The Auswine Forum

Graig I will probably be turning up at Showcase and shelling out my $40, ive been doing such for 40 odd years so why stop attending and grizzling now. But it does grate paying that sum when media, trade get invited for nicks ( been known to slide in as an imposer on such ticket). Forrest Estate from...

With the increase of Coleraine to $75 it is losing its value. Ive struggled with it since the 2000 vintage, to me it lost some of its character once merlot became the dominant grape. Other nz wine that are made from Brdx varieties do offer better value nowdays than Coleraine, this was not the case i...

Graig, I think Pegasus Bay Riesling has lost its way in the last few years. Ive been cellaring it for many years and tend to drink when 4yrs old. The last few vintages ( 01,02) have got sweeter and sweeter. Years ago they were crisper wines with more freshness, good summer drinking with some age, th...

Ian Notes on the Pinot Noir are a good read, im interested in you description of the aroma of the Bannockurn P/N where you compare it with that of the dentist chair, the only thing i have have experienced round a dentist chair is fear and the the arrival of a hefty bill depriving me of money that sh...

Craig Read with interest you comments about the Pegasus Bay Riesling 2004 Have a a number tucked away having a sleep at present, i don't intended touching any for about 2-3yrs yet. From your comments they appear to be drinking ok at present. Do you think cellaring is going to enhance them? Ive been ...

Andyc Thanks for the impressions of the South African wines. Im off to SA early next year for a mth or so to watch a bit of cricket and rugby. Good to have those wines as a bit of a yard stick as i know very little about SA wines. I have set aside a couple of days to visit vineyards round Capetown. ...

Redstuff
Try this site for info

www.wineoftheweek.com/regions/waipara.html

Lots of quaffer's this week and with the weather starting to warm up time also to have a few Rieslings. 2002 Hunters Riesling Marlborough Not as good as other years if anything on the way down hill, the same cant be said for 2002 Selaks Riesling Marlborough Regional flavours of lemon and limes and w...

Camw,
Were the wine serviced blind ?

All organized to go to a tasting 'Top 100 Wines' Thursday night but was canceled. Not to put off 3 of us selected some wines that were to be at the tasting and headed of to a restaurant and held our own event. St Hallet Faith Shiraz 2003 aromas of sweet ripe fruit,creamy oak.Very varietal flavours i...

Max Use to have a large wine posse in Christchurch but alas it has disintegrated. Remained strong for about ten years, use to have monthly wine tastings, dinners, entered lots of wine options both here in Christchurch and around the country. It was was good fun but over time people moved out of town...

2002 Villa Maria Cellar Selection Two Vineyards Merlot . Fruit in this wine is 100% Merlot and comes from 2 different vineyards in the Hawk's Bay. Black/red in the glass, smoke, spice and dark fruit aromas. Spicy oak, berry fruits and chocolate on the palate. Smooth tannins excellent length,sweet r...

Unfortunately the Chateau Calon-Segur was only a one of that a friend had been give as payment for a job. He him self does not like that style of wine and that evening he drank my bottle of Unison Selection 2002 while i chewed my way though the Bordeaux, i thought it a good deal . I think the wine t...

Chateau Calon-Segur 1982: On opening the bottle the cork was found to look as if it had been on the bottom of a compost heap for the last 23 years and it smelt like it, the worse was feared. Not so. In the glass it was drity brown, Barnyard, vegetal nose which grew stronger over the 2hr drinking ti...

Deep red with slight browning on the edges. soft nose of chocolate,vanilla, spice. Similar flavours in the mouth but with dark berrys, softening tannins. Everything is well balanced coats the mouth from front to back, has excellent length. Not a big brash wine but one that is powerful and shows good...

Best bang for you buck in new zealand at present is 'Montana' Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2004. Fruit is from the Hawk's Bay, the wine has varietal flavour, ripe fruit and drinks well with food and great QPR at nz $10.80 bottle.

lantana
Sue Courtney has a tasting note for Stonecroft on her site www.wineoftheweek.com Type Stonecroft Syrah 2002 into the search box on the home page and it will bring up the tasting notes.

Geoffrey

I think the host on the day wanted to clear out his cellar at our expense !

Had a tasting of 02 New Zealand Syrah late last year, the following are the wines we had and in order of most preferred. Graggy Range La Sol nz $80 Dry River Lovatt = $70 Mills Reef Elspeth = $45 Esk Valley $35 Te Mata Bullnose = $40 Brookfield's Hillside = $38 Fromm La Strada $50 Newton Forrest $40...

Te Mata Woodthorpe Syrah/Vioginer 2003 ; ruby red in the glass, aromas of sweet fruit, herbs, spice and pepper. once in the mouth immediate flavours of cracked pepper, some nutmeg, herbs of rosemary and thyme. Ripe fruit - raspberries and cherry, sweet and savory, well balanced with light tannin an...

Craig Another wine to add to the list is Hunters Oak Aged Sauvignon Blanc Hunters have been making this style of wine since the early 80's when its was known as Hunters Fume Blanc Sauvignon but was forced to change its name as the our dear french friends claimed the right to only use that term to de...

Craig, You are right some of the New Zealand Syrah wines have depth, colour and body as does similar wines from France and Australia but they only command half the prices, NZ Syrah doesn't offer anything different to the wine world. I always like to support the kiwi wine industy but I'm not stupid e...

Craig, For me the jury is still out on New Zealand syrah. Before xmas a group of us did a tasting of 10 top Syrahs from the 2002 vintage. The cheapest being the Esk Valley (nz $35) though to the Craggy Range Le Sol (nz$75). The group found the wines to have lovely spice and pepper, good colour all f...

2002 Unison Selection, Hawkes Bay, NZ. Ruby red, aromas of creamy vanilla oak,violets and some dried herbs, spice. Strong varietal flavours of blackcurrant's, blueberries, plum, smoky cedar, coffee and hints of black-pepper, spice and bouquet garni. The Unison is a dry wine and still quite primary,...

Good summer drinking, 2000 Fiddler's Green, Riesling, Waipara Light yellow,classic riesling bouquet of lemon and lime some floral, dry, crisp citrus flavors some pineapple, good mouth feel and acid backbone all now well balanced with some age,excellent lenght. The riesling has rewarded cellaring and...

I viewed a video clip on the SMH site previewing Wine Australia.It said that Penfolds was not having a stand at the WA, is that correct? and if so seems rather strange, whats the reasoning behind their absents? I went to Wine Australia in Melbourne a couple of times and they were present there. Chee...

Jamie The mid field placing of the 1996 was more of a time thing than of quality of the the wine, to quote from my notes-" 1996 Bin 389, browning edges,spicy,fruity bouquet, good tannin to fruit balance and excellent length, showing good bottle development, lots of life there yet" As a general rule ...

Did a vertical of Penfolds Bin 389 back in April 2002, the years were 1990-99. The roll of honour was as follows :1990 :1994 :1991 :1992 :1996 :1998 :1995 :1997 :1993 :1999 The notes i made on the 1993 read; The 1993 was on par with the 1999 the diffrence being a strong pungent bouquet of menthol, d...

I agree with Attila and his notes on the Sandalford Cab/Sav 02. Likewise For me there was no varietal flavor and the wine was very disjointed and with experience having tasted similar type of wine before they never seem to come together. I did leave it for a couple of days but it made no difference....

Mike Good read with a wine theme running though it is Vintners Luck by Elizabeth Knox. She is a kiwi author and has based the story in the vineyards of France. Its a excellent read and not light by any means. In New Zealand it won the Deutz Medal for Fiction and the Montana Book Award. Printed by Vi...