monghead wrote: 2005 Tower Estate Yarra Valley Pinot Noir
Not too bad. Vibrant cherries and strawberries. Flavours that dance on the palate. If it weren't for the hint of varnish, I believe the late Len Evans would have been proud of this wine...
Cheers,
monghead.
Do you know anything about the Tower Barossa Shiraz? I discovered a bottle of the 2003 while doing a mini audit at the weekend and don't know if I should be pleased or not.
I think you should be quite pleased. Their Barossa shiraz is always better than their Hunter shiraz in my opinion. This often puzzled me, as they are based in the Hunter! Have not had the '03 though.
DaveB wrote:2008 Domaine La Roche Bussiere Premice Vdt - very good...super gluggable 2003 Louis Lequin Chassange Montrachet Morgeot - pretty good...lacks a bit of finesse though 2002 Louis Lequin Corton Les Languettes - quite advanced colour but pretty good drinking 2005 Cornu Le clos Magny Cote de Nuits Village - enjoyed this...super value at around three lobsters 2004 Cornu Les Bois Rousett Ladoix - pretty good...tarry and a bit reductive with that '04 celery character....not bad though 2001 Cornu Le Clos Magny Cote de Nuit Village - pretty good, nice line of fruit but the finish a bit trucated 2005 Earl Cacheux Les chaladins Vosne Romanee - new worldy style...pretty good 2005 Earl Cacheux Les Suchots Vosne Romanee - pretty good...in a bit of a weird place at the moment 2005 Earl Cacheux La Croix Rameau Vosne Romanee - again new worldy...quite powerful line...very good 2005 Prieure-Roch Les Suchots 1er Vosne Romanee - sick....I love these wines 2001 Prieure-Roch Les Suchots 1er Vosne Romanee - awesome....super heady gear 2005 Prieure-Roch Chambertin Clos de Beze - awesome...super extracted though....pretty polarising wine 2004 Prieure-Roch Chambertin clos de Beze - excellent....smells like a crazy chinese restaurant 2001 Prieure-Roch Chambertin Clos de Beze - browning right off...bugger all sulphur used so this is to be expected....very good
All the prieure-rochs are pretty crazy wines....hyper-natural stylee with brown colours with a bit of age and some pretty challenging aromatic elements....lots of poop, tea, soy sauce, spice and uber-gamey stuff....very complex gear
Dave, those Prieure-Rochs sound very interesting. Are they 1er or Grand crus?
Last night I was sent to the cellar with the instruction to get a dry white. I generally think that a chardy fits this bill, given it's for a risotto. Problem is, I don't have very many cheap chardys. i wasn't too keen on putting Leuuwin Estate or Mount Mary or even Vat 47 in the risotto so had to go hunting.
I eventually found two bottles of Draytons 1997 Chardonnay. I don't even remember where these came from but I suspect I bought them for cooking purposes so I wasn't holding much hope. Turns out it was actually drinkable! Very deep yellow and all the primary fruit long gone but not vinegar and we were certainly happy enough to finish off the bottle. I am constantly surprised!
Cheers,
Kris
There's a fine wine between pleasure and pain
(Stolen from the graffiti in the ladies loos at Pegasus Bay winery)
I was looking for some wines of interest for quaffing during the week, and after hearing all the speculation about Heritage, thought I'd dive in and decide for myself. Here's the first of the mixed case
2003 Binder Mitchell Dovetail SGM- This was the only one with screwcap in the box, so since it was the easiest to open, it was chosen first. There's some good ripe fruit, a nice dash of oak and a bit of alcohol warmth. But something feels out of place, just like Kevin Rudd without a hair dryer. There's an overt "fruityness" which is a bit distratcting. Just have it with food, and don't worry about quibbling at this price point.
monghead wrote: 2005 Tower Estate Yarra Valley Pinot Noir
Not too bad. Vibrant cherries and strawberries. Flavours that dance on the palate. If it weren't for the hint of varnish, I believe the late Len Evans would have been proud of this wine...
Cheers,
monghead.
The 04 is very nice. No varnish and really good after a bit of a decant.
I had the 2003 Tower Hunter shiraz recently. Very bright acidity, almost, spritzy. A hint of brett coming over as well. The last bit about brett is consistent with what I've read over the fora. I would avoid... :/
Last night I was sent to the cellar with the instruction to get a dry white. I generally think that a chardy fits this bill, given it's for a risotto. Problem is, I don't have very many cheap chardys. i wasn't too keen on putting Leuuwin Estate or Mount Mary or even Vat 47 in the risotto so had to go hunting.
I eventually found two bottles of Draytons 1997 Chardonnay. I don't even remember where these came from but I suspect I bought them for cooking purposes so I wasn't holding much hope. Turns out it was actually drinkable! Very deep yellow and all the primary fruit long gone but not vinegar and we were certainly happy enough to finish off the bottle. I am constantly surprised!
That is bloody startling Kris! Thanks. Nice to know someone can still be suprised far on down one's wine journey. I hope I always am
Yeah, I was quite startled, Jeremy! It was funny as I was on twitter (as you do) and Lisa was calling up for me to get some wine. By the time I finally got it she needed to put it straight in and was grabbing it out of my hand to pour and I'm going, "hang on, I need to try that first, it's probably vinegar". But all was fine and good so in it went.
Cheers,
Kris
There's a fine wine between pleasure and pain
(Stolen from the graffiti in the ladies loos at Pegasus Bay winery)
DaveB wrote:2008 Domaine La Roche Bussiere Premice Vdt - very good...super gluggable 2003 Louis Lequin Chassange Montrachet Morgeot - pretty good...lacks a bit of finesse though 2002 Louis Lequin Corton Les Languettes - quite advanced colour but pretty good drinking 2005 Cornu Le clos Magny Cote de Nuits Village - enjoyed this...super value at around three lobsters 2004 Cornu Les Bois Rousett Ladoix - pretty good...tarry and a bit reductive with that '04 celery character....not bad though 2001 Cornu Le Clos Magny Cote de Nuit Village - pretty good, nice line of fruit but the finish a bit trucated 2005 Earl Cacheux Les chaladins Vosne Romanee - new worldy style...pretty good 2005 Earl Cacheux Les Suchots Vosne Romanee - pretty good...in a bit of a weird place at the moment 2005 Earl Cacheux La Croix Rameau Vosne Romanee - again new worldy...quite powerful line...very good 2005 Prieure-Roch Les Suchots 1er Vosne Romanee - sick....I love these wines 2001 Prieure-Roch Les Suchots 1er Vosne Romanee - awesome....super heady gear 2005 Prieure-Roch Chambertin Clos de Beze - awesome...super extracted though....pretty polarising wine 2004 Prieure-Roch Chambertin clos de Beze - excellent....smells like a crazy chinese restaurant 2001 Prieure-Roch Chambertin Clos de Beze - browning right off...bugger all sulphur used so this is to be expected....very good
All the prieure-rochs are pretty crazy wines....hyper-natural stylee with brown colours with a bit of age and some pretty challenging aromatic elements....lots of poop, tea, soy sauce, spice and uber-gamey stuff....very complex gear
Dave, those Prieure-Rochs sound very interesting. Are they 1er or Grand crus?
Cheers,
Monghead.
I'm not DaveB, but Les Suchot 1er V-R is naturally a Premier Cru, but a very, very good one adjoining the famous Grand Cru, Romanee Saint Vivant. Chambertin-Clos de Beze is generally rated number two Grand Cru in the Gevrey-Chambertin appellation .... Chambertin is still king, i.e., number 1. Remember, the producer is the most important player in Burgundian vineyards. Roch is a director of the famous Domaine de la Romanee Conti. Perhaps this is why his wine is so freakin' expensive (although DaveB has told me for some years now how good this dude makes 'em).
2008 Clonakilla Jack Reidy Shiraz White flowers and apricot lifted on the nose. Red currant and fresh palate that is silky and forward in the mouth. A kiss of tannin on the cheeks in the finish. Drink from now on. Good/Very Good wine but the O'Riada is a level more serious.
cheers
Carl
Bartenders are supposed to have people skills. Or was it people are supposed to have bartending skills?
DaveB wrote:2008 Domaine La Roche Bussiere Premice Vdt - very good...super gluggable 2003 Louis Lequin Chassange Montrachet Morgeot - pretty good...lacks a bit of finesse though 2002 Louis Lequin Corton Les Languettes - quite advanced colour but pretty good drinking 2005 Cornu Le clos Magny Cote de Nuits Village - enjoyed this...super value at around three lobsters 2004 Cornu Les Bois Rousett Ladoix - pretty good...tarry and a bit reductive with that '04 celery character....not bad though 2001 Cornu Le Clos Magny Cote de Nuit Village - pretty good, nice line of fruit but the finish a bit trucated 2005 Earl Cacheux Les chaladins Vosne Romanee - new worldy style...pretty good 2005 Earl Cacheux Les Suchots Vosne Romanee - pretty good...in a bit of a weird place at the moment 2005 Earl Cacheux La Croix Rameau Vosne Romanee - again new worldy...quite powerful line...very good 2005 Prieure-Roch Les Suchots 1er Vosne Romanee - sick....I love these wines 2001 Prieure-Roch Les Suchots 1er Vosne Romanee - awesome....super heady gear 2005 Prieure-Roch Chambertin Clos de Beze - awesome...super extracted though....pretty polarising wine 2004 Prieure-Roch Chambertin clos de Beze - excellent....smells like a crazy chinese restaurant 2001 Prieure-Roch Chambertin Clos de Beze - browning right off...bugger all sulphur used so this is to be expected....very good
All the prieure-rochs are pretty crazy wines....hyper-natural stylee with brown colours with a bit of age and some pretty challenging aromatic elements....lots of poop, tea, soy sauce, spice and uber-gamey stuff....very complex gear
Dave, those Prieure-Rochs sound very interesting. Are they 1er or Grand crus?
Cheers,
Monghead.
I'm not DaveB, but Les Suchot 1er V-R is naturally a Premier Cru, but a very, very good one adjoining the famous Grand Cru, Romanee Saint Vivant. Chambertin-Clos de Beze is generally rated number two Grand Cru in the Gevrey-Chambertin appellation .... Chambertin is still king, i.e., number 1. Remember, the producer is the most important player in Burgundian vineyards. Roch is a director of the famous Domaine de la Romanee Conti. Perhaps this is why his wine is so freakin' expensive (although DaveB has told me for some years now how good this dude makes 'em).
Yes, silly me. I realised soon after I had posted... But thank you for confirming...
1991 Lindemans Bin 8200 Hunter Valley Reserve Shiraz
Magenta-brown in colour. Aromas of tar, burnt leather, five spice, and cigars were interesting. The palate was on the thin side, with developed flavours and resolved tannins. Importantly, this wine was in no way oxidised, and so was still an experience (good) to drink. Would certainly drink up any if you still hold them...
An absolute cracker from the west. Excellent Fruit balanced with a lush structured palate. This is an excellent young MR cabernet, well worth buying a few to cellar. Can't wait for some of the big gun MR reds from 2007 to roll out!
jeremy wrote:To bring things crashing down to earth
2008 De Bortoli Sem/Sav- crisp, lively, tangy, $6, why pay more on a Monday night for a food friendly SSB? Unless you love them & know them better than me that is My fav Sacred Hill ever.
Funny, I had this on Sunday night to wash down some Satay Tofu (far better than it sounds)
I'm astounded how good this is for the money; there's some simple but pure fruit flavours, some nice balance and best of all, little evidence of grape concentrate to mask the bad stuff
Great with a curry or BBQ
Also had a D'Arenberg Footbolt 2007. Ever since living in the UK, I've been a fan of D'Arenburg and the footbolt is something of a minor icon in my eyes. A little bit rustic perhaps and the black fruit a bit simple, but it's got a great structure and the tannins are big, juicy and leathery.
I'd like to see it again in another year or two to see where it's at but an hour or decant opened this up nicely
I opened the second last bottle of 2007 Front Row (Clare Valley) Grenache - A Neagles Rock label "exclusive to Grays online" that was an absolute bargain at about $5/bottle, and probably enjoyed it more than the 04 Moppa Springs that my now-cancelled previous user name drank on Tuesday night.
jeremy wrote: To bring things crashing down to earth
2008 De Bortoli Sem/Sav- crisp, lively, tangy, $6, why pay more on a Monday night for a food friendly SSB? Unless you love them & know them better than me that is My fav Sacred Hill ever.
Funny, I had this on Sunday night to wash down some Satay Tofu (far better than it sounds)
I'm astounded how good this is for the money; there's some simple but pure fruit flavours, some nice balance and best of all, little evidence of grape concentrate to mask the bad stuff
Yep, it's better than a budget ripper fer sure. Can't bring myself to TN it yet though, it's just so fresh and a blast with food. Have 08 Sem/Chards in fridge too, will look at this weekend methinks.
2006 Lethbridge Shiraz- made me realise how much I love a little (& I mean a little!) bret in me bottle. Blended nicely with earthy fungal notes & made a fresh, juicy blackberry & spice number even better. If next bottle has no bret, I will miss it.
I've had a few bottles of De Bortoli Sacred Hill Chardonnay 2008 recently. As mentioned earlier above, I was drawn to it because has it some medals stuck on the label, a gold at Rutherglen, silver at each of Brisbane and Hobart. The back label describes it as medium-bodied (yep) with intense (?) varietal fruit flavour and a crisp, clean finish (yep). I get a touch of grapefruit along with white peach/nectarine on the palate, and some lively acid on the finish. If there is any oak, it's subliminal. All-in-all a refreshing chardy that's emminently quaffable for the ~$5.90 I've been paying for it.
Finally got around to checking out Halliday's TN of it:
"Stone fruits and a touch of spice; clean, fresh, focused and zesty on the finish; outstanding value. Screwcap.
12.5% alc. Rating 89 Drink 2012 $7.50 Date Tasted Mar 09"
An absolute cracker from the west. Excellent Fruit balanced with a lush structured palate. This is an excellent young MR cabernet, well worth buying a few to cellar. Can't wait for some of the big gun MR reds from 2007 to roll out!
Cheers All Simmo
I think Sandalford have been making some really underrated wines the last couple of years (well, the 05s anyway). Their reserve cab and shiraz are both though of very highly chez Loz and I'll be intrigued to see how they age.
monghead wrote: 2005 Tower Estate Yarra Valley Pinot Noir
Not too bad. Vibrant cherries and strawberries. Flavours that dance on the palate. If it weren't for the hint of varnish, I believe the late Len Evans would have been proud of this wine...
Cheers,
monghead.
Do you know anything about the Tower Barossa Shiraz? I discovered a bottle of the 2003 while doing a mini audit at the weekend and don't know if I should be pleased or not.
I think you should be quite pleased. Their Barossa shiraz is always better than their Hunter shiraz in my opinion. This often puzzled me, as they are based in the Hunter! Have not had the '03 though.
Cheers,
Monghead.
Cheers for that. Might crack it with dinner a week tomorrow and if so will report back.
Damn fine merlot. Not notes but I believe it to be a little better the 99. I’ve seen some unflattering reviews of the Petaluma merlot but I’ve had great experiences with both these vintages.
Not sure I should admit to this;
but, I thought I was opening the Cab Merlot. I didn’t pay too much attention to the label, my database said I had a cab merlot on the rack.
I wanted to taste the Cab again because a year or so back I didn’t think it was as good as the "hype", I mean I thought it was great but the greatest????
So I open it, take a few sips, sip some more, start reading the label....I read about the merlot and am expecting the label to tell me about the cabernet component next .........
I'm sure if I wasnt such a quick reader I would have figured it instantly on the nose alone.....
jeremy wrote:I was shopping for that Daz, but they didn't have it, so I went with the sem/chard instead
I thought it was the ssb you had Jeremy, or have you had both the ssb and the sem/chard? I may try a bottle of the ssb as a change from chardy, on the basis of your and others' comments. Halliday's tn of the ssb makes it sound good, " with authentic tropical kiwi fruit sauvignon blanc backing up the grassy/lemony semillon."
Didn't get the kiwi fruit, just tangy enjoyable refreshment really from SSB. Now had SSB and Sem/Chard, but not straight Chard. Sem/Chard V.good and value plus. I'll post notes on Sunday, I actually TNd it & it evolved over time. How many other $6 wines can you say that about! Tahbilk Classic White (12 for $45) wins out in value + market too. But my first real order off them will take time and saving even though they are relatively cheap in dollar terms. So much wine, so little time (and money sometimes!).
jeremy wrote:I actually TNd it & it evolved over time.
Does this stand for "Tasting Noted"? A new verb is born (queue angels).
Good notes though Jeremy and Daz. Be interested to see what you think of the Chardy Jeremy. We have recently been enjoying the Jacobs Creek Sauvignon Blanc at $8 a pop. Great gear (nice acid texture for an inexpensive wine). The Reisling ......... not as good.
jeremy wrote: I actually TNd it & it evolved over time.
Does this stand for "Tasting Noted"? A new verb is born (queue angels).
Good notes though Jeremy and Daz. Be interested to see what you think of the Chardy Jeremy. We have recently been enjoying the Jacobs Creek Sauvignon Blanc at $8 a pop. Great gear (nice acid texture for an inexpensive wine). The Reisling ......... not as good.
Cheers
Michael
I keep wanting to insert an apostrophe into that verb (TN'd) not sure why
Agree on 08 Jacob's Creek Standard Reisling, jump up to $12 Reserve and it's a whole new ballgame (or cricket match I should say after enjoying last night's Ashes entertainmant). I'll have to have a look at the Savy, eyed it off but wasn't sure. Thanks Michael.
2006 Blain Gagnard Puligny Montrachet- This was really good. I really liked this. Tight and minerally, it also had a creamy mouthfeel and finish.
2005 La Pousse d'Or Volnay en Caillerets 1er cru- I thought this was even better, but deep down inside, I am a red bigot too... Vibrant fruit intensity with dusty, earthy, meaty undercurrents balanced by fine tannins with great length presents a magnificent balanced structure for this wine.
jeremy wrote: I actually TNd it & it evolved over time.
Does this stand for "Tasting Noted"? A new verb is born (queue angels).
Good notes though Jeremy and Daz. Be interested to see what you think of the Chardy Jeremy. We have recently been enjoying the Jacobs Creek Sauvignon Blanc at $8 a pop. Great gear (nice acid texture for an inexpensive wine). The Reisling ......... not as good.
Cheers
Michael
I keep wanting to insert an apostrophe into that verb (TN'd) not sure why
Agree on 08 Jacob's Creek Standard Reisling, jump up to $12 Reserve and it's a whole new ballgame (or cricket match I should say after enjoying last night's Ashes entertainmant). I'll have to have a look at the Savy, eyed it off but wasn't sure. Thanks Michael.
Think I had a JC Riesling 08 not long ago, remember thinking it not as good as some of the earlier vintages - it sometimes delivers significantly above its price point . Don't recall whether I got to try it or not but the 06 was a good'un from all accounts, gold medal at the NWS. Don't think i've tried the reserve but from what I can gather, it's mostly be a step up from the standard as would be expected.
In the JC Rsv price bracket, I'd be more likely to go for a Tahbilk riesling that seems to fly below most people's radar - it's got a pretty consistent medal-winning record at shows, is up there with the roussanne as one of my favourite Tahbilk whites.
