The Auswine Forum

Matt@5453 wrote:2016 Bondar Junto McLaren Vale Red Rhone Blend

Fragrant nose. Nice raspberry liquorice / confected notes. Very enjoyable "easy drinking" wine with a good length and finish.

Really like this label and think there is more complexity in the 2016. Not disagreeing with your assessment, but someone who hasn't tried it might think it was simple, because you use the phrase "easy drinking". Plenty going on.

Their Violet Hour Shiraz is also very good and excellent QPR.

Cheers

Michael

2015 Marius Simpatico- Tightly wound. Cool climate in style with tons of fruit that is not forward but concentrated and mouth filling. The palate gives you red fruits and and hints of peppery spice. The tannins are in abundance and only slightly puckering. The balance is really good and this will be a very good wine with a long term cellaring.
2015 Marius Symphony- Similar to the Simpatico but more of the good stuff and a little more balanced. This really gets humming about 2 hours in. I still have 1/2 in a bottle on the counter for later in the week. I can't wait to see how it is on Wednesday or so. This will make 2035 in a good cellar no problems.
2010 Tenser FG- A big brute that come in a bottle which is an inch thick. It is a reflection of the good year with good quality fruit and nice balance. It has that element of Barossa Shiraz that lacks complexity and layers that too often mark these wines and makes me reconsider buying it in favour of wines that develop into kaleidoscopic palate seductresses that other regions can do so well. A good wine, but give me a mid level Coonawarra cab with 7 years under the belt any day.
2001 Voyager Cabernet- Buggered by bark. It was only faint, but buggered none the less but you could see it was only a pup and would have been a thing of beauty now and for another 10 years easy. Such a shame.

rens wrote:2001 Voyager Cabernet- Buggered by bark. It was only faint, but buggered none the less but you could see it was only a pup and would have been a thing of beauty now and for another 10 years easy. Such a shame.

Sorry to hear about your less than perfect bottle. I had the 1998 and 2001 on release, and figured that I would give them until 20 years of age before trying again (I like my bigger reds on the older side ). Does that sound about right? I have three of each left.

Bytown Rick wrote:

rens wrote:2001 Voyager Cabernet- Buggered by bark. It was only faint, but buggered none the less but you could see it was only a pup and would have been a thing of beauty now and for another 10 years easy. Such a shame.

Sorry to hear about your less than perfect bottle. I had the 1998 and 2001 on release, and figured that I would give them until 20 years of age before trying again (I like my bigger reds on the older side ). Does that sound about right? I have three of each left.

Judging by the example of this bottle, waiting until 2021 for the next one would be fine.

rens wrote:

Bytown Rick wrote:

rens wrote:2001 Voyager Cabernet- Buggered by bark. It was only faint, but buggered none the less but you could see it was only a pup and would have been a thing of beauty now and for another 10 years easy. Such a shame.

Sorry to hear about your less than perfect bottle. I had the 1998 and 2001 on release, and figured that I would give them until 20 years of age before trying again (I like my bigger reds on the older side ). Does that sound about right? I have three of each left.

Judging by the example of this bottle, waiting until 2021 for the next one would be fine.

Thanks.

Rick

Michael McNally wrote:

Matt@5453 wrote:2016 Bondar Junto McLaren Vale Red Rhone Blend

Fragrant nose. Nice raspberry liquorice / confected notes. Very enjoyable "easy drinking" wine with a good length and finish.

Really like this label and think there is more complexity in the 2016. Not disagreeing with your assessment, but someone who hasn't tried it might think it was simple, because you use the phrase "easy drinking". Plenty going on.

Their Violet Hour Shiraz is also very good and excellent QPR.

Cheers

Michael

Indeed, I quite like the Shiraz also.

2004 Cristal

2005 Noon Eclipse. Grenache Blend. McLaren Vale. Big, overblown and porty. Even the wife disliked this and she loves the RPJ style wines. These 16% behomeths are just not ageing as many critics predicted (though some also suggested they wouldn't age!). 1/2 bottle went down the sink as it was just too hard going for us. 1.5/5
2005 Rockford Rod & Spur. Cabernet Shiraz. Barossa Valley. This is much better and keeps on improving in the glass. Perfect cork (hard to believe, but it was), still has nice bright colour and starting to show some really nice aged characteristics. Not the best Rod and Spur I've had, but nice all the same. 3.5/5

Cheers
Ian

2002 Grosset Polish Hill... best one so far. Superb.

2002 Paul Bara Special Club. Just when I was starting to think 02 was overhyped, this Champagne restored my confidence. Excellent.

1996 McWilliams Lovedale... bit tired. Weakest one so far!

2000 Brokenwood Graveyard... drinking nicely. No rush to consume.

1996 Taittinger Comtes... best wine this year. Long, complex, bordering on perfect.

2004 Taittinger Comtes... much more shy than the 96. Still really tight. Will be awesome

2006 Taittinger Comtes.... young, but slightly more open than the 04. Will be awesome.

1996 Penfolds St Henri... a bit one dimensional.

2001 Trimbach Frederic Emile.. minerality and then some. Excellent wine

2004 Ornellaia.... not as good as the last one. Suspect this wasn't right.

2001 LEAS Chardonnay... one of my favourite vintages of this wine. Loved it.

1996 Pol Roger Winston Churchill.... really good and lovers of Pinot will adore it. I preferred the 96 Comtes.

2004 Petaluma Coonawarra... hated it. Seemed like an unbalanced left banker from a hot vintage.

1986 Henschke Mt Edelstone... love this wine, though this particular bottle seemed to have taken on some Cabernet characters

Mike Hawkins wrote:1996 Penfolds St Henri... a bit one dimensional.

That's disappointing Mike. I have a six pack and it drank well in youth along with some critic hype.

rens wrote:2015 Marius Simpatico- Tightly wound. Cool climate in style with tons of fruit that is not forward but concentrated and mouth filling. The palate gives you red fruits and and hints of peppery spice. The tannins are in abundance and only slightly puckering. The balance is really good and this will be a very good wine with a long term cellaring.
2015 Marius Symphony- Similar to the Simpatico but more of the good stuff and a little more balanced. This really gets humming about 2 hours in. I still have 1/2 in a bottle on the counter for later in the week. I can't wait to see how it is on Wednesday or so. This will make 2035 in a good cellar no problems.
2010 Tenser FG- A big brute that come in a bottle which is an inch thick. It is a reflection of the good year with good quality fruit and nice balance. It has that element of Barossa Shiraz that lacks complexity and layers that too often mark these wines and makes me reconsider buying it in favour of wines that develop into kaleidoscopic palate seductresses that other regions can do so well. A good wine, but give me a mid level Coonawarra cab with 7 years under the belt any day.
2001 Voyager Cabernet- Buggered by bark. It was only faint, but buggered none the less but you could see it was only a pup and would have been a thing of beauty now and for another 10 years easy. Such a shame.

Over the years I have seen the notes on Marius
Is it oaky?
What can you compare it to in the New or Old World?
What grapes are in it ? shiraz?
TIA

JamieBahrain wrote:

Mike Hawkins wrote:1996 Penfolds St Henri... a bit one dimensional.

That's disappointing Mike. I have a six pack and it drank well in youth along with some critic hype.

I bought 12, and have had 5 so far. 3 have been great, 2 simple. A mate just opened 2 mags of this wine and likewise, 1 was great and 1 was simple. Strange days indeed....

michel wrote:

rens wrote:2015 Marius Simpatico- Tightly wound. Cool climate in style with tons of fruit that is not forward but concentrated and mouth filling. The palate gives you red fruits and and hints of peppery spice. The tannins are in abundance and only slightly puckering. The balance is really good and this will be a very good wine with a long term cellaring.
2015 Marius Symphony- Similar to the Simpatico but more of the good stuff and a little more balanced. This really gets humming about 2 hours in. I still have 1/2 in a bottle on the counter for later in the week. I can't wait to see how it is on Wednesday or so. This will make 2035 in a good cellar no problems.
2010 Tenser FG- A big brute that come in a bottle which is an inch thick. It is a reflection of the good year with good quality fruit and nice balance. It has that element of Barossa Shiraz that lacks complexity and layers that too often mark these wines and makes me reconsider buying it in favour of wines that develop into kaleidoscopic palate seductresses that other regions can do so well. A good wine, but give me a mid level Coonawarra cab with 7 years under the belt any day.
2001 Voyager Cabernet- Buggered by bark. It was only faint, but buggered none the less but you could see it was only a pup and would have been a thing of beauty now and for another 10 years easy. Such a shame.

Over the years I have seen the notes on Marius
Is it oaky?
What can you compare it to in the New or Old World?
What grapes are in it ? shiraz?
TIA

Hi Michel
The oak was prominent, but it will integrate nicely-It is not like the Barossa Oak Monsters, it is restrained and balanced off against the fruit very well.
New world, almost cooler climate, Hunter like, but still oozing McLaren Vale.
Yes, both are 100% shiraz.

Mike Hawkins wrote:

JamieBahrain wrote:

Mike Hawkins wrote:1996 Penfolds St Henri... a bit one dimensional.

That's disappointing Mike. I have a six pack and it drank well in youth along with some critic hype.

I bought 12, and have had 5 so far. 3 have been great, 2 simple. A mate just opened 2 mags of this wine and likewise, 1 was great and 1 was simple. Strange days indeed....

Hi Mike,
you have done better than me!! Must have also gone thru half a case, all have been simple and pretty boring. I made a mental note to leave the remaining bottles for at least another decade and hope they develop into something better. I do hold out some hope, St Henri can indeed develop over many, amny years.

I hope you're right Felix....

2011 Andrew Thomas Wines Shiraz DJV
Pop and poured. Clear, medium density purple, turning garnet and showing the first signs of age.
Still a good nose of ripe cherries and red fruits.
Medium bodied, quite a bit of fruit has gone since last time making way to some secondary characters of tobacco ash and dirt. Oak and tannins have resolved well into the wine allowing for a smooth medium length finish.
2 bottles left and if you are after fruit first Shiraz, I'd drink up, otherwise should be good for 3-5 years to see even more development. 91pts

Mike Hawkins wrote:

JamieBahrain wrote:

Mike Hawkins wrote:1996 Penfolds St Henri... a bit one dimensional.

That's disappointing Mike. I have a six pack and it drank well in youth along with some critic hype.

I bought 12, and have had 5 so far. 3 have been great, 2 simple. A mate just opened 2 mags of this wine and likewise, 1 was great and 1 was simple. Strange days indeed....

I didn't have any of the 96 but I did work my way through a case of the 99 and had the same experience. Half was fantastic and half just plain simple (like a Trump supporter ).

Mark

rens wrote:
2001 Voyager Cabernet- Buggered by bark. It was only faint, but buggered none the less but you could see it was only a pup and would have been a thing of beauty now and for another 10 years easy. Such a shame.

The 99 Voyager Cab I had down at the mountain last month was just superb more so because Voyager really flies so far below the radar as a top tier MR wine. If it had been a Moss Wood or Cullen I would still have enjoy the wine just as much but been less surprised.

Mark

I stumbled across this native Greek grape variety called Xinomavro which I'd never heard of. With comparisons made with Barolo and Burgundy, I just had to try it. So last night I tasted my first Greek wine - a 2014 Boutari Naoussa.

100% Xinomavro. 12% ABV.



Xinomavro literally translates to "black acid". The wine has a lively high acidity and chalky medium-strength tannins, so it'll age well. It's quite elegant too with a lovely umaminess on the palate combined with tart cherry, raspberry, tomato & olive fruits. Well balanced with a good finish and the 12% ABV is a plus. Better with food than on it's own. I can see why comparisons are made with Barolo and Burgundy.

The QPR is off the scale at only $14. I can't think of a better quaffer to get those characteristics I love from both Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir.

I also bought the 2008 Grande Reserve from the same producer which I'm looking forward to trying.

Nice tip Ozzie. I'll chase down one of each up here for a try as well.

Thanks
Will

Mount Langi Ghiran Cliff Edge Shiraz 2015

Its really not that great.... and the below is with a heavy heart as I love this label.

I cracked & poured last night into the glass (no decanter) and was hit with
an immediate waft of burning/alcohol. It was very hot straight out of the bottle.

That blew away after about 5 - 10 minutes but the wine underneath is nothing special either unfortunately.

Its quite thin and weedy/green. Medium body (only just) and simply doesn't have the richness or texture of the 2014
or 2009 offerings that I have drunk many of. This vintage has lost a lot of that cool climate spice and herbs that this
wine is known, and to me, its just another generic red wine that could be made by anyone and from anywhere
with a cooler climate. White pepper, oregano and violets are almost non-existent.

Its almost like they have stretched out the wine, used young vines or possibly even trucked in
fruit from other vineyards (is it still 100% estate fruit?...not sure).

It was an ok drink, not offensive (once that alcohol/heat blew off), and to be fair was easy to drink,
but it wasnt anything to write home about either. I want to be intrigued, challenged and enthralled by
the complexities of whats in the glass.... but i simply wasnt feeling it.

Could be too young and just bottled so suffering from a bit of those effects, but I wont be stocking up on
this one personally. I would like to re-visit in a year or two and see what its done, but its definitely does not have the structure
to cellar for the long term.
89-90pts

Ozzie W wrote:I stumbled across this native Greek grape variety called Xinomavro which I'd never heard of. With comparisons made with Barolo and Burgundy, I just had to try it. So last night I tasted my first Greek wine - a 2014 Boutari Naoussa.

100% Xinomavro. 12% ABV.



Xinomavro literally translates to "black acid". The wine has a lively high acidity and chalky medium-strength tannins, so it'll age well. It's quite elegant too with a lovely umaminess on the palate combined with tart cherry, raspberry, tomato & olive fruits. Well balanced with a good finish and the 12% ABV is a plus. Better with food than on it's own. I can see why comparisons are made with Barolo and Burgundy.

The QPR is off the scale at only $14. I can't think of a better quaffer to get those characteristics I love from both Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir.

I also bought the 2008 Grande Reserve from the same producer which I'm looking forward to trying.

Great pickup! Very enjoyable wines, great as a house selection at around $12-13. Hope the 2008 GR is in ok condition, it has been sitting on DM shelves now for at least 3 years.

I heard that 2014 was supposed to be an iffy vintage (rainy) for Xinomavro from Naoussa - so if you enjoyed this one then it bodes well.

We are lucky to be getting quite a few Greek wines coming into Australia now. Gerovassiliou, Gaia, Argyros are a few that I loved in Greece that I managed to find back in Australia. Still trying to locate Papaioannou and Domaine Economou, which were brilliant.

1998 Penfolds Bin 707 ... lovely, but hasn't lived as sensationally well as the '96 did.
2002 Penfolds St Henri ... ripper wine, still has legs, but delightful now. All three of us drinking it preferred it to the 707 (and we're all die-hard 707 fans).
2011 Penfolds Kooninga Hill Shiraz/Cabernet ... just to round the trio of Pennies. Sublime! A real surprise packet, drinking delightfully already and far and away the best value wine of the three. If offered three dozen of these or one bottle of the 707, I'd take the Koonunga. One of the better vintages for the humble K, based on this bottle, anyhow.

grhm1961 wrote:1998 Penfolds Bin 707 ... lovely, but hasn't lived as sensationally well as the '96 did.
2002 Penfolds St Henri ... ripper wine, still has legs, but delightful now. All three of us drinking it preferred it to the 707 (and we're all die-hard 707 fans).
2011 Penfolds Kooninga Hill Shiraz/Cabernet ... just to round the trio of Pennies. Sublime! A real surprise packet, drinking delightfully already and far and away the best value wine of the three. If offered three dozen of these or one bottle of the 707, I'd take the Koonunga. One of the better vintages for the humble K, based on this bottle, anyhow.

Welcome to the forum Graham, classy set of wines to introduce yourself with

Now you are out of the lurking shadows, you should consider going to an offline... the Sydney crew are a pretty good bunch!

2012 Massena Tannat, Barossa Valley

A dense & strong nose of black pepper, spice, leather and a hint of musk, plus there are other aromatics similar to a very good cool climate shiraz (e.g viognier co-ferment). The palate is rich, luscious and thick with dark fruits, plums and christmas spices. There are ripe and thick mouth filling/coating tannins, the palate has very good length. A very good wine indeed. Should have bought more, should develop nicely over the next decade.
94 points

2002 Grosset Riesling Watervale

Screwcap, pop and poured, slightly chilled.
Wine was clear, star bright, light gold. Very vibrant coloured.
Strong scent of kaffir lime, very little petrol which blew off almost immediately in the glass. Some honeysuckle and toasty notes too.
Medium acid and not cloying, lots of lime juice and almost had honey spread on toast flavours.
Very easy and pleasant to drink. With a medium length for finish.
Very good wine and just short of excellent if the finish was longer. This is in a very good spot right now but with the screwcap can hold for at least another 3-5 years. 92pts

2006 Paringa Estate Estate Shiraz.

Got alot of gongs at Shows this wine.
In the prime of it's life, ripe, classic cool climate Shiraz.

2013 Onannon Chardonnay Gippsland.
Cashews, vanilla and lemons on the nose, quite a creamy and rounded palate with balanced acidity. A move to the middle from the 'chablis' aspirations of recent winemakers. Probably a bit short to be great.

Last night LPR NV fizz followed by our final Edelstone '96. Remains a damn good wine, should've decanted it though.

Ozzie W wrote:I stumbled across this native Greek grape variety called Xinomavro which I'd never heard of. With comparisons made with Barolo and Burgundy, I just had to try it. So last night I tasted my first Greek wine - a 2014 Boutari Naoussa.

100% Xinomavro. 12% ABV.



Xinomavro literally translates to "black acid". The wine has a lively high acidity and chalky medium-strength tannins, so it'll age well. It's quite elegant too with a lovely umaminess on the palate combined with tart cherry, raspberry, tomato & olive fruits. Well balanced with a good finish and the 12% ABV is a plus. Better with food than on it's own. I can see why comparisons are made with Barolo and Burgundy.

The QPR is off the scale at only $14. I can't think of a better quaffer to get those characteristics I love from both Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir.

I also bought the 2008 Grande Reserve from the same producer which I'm looking forward to trying.

Xinomavro actually translates to "bitter black".

And it's usually good juice, especially with food.

-- George Krashos