The Auswine Forum

If you want to really appreciate how good our SA wines are and how inexpensive they are........take a trip to NZ. After 2 weeks in the Queenstown area I finished up drinking beer and scotch as I couldn't pay the ridiculous prices for wines that were often 2nd rate. Most restaurants and cafes only se...

350 sounds good to me

Best Red: 05 Tim Smith BV Shiraz, 03 Highbank Coonawarra Cabernet Best White: 04 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Best value: 05 Mike Press Shiraz, 06 Rolf Binder BV Shiraz, 04 Fernfield Eden Valley Shiraz Honourable mentions: 05 Tim Smith MGS, 02 Kays Amery Hillside Shiraz Biggest disappointment: Every wi...

Craig (NZ) wrote

With the greatest respect to your friend Craig, these wines are $8.99 specials made to be drunk within a year or two of vintage. Never candidates for cellaring!

Went to the Giants Creek vineyard in the upper Hunter about 10 years ago and remember the '95 as a wonderful wine (almost Chablis like). I found a few bottles in the clearance bin at Rosemount McLaren Flat cellar door a few years later for $5 a botlle!! Bought all they had but unfortunately never sa...

2005 Tim Smith Mourvedre Grenache Shiraz is an absolute beauty if you can get it. Maybe from Auswine $25 18.75/20.00

It is some months now that I sat with Gavin and tried the Mike Press 2005 Shiraz. The panel was blown away with the wine even before we knew the price. I bought 4 dozen myself and since then have read the mixed reviews from many purchasers of the wine. The poor reviews worried me as some of the desc...

It is difficult to have an absolute WOML, however in the fortified category I can probably name one. - Quinta de Noval 1961 Vintage Port - Had a bottle with friends in the cellar of The Barn at McLaren Vale and the open bottle filled the whole cellar with the most wonderful bouquet before we even ha...

Had a pleasant experience on Friday night when a friend brought over a bottle of Seppelts 1976 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Winemaker K Rebbeck. Cork was very soft and when I pulled the corkscrew out all I got was the centre of the cork. Looked as thought the cork itself had stuck to the bottle so I ...

With Shadrach being WOTN, perhaps I should have been there! Interesting that a 13 yo and a 17yo Cabernet were probably the best wines of the night. I have always contended that Cabernet is the variety to cellar long term as their ageing potential far outweighs Shiraz. With the odd exception such as ...

With the Barossa Valley vintage festival in full swing at present (finishes this Sunday I think) I wold be surprised if there are not some small buses available from the Novotel to transport you around the valley. Why not phone or email the hotel and ask them what's happening. I'm going to the Vinta...

You really are moving in the rarified air Baby Chickpea. I'm envious. I used to be the agent for Ducru Beaucaillou back in the early eighties and I'm afraid the 1979 would have been the last vintage I tasted at about 15 years old. Great wine and the only problem was it was way too young! How many pe...

Hi Gayle T Other than the first red, I'd imagine that all the other wines will be fine. Traditionally the older vintage ports were thought to reach their peak in the 20 - 40 year age range, so all of yours are in that period. You haven't indicated where you live but if you are in Adelaide, sent me a...

Trentwine, I thought you posted several good questions but now that GraemeG has replied in such a negative manner I'm sure many forumites are a bit gobsmacked! Obviously complex is the opposite of simple. Just as we all abhor simple wines the corollary to this is that we should enjoy complex wines. ...

Thanks for the invite but Saturday nights are no good for me

If you ever get the chance to do a Reidel master class you will certainly notice the difference between their glasses and other inferior and smaller glasses. It is quite an intriguing story how Reidel got started as their workmen would gather at the end of the day and drink wine from any different s...

I bought several dozen of the Haselgrove McLaren Vale Limelight Shiraz 2001 (RRP $49) as a cleanskin for $18. Wonderful wine and I still have a dozen left, quietly maturing to be the best cleanskin ever!

On page 137 of the latest Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine there is a write- up on the New Zealand 2004 Trinity Hill Touriga Nacional Tinta Roriz Port. The article finishes by stating "It is able to be labelled as 'port' because none will be exported to Europe". I didn't realise that this w...

Tried 3 vinages of the cheaper Parker Cabernet (about $35 retail) 1998 Parker Terra Rossa - Whilst in good nick this was the least balanced of the three and I can't really see it improving, although 9 years old is still young for Coonawarra. Just seemed to lack the finesse of the other vintages 1999...

Had the chance to try a 2002 Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon last week. Just wonderful with fine tannins and elegant fruit. Oh to have a few dozen of this wine!

Yes you're right Mark, it was the 2000 Dalwhinnie Shiraz (my typo). And it was my WOTN too.
My masked wine was a 1997 'Chateau Papes' Chateau Neuf du Papes but all 13 people thought it was an Aussie wine! Are the French copying our wine styles???

A great night with good food, good wine and good company at T-Chow. Fourteen of us gathered and shared some interesting wines of which the pick of the bunch were:- Molly Dooker Carnival of Love 2005 Shiraz . Alcohol quite evident but incredible fruit weight manages to hold it together (Thanks Gavin!...

Got room for a late starter? Turns out bithday bash is a chicks only affair and I'm hanging out for a good red. Chas

Very pleasantly surprised with the quality of a 1995 Richmond Grove Barossa Shiraz, 13% alc. Won gold in Hobart in 1997 and Top gold at Cowra the same year. Very intense black fruit and spice flavours with soft American oak, beautiful balance and a long finish. Who needs high alcohol when you can en...

Had 2 reds which didn't come up to expectations. 1998 Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet When first opened it had quite a burnt licorice taste but after a couple of hours breathing this went away. Reasonably good mint chocolate palate but nothing really memorable. 2001 Rosemount Traditional cabernet merlot p...

Tried something different this week. Barossa Valley 2003 SGS (Seriously Good Shiraz) marketed by the Barossa Vintage Festival committee. Fruit is from the Hoffmann's Ebenezer vineyard and wine is made by Ben Glaetzer. Aged in American oak and 14.5% alcohol, this is a rich warm shiraz with intense be...

Seddo said: Hoddles Creek Pinot noir 05. Couldn't quite get into this wine, colour reminded me of dilute raspberry cordial - nose and palate bland. Put it in the fridge then tried the next night and the palate was definitely better - tasted like cherries and ? musk lollies - not bad at all but prefe...

Tried the Bremeton 2002 Old Adam Shiraz on Saturday for the first time. No idea what it costs but it is a wonderful wine with intense blackberry and licorice palate and soft integrated oak. Langhorne Creek wines can be over tannic and lacking soft fruit but this is not one of those wines. If you get...

Since when is Options the 'black art of bastardry'! Personally I find it tests the memory and makes you dig deep into the grey matter to consider what the wine is and whether you have had it before. Far more interesting than just drinking the label. See you Friday with my masked wine

Some disappointing big name wines were consumed last weekend Nefretari 2002 McLaren Vale Shiraz (Glaetzer) This wine started out with a retail price of $90 and is now going out at $30. Only trouble it is not even worth the $30 tag. Some good fruit weight on the palate but nothing memorable. Hollicks...