The Auswine Forum

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Had a couple of dessert wines last night.

Buller Beverford Gold Botrytis Semillon 2010
Clear, pale yellow colour. Clean, youthful wafts of ripe apricot flesh with kamquat spritz. A simplistic but good quality sweet wine with flavours of mandarin, apricot and pear. It’s texture is not as dense as you’d expect, certainly a light-weight as far as comparative dessert wines go. 10% alc, there is sufficient acidity to retain freshness on the taste, but overall, it’s a simple wine representative of botrytis wines. Have this with dried dates, walnuts and camembert cheese. Drink now – 2017.

d’Arenberg The Noble Prankster Chardonnay Semillon 2008, Adelaide Hills
Clear, medium yellow colour. Clean, youthful forward bouquet of nectarine, marmalade and sweet baby grass. Sweet wine with rich flavour balanced by ripe acidity. 13.5% alc, it has flavours of nectarine compote, apricot juice, bush honey and nashi pear on the finish. Lovely with a goat cheese. Drink now – 2020.

Buller Fine Old Tokay
Clear, medium+ darkish copper amber colour. Clean aromas of fresh cracked walnuts, cane sugar and molasses; there’s enough going on to be enticed to take a sip immediately. A lush wine, it has a smooth texture and exudes lovely balance with good acidity to keep fresh the sweeping flavours of tokay, burnt sugar/butter sauce and prune compote. 18% alc. Long easy finish. For some reason, I’m thinking crispy seasoned chicken skin on juicy roasted chicken and roasted roasted potatoes with a sprinkling of truffle salt. Drink now – 2020.

Had a 2005 Coldstream Hills Pinot Noir last night. Good deep red colour. Lovely perfumed nose with a bit of funk thrown in. In that deep red fruit spectrum rather than sweeter strawberry style. Finished with a waft of musk. This was a rich full bodied pinot and was even really liked by my "I don't like Pinot" girlfriend. Made her shut right up for once.

Sean
what is your long term view on the Majella, have a few bottles tucked away, purchased on recomendation but have not opened one yet.
thanks
Matt

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Brief impressions of 3 I have open at the moment.

2009 D'arenberg Footbolt Shiraz
Not great. Tastes flat and a bit stewed apricot. Reminds me of a shiraz viognier with too much viognier, though I don't think there's any in this. Just one dimensional with not much interest or length. Not good value for money at all, especially compared to other 2009 Mclaren Vale shiraz for roughly the same price, eg Rockbare.

2005 Tin Shed Wild Bunch Riesling
Opened, poured and drank straight away. Needs some time to breath, a bit funky at first. Very nice, good balance of sweet and dry flavours, some interesting richness and depth with the bottle age.

2010 Torbreck Woodcutters Shiraz
Really bright and strong fruit flavours. Not much savoury, spice or pepper to balance, a very short finish. It's nice, but not much depth and interest compared to some other shiraz I have tried recently. Probably won't buy again.

Sean wrote:Not much I can advise you long-term Matt. I drink them much too young and not had an old Majella. But if you have had them say ten yrs plus before, I can’t see any reason why this won’t do that easily. The 15% alc not detracting as far as I can tell, only adding to the richness on the palate. And I do think the 08 is as good as any young Majella I have had. Maybe someone else can give you a more expert opinion.

Hi Matt

Can't add much as I haven't had any of my 2008s yet either, but the 2004 is magnificent and holds a great deal of promise. No rush is my advice (but then, why wait?). Depends how many is a few. I have 6 and was planning on opening my first one next year (at 5 years of age).

Cheers

Michael