The Auswine Forum

Have been approached to join in on purchasing some private imports and have only been able to taste one of the wines. Would appreciate any opinions on these wines and also as to QPR based on what I would pay as shown below. From what I can find they seem like they may be pretty decent.

All Woodside Valley Estate:

Le Bas Chardonnay 2005 $49 Au
Bissy Merlot 2004 $53 Au
Baudin Cab Sauv 2003 $59 Au
Bonnefoy Shiraz 2003 $59 Au

He is also offering something called Feet First at $16 Au for a Chard, Cab Sauv and a Shiraz. Sounds like plonk to me but I may be wrong. Can't find anything on these.

Thanks
Smitty

Private Import? All the way from Margaret River?

This seems to be the mob you are talking about. Seems to be a big ask for wine from youngish vines and their online order form lists some of these at cheaper prices...

http://www.woodsidevalleyestate.com.au/collection.php

Well it looks like he is in Canada Brian, so private import all the way from Margaret River seems fair enough

I haven't tried the wines Smitty, but Jeremy Oliver rates the '03 Cabernet at 95 points with the following note;

"From one of the regionÂ’s emerging stars comes a sumptuous, polished Margaret River cabernet right out of the top drawer. Its heady perfume and lavishly fruited palate are handsomely partnered by assertive new oak influences, while its integration with fresh acids and fine-grained tannins is first-class. Scented with briary aromas of dark berries, cherries and plums backed by cedar, vanilla and bubblegum-like oak, it reveals dusty undertones of herbal complexity. Smooth and polished, its long and stylish palate of pristine blackberry-like fruit and tight-knit oak has the structure and balance required for genuinely long-term cellaring." - Jeremy Oliver http://www.onwine.com.au

The other wines - he gave a medium level score to the Shiraz and hasn't rated the other two, but seemed to really like the '04 vintage of the Chardonnay and didn't rate the '03 Merlot very well.

Sorry, need to clean my glasses, thought it was smithy.. But then I should have known he wasn't into wimpy MR reds or chardonnay.

Hey Smitty

I have only ever tried one of their wines, but I live near Margaret River, have a rough idea of others from the area.

I liked the 02 Le Bas Chardonnay Tried this year. Was still going good. I am guessing that the vines are just a but young at the moment. Lacked a bit of fruit depth/length but the wine has genuine intention of being a top shelf wine. The 05 could be superb as the 05 chards I have tried so far have been good from this region. I paid about $35 for the 02 when purchased a couple of years ago.

Red Bigot wrote:Sorry, need to clean my glasses, thought it was smithy.. But then I should have known he wasn't into wimpy MR reds or chardonnay.

He likes sauv blancs - surely that's a greater crime.

Kieran