The Auswine Forum

Don't know if it's available in Aus (although their wines are all over the world), but I'd heartily recommend the Chapoutier Chateauneuf Du Pape La Bernardine 2004. This is a fantastic wine with a great future ahead of it. Biodynamically produced I think as well. There might be a dash of syrah in it...

Had a bottle of this on Saturday..in a word yummo. Katnook Estate Cabernet 1998 Nice ruby red colour in the glass, but the nose wasn't what I was expecting at all. It smelled like an older wine, lots of leather and smoke on the nose. Very appealing, just not what I was expecting. In the mouth, beaut...

Have to agree with Mahmoud re Concha Y Toro. I have blabbed about these wines several times in the past on here, but I still think there is not a better value portfolio (in QPR terms) of wines on Earth than their Casillero Del Diablo range. They can be had for about $12 a bottle here in Canada and t...

Hi Sue I probably will buy the 2004 given the rave reviews it's getting. I'm in Canada and have no idea when it will be released here, or more importantly, what the price will be. The 2003 is sitting above $30 and no chance of discounting in my State run monopoly store. As long as the price is not t...

Hi Sue I tried a 1998 recently and it is developing beautifully. It was a lovely wine but needs a bit more time methinks. I drank a 1996 389 the night before and I felt that the 1998 wasn't quite as good as the (sublime) 1996 but if you give it a year or two it might just get there. They are both fa...

Hi All The subject refers to those wines that you buy and then write off, only for the last bottle or two to "come good." The wine in question is Taltarni Shiraz 1998 . Upon release, this was rated highly and appeared in my local state owned booze can for about $20 so I bought a dozen. Was...

Adair Sensational tasting note/process. Just want to add that I opened one of these last week, and it was one of the best wines I have had in years. It had the lot:fruit, tannin, body and a superb perfume. I won't even attempt to describe it as you have done such a good job. It really was s sensatio...

Peter Lehmann Reserve Riesling 1998 Yummo! Lovely golden colour in the glass, a whiff of kero on the nose but in the mouth this was a triumph. Simply the essence of Rose's lime cordial with a long aftertaste and a nice dry finish. Lime, melon and grapefruit were all in there. No kero on the palate,...

FWIW I posted some notes on the 1999 and 2002 St Hallet Old Block Shiraz a while back. I decided to try one of my 1998's at the Weekend, and while still a very nice drop, it wasn't a patch on the 1999. It simply didn't have the same structure and I was worried that there was a hint of portiness to i...

Craig Sadly the Drumborg doesn;t appear to be anywhere in the Northern Hemipshere yet, I have been scouring wine-searcher without success to see if someone who will be travelling here soon (or me to them) can get me some of the 2005 Drumborg. Still the Stoneleigh was a delicious drop..but not my bes...

Hi All Just a few recent thoughts: Lindemans Reserve Padthaway Shiraz 2004 Always liked the Padthaway range for a good drop at a good price but it appeared that it was replaced by the 'Reserve" range with the dreaded "South Australia" designation (second only to the SE Australia desig...

A very good friend came from across the pond to visit so it was time to open a few good bottles, we weren't disappointed. He brought a bottle of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2005 A lovely wine, fantastic nose but what impressed me the most was the mouthfeel. Not overly acidic or astringent, great puri...

Hi All This has appeared here for the princely sum of $35. I've never heard of this McLaren Vale producer. It weighs in at 15.5% alcohol and I I think it's an export only label. Sniff, sniff..what's that smell an overpriced Parkerised wine methinks. Anyone here heard of this producer or tried this w...

OK Gents

I'll keep them in a corner and forget about them and see if something blossoms. Certainly your experience of the 1995 sounds similar.

M

Gianna Thanks for the kind words. I did a bit of digging and the 1996 Penfolds Bin 389 was purchased in Canberra at the case price of $19.95 per bottle! What an absolute bargain. Mind you, the airfreight to ship it to Canada when I moved (along with 84 other bottles) probably raised the per bottle p...

Hi All Well after the delights of the 389's and Old Blocks (see below) this brought me down to earth with a bump. Definitely a product of a poor vintage. This wine wasn't obviously flawed it's just a very poor wine. Thin, weedy and harsh, really most unpleasant. Left half a bottle in a 375ml to see ...

Hi All While I'm not doubting the veracity of any of the previous posts something doesn't sit right with me. So let me get this straight: Us Canadians have to accept a dodgy batch of this wine? Surely if the wine is crook then it shouldn't be sold anywhere right? Thorn Clarke make really good wines ...

Hi All In winter a man's thoughts turn to red wine and so these 4 wines were knocked off over a couple of nights: Penfolds Bin 389 1996 & 1998 Both really great examples of Bin 389 (which in my opinion has shown some real variability in the last little while). These 2 are certainly up there with...

Hi All Just a few thoughts: 1999 St Hallett Old Block Top stuff this! Decanted for about 4 hours, served in Riedels. Initially I was a bit worried, I found it disappointingly thin and fairly acidic. However, as time passed it began to broaden. Beautifully balanced wine, nice fruit but not overripe, ...

Brian & mark Thanks for the response. The Lindemans trio is the 1999 vintage, how are the Pyrus & LR from that year? I always buy some At Geoerge Interesting about shipping in temp-controlled containers..but if they just sat on the docks for several weeks would such a container help..or woul...

Hi All My local liquor board (Saskatchewan) obviously just got a big shipment from Rosecorp : St Henri 2001 Wynns BL 2001 2002 Penfolds Bin Range (128, 389 & 407) Rosemount Trad, GSM, Show Reserves 2001 Lindemans Coonawarra Trio current releases 2002 RWT, 707, Magill Estate Current release of Gr...

Hi All Just a couple to mention: Penfolds Kailmna Bin 28 1998 Good wine. I know I have bagged lots of 98's (esp the Bin 407) but this is good gear and has plenty of life ahead of it. Huge nose, with powerful mint aroma. In the mouth, some black pepper and a definite hint of licorice but hte overall ...

A ripper: Stoneleigh Marlborough Riesling 2004 Yummo. Just arrived in the stores here, and screwcap to boot. Always thought this was a good QPR wine and it didn't disappoint. Lovely floral nose, woth some lime accents. In the mouth, lots of lovely refreshing acid, lime cordial and just a hint of swe...

Only a couple worth mentioning so far Evans & Tate Margaret River Shiraz 2001 Strewth. 15% according to the label added for us North American types. Black as tar in the glass, with a very sweet chocolately nose which finishes with a big wallop of peppermint. (V minty indeed actually). The first ...

Wizz I've said it before on here and I'll say it again, the Chileans are coming! I live in Canada, and in the last few years the amount of shelf space in the govt owned stores dedicated to Chilean wine has grown dramatically, and $ for $ the Chilean wines beat the pants off their Aussie counterpartt...

A very tasty wine this one: Wolf Blass Riesling Gold Label 2002 Screwcap. A great riesling: pristine fruit, lots of acid and beautifully balanced. Just the slightest hint of kero (which is to my liking) and packed full of sharp lime fruit and that lovely talcum powder mouthfeel. Was a superb match f...

One of my fave labels, and having supped the last of the truly outstanding 1995's, this is the next vintage I was able to obtain in my part of Canada. Ruby red in the glass, with a nose of pepper and mint. Fairly light on the palate with some sweet fruit balanced with some meaty notes. A moderately ...

Hi All Well, my previous bleak postings about certain 1998's are certainly contradicted by the following: Majella Caberet Sauvignon 1998 What a wine! The absolute essence of Coonawarra Cab. It's wines like this that remind me why Coonawarra Cab is my fave Australian wine. Jet black in the glass, wit...

Hi All Thanks for the replies. Some thoughts.info Ric, the shippers on the case are Hillebrand and McKenzies International, not the flash sounding outfit you mentioned but I am sure they are OK. The second bottle opened tonight was just as delicious as the first. Mishy: Being a wine lover in Saskatc...

Hi All Rather than hijacking Mishy's thread, thought I would start a new one. This is just to give you some idea of what lengths us Australian wine lovers in Canada sometimes have to go to to get our fix. Oh for my Canberra days when I could pick up a phone, call the winery (or independent retailer!...