A fun offline in Sydney. All except for the two sparkling wines were tasted blind. The identities of the wines were known (except for the mystery wine) but not the order or flight that they would be in. The wines were divided into the two sparklings and then four flights of four, the wines listed in the order of tasting below.
A vote was taken at the end of the night with each person nominating their five favourite wines. With 5 points for a 1st place vote and so on until 1 point for a 5th placed vote.
Tarlant "Brut Zero" NV (Champagne):
This has a light straw-green colour with a fine bead. Nose is comprised of lemon, pears and unripe nectarines. The zero dosage really shows on the palate which is very dry and tastes like tart apples. Finishes rather abruptly, but for the price it serves its purpose.
86/100
Wild Duck Creek "Sparkling #2" (Heathcote):
There was a very light fizz and mousse to this wine. The nose is cheesy, yeasty and there is a touch of a spirity type background character on the nose and palate that adds to the wine rather than causing problems with balance. The light fizz lends a interesting texture and creamy character to the palate. There are multiple layers of complexity to this wine and I was rather impressed overall.
91/100
Kay Brothers "Block 6" 1996 (McLaren Vale):
There is smoky, toasted oak on the nose as well as raisins, tar, brown sugar and some alcohol heat. The oak and alcohol carries onto the palate, throwing the balance of the wine into disarray.
84/100
D'Arenberg "Dead Arm" 1996 (McLaren Vale):
Liquorice, cherry and chocolate on the somewhat reclusive nose. The palate is soft and without any real complexity or character to call attention to. Fairly disappointing, especially once the identity was revealed.
86/100
Rockford "SVS Hoffmann" 1996 (Barossa):
This wine delivers a ripe, rich, crowd pleasing nose of liquorice, blueberry, raspberry, blueberry and a cherry liqueur character. The palate was ripe and packed with deep fruit flavour but also showed good length and balance. I was surprised to find out that this was ten years old and still showing so much primary fruit character - it seems like it is going to live a very long life and if it stays balanced it could be very good.
89/100
Clarendon "Astralis" 1996 (McLaren Vale):
A bizarre (read: horrible) nose of pumpkin, green beans with melted butter and tobacco. Palate is short, with drying tannins and is genuinely dreadful. Something wrong with the bottle obviously, maybe it was opened and left in the over with a roast dinner?
75/100
Whistling Eagle "Eagle's Blood" 2002 (Heathcote):
A nose comprised of deep spice and blackberry, red fruits and a violet floral touch. Delivers a tight, classy palate with gorgeous texture and fine-grained tannins providing serious structure. This stood out in a crowd of generally opulent wines as showing that a wine can have good flavour while also showing restraint.
92/100
Standish "The Standish" 2001 (Barossa):
Shows dominant medicinal characters, chocolate, vanilla and sweet, ripe raspberry jam on the nose. The palate is dense, jammy and lacks any sense of cohesion.
82/100
Kaesler "Weapons of Mass Seduction" Shiraz/Cabernet 2002 (Barossa):
A bright, perfumed, complex nose of musk, cinnamon, violet, blackcurrant, chocolate, plums and smoked meat. The palate is brooding and there are oodles of deep set fruit here. Provides a balanced, refined palate with a defined structure that bodes very well for the future potential of this wine. Drinking the remains of the bottle two nights later and it is worth a points more, the nose is still vibrant and the palate has taken on a delicious spicy and smoky character while retaining its length and balance.
92/100 blind on the night and 93/100 two nights later
Glaetzer "Godolphin" Shiraz/Cabernet 2004 (Barossa):
A punchy nose of dark cherry, blackberry, some vanilla and floral overtones. The thing that really lifted this wine apart from the rest for me was that while it was rich and generous in flavour, unlike some of the other wines on the night that felt one dimensional and forced, there was much more to it. It was structured, focused and balanced (15% alcohol but didn't show it) with a super seductive, pure silky texture to it. This was a really impressive wine and my favourite on the night. The only "problem" is that I can perhaps see that it could end up being a better wine while young than with much more age on it, but that it easily solved by drinking and enjoying it now for the special wine that it is.
95/100
Chris Ringland "Randall's Hill" 1995 (Barossa):
Spice, earth, smoke and tobacco on the nose as well as a smattering of oak. The palate is opulent and slightly over the top, with the richness masking any nuance that the wine has to offer at this stage. Again, I was slightly surprised by the age on this when revealed.
89/100
Greenock Creek "Roennfeldt Road" Shiraz 1997 (Barossa):
Seems rather restrained on the nose with tar, earth and some blackberry. The palate has a very big flavour profile without ever seeming to stray into over the top ripe characters. Very good and could well get better with time.
92/100
Torbeck "RunRig" 1998 (Barossa):
Chocolate, blackcurrant and some stewed fruit characters - didn't get any hint of Viognier and didn't imagine it would be revealed as the Runrig. The palate is savoury and textured but the balance is marred by alcohol spikes along the line of the wine.
87/100
Wild Duck Creek "Duck Muck" 2000 (Heatcote):
A cooked, spirity, meaty, pepper, VA, vegetable nose. Palate has no balance and finishes very short. Perhaps something bad happened to this bottle, but I think it had been cellared properly since release by the owner. The nicest thing that I could say about it is that at least it wasn't quite as bad as the Astralis.
79/100
Kalleske "Johann Georg" 2004 (Barossa):
A youthful nose of lovely floral notes, black pepper and vibrant red fruits. The standout elements of the palate were the great texture and stylish mouth-feel although the generous flavour and very good length were also positive attributes. One of the wines on the night to show the critical balance between generosity of flavour and structure that turns a very good wine into an excellent wine.
93/100
The Mystery Ring-in - Domaine du Pegau "Cuvee Reserve" 2003 (CNdP):
Chinese five spice powder, condensed onion essence, violets and a slightly rancid funky edge. The palate is unfocused, metallic and got worse with time in the glass before getting what it deserved (poured into the spittoon of shame). I don't mind some brett but this was terrible.
77/100
Glaetzer "Amon Ra" 2004 (Barossa):
There are notes of mocha, ground coffee, vanilla bean and raspberry on the nose. The palate is rich and generous, but there are signs of class there as well. Firm tannins form the backbone of the excellent structure with the finish very long and satisfying. Perhaps a smidge too much oak at this stage but the depth of fruit could well stand tall and hold things together until it comes into balance over the next few years.
93/100
Noon "Reserve" Shiraz 2004 (Langhorne Creek/McLaren Vale):
A mix of seaweed, blood, iodine and spirit characters. The palate has weight through obvious oak influence and there is an alcohol spike on the mid-palate that destroys any semblance of balance. Not enjoyable at all.
84/100
The group of 10 rated the wines;
1: Kalleske Johan Georg....39pts (six 1sts, three 3rds)
2: Glaetzer Amon Ra..........37pts (two 1sts, five 2nds, one 3rd, two 4ths)
3: Glaetzer Godolphin........32pts (one 1st, three 2nds, five 3rds)
4: Greenock Creek RR........12pts (one 2nd, two 4ths, four 5ths)
5: Rockford Hoffman...........7pts (one 2nd, one 4th, one 5th)
6: Kaesler WOMS ...............6pts (two 4ths, two 5ths)
7: Standish.........................5pts (one 1st)
8= Kays Block 6..................3pts (one 3rd)
8= Whistling Eagle.............3pts (one 4th, one 5th)
10=D'Arenberg DA..............2pts (one 4th)
10=Torbreck RunRig............2pts (one 4th)
12=Randalls Hill...................1pt (one 5th)
12=Noon Reserve................1pt (one 5th)
No votes: Duck Muck, Pegau, Astralis
The wines costing $100, $65 and $40 coming out by a long margin on top ...
TNs: Aus "Cult" Wines plus a Mystery Outsider
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Baby Chickpea
- Posts: 582
- Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:17 pm
NV Tarlant Brut Zero Champagne
Medium mousse. Fresh, crisp, lean acidity. Palate is soft with good focus. Very dry which I like. Hint of toast. Not for ageing. Drink up. Good consistency of flavour. Not a lot of fruit.
86/100
NV Wild Duck Creek Estate Sparkling Duck 2
Shiraz from 1993-1997, and merlot from 1996. Light mousse and gorgeous ruby colour. Bacon and sweet raspberries and vegetable garden aromas. Lovely palate – beautiful balance, elegant, creamy with good finish. Drinking nicely now.
90/100
1st Bracket of 4
1996 Kay Brothers Block 6 Shiraz
Mousey. Some evident AV. Good ripe fruit (sweet plums). Palate is also ripe with cleansing acid. Easy to drink. Won’t develop into anything spectacular. Clean aftertaste. Good length. Not bad. My favourite of the flight.
87/100
1996 d'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz
More Bordeaux-like with herbs, green capsicum, dry, cedar. Lighter colour than Block 6. Bit more oak too. Palate is very very soft. More AV heat too. Length shorter than above wine (which also has slightly better structure). Got better with time. 2nd favourite wine of flight.
86/100
1996 Rockford SVS Hoffmann Shiraz (Barossa): 98 RPJ
Too ripe. Fruit bomb for sure. Almost florat but not OTT. Fine nose but a bit waxy (candles). Palate is all over the place – too much liquorice, oak. Porty. Alot of heat. Despite best nose of thios flight of 4, palate was too unbalanced. Rated #3 of the 4.
81/100
1996 Clarendon Hills Astralis Shiraz
Very farty and smelly. Quite pooey. Reminds me of 1999 Viking Grand Shiraz. Cleaned up with time. Palate is resiny and tarry. Slightly oaky and charcoally too. Not too keen on this. After 10 minutes, palate fell apart and became quite dilute. What a waste of grapes. Don’t think it was faulty. Least favourite of flight.
79/100
2nd Bracket of 4
2002 Whistling Eagle Eagle's Blood Shiraz
Pretty good nose with sweet, ripe plums and cherries. Youthful palate. A lot of tannin and acid. Very good. Rated 3rd in this flight.
88/100
2001 The Standish The Standish Shiraz
Mour sour cherries galore on this! Very alcoholic nose. Palate is better but far too dry and astringent. Not palate friendly. Rated last in this flight.
83/100
2002 Kaesler Weapons of Mass Seduction Shiraz/Cabernet
2nd best nose iof flight. Bit of tinned corn. Very good palate, almost excellent. Needs time. Rated 2nd of flight.
89/100
2004 Glaetzer Godolphin Shiraz/Cabernet
Best nose of both flights so far. Easily. Best palate too. Most complete wine drank so far tonite and excellent structure. Almost exact notes to last bottle has 6 months ago. I’d be drinking this now and over next 3 years though. WOTN s so far.
91/100
3rd bracket of 4
1995 Chris Ringland Randall's Hill 1910 Vineyard Shiraz
Bit green and stalky. Ok. Palate is very good, powerful yet oaky. Bit too brutish – lacks finesse. Rated #2 in flight.
86/100
1997 Greenock Creek Roennfeldt Road Shiraz
More chocolate and caramel kisses here. Better palate than the Randall’s. Very dry acidity typical of Greenock Creek wines. Still quite unevolved. Needs time as this is still one dimensional. Best wine of flight.
88/100
1998 Torbeck RunRig Shiraz Viognier
Too much oak. With time became quite seamless. Palate has excellent structure and is still very youthful with deep black fruits. Awkward now, but shows a lot of potential. Rated 3rd of flight.
86/100
2000 Wild Duck Creek Estate Duck Muck Shiraz Cabernet
Cognac and sherry casks. Llots of oak. Massively OTT. Palate has too much toffee and mocha/coffee but more “elegant†(if that’s the word!) than previous 3 wines. Priockly acid. A bit vegtabley and meaty too. Disjointed, despite a one hour decant and 4 hours Audozed. Rated last of flight.
84/100
Two nights later – beautiful wine! Really rich black fruits. Balanced, powerful, more harmonious but still strong acid. Needs 5 more years at least.
91/100
Last Bracket of 4
2004 Kalleske Johann Georg Shiraz
Overt apricot peel and marmalade. Absolutely gorgeous nose. I would’ve said 95% sure it was the RunRig!!!!! Really stunning and exotic nose and lush fruits on palalte. Clear WOTN for mine. Balance. Elegance. Length. Great wine!
93/100
2003 Domaine du Pegau Cuvee Reserve Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2003
Soy sauce and Japanese food bonanza. Not nice at all. Not going anywhere either. Forgettable. Rated #3 of this flight.
80/100
2004 Glaetzer Amon Ra
2nd best wine of flight. Lovely nose. Got much better too. After 15 minutes, stunning nose. Best structure too and will be very long lived. I guessed the Godolphin. Lovely wine. 2nd best WOTN.
92/100
2004 Noon Reserve Shiraz
Dirty and stalky. Ferociously tannic and underfruited. Very disappointing. Port-like.
81/100
My Top 3 ranking was exactly in line with Group’s!
(1) Kalleske Johan Georg
(2) Glaetzer Amon Ra
(3) Glaetzer Godolphin
(4) Kaesler WOMS
(5) Greenock Creek RR
Medium mousse. Fresh, crisp, lean acidity. Palate is soft with good focus. Very dry which I like. Hint of toast. Not for ageing. Drink up. Good consistency of flavour. Not a lot of fruit.
86/100
NV Wild Duck Creek Estate Sparkling Duck 2
Shiraz from 1993-1997, and merlot from 1996. Light mousse and gorgeous ruby colour. Bacon and sweet raspberries and vegetable garden aromas. Lovely palate – beautiful balance, elegant, creamy with good finish. Drinking nicely now.
90/100
1st Bracket of 4
1996 Kay Brothers Block 6 Shiraz
Mousey. Some evident AV. Good ripe fruit (sweet plums). Palate is also ripe with cleansing acid. Easy to drink. Won’t develop into anything spectacular. Clean aftertaste. Good length. Not bad. My favourite of the flight.
87/100
1996 d'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz
More Bordeaux-like with herbs, green capsicum, dry, cedar. Lighter colour than Block 6. Bit more oak too. Palate is very very soft. More AV heat too. Length shorter than above wine (which also has slightly better structure). Got better with time. 2nd favourite wine of flight.
86/100
1996 Rockford SVS Hoffmann Shiraz (Barossa): 98 RPJ
Too ripe. Fruit bomb for sure. Almost florat but not OTT. Fine nose but a bit waxy (candles). Palate is all over the place – too much liquorice, oak. Porty. Alot of heat. Despite best nose of thios flight of 4, palate was too unbalanced. Rated #3 of the 4.
81/100
1996 Clarendon Hills Astralis Shiraz
Very farty and smelly. Quite pooey. Reminds me of 1999 Viking Grand Shiraz. Cleaned up with time. Palate is resiny and tarry. Slightly oaky and charcoally too. Not too keen on this. After 10 minutes, palate fell apart and became quite dilute. What a waste of grapes. Don’t think it was faulty. Least favourite of flight.
79/100
2nd Bracket of 4
2002 Whistling Eagle Eagle's Blood Shiraz
Pretty good nose with sweet, ripe plums and cherries. Youthful palate. A lot of tannin and acid. Very good. Rated 3rd in this flight.
88/100
2001 The Standish The Standish Shiraz
Mour sour cherries galore on this! Very alcoholic nose. Palate is better but far too dry and astringent. Not palate friendly. Rated last in this flight.
83/100
2002 Kaesler Weapons of Mass Seduction Shiraz/Cabernet
2nd best nose iof flight. Bit of tinned corn. Very good palate, almost excellent. Needs time. Rated 2nd of flight.
89/100
2004 Glaetzer Godolphin Shiraz/Cabernet
Best nose of both flights so far. Easily. Best palate too. Most complete wine drank so far tonite and excellent structure. Almost exact notes to last bottle has 6 months ago. I’d be drinking this now and over next 3 years though. WOTN s so far.
91/100
3rd bracket of 4
1995 Chris Ringland Randall's Hill 1910 Vineyard Shiraz
Bit green and stalky. Ok. Palate is very good, powerful yet oaky. Bit too brutish – lacks finesse. Rated #2 in flight.
86/100
1997 Greenock Creek Roennfeldt Road Shiraz
More chocolate and caramel kisses here. Better palate than the Randall’s. Very dry acidity typical of Greenock Creek wines. Still quite unevolved. Needs time as this is still one dimensional. Best wine of flight.
88/100
1998 Torbeck RunRig Shiraz Viognier
Too much oak. With time became quite seamless. Palate has excellent structure and is still very youthful with deep black fruits. Awkward now, but shows a lot of potential. Rated 3rd of flight.
86/100
2000 Wild Duck Creek Estate Duck Muck Shiraz Cabernet
Cognac and sherry casks. Llots of oak. Massively OTT. Palate has too much toffee and mocha/coffee but more “elegant†(if that’s the word!) than previous 3 wines. Priockly acid. A bit vegtabley and meaty too. Disjointed, despite a one hour decant and 4 hours Audozed. Rated last of flight.
84/100
Two nights later – beautiful wine! Really rich black fruits. Balanced, powerful, more harmonious but still strong acid. Needs 5 more years at least.
91/100
Last Bracket of 4
2004 Kalleske Johann Georg Shiraz
Overt apricot peel and marmalade. Absolutely gorgeous nose. I would’ve said 95% sure it was the RunRig!!!!! Really stunning and exotic nose and lush fruits on palalte. Clear WOTN for mine. Balance. Elegance. Length. Great wine!
93/100
2003 Domaine du Pegau Cuvee Reserve Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2003
Soy sauce and Japanese food bonanza. Not nice at all. Not going anywhere either. Forgettable. Rated #3 of this flight.
80/100
2004 Glaetzer Amon Ra
2nd best wine of flight. Lovely nose. Got much better too. After 15 minutes, stunning nose. Best structure too and will be very long lived. I guessed the Godolphin. Lovely wine. 2nd best WOTN.
92/100
2004 Noon Reserve Shiraz
Dirty and stalky. Ferociously tannic and underfruited. Very disappointing. Port-like.
81/100
My Top 3 ranking was exactly in line with Group’s!
(1) Kalleske Johan Georg
(2) Glaetzer Amon Ra
(3) Glaetzer Godolphin
(4) Kaesler WOMS
(5) Greenock Creek RR
Danny
The voyage of discovery lies not in finding new landscapes but in having new eyes. We must never be afraid to go too far, for success lies just beyond - Marcel Proust
The voyage of discovery lies not in finding new landscapes but in having new eyes. We must never be afraid to go too far, for success lies just beyond - Marcel Proust
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Gavin Trott
- Posts: 1860
- Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2003 5:01 pm
- Location: Adelaide
- Contact:
Red Bigot wrote:Go the young guns Troy and Ben!
I've only tried Astralis once, way over-priced and pushing the boundaries, but surely this one and the Standish (and the Duck Muck) had to faulty and non-typical examples?
One would certainly hope so with those three (and the Pegau which is supposed to be brilliant). Hopefully I'll get to try some of these wines again in the future to see.
