Weekly Drinking Report Thread as at 1/10/2013

[Brucer]

The 2013 Hunter semillons are blinders.
I have stocked up on Vat 1, HVD (futures), Johnnos, Belford as well as Thomas Braeside.

[PaulV]

Slummin it again, Paul, I see. Nice list, good notes .... I had a 1982 Ch. Canon last week that was like liquid silk, beautiful wine. Amazing how classy Bordeaux reds keep keeping on. Good to see you post here again.

Hi david

yeah, the benefits of getting older. A celebration of a close friends significant birthday - all the wines were bought years ago usually pre-arrival or en-primeur (other than Pol Roger) when the prices for decent level (but not over the top GCs) burgs and bordeaux were doable for your middle of the road wine enthusiast. Down to my last 4 or 5 1982 bordeaux (actually had a couple of CH. Canon but long gone - gee they were bargains!!) - all of which cost me less than $40 many less than $20. Those days are long gone. Though I am finding just as much fun these days exploring the better loire whites and reds, cru bojos, cornas/st joseph, sicilian and sthn italian wines - so no real regrets. For a treat still buy much smaller quantities of some relatively good value /good producer 1er red burgs and chablis but only from the better years. Given up on white burgs and top oz chardonnays are now nearly as good and far cheaper.

cheers

paul

[timmspe]

2010 Burge Family Winemakers Garnacha (cork): 15.5% alcohol. 92% Grenache. 8% Mourvedre. Medium-dark red. Clear. A beautiful nose. Red fruit confectionery. Raspberries and dark cherries. Honey, and a hint flowers and spice. Gentle oak influence. The palate demonstrates more in the way of dark cherries and plums. Succulent and jubey, albeit a little flabby. Clean and medium body with a smooth finish. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Visiting the cellar door was an interesting experience. When I arrived, late afternoon, Rick Burge and two ladies were sitting at a long table just finishing what looked like a fairly elaborate lunch. One of them got up and began serving wine. The whole time, Rick was sitting there with a small dog on his lap, patting it mysteriously, while another small dog was lying across his feet. They were very friendly and obliging, and the wine was terrific, but there was something bemusing about it all

[dlo]

Thanks Paul, great read.

Tonight a cheapy auction buy .... Trevor Jones 2002 Reserve Eden Valley Riesling - a mature golden hue ushers a honied/toasty bouquet of lime marmalade fruit with hints of honeysuckle and pear as top notes. The palate reflects the descriptors of the bouquet with precision and balance with a tweek of sweetness prevailing in a crisp, clean and honied finish. A tad enigmatic for what its worth but a very good overall result with a year or more of drinkability in store. 86 points. 12% A/V, sealed with cork closure, perfect fill level and very little permeation of wine up the cork.

[Mivvy]

Had a bit of a chardonnay extravaganza on Sunday.... some brief notes

2008 Hungerford Hill Chardonnay - this was light gold, good balance, a little buttery but with enough acidity to keep it all fresh - very solid.

2008 Moorooduc Estate Chardonnay The Moorooduc - didn't think much of this initially but it came good as it warmed in the glass, stone fruit and a little nutty flavour to it.

2005 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières - mineral driven wine, great texture and got better and better, long saline finish, lovely.

2006 Kumeu River Chardonnay Coddington - mid gold colour, looks developed but tastes great, big and bold but really well balanced and finished fresh - really morish.

2008 Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchère - light colour, very young and tight, some flowers, lemon and awash with acidity, super long finish - wish this had either been decanted, left in the bottle or that we left some to try later - gave a great impression but really needs a little longer with the hope it doesn't suffer from premox!

2008 Escarpment Pinot Noir Te Rehua medium bodied, ripe red fruit, a little smoke, some earthiness, gained more weight with some air, some aniseed - creamy tannins and smooth finish.

[Matt]

Brown Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Gee for $18 you can't complain. This is earthy, black cherry, plums and not so subtle oak with a hint of five spice.
V Good midweeker from one of my favourite MR producers...

[Luke W]

Squaffing a 2010 Penfolds Bin 389 and contemplating the world while my better half wastes good drinking time rabbiting on to her sister. It's a beautiful wine that just keeps getting better (even after a 5 hour decant). But it's a bit one dimensional and needs time to develop some secondary flavours and complexity. I think I'll leave these for at least 2 or 3 years before trying again. The 2008 389 that I had a month or so ago was so much more complete than this one but who knows in a couple of years.....
Both the 2010 wines from last nite were more satisfying - an Exile Shiraz and a Rolf Binder Reserve.

[dlo]

Had a bit of a chardonnay extravaganza on Sunday.... some brief notes

2008 Hungerford Hill Chardonnay - this was light gold, good balance, a little buttery but with enough acidity to keep it all fresh - very solid.

2008 Moorooduc Estate Chardonnay The Moorooduc - didn't think much of this initially but it came good as it warmed in the glass, stone fruit and a little nutty flavour to it.

2005 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières - mineral driven wine, great texture and got better and better, long saline finish, lovely.

2006 Kumeu River Chardonnay Coddington - mid gold colour, looks developed but tastes great, big and bold but really well balanced and finished fresh - really morish.

2008 Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchère - light colour, very young and tight, some flowers, lemon and awash with acidity, super long finish - wish this had either been decanted, left in the bottle or that we left some to try later - gave a great impression but really needs a little longer with the hope it doesn't suffer from premox!

2008 Escarpment Pinot Noir Te Rehua medium bodied, ripe red fruit, a little smoke, some earthiness, gained more weight with some air, some aniseed - creamy tannins and smooth finish.

Excellent notes, thanks for posting.

[dlo]

I've started another thread commencing today.