Anyone tried the Neville Falkenberg 2004 Barossa Shiraz Cab?

Markus Stone · Post by **Markus Stone** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 11:57 am

Just curious - this is one I really like. Wondering what others think.

-Markus

Wizz · Post by **Wizz** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 6:09 pm

I've tried it, albeit out of a plastic cup :shock:

.

Touted as worth $180 or something silly like that for a magnum. Its a nice wine and I'd pay $60 or $70 for the 1500ml bottle.

Markus Stone · Post by **Markus Stone** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:32 pm

Mmmm. I'm not sure how they came up with that figure, as the 750 ml bottles are $50, making the magnum at most, $100.

Sounds like marketing bull%$^& to me.

Marketing bull*&^? - in the wine industry? Unheard of! ;-)

-Markus

Wizz · Post by **Wizz** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 7:55 am

We joined a wine plan as a group at work, and the magnum was the incentive bottle, thrownin for free, so it was more like:

"and this $xxxmagnum of wine made by the guy who once made grange is yours...absolutely free!!!"

yep marketing bullsh!t. good wine, just not quite that good!

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 5:46 pm

That may be stretching the truth quite a bit too.... Neville, as far as I can remember, was the Chief White Winemaker for Penfolds, and was the guy responsible for the early Yattarna's. A very good winemaker, has also made some lovely Chardonnay's for Chain of Ponds, but wasn't involved in red wines at Penfolds to the best of my knowledge.

But why let details get in the road of a good marketing pitch!

Cheers

Markus Stone · Post by **Markus Stone** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 9:02 am

I wouldn't normally presume to know the ins and outs of the wine industry and who made what - indeed, I'd never heard of Neville Falkenberg until this wine came along (am I showing my newbie-ness here? :-)

But I believe this is supposed to be the first of a winemaker's signature series, each one created by a different high profile winemaker. The name of the bottle is "Neville Falkenberg" - it's displayed like a brand name, so I guess it's a fair bet that he probably did have something to do with it.

I'd agree with you if it was in the fine print, rather than splashed all over the front of the bottle.

Cheers

-Markus

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 9:50 am

Markus,

I wasn't referring to your post, but to Wizz's where he quoted the marketing blurb ," made by the guy who once made Grange..". No offence intended.

Cheers

Markus Stone · Post by **Markus Stone** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 11:00 am

Hey, none taken. I hope I didn't come accross all defensive.

It's interesting, though, for something that is supposed to beworth "$180 per magnum" they seem to be giving it away an awful lot.

Don't get me wrong, I like it, but they can't be actually selling very much of it, can they?

I guess with the wine glut at the moment...

But is it just that there is lots of cheap wine, or lots of cheap good wine?

-Markus

Ratcatcher · Post by **Ratcatcher** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 9:51 am

Neville Falkenberg made Yattarna I believe as well as the Tollana range of wines, all of which were very well rated by the reviewers.

I loved their reds. They weren't Grange but they were well above quaffing standard and very well priced until the last few years. The Riesling was a great buy year in year out too. All wines were Eden Valley fruit I think. The Chardonnay was getting good wraps at the end too just before the Rosemount takeover.

After leaving Southcorp in the Rosemount debacle he went to Chain of Ponds. I assume he is still there and the wine you mention is a little sideline of his. I also assume he is respnsible for the Ch of Ponds Ledge Shiraz 2002 that Halliday rated 96 points.

Where is the fruit for this wine from? edit - Duh - It's in the title - Barossa!

Dale · Post by **Dale** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:06 pm

Drinking it right now. Good Wine.
I guess it is subjective like anything else, but I am thoroughly enjoying it.
The Debortolli Yarra Valley GS Reserve Shiraz 1999 is possibly better at the samish price point
However I am not going to bag it.
Any idea where the full size bottles are available and at what price range

Dale

marsalla · Post by **marsalla** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 3:23 pm

Ratcatcher wrote:Neville Falkenberg made Yattarna I believe as well as the Tollana range of wines, all of which were very well rated by the reviewers.
!

I think he was brand ambassador for Tollana, though it doesnt mean he made the red tollanas. He may have been part of the final blending panel though. He was the Chief white winemaker at Nuri.

wine bloke · Post by **wine bloke** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:10 pm

Neville is a fantastic wine maker. In1996 Chain of Pond's was recognised as the best new winery in Australia by Vogue Entertaining. Whilst their 99 Morning Star Chardonnay was rated 16th in the top 100 wines of the world by U.S. Spectator. Both his Morning Star and Corkscrew Road Chardonnay's are highly regarded as rivalling some of the great whites from Burgundy.
With the success of the Morning Star Chardonnay, Neville went on to create a super premium red blend in 2002. This he was to call Evening Star. A Cabernet, Shiraz blend from the Adelaide Hills, Adelaide Plains and Barossa Valley, featuring all new French oak. I think he was placing it at about the $95.00 retail price point. I can remember seeing barrell samples of the wine and remember it as being a tightly textured, heavily weighted, pungent, brooding monster. The potential for this wine, for me was exciting. Fantastic year, with all the right components put together by a great guy who knows his stuff.

Any way if it was me I would be searching for some more of his booze, and make big a day of it!!

Cheers, Wine Bloke.