The Auswine Forum

Is it really possible to determine how well a wine might complement a meal based solely on alcohol? Low-alcohol wines are 'elegant" and high-alcohol one are not? And I thought I was simplistic.

Sorry Ric, I forgot to thank you for all those answers. Much appreciated.

Could the post be a fake? A plant by someone wanting to throw a little dirt on the winery? I can certainly imagine them having a problem. I can imagine them looking around for help, but on a public forum? And if the guy is that young and that inexperienced, would he be someone put in charge of solvi...

What else do you use it for then? If it's not an excellent closure, what is there to like about it? Kieran It makes an excellent trivet on which to place hot pans on the table As for the corks from wine bottles, I had a friend who teaches elementary school who asked me for all my corks to use in he...

Oh Bob, you need to work just a little harder as almost certainly, unless you've been blindingly statistically lucky, you've drunk another 25-30 TCA affected bottles. TCA has varying degrees from just making a wine appear flat and dull to full blown stink of wet cardboard/dog/hessian/smelly socks. ...

Forgive my ignorance. But did this relaxed attitibude toward naming reflect a relaxed attitude toward the wine-mking process? ie, this is the stuff that went into lot 28, so we'll call it lot 28. But if this was the age of Max Schubert, then were'nt the taking a scientific approch?

One more question. Does it take a corkscrew to open a Zork or does it just twist out like a port or sherry stopper? Thanks.

I have a few questions. Is there a difference between ROTE and Stelvin, or are they the same? I've heard the evidence that screwcaps will store better than cork, or at least as well with no TCA worry, but do they travel as well? I have most of my wine shipped by air, meaning 5-6 differents carriers ...

TORB, I have the same question. I just ordered a 6 pack of the 1901. I've like the Foundation in the past, but thought I'd try the 1901 after reading your earlier notes. Highly Reccommended from you still sounds like a fine wine, but I was rather looking forward to finally tying something you reated...

sometimes it's a bit like a dog chasing a bus... I'm happy to sell you a bottle at cost if you pay the freight or share one with you if you ever come to Canberra. Well Brian, you've just proven my point re your generosity. I hope to be able someday to take you up on the second option, so please put...

you are just more generous/tolerant than I am. I don't know about tolerant Brian, as it is always very obvious that you are not one to suffer fools , but as far as generous goes, I know of no one who is more generous with their time and hard-found information than you . I was just thinking last nig...

I have to agree that flashing off command-like requests for information with no name is certainly rude , but I would like to consider the possibility that “great, hard-to-find wines” might mean something like “do you know of any real gems out there that I should keep...

WouldnÂ’t it be correct to replace a cleanskin with a cleanskin? I thought there was no actual guarantee of maker for a cleanskin. Is that incorrect? Seems to me that the only reason for replacing a wine that old would be PR value, so maybe you should keep a few fairly reliable cleanskins...

I have the same problem of seldom being confidant in declaring a wine corked. I read somewhere that the industry average for corked wine is as high as 5-10%, but we drink more than 400 bottles/year at home and only about 2 or 3 go down the sink because they are so bad they might kill you if you dran...

I believe the 02 St Peters and 03 Chalambar should be released this month (March). I was just reading a retailer's introductory TNs on the 01 St Peters and 02 Chalambar, both dated 9 Dec 04, and they said the Chalambar "bottle tasted was a pre release sample". Southcorp must be desperate to sell wh...

In the absence of some inspired marketing, I would'nt count on any further growth in Japan, at least not in the next 5-10 years. The high-end market is pretty much saturated, and the low-end market it very fickle. Drinking cheap French wine at wine bars was a fad for a while, but it has faded; no te...

2001 Parker Coonawarra Terra Rossa Cabernet Sauvignon Decanted for 2 hr. Very restrained nose, almost nothing at all. But very nice in the mouth; medium to full body, with sweet fruit and smooth, soft tannins. Just a touch of mint. Very Coonawarra tasting, just without the nose. 2002 Tyrrell`s Rufu...

Bob: You are in for a real treat with fortifieds. If push came to shove and I could only have one type of wine it would be Aussie fortifieds, the muscats in particular. Kieran has given you a pretty good listing. Mike Thanks Mike. I'm looking forward to exploring fortifieds, as I've often read that...

Thanks again Kieran. Hope you don't mind, but here's another question. What about serving temp? I'm guessing chilled for fino, very chilled for Nobel One and other desert wines, and cool room temp (or maybe even standard room temp like a cognac?) for the other fortifieds. Does that sound anywhere ne...

The Yarra Valley isn't exactly a hotspot for sweet wines. De Bortoli Yarra Valley is operationally separate to De Bortoli Riverina and they won't have Noble One or Black Noble on show, although they might have some under the counter. Probably easiest to buy some 02 Noble One (excellent vintage and ...

Thanks Andrew, We've booked a room with a little lounge area and a gas fireplace in Melbourne, and it would seem a shame not to spend a little time sipping something before going out for dinner or after getting back or both. I'm interested in trying out some Oz fortifieds and stickies, but have zero...

I don't think we'll be able to get to Rutherglen, but a half day to Yarra should certainly be possible. I'll have to check, but is'nt De Bortoli there? I've seen the Noble One mentioned favorably, and it also appears to be on many restaurant menus, so it might be a good option for trying some botryt...

Thanks Kieran for all the informatiion It's a lot digest right away, but I'll copy out your post and read it over a few times and look up some of these on net and I'm sure this will help me come up with some specific questions. It seems like a whole new world of wine that I never looked at before an...

IÂ’d like to ask for some very basic help regarding fortifieds and stickies. Not just suggestions on what to drink, but also when and how to drink it. Other than the very few occasions when IÂ’ve been offered a glass of sherry or port by someone else, I have no experience at al...

Smithy, I guess I could be led to believe that the 'Eat Ozzie Beef' campaign with which I have been constantly bombarded (it has eased off in the past year since US imports were knocked out by BSE) was totally industry funded, but all TV interviews, newspaper quotes, etc., re agri imports are from g...

8) its just I see the word subsidy and see red. I am first and foremost an Australian farmer after all! Sorry to disagree, but the Australian agricultural industry is not subsidized? I'm afraid I would take a lot of convincing before I could believe that! No government-funded export promotions? No ...

This week I revisited 3 wines that I first tried a year ago to see how they were doing under my very poor storage conditions. All 3 were decanted for 2-3 hours. 2000 Henry's Drive Reserve Shiraz: A bit of a disappointment. Thick and chewy, jammy. Lots of fruit and some tannins, but disjointed. I won...

Steve, We'll be heading to Melbourne for a week in April (and I'll be posting a call for help on fortifieds and stickies in that regard that will display my total lack of knowledge). It will be our 4th visit, both to Oz and to Melb, and it was on the first visit in 2001 that I developed this terribl...

I think it is in the nature of forums for regular contributors to converse among themselves. From what I've seen, the members here go to great pains to be urbane and considerate, but not necessarily outgoing, to outsiders. Bob, if you want to read conversing amonst themselves there is another forum...

I am just wondering why 90% of the talk on this forum is about: 1 - Big red wine styles 2 - South Australian wines, in particular Barrosa and McLaren Vale. I'm not trying to be negative or argumentative, I'm just interested. I have not been viewing this site for long. Maybe I have missed talk on co...