Sunday just keeps rolling around

[daz]

Noticed no-one had yet started the traditional thread in Ric's concerning absence.

Nothing of any note for me this week. But I did finally get around to trying a couple of bottles Di Bortoli Sacred Hill Semillon Chardonnay 2008. Not bad but I prefer the chardonnay.

So, if you've not already posted about last weeks wines, please let us know what you've been drinking. Or even if you have posted about the wines you've had, feel free to re-post.

Cheers

daz

[TiggerK]

Moana Park Vineyard Tribute Syrah Viognier 2007 - tasty NZ'er, bacon and earthy notes, black fruit and very easy to drink. Good Good.
Vasse Felix Chardonnay 2008 - great QPR, well made, slight richness, yet fresh. Value Good.

tonight will try with a good steak....

Penfolds Cellar Reserve Grenache 2002.... hopeful yum yum... OK, hours later.. hmm, a legend slightly past it's best. 10 seconds of delicious nose, settling to a subdued berry past-intensity . On the palate (no decant), it's all rich boysenberry/raspberry/blackcurrant goodness and a super rich follow-through of said tastes. I still love it, but not an elegant wine, just a wine reeking of ripe juicy summer dark berries, and then some. Time to Drink Up. Ripe Good.

Cheers
TiggerK

[rmack]

Been a busy week for me -
Brindabella Hills sav blanc/semillon 2002
I found this under some other bottles in the cellar the other day. Well and truly past it of course but there were still a few interesting notes. Very limited fruit, quite vegetative and pea-ee.

Remi Jobard Volnay 1er Cru red burgundy 2002
I was so excited to try this because it was the first major burgundy purchase for me. Of course it was corked. Muted (nil) fruit, just mustiness. Oh well I'll just have to wait a little longer for my first red burgundy 'ah-ha' experience.

Cave de Lugny Cremant de Bourgogne
reliable as always, very crisp and enjoyable.

Geoff Weaver Pinot Noir 2004
a very nice pinot to my taste. Forest floor & sour cherry. Some spice on the finish. Med + length. Very enjoyable.

Guigal Cotes du Rhone rouge 2005
my first experience with this wine. It really appealed to me with it's mix of red & black fruits, spice and slightly funky finish.

Rockford white fronti 2009
nice easy drink for a Sunday evening. Bit too sweet for my taste but certainly refreshing.

[Wayno]

Voyager Chardonnay 2005 - in good shape, full figured and tasty

Fromm Clayvin Chardonnay 2004 - linear and steelier than the Voyager - a little dull on the first night but exceptionally zingy and sherbetty on night 2

Leasingham Bin 61 Shiraz 1995 - smoky, leathery and a bit rustic but still loads of plummy fruit and tannin. Bargainous longevity.

[monghead]

A few weekenders...

2007 Kooyong Pinot Noir- Dusky cherries, admirable depth, but a little hot on the finish. Just Good.
2005 Jacob's Creek St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon- Intense cassis, violets, and mintiness with slightly drying tannins. Good.
2002 Carruades de Lafite- Very old world. Already leather, cigars, and tar, hints of blackcurrant fruit. A little hallow in the mid palate, still with sizeable chunky tannins. Just Good.

Cheers,

Monghead.

[daz]

I'm starting to appreciate your rating system Monga.

[TiggerK]

I'm starting to appreciate your rating system Monga.

Yep, it's certainly Good Good.

[daz]

Yeah but I still worry about the "goody, good, good" rating. I sorta subscribe to TORB ratings, along the lines of "don't bother, acceptable, agreeable, good, very good, excellent, outstanding". But he's never added "sublime" though I've seen quite a few notes on the fora with that descriptor when someone has really enjoyed a wine, perhaps including Ric. Depends on your "palette"(sic) I suppose.

Cheers

daz

P.S. Ric, I hope your state of health continues to improve, with best regards from more than just myself I'm sure.

[griff]

Its too hot!

Tonight has been copious Pilsner Urquell during the day and while I am typing interspersed with wine that I am almost forgetting notes for.

2001 Cullen Chardonnay
Lean and elegant and for me the oak was in the background. Was thinking it was a pinot blanc from Alsace or something. Grapefruit and weighty in the mouth but it is as though it has lost flavour without developing either. Perhaps in a hole? Acceptable.

1998 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Reserve
Its older and drier and has an exotic bent. Spicy nose with a long palate that finishes a little dry and indeed bitter. Great match for asian food however and even matched an aged gouda earlier on. Great food wine. Probably just a good wine but a Very Good from me.

2007 Giles Robin Papillon Crozes Hermitage
Lovely nose of white flowers, earth, pepper. A little complexing bacon and leather as it warms. A light and elegant palate that unfortunately remains in the front of the mouth and lasts all of a second on the finish. Promises, promises. A wine that GK would rave about perhaps but a Good from me.

2008 Eden Valley Long Rd Shiraz?
So it is the JWT winner. Darker nose of berries that is so primary. Mouth filling palate of jubey fruit that somehow remains spicy. Its not a warm climate shiraz nor is it cool climate. Not complex but good fruit. Good and makes me again realise how good Eden Valley Shiraz can be.

If it is 20 degrees cooler when imbibing any of these then mark the ratings up one

cheers

Carl

[Peter NZ]

2008 Church Road Reserve Syrah Thought I'd better give this a go after noticing a pretty good online discounted price ... too young to really get to grips with it, but 1st impression is that, while very good, it's a notch or two below the outstanding '06 & '07.

2001 Neudorf Home Block Pinot Noir Very good, with plenty of life left yet.

2009 Felton Road Riesling Excellent -- very precise.

2000 Penfolds Bin 407 Nicely integrated. Much much better than the horribly disjointed '98.

Cheers
Peter

[Loztralia]

A couple of mid-priced Shirazes:

2005 Sandalford Estate Reserve Shiraz: A bit funny, this, as we've had it before and really, really liked it. This time it seemed a bit all over the place. Nice nose after it opened up a bit but not in harmony at all, really. Much the same the night after. Still decent but some way short of previous experiences - maybe just a bottle thing and I'd like to hope so as I've just bought a case of the stuff.

2006 Logan Shiraz: Mudgee winery but grapes from Orange. Started off almost reminiscent of an uncomplicated Hunter Shiraz, quite ascetic and medium bodied. Slowly revealed a fair amount more going on especially on the second night. Very pleasant though possibly takes a bit more work than it really should, if you see what I mean.

[pstarr]

2008 Eden Valley Long Rd Shiraz?
So it is the JWT winner. Darker nose of berries that is so primary. Mouth filling palate of jubey fruit that somehow remains spicy. Its not a warm climate shiraz nor is it cool climate. Not complex but good fruit. Good and makes me again realise how good Eden Valley Shiraz can be.

Carl, it's the 2008 Eden Road "Long Road" Hilltops shiraz - from the Hilltops region in NSW - that you are referring to as the JWT winner. The company name confuses things, as they do also have interests in SA. That said, Hilltops shiraz in 2008 has some cracking plush, rich, deep and intense wines that I could easily pick blind as from Eden Valley.

[Bick]

2008 Church Road Reserve Syrah Thought I'd better give this a go after noticing a pretty good online discounted price ... too young to really get to grips with it, but 1st impression is that, while very good, it's a notch or two below the outstanding '06 & '07.

Interesting, thanks for that. 2008 wasn't quite as good a vintage in HB, I think - though very good up in Auckland. I think I've heard that 09 should be good again in HB though? Anyone else heard anything on this?

[Bick]

P.S. Ric, I hope your state of health continues to improve, with best regards from more than just myself I'm sure.

Indeed.

[pstarr]

Some nice stuff this week-
2001 Mt Horrock's riesling (looking good)
2003 Petaluma riesling (best of the three rizzas)
2003 Killakinoon (sp?) riesling (Watervale, from memory, way spicy, almost too much so in this company)
2008 Head SV (plush, very deep colour and aromatic as, bit sweet at the end)
1995 Guigal Cote Rotie (bacon fat and smoke, kept shifting in the glass over the course of the night, developed colour, light on it's feet and mesmerising, good gear)
Rockford's sparkling Black Shiraz (2000 disgorgement, cork had nuked the fizz, but tasted OK)
1996 Yeringberg cabernet (in the groove, tobacco, herb, spice, should have more aged Yarra cab)
2008 Red Feet tempranillo (King Valley, new small maker, touch overripe but one to watch)
2001 Ashton Hills sparkling shiraz (good with bbq roo)
2004 Tahbilk cab franc (looking really good, over three nights, best Oz straight cab franc I've had)
2003 Tahbilk marsanne (under screw, developing well, good with roast chook).

[JDSJDS]

• 1998 Lindemans Sémillon Bin 9255 - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley (1/17/2010)
  Hazy notes from a few days ago. Classic Hunter Valley semillon here, and still quite youthful, with mainly lemon and other citrus notes at present; not many aged characteristics (e.g., toast, lanolin) yet. Should last a while yet, as it is still rather primary. A bit more intensity would be nice, but otherwise a very good wine. (B+)

[jeremy]

2003 Petaluma riesling (best of the three rizzas).

I really found that wine disappointing this week. No life or texture, just a collection of sub standard aged flavours. Maybe it was my bottle but at $34 I'm not about to go back & grab another.

2004 Pewsey Vale The Contours Riesling- gorgeous wine. Soft but lively. Limes, lemons, bath salts & minerals, apple, baking spice, preserved zest.

2006 Kooyong Farrago- excellent. Nectarines & mandarins, lemon and pears with a bit of cream and spice.

2008 Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay- I almost always prefer the Tarraford but this is going to be very good down the track. At the moment it's a bit too tight for me to waste opening another. Next one in 2 years. Given time to breathe- sour/savoury flavours dominate. Nectarine, white peach, hazelnut and bread. Touch of spice. Structured and very long.

2008 Yalumba The Virgilius Viognier- All things apricot with almonds, honeysuckle, orange blossom, spice and musk. More restrained than previous vintages but still rich. Savoury, funky elements are a boon. Extremely good Viog but my tastes have moved more towards Clonakilla for the moment.

[Red Bigot]

Noticed no-one had yet started the traditional thread in Ric's concerning absence.
Cheers

daz

Ric is Ok, but he's "retired" from wine writing and the forums, at least for now.

[griff]

2008 Eden Valley Long Rd Shiraz?
So it is the JWT winner. Darker nose of berries that is so primary. Mouth filling palate of jubey fruit that somehow remains spicy. Its not a warm climate shiraz nor is it cool climate. Not complex but good fruit. Good and makes me again realise how good Eden Valley Shiraz can be.

Carl, it's the 2008 Eden Road "Long Road" Hilltops shiraz - from the Hilltops region in NSW - that you are referring to as the JWT winner. The company name confuses things, as they do also have interests in SA. That said, Hilltops shiraz in 2008 has some cracking plush, rich, deep and intense wines that I could easily pick blind as from Eden Valley.

Ta for that! Tastes quite different to the Clonakilla, Barwang and I think the Chalkers Crossing I have had in the past. Less tannic for sure and much plusher as you said. I need to investigate Hilltops further then

cheers

Carl

[via collins]

Henscke 2006 Kyneton Estate Euphonium - blackcurrants, all kinds of red berries, and a hint of licorice in secondary taste. Don't know why I pulled this out as the weather says '"Noooo!!", but glad that I did.

Foxey's Hangout 2008 Rose - raspberries, cherries and a lovely savoury backbone. Thrilling taste, will be getting mo' of this one, just right for the hotter nights.

[bacchaebabe]

Had a few champagnes on Saturday night. Just enjoying them with oysters and sashimi and friends and conversation so no notes.
NV Pol Roger
NV Charles Hiedseick
NV Tattinger
96 Lanson
The first three surprisingly tasted quite similar in the broader fatter style while there was a noticeable difference with the Lanson's more acidic lemony style.

I've drunk quite a bit of champagne over this summer (for me) and the interesting thing is how much food affects my enjoyment or otherwise. Wines I don't particularly like when tasted alone are great with food and wines I really like alone can be a lot harsher with food or also fantastic, depending on the food. All been interesting anyway.

Other than the champers it's been all beer and gin & tonics for me of late.

[Michael R]

2008 Keller Trocken Riesling, Rheinhessen, 12%

Understated fruit to begin with, light spritzy mouthfeel, and dry/off dry finish.
Drank it with Sushi and it matched the food beautifully, and also showcased the citrus elements, plus a little grapefruit. More than what I’d normally spend but definitely worth it.

In fact, I bought this bottle purely based on a recent forumites post (cant recall who), suggesting buying Keller is a solid life-long pursuit……based on this bottle I agree entirely. Borrowing from Kris’s post earlier, this was v good on its own, and superb with the food/sushi

Cheers
Michael

[Gavin Trott]

2008 Keller Trocken Riesling, Rheinhessen, 12%

Understated fruit to begin with, light spritzy mouthfeel, and dry/off dry finish.
Drank it with Sushi and it matched the food beautifully, and also showcased the citrus elements, plus a little grapefruit. More than what I’d normally spend but definitely worth it.

In fact, I bought this bottle purely based on a recent forumites post (cant recall who), suggesting buying Keller is a solid life-long pursuit……based on this bottle I agree entirely. Borrowing from Kris’s post earlier, this was v good on its own, and superb with the food/sushi

Cheers
Michael

good, init!?

Quite some entry level wine too!

[Michael R]

Entry Level !.....that's amazing/hilarious
I look forward to the good stuff, when the funds allow!

[via collins]

Yes indeed, entry level.

There are a few more steps up the Keller quality ladder, and they all come at a premium. What hurts a little is that the friend who swears by the Keller wines cannot believe what we have to pay for them here in 'stralia. Still, the basic is is sensational, and that I'm grateful for.

[DaveB]

A pretty decent weekend of drinking....sorry that it is just a list but if anyone wants any thoughts on a particular wine sing out.....in no particular order

LEAS Chardonnay 2004
LEAS Chardonnay 2005
LEAS Chardonnay 2006
LEAS Chardonnay 1989
LEAS Chardonnay 1998
Leeuwin Estate Prelude Chardonnay 2005
Occhapinti Frappato 2007
Raveneau AC Chablis 2007
Raveneau Butteaux 1er 1997
Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynaud 1996
Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynaud 1994
Thierry Allemand Cornas Chaillots 1994
Domaine Tempier Rose 1995
Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2007
Rayas Reserve Blanc 2000
Keller Hubacker Riesling 2007
Trimbach Clos Ste Hune Riesling 1998
Trimbach Frederic emile Riesling 2000
Trimbach Frederic Emile Riesling 2001
Ca' de Bosco Franciacorte Brut
David Leclapart 'Artiste BdB
Krug Collection 1985
Huet Cuvee Constance Vouvray 1995
Marc Bredif Vouvray 1959
Penfolds Bin 60A 1962
Sean Thackery Orion Syrah Rossi Vineyard 2007
Henschke Hill of Grace 1991
Chave Hermitage 1991
Roberto Voerzio Barolo Brunate 1992
Phillipe Pacelet Pommard 1er 2007
Lignier Morey-St-Denis 1er Romain Lignier 2006
Vicent Giardin Corton-Renardes 2006
Turley Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard 2003
Rocca di Montegrossi IGT 1997
Clos Rougeard Samur Champigny Le Bourg 2005
Lindemans Bin 6600 HR Burgundy 1983
Mount Mary Quintets 1990
Chave Hermitage Blanc 1996
Brokenwood HBH Shiraz 1996
La Vin De Andres Romero Rioja 2004
Pierre Peters Les Chetillons Cuvee Speciale Brut
The Wine Society VP (Lindemans) 1979
Robert Arnoux Vosne Romanee 1959
Ch Pichon Lalande 1983
Ehrenbreitseiner Kreuzberg Beerenauslesen 1976
Seppelts Para 1909
Chambers Rare Muscat
Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile Cuvee 375 Annee 2001
Leo Buring Leonay DWR 13 Riesling 1988
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnehur Auslese 2003
Domaine Tempier Cabassou 1989 magnum
Chave/Qupé Blend Magnum 1996
Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto 1996
Alan Graillot Hermitage 1990

[rens]

A pretty decent weekend of drinking....

That's a good year of drinking!

[daz]

Noticed no-one had yet started the traditional thread in Ric's concerning absence.
Cheers

daz

Ric is Ok, but he's "retired" from wine writing and the forums, at least for now.

Thanks Brian, it's pleasing to know that Ric's OK. I've visited Torbwine recently, have a vague idea of his situation, wanted to acknowledge his contributions to the forum over many years. After all, it was he who on the old Winepros forum referred me to Auswine and *forum. Here's hoping that in the not too distant future, he, yourself and the pie king can set off on another vinous tour so we can all enjoy the diary of it. Incidentally, it was I who suggested he gather the tour diaries under the one link on Torbwine.

Please pass to him my personal best regards and best wishes for his improving health, he is missed.

daz

[Eurocentric]

2008 Church Road Reserve Syrah Thought I'd better give this a go after noticing a pretty good online discounted price ... too young to really get to grips with it, but 1st impression is that, while very good, it's a notch or two below the outstanding '06 & '07.

Interesting, thanks for that. 2008 wasn't quite as good a vintage in HB, I think - though very good up in Auckland. I think I've heard that 09 should be good again in HB though? Anyone else heard anything on this?

There were heavy rains at the end of the 08 vintage, so it depends if people picked before then. 09 was a cracker. Set to outshine 07, which was already been hailed as one of the all-time greats.

[Eurocentric]

Cave de Lugny Cremant de Bourgogne
reliable as always, very crisp and enjoyable.

I'm interested in people's take on cremant. Did you buy this as a cheaper alternative to champagne or just out of general curiosity? And do you keep buying it because you like it or because it's not bad for $x? How much is it, out of interest? And what would people pay for Cremant? It's interesting how many people think French + bubbles = champagne or good enough (not saying that you do). I haven't had a great one, but I think there is potential, maybe just not for ageing.