Sunday drinking reports 30/10

[Sean]

deleted

[griff]

Tonight:

2003 Michel & Stéphane Ogier Côte-Rôtie Les Embruns
Starts of with a nose of musk and spice. Reminds me a little of a Kooyong Meres Pinot for some reason. Unfortunately it tastes a little like vitamin B forte. Reduction? Cork back in a let's see what happens tomorrow

Last night:

2009 Domaine Jean-Jacques Girard Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Rouvrettes
Cinnamon and spice and all things nice. A lick of camphor as well. Sweet fruited but predominately savoury flavours, leather is lurking. Store this one cool people. Fine tannin that builds with each sip without ever dominating. Lovely balance and starting to integrate already. Very Good with potential (in a cool cellar)

Yesterday was a visit to a wine show in London. The Bollinger and Chapoutier masterclasses were a highlight. Got to chat with Michael briefly after he presented. His wines were very nice as well. From the 2008 vintage however and not as sumptuous as 2007. Loved the 2008 L'Ermite Hermitage Rouge however. Had a nose of ink and blood with some icing sugar as well. A silky mouthful, yet stern and mineral. Lovely black fruits and despite the copious tannin, a long finish. Favourite wine however was the 2002 Bollinger Grand Annee Rose. It had a nose of rose petals and a palate of the finest turkish delight for lack of a better descriptor. Outstanding and something that I may just have to procur. Far more open than the 2002 Grand Annee which was tight as the proverbial i.e. built for the future. On the other hand the 2000 Grand Annee (from magnum) was really strutting its stuff. Mushrooms and toast on the nose. A strong vinous palate of apples with lemon and vanilla. Lengthy finish. WHile the 2002 may eclipse the 2000 with time, for that moment the 2000 was outstanding.

cheers

Carl

[sjw_11]

D'arenberg "Laughing Magpie" Shiraz Viognier 2002... still dense red, the nose is a mix of plummy fruit and some floral/apricoty aromatics from the viognier. Holding better than you might expect, and this bottle was better than the last 1 I had. Still, ready to drink.

Tin Shed "Melting Pot" Shiraz 2008... Labelled Barossa, not sure if any or how much Eden Valley fruit but to me more in that mold with soft, plummy fruit and supple tannins. Very approachable, and a nice drink.

[cuttlefish]

Yalumba The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon 1996
Cork a bit dried out, but really only stained about 10mm. 14% alc. decanted and drunk pretty much immediately and was looking pretty good with fruit and sweet cedary aromas. Still noticeable tannins, so I would recommend having this with some food, which I did not on this occasion.

[Luke W]

1999 Classic McLaren La Testa Shiraz - thought that it may be getting past its drinking window but I was wrong - still wonderful
2001 Knappstein Hand picked Riesling - ditto and ditto
2008 Colonial Estate Etrainger - lovely drop - cabernet at its best
2008 Wynns Coonawarra Riesling - easily forgettable
2001 Cathcart Ridge Grampians Shiraz - its either gone past its use by date or it needs more time to air - I decanted and left it for 4 hours and it seemed to be past it but it just kept on improving - almost to the point where I liked it.
2001 Classic McLaren La Testa Grenache - started in a funny place kinda out of balance and then got it's act together over the next couple of hours to the point of pleasurable drinkability
1998 La Testa Shiraz - decanted for a couple of hours and then swooped on by myself and a couple of mates - one of the WOTY - stunning, complex, so many aromas and flavours, layer upon layer of sensual bliss
2001 Geoff Merrill Chardonnay - starting to fade - only 1 in 2 are worth drinking nowadays.

[chillwrx]

Quiet weekend.

Fontanafredda Langhe Nebbiolo 2008 (SC) - Tart and insipid at first with raw tanins making it almost undrinkable but after two hours the fruit shone through and the tannins/acid combined for a wonderful structure that was even better 24 hours later. Still very much a food wine but at the end of the bottle it had evolved into something akin to a big pinot in a good way with the silkiness that I love. Great value @ $25.

[Tucker Wine Studios]

A few wines that I enjoyed very much recently:

Charles Melton Voices of Angels Shiraz 2008: Outstanding – big contestant for my WOTY
Charles Melton Richelieu Grenache 2006: delicious and in the right spot between hot alcohol monsters and light lolly juice
Gibson Barossa Valley Shiraz 2004: very good mid tier wine
Cape d’Estaing Kangaroo Island Admiral’s Reserve Shiraz 2004: not over the top ripe or alcoholic but well-oaked
Chapoutier Monier de la Sizeranne Hermitage 1999: very smooth and elegant
Kooyong Massale pinot Noir 2010: very good but also a bit edgy – leave a bit longer
Kooyong Clonale Chardonnay 2010: nice if you like riper/sweeter style
Ferguson Falls Cabernet Sauvignon: nice surprise from the WA Ferguson Valley
Willow Bridge Estate Gravel Pit Shiraz Viognier 2009: Excellent wine from this Ferguson Valley (WA) producer
Clairault Margaret River Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2007: lovely savoury black current notes
Westend Three Bridges Durif 2007: bold (but not as bold as the Kalleske ones)
Te Mata Awatea 2007: crowd pleaser – in the most positive sense
La Perla del Priorat Noster 2005: good Priorat chaepo, if you are not afraid of oak
Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon 1995: not the best vintage but beautiful golden honey colour and nice aged characteristics
Tamar Ridge Kayena Vineyard Botrytis Riesling 2009: love it

Cheers,
Mario

[griff]

Hi Mario,

Interesting that you didn't find the 1995 Lovedale one of the best vintages. I haven't had it but it was a great vintage for Hunter Sem in general. Do you think Phillip Ryan didn't produce the goods that year?

cheers

Carl

[Mike Hawkins]

A visit to Australia gave me a chance to raid my cellar and make my 1000th post...

1991 Penfolds Bin 389 - this is superb. I much prefer it to the 86 and it's neck and neck with the 1990. Complex, long finish, absolute textbook cab shiraz blend.
2006 Peter Lehmann Black Queen - a straightforward but enjoyable sparkling shiraz
1990 Yalumba Octavius - I was expecting Oaktavius, but things have come together magnificently, albeit the oak is still there. Lovely velvety-mouthfeel with plenty of life left.
1998 Petersons Back Block Shiraz - starting to look a bit tired
1990 Petaluma Coonawarra - ditto, but lovely perfumed nose.
2004 Pierre Gimonnet Fleuron - one of my favourite houses, this entry level vintage champagne is always enjoyable.
2004 Pierre Gimonnet Paradoxe - so named because it's made from Pinot Noir, instead of the usual Chardonnay for PG. Nothing to write home about.
2002 Kalleske Greenock Shiraz - rich and ripe. No change from when it was released.
2006 (disg) Rockford Black Shiraz - just starting to get pronounced earthiness. A fun wine.
1998 Saltram #1 Shiraz - corked
2002 LEAS Cabernet - corked
1990 Wolf Blass Show Reserve Cabernet - complex, soft wine. Enjoyable but it's nearing the end of its' life.
1986 Penfolds St Henri - a cracker. I really love this wine - the one that originally got me hooked. Well cellared versions can be a revelation.
2002 Saltram #1 Shiraz - a bit of a crowd pleaser with oaky nose and velvety texture
NV Camille Saves Rose - hands down the best value Rose champagne for my money. I'd buy it at twice the price
2002 Camille Saves - one of my favourites from the vintage. Will be fantastic in 2020.
1991 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz - tons of oak, decent fruit. Just OK.
2004 Heritage Rossco's Shiraz - as always, good, solid Barossa shiraz
1989 Leoville Barton - not the best bottle I've had - a tad dried out.

Cheers

Mike

[sjw_11]

I have also had the 1995 Lovedale (in 2008 and 2010) and found it to be fading towards past it (dark colour, pronounced aged characteristics) and hence not as strong as other vintages... but those bottles were from auction so no gaurantees of provenance

[Brucer]

96 and 98 Lovedale are better.

[Tucker Wine Studios]

Hi Carl,
I’m not a Hunter expert so my vintage rating was just a hunch. Had some other Lovedales, some time/years ago, pre-1995 as far as I remember, and I thought they were...hmmm...somewhat stronger in flavour. But my Lovedales were from various sources (own purchases, tastings, auctions, etc.) which makes things also a bit complicate. The colour of my 1995 Lovedale wasn’t really dark, just the golden colour you can expect from a matured wine, and I still enjoyed the wine very much because of its aged characteristics. However it seemed fading and a bit past its peak but I must admit that I don’t know if this was due to vintage or storage conditions. Hmmm...have to drink more Lovedales, but the older ones, which I find more attractive than younger ones, are not that easy to get.

Happy Drinking,
Mario

[dlo]

Over the last few weeks, the following ....

Mountadam Chardonnay 2008 - stunningly good for the price of admission, quite expertly made although the 14.5% A/V could be a problem down the road, new-wave style - taut and crisp with no apparent heat. Excellent wine.

Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 1990 - 2 bottles opened, first unpleasant and faulty, not sure of the cause, didn't seem like TCA, but was stripped of anything pleasant. Second, utterly brilliant, infantile, boasting a promising future of at least 20 years! This bottle a bookmark varietal, regional and classic Australian red. Shame about the first. This vintage has always had a fairly high attrition rate, it must be said.

E & E Black Pepper Sparkling Shiraz 2004 - gorgeous, lush fruit atop some serious US oak but the package works a treat. Still young and cuddly. Top example.

Barossa Valley Estates Eden Valley Riesling 2002 - crackerjack typicity of the grape and region, utterly brilliant wine with a decade or more in front of it.

Seppelt Great Western Shiraz 1995 - another sacrifice to the cork gods!

Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling 1989 - Phenomenal bright straw/extremely pale gold colour followed by a “drop-dead” gorgeous, effusive bouquet featuring Trimbach’s famous minerality over succulent yellow peach, ripe juicy pear, some citrus (predominantly lime), lanolin, honeysuckle with top notes of bee’s wax, apricot and just a little petroleum jelly. The palate offers up an incredibly bone dry persona with tight focus, amazingly taut, seemingly youthful fruit, although more in a mineral/citrus spectrum with flicks of apple and pear and incredibly good acid cut. Needless to say the finish is crisp and ohso dry but also mouthquenching with extra good persistence. A lovely drop …. but raises an interesting question …. when will this brilliant wine get “old”? An amazing effort considering the botrytis around for the vintage. Perhaps Trimbach picked very early for this label in 1989? 93 points with good cellaring prospects for at least another ten years.

Hugel Riesling VT 1989 - Great to see a long, high quality cork and no leakage and consequently a high fill level (from a good cellar!). Bright light gold with amazing luminescence. Opens with copious quantities of petrol which, mostly, rapidly blows off. Brimming underneath a cornucopia of ripe fruit - peach, citrus (mostly orange and lime), honeysuckle and a little apricot, brilliantly backed by a wealth of minerality and some remnants of the gasoline mentioned earlier. In the mouth, the wine sings a most glorious tune - still extremely well focussed and precise as it glides down the throat with sufficent sweetness and glycerol to produce an impression of fatness and breadth of flavour but without feeling heavy or cloying … the spritely acidity cleanses the finish with almost a slatiness I often detect in German riesling. So my overall evaluation of this 22 year old late-picked Alsace riesling is a wine of immense class, almost faultless bouquet and flavour, sublime construction, which includes wonderful focus, delineation and balance and a departure of some considerable aplomb. Rates an easy 95 on my card. Should be drunk over the next decade if well cared for.

This weekend just gone - a William Fevre 2004 Valmur that opened very well indeed with typical chablisity, but was, in my opinion, not up to the lofty standards I've had before from this vineyard. Later, I opened a 1996 Chateau Lanessan (Haut-Medoc) that was solid and most enjoyable, but again, nothing inspiring. I drank more of this the following night and it was every bit as good.

[orpheus]

Away in Canberra over the weekend, so made do with local bottle shop, single purchases. Never prepared to lash out, in those circumstances, because of the price.

That said, so happy with the QPR of the Leasingham Bin 56 Cabernet Malbec 2008, I bought it both nights.

This is an excellent, middle range Clare Valley Cabernet, very well balanced, and with careful oak treatment. Finishes very long, with good grip and mouthfeel. An elegant and poised wine, pure in its expression of grapes and soil. 93 points.

[Michael McNally]

That said, so happy with the QPR of the Leasingham Bin 56 Cabernet Malbec 2008, I bought it both nights.

This is an excellent, middle range Clare Valley Cabernet, very well balanced, and with careful oak treatment. Finishes very long, with good grip and mouthfeel. An elegant and poised wine, pure in its expression of grapes and soil. 93 points.

This has held its quality far better than the Bin 61 in the 00s. However, I think the cellaring potential might have been sacrificed somewhat for 'approachability'.

Cheers

Michael

[orpheus]

Yes, Michael, you might be right, I'm not sure. Certainly I wouldn't buy this to cellar. I might buy it as an every day wine, at the price it used to be discounted to, by the dozen (probably still is).

The old Bin 56s (1996 particularly springs to mind; I bought a few dozen, and 2000 as well, I think) were great cellaring prospects.

[griff]

Thanks guys for the comments on the 95 Lovedale. Sounds a shame as the Tyrrells Vat 1 and the HVD were/are great from this year.

cheers

Carl

[ticklenow1]

2007 Chateau Tanunda "The Cahteau" Grenache Shiraz. Barossa Valley. My father gave me a bottle to try as he picked up a case on the cheap. I have to say, I really enjoyed this wine. Typical Barossa sweet grenache tempered somewhat by the Shiraz component. Come together really well with oak only a minor player and quite a well balanced wine from a poor vintage. It was actually a little better on night 2 as the wine opened up a little more. Went well with gourmet Chicken pizza. Surprising to say the least. 3.5/5

2002 Rockford Moppa Springs (GMS). Barossa Valley. Probably the best bottle I have had of this label, but sadly my last of the '02's. Rockford bottle age the Moppa for a couple of years before release (current is 2007), but with 3 or 4 more years in the cellar they really hit their stride. Medium bodied at best, the red and black fruits are meshed together with what oak there is and the fine tannins make this a wine that I love to drink. Even the cork was in good condition.4/5

2003 Charles Melton Shiraz. Barossa Valley. Not his best effort but OK for the vintage. I am a fan of the CM wines so I may be a little biased. Medium bodied and still has good colour. Fine, soft tannins and the fruit has intergrated with the oak quite well. Had a little spice, black fruit and even some chocolate bullet flavours. It just seemed to be missing a little something to make it a really good wine, though still enjoyable enough. 3.5/5

Cheers
Ian

[Brucer]

Thanks guys for the comments on the 95 Lovedale. Sounds a shame as the Tyrrells Vat 1 and the HVD were/are great from this year.

cheers

Carl

Are you getting confused with 05 Carl? Vat 1 and HVD are brilliant for 05. Not sure if there was a HVD released in 95. 05 Lovedale is good.

[dlo]

I still have a few 1995 Vat 1's left from a case purchased direct from the winery in 1995 and cannot call it a great vintage, only for the fact there's so much bottle variation (due to cork problems). There have been a few excellent/outstanding bottles but I've had more than a few that have been disappointingly (and randomly) oxidised or strangely unyielding. I did purchase several bottles (for circa $50 as a mature release) of the HVD Reserve (festooned with heaps of trophies and golds) which was quite stunning.

[Teisto]

Been lean on the drink again too much work going on.

2009 Piper's Brook Gewurtz Lychee on the nose, lean. Was expecting it to be more racy - a lot less sugar and spice that the Dopff has. Was good with the Japanese I was eating but I would go the Dopff over the Pipers.

Has anyone tried the Delatite and how is that in comparison?

[griff]

Positive I meant the 95 HVD. It was the wine of the show for me at an Auswine show in Sydney (those were the days). Had my last bottle bottle a year or so ago before leaving Australia and it just continued to beguile. Sadly no more but I still think it would continue to motor on for a decade more without sweat. Chris Tyrrell has called it one of the best semillons that Tyrrells have made.

A shame David that the 95 Vat 1 has caused so much misery. I don't think it vintage specific though. I swore off Hunter Sem after being so upset about cork failure until they moved to screwcap. Now I am a happy buyer again.

Thanks Brucer for the tip on the 05's. I have seen some 05 Lovedale over here for a great price and I think I might just have to acquire some.

cheers

Carl

[griff]

Oh and sorry for the thread drift. Here is another tasting note

2005 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Clos Windsbuhl
A bright glowing yellow gold. On the nose we have lemon and some apple with smoke. Mouth filling palate of just ripe apple. Crabapple maybe with baking spices. Really tangy and the alcohol perhaps pokes out a little on the end. The next night the alcohol has integrated and for that matter the palate had tightened up considerably becoming mineral and zesty. Excellent with potential.

cheers

Carl