The Auswine Forum

Top 5 wines in my cellar by volume (which generally means I like them the best too)

Wendouree Shiraz - 6 vintages, but a lot
Mount Mary - crazy amount - just dozens
Cullen - 8 vintages
John Riddoch - 10 vintages
Rockford BP - 5 vintages

Closely followed by 389, Grange, Moss Wood, Wolf Blass Platinum, Balnaves The Tally, St Henri

Used to have a ton of Petaluma Coonawarra Cabs and don't know why I haven't restocked. I guess the 98 still represented the best of that wine and it's getting a bit harder to find now. Opening an Imperial of this in a few weeks, so will be really looking forward to it.

FWIW, I find MM and Wendouree are simply outstanding ageing wines that develop for decades. Perhaps one of my all time greats was an 86 MM, it stays in my mind as an experience I won't forget. Cullen IMHO don't improve past 15-20 years, JR can last 25yrs but I don't find much improvement after 15 yrs - although I'm opening a magnum of the 90 JR in a few weeks along with the Petaluma Imperial, so it will be interesting to compare and to see if I judged the longevity of JR too harshly. I've had a few late 80's (86 and 88) over the last 5 years and they didn't seem to have held up enough so as to WOO me.

Whilst I'm in the mood to rate the above wines - here's my humble views on the rest of the wines on my cellar list.

389 - just a ball tearer for value, but never really reaches the heights of the other wines on this list - but still very good. A 96 is slated for November, so will post my thoughts on that when consumed.
Grange - I've yet to be completely blown away by Grange, but of-course always impressed. I guess the expectations are high. I've got a lunch in a few weeks where we'll pop a magnum of 86, so I hope that's the one that does it for me.
Moss Wood - damn fine cabs, give them 10 yrs at least and that magnificent dusty tannin leather lip smacking wine shines....yep, I like'em.
WB Plat label - very hit and miss for me, got caught up in the 2001 vintage after having 2 ripping bottles, but many since have just not developed to what I was expecting and they have left me wanting for more.
Baln The Tally - a dead set great value quality cabernet. give them 12yrs to develop those classic secondary cab flavours and they sing.
Rockford BP - good, occasionally very good and too infrequently very, very good. To me, sort of on the same par as an aged 389, but more expensive.
St Henri - generally quite good, but have never quite got the hype about this shiraz, I've never really found them to be complex enough to rate them as an A-lister. Yeah, I know they age well and sometimes I open one and I think, gee that was good, but not often enough.

Special mention - I had a 94 Wynns Michael recently and that was awesome, I've only got a few in the cellar but I am already looking forward to the next one.

Upon proof reading this note, I'm starting to think I mark a bit too harshly.....but that's how I rate them....!!

Mine are

Penfolds 389 - 63 bottles, 8 vintages
Wendouree Shiraz Mataro - 49 bottles, 8 vintages
Lakes Folly Cab Sav - 48 bottles, 8 vintages
Penfolds St Henri - 47 bottles, 5 vintages
Wynns Black Label 36 bottles, 5 vintages

I have a new cellar, started 3 years ago so trying to get it up and running by not drinking the babies and backfilling older vintages of wines i like where available. The above are more available on auctions than many other wines, particularly the Wendouree SMataro.

My final ideal cellar in 5-10 years will look different. Id expect St Hallett Blackwell, Houghton Jack Mann, Petaluma Coonawarra, Tim Adams Aberfeldy, Tyrrells Vat 1, Thomas Allen Alasdair to be fighting it out in the top 5 in several years. Ir maybe a new winery? Who knows always learning.

WAwineguy wrote:

michel wrote:

Wizz wrote:For Travis W - yes there is someone who cellars whites:

JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese
Castagna Genesis
Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier (would be top of the Syrah was included)

these are all between 25 and 30 bottles. After that it fragments pretty quickly,

This kind of list will always be biased to large make multi vineyard multiregional wines. My JJ Prum collection must have 20 different individual wines in it. Even Felton Road Pinots - there are 5 of them.

AB

Tried Genesis twice recently
Very good indeed
How do they cellar?

Didn't know Peter Gabriel or Phil Collins produced wine - one of my favourite bands

Amazing, do people really still listen to Genesis? I've still got all their albums and recently bought a new turntable but hadn't thought to give these a spin.

Michael McNally wrote:Investigated this - Cellartracker has a separate 'Black Label' listing for the Wynns for later vintages. Another 1.6% (18 Bottles) and three more vintages which bumps Wynns Cabernet up to 3rd

2 Marius Wines Simpatico Shiraz 4.9% Bottles (57) – 10 Vintages

Cheers

Michael

Michael, I bought my first Marius this year. Have you started drinking the older vintages yet? If so at what age did it start to become "interesting".

I am curious to know how long to let them sleep before trying them given there is no rush. I have enough other wines to drink whilst waiting.

Cheers
Mark

mjs wrote:

WAwineguy wrote:

grb2001 wrote:Finally got around to collating this:

Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon, 115 bottles 4.40% 17 vintages, 1990 oldest
Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet, Shiraz, 50 bottles 1.91% 15 vintages, 1990 oldest
Seppelt Benno Shiraz, 45 bottles 1.72% 7 vintages, 2003 oldest
Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon, 45 bottles 1.72% 10 vintages, 2004 oldest
Penfolds Bin 28 - Kalimna Shiraz, 41 bottles 1.57% 10 vintages, 1994 oldest

Top white:
De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, 39 bottles 1.49% 7 vintages, 1982 oldest

That's some big cellar!

Funny, just saw this without paying attention to the original poster .. thinking "I've got a mate who has a large cellar like this"

You're clearly hanging around with the wrong crowd!

rooman wrote:

WAwineguy wrote:

michel wrote:
Tried Genesis twice recently
Very good indeed
How do they cellar?

Didn't know Peter Gabriel or Phil Collins produced wine - one of my favourite bands

Amazing, do people really still listen to Genesis? I've still got all their albums and recently bought a new turntable but hadn't thought to give these a spin.

Not often. But when I do, the early 70's prog-rock ones with Gabriel still singing are my favourites, Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound.

That drum break 3/4 of the way through "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins is a masterpiece. I never get sick of listening to that song.

Top 5 by wine are

Rockford Shiraz Basket Press 7.2%
Wendouree Cabernet-Malbec 4.9%
Wendouree Shiraz Malbec 3.6%
Wild Duck Creek Shiraz Springflat 3.1%
Wendouree Shiraz 3.0%

top 5 by variety

Syrah/Shiraz 35.4%
Cabernet Sauvignon 13.7%
Red Blend 12.2%
Red Bordeaux Blend 11.8%
Riesling 6.9%

time to buy some pinot noir

cheers
phill

Ozzie W wrote:That drum break 3/4 of the way through "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins is a masterpiece. I never get sick of listening to that song.

Especially when the Cadbury gorilla plays it

Mark Carrington wrote:Ch Beaumont, Mark Haisma, Ch. Rieussec, Le a Grappin, Bernard Baudry. (2 Burgundy based Aussie winemakers!).
JJ Prüm likely to return to top five following a vineyard visit next week.......
To answer TW's 'no white wines?' : 4 white only, 2 red only producers in top ten.

Small detour to Mosel on way back from Burgundy & dropped into 4 favourite growers. Le Grappin & B Baudry relegated & replaced by JJP & AJ Adam. The latter is a new(ish) producer from Dhrön & should be purchased with impunity.

michel wrote:
Tried Genesis twice recently
Very good indeed
How do they cellar?

Really well. The small Viognier influence shifts away from apricot and white pepper to just being a subtle palate freshness enhancer. I've had 99 02 and 04 in the last year, (99 not from Julians property apparently) and they have all been tip top, notably the 02.

Mark Carrington wrote:

Mark Carrington wrote:Ch Beaumont, Mark Haisma, Ch. Rieussec, Le a Grappin, Bernard Baudry. (2 Burgundy based Aussie winemakers!).
JJ Prüm likely to return to top five following a vineyard visit next week.......
To answer TW's 'no white wines?' : 4 white only, 2 red only producers in top ten.

Small detour to Mosel on way back from Burgundy & dropped into 4 favourite growers. Le Grappin & B Baudry relegated & replaced by JJP & AJ Adam. The latter is a new(ish) producer from Dhrön & should be purchased with impunity.

Be aware though - AJ Adam makes a bigger, more buxom version of Mosel, opposite JJ Prums more delicate, even filigreed approach.

Finally uploaded my Oz cellar only. I still keep a lot of stuff in UK, bringing it out when I can, and this isn't shwon. The rise of Italy is dramatic and Henschke dwindling as I can not justify replacing any of the wines these days- I will only ever now buy exceptional rated Mt Ed.



Wendouree
Rockford
Henschke
Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello
Cappellano

Hmm, proportion of Balnaves The Tally seems to be growing significantly and moving up the list. Just beautiful with ten years of age

Must stop buying Wynns, went to a TWE event mid-week and actually did not buy any...wow!
Nothing will change in the cellar...too old now to make inroads but Wild Duck Creek will get more of a look in

Wynns 100+ dozen
Wendouree 40+ dozen
Rockford 40+ dozen
Another 4-6 wineries from Coonawarra (Bowen, Zema, Majella, Petaluma, Lindermans) with 10-20 dozen

Off the top of my head...memory fading now and can't really recall what I have
YY, Mt Mary, Dalwhinne, Redbank, JH, Craiglee, Passing Clouds, Seppelts, Bests around 10 dozen each
MV, Woodstock, Wirra, Coriole, Kays, Noon, around 5-10 dozen each

And a heap of all-sorts and too much bloody Riesling, particularly 02 and 12 vintage.
Too much bloody wine

Must...stop...buying...and must start drinking
Cheers
Craig

phillisc wrote:Must stop buying Wynns, went to a TWE event mid-week and actually did not buy any...wow!
Nothing will change in the cellar...too old now to make inroads but Wild Duck Creek will get more of a look in

Wynns 100+ dozen
Wendouree 40+ dozen
Rockford 40+ dozen
Another 4-6 wineries from Coonawarra (Bowen, Zema, Majella, Petaluma, Lindermans) with 10-20 dozen

Off the top of my head...memory fading now and can't really recall what I have
YY, Mt Mary, Dalwhinne, Redbank, JH, Craiglee, Passing Clouds, Seppelts, Bests around 10 dozen each
MV, Woodstock, Wirra, Coriole, Kays, Noon, around 5-10 dozen each

And a heap of all-sorts and too much bloody Riesling, particularly 02 and 12 vintage.
Too much bloody wine

Must...stop...buying...and must start drinking
Cheers
Craig

stop stop stop
you need to reel it in asap

you have waaaaay to much wine

....and he hasn't even discovered overseas wine yet

Mount Langi Ghiran Langi Shiraz 1998 x 3 bottles
Wynns John Riddoch 1998 x 3 bottles
Hardys Eileen Hardy Shiraz 1998 x 1
Curly Flat Pinot Noir 2010 x 6
Curly Flat Pinot Noir 2012 x 6
Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot 2005 x 1
Tahbilk Estate Eric Stevens Purbrick Shiraz 2005 x 2

phillisc wrote:Must stop buying Wynns, went to a TWE event mid-week and actually did not buy any...wow!
Nothing will change in the cellar...too old now to make inroads but Wild Duck Creek will get more of a look in

Wynns 100+ dozen
Wendouree 40+ dozen
Rockford 40+ dozen
Another 4-6 wineries from Coonawarra (Bowen, Zema, Majella, Petaluma, Lindermans) with 10-20 dozen

Off the top of my head...memory fading now and can't really recall what I have
YY, Mt Mary, Dalwhinne, Redbank, JH, Craiglee, Passing Clouds, Seppelts, Bests around 10 dozen each
MV, Woodstock, Wirra, Coriole, Kays, Noon, around 5-10 dozen each

And a heap of all-sorts and too much bloody Riesling, particularly 02 and 12 vintage.
Too much bloody wine

Must...stop...buying...and must start drinking
Cheers
Craig

So Craig, what's stopping you drinking!! Get to it!
Cheers, Malcolm

My Top 5.
Tyrrells 312
Standish 252
Rockford 203
Marius 161
Murray St 102

Brucer wrote:
Murray St 102

Interesting, I have never heard of Murray St before - which means absolutely nothing of course. Checking out their wines however, the top one are bloody expensive. What do you think of them?

Mark

From my petite 'cellar' of 71 bottles (rounded to 0.5% to make it sound more impressive );

Rockford Cabernet Sauvignon Rifle Range - 16 (22.5%)
I love this wine, it's the wine that has encouraged me to try more cab sauv

Bungawarra Festival Red - 10 (14%)
It'll never win any awards but it's our choice of chilled wine for a summer afternoon

Penfolds Bin 389 - 9 (12.5%)
This is our Christmas lunch wine that's growing three bottles each new vintage each year (still need to get the 2014's)

Henschke Euphonium Keyneton Estate - 8 (11.5%)
Probably our favourite wine, it really opened our eyes to better wine and it's also an attempt to track the development of wine to see what our tastes think of aged wine

Tyrrell's Shiraz 4 Acres - 3 (4%)
Three remaining of five from a road trip we made the year we were married. Two were consumed young, the next one opened will be in 2019

Rockford Shiraz Basket Press - 2 750 ml / 1 1.5 l (4%)
Two anniversary wines, one being a magnum and a third to taste with 10 years on it

rooman wrote:

Brucer wrote:
Murray St 102

Interesting, I have never heard of Murray St before - which means absolutely nothing of course. Checking out their wines however, the top one are bloody expensive. What do you think of them?

Mark

They are very good, made for longevity, fair amount of acid, but great fruit. The Sophia and Benno are my faves. Was owned by Andrew Seppelt an his American partner, who went their own way a couple of years ago, and its now solely owned by the US guy.

Brucer wrote:My Top 5.
Tyrrells 312
Standish 252
Rockford 203
Marius 161
Murray St 102

Jesus christ Bruce, u nearly have more standish then i do total wines! Hahah

Drinking one right now, an 03 Standish shiraz, and its just wonderful.
And all those Tyrrells are semillon.

For actual individual wines......
Rockford Basket Press
Tyrrells Vat 1
Standish shiraz
Marius Symphony
Standish Relic
Standish Schubert Vineyard
Henschke Mt Edelstone

I went to 7 to get the Henschke in, as its been a long time fave.

we must do the 03 standish vs 06 beast soon

Domaine du Vieux Lazaret Chateauneuf du Pape 2012 x 42
Domaine Duclaux Chateauneuf du Pape 2010 x 18
Penfolds Bin 389 2013 x 6
Louis Latour Meursault 2014 x 12
Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 x 6

VINH NGUYEN wrote:we must do the 03 standish vs 06 beast soon

Yes, before I drink them all. Let me know.

After the latest buying spree I have a new number 1.
62% is red
36% is white


Leasingham Classic Clare Sparkling Shiraz
St Henri Shiraz
St Helga Eden Valley Riesling
McWilliams Elizabeth Semillon
Knappstein Hand Picked Clare Riesling
Taylors St Andrews Clare Riesling
Rockford Basket Press Shiraz