The Auswine Forum

Exhibitors at this year's show:

Tintilla Estate
Piggs Peake Winery
PooleÂ’s Rock Wines
Zilzie Wines
Red Hill Estate
Bimbadgen Estate
Seifried Wines
Symphony Hill
Cardinham Estate
Schild Estate Wines
Burton Premium Wines
Kevin Sobels Wines
Toorak Wines
JC Watson Wines
Peacock Hill Vineyard
Mistletoe Wines
Rimfire Vineyard & Winery
Sirromet Wines
Watershed Premium Wines
Beresford Wines
Step Road Winery
Palandri Wines
Mt Nathan Winery
Neagles Rock Vineyards
Arlewood Estate
Rochford Wines
Ravens Croft Wines
Macquariedale Wines
Blue Pyrenees Estate
Tamborine Estate Wines
Cassegrain Wines
Elderton Wines
Clairault
Plunkett Wines
Tulloch Wines
Canungra Valley Vineyards
Hungerford Hill Wines
Tumberumba
Angoves Wines
Shingleback Wines
Brookland Valley Wines
Houghton Wines
Krinklewood Wines
Robert Channon Wines
Bay of Fires
Yarra Burn Vineyard
Grove Estate Wines
Ocean View Estate
McWiliams Wines
Lambert Vineyards
Ten Minutes by Tractor
Casella Wines
Gowrie Mountain Estate
Pankhurst Wines
Pendarves Estate
Eldredge Wines
Leasingham Wines
Starvedog Lane
Tintara Wines
Sir James Sparkling Wines
Byrne & Smith
Stuart Range Estate Wines
Glastonbury Estate
South Burnett & Sunshine Coast Hinterland QLD
Madew Wines
Frances-Cole
Hentley Farm
Moorilla Estate Wines
Maddens Lane
Yarra Valley VIC
Tyrrells Wines
Rufus Stone
3 Witches Wines
Lillypilly Estate Wines
Caffe Ducale
Ballast Stone Wines
Deep Woods Estate
Frog Rock Wines
Blackwood Wines
Blackwood Valley WA
Tim Adams Wines
Symphonia Wines
Logan Wines
Heritage Wines

There are a lot of names here I haven't heard of and some I'm not even sure are wine related. Anyway, I'm seeking advice on any particular companies I should make a beeline for, besides the obvious few like Leasingham, Elderton, Tintara ...

I'll be in the midst of it all a week from now and it'd be nice to cut down the crap I have to work through.

TIA,

Maximus,

When and where in Brisbane is the show being held??

Thanks
AJ

Carlton Crest Hotel, 17-19 June.

http://www.winefestival.com.au/

Ballast Stone
Heritage
Schild
Cardinham
Arlewood
Neagle's Rock
Clairault
Brookland Valley
Houghton
Robert Channon for Verdelho?!
10XTractor for Pinot
Starvedog Lane
Madew for aromatic whites
Moorilla
Deep Woods
Tim Adams
Tyrrell's
Lillypilly for the stickies

Kieran

Kieran wrote:Robert Channon for Verdelho?!
Kieran

Agreed (well excluding the ?! anyway)

The only other Queensland winery I'd be interested in is Symphony Hill, they are making some very good wine.

Having just returned from a fortnight holiday in Oz, I thought I'd better post my exceptionally brief impressions from the show. As noted in the RNA thread, we were handed plastic cups with string tied to them as we entered the show, as opposed to your standard issue ISO tasting glass. What a start. In any case, the folks and I quickly talked to an equally disgruntled patron who informed us that we could obtain glasses from some of the exhibitors, with whom we promptly traded plastic for glass.

The Friday afternoon session was quieter than I expected and also the first of the show, so no dramas with wine availability. The three hours flew by and following my usual rule of 'swallow good, spit bad' it was a good thing I wasn't in there much longer.

My major gripe was the fact that there was no '02 Bin 56 to try, which apparently won a gold medal. Most disappointing. There was also a lot of variation between vintages printed in the tasting booklet and what was actually on display for tasting. This didn't seem intentional though.

Anyway, these are the exhibitors I wrote about on the day:

Zilzie - Tried their '04 Chardonnay and '04 Pinot Gris which I thought were both great value at $11. The '03 Estate Shiraz was passable.

Cardinham - Ran to their table after utilising stealth evasive maneouvres to escape the clutches of the ushering security staff at the end of the session. Only had time to try their '03 Stradbrooke Shiraz, but needless to say I was very impressed. Giddiup at $17/bottle.

Neagle Rock - A little underwhelmed with their wines, given the five star winery rating from JH. I thought the '04 Riesling was good, along with the '03 Sangiovese which was interesting but neither wine impressed. The '03 Shiraz was passable.

Rochford - Their '01 Yarra Valley Pinot Noir (not '02 as printed in booklet) was passable. However, big upgrade in quality with their '02 Macedon Ranges Pinot Noir which is one of the better Aussie Pinots I've tasted yet. Great value at $35/bottle.

Elderton - Not fussed on the '03 Shiraz at all. The '02 is exponentially better (grab some if you still can). The '02 Cab Sauv had a fantastic palate and finish but smelt a little dumb on the nose. Will try this again soon, believe it to be a good wine.

Robert Channon - A little underwelmed here as well. The '04 Verdelho and '03 Chardonnay were both good, but I wouldn't buy any at $21/bottle.

Bay of Fires - Today is the day for Tasmanian Riesling. I loved their '04 Bay of Fires Riesling and will try and source some ($23/bottle). The Tigress '02 Pinot Noir paled in comparison (especially given the Pinots I'd already had on the day).

Yarra Burn - The '03 Pinot Gris and '02 Shiraz Viognier were both good, honest, sub $20 wines. The '01 Cab Sauv was not so honest, or modest asking $20+.

Ten Minutes by Tractor - Spoke with Tim who was the exhibitor for the day and is also the marketing manager based from the winery in Vic. Easily the best exhibitor experience on the day - was truly a joy talking to this guy. I learned that the yields are impossibly small from each Pinot Noir vineyard - I can't remember the exact figure but only around 100 cases of their Reserve Pinot Noir were made to my knowledge. Their little microclimate their in the Mornington Peninsula is apparently 4 degrees cooler than neighbouring winery sites which is also interesting, in terms of the outcome of the resulting wines. The '02 Reserve Pinot Noir won a gold medal at the show and was a very good wine, but I think it needs a couple years in the cellar. I actually found the standard '02 10X Pinot Noir ($28 as opposed to $42 for the Reserve) a better drink now proposition and a sensational wine. Look out for these guys (didn't have time to try their whites).

Leasingham - A little jaded that the '02 Bin 56 was MIA. I thought the '02 Bin 61 had a wonderful, youthful, intense nose but was a little flat across the palate (yet a decent finish). Will try this again under a more controlled environment. The '01 Bastion Shiraz/Cab was on tasting (not '03 as printed - clearing old stock perhaps???) and as this label always does, it represented very good value at $12/bottle (and cheaper elsewhere I'm sure). No Classic Clare unfortunately.

Starvedog - Tried their '01 Shiraz and '03 Shiraz Viognier. Disappointed with both - average wines.

Tintara - The '02 Premium Grenache was passable ($35, yech) and the '01 Premium Shiraz was good, but definitely not $40 good.

Moorilla - Nice Tasmanian winery with a pleasant exhibitor. I wasn't particularly fond of their White Label '03 Pinot Noir or '02 Cabernet Sauvignon ($35 and $29 respectively - '03 Cab won gold, but '02 was on tasting?). However, the '02 White Label Riesling was very good (easily $25 worth) and the '02 White Label Chardonnay was interesting to try, not undergoing any malo treatment.

Maddens Lane - Tried their '03 Pinot Noir and '03 Shiraz Viognier. I don't believe I swallowed these.

Heritage Wines - The 2000 Cab Malbec was nice (not '01 as printed) - I'm quite partial to this blend recipe - and the '01 Cab Sauv was okay (not '03 as printed) with the '03 Shiraz possessing a great palate and finish but was a little mute on the nose. Still, reasonable quaffing wines under the $20 mark.

Tim Adams - Wasn't impressed with their '04 Clare Valley Riesling and the '02 Fergus Grenache had the misfortune to represent my only 'cross and skull marks' of the day. The '02 Shiraz wasn't bad. Not a good showing from Mr Adams.

Symphonia - Their '04 Pinot Grigio and '01 'La Solista' Tempranillo (don't you hate it when they pronounce the 'l' in Tempranillo...) were passable, but the '03 Las Triadas (or was it Quintus? My notes aren't so good...) had a tick in every box. Great qpr at $21/bottle.


Well, that covers everything. Went out for Italian with the family afterwards and had a La Signora (beautiful) and a Bocca de Lupo (below average). We had a few other wines too but I forget what they were...

Now, who's going to organise the petition for next year's show - "Plastic is not Fantastic"...

Cheers,

Max,

I don't suppose you went to the Moorilla pinot masterclass session? A couple of years ago i tasted their current-vintage and just-bottled top of the line pinot at the masterclass. Particulalry impressed by the power and yet, at the same time, finesse of these wines.

mphatic,

No, unfortunately I wasn't able to attend any masterclasses. I had to rush off the following day, in preparation for a date with some sexy beasts on the Saturday night - '97 Luce, '00 Command and '01 Le Sol, amongst others. The folks have both visited the winery and spoke highly of their wines, indicating that the current Pinot Noir is not one of their better ones.

Cheers,