western Shiraz
Nice wine, will go for a good while.

02 Serafino Cabernet
Top wine for $20. Good fruit and in balance, not terribly variatal, but thats okay.

97 Anderson Sparkling Shiraz.
Rutherglen. This guy makes very drinkable sparkling reds. Better than Seppelts original, but they cost around $25

94 Leasingham Classic Clare Sparkling Shiraz
One of my favourites. just brilliant.

96 Leasingham Classic Clare Sparkling Shiraz.
New release. Good, but not in the class of the 94, which I think could be a freak wine.

01 Fox Creek JSM
Starting to become drinkable. boring, but good for parties.

98 Charles Cimicky Signature Shiraz
Not sure about this. Not a wine that I would take just 1 bottle of to a Restaurant.

02 Dutschke St Jacobi Shiraz
Opened up rather oakey and tannic, and not real good. The next day, it had settled, and was quite a bit better, but..........

98 Tim Adams Aberfeldy Shiraz.
Day 1.........basically horrible.
Day 2.........faint improvement.
Day 3.........wow, had become drinkable, and I finished the bottle, and it was very enjoyable. Must need years.

96 Rosemount Mountain Blue Mudgee Cab Shiraz
Enjoyable wine. Rich and flavoursome.

04 Two Hands Lilys Garden McLaren Shiraz
Fantastic wine. rich fruit, and a joy to drink. I find Two Hands bloody good wines. They are $50 odd a bottle.

Thats about it.
Not that many corked wines.

Bruce

[Mark S]

Brucer, thanks for the many tast notes/impressions - gives a clue to quite a few I have in the cellar.

Re your "Tintara Reserve Shiraz 98" is this the Hardy's Tintara Shiraz, which normally retails around $40?

Re the Heritage Rossco's Shiraz 2002 - not clear on what you really thought of this wine - any more comment?

regards, Mark S

[Red Bigot]

96 Charles Cimicky Signature Shiraz
Well past its drink by date. When young it was fantastic, but fruit has faded, and its got hard and tannic.

There were two batches of this (at least, that I and a friend bought), one with the "C" on the capsule, one without. Both were good up until about 2001, the one without the "C" is dead and gone, the one with the "C" seems to have years to go, lots of lush fruit left, but a bit in the raspberry spectrum now.

Thanks for the update on many of these, quite a few are in my cellar too.

[Brucer]

Brian,
Just checked my bottles, and they have "CIMICKY" twice on the capsule.

Mark
Yes, the $40 one. I was a fan of the label, and drank lots of previous years, but am over Tintara now, especially with the current price/quality ratio.

Heritage Rosscos.
The reason I opened the 01 and 02, is because Cellar door had a special on the 04, so I tried both vintages to make a decision whether to buy the 04.
This is about 6 weeks ago. I remember that they were good solid wines, both well made and will age well. Nothing wrong with them, but not standout wines. ( Its bloody hard to find standout wines). I had to make a decision to buy the 04, but based on the 2 wines, passed on the 04. I will, however enjoy drinking the ones Ive got.
Bruce

[Ian S]

Bruce
Many thanks for such an extensive set of notes.
I sense we possibly have a difference in palate with regard to the Tatachilla Foundation 98, which, to me is still going strong rather than fading (as of about a year ago though...). I've one bottle left, so should crack it soon to see.
regards
Ian

[Red Bigot]

Brian,
Just checked my bottles, and they have "CIMICKY" twice on the capsule.

But do they have a big stylized "C" in the middle of the top of the capsule as well as the two printed "CIMICKY" around the top edge?

[Aussie John]

Thanks for the notes, Bruce.

Very interesting, I have seen many of those wines over the past few months, and a general comment would be that my wine is no-where near as advanced as yours.

98 Maxwell Lime Cave: no-where near its peak
98 Carles Melton Shiraz- at least a decade to go
96 Rockford Cab- full-bodied, rich and long, if a bit simple. Needs 5+
98 Haselgrove H shiraz- wonderful wine, will peak in 5-8 years

My cellar is underground at 14C constant, but that shouldn't explain such a dramatic difference. Any ideas??

[cuttlefish]

Hi Brucer,

quite a list, mate ! Can you tell me, how do you cellar your wines ? I am curious, as there are a number of wines there you say are probably past it, that surprise me they are past it...

Do you cellar in optimal conditions, like temperature controlled environment ?

I store in a spare room (double brick house), so there's seasonal fluctuation in temp. It doesn't worry me, but I'm curious to compare to your conditions as I have a number of those wines (of varying vintages)

Cheers,

Tom.

[Brucer]

Im sorry for such a late reply, but I had had computer problems, and have not been able to log on.

Cuttlefish

Re my cellar, I actually think its a slow cellar. It insulated, and airconditioned from Sept to May, and sits at 14.5 in summer and 12.5 in winter.

Aussie John

I think we like our wines at different ages. Since I wrote that, I have drunk more of each wine, and my thoughts have stayed the same.

Bruce

[Ian S]

I think we like our wines at different ages. Since I wrote that, I have drunk more of each wine, and my thoughts have stayed the same.

Bruce

Which is fine. I got a bit concerned we'd all piped in with a similar comment, which might have come across as a challenge. Far from it, it's just good to see a wide range of notes from the same person, so palate callibration is a little easier.
Hope the PC's all fixed now!
regards
Ian