The Auswine Forum

Posted: **Mon Jun 29, 2009 5:29 pm**

It's Monday. It's time. What are we all imbibing in?

Cheers,

Monghead.

Posted: **Mon Jun 29, 2009 6:26 pm**

Last night I had a 2004 Argiolas "Costero" Cannonau di Sardegna, Sardegna as in Sardinia, the Italian island, and Cannonau being the grape variety. I thought this would be an interesting try for $28 given I had never had Cannonau before, but on getting it home and consulting the interwebs I discovered that Cannonau is a synonym for Grenache. Ah well...

Wasn't impressed with it at first - bit of a bandaidy smell (maybe a little brett) and a thin, watery palate. After some time in the air though, the smell dissipated and it firmed up to become a pleasant example of Old World grenache. Nothing special but I didn't feel like I had been ripped off.

Posted: **Mon Jun 29, 2009 10:26 pm**

2007 Lillydale Estate Chardonnay

Cashews and melons. Maybe not quite a winter drink...

Cheers,

Monghead.

Posted: **Tue Jun 30, 2009 5:05 pm**

It was a little sunny when I got home so I enjoyed a Devils Lair 2007 Chardonnay to cool down, then as the sun began to drift towards the horizon I opened a Bowen Estate 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, very nice, smooth drop :lol:

David.....

Posted: **Tue Jun 30, 2009 6:37 pm**

Last night we got into an 01 Jamisons Run Coonawarra Cabernet Savignon Deep black red colour. Initially big on the nose with lots of peppery spice. Big and full bodied wine with fantastic structure. Tannins perfectly integrated with a blackcurrent finish and a lick of anise. Had a big crust on the bottle. Very good indeed but fell away a little bit by the last glass. Drink up. 93

Posted: **Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:38 pm**

Coldstream Hills Pinot Noir 2004 - drinking splendidly, nice balance, mouthfeel, musk, earth, cherries, iron filings and perfume. In excellent form.

Posted: **Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:12 pm**

1996 Pontet Canet: Beautiful nose of blackcurrant leaf, graphite and blackberries. Could smell this all night. The palate was firm. Opened well but after two hours in the decanter it was quite high toned and somewhat thin.

Conversely the 1990 Domaine de la Mordoree CDP opened a complete mess of pong and vinegar. After 3 hours this was beating Bordeaux around the head with licourice and rich savoury old grenache emerging to swallow what VA was present.

Now for dinner.

cheers

Carl

Posted: **Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:23 pm**

2004 Bream Creek Pinot NoirThis wine is absolutely fabulous for the money, nicely resolved sweet tannins, cherry, myriad of flavours in the profile, exotic spicey nose. This is really good drinking wish I had gallons or indeed Galleons of this.

2004 Wirra Wirra SHiraz a little more complex than last tried, good rich plummy fruit without being at all cooked. Nicely balanced now. Went well with vindaloo.

1998 Penfolds Bin 28 good wine again, lovely fruit and oak acid balance. As others have commented this wine will go a long way in the future. these are looking good value for around $15 compared to current RRP. has anyone had recent releases?

Posted: **Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:16 pm**

2004 Bethany Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Hmmm... Don't know about this wine. Has ripe plums, good length and mouthfeel, but has a metallic zing which does dissipate somewhat with time, but still un-nervingly present. Don't think it was faulty though. Wasn't too unpleasant, just "different"

Cheers,

Monghead.

Posted: **Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:16 pm**

2000 Yalumba Barossa ShirazGave it a little time to decant and very nice :!:

toasty oak a little pugnet on the nose with some nice dark fruit and a touch of aniseed Nice quaffer and that was it ( dozen.....Gone) I have enjoyed this wine a little older

Regards Dazza

Posted: **Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:47 pm**

dazza1968 wrote:2000 Yalumba Barossa ShirazGave it a little time to decant and very nice toasty oak a little pugnet on the nose with some nice dark fruit and a touch of aniseed Nice quaffer and that was it ( dozen.....Gone) I have enjoyed this wine a little older

Regards Dazza

Never tried the 2000 but the 2002 was very nice.

Posted: **Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:14 pm**

Mitolo Jester Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Cedar oak, dark berry fruit aromas. On the palate there's plum underlaid by varietal blackberry, good depth of fruit, oak in the background. Restrained tannin, soft acid. A full-bodied, well-balanced wiine that's very gluggable, a good advertisement for McLaren Vale cabernet sauvignon and
Ben Glaetzer's winemaking skills.

daz

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:10 am**

Been drinking a 1996 Dominique Laurent 1er Cru N-S-G Les Saint George over a few nights now. Good depth of colour for an aging Pinot, somewhat reductive, meaty (as in game), duck pond nose with probable mercaptan (a trace of stale garlic and burnt rubber) also present. Thought some of this this may blow off overnight but, alas, not the case. The palate was a little better with cleaner earthy, cherry fruit, some pinot sap, a tinge of that feral, gamy character also present. Reasonable structure including some classy savoury oak, plenty of acid, as befits the vintage, and decent length but the nose is too faulty to merit a score better than 65 points.
Laurent's performance from this vintage have been a trifle disappointing and somewhat variable. The only outstanding example I've tried from the case has been the Lavaux-St-Jacques and that needed a huge breath and some considerable time to show its best.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:36 pm**

Kurtz Family 2006 Boundary Row Shiraz Good concentration, just as Barossa Shiraz should be: ripe without being overdone, creamy, rich, plenty of vanilla. Nice on day 1, even better on day 2.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2009 5:05 pm**

94 Chateau Tahbilk Shiraz A transparent red which made me think it may be well past it. No browning though. Spicy plums and leather on the nose. Nice depth of flavour and excellent length. Very good well aged shiraz. The primary fruit has gone but left plummy goodness laced with leather and spice. Oliver says this is best drunk 2014 - 2024 but I really think that's a bit ambitious. I can't really see it getting better and if anything would say it's on the way down. Saying that, two and half hours after opening there was no signs of it fading and the body and flavour were still intact. 93

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:09 pm**

Some good cheapie's lately...
Moondah Brook shiraz 2007 (SC)
Mount Langi Billi Billi 2006 (SC)
both of good value, drink now and enjoy style... maybe let em go 5 years, (at the moment 89 pts) recession specials

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:31 pm**

From the wine stash...
A great Dutschke St Jakobi Shiraz 2004 (cork)
Excellent Barossa shiraz, from a good year, no holes, just really good stuff, drink now or wait for a lovely more savory barossa style (93+)

Cheers all
Simmo

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:50 pm**

The Hop Thief!

It's back, and I love it!

Cheers...

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:10 am**

2006 Paringa Estate Reserve Pinot Noir

I simply don't understand this wine. How did Paringa Estate mess up so badly? The 2006 Estate was a very good wine, so I bought 4 of the Reserve on spec expecting it to be better still. I have had one bottle before and it was a very average pinot, and this one doesn't look to be shaping up any better...

Disturbingly obvious vanilla aromas of new oak, even an hour after opening. On the palate the same vanilla oak influence and unsophisticated pinot-esque red fruit. Decidedly unexciting. Two left and I will leave them maybe five years in a vain hope something good will happen. But this bottle simply confirms my impression from the first bottle that this is bad wine. What on Earth happened?

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:12 am**

monghead wrote:The Hop Thief!

It's back, and I love it!

Cheers...

Yeah great beer. Enjoying it a lot.

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2009 5:14 am**

dlo wrote:Been drinking a 1996 Dominique Laurent 1er Cru N-S-G Les Saint George over a few nights now. Good depth of colour for an aging Pinot, somewhat reductive, meaty (as in game), duck pond nose with probable mercaptan (a trace of stale garlic and burnt rubber) also present. Thought some of this this may blow off overnight but, alas, not the case. The palate was a little better with cleaner earthy, cherry fruit, some pinot sap and a tinge of that feral, gamy character. Reasonable structure including some classy savoury oak, plenty of acid, as befits the vintage, and decent length but the nose is too faulty to merit a score better than 65 points.
Laurent's performances from this vintage have been a trifle disappointing and somewhat variable. The only truly outstanding example I've tried from the mixed case thus far has been the Lavaux-St-Jacques and that needed a huge breathe and some considerable time to show its best.

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:55 am**

oakboy wrote:From the wine stash...
A great Dutschke St Jakobi Shiraz 2004 (cork)
Excellent Barossa shiraz, from a good year, no holes, just really good stuff, drink now or wait for a lovely more savory barossa style (93+)

Cheers all
Simmo

I'm drinking that one at the moment as well, definitly a lovely drop and typical for a big juicy Barossa Shiraz

David

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:09 am**

ChrisV wrote:2006 Paringa Estate Reserve Pinot Noir

I simply don't understand this wine. How did Paringa Estate mess up so badly? The 2006 Estate was a very good wine, so I bought 4 of the Reserve on spec expecting it to be better still. I have had one bottle before and it was a very average pinot, and this one doesn't look to be shaping up any better...

Disturbingly obvious vanilla aromas of new oak, even an hour after opening. On the palate the same vanilla oak influence and unsophisticated pinot-esque red fruit. Decidedly unexciting. Two left and I will leave them maybe five years in a vain hope something good will happen. But this bottle simply confirms my impression from the first bottle that this is bad wine. What on Earth happened?

Totally agree. The 2007 is the same. No excitement at all. I had the 2005 (half bottle) that was fantasticly complex but they have done their dash with the last two efforts.

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2009 6:44 pm**

ChrisV wrote:
monghead wrote:The Hop Thief!

It's back, and I love it!

Cheers...

Yeah great beer. Enjoying it a lot.

When it's been available before, I've thought it to be the best MSB beer I've had so will have to try to track down a 6pk.

Thanks for the heads-up Monghead. Also read your report of the MSB dinner.

Cheers

daz

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:17 pm**

Ooooh, a naughty school night for us...

2008 Grosset Springvale Riesling
Sensational zesty limes.

2006 Villa Maria Cellar Selection Pinot Noir
Decent drop, not one I would hunt for though.

2006 Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas
Hmmm, so promising on the nose, but so disappointing on the palate.

Now, onto a few single malts...

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:42 pm**

2007 Mosswood Chardonnay Lovely nose, very tight and well balanced wine, creamy mouth feel however i did have some trouble finding the fruit in this wine

I would think being so young it needs much more time to show its best.

1995 Cullen Cabernet Merlot Amazing nose of pencil shavings and blackcurrants, glorious wine with lovely blackcurrant fruit, exceptional balance and many years ahead of it. Super stuff in my opinion.

2004 Petersons Botrytis Semillon nose of bannana skin, toffee and nuts, lovely rich palate with honey, citrus and a syrupy feel in the mouth. This is a great sticky and i am happy to have quite a few more in the cellar. Went lovely with a rich Italian chocolate nougat desert. Heaven!

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:48 pm**

monghead wrote:
Now, onto a few single malts...

Which malts?

Just went to a 10 year vertical of Cullen (98 to 07)

2005 was the standout for me. Younger than the rest but Super-duper! The best to drink now was the 2000. Provenance is important with these wines I am thinking although not as crucial as Henschke.

cheers

Carl

Posted: **Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:22 pm**

griff wrote:
monghead wrote:
Now, onto a few single malts...

Which malts?

Just went to a 10 year vertical of Cullen (98 to 07)

2005 was the standout for me. Younger than the rest but Super-duper! The best to drink now was the 2000. Provenance is important with these wines I am thinking although not as crucial as Henschke.

cheers

Carl

Haven't tasted a Cullen CM later than the 2001 but agree the 2000 is a relatively early drinker. The sole bottle I bought was shared with a friend at 5yo or so, was drinking very well even then, impressed by its depth and length.

Most recent scotch I've tried is Highland Park 12yo, very nice.

Cheers

daz

Posted: **Fri Jul 03, 2009 6:56 am**

Richmond Grove Riesling 1995
A pleasant surprise packet - intense nose of Bickfords Lime and a lingering scent of honey, the palate revealed more honey albeit fairly subtle, still good fruit, with lemon rind and a gentle spritz. In excellent shape and seems younger than I expected.

R Wines Permutations Pinot Noir 2008
Excellent wine, varietal, zingy, cherries, all the good stuff.

Posted: **Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:39 am**

2006 Lazy Ballerina "Primadonna" SV- stunning, all about character

2007 Battle of Bosworth Chardonnay Viognier- very rich and I liked it for that reason. Not that it was unbalanced. And the honeysuckle I'm presuming came from McLaren Vale Viog was orgasmic.

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