so you can post about all the c-throughs and Pinots you've been drinking, he won't see them for a few days probably 
.It's Sunday, you know what to do...
It's Sunday, you know what to do...
Ric's Compaq notebook computer at home has just died so you can post about all the c-throughs and Pinots you've been drinking, he won't see them for a few days probably .
so you can post about all the c-throughs and Pinots you've been drinking, he won't see them for a few days probably .Cheers
Brian
Life's too short to drink white wine and red wine is better for you too! :-)
Brian
Life's too short to drink white wine and red wine is better for you too! :-)
Yah!!!! Well, the highlights for me was all c-through's all week.
Went for a drive and had a great lunch yesterday at the Healesville Hotel. Great food and a great wine list. Had a bottle of Grosset 03 Watervale Riesling which was flawless and a great match with the salmon I had.
During the week, enjoyed a bottle of 03 Sevenhill Riesling which was very good and should settle into a long life.
Three different champagnes (must be the silly season) were also pretty good. The 96 Pol Roger is awesome, a lot fresher than the 95 and one of the great vintage champagnes when you consider how cheap it is.
A bottle of Louis Roederer NV which was great, perfect with oysters and a great way to start a meal. Also tried a bottle of Moet Vintage 93 that has developed very nicely. Lost a touch of its freshness and has become very toasty but pretty good.
cheers
anthony
Went for a drive and had a great lunch yesterday at the Healesville Hotel. Great food and a great wine list. Had a bottle of Grosset 03 Watervale Riesling which was flawless and a great match with the salmon I had.
During the week, enjoyed a bottle of 03 Sevenhill Riesling which was very good and should settle into a long life.
Three different champagnes (must be the silly season) were also pretty good. The 96 Pol Roger is awesome, a lot fresher than the 95 and one of the great vintage champagnes when you consider how cheap it is.
A bottle of Louis Roederer NV which was great, perfect with oysters and a great way to start a meal. Also tried a bottle of Moet Vintage 93 that has developed very nicely. Lost a touch of its freshness and has become very toasty but pretty good.
cheers
anthony
Good wine ruins the purse; bad wine ruins the stomach
Spanish saying
Spanish saying
Chuck
Revisited '98 Orlando St Hugo after about 1.5 years after finding it quite extractive and not allowing fruit to show thru. Please to advise matured to a point where that beautiful Coonawarra fruit is showing thru and all elements (fruit, oak, tannins) in good balance.
At Oddbins Auctions aquired a box full of Yalumba Horses Vintage Ports from late 70's and early eighties. For those new to old VP's these are a good intro and could have been picked up at auction for $5 - $10 5 years ago. Now $10 - $15 these well aged wines illustrate the famous early comments about Grange "Like a dry Vintage Port".
At Oddbins Auctions aquired a box full of Yalumba Horses Vintage Ports from late 70's and early eighties. For those new to old VP's these are a good intro and could have been picked up at auction for $5 - $10 5 years ago. Now $10 - $15 these well aged wines illustrate the famous early comments about Grange "Like a dry Vintage Port".
Re: Chuck
Chuck wrote:Revisited '98 Orlando St Hugo after about 1.5 years after finding it quite extractive and not allowing fruit to show thru. Please to advise matured to a point where that beautiful Coonawarra fruit is showing thru and all elements (fruit, oak, tannins) in good balance.
Chuck,
I'm glad to hear the St Hugo is hitting its straps.
My only taste this weekend was the 2003 Petaluma Riesling again. It was, as always, a lovely drop and holds up well (albeit different) against the 2002.
Red Bigot wrote:Ric's Compaq notebook computer at home has just died
I would have thought an old IBM company man would have stuck with the company product
A sign of the times I guess.Ciao,
michaelw
You know it makes sense!
michaelw
You know it makes sense!
Brands PatronÂ’s Reserve 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Merlot
The cork was a real concern with this wine. There was seepage right up the cork and almost to the top. Also the cork was very easy to remove. With this to start, I was expecting the worst.
The wine was quite young. Nice nose of good fruit and french oak. Very long on the palate, excellent fine tannin and all the complexity I would have expected from this Coonawarra icon. Still many long years in this one if the corks are good.
I would like to buy some more but feel the retailer might not approve of me slipping or slitting the capsule to check the cork.
Grant Burge 1998 Filsell Shiraz
I have opened a couple of these over the last six months. I was initially comparing this wine with the 2000 Filsell (I found a case of the 98 at a barn recently) and felt a little disappointed as I was a big fan of the 00. The 98 has great colour, good fruit and very good balance. It had been opened for about six hours when I retasted it. Really good but I think the 2000 will be better in two years. Sometimes it seems that Grant Burge steps up a notch for each new vintage.
West Cape Howe 2001 Shiraz
Still my favourite Shiraz/Viognier blend come all dÂ’ takers. I decanted the wine for an hour before leaving for a restaurant. Lovely rich colour, ripe fruit nose and the best mouth feel shiraz around. Nothing has changed. I love it.
Saltram Pepperjack 2001 Shiraz
This was a last minute selection to take to a Turkisk (EFES ONE) restaurant. DonÂ’t remember a whole lot of the details (more interest in the belly dancer) except to say that several of the diners made a note of the label. Really drinkable and it went very quickly soon after it was opened. From earlier tastings of this wine I seem to remember that it improved quite a bit after some decanting time.
Yarra Ridge 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon
Customers have been buying this in some number for the last two weeks and returning for more. Supposed to be about half price. Good rich deep purple red colour and a spicy nose. Good balance and nice soft tannins developing after two hours plus decanting. The original price of $25 is out of the question but at $14 is a good quaffer. Might get a few more before the sale ends next sunday
The cork was a real concern with this wine. There was seepage right up the cork and almost to the top. Also the cork was very easy to remove. With this to start, I was expecting the worst.
The wine was quite young. Nice nose of good fruit and french oak. Very long on the palate, excellent fine tannin and all the complexity I would have expected from this Coonawarra icon. Still many long years in this one if the corks are good.
I would like to buy some more but feel the retailer might not approve of me slipping or slitting the capsule to check the cork.
Grant Burge 1998 Filsell Shiraz
I have opened a couple of these over the last six months. I was initially comparing this wine with the 2000 Filsell (I found a case of the 98 at a barn recently) and felt a little disappointed as I was a big fan of the 00. The 98 has great colour, good fruit and very good balance. It had been opened for about six hours when I retasted it. Really good but I think the 2000 will be better in two years. Sometimes it seems that Grant Burge steps up a notch for each new vintage.
West Cape Howe 2001 Shiraz
Still my favourite Shiraz/Viognier blend come all dÂ’ takers. I decanted the wine for an hour before leaving for a restaurant. Lovely rich colour, ripe fruit nose and the best mouth feel shiraz around. Nothing has changed. I love it.
Saltram Pepperjack 2001 Shiraz
This was a last minute selection to take to a Turkisk (EFES ONE) restaurant. DonÂ’t remember a whole lot of the details (more interest in the belly dancer) except to say that several of the diners made a note of the label. Really drinkable and it went very quickly soon after it was opened. From earlier tastings of this wine I seem to remember that it improved quite a bit after some decanting time.
Yarra Ridge 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon
Customers have been buying this in some number for the last two weeks and returning for more. Supposed to be about half price. Good rich deep purple red colour and a spicy nose. Good balance and nice soft tannins developing after two hours plus decanting. The original price of $25 is out of the question but at $14 is a good quaffer. Might get a few more before the sale ends next sunday
Chardonnay: A drink you have when there is no RED wine, the beer hasn't arrived and the water may be polluted
Something a bit different this weekend. Stocked up on some Italian wines (all untasted) at a Leichhardt bottle shop on Saturday. Across 2 nights drank a
2001 Masi Valpolicella Classico
mid red, light & bright. In fact I smelt dusty cherries before I read almost the same words on the back label! A food wine in the 'just beyond Italian quaffer' category, the wine is quite sharp with pronounced acidity, and some faint grape skin tannins. Flavours are subtle - or understated if you prefer - a lick of cherry at best. Acceptable, not memorable, and not particularly good value at $22.
Stand by for the Soave tonight (yes I know they're all supposed to be rubbish, but my bottle is apparently the only drinkable producer...)
cheers,
Graeme
2001 Masi Valpolicella Classico
mid red, light & bright. In fact I smelt dusty cherries before I read almost the same words on the back label! A food wine in the 'just beyond Italian quaffer' category, the wine is quite sharp with pronounced acidity, and some faint grape skin tannins. Flavours are subtle - or understated if you prefer - a lick of cherry at best. Acceptable, not memorable, and not particularly good value at $22.
Stand by for the Soave tonight (yes I know they're all supposed to be rubbish, but my bottle is apparently the only drinkable producer...)
cheers,
Graeme
GraemeG wrote:Stand by for the Soave tonight (yes I know they're all supposed to be rubbish, but my bottle is apparently the only drinkable producer...)
Graeme;
Gotta say I've had plenty (well at least a few) of respectable Soave's. Cann't remember particular brands etc. but I have generally found them as nice dry white (sauv. blanc like) wines.
So i'd be interested to see what you think.
Cheers
jezza
Spent Friday-Sunday in Hanmer which is a Thermal Resort about an hrs drive inland from Waipara wine area. The trip from Christchurch north takes a total of about two hrs but is always broken up by lunch at one of the vineyards at waipara. This time stopping at Waipara Springs winery for lunch of Cod fish cakes and main of lamb, washed down with a glass of their 03 Riesling and house 02 Pinot Noir, Vineyard restaurant is run by the winemakers and is relaxed and informal environment. One of the wines i took up to Hanmer to drink was from a mixed case that was part of the prize for winning the Australasian Wine Options in Melbourne some years ago.
1997 Pirramimma McLaren Vale Petit Verdot Dark dense wine hardly any browning round the edges, big aromas of violets, ripe berryfruits and spice. The palate showing spicy american oak and coconutie creamy after taste, strong sweet berry fruit flavors backed up with strong tannins which had integrated into the wine by the second glass to leave a well balanced wine that had good length, carried its 14% alc well. If i had been given this wine blind i would just about have said it was a Barrosa Shiraz it even had a touch of liquorice on the palate. I did manage to keep a glass for the following day, it had faded some what and from that i would say that it is probably drinking at its best now. It was interesting to drink this wine and i enjoyed it. At a guess i would have imagined it sold for the mid twenty's on release. i haven't heard much about the winery, are they still round under that name?
Cheers
Geoffrey
1997 Pirramimma McLaren Vale Petit Verdot Dark dense wine hardly any browning round the edges, big aromas of violets, ripe berryfruits and spice. The palate showing spicy american oak and coconutie creamy after taste, strong sweet berry fruit flavors backed up with strong tannins which had integrated into the wine by the second glass to leave a well balanced wine that had good length, carried its 14% alc well. If i had been given this wine blind i would just about have said it was a Barrosa Shiraz it even had a touch of liquorice on the palate. I did manage to keep a glass for the following day, it had faded some what and from that i would say that it is probably drinking at its best now. It was interesting to drink this wine and i enjoyed it. At a guess i would have imagined it sold for the mid twenty's on release. i haven't heard much about the winery, are they still round under that name?
Cheers
Geoffrey
Last edited by Geoffrey on Mon Dec 08, 2003 5:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Chuck
michaelw wrote:Red Bigot wrote:Ric's Compaq notebook computer at home has just died
I would have thought an old IBM company man would have stuck with the company product
The last IBM tower machine I bought was a dog (possibly due to Windows ME) that I literally chucked it out after 12 months and bought the Laptop.
The best bottle I have had in the last week was a 91 Lawson, it was a bit more advanced than others I had tried and had a little bottle stink but was silky smooth, full of soft integrated flavours and in fine form.
I have a new Toshibe Laptop (purchased yesterday) to use till I get my 11 month old laptop back (that has now had the motherboard and fixed disk replaced under warrenty) and that will go into the shop and replace an old Compaq running Windows 98 that is past due for retirement.
No money to spend on wine as its all going on shop renovations and computers.
Highlights over the last week or so included:
Wynns John Riddoch 1996 - Too young but absolutely fantastic (the situation was helped by being upstairs at the Stokehouse at the time). Well integrated tannins and oak. Still needs heaps of time.
Torbreck Juvenilles 2002 - Really impressed by the purity of fruit and simple drinkability of this wine.
St Hallet Faith Shiraz 2002 - Not as good as I'd hoped from this vintage but a fairly good effort that will reward 5 years in the cellar.
Penfolds 1998's - Kalimna, Bin 128, Bin 389 and St Henri - It was good to try these guys again. The Kalimna was drinking the best currently. The 389 still needs ages for the tannins to integrate fully. The 128 did not excite me as much as it should given my fondness for Coonawarra Shiraz. Finally the St Henri was stunning - Penfold's did a great job with this wine.
Two Hands Angels Share 2002 - Others have written properly on this wine. I thought is had wonderful purity of fruit and a finish that went on and on. This producer is promising good things.
Cheers
Andy
Wynns John Riddoch 1996 - Too young but absolutely fantastic (the situation was helped by being upstairs at the Stokehouse at the time). Well integrated tannins and oak. Still needs heaps of time.
Torbreck Juvenilles 2002 - Really impressed by the purity of fruit and simple drinkability of this wine.
St Hallet Faith Shiraz 2002 - Not as good as I'd hoped from this vintage but a fairly good effort that will reward 5 years in the cellar.
Penfolds 1998's - Kalimna, Bin 128, Bin 389 and St Henri - It was good to try these guys again. The Kalimna was drinking the best currently. The 389 still needs ages for the tannins to integrate fully. The 128 did not excite me as much as it should given my fondness for Coonawarra Shiraz. Finally the St Henri was stunning - Penfold's did a great job with this wine.
Two Hands Angels Share 2002 - Others have written properly on this wine. I thought is had wonderful purity of fruit and a finish that went on and on. This producer is promising good things.
Cheers
Andy
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Phil Shorten
- Posts: 113
- Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2003 12:19 am
Valpolicella and Soave
GraemeG wrote:Something a bit different this weekend. Stocked up on some Italian wines (all untasted) at a Leichhardt bottle shop on Saturday. Across 2 nights drank a
2001 Masi Valpolicella Classico
mid red, light & bright. In fact I smelt dusty cherries before I read almost the same words on the back label! A food wine in the 'just beyond Italian quaffer' category, the wine is quite sharp with pronounced acidity, and some faint grape skin tannins. Flavours are subtle - or understated if you prefer - a lick of cherry at best. Acceptable, not memorable, and not particularly good value at $22.
Stand by for the Soave tonight (yes I know they're all supposed to be rubbish, but my bottle is apparently the only drinkable producer...)
cheers,
Graeme
Graham
If you want something that is a bit of a step up from basic Valpolicella, I'd suggest the Ripasso wines (such as Masi's own Campofiorin) or blends such as Musella's Valpolicella Classico Superiore (some Cabernet Sauvignon in this blend, together with Corvina and Rondinella or Mollinara. The Ripasso wines have a bit more body and interest than your basic Valpolicella Classico, which I find to be a decent bistro wine for a tomato based pasta sauce, but not much more.
As to Soave, there is some good stuff about, particularly from Pieropan (either his basic wine, the two more expensive single vineyard wines or his rich Recioto di Soave) and Pra. FWIW, I quite like Pieropan's basic wine - nice lemon citrus, minerals and touches of almond - a good pairing with lemon risotto. It retails for about £8.50 here in the UK.
Cheers
Phil
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Muscat Mike
- Posts: 425
- Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2003 10:05 pm
- Location: Sydney - North West.
Tyrrells Rufus Stone 98 M/V Shiraz.
Finally opened one of my Rufus Stone 98 M/V Shirazes. Glad I did,it is drinking very well. Tannins,fruit and acid are all as one. Very easily slips down and leaves you wanting more. Still several years ahead but drinking at optimum. Second night ,just slightly better.
Several Rieslings:-
Richmond Grove Watervale '02 - very good.
Heggies 02 - almost as good.
Jacobs Creek Reserve '02 - good QPR.
JC ordinary 02, as good as reserve and much better QPR. Probably my bet for QPR of the year.
MM.
Several Rieslings:-
Richmond Grove Watervale '02 - very good.
Heggies 02 - almost as good.
Jacobs Creek Reserve '02 - good QPR.
JC ordinary 02, as good as reserve and much better QPR. Probably my bet for QPR of the year.
MM.
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Martin Phillipson
- Posts: 64
- Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2003 1:49 am
Recent TV's
Hi all, some recent goodies:
2000 Katnook Shiraz, very very tasty indeed but a few years needed yet. I love cool climate shiraz so I may be a tad biased.
1996 Chapel Hill Shiraz, delicious, drinking beautifully now but could hold on for another few years yet. My last one unfort.
2001 Maglieri Shiraz, Another top quality McLaren Vale Shiraz, delicious drinking now, gobs and gobs of fruit. Will hold but hard to resist.
Lanson Champage N/V Black Label..great bubbles and only $34 a bottle here, bring on the Christmas parties!! Very much an aperitif style, light and fruity and very refreshing. Dangerously easy to drink.
Cheers
MP
2000 Katnook Shiraz, very very tasty indeed but a few years needed yet. I love cool climate shiraz so I may be a tad biased.
1996 Chapel Hill Shiraz, delicious, drinking beautifully now but could hold on for another few years yet. My last one unfort.
2001 Maglieri Shiraz, Another top quality McLaren Vale Shiraz, delicious drinking now, gobs and gobs of fruit. Will hold but hard to resist.
Lanson Champage N/V Black Label..great bubbles and only $34 a bottle here, bring on the Christmas parties!! Very much an aperitif style, light and fruity and very refreshing. Dangerously easy to drink.
Cheers
MP
Re: Valpolicella and Soave
[quote="Phil Shorten]
As to Soave, there is some good stuff about, particularly from Pieropan (either his basic wine, the two more expensive single vineyard wines or his rich Recioto di Soave) and Pra. FWIW, I quite like Pieropan's basic wine - nice lemon citrus, minerals and touches of almond - a good pairing with lemon risotto. It retails for about £8.50 here in the UK.
Cheers
Phil[/quote]
Thanks Phil, & Jezza. In fact, the wine I bought & we drank (½) last night was 2002 Pieropan Soave Classico Pale straw, it had a wisp of lime and was a little earthy, but in a very clean way - almost sandy perhaps, if sand can be said to have a flavour. Fresh acid, but very different in nature to laser beams we see in Hunter semillon and Clare riesling. A most satsifying wine, and something I'd happily drink more frequently if it was available for less than the A$24 it cost me.
At the MW summer school 2 years ago I had a reciotos of both Soave and Valpolicella, which were wonderful, and I keep an eye out for such wines, but they seem to come to Oz only in very small quantities, if at all...
cheers,
Graeme
As to Soave, there is some good stuff about, particularly from Pieropan (either his basic wine, the two more expensive single vineyard wines or his rich Recioto di Soave) and Pra. FWIW, I quite like Pieropan's basic wine - nice lemon citrus, minerals and touches of almond - a good pairing with lemon risotto. It retails for about £8.50 here in the UK.
Cheers
Phil[/quote]
Thanks Phil, & Jezza. In fact, the wine I bought & we drank (½) last night was 2002 Pieropan Soave Classico Pale straw, it had a wisp of lime and was a little earthy, but in a very clean way - almost sandy perhaps, if sand can be said to have a flavour. Fresh acid, but very different in nature to laser beams we see in Hunter semillon and Clare riesling. A most satsifying wine, and something I'd happily drink more frequently if it was available for less than the A$24 it cost me.
At the MW summer school 2 years ago I had a reciotos of both Soave and Valpolicella, which were wonderful, and I keep an eye out for such wines, but they seem to come to Oz only in very small quantities, if at all...
cheers,
Graeme
Not many, nut a couple of good'uns.
'95 De Bortoli "Melba" Cab/Shiraz/merlot/Malbec
Bit of a "bittza" this one, and no doubt very complex full nose and palate with a generous finish, as you would expect with the blend. A very mouthfilling wine, with no obvious tannins or acid left, so I don't know if this is going to get much better, but may sit on this plataeu for a while.
'02 Stoneleigh Rapaura Series Pinot Noir.
From the Marlborough region in NZ, this has everything I love about NZ Pinot's and everything that Oz Pinot's lack. Sweet unforced ripe fruit, silky texture, softness and a fantail finish. A sexy wine.
Rory
Bit of a "bittza" this one, and no doubt very complex full nose and palate with a generous finish, as you would expect with the blend. A very mouthfilling wine, with no obvious tannins or acid left, so I don't know if this is going to get much better, but may sit on this plataeu for a while.
'02 Stoneleigh Rapaura Series Pinot Noir.
From the Marlborough region in NZ, this has everything I love about NZ Pinot's and everything that Oz Pinot's lack. Sweet unforced ripe fruit, silky texture, softness and a fantail finish. A sexy wine.
Rory
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lantana
Hi All,
Had a good tasting the other night, matching old world & new world wines of the same variety. Here's the list with some brief comments, rather than my full notes:
Dr L Riesling 2002 - Perfect Thai food wine, off dry with refreshing acidity, v.good
Leo Buring Clare Riesling 2002 - Gloriously, typical Clare with great QPR
Chateau de Sancerre 2001 - How much bottle stink can you have in 1 bottle of wine, eventually blowing to reveal a really top example of older style Sancerre, even down to Pouilly Fume like gunsmoke!
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2002 - This is great Marlborough Sauvignon, so intense with some real complexity, give me this over some more well known Marlboroughs any day!
Laroche Petit Chablis 2002 - So fresh & crisp & moreish, pass me a dozen oysters & a squeeze of lemon
Di Stasio Chardonnay 2000 - oxidised, which was a real shame as I love this Chardonnay from Coldstream Hills
Drouhin Laforet Bougogne 2001 - Not a great bottle me thinks, lacking fruit with acidity out of balance, either that or I remember enjoying the previous vintage, because I think this is usually a top little basic pinot with great QPR, but perhaps I remember the 2000
Seppelt Victorian Pinot Noir 2000 - I've posted abut this wine before & this tasting confirmed my previous thoughts, which were that it's great to see some real varietal typicity in a $20 pinot!
Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Reserve 1998 - Really good example of traditional chianti, needs food & was somewhat stinky on opening, which blew off to reveal dark cherries & a real chianti backbone of mineral & brisk acid. V.V. Good
Cardinham Sangiovese Clare Valley 2001 - This is a reasonably new Clare producer doing great things. Much more fruit driven than the Chianti, which you'd expect, but real Sangio character with good acidity & ripe red cherries & great QPR, they have an excellent 2003 Riesling, which is also worth seeking out.
A.Mano Primitivo 2001 - I really like this wine for it's copha dark chocolate character, medium body & it just really sucks me in, another great QPR wine.
Longview "The Mob" Zinfandel 2001 - Apparently only 50 six packs made, this wine weighs in at 15.5% Alc/Vol, but it doesn't show. It is simply an amazing wine, a real showstopper & wine of the night for 12 out of 15 people. It has an intoxicating nose of blackberry jam, tar & licorice, the palate has an incredible intensity of milk chocolate & orand rind acidity, quite unusual but very seductive.
lantana
Had a good tasting the other night, matching old world & new world wines of the same variety. Here's the list with some brief comments, rather than my full notes:
Dr L Riesling 2002 - Perfect Thai food wine, off dry with refreshing acidity, v.good
Leo Buring Clare Riesling 2002 - Gloriously, typical Clare with great QPR
Chateau de Sancerre 2001 - How much bottle stink can you have in 1 bottle of wine, eventually blowing to reveal a really top example of older style Sancerre, even down to Pouilly Fume like gunsmoke!
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2002 - This is great Marlborough Sauvignon, so intense with some real complexity, give me this over some more well known Marlboroughs any day!
Laroche Petit Chablis 2002 - So fresh & crisp & moreish, pass me a dozen oysters & a squeeze of lemon
Di Stasio Chardonnay 2000 - oxidised, which was a real shame as I love this Chardonnay from Coldstream Hills
Drouhin Laforet Bougogne 2001 - Not a great bottle me thinks, lacking fruit with acidity out of balance, either that or I remember enjoying the previous vintage, because I think this is usually a top little basic pinot with great QPR, but perhaps I remember the 2000
Seppelt Victorian Pinot Noir 2000 - I've posted abut this wine before & this tasting confirmed my previous thoughts, which were that it's great to see some real varietal typicity in a $20 pinot!
Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Reserve 1998 - Really good example of traditional chianti, needs food & was somewhat stinky on opening, which blew off to reveal dark cherries & a real chianti backbone of mineral & brisk acid. V.V. Good
Cardinham Sangiovese Clare Valley 2001 - This is a reasonably new Clare producer doing great things. Much more fruit driven than the Chianti, which you'd expect, but real Sangio character with good acidity & ripe red cherries & great QPR, they have an excellent 2003 Riesling, which is also worth seeking out.
A.Mano Primitivo 2001 - I really like this wine for it's copha dark chocolate character, medium body & it just really sucks me in, another great QPR wine.
Longview "The Mob" Zinfandel 2001 - Apparently only 50 six packs made, this wine weighs in at 15.5% Alc/Vol, but it doesn't show. It is simply an amazing wine, a real showstopper & wine of the night for 12 out of 15 people. It has an intoxicating nose of blackberry jam, tar & licorice, the palate has an incredible intensity of milk chocolate & orand rind acidity, quite unusual but very seductive.
lantana
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Mike Hawkins
- Posts: 2734
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 9:39 am
-
Campbell
Had a bottle of 91 Wynns Centenary cab-shiraz at Simone's restaurant in Bright in north-east Victoria last week - Simone's is in fantastic new premises and sheesh, the food is bloody fantastic. Fortunately the wine, which I'd bought at auction, was in true form, this bottle at its peak.
Had a bottle of Wood Park chardonnay, 2001 I think but not definite. Excellent. Must folllow it up.
Had a bottle of Gapsted 2000 shiraz - sweet-oaky but cherried and excellent. Must follow it up.
Had a bottle of Gapsted 2000 cabernet - when I last tasted it the oak was too much - it's now nestled in beautifully. A really fine wine.
Had a bottle of Tyrrells Reserve Semillon 1997. A great shot of lemon surrounded by oily, buttery softness. Excellent.
Had a bottle of Grosset 2002 PN: seemed warm and disjointed. Which was exactly how I felt that day too.
Had a bottle of Wynns 90 black label: true cabernet. True Coonawarra. Disappeared fast.
Had a bottle of Cofield Sparkling Shiraz 1998: in excellent form. Rich and dusty. Underrated.
Had a bottle of Seppelt Millenium sp. shiraz 1993: finally figured out why I've experienced so much bottle variation with this one. It's got a medium level dose of brett. Comes across as farmy and mushroomed, sometimes beautifully so but sometimes with a sense of being dried out and short. This bottle was somewhere in-between. Good, but didn't finish it.
Gotta get back to Simone's restaurant. Best restaurant I've been to this year. Can't fault it.
(Oh, and not all of these wines were consumed at Simone's, it should be noted).
Campbell.
Had a bottle of Wood Park chardonnay, 2001 I think but not definite. Excellent. Must folllow it up.
Had a bottle of Gapsted 2000 shiraz - sweet-oaky but cherried and excellent. Must follow it up.
Had a bottle of Gapsted 2000 cabernet - when I last tasted it the oak was too much - it's now nestled in beautifully. A really fine wine.
Had a bottle of Tyrrells Reserve Semillon 1997. A great shot of lemon surrounded by oily, buttery softness. Excellent.
Had a bottle of Grosset 2002 PN: seemed warm and disjointed. Which was exactly how I felt that day too.
Had a bottle of Wynns 90 black label: true cabernet. True Coonawarra. Disappeared fast.
Had a bottle of Cofield Sparkling Shiraz 1998: in excellent form. Rich and dusty. Underrated.
Had a bottle of Seppelt Millenium sp. shiraz 1993: finally figured out why I've experienced so much bottle variation with this one. It's got a medium level dose of brett. Comes across as farmy and mushroomed, sometimes beautifully so but sometimes with a sense of being dried out and short. This bottle was somewhere in-between. Good, but didn't finish it.
Gotta get back to Simone's restaurant. Best restaurant I've been to this year. Can't fault it.
(Oh, and not all of these wines were consumed at Simone's, it should be noted).
Campbell.
Got to love the Christmas parties.......
Leeuwin 1993 Art Series Chard: From magnum, not as clean as previous bottle this year but still quite expressive of the Leeuwin mould. May have had a rough life and it was showing. Good party wine though
Houghtons 1999 Gladstones Cabernet: Rich, full, powerful Margeret River cabernet. At $60 it's not twice as good as the 1999 regional cab from Houghtons, however I'm staggered at where they keep sourcing all this quality MR fruit from (including 1999 Thomas Hardy)
Houghtons 2000 Jack Mann: Tight, lean and firm. Needed serious coaxing. Should fatten up and fill out with time but not in the same league as the stunning 1998 and good 1999.
Devils Lair 1997 Pinot Noir: Nicely matured characteristic Pinot nose however fell apart on the palate finishing bitter and hot.
Balnaves Sparkling Red: Firm, extracted and too rough round the edges to be fully enjoyable. Not a patch on their reds.
Glaetzer 1997 Cab Malbec: Maturing quickly, almost bricking, soft tannins but a pleasant, albeit simple drink.
Mitchell 2002 Peppertree Shiraz: Purple and raw at the moment, give it a bit of time to find its legs and should be a classy drink.
Brief impressions of Champers tasting. Moet NV is considerably better this year (the past 6 years at least it has consistently proved to be the poorest of the NV's), Billecart is still clean, fine and citrusy, a lighter style that it great drinking. Charles Mis en Cave 98 still one of the best NV's even though it lacked some of the power and intensity of the previous two releases. Krug NV is completely cerebral, a real thinking drink, and certainly not a style that impresses everyone. Dom 1995 is a superstar!
cheers
TA
Leeuwin 1993 Art Series Chard: From magnum, not as clean as previous bottle this year but still quite expressive of the Leeuwin mould. May have had a rough life and it was showing. Good party wine though
Houghtons 1999 Gladstones Cabernet: Rich, full, powerful Margeret River cabernet. At $60 it's not twice as good as the 1999 regional cab from Houghtons, however I'm staggered at where they keep sourcing all this quality MR fruit from (including 1999 Thomas Hardy)
Houghtons 2000 Jack Mann: Tight, lean and firm. Needed serious coaxing. Should fatten up and fill out with time but not in the same league as the stunning 1998 and good 1999.
Devils Lair 1997 Pinot Noir: Nicely matured characteristic Pinot nose however fell apart on the palate finishing bitter and hot.
Balnaves Sparkling Red: Firm, extracted and too rough round the edges to be fully enjoyable. Not a patch on their reds.
Glaetzer 1997 Cab Malbec: Maturing quickly, almost bricking, soft tannins but a pleasant, albeit simple drink.
Mitchell 2002 Peppertree Shiraz: Purple and raw at the moment, give it a bit of time to find its legs and should be a classy drink.
Brief impressions of Champers tasting. Moet NV is considerably better this year (the past 6 years at least it has consistently proved to be the poorest of the NV's), Billecart is still clean, fine and citrusy, a lighter style that it great drinking. Charles Mis en Cave 98 still one of the best NV's even though it lacked some of the power and intensity of the previous two releases. Krug NV is completely cerebral, a real thinking drink, and certainly not a style that impresses everyone. Dom 1995 is a superstar!
cheers
TA
-
Muscat Mike
- Posts: 425
- Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2003 10:05 pm
- Location: Sydney - North West.