Despite best intentions stopped taking notes halfway through as the food and conversation was good. Difficult as well with the number of wines and towards the end with the time deadline looming the reds started coming even faster!
1994 Eden Crest Sparkling
Didn’t know thy made a white. Deep gold. Oxidative nose. Big sherried palate with med. Coarse bead. OK.
Schloss Vollrads Kabinett Halbtrocken
Pale water. Very spicy nose. Fruity but finishing short. 2nd taste later on in the night. Wow! What a change. A lingering minerally yet fruity, tangy finish. From good to Excellent. Needed to open.
1996 De Bortoli Dry Botrytis
Deep copper. Botrytis yet dry. Weird yet wonderful. Very good. Thought it a dry Jura to be honest.
1997 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay Reserve
Deep yellow gold. Heavy worked oak and malo style. Drink up. Good.
1998 Tyrells Vat 18 Belford Semillon
Pale. A lean grassy nose with a whiff of wax. Full palate weight finishing with potent acid. Just a baby! Slightly disjointed so good but outstanding potential. Drink in 10 years based on this one but under cork so who knows if it will arrive
2002 Taylors St Andrews Chardonnay
Straw yellow. Mucho lees stirring with strong classy French oak. Finishing crisp so a slightly cooler climate. Good.
2004 Woodlands Chloe Chardonnay
Mid straw. Ruby grapefruit and bergamot on the nose. Clean rich fruit palate with hazelnut in the finish. Excellent and when matching the crayfish tossed in garlic, Outstanding.
2006 Phi Pinot Noir
Interesting. Clean nose of tamarind and caramel with some red fruit. A leanish savoury palate of similar. Good but I suspect more in future.
2004 Wantira Lily Pinot Noir
A real Pinot here. Spicy with some stalk and caramel. Slightly hot and sweet but a lingering finish. Used the two years it had on the Phi with good effect. Apart from the heat if someone said old world I wouldn’t have blinked. Very good.
2005 Dalyrumple Reserve Pinot Noir
Candy musk on the nose. Very primary and fruity as well on the palate yet not hot. Very good with potential.
2001 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
Red with brown tint. Stalky and forest smells on the nose. Savoury spicy palate with loam. Was sure this was a burgundy and surprised when unveiled. Excellent but not sure if more improvement can be obtained (or needed!) so drink now. Just couldn’t see how the 2006 tried recently would turn into this in five years time as while both Excellent they seem streets apart with the 2006 tasting very NZ and primary.
2004 Paringa Reserve Pinot Noir
Cherry red and cherry and spice is what it was. Still primary and some heat on the finish. Very good.
2004 Chard Farm Fiola Mer Pinot Noir
Talking too much to get notes down but remember liking this.
2006 Mayer Pinot Noir
No Notes. Remember thinking it a cross between the Wantira and Phi again with the caramel and quite liking it but was almost Pinoted out at this stage. Is caramel a characteristic of Yarra PN?
2002 Tyrells Vat 9 Shiraz
Who would have guessed to Hunter’s tonight over here in Perth
Was a bit of fun as quite a few calling this as a Penfolds although they couldn’t pick the bin
Well it was a medium yet dense red. Whiff of volatility and leather and lovely savoury character on the nose. Medium weight palate with lovely shiraz character. Good brett and classy oak (don’t know why – I know its supposed to be large old oak barrels with minimal influence but I get it with the 02 vat 9’s) Very good indeed.
1995 Wendouree Shiraz Mataro
Slightly oxidised I would say. Dense medium dark red. Volatile nose. Very firm tannins. Good. Yet to have a Wendouree that has wowed me but I’ll keep trying
1994 Orlando Lawson’s Shiraz magnum
Thought this a cabernet shiraz blend. Classy cedar box oak on the nose and a touch of varnish. Medium weight structured palate with lengthy finish with fine fine tannin. Excellent to Outstanding. Really liked this one and deserved more time than it received (as do the rest from now on).
2004 Three Hills GSM
No notes
1998 Rosemount Balmoral Syrah
No notes
1991 Penfold St Henri Shiraz
No notes but remember liking this a lot and thinking it a shame where it came in the line-up. Would have been better after the Tyrell’s perhaps.
1997 Petaluma Merlot
No notes
1982 Reynella VP
No notes but remember thinking while good (my style of wine) not quite up to the one we had about 4 months ago.
And then some Impromptu Sidewalk Shenanigans.
2000 Miranda Botrytis Semillon
Dark yellow gold. Nicely resolved. Mandarin fruit confit with acid, sugar and botrytis in balance and harmony. Drink now. Excellent.
Tajlianich Liquer Verdelho
Yum! Glowing copper gold. Lifted sweet and sour flavours. Very Good indeed.
And then a stupid stupid decision to go to a nightclub to drink Bakers, Bookers, some white rum?, Cognac….blah!
That’ll do although I'm sure I forgot one or two towards the end.
Thanks all and a special thanks to Trouble for organising!
Cheers
Carl