Get of of bed and get your reports in you lazy people....

[simm]

Hi all,

Chapel Hill The Vicar Shiraz 1998
(decanted for 2 hrs)

Colour: Deep blood red, a little dusty after a shake up on the way home, impenetrable centre.
Nose: Sweet ripe cherries, red berries, and autumn leaves burst from the decanter with toasty oak and leather. Quite a big, yet elegant bouquet.
Palate: Cherries and red berries. Initially is overwhelmed by the oak but after a bit of time the fruit expands with fine tannic structure. There is a very small hole in the mid palate which I found quite odd and there is always the threat of the leathery, savoury oak overwhelming the fruit. I wonder whether if needs a bit more time but suspect that the fruit simply isnÂ’t there to support the wishful thinking.
90/100 and tolerable value for $30/btl.

Pirramimma Hillsview Cabernet Merlot 2000

Guests arrived so an impression only: garnet but nose and palate are not too dissimilar to the Chapel Hill The Vicar 1998, adding in some cassis to replace some of the leathery, savoury aspects. A pleasurable wine 88/100 but much prefer the straight Cabernet. At $13/btl a good quaffer.

Huntington Estate Mudgee Shiraz 1998 (straight from the bottle)

Colour: This is getting some serious aging qualities of strong, dark brick red with roof tile dominations around the shallows.
Nose: Fruit dominant with cassis, fresh forest berries, sweet red plums, vanilla nuances (not sure if this is line with the oak used but this is how I am getting it). Gentle aromas.
Palate: Black cherry, Blueberry, red forest berries with a balanced and lingering balsa tannins on the tail end of a good acid length.

Drinking perfectly now 91/100 and great with blue Castello.

cheers,

[TORB]

Chapel Hill The Vicar Shiraz 1998
Palate: Cherries and red berries. Initially is overwhelmed by the oak but after a bit of time the fruit expands with fine tannic structure. There is a very small hole in the mid palate which I found quite odd and there is always the threat of the leathery, savoury oak overwhelming the fruit. I wonder whether if needs a bit more time but suspect that the fruit simply isnÂ’t there to support the wishful thinking.
90/100 and tolerable value for $30/btl.

Simm,

Never let it be said you were not warned. Better the money in my pocket than yours!

[Guest]

When are you in Hong Kong next?

Jaime,

Wont be going to HK. Bloody expensive n full of rude ppl.
If u ever touch down my turf, I'll gladly open a Gladstone Shiraz 99 for u.
A pugilist wine that will stand toe to toe with any S.A. bruiser.

Damm, due to some technical error, I'm unable to login

Rgds,
MC
[/quote]

[simm]

Chapel Hill The Vicar Shiraz 1998
Palate: Cherries and red berries. Initially is overwhelmed by the oak but after a bit of time the fruit expands with fine tannic structure. There is a very small hole in the mid palate which I found quite odd and there is always the threat of the leathery, savoury oak overwhelming the fruit. I wonder whether if needs a bit more time but suspect that the fruit simply isnÂ’t there to support the wishful thinking.
90/100 and tolerable value for $30/btl.

Simm,

Never let it be said you were not warned. Better the money in my pocket than yours!

I'll get you for this Einstein!
I had to try it for myself. And anyway, will keep a couple for the future and pass the rest on as gifts to those who drink Chateau Cardboard. Problem solved!
Oh, okay then, I admit it, you were right!

cheers Ric,