Weeknight wines 10 to 14 May

[Sean O'Sullivan]

deleted

[Wayno]

Podere Ruggeri Corsini Barbera d'Alba 2006 - smooth as you like but with not much structure to speak of, tannins barely discernable, just Italianate juicy deliciousness. Not a keeper I suspect, which made drinking it this evening all the more crucial. Good.

[Sean O'Sullivan]

deleted

[Wayno]

Montana Stuart Block Chardonnay 2006 - refer full blown Chardonnay thread... Chock with stuffing - butter, peach, nuts with a creamy texture and a whack of heat. What is it with all these big NZ chards?

[Michael McNally]

Last night:
2008 Two Hands "Gnarly Dudes" Barossa Valley Shiraz. SC. 15%.
Very dark, almost black. Nose of sweet blackberry sauce. Sweet, strong blackberry and black cherry fruit with some tangy acid to bring a savoury edge to the sweet fruit. Looks and smells like it is over-extracted, but just gets away with it on the palate. The alcohol pokes out a fraction, but the overall package is quite enjoyable. Starting to lose its appeal after the third glass though. Really needs food to take the edge off the intensity. Very Good.

Tuesday:
2008 Sons of Eden "Kennedy" Barossa Valley Grenache/Shiraz/Mouverdre. SC. 14.5%.
Bright dark red (darker than previous vintages?). On the nose, dark raspberry, controlled musk, toasted oak with some sweetness lurking. Tangy raspberry and plum fruit. Lovely savoury sweet balance. Some restrained sweet toffee-apple and musk. Good length and great slurpability gets this over the line from Very, Very Good to Excellent. In contrast to the Gnarly Dudes this got better and developed some real x-factor as the glasses went down.

Cheers

Michael

[via collins]

Coriole 2007 Nebbiolo After a Piedmont tasting to star the month off, I've been fanging for more of the nebbiolo grape, but the budget can't bring in the Italians, or the Pannell that I tasted last week - which was glorious. Settled for this one, and it's a bloody good consolation - a feast of cherries infused with autumnal earthy tones. Tannins to the fore, and a lot of grip which faded on second night. Good.

Burklin Wolf Wachenheimer Riesling 2008 Fabulous luminous golden colour in the glass, thick, almost oily palate, and a feast of fruits with none predominant, okay, maybe a pear/quince thing over the top. The length was just superb too. I'm back for more of these. Very very good.

Taltarni T Series shiraz 2008 Dense palate - black fruits combining with licorice a touch of anise. Short finish, but satisfying. Good.

[rens]

Last night:
2008 Sons of Eden "Kennedy" Barossa Valley Grenache/Shiraz/Mouverdre. SC. 14.5%.
Bright dark red (darker than previous vintages?). On the nose, dark raspberry, controlled musk, toasted oak with some sweetness lurking. Tangy raspberry and plum fruit. Lovely savoury sweet balance. Some restrained sweet toffee-apple and musk. Good length and great slurpability gets this over the line from Very, Very Good to Excellent. In contrast to the Gnarly Dudes this got better and developed some real x-factor as the glasses went down.

Cheers

Michael

Thanks for the note. I read it and went to the shop and picked up a couple of bottles. Just opened the first and it is as you describe it... Very very good. I'll be back to the shop tomorrow and I'll buy a case. The more I read your posts/wines you like the more I think our tastes are very similar.

[beachbum1971]

Coriole 2007 Nebbiolo After a Piedmont tasting to star the month off, I've been fanging for more of the nebbiolo grape, but the budget can't bring in the Italians, or the Pannell that I tasted last week - which was glorious. Settled for this one, and it's a bloody good consolation - a feast of cherries infused with autumnal earthy tones. Tannins to the fore, and a lot of grip which faded on second night. Good.

Excellent news, I picked a few of them up in a Dan's clearance bin, I can leave the Pannell's and others alone for a while and enjoy the Coriole

[TiggerK]

Last night:
2008 Two Hands "Gnarly Dudes" Barossa Valley Shiraz. SC. 15%.
Very dark, almost black. Nose of sweet blackberry sauce. Sweet, strong blackberry and black cherry fruit with some tangy acid to bring a savoury edge to the sweet fruit. Looks and smells like it is over-extracted, but just gets away with it on the palate. The alcohol pokes out a fraction, but the overall package is quite enjoyable. Starting to lose its appeal after the third glass though. Really needs food to take the edge off the intensity. Very Good.

Had this the other night, and agree with this, not much acid though, and I got some raspberry and a bit of chocolate on the finish as well. Doesn't really have the structure for general impressiveness, but if you like this sweeter style, it's a beauty for the price.

Also had a Yalumba Wild Ferment Eden Valley Chardonnay 2008 - just relaunched myself in my own business so trying to be a touch more economical for a bit, friend at DM's recommended this ($15), and not too bad at all. Many of the good characters of something like the Bannockburn 2006 (a $40 favourite of mine as you may know), but all just on a lower level of intensity all round. Probably even better next year as well. Good.

Going out for dinner now to celebrate the new beginning... hmm, what to choose??.........

Cheers
TiggerK

[TiggerK]

Seppelt Great Western Shiraz 1996 - little bit of sediment on decanting, rich nose, although perhaps a touch muted. A taste happily revealed vibrant fruit with just a slight hint of oxidisation so it was back into the rinsed bottle and off to the restaurant. Over the meal it was most enjoyable, rich damson plums, hints of pepper and spice along with an aged depth that I love. But it wasn't a perfect bottle, I've had better, perhaps 90% of its potential. So pleased I still have a few left, it'll just keep on going this wine. Very Good.

Cheers
TiggerK

[Sean O'Sullivan]

deleted

[Michael McNally]

Last night:
2008 Sons of Eden "Kennedy" Barossa Valley Grenache/Shiraz/Mouverdre. SC. 14.5%.
Bright dark red (darker than previous vintages?). On the nose, dark raspberry, controlled musk, toasted oak with some sweetness lurking. Tangy raspberry and plum fruit. Lovely savoury sweet balance. Some restrained sweet toffee-apple and musk. Good length and great slurpability gets this over the line from Very, Very Good to Excellent. In contrast to the Gnarly Dudes this got better and developed some real x-factor as the glasses went down.

Cheers

Michael

Thanks for the note. I read it and went to the shop and picked up a couple of bottles. Just opened the first and it is as you describe it... Very very good. I'll be back to the shop tomorrow and I'll buy a case. The more I read your posts/wines you like the more I think our tastes are very similar.

Rens

Gavin does this at a very reasonable price if you PM him

Cheers

Michael

[orpheus]

Dalwhinnie Moonambel Cabernet 2004 - drinking magnificently, wonderful wine, great bouquet.

Jasper Hill georgia's paddock shiraz 2004 - another lovely wine, again with an enticing bouquet, that really drew you into the wine. Wonderfully ripe fruit and 15% alcohol (and that's only what they were prepared to admit to on the label!), but without a hint jamminess, raisined fruit, or heat. How do they do it?

These two wines showed how good Australian shiraz can smell - you can achieve truly ripe fruit without burning off the bouquet.

Two very fine wines.

[griff]

Dalwhinnie Moonambel Cabernet 2004 - drinking magnificently, wonderful wine, great bouquet.

Jasper Hill georgia's paddock shiraz 2004 - another lovely wine, again with an enticing bouquet, that really drew you into the wine. Wonderfully ripe fruit and 15% alcohol (and that's only what they were prepared to admit to on the label!), but without a hint jamminess, raisined fruit, or heat. How do they do it?

These two wines showed how good Australian shiraz can smell - you can achieve truly ripe fruit without burning off the bouquet.

Two very fine wines.

So the Dalwhinnie was the Cabernet or the Shiraz?

cheers

Carl

[Sean O'Sullivan]

deleted

[orpheus]

Dalwhinnie Moonambel Cabernet 2004 - drinking magnificently, wonderful wine, great bouquet.

Jasper Hill georgia's paddock shiraz 2004 - another lovely wine, again with an enticing bouquet, that really drew you into the wine. Wonderfully ripe fruit and 15% alcohol (and that's only what they were prepared to admit to on the label!), but without a hint jamminess, raisined fruit, or heat. How do they do it?

These two wines showed how good Australian shiraz can smell - you can achieve truly ripe fruit without burning off the bouquet.

Two very fine wines.

So the Dalwhinnie was the Cabernet or the Shiraz?

cheers

Carl

Oops. shows you what bull I come up with sometimes. No, it was the Cabernet. Shows you how good Australian Cabernet and shiraz can smell...

I have shiraz on the brain at the moment, I think.