Weekly Drinking Thread Commencing 6th April 2014

[Matt]

Parker Terra Rossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Blackcurrant, gravelly that only Coonawarra can deliver. A good lashing of chocolate and French oak. Medium to full bodied,finish is persistent and slightly chalky. Still a pup. Quality cabernet.

[Chuck]

Last night with a couple of friends and some BBQ Coorong Angus sirloin:

Bleasdale 2012 Mulberry Tree Langhorne Creek Cabernet. A good starter that is surprisingly approachable in its youth. Consumed while BBQing and entirely appropriate.

Jacobs Creek 2003 Johann Shiraz Cabernet (cleanskin). Not released under label as not up to the usual standard but it was the WOW wine of the night. Drinking at its peak.

Haselgrove 1996 H Reserve McLaren Vale Shiraz. Much more developed than the recent magnum of this and perhaps may have seen better days but still lovely sweet fruit and well handled US oak. Always unloved in the auction so I'm happy to give them a home on a regular basis.

Sevenhill 2002 Clare Botrytis Semillon. At its peak. Really yum and went down a treat with the fruit tart.

Pirramimma 2002 Fortified Grenache. We were at the raving stage when I suggested something to warm the insides before friends taxied home. I can't remember much apart from it being well received. A little bit remains for a more thoughtful analysis tonight.

Carl

[dave vino]

1998 Coldstream Hills Limited Release Shiraz
These have always been a bit of a secondary market bargain for me, they are well made wines, which age wonderfully in the short to mid-term. Dark and impenetrable with little bricking. White pepper, dark chocolate, plum, fine dusty tannins. A fine sediment on the bottle. Hint of funk on the peripheral as it warms up further, chicken poo variety, mmmm brett. At 13.5% alc a very elegant and classic cool climate shiraz, I reckon it has another 5 years in it as it is still has some primary notes, although totally depends on your personal tastes.

Pic taken straight after pulled from cellar at 12C

[rooman]

Parker Terra Rossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Blackcurrant, gravelly that only Coonawarra can deliver. A good lashing of chocolate and French oak. Medium to full bodied,finish is persistent and slightly chalky. Still a pup. Quality cabernet.

Went back to Maclay St Bistro on Friday night with just two friends this time. The food is clearly much better with a small number. One of my two friends brought a Parker Terra Rossa First Growth 2005. It was the first Parker I had had in years. Superb wine, just starting to enter its drinking window. Still on the full bodied side with a good 5-10 years ahead of it. Dark berry fruit with a long finish.

My contribution was a 2005 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) . I had expected the wine to still be quite young but this bottle is ready right now to be consumed. An elegant Châteauneuf-du-Pape and lighter in body than the Parker. It was also lighter than I had expected as we had a quick taste off to determine which wine should go with the entre and which with the main. More in the red berry fruit spectrum with hints of raspberry and forest floors.

Last night to help cheer me up, I opened a Lakes Folly Cabernets 2003. This wine is also drinking extremely well. Deep red hue. The velvety tannins blend into a medium bodied wine with tobacco and cider box flavour and a hint of Australian bush tones. Wonderfully long finish. Definitely cheered me up.

[The fish]

Went to a wedding in the Blue Mountains on the weekend. Tried half a dozen wines or so worth on the first night and a couple at the actual wedding. Only writing up contenders...quite a few were a bit 'meh'.

Brokenwood Mclaren Vale Shiraz 'Rayner Vineyard' 2004: not bad at all. Medium to fuller body. Tannins are fully resolved. Chocolate, plum and plenty of vanilla. Not out of whack. Crowd favourite. Cellar door purchase so pleased with its form.

Huntington Estate Cab Sav 2006: The regular bottling. Good with steak. Earthy, raisiny and perhaps a touch of cassis. Surprisingly a touch of leather? Is this just Mudgee or am I wrong to just associate this taste and mouthfeel with just HV Shiraz?

Whistler Estate Barossa Valley Shiraz 2010: hmm...not on form but interesting none the less. Full bodied. Vanilla, blackcurrants and blackberries and a touch of aniseed. Not showing any heat - reasonable balance but just not that exciting. Had way better bottles than this.

Tamburlaine Hunter Valley Wine Lover's Shiraz 2012: Organic/bioD? Varietally correct. Raspberries and vanilla on the nose - quite nice actually. You know what you're getting. Black Pepper and blackberries on the palate. A really nice wedding quaffer.

Also had a really nicely done sparkling white from Tamburlaine but I can't recall the details. Off to the Canberra Offline on Thursday night and then I'm drying out for a bit.

Cheers
Matt

[Teisto]

2011 Teusner Riebke - Not great, the vintage really sticking out in comparison to what is normally a fairly decent quaffer
2010 Kalleske Clarry's SGM - Very good
2006 Yering Station Shiraz Viognier - On song drinking very well.
2003 Peppertree Grand Reserve Shiraz - Very very good. Still had that minty / eucaplypt Wrattonbully line running through it but excellent fruit, depth of flavour and long finish.

[Scotty vino]

2008 Charles Melton Nine Popes GSM
My first WOW wine of the year.

Did a blind taste on this one and then spun the bottle to see where I was at;
I don't often post tasting notes as my memory doesn't serve me well after a couple of days post consumption.
Particularly with a blended wine such as this which I find more complex and perplexing when attempting a break down.
Either way this is an excellent wine.
Here goes;

Aromas of pepper and black cherries with a twirl of strawberries and cream coming thru as I got the schnoze right in there.
Flavours were quite fruity/confectionery as the Grenache took a little more centre stage and it opened up fully.
The balance of this wine is amazing and the finish was long and satisfying.
More please.

[sjw_11]

Yarra Yering Pinot Noir 2005... Cork. Pale, mid-red. Quite sweet, full throttled nose, definitely an Aussie expression of the grape. Quite youthful still, given the age and cork closure. Stewed stawberries, spice, a little red confectionary/lollies. Quite nice.

[ticklenow1]

2004 Craneford John Zilm Shiraz. Barossa Valley. This one rated quite highly with JH and on that rating I bought a 6 pack several years ago. Oh how things have changed in that regard! The wine though is drinking perfectly at the moment. Still has some primary fruit, mainly black and the oak has slinked into the background. Just at the point of developing some secondary characteristics. Silken tannins and still has good length and colour. I'm down to my last bottle and I don't think it will last much longer! I really enjoyed this. Should hold for a few more years yet 3.5/5

Cheers
Ian

[Mike Hawkins]

Some good ones over the past few weeks...

2001 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile - the essence of Alsatian minerality. Love this wine.

2005 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile - pretty good. A tad riper than the 2001.

1996 Dom Perignon - outstanding bottle - seemed much younger than the last one. Hold for years

1990 Dom Perignon - drinking right at its peak. Fantastic.

1996 Taittinger Comtes - the best of the Champagnes. Magnificent.... and will be better in 10 years.

1996 Dom Ruinart - some people I know have really bagged this vintage, but I think its pretty good. No rush to drink.

1996 Philiponnat Clos des Goisses - not a good bottle. Shame. When on song, this is one of the best Champagnes going round.

2004 Pierre Moncuit BdB - really nice wine in the making, but good drinking now. IIR, it was reasonably priced in Australia at release.

2009 Doisy Vedrines - excellent Sauternes, albeit youngish.

2001 Chateau Rieussec - nothing left to be said. This wine is only bettered by d'Yquem in this great vintage IMO.

2005 Leoville Barton - boneheaded decision by me to open it. Way way too young and tannic.

2004 Ornellaia - ditto.

1991 Rockford Basket Press - probably my favourite BP ever... and this one did nothing to change my mind.

2002 Groom Shiraz - bit too rich for my palate, though everyone else loved it.

[rooman]

2005 Leoville Barton - boneheaded decision by me to open it. Way way too young and tannic.

I have a bit of this tucked away. I must admit I was figuring on trying my first bottle around 2024 Your note confirms this. Tx.

Mark

PS I did try one of the GPL '05 a year back and this was starting to look good, young but drinkable.

[Mike Hawkins]

Thanks Rooman. I meant to bring back (from Oz) one of the 2003s and got the wrong one. I'm leaving all my 2000/05/09/10 purchases in the cellar for the time being. Some of the left bankers from 03 are in a good spot, albeit atypical.

Mike

[Krusty]

2012 Ministry of Clouds Tempranillo Grenache
Bought on a whim passing a bottle shop at lunch today and had an engaging conversation with the store owner.
Choose your own adventure - plenty of immediate yum, give it a bit of time and there is a lot to think about. Nose opens with bright red fruits, a bit of Hubba Bubba musk (anyone remember that stuff - awesome !) and redskins sweetness and then with a swirl it darkens to black cherries and stewed plums, even rhubarb.
Just as dynamic to taste, cherry cola and sarsaparilla to start, a bit of raspberry edging toward confection but drying out nicely before that sweetness becomes a major profile. Like the nose this darkens towards stewed fruits and roasted beetroot before heading back towards a lighter brighter spectrum of flavours.
This is awesome and fun, another sniff reveals some dried herb, sausage meat and a savoury edge, the bugger won't sit still long enough to pin it ! I need to buy more of this.
Like it enough to write my first tasting note

[phillisc]

2012 Mike Press Adelaide Hills Cabernet.

Simple but good.

Cheers Craig

[Michael McNally]

Parker Terra Rossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Blackcurrant, gravelly that only Coonawarra can deliver. A good lashing of chocolate and French oak. Medium to full bodied,finish is persistent and slightly chalky. Still a pup. Quality cabernet.

Hi Matt

Had one a couple of weeks ago. Spot on. At 32ish dollars pretty smart buying for 5-10 year drinking.

Cheers

Michael

[maybs]

1998 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec

Decanted for a solid 2 1/2 hours, should have made it 5! The wine initially had a light porty aroma but with some time in the decanter started to settle down and open up a bit, as it did with vigorous swirling in the glass. Deep almost impenetrable purple in colour through the middle with just faint bricking on the edge. Intense, complex aroma that is hard to describe. Still some rich dark fruit but also chocolate, hints of old leather and perhaps a touch of mint? Ripe black fruit on the palate, definitely a hint of mocha, oak, earthiness all pretty well balanced. Earthy tannins still quite up front and maintaining some acid throughout which tells me this has plenty of life left in it. Medium to long finish. This was my first Wendouree and I have to say I found it complex and intriguing. I very much enjoyed it, a different style to so many out there. Won't be in a huge rush to open the other one I have left.

2006 Ciccone Bortrytis Riesling

Cracked one of these which just arrived the other day as I didn't want to open a full bottle of something but wanted something to drink whilst watching a recording of the Tigers game after the missus had gone to bed. Not the most complex wine but at $6 a half bottle makes a very good quaffing sweet wine. Fairly rich nose of apricot, pineapple. Not too cloying on the palate and nice sweetness with the apricot in particular really coming through. Quite enjoyed it for what it is and really at the price you cannot go wrong at all. Tempted to buy another case.

[Phil H]

2012 Logan Weemala Pinot Noir What a great introduction to Orange Piinot. For under $20 I believe one of the best value Pinots. Light to medium body, great length, morello cherries, everything in balance, thoroughly enjoyable.

Brown Bros -Pinot Noir Chardonnay, Pinot MeuniierTasted this at a wedding, with it immediately getting my partners & my attention. Very classy with everything we like in sparkling. Gold straw in color giving hints of some age. Bready/yeasty giving a degree of complexity, not sweet but yet not dry sitting in the middle of the spectrum. With once again being under $20 - a good value wine.

2011 McWilliams Mount Pleasant Rosehill Shiraz. I have always had an interest in Mount Pleasant Shiraz's. Consumed over two nights, with this wine perplexing me. At first, very acidic, light to med bodied and obviously closed. Minimal tanins. By the second night, acid slipping away, red berry fruit with a touch of violets. If I was tasting this blind I would say it could be a Shiraz Viognier from a cooler climate, certainly not a Hunter Shiraz. I have had Pinots that have had more body. At the end of the bottle I was longing for more, as I was starting to see its class and elegance, with sharp clean precise characteristics but all integrated. I will be interested to try this in five years time.

2003 Heathcote Estate Shiraz. This has been lurking in the back of the cellar, with me being uncertain of what to expect. Once again pleasantly surprised. After drinking lighter bodied wines, this was the other end of the spectrum. Full bodied, meaty with a dark inky color. Dark fruits, however no licorice, well integrated oak. Drinking at its peak with a few years left.

[dave vino]

Carrying on last weeks theme...

1994 Coldstream Hills Reserve CabSav - Lovely almost Coonawarra nose, of red fruits, green stalks, and blackcurrant. Very nicely integrated and throwing a bit of sediment. This is wonderful drinking and really at it's peak. Some hints of spices. For a 20 year old wine it is drinking superbly.

[catchnrelease]

1998 Rosemount Estate Show Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - Purple/Crimson with a bit of bricking after an hour or two breathing. Still some primary characteristics lingering around but a lovely mature Coonawarra cab first and foremost. Fine tannins that spread around the mouth, medium-long finish and just a bit of acidity left. I'd say it's right in its peak drinking window now, maybe with 1-3 years left in it? But if you have one, drink it because it's very very nice at the moment.

[rossmckay]

Big paella night on Saturday with 15 in our wine group

2009 Domaine Chandon ZD
2013 Lark Hill Gruner Veltliner
2009 Maden Rosacker Gewurztraminer GC
2010 Dog Point Section 94 (corked)
2012 les Tuilieres Sancerre

2007 Moric Blaufrankisch
2010 Dom Faury Cote Rotie Revinscience
2011 Clonakilla Shiraz Viogner
1997 Thierry Allemand Cornas
2007 Wildcroft Wild One Mornington Syrah
2010 Camplazens Syrah
2008 Carmekl & JJoseph Faugeres

2001 Calstello YGay Gran Reserva Rioja
2006 Tormeresca Bocca di Lupo Anglianico
2007 Carpineto Brunello di Montalcino
2010 Castagna La Chaive Sangiovese

2012 Timo Mayer Bloody Hill Pinot Noir
2010 Timo Mayer Close Planted Pinot Noir
2007 Hospices de Bearne Volnay Santenots (mag)

2012 Head Old Vine Grenache
2006 De Bortoli Yarra Valley reserve Syrah

1975 Ch Haut Batailley
1999 Clarendon Hill Liandra Shiraz
1998 Zema Estate Coonawarra Cab Sav

2007 Tamellini Recieto do Soave (500)
2005 Santadi Latinia (375)
2006 Ch Sudeiraut Sauterne (375)

[Teisto]

2008 Coldstream Hills Pinot Noir - Very good.
2007 Eileen Hardy Shiraz - Bought by a guy I work with to a BBQ on Friday night. Probably sitting in the light at a balmy 22 degrees in the shop he bought it from. Was good but nothing great and was totally blown out of the water by a wine I bought along which was
2009 Kalleske Moppa Shiraz - A really great depth to this wine and everything in place. Balanced, long finish and just excellent drinking. Everyone else thought so as well and was a quarter of the price of the Eileen

[Panda 9D]

Big paella night on Saturday with 15 in our wine group

2001 Calstello YGay Gran Reserva Rioja
2006 Tormeresca Bocca di Lupo Anglianico
2007 Carpineto Brunello di Montalcino
2010 Castagna La Chaive Sangiovese

2012 Timo Mayer Bloody Hill Pinot Noir
2010 Timo Mayer Close Planted Pinot Noir
2007 Hospices de Bearne Volnay Santenots (mag)

2012 Head Old Vine Grenache
2006 De Bortoli Yarra Valley reserve Syrah

Hi Ross. I'm curious to hear what you thought of the Ygay and the Head Old Vine Grenache… any recollections?

[Matt]

2009 Kalleske Moppa Shiraz - A really great depth to this wine and everything in place. Balanced, long finish and just excellent drinking. Everyone else thought so as well and was a quarter of the price of the Eileen

I concur - great drop and well priced.

[The fish]

2001 Calstello YGay Gran Reserva Rioja
2010 Dom Faury Cote Rotie Revinscience

That's an interesting line up there Ross. Good mix of wines. I'd be keen to hear your thoughts on the Faury and the Ygay also. Big fan of both wines.

Cheers
Matt

[Sean]

deleted

[The fish]

Jacob's Creek St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon - Bottle No. 297602

2011 Penfolds Bin 138

I love it when winemakers put numbers on their bottles Tell me 'out of how many 'please then I know that I'm really, truly special and not some marketers wet deam.

The 2010 138 was if I recall correctly a bit of a coconut bomb? As blends go I didn't mind it but I reckon that there's better VFM out there. Would you buy it again?

Cheers
Matt

[Sean]

deleted

[rens]

Annual Family holiday on the Sunshine Coast, so we usually drink a few:
2005 Peel Estate Zinfandel Still a big wine with lots of plum. A little unbalanced, I think it is on the down hill at this point in its life. Drink up.
2006 Bremerton Old Adam My first and only bottle. Not overly impressed. I drank it over 3 days and every time it just was missing something. Not sure if it is the style, or this particular bottle/vintage. Also the 14.5% alcohol was very evident. Why can't the go back to the days of 12.5%? I hope the 2010's I have are better.
2006 Yalumba the Signature First of the 4 and a nice little wine with good balance and nice black and blue berry flavours intertwined with plum, cassis and nice oak. Looking forward to drinking the next 3 over the next 10 years or so.
2007 Fraser Gallop Cabernet I drank probably a case of this when it was released. I loved it-especially at round the $20. Now I think it is about double that. About two years ago I had one from the case I put away and it was in a bit of a hole and did not impress. As soon as I popped the screw cap on this one I could smell the cassis and knew it was going to be good. A full bodied Bordeaux blend that hits all the right spots with great use of oak and a dusty finish with drying tannins. The finish went for a good minute. By far the best of the holidays.
2001 Peel Estate Shiraz Fully mature with great cedar flavours. The tannins are pretty well dissolved but the acid holds up the back end perfectly. Will hold for a few more years, but will not get much better, the second best of the holiday.
2008 Adelina Shiraz The Vineyard is just down the bottom of the street from Wendouree and the only thing the wine has in common is that they are pretty good. Medium bodied with layered fruit, this is elegant and I'm looking forward to drinking the next three over the next 5-6 years.
2009 Teusner The playground Durif I know I've posed this question before, but do they make a bad bottle of wine? Another solid performance with great, rich plum flavours balanced with good oak. Nice drinking with the slightly cooler weather.
1975 Wolf Blass Bilyara port An auction buy that was pretty good. A Mix of Cabernet Sav and Shiraz with a persistent finish but had a bit too much Alcohol heat for me.

[Mike Hawkins]

2006 Yalumba the Signature First of the 4 and a nice little wine with good balance and nice black and blue berry flavours intertwined with plum, cassis and nice oak. Looking forward to drinking the next 3 over the next 10 years or so.

No rush - the 86, 90 and 91s are drinking fantastically at the moment...

[rossmckay]

2001 Calstello YGay Gran Reserva Rioja
2010 Dom Faury Cote Rotie Revinscience

That's an interesting line up there Ross. Good mix of wines. I'd be keen to hear your thoughts on the Faury and the Ygay also. Big fan of both wines.

Cheers
Matt

Hi Matt,

The Faury was tasted with the Clonakilla and it knocked the latter out of the park, which surprised me. It's still young and mostly primary but great mouthfilling lush fruit and pronounced nose. Pretty close to overall WOTN for me.

The Ygay is fantastic drinking, lots of tertiary aromas but is still going well and was WOTN for a few of us.

The Head was overwhelmed by the company. It's not a particularly spicy type of grenache and will be truly excellent in a year or two. It's close to the 2010 but that was one of the great Australian grenache in my opinion.