Its that time of the week, come in .....

[TORB]

with your drinking reports please.

Last night I opened a 97 Steve Maglieri to see how it was travelling, not realising i had opened one late last year. This bottle must have been suffering from a bit of bottle variation as it was no where near as good as the last one. Couldn't detect any fault but it seemed to have stewed fruit characters and showed more oak and prune than the last bottle.

Now what have you guys been drinking?

Cheers
Ric

[Anonymous]

This is my first report so I'll be brief:

1992 Penfolds Bin28 Shiraz: I found this is a bottleshop in Warragamba this week. I asked how long it had been sitting around, as it was quite warm in the shop. The reply was "a fair while", but I thought it was worth the risk for $29.95. After decanting it took a few hours to open up. At first I though it was a little cooked, but the sweet fruit came through eventually. Not bad at all.

1996 Wynham Estate Show Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: Very dark purple colour. After decanting for an hour the sweet fruit (very jammy) and chocolate became very strong on the nose. The palate was long and a delicious mix of sweet berries and hint of oak. I only had one bottle left, but would easily go another 10 years.

2000 Charles Melton Grenache: This is beginning to show signs of aging. Dark brick red/maroon in colour. Very sweet plum/blackberry jam with a hot spiciness that I love about grenache. I don't think it will last much after 2005.

[David Lole]

[quote="zanlation"]This is my first report so I'll be brief:

Welcome aboard and thanks for the notes!

1996 Wynham Estate Show Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: Very dark purple colour. After decanting for an hour the sweet fruit (very jammy) and chocolate became very strong on the nose. The palate was long and a delicious mix of sweet berries and hint of oak. I only had one bottle left, but would easily go another 10 years.

My fuzzy brain this morning is trying to say this wine has won multiple golds and trophies (I can just recall the opulence of this wine at the Exhibitor's tasting at the National Wine Show in November 2002)

[Red Bigot]

My fuzzy brain this morning is trying to say this wine has won multiple golds and trophies (I can just recall the opulence of this wine at the Exhibitor's tasting at the National Wine Show in November 2002)

Who says alcohol destroys brain cells ??

I've got a few of this left, it was pretty oaky still a couple of years back, good to see it's coming along nicely, thanks for the note zanlation. It is a good Mudgee red, has a bunch of trophies and gold medals on the front, up to 1999 only though. About the only Wyndham Estate in my cellar

[n4sir]

2002 d’Arenberg Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier The colour is a dark, clear red with purple hues. As expected, the nose is very deeply perfumed when first poured, with a lush mix of plum, blackcurrant and earth with an almost musky undercurrent, and coffee & vanilla oak. The palate features rather aggressive tannins and alcohol (14.5%) at entry, which start to appear on the nose too. Coffee oak is there with touches of confectionery, vanilla & marmite, and the slightest hint of licorice in the long but hot finish. After refrigeration overnight, the impression of hotness lessened, and the tannins were noticeably more powdery in nature, contrasting the spicy coffee, sweet plum and blueberries on the long finish. Not an especially big wine, but probably needs extra time to settle down.


Cheers,
Ian

[David Lole]

2002 dÂ’Arenberg Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier The colour is a dark, clear red with purple hues. As expected, the nose is very deeply perfumed when first poured, with a lush mix of plum, blackcurrant and earth with an almost musky undercurrent, and coffee & vanilla oak. The palate features rather aggressive tannins and alcohol (14.5%) at entry, which start to appear on the nose too. Coffee oak is there with touches of confectionery, vanilla & marmite, and the slightest hint of licorice in the long but hot finish. After refrigeration overnight, the impression of hotness lessened, and the tannins were noticeably more powdery in nature, contrasting the spicy coffee, sweet plum and blueberries on the long finish. Not an especially big wine, but probably needs extra time to settle down.


Cheers,
Ian

The Wolf Blass 2002 Gold Label Shiraz Viognier seems to be heading down an eerily similar path. Thanks for the note, Ian.

[Wizz]

Impressions only I'm afraid due to dim and foggy memory, but heres the list for this week.

First a small get together with Gavin and 707 during an Adelaide visit on Thursday night. Thanks for a good night gents, and for the record, I played one of the worst games of golf in living memory the next day :

02 Kays Amery Cabernet: Wow, I remember this was good when just bottled, and it still is. Its also a QPR killer if its still in the mid $20's. Ripe blackberries, with ample tannin to keep the wine tight and hold it for some years. Bottled under screwcap.
02 Summerfield Reserve Cabernet: I got the impression this had white grapes in it. Very ripe compared to the others (even the Kays), this wine will be a hit with people who like the style, but for me there was something not quite right.
00 Kaesler Old Vine Shiraz: Corked. #@&!
Reserve for the Kaesler was the 02 Spinifex Indigene: The other time I had this it had a good decant and showed well. This was opned and drunk straight away and didnt show so well. Earth & plums. Finishes fairly hard. Two nights later the wine had softened and showed a spicy element as well, ans some liqueured blackberries and mulberries and is much improved if a touch oxidised. Savoury notes under the fruit, a keeper.

And the other reserve wine as the La Corte Re. Damn, why wasnt something else corked??

then Friday night:

03 Pikes Riesling: Hold the phone, why hadn't I tried this yet? Super yum, great lemon lime and some blossom, and beautifully balanced acid. Great glugging now and I reckon this is well poised for some age as well.
99 Leconfield Cabernets: I have had and hated the 96, 98 and 00. This is better than all of those, but for me still not great. Distinctively Leconfield, with a vegetal note over some restrained berry fruit. I hear things are on the mend in recent vintages, I certainly hope so.
02 Mitchell Peppertree Shiraz: Bottled under screwcap. Stinky poo bum. Horse shit. My oh my this smells bad. There are some nice fruits on the palate but the nose is so offputting you couldn't possibly consider it.

and Saturday night:

01 Evans and Tate Lionels Vineyard Shiraz: A Cellarmasters release that we opened on Wednesday. Much to my surprise this was still alive on Saturday night. Black pepper, dark cherry fruit and ample charry oak. This was quite sweet when opened on the Wednesday but had settled down to be a surprise. Good value at $15 on release.

AFD today. In fact I spent the afternoon putting insulation up and sealing the walls of the cellar. Now for the cooler...

cheers

Andrew

[robqld]

had the 95 Plantagenet shiraz and Hardys tintara shz last night. both drinking at their peak and great with home made pizzas.

[PaulV]

2003 Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc Nice clean fresh sauvignon - simple, fresh and crunchy , first glass nice but like most SB latter glasses seem bland and begin to pall. Good commercial style.

1998 Briar Ridge Semillon Pale yellow - soft lanolin, straw nose, straw, wet hay palate , a bit broad. Average

2000 Scotchmans Hill Pinot Noir Fresh , spicy nose, nice kiss of vanillan oak, palate quite a let down , thin and watery with short finish - again some oak spiciness but lacks any pinot mouthfeel - average.

1990 Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon Still excellent medium red colour. Strong berry nose with some tobacco leafiness , even a bit of cigar box. Rich palate with lovely long finish , tannins fully resolved. Just a bit too big and a whiff clumsy to be the quintessential claret - needed just a bit more acid to firm up the acid. Still an excellent Coonawarra cabernet.

[n4sir]

I opened this up tonight and I was so impressed I had to make this additional post!

2001 Wynns Riesling When I first tried this wine two and a half years ago, I always viewed it as something bordering an Imposter (in a positive sense), as it resembled some of Clare’s best, with bathroom scents, lemon and lime in a tight-knit structure.

It really is amazing, as now it resembles the 2003 Kabminye Three Posts Eden Valley Riesling, a totally different wine! The colour is straw yellow with tinges of gold. The developed nose has a mix of hessian & wax with wet limestone, plus a bare hint of kerosene. The structure in the palate seems more relaxed and plush; a mixture of mineral water and green apple juice, and a creamy, almost malo-like texture that lingers. A perfect match with spicy Thai red curry chicken.

99 Leconfield Cabernets: I have had and hated the 96, 98 and 00. This is better than all of those, but for me still not great. Distinctively Leconfield, with a vegetal note over some restrained berry fruit. I hear things are on the mend in recent vintages, I certainly hope so.
02 Mitchell Peppertree Shiraz: Bottled under screwcap. Stinky poo bum. Horse shit. My oh my this smells bad. There are some nice fruits on the palate but the nose is so offputting you couldn't possibly consider it.

I thought the same thing Wizz when I tried the Mitchell on release last year; a real feral beast. It looks like it will take a while to settle down under that Stelvin.

I didn't think the 2000 Leconfield was too bad though - definitely had some rough tarry/chalky edges, but will sort them out in time.

Cheers
Ian

[n4sir]

I opened this up tonight and I was so impressed I had to make this additional post!

2001 Wynns Riesling When I first tried this wine two and a half years ago, I always viewed it as something bordering an Imposter (in a positive sense), as it resembled some of Clare’s best, with bathroom scents, lemon and lime in a tight-knit structure.

It really is amazing, as now it resembles the 2003 Kabminye Three Posts Eden Valley Riesling, a totally different wine! The colour is straw yellow with tinges of gold. The developed nose has a mix of hessian & wax with wet limestone, plus a bare hint of kerosene. The structure in the palate seems more relaxed and plush; a mixture of mineral water and green apple juice, and a creamy, almost malo-like texture that lingers. A perfect match with spicy Thai red curry chicken.

99 Leconfield Cabernets: I have had and hated the 96, 98 and 00. This is better than all of those, but for me still not great. Distinctively Leconfield, with a vegetal note over some restrained berry fruit. I hear things are on the mend in recent vintages, I certainly hope so.
02 Mitchell Peppertree Shiraz: Bottled under screwcap. Stinky poo bum. Horse shit. My oh my this smells bad. There are some nice fruits on the palate but the nose is so offputting you couldn't possibly consider it.

I thought the same thing Wizz when I tried the Mitchell on release last year; a real feral beast. It looks like it will take a while to settle down under that Stelvin.

I didn't think the 2000 Leconfield was too bad though - definitely had some rough tarry/chalky edges, but will sort them out in time.

Cheers
Ian

[MartinC]

<b>Burge Family G3</b>

The only thing nice about this wine was the high tone lifted berries aromas. Welter-weight, clunky obtrusive tannins, sweet candied red fruits flavour which remind me of moreno cherries & rasberries followed by a slightly bitter finnish.

I can name many OZ rendition of the CdP blend for less than half the $ which are more enjoyable ie. Christa Rolf, Hutton Vale & Barletta Bros.

[David Lole]

03 Pikes Riesling: Hold the phone, why hadn't I tried this yet? Super yum, great lemon lime and some blossom, and beautifully balanced acid. Great glugging now and I reckon this is well poised for some age as well.

Sounds like a rerun of the '02, Andrew (tried last night, hence this post). Always a solid performer in my book and well worth seeking out. The main attribute of young examples here is the gorgeous purity of limey fruit, IMHO.

[Wizz]

03 Pikes Riesling: Hold the phone, why hadn't I tried this yet? Super yum, great lemon lime and some blossom, and beautifully balanced acid. Great glugging now and I reckon this is well poised for some age as well.

Sounds like a rerun of the '02, Andrew (tried last night, hence this post). Always a solid performer in my book and well worth seeking out. The main attribute of young examples here is the gorgeous purity of limey fruit, IMHO.

HI David,

I didnt think that much of the 02, although I could only get mine under cork

might revisit one shortly...

[TORB]

<b>Burge Family G3</b>

The only thing nice about this wine was the high tone lifted berries aromas. Welter-weight, clunky obtrusive tannins, sweet candied red fruits flavour which remind me of moreno cherries & rasberries followed by a slightly bitter finnish.

Martin,

Not surprised by your comments given your prefernce in wine style but FWIW here is my TN.

Burge Family 2002 G3 is a Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre blend (52%/42%/6%) that sells for $45 at CD. The wine is a combination of the best parcels of fruit from the Draycott vineyard, all the old vine Grenache and some Mourvedre for good measure. As a result there will be no Draycott Shiraz in 2002.

Stuck my nose into the glass and the wine punched back with a brooding perfumed assault of buried complexity showing some meaty characters, sweet berry fruit and a little spice. A wine of obvious class, the smooth drying tannins are well balanced to the youthful acid and obvious, deep strong fruit. If anything, this wine is tighter than the Olive Hill and needed hours to open up and whilst itÂ’s muscular in weight it has better depth and complexity than the Olive Hill. A firm but supple consistency and refined complexity with some elegance and class means this will be easier to drink from about 2006. ItÂ’s a rich wine with initial raspberry, intense mid palate dark chocolate with a meaty finish thatÂ’s long and deep. This is a class act and one of the best GSMÂ’s I have tried. Rated as Excellent with *** for value.

When I first started tasting the wine I preferred to drink the Olive Hill but over time as the wine opened the true class of the G3 became apparent with its increased complexity and better depth of fruit.

[JamieBahrain]

Cetainly hope you had a bad bottle of G3 Martin.

Have found Olive Hill GSM consistant and purchased G3 on faith!

Regarding Australia versus Chateauneuf du Pape- so near yet so far!

[Red Bigot]

02 Mitchell Peppertree Shiraz: Bottled under screwcap. Stinky poo bum. Horse shit. My oh my this smells bad. There are some nice fruits on the palate but the nose is so offputting you couldn't possibly consider it.

The bottle I tried late last year was the same, I think it's a bad fault that will never dissipate, a rare example of a failed stelvin bottling I'd say.

[Anthony]

Botttle I tried on Tuesday night was exactly the same as well. Rotten egg on the nose. Undrinkable and highlights the dangers of bottling. I wonder if this wine will ever come round? There seems to be some great fruit hiding under there.

cheers
anthony

[Wizz]

02 Mitchell Peppertree Shiraz: Bottled under screwcap. Stinky poo bum. Horse shit. My oh my this smells bad. There are some nice fruits on the palate but the nose is so offputting you couldn't possibly consider it.

The bottle I tried late last year was the same, I think it's a bad fault that will never dissipate, a rare example of a failed stelvin bottling I'd say.

We than had quite a technical discussion around the table about what causes the aromas - I argued bound sulphur. Then everyone was fascinated as to why it can be worse under screwcap. Must read Tysons book again.

[Noel]

Regarding Australia versus Chateauneuf du Pape- so near yet so far!
Jamie and Martin you cannot compare the two. The soil climate etc is so different. Best for Australia to take influence rather than ape. Just as Chateauneuf cannot make Australian wines.
For the record i thought the G3 was great, and we are all overlly harsh judging a wine only in bottle for a short time. Infact think of it the other way round we would not expect European wines to be drinking well at a young age.
Torb why do you only drink ONE bottle of red a week. I heard you were a bit of a player
I tried the following
Back
Cape Horn Vineyards
Marsanne Australia, Victoria, Goulburn Valley
2002

From Echuca in Northern Victoria. Made by the well regarded John Ellis who makes a lot of wines for the smaller wineries. This is a lightly wooded style. Honeyed apricot and lime on the nose with a hint of oak. Really tangy on the palate, with again lime and apricot fruit. It unusually has good acidity for Marsanne and this is what makes it so tangy. Off-dry and fairly crisp, it is deliciously different and may well age further for another 2-3 years getting more honeyed.

Bass Valley Estate SWG 2001 + 1
Chardonnay Australia, Gippsland
2002
Unusually called 2001+1?? For a 2002 wine-oh well!
Fron South West Australia, hence SWG-South West Gippsland-more great marketing. The wines from this region can be good, but often tend to produce an almost sweet Chardonnay. This is that style-i am not sure if the grapes were botrytis affected. Slightly sickly peach syrup and fig on the nose- a touch of nutty oak too. It is 14.5% alcohol and quite frankly sweet. Ripe nectarine and white peach. Probably be good with a terrine or even foie gras but as a regular Chardonnay it is odd.

McWilliams '1877'
Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz Australia, Regional Blend
1998
A blend of their best barrels of Coonawarra Cabernet, and Hilltops-New South Wales Shiraz. This wine has won many gold medals and trophies. Smoky sweet cassis, cedar, spice and plum with toasty oak. Full bodied and still very young. It is quite tight but beneath that reveals plum and cassis, with spice pepper and toasty oak. Tannins are still present but they are ripe. It's a rich powerfull tightly constructed wine-that like many 1998's has kind of closed in on its self at present. I have no doubt that this will come again, and in the next 2-10 years should provide classy complex drinking.

Nuriootpa High School 'Barossa Class'
Shiraz Australia, Barossa Valley
1999

This is as it sounds a wine from a school. The school's wines have been highly rated by Robert Parker. From premium grapes in the Barossa, grown and made by students and staff from the Agriculture faculty. High toned fruit, slightly varishy, with spice, plum and American oak. It tastes slightly over-acidified it has a marked citrus quality. This however is something i am particularly sensitive too, so many others may not notice this. It's a big wine with powerful red and black fruits. A touch oif tar and pepper, chocolate too. This is typical heart of the Barossa big red wine. Not especially subtle, it is a big charry red of some quality. I just wish the acidity was not so obvious.

[Anthony]

Spent the good part of the last few days drinking champagne.
Popped the question late last week and thank god my girlfriend said yes

Had:
Moet Chandon NV: very commercial and would almost prefer drinking our top bubbles like Arras.

Veuve Cliq NV: seems to be back on track after a few indifferent bottles I have tried over the last couple of years.

Loius Roederer NV: stunning, tight, heaps of acidity and great length. Up there as one of the great NV produced out of Champagne.

95 Devaux: a much under-rated Champagne House: the 95 vintage is superb and starting to develop some aged characteristics. The 90 vintage which we also consumed is superb.

Also had:
96 Rosemount Show Cabernet 96: very one dimensional, very average considering the high regard everyone held it in when it was first released. Still got 10 bottles left.

85 Brands Orginal Vineyard Shiraz: wow what a wine. Probably had more fruit left in it than the Rosemount. I have been havign a bottle a year for the last 5 years and still no sign of falling off it's plateau. Great wine.

cheers
anthony

[Popov]

Spent the good part of the last few days drinking champagne.
Popped the question late last week and thank god my girlfriend said yes

cheers
anthony

Congrats Anth but I thought you would have learnt from my mistake
I will drop in soon to have a chat.
Cheers
Popov

[Popov]

Hi All,

Managed to have a few nice ones over the weekend.
Friday night I had a 1997 Bleasdale Frank Potts Cabernets which although it was cellared in less than perfect conditions by the fiance, was a very nice drop with lovely secondary characters having developed with lovely chocolate flavours.
Sat night has a 2001 Vasse Felix Cab Sav which was a great drop and has me thinking that I need to pick up some more of the 2001 Cabs from Margaret River.
Also had the Veritas Christa Rolf Shiraz Grenache which was as nice as ever and a bottle of 2003 Konrad & Co Sav Blanc from Marlborough which also went down well with the seafood risotto.

Cheers
Popov

[Gavin Trott]

Impressions only I'm afraid due to dim and foggy memory, but heres the list for this week.

First a small get together with Gavin and 707 during an Adelaide visit on Thursday night. Thanks for a good night gents, and for the record, I played one of the worst games of golf in living memory the next day :

02 Kays Amery Cabernet: Wow, I remember this was good when just bottled, and it still is. Its also a QPR killer if its still in the mid $20's. Ripe blackberries, with ample tannin to keep the wine tight and hold it for some years. Bottled under screwcap.
02 Summerfield Reserve Cabernet: I got the impression this had white grapes in it. Very ripe compared to the others (even the Kays), this wine will be a hit with people who like the style, but for me there was something not quite right.
00 Kaesler Old Vine Shiraz: Corked. #@&!
Reserve for the Kaesler was the 02 Spinifex Indigene: The other time I had this it had a good decant and showed well. This was opned and drunk straight away and didnt show so well. Earth & plums. Finishes fairly hard. Two nights later the wine had softened and showed a spicy element as well, ans some liqueured blackberries and mulberries and is much improved if a touch oxidised. Savoury notes under the fruit, a keeper.

And the other reserve wine as the La Corte Re. Damn, why wasnt something else corked??


cheers

Andrew

Andrew

Agreed, good night nice wines.

Oh, and stunning food, even if the service was 'interesting'.

I liked the Summerfield more than you, had an intense menthol/pungency I liked, over very intense fruit. Show stopper I thought, but yes, individual, and not terribly varietal.

The Kays was outstanding in all ways, as a wine, and as value for money! The standard 2002 kays are terrific wines.

Too bad about the Kaesler, looking forward to trying it again, I'm a fan of the Old Vine style with its French oak.

The Spinifex, too hard for me on that showing, I'm glad it softened later, but a little disappointing on the night.

The La Corte Re, its still here, when are you back??



Enjoyed the evening, thanks.

[Anthony]

Spent the good part of the last few days drinking champagne.
Popped the question late last week and thank god my girlfriend said yes

cheers
anthony

Congrats Anth but I thought you would have learnt from my mistake
I will drop in soon to have a chat.
Cheers
Popov

thanks mate, I have had a few married people tell me that.
I think I am one of the lucky ones. I have found a girl who loves wine and visiting wine regions.

cheers
anthony

[DJ]

1986 Kalimna Bin 28 I openned this an hour before dinner - the prefume was so great I put the cork back and didn't decant until we were ready to drink. Wonderful drop. Perfumed nose violet fruit cedar, colour heading towards brown but with red core. Fine example of aged Aussie red rated as excellent. Fun to serve to an English visitor who is beginning to learn about wine - great way to immunise palate against cheap crap

Janz NV pleasant predinner and start to good evening - no notes Highly recommended

1992 Thomas Hardy - the last bottle a great effort from this vintage had votes from the better half to be better than the Kalimna but for me this was only because had a touch more fruit and soft mouth feel Highly recommended

[TORB]

Torb why do you only drink ONE bottle of red a week. I heard you were a bit of a player

Noel,

Sounds like you have been talking to one of your no good business partners.

Got to have something left over to post on torbwine.

[Mike Hawkins]

Good stuff Anthony, all the best for the future.

As for wine, had the 99 Rosemount Balmoral, and the 00 Sally's Paddock.

The Rosemount was not a bad wine by any means, but it was boring. No excitement factor, and I for one wont be paying $50+ for this label.

The Sally's Paddock was, on the other hand, the best from this label for quite some time IMO. Quite elegant, decent length and a fair whack of dusty, ripe tannins. Needs some time to really hit its straps.

[AlanK]

I had the Alabama Shiraz 2002 (Gundagai), a first release from winemaker Andrew Birks.
A very good wine which I like immensely. It reminds me of a Bannockburn Shiraz, but with more black fruits, acid structure, and silky tannins. At $27 its good value for me!

Also opened was a bottle of Lustau's rare Amontillado. I have always been a big fan of the Seppelt Amontillado Sherry, but the Lustaus just belong to another class. Restrained acidity, smooth and harmonious palate, yum...

[ChrisH]

DJ - ahh, the 86 Kalimna again - what a wine - definitely one out of the box for the Bin 28 lineage - a cut above most of the others.

Opened a 1996 Dalwhinnie Shiraz - first one I had was a bit strange, with menthol/mint and developed fruit characters that I don't usually get with this wine. The second one however was more what I expected - powdery spice and blackberry fruit with quite a tannic finish still. Can be drunk now but would improve with further cellaring (if you have a good cellar )

regards
Chris