The Auswine Forum

Hi good peoples,

It's that time of the week again, time to tell us what you have been drinking. Tasting notes, lists of vibes welcome.

PENFOLDS St.Henri Shiraz 2003

If you are new to St Henri, this is your grand entry into seduction. If you know the wine already then you’d expect more.

Reserved, old fashioned nose. Not much promise there but that’s why the palate hits you like a well aimed bazooka with beautiful black fruits, richness and concentration reminiscent of dark cherry preserve and aromatic plum. Very delicious and easy drinking, it would make an excellent bargain at $20 but this is one of the high end wines so you need to pay $60 for the pleasure. Closer inspection reveals slight but noticeably low acid levels but tannins are fine with some tasty oak on the finish. Superb drinking already, will not improve much but can keep 3 to 7 years. Very seductive but very expensive for what it is.
92 points.

Cheers,
Attila

Houghton's 2001 MR Cabernet. Drinking well right now.

Starvedog Lane 2002 Adelaide Hills Chardonnay. Acids have mellowed and it's drinking really well now and for a year or so.

La Testa 2001 Merlot. truely varietal with some good new French oak. Had Anne purring like a pussycat. Seductive and what Merlot should be.

Eillien Hardy 2002 Chardonnay. Too much oak for the fruit from an ordinary vintage.

Craneford 2004 John Zilm Barossa Shiraz. Boring

La Testa 2001 Cabernet. Great fruit supported by a tad too much French oak but I'm not complaining.

Chuck

Bay of Fires Riesling 2005, Tasmania, 12%, screwcap.
- I don't drink much Tasmanian riesling. This wasn't bad: apples, apple skin, florals and lemon acid. Needed a bit more texture or minerality for interest.

Surveyor's Hill Riesling 2006, Canberra, 11.6%, screwcap.
- One of my favourite local rieslings of recent times. Well-judged fruit ripeness and alcohol, a clean nose and good talc-like characters, plus decent length.

Symphonia Albarino 2006, King Valley, 12%, screwcap.
- The first experimental albarino release from what was Peter Read's Symphonia (now owned by Sam Miranda Wines). This is very much at the acid-attack, riesling-ish end of the albarino spectrum. Smells good, and some nice lees-derived palate textures, but the acid is such that food is definitely required.

Fox Gordon Abby Viognier 2006, Barossa Valley, 14%, screwcap.
- The nose has good blossom and some apricot, decent palate weight and some lees textures, but overall needs a bit more of a spine.

Kay Brothers Moscato 2007, McLaren Vale, 7.5%, crown seal.
- Musk, blossom, and that distinctive muscat/frontignac grapey smell. Sweetness through the palate carries more musk, the finish doesn't cloy, and the fizz is not too much, but I think a little more acid would sharpen this up. A good first go at a moscato from this maker (and compared well to the Wirra Wirra tried this week).

Lillydale Estate Chardonnay 2005, Yarra Valley, 13.5%, screwcap.
- Still one of my favourite well-priced Australian chardonnays from recent years. This is travelling well, with a little more age driving integration of the oak, without much backing off of fruit brightness and acid. Lovely.

Seppelt Oloroso DP38, Barossa Valley, 21.5%, cork.
- I usually keep a couple of fortifieds around for occasional sipping before or after dinner, and for use in cooking. This bottle of oloroso sherry held very well for more than a month in the fridge: well-judges sweetness, good rancio characters, weighty and viscous in the mouth, but finishing with a lingering nutty sweetness that does not cloy.

Seppelt Original Sparkling Shiraz 2004, Great Western, 13%, crown seal.
- It is so good to have these under crown seal. I'd previously wondered about the sweetness in this release, but recent bottles are showing signs of settling down and offering better integration of fruit and sugar. This will be interesting to watch age.

Seppelt Silverband Sparkling Shiraz NV, Grampians, 13%, crown seal.
- Another big tick for crown sealed sparklers. This showed very fresh and bright, with an excellent structure of tannins and well-judged acids. Persistent mousse and good length. I like it.

Lerida Estate Pinot Noir 2006, Canberra, 13.5%, screwcap.
- This did well in the Canberra Wine Show (picking up a gold, from memory), so I bought several to have a look with food. This is Australian pinot for acid lovers. The nose shows mid-weight fruit, including some vanilla, there is good flavour ripeness through the palate. Tannins are unobtrusive, but it is acid that carries the show, taking this well into the (fruit) sweet and sour territory. I can't quite make up my mind about this, and would have bought a few more if it remained at the $22 release pricepoint. Given that the price got jacked up to $28 a bottle after the show results, my business will go elsewhere.

Guigal Cotes du Rhone 2004, Rhone, 13%, cork.
- Decent Cotes du Rhone, and with more interest for me than the 2003. Went very well with roasted meats.

Ravensworth Sangiovese 2006, Canberra, 14%, screwcap.
- I'm liking this even more with time in bottle. The cherry character is a little more expressive than it was earlier, but showing better integration with the nut kernel and dried herbs, as well as the tannins. Good gear, and well-priced.

Ravensworth Shiraz Viognier 2005, Canberra, 14%, screwcap.
- Another Ravensworth tracking very well with time in bottle. Ripe berry fruits, nice pepper and good aromatics (5% viognier). Tasty, especially with time in the decanter.

Anderson Methode Champenoise Shiraz 1998, 14.2%, cork.
- A dodgy looking cork, but this accidentally-cellared bottle has held very well. Good aged sparkling shiraz characters, including mushroom and olive, and still good acids and mousse. On the slide, but good.

Mount Majura Shiraz 2006, Canberra, 14.1%, screwcap.
- I'm a very big rap for the 2005 vintage of this wine, but this is also very good. Frank van de Loo is not a red fruits cool climate shiraz fan, preferring to see these wines more into the purple to black fruits (blueberry and brambles) ranges of the shiraz spectrum. This offers lovely peppery spice, ripe fruits and well-handled tannins, and comes up very well in the decanter.

Penley Estate Hyland Shiraz 2004, Coonawarra, 14.5%, cork.
- I am still struggling to understand Coonawarra shiraz. This was nice enough (certainly ripe enough), but I didn't get a sense of anything particularly distinctive about it.

Mike Press Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Adelaide Hills, 14.5%, screwcap.
- After many good reviews, I got around to tasting a bottle out of my case of this. Even putting the value of it aside, this is an excellent Australian cabernet. Good varietal characters of blackcurrant with some muted capsicum and tobacco. Certainly wouldn't want any more ripeness or alcohol, but I think this will drink very well over the next 5 or so years.

Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2005, Hilltops, 14%, screwcap.
- I quite like the 2005 of this, quite seriously-structured Tim Kirk shiraz. It certainly does need time in the decanter, but when it comes up has excellent length and persistence of fruit flavour. I have very little left, but it should make excellent older bones with cellar time.

Ngeringa Syrah 2005, Adelaide Hills, 14%, screwcap.
- It is very rare that I buy a case of wine first up from a new producer, but I did so with Ngeringa after reading good reviews and corresponding with the owners about handweeding vines. This is a seriously committed small producer, and the quality of the syrah is outstanding. There is so much going on with the nose, even only a short while after decanting, pepper coming in and out, stalk and fruit characters shifting around... The tannins are fine and long, the structure excellent and the acidity is both bright and long: this will age very well and improve significantly. Cracking wine, and possibly the most exciting first release Australian wine I've tried.

The Ngeringa Syrah is excellent. Tried it yesterday at a tasting and it was one of the highlights of the afternoon for me. Complex nose, long palate with excellent weight and balance and a cut of underlying fresh acid - needs time to gain more complexity. Up there with 2005 Shaw and Smith Shiraz for excellent Adelaide Hills shiraz/syrah.

1990 Lanson Gold Label
On sale at the local for less than the 96 worth trying a bottle. I don't have heaps of experience with aged Champers but this seems a good example. Long palete, autolysis character dominant but not over powering.

2005 Chateau Pato DJP Shiraz
I'd bought 3 bottles and 2 magnums without trying. Halliday gave it 94 but Gary W something like 76. What's going on here? If the magnums are going to be a birth year wine at 21 or later I think I should check.
This is not a modern wine. There is a risk that it might be bretty and the brett will over come the wine but ... An earthy briary wine, a bit of barnyard which may be brett but certainly not overcome by bandaid which would destroy it. Day 2 some very good fruit shone through. I think it is a decent wine with a good chance of improving. I'm in no hurry to return it or be worried. (I almost gave this a separate thread but worrying about such a thing is really for the Hunteristers).

Only Wirra Wirra drinking this weekend:

Wirra Wirra Sparrow's Lodge Cabernet Sauvignon'05 (CD only)
Sweet vanilla, mint, some blackcurrant leaf on nose. Good structure, pleasant drinking, though a bit too sweet for my palate


Wirra Wirra The Lost Watch Adelaide Hills Riesling'07
One-dimensional nectarine nose, limey flavours, good acid, short lenght

DeBortoli Sauvignon 2006
Very rich and full bodied but with a familiar sauvignon blanc nose. Good length, but ultimately not my thing. Had the 05 too which was remarkably similar, so kudos for consistency of style.

A big Saturday of wines leading to a much needed AFD today.

At the EEC 10th B'Day tasting wines that left an impression:

NV Pol Roger - good, I like this style. Balanced, breads, green apple, some zesty citrus. Summer time please.

2004 Trevor Jones Wild Witch Shiraz - typical Barossa Shiraz - big fruit supported by well judged French oak. Big yet balanced.

2006 Teusner Joshua - excellent GSM blend. Spice, red fruits, plums, savoury mineral finish. Lots going on.

2005 Teusner Albert - fantastic Barossa Shiraz. Stands out of the crowd with meatiness, spice and a great depth of fruit and palate weight. Classy.

2007 Teusner Salsa - New Rose to the Teusner lineup made from Grenache, Mataro and Shiraz. Spicy, lifted, dry. Perfect on a hot Saturday afternoon.

Overall, a very impressive lineup from Teusner.

2005 Schwarz Wine Company Thiele Road Grenache - cherries and raspberries, spice on the finish with fine tannins. Pretty good.

2005 Schwarz Wine Company Nitschke Block Shiraz - big mouth filling shiraz. Plums, kirsch, dark berries, earthy herbs. Needs time in the cellar, good stuff.

2005 Ngeringa Syrah - as stated above, superb wine.

2006 Ngeringa J.E Chardonnay - elegance, balance, length. Lemons, grapefruit, white fleshed fruit. Looked great.

2006 Samuel's Gorge Tempranillo - plummy, chocolate, black olives, earthy gravel, raspy tannins. Nice.

2005 Samuel's Gorge Shiraz - Muscular, brawny wine with plentiful dark berried McLaren fruit with a touch of espresso.

2005 Turkey Flat Mouvedre - excellent wine - meaty, chewy, spicy wine. Apparently, the 2006 is looking even better.

2005 Turkey Flat Shiraz - ripe style, oak in the background. This seemed a little more savoury than the last time I tried it - better for it too.

2006 Glaetzer Annaparenna Cab Shiraz - I am a big fan of the 2004 and 2005 Godolphin but I like this even more. Trademark supple fruit but with a greater savoury element. Very good.

2002 Pizzini Il Barone - quality wine. Firm tannins, dusty earthy savouriness balanced by dark berried fruit. Needs food. Good.

2004 Prunotto 'Occhetti' Nebbiolo d'Alba - raspberries and roses fills the nose, medium bodied, drying palate with touches of leather and dried herbs mingling with the dusty blackberry fruit. Good style.

2003 Chateau Bouscasse Madiran - Really good. Ripe, meaty, plums, ripping tannins. Needs meat.

2004 Chateau du Cedre Cahors 'Prestige' - full bodied, dark berried fruit, a touch mousy, framed by spicy oak, fine tannins. I liked it a lot.

2004 Quinta do Crasto Douro Reserva - lush, sweet jube like black berry but not over ripe, firm tannins, some earthiness. Good.

2005 Vallado Douro Tinto - Really complex nose jumped out at you. Palate is savoury and smokey with good mouthfeel.

2004 Nieport 'Redoma' Douro Tinto - Wine of the Tasting for me. Complex, balanced, elegant, real depth of flavour. Wonderful dark berried fruit with underlying minerals and spices. Real length and firm tannins. Excellent. Mid 90 point wine.

2004 Cirillo 1850's Grenache - big, packed with flavour grenache. A bit on the warm and oaky side for me.

2005 Groom Shiraz - good but not to the standard of the 2004 vintage of this wine which is excellent.

2005 Izway Contra Shiraz - a little bit angular at the moment, nice depth of fruit, rich flavours. Needs some time.

2005 Izway Bruce Shiraz - a step up, greater new oak treatment, softer, rich, plush fruit. Rich glossy style.

2005 S.C Pannell Grenache Shiraz - the stand out of the 2005 Pannell wines for me. Spicy, sweet fruited wine with tinges of dark chocolate, dried herbs and espresso. Better than the 05 Shiraz.

Also tried the Nashwauk range of wines produced by Reid Bosward of Kaesler using McLaren Vale fruit. There are Tempranillo, Cab Sav and two Shiraz being produced with the "Wrecked" Shiraz the flagship wine. As could be expected they are made in a big bruising richly flavoured, higher alcohol style.


After a snooze, went to Enoteca for dinner and drank the following:

Tappeto Volante - excellent palate cleansing Italian beer.

2004 Howard Park Chardonnay - really good balance between oak and fruit. Nutty oak sits in the background with the pure grapefruit, nectarines, citrus, lemony fruit taking center stage. The core of tingly acid is excellent. Great balance, purity and finesse.

2005 Kalleske Johan Georg Shiraz - Superb wine that follows on from the excellent 2004. Shows a great depth of beautiful Shiraz fruit, framed by unobtrusive cedar oak. Quite complex in its youth, but the purity of fruit really shines. Elegant in structure, smooth texture, fine tannins. Seamless.

2005 Woodstock Botrytis Sweet White - apricots, pineapple, a little marmalade. Not as good as the 2004 but still enjoyable.

Warre Sir William 10 Year Old Tawny - rich, nutty, nice texture, fresh and bright. Good.

DJ wrote:
2005 Chateau Pato DJP Shiraz
I'd bought 3 bottles and 2 magnums without trying. Halliday gave it 94 but Gary W something like 76. What's going on here? If the magnums are going to be a birth year wine at 21 or later I think I should check.
This is not a modern wine. There is a risk that it might be bretty and the brett will over come the wine but ... An earthy briary wine, a bit of barnyard which may be brett but certainly not overcome by bandaid which would destroy it. Day 2 some very good fruit shone through. I think it is a decent wine with a good chance of improving. I'm in no hurry to return it or be worried. (I almost gave this a separate thread but worrying about such a thing is really for the Hunteristers).

That is excellent news. First bottle I tasted sounds much like the one above. i.e. decent as opposed to indecent
GW

A few impressions from the last fortnight:

2004 Zema Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Really opened up after about an hour, really liked this wine, good complexity and structure.

2005 Schild Estate Shiraz

This is my 5th bottle of this wine and this was by far the best of them. A bit of variability between the 5 so far. From the first and last sip it was lovely. Really good finish.

2007 Wirra Wirra Scrubby Rise White

From the small taste I had it was a ripper of a white. Tropical, full flavoured and lingering finish – cannot ask for more for the price.

2004 Vasse Felix Cabernet Merlot

Nice wine, medium bodied well balanced and good structure, good finish.

2002 Yalumba Barossa Shiraz

Saw this on special and grabbed a bottle. Good value for money, looking good with a bit of bottle age, will drink well over the next few years.

2006 Ninth Island Pinot Noir

Relatively simple, medium bodied at best, ripe black cherries, hint of musk. Was better after 45mins of opening, would show better initially if decanted IMO.

2002 Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz

Very good, let sit in the decanter for about an 1 hour, lovely dark fruits, good structure and balance. I think another 2-3 years would not hurt it in the cellar.

2007 Bird In Hand Pinot Rose

Very good, strawberries, must and not sweet, good acid balance. Good release this one

2007 Bird In Hand Two In the Bush Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

Nice wine really enjoyed this on hot Sunday arvo, the Rose was a better wine though.

2006 Bird In Hand Shiraz

Had a touch of a cold when I tried this, still showed well, nice spice and finish.

Mostly quaffers this week, except

05 Bowen Cab Sav
Top notch stuff seems Bowen are getting there act together again this is worth buying at the right price.

99 Turkey Flat Shiraz
Auction purchase and I don't know if was slightly corked, cooked or a bit of both but it was not up to what I expected given some of the TN's on this wine.

Glen

ive been pigging out on cheap 07 sauvignon blancs. Sugar Loaf mainly. Bloody compelling sav.

Also 01 Unison Selection (all class) and 05 Mt Difficulty Pinot (a bit young but super on day 2)

C.

Not alot of wine this weekend as beer was drunk due to the RWC, England's loss, oh well such is life

Lindemans Limestone Ridge 2002
Bought this direct as cleanskins for $17 ... will try another one soon, but this was not great. Had a greenish edge to it, little on the nose, did open up after a few hours, but not something which I would even take to a friends BBQ. I hope this is a bad bottle, as opposed to the 2002 vintage being the primary factor. , only 5 more bottles to go

1999 Leasingham Classic Clare Cab Sav- Intense dark fruits, good length, very good with lamb cutlets.
2001 Moss Wood pinot- Uncomplicated, reminded me of rose tea, don't think it will improve with time.

Cheers,

monghead

GRB wrote:99 Turkey Flat Shiraz
Auction purchase and I don't know if was slightly corked, cooked or a bit of both but it was not up to what I expected given some of the TN's on this wine.

Glen

The joys of auction purchases i spose. Never know the exact cellaring etc.

monghead wrote:1999 Leasingham Classic Clare Cab Sav- Intense dark fruits, good length, very good with lamb cutlets.

Did you find it Bretty as?

The last few bottles I have seen have been riddled with it

chuckles wrote:

monghead wrote:1999 Leasingham Classic Clare Cab Sav- Intense dark fruits, good length, very good with lamb cutlets.

Did you find it Bretty as?

The last few bottles I have seen have been riddled with it

Doesn't sound like it from his tasting note.

cheers

Carl

Chuckles,

Must admit, I did not detect any brettyness in the bottle I had. There was a hint of mintyness, but not as pronounced as a coonawarra cabernet, and certainly none of the barnyard / sweat characteristics of a brett affected wine.... Maybe I was lucky with that batch.... First time I had had this wine.

Cheers,

Monghead

Last week I spent 7 days in the Barossa, Adelaide Hills and a day in McLaren Vale.

Went to;
Rockford
Greenock Creek
Kaesler
Turkey Flat
Torbreck
Murray Street Vineyards
Henschke
Shaw & Smith
Bird in Hand
Bridgewater
d'Arenberg
Foggo

the best wine on tour (that I could taste) was the SVS Hoffmann 2000, superb!