The Colonial Estate Wines

[Luke W]

Has anyone out there tried any of these wines and are willing to post tasting notes. Although interested in notes regarding any of their wines, I'm particularly interested in the Exiles and most particularly the 2008 which Halliday only gave 87 points to, but others have disagreed.

Cheers

Luke

[Brucer]

2008 Mungo park shiraz. If ever there was a "Parker" wine, this is it. Super rich, super ripe, VA, bordering on, just too much. I bought a dozen, and have been drinking them, as I think they will not last long at all.

2008 Richard Lander shiraz. Same as above, but toned down a bit, a little bit. I will be drinking this after the Mungos.

I do like the wines. I did not get any exile.

[Red Bigot]

I bought some, got some of all the Exiles 2004/2006/2008. I think 2006 is the best of the 3, 2004 is Ok, but showing a bit of volatility (could just be the corks), the 2008 is very ripe, but prob a bit better than the Halliday rating for me. Also some of the other Shiraz, Mungo Park and Richar Lander 2008 as per Bruce (agree with him), John Speke GSM 2006/2008, again the 2006 a better wine. Also a few Emigre GSM and Explorateur Shiraz 2006.

All the wines are in the big, rich, soft style, with seemingly lowish acid and tannins, but the tannins are a bit deceptive on some and become obvious after you get past the super-ripe fruit. I don't intend to cellar them very long, especially the 2008 vintage, I think some of them will go flabby pretty quickly.

Overall, good buying for the prices if you like the style, but it's easy to see why they went bust trying to sell them for the original prices, they just are not anywhere near that price-point in quality.

Not sure how much there is still left in the pipeline, jump in now if you think they might suit you.

[Luke W]

Scunged a bottle of the 2008 Exile from a mate and tried to drink it last nite after airing it for a bit and then shaking it around in a decanter for awhile - all to no avail - was still too big so I vacuvinned it and started again today.
Dense, purplely dark with an estery nose full of black fruit, spice and a touch of thinners, maybe a bit of star anise or licorice. Legs like thick oil paint - the wine almost seems to stain the glass as you swish it around. Much more approachable palate today than last night - rhubarb, black fruits, mulberry, licorice and pepper unctiously coating the mouth. Quite harmonious but huge - feels like a meal. The flavour refuses to leave your mouth. Aroma settles after a while and the thinners disappear leaving a lovely stewed prune and clove smell.
Beautifully balanced - a combination of fruit and acid to last at least 10 years in the right conditions. Not sure about Halliday - he may have got it too early in its history or not given it enough time to evolve but I think its up there with the 18 - 19/20's. Wouldn't be out of company with the $100+ set.

cheers and thanks for the notes (anyone tried any others)

Luke

[richie32]

any suggestion's where to source these from?

[Red Bigot]

any suggestion's where to source these from?

AFAIK Get Wines Direct bought all stocks from the receiver/liquidator, must be nearly all gone by now, but some still on offer there.

BTW Teusner Wines bought the winery building/home block (at what seems to be a bargain price), so should be moving to new premises sometime soon.

[Luke W]

Day 3 for the 08 Exile - smooth as silk - reminded me of an E&E Black Pepper shiraz

[ticklenow1]

Day 3 for the 08 Exile - smooth as silk - reminded me of an E&E Black Pepper shiraz

Glad to see you are enjoying the Exile.

Just grabbed myself some (still available). Sounds like a fruit bomb. The missus will love it. I have bought heaps (3 cases now) of the different Colonial estate wines and i gave a couple to a mate and he was raving about it and jumped straight online to buy a heap. I agree with one of the posters above, in that at their RRP it is hard to see good value. But at the net prices I think they are probably worth the punt. I am a grenache lover and I have bought mainly their grenache based wines and some of the single vineyard shiraz's.

Ian

[Luke W]

Hi Ian

Hope the grenache is what u want - let us know how it pans out

[Tiago]

Hi all,

Sorry about the random bump but there has been a release of the 2009 The Exile at getwinesdirect at $30 a bottle and I was wondering whether it was worth a look? From t he look of this thread, the rpevious vintages wee worthwhile.

Thanks

[Amateurdevin]

not trying anything except the french wine's calling "la passion d'une vie" red wine very strong but delectable in mouth!

Also, nothing related to this topic but i start a new forum in France on foreign wines and oenology, it would be really appreciation to have members abroad to give advice or start new topics at http://www.vindailleurs.fr

[Luke W]

Just drank a bottle of the 2006 Emigre - what a stunning number - full of dark berries, wonderful balance of great timber and fruit flavour. Wish I'd bought some at circa $20 but was given this by a mate, but if wasn't totally broke would be sourcing some as we speak.

[ticklenow1]

Just drank a bottle of the 2006 Emigre - what a stunning number - full of dark berries, wonderful balance of great timber and fruit flavour. Wish I'd bought some at circa $20 but was given this by a mate, but if wasn't totally broke would be sourcing some as we speak.

Tho '05 Emigre is quite a nice drop as well. They certainly are big wines. I have plenty to go through but have made a decision to wait a couple of more years, except for some of the cheaper ones like the '06 Grenache etc. The only problem with the '09 wines is who did the final blends and were they bottled too soon etc. GWD bought them still in barrel.

[Gelen]

Tho '05 Emigre is quite a nice drop as well. They certainly are big wines. I have plenty to go through but have made a decision to wait a couple of more years, except for some of the cheaper ones like the '06 Grenache etc. The only problem with the '09 wines is who did the final blends and were they bottled too soon etc. GWD bought them still in barrel.

i asked them this question and their sales staff said she did not know

they said the mungo park shiraz 2009 is going to be released soon.

have got heaps of exile 2009, and a few bottles of emigre 2009.

[Luke W]

Tried the 2009 Mungo Park Shiraz last night. Beautiful wine and more approachable than the Exile. Lovely dark berries, exquisite balance, opens slowly. Well worth the $20 a bottle - I think whoever bottled the 2009's obviously knew what to do....

[ross67]

Tried the first of my Richard Lander 08 Shiraz purchase last night.
This is a single vineyard produced wine of some considerable vine age apparently.

Popped and poured initially within 30 mins. My first reaction to this was just ok and that it was not too ground breaking but solid.
I must admit to buying these for around the $15/btl. Another glass and same thoughts.

Tonight this wine has improved quite substantially. Rich quality fruit showing medium body with some restraint [ which surprised me] and a reasonable finish and in my estimate drinking probably like a wine twice the price.

Glad to have bought the half dozen at this price. Initially this wine sold for around the $70 mark

ross

[ticklenow1]

Tho '05 Emigre is quite a nice drop as well. They certainly are big wines. I have plenty to go through but have made a decision to wait a couple of more years, except for some of the cheaper ones like the '06 Grenache etc. The only problem with the '09 wines is who did the final blends and were they bottled too soon etc. GWD bought them still in barrel.

I asked them this question and their sales staff said she did not know

they said the mungo park shiraz 2009 is going to be released soon.

have got heaps of exile 2009, and a few bottles of emigre 2009.

I bought another dozen the other day (6 '09 Emigre and 6 '09 Alexander Liang Grenache which are both really good for the money) and I am informed that Trevor Jones is now/has been doing the blending. If this is true then they should be OK. He is a super talented winemaker. They also said that the '10 Exile will be out soon. Will be interesting.

Cheers
Ian

[newworld]

When I tried CEW in the GWD store I was rather underwelmed.....

[Red Bigot]

Tried the first of my Richard Lander 08 Shiraz purchase last night.

Glad to have bought the half dozen at this price. Initially this wine sold for around the $70 mark

ross

Well, they were "offered" at high prices, but it (and the other TCE wines) didn't "sell" at the high price, that's one reason they went bust, the wines were priced too high for the quality they offer.

[ticklenow1]

Tried the first of my Richard Lander 08 Shiraz purchase last night.

Glad to have bought the half dozen at this price. Initially this wine sold for around the $70 mark

ross

Well, they were "offered" at high prices, but it (and the other TCE wines) didn't "sell" at the high price, that's one reason they went bust, the wines were priced too high for the quality they offer.

Like I said above, at the price they are being sold for now, they are great value. At the RRP they are terrible value. I've had a bit of bottle variation in the '05 Emigre, but apart from that all the ones I've tried have been fantastic. The Alexander Liang Grenaches being the standouts. Well worth the going price.

Cheers
Ian

[fatdoi]

Hi,
The 2010 Exile just out, has anyone bought and sampled it yet?
Also now there's the Exile cab/sav on offer as well. Is there any notes or review on that one?

[richie32]

Bad bottle, opened too soon after bottling, travel shock, just plain bad wine?........that was experiance over the Easter period with my first 10 Exile.
Don't know but in comparison to the 08 and 09 which I've had a few bottles of each this wine had me feeling rightly or wrongly somewhat ripped off actually.
My sister who had first taste called "it's very watery".
I had to agree, just had no body or presence in the mouth at all.
Other drunk over the period Jim Barry Lodge Hill Shiraz the 01 & 03 vintages, nothing fancy but sister and brother in law had the 04 at their wedding so thought would open two prior years as a mini celebration on them buying first house. One of those thought rather than percieved quality/value of bottle drunk. Both were some of my first wines I bought with cellaring in mind and I tell you with my early cellaring conditions far from ideal they were both far better than the exile.

Will be interesting on other's experiance but not rushing to open any more.

[fatdoi]

Bad bottle, opened too soon after bottling, travel shock, just plain bad wine?........that was experiance over the Easter period with my first 10 Exile.
Don't know but in comparison to the 08 and 09 which I've had a few bottles of each this wine had me feeling rightly or wrongly somewhat ripped off actually.
My sister who had first taste called "it's very watery".
I had to agree, just had no body or presence in the mouth at all.

Gee, based on the strength of 2010 vintage, I thought any grapes could turn into gold but thanks for your heads up, I will reduce my purchase and sample one first before committing to more stock.

[rvmpro]

Tried the Exile Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 just released. Very disappointed. No sign of being a quality wine. No fruit, no flavour. Won't be even bothering to look at the shiraz.