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[Michael McNally]

Great night last night! It was wonderful to meet a nice group of people and drink and talk about good wine. The Brisbane Wine Club is born!

With so many of us there I canÂ’t recall everyoneÂ’s names. At the table were Stuart (beef) and Renee; Mark (Rudy); Craig (chillwrx); Trevor and Bec; me (Kilgore Trout); Graham (graham) and Michelle; Corey and partner ; Peter (peterk); PeterÂ’s mate ; Brett (Brett) and Kylie. Hope I didnÂ’t miss anyone.

I am a little seedy this morning (paying a very worthwhile price). Here are the wines I remember tasting and my impressions of them. Disagree at will!! Please fill in the gaps where I have missed bottles as I am sure I couldnÂ’t possibly have tasted everything or remembered everything.

Thanks must go to Stuart for making this happen. Roll on the third Friday of March!

Sparklers
Pelorus (vintage?)
1996 Lanson
1987 Bollinger RD
1987 Seppelts Show Reserve Sparkling Shiraz
NV Foggo ‘Black Myriah’ Sparkling Shiraz
Of the whites the Lanson was my pick, but this probably simply demonstrates by lack of experience with quality bubbles. In the reds the Seppelts divided opinion, with many in favour, though I thought it was a little lacking in fruit and possibly oxidized. The Foggo was bright, youthful and brimming with colour and fruit.

Shiraz
97 Balmoral Syrah
99 Balmoral Syrah
98 ‘Dead Arm’
98 Rosemount Show Reserve
98 Reynell
01 Kays Amery ‘Block 6’
01 ‘Laughing Magpie’
02 ‘Laughing Magpie’ (magnum)
03 ‘Laughing Magpie’
02 Fox Creek ‘Short Row’
In this category, the theme for the evening the 99 Balmoral was reaching its prime and was delicious – nice balance, dark fruit. The 97 was a bit past it. Of the 98s, probably the Rosemount was most ready tannins taking up a background role, while the Dead Arm was great and still had a way to go. I haven’t got a decent recollection of the Reynell. The Kays was great with typical McLaren Vale sweet fruit, but still a touch young. Of the Magpies, the 02 was a standout. The Fox Creek was again true to regional character, but needs some more time.

Other
03 Mitolo ‘Serpico’ Cab Sauv
It would be unfair to rate this as it simply tasted ‘wrong’ in the company of so much shiraz!

Post-Prandial treats
83 Reynell VP
01 Wirra Wirra VP
Seppels Liquer Muscat
97 Noble One
98 Noble One
By the time these came around I was already a bit the worse for wear, but I do recall one of the Noble Ones was excellent, as was the Liquer Muscat. I guess like quality bubble, I donÂ’t get Vintage Port.

[peterk]

Nice Notes K.T
It was indeed a good night with many wines. I too enjoyed the Lanson and the Balmoral with the Seppelts Show reserve being the suprise wine of the night for me. It showed a quite savoury finish which hit the spot .
There were quite a few notes taken so im sure we can expect a write up.
Thanks for the organizing Beef. And look forward the next.
Cheers
Peterk

[graham]

It's now sunday a I've almost recovered.
I guess I'll spend the next few weeks drinking my 97 Balmorals - still a nice drop but in decline.
I found the 99 great with perhaps 4-5 years left in it.
The 98 Dead Arm sucked my mouth dry....if there is such a wine term.
My favourite was the Kays, a sublime wine.
Next time....probably don't need 35 bottles for 13 drinkers
Oh well the things we must do
Well done Beef

[redstuff]

sounded like an awesome dinner...

add 2 more for your next one

[beef]

It was a wonderful night. More enjoyable than I could possibly have hoped for. And I'd like to thank everyone for coming!

I didn't take any notes, but there was some stellar grape juice provided by the club members. Highlights for me were:

White bubbles: 1985 Bollinger R.D. (My WOTN. I've always read about the yeasty/toasty characteristics of Champagne, but now understand that I'd not really experienced them until the other night. The nose and palate of this wine were both incredibly intense and complex).

Red bubbles: 1987 Seppelt Show Sparkling Shiraz. Some people thought this was lacking fruit, due to TCA or oxidisation. I thought it was stunning. The bouquet was incredibly intense and suggested a sweet, porty characteristic to the wine. The palate, however, was dry, with subtle fruit and very subtle fine-grained tannins on the long finish. Amazingly, for a 19 year old wine, it actually developed significantly over the course of the evening. Still has a lot of life, and I'm glad I have 5 more.

Shiraz: 2001 Kays Block 6. Vininfanticide, but glorious all the same. Rich red fruits backed by a strong wall of tannin. A long life ahead.

The food and service at Timmy's were both excellent.

Thanks again to all the members of The Brisbane Wine Club, for such a wonderful evening. I'll soon be posting initial plans for our second meeting. I can't wait!

Stuart

[chillwrx]

Not much more to say – Great bunch of people and Stuart (beef) did a great job of organizing it.

TimmyÂ’s provided great and original food and were very obliging. Thoroughly recommended.

Sparklers
Pelorus - Good
1996 Lanson - Great
1987 Bollinger RD – I did not not get it but thank you to Peterk for letting me experience it.
1987 Seppelts Show Reserve Sparkling Shiraz – everyone thought it was dodgy upon opening but it was superb 90 minutes later.
NV Foggo ‘Black Myriah’ Sparkling Shiraz – Great. Incredible fruit

Shiraz
96 Normans Chais Clarendon
97 Balmoral Syrah
97 HardyÂ’s 150th Anniversary shiraz
99 Balmoral Syrah
98 ‘Dead Arm’
98 Rosemount Show Reserve
98 Reynell
01 Kays Amery ‘Block 6’
01 ‘Laughing Magpie’
02 ‘Laughing Magpie’ (magnum)
03 ‘Laughing Magpie’
02 Fox Creek ‘Short Row’
Kays was the gun wine but none of the wines were too bad – the 97’s need to be drunk but were OK, the 96 Normans was drinking well. Of the 98’s the fruit from the Rosemount show reserve sealed it for me – the reynell and the dead arm will probably look better in a few years. The 99 Balmoral had good fruit but lots of oak. It was fantastic to compare the two vintages as well as the 3 vintages of the laughing magpie. The fox creek will be good in 5 years.

Other
03 Mitolo ‘Serpico’ Cab Sauv - Huge wine – lots going on. Could be great in a few years.

DP69? Muscat was great as usual
The 99 Noble one was brilliant – my first real try and it was as good as promised. I was expecting a sickly sweet wine but the acidity was a great balance.
Vintage Ports were OK.

The wine of the night for me was definitely the 87 Seppelt Show Reserve sparkling shiraz. Just got better and better.

Look forward to the next one!

[Gary W]

The 2004 Laughing Magpie is a very smart wine too.
GW

[Rudy]

Thanks all for a fun and relaxed night - most enjoyable.

Of the sparklings I enjoyed the Lanson , was intruiged by the Bolly, and after an initial stink blew off the Seppelt Shiraz was delicious.

Concurring with most, the Kays was a delightful wine. Nex tier were the Normans, 99 Balmoral, and 98 Rosemount. The Mitolo needs to be put away for a few years, with some lovely fruit and structure.

Cheers, Mark

[Elvispga]

Niki and I are thinking of bringing a 1998 Lindemans Pyrus and a 1998 Wynns Michael Shiraz.

Do we have a time decided upon?

Cheers
Elvis

[beef]

Niki and I are thinking of bringing a 1998 Lindemans Pyrus and a 1998 Wynns Michael Shiraz.

Do we have a time decided upon?

Cheers
Elvis

Come over to the other thread Elvis. It's newer and shiny