Weekly Drinking Reports commencing 3/2/2013

[dlo]

I reported on the forum earlier in the week in a seperate full TN on the charms of the 2002 Leo Buring Watervale Leonay Riesling (Exceptional/95 points) - a wine that has, hopefully, started a long and illustrious second phase of its life.

Otherwise, a raid on the cellar for this weekend's visit from a good friend, paid dividends with my first bottle of the outstanding Pewsey Vale - their 2005 Contours Riesling - another cracker that has a long way to go but is certainly drinking extremely well now. In many ways, it reminded of the sheer class of the Leo Buring mentioned above, just without the intensity of vibrant lime juice but with more astute minerality and a delectable flintiness. I predict this Pewsey Vale will be an excellent keeper as well. 93 points

Late yesterday afternoon we opened for our house guest a magnificent bottle of German riesling - Willi Schaefer's 2007 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spatlese #12. Rendering a ridiculously good light bright straw green colour, this wine's gorgeous aromatics of crunchy green apple fruit, lime, orchard stonefruit with profoundly good tropical fruit top notes filling the olfactories. So easy to swallow with more of a kabinett lightness in weight, racy acidity and a wealth of tightly knit but refreshing fruit flavours aka the nose. Finished long, crisp and clean. 93 points 8% A/V. This wine went ever-so-well with my hors d'ouvres of smoked salmon, egg, sour cream, caper and cracked pepper on a wafer thin biscuit.

With a delightful homemade frittata (Wholegrain mustard, bacon, tomato, carrott, zucchini, onion, garlic and cheese) we enjoyed the evolving complexities of Domaine Leflaive's 2000 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon - thankfully showing no signs of premox - yellow butter colour, perplexing integrated scents and flavours of fig and green melon with subtle but entirely mesmerising worked barrel character with a delicate spine of counterbalancing acidity leading to a most attractive extended finish. 92 points.

We enjoyed fillet mignon for mains and I served my last bottle of 1979 Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste. Outstanding, as usual, excepting this bottle just lacked the added depth of fruit found in the last few bottles. Still remarkably robust for such an aged claret and worthy of 91 points.

After a most remarkable dessert of baked apple strudel and ice cream, I decantered half a bottle of the 1971 Stonyfell Metala Vintage Port - a blend of shiraz and cabernet grapes and a legend in the making. This exceptional wine continues to excel with a great depth of colour in the glass, profound aromatics of carob, chocolate, licorice, leather, sweet earth and clean spirit lift followed by a truly memorable palate staining performance with explosive but controlled flavour, imposing refined structure and a mountainous finish revealing incredible pedigree and unrelenting persistence. 96 points!

[monghead]

2008 Bouchard Vigne de L'enfant Jesus
Perhaps not "delicious" at the moment, but rather, complex, vibrant, and balanced. Very Good.

[porschemad911]

1998 Chapel Hill Cabernet
Quite a big wine, but rich, mellow and smooth. Has kept quite well with good fruit remaining plus interesting secondary flavour development. Not overly alcoholic or acidic, quite an enjoyable wine. Better to savour on its own than with food I found.

[sjw_11]

Tyrrell's Stevens Shiraz 1996... Cork. Past the Halliday drinking window. An auction punt. And what a punt! Tremendous wine, you would never have guessed the age. Smelling classic Hunter, all medium bodied red berry fruit, savoury, earthy notes and lifted, vibrant acidity. If you could fault it, it was only in the fact it probably emerged as good as it got and did not improve materially in the glass.

Pewsey Vale Riesling 2012... Another one of these and just as good (not like the variation of the Jim Barry's!)... Just lovely juice, too hard not to guzzle but I am convinced will age well.

Clonakilla SSB 2012... I can't resist raving about this despite the views of others on this board on Sav Blanc! Super dooper stuff, though it wouldn't turn you on if you are not at least a little bit a sav blanc fan... funky, textured nose with hall mark asparagus characters and a palate as clean as a whistle, lean, crisp and refreshing.

[monghead]

2012 Grosset Springvale Riesling
Undeniable class in a glass. Abounding with the sweetness of granny smith apples, the piquancy of lemons, the attractive bitterness of citrus pith, and the exotica of kaffir lime leaves, the wine has an amazing silky mouthfeel- so pure, precise, persistent and harmonious. Very Very Good.

[via collins]

Nice note Monghead, I think you just convinced me to pick up the 6 pack I was just offered.
The joys of 2012 SA rieslings seem to know no boundaries at present

[dlo]

Nice note Monghead, I think you just convinced me to pick up the 6 pack I was just offered.
The joys of 2012 SA rieslings seem to know no boundaries at present

I agree ...... poetic, even. I need to do a refresher course ........

[monghead]

Nice note Monghead, I think you just convinced me to pick up the 6 pack I was just offered.
The joys of 2012 SA rieslings seem to know no boundaries at present

I agree ...... poetic, even. I need to do a refresher course ........

Thanks guys, I'm humbled... However, David, if ever there was a TN which induces salivation upon reading, it's yours mate!

I can't wait to try the Polish Hill now.

Cheers,

Monghead.

[Sean]

deleted

[sjw_11]

D'arenberg "Wild Pixie" Shiraz Roussane 2009... Roussane, what Roussane? Perhaps you might think this would lighten the blend and make it more aromatic but this remains as tightly wound as a nuns proverbial. After a solid day open its beginning to reveal some of its charms from behind a wall of flat nose and grippy, furry tannin. Dense, liqourice, red and blue fruits, some blueberry notes, and a bit of graphite are appearing while the mouth feel has become more plush. Interesting... I think it needs a lie down and a bex, review again in 2-yrs.

[monghead]

2010 Majella Cabernet Sauvignon
Vibrant youthful characteristics abound with assertive, deep, intense blackcurrants and cassis. Following this, black jasmine tea and hints of eucalyptus peek through, to finish with persistent firm tannins, and just a hint of alcohol heat. Good Good.

[Hacker]

Nice note Monghead, I think you just convinced me to pick up the 6 pack I was just offered.
The joys of 2012 SA rieslings seem to know no boundaries at present

I agree ...... poetic, even. I need to do a refresher course ........

Thanks guys, I'm humbled... However, David, if ever there was a TN which induces salivation upon reading, it's yours mate!

I can't wait to try the Polish Hill now.

Cheers,

Monghead.

I'm also mesmerised both by your tempting prose and the greatness of riesling 2012, and ran out and grabbed 6 of the Grosset Springvale. Together with 6 Petaluma and 6 Pewsey Vale. Thank you for motivating me to finally getting me going on the 2012 rieslingfest!

[monghead]

I'm also mesmerised both by your tempting prose and the greatness of riesling 2012, and ran out and grabbed 6 of the Grosset Springvale. Together with 6 Petaluma and 6 Pewsey Vale. Thank you for motivating me to finally getting me going on the 2012 rieslingfest!

TRUST ME... get some Polish Hill

[Scotty vino]

Had a session on some big Hometown drops.
a little hazy on the tasting notes.

2004 Wendouree shiraz.
double decant. A little acetone on the nose but very subtle.
Such an elegant wine. So balanced and delicate.

2008 Greenock creek Ap block.
double decant. ripe berries and asphalt up front.
Chewy, gooey and huge. Pound for pound this is a cracka.

2010 Rockfords Basket Press
double decant. Spicy/cigar box up front. Savoury smokiness on the palette. big finish.
perhaps a little tight? Needs time i reckon but drinking well enough to be tempted back.

[monghead]

2012 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling
Simply breathtaking… Rather than an explosion, this presented a tsunami of profound flavours, with wave after wave of ripe lemons, juicy limes, white nectarines, frangipanis, and slatey minerality. Beautifully balanced, pure and tight, it had a haunting persistence which was almost merciless. Unequivocally, rated as Extremely Good.

Got to get me more of this juice...

Monghead.

[phillisc]

Hi all, just back from a long lunch at the Victory Hotel at Sellicks south of Adelaide about a 50 minute drive from the city.

2012 Cascabel EV Riesling, a bit like what monghead is saying about the Grosset's...such pure acidity and tangyness on the palate
2007 Rudderless GSM from McLaren Vale. this is the publicans own label, very good for the money.

If you are ever in Adelaide get yourself to the victory...the best pub food in SA and the eastern staters would get 3 course for one here.

Cheers Craig

[Scotty vino]

Hi all, just back from a long lunch at the Victory Hotel at Sellicks south of Adelaide about a 50 minute drive from the city.

2012 Cascabel EV Riesling, a bit like what monghead is saying about the Grosset's...such pure acidity and tangyness on the palate
2007 Rudderless GSM from McLaren Vale. this is the publicans own label, very good for the money.

If you are ever in Adelaide get yourself to the victory...the best pub food in SA and the eastern staters would get 3 course for one here.

Cheers Craig

and the cellar is impressive to say the least. Getting back to the dinner table is difficult.