December 2012 tasting notes incl Xmas/NY

[sjw_11]

sorry, couldn't resist!

[daz]

decanted

cheers

the original Mr. Pedant

[Matt]

Tar & Roses 2010 Shiraz
For me this is the best value ($15) cool climate shiraz in Australia. Lovely deep plum/red berry colour. Has an earthy hint of nutmeg/cinnamon spice with very fine tannins on the finish. Medium bodied - drinks well young and should cellar well in the short to medium term.

If you liked Bests Bin 1 2011 Shiraz, try this.

[daz]

Tar & Roses 2010 Shiraz
For me this is the best value ($15) cool climate shiraz in Australia. Lovely deep plum/red berry colour. Has an earthy hint of nutmeg/cinnamon spice with very fine tannins on the finish. Medium bodied - drinks well young and should cellar well in the short to medium term.

If you liked Bests Bin 1 2011 Shiraz, try this.

Think it was the 2006 (Heathcote) I tried. Remember it as being barely medium-bodied, lighter than the 2010 and 2011 Bests GW I've had. I really enjoyed it. According to Halliday, the 2007 (95pts) had 7% cabernet.

[TravisW]

Xmas break so far...if you want any further info on any of them let me know (lazy I know, but hey I'm on holidays )

2007 Rockford Moppa GSM
2008 Rockford Rifle Range Cabernet
2010 Rockford Basket Press
2009 OP&OH Mt Pleasant
1998 Rockford Semillon
2005 Wendouree Shiraz Malbec
2010 Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz

Hi Dave,

Could you give us a few words on these... once you are back from holidays.

Cheers, Travis.

[dave vino]

Here you go

2007 Rockford Moppa GSM – bit of portiness/VA on opening. Settled down to nice sour cherry flavours on the palate.
2008 Rockford Rifle Range Cabernet – Very lush and primary but approachable, almost Mclaren Vale-like intensity.
2010 Rockford Basket Press – Great drop, lots of clarity of fruit, power, length, velvety tannins. Give it another 5 years.
2009 OP&OH Mt Pleasant – Almost cool climate Shiraz in flavour, lots of spice and pepper on the nose. Different in style to ones I’ve had before.
1998 Rockford Semillon – touch oxidised, not as good as last bottle I had.
2005 Wendouree Shiraz Malbec - very plush, stepped up another level with the 8hr Beef Cheeks we had with it. The tannins marrying well with the fattiness of the meat. I’d give it another 5 years and try again.
2010 Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz – nice white pepper, easy to drink. Fav. BBQ quaffer of mine so drink lots of it. 2011 is fairly ordinary.

[dlo]

2010 Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz – nice white pepper, easy to drink. Fav. BBQ quaffer of mine so drink lots of it. 2011 is fairly ordinary.

Fairly ordinary is being kind, Dave. This is a wine that does not sit well with me at all and if the bottle I tried was representative, should never have been released. Just about every Hilltops I've tried at Clonakilla out of barrel has been exemplary. With this vintage, something has gone terribly wrong, methinks.

[Thommo]

2010 Tahbilk Roussanne Straw to pale gold. Nose is predominantly of wet river stone and citrus blossom with a whiff of cut grass. The palate is mostly in the citrus spectrum, but quite restrained, with lemon and perhaps cumquat as the defining flavours. What is most striking about this wine however, is its mouthfeel. It is very full and rounded but has a long line of acidity that just keeps on going, finishing up with just a hint of bitterness.
Not a gobsmackingly awesome wine, but interesting and enjoyable nonetheless. On the face of it, I find it quite similar to a young Eden Valley riesling, with its blossom, minerality and acidity, although it is certainly more phenolic than most rizzas. Does anyone know how previous vintages have travelled in the cellar?

[cuttlefish]

2010 Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz – nice white pepper, easy to drink. Fav. BBQ quaffer of mine so drink lots of it. 2011 is fairly ordinary.

Fairly ordinary is being kind, Dave. This is a wine that does not sit well with me at all and if the bottle I tried was representative, should never have been released. Just about every Hilltops I've tried at Clonakilla out of barrel has been exemplary. With this vintage, something has gone terribly wrong, methinks.

A number of releases of O'Raida are a little like poor mans Grange