Tasting Notes: July 2014
-
catchnrelease
- Posts: 507
- Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2013 6:12 pm
Re: Tasting Notes: July 2014
Just tasted most of the Ten Minutes By Tractor new releases minus two of the single vineyards. All of them are good! The 2012 Estate Chardonnay is especially superb and drinking beautifully now, grab some if you can.
Re: Tasting Notes: July 2014
Just had a very lazy and enjoyable dinner with my inlaws.
Roast lamb & trimmings plus nibbles etc to start
Wines:
09 By Farr Chardonnay
01 Tintara Shiraz
08 Yalumba Signature
39 Sepelts Para
All showed very well.
Roast lamb & trimmings plus nibbles etc to start
Wines:
09 By Farr Chardonnay
01 Tintara Shiraz
08 Yalumba Signature
39 Sepelts Para
All showed very well.
-
cuttlefish
- Posts: 1017
- Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2005 1:46 pm
- Location: Sunbury
Re: Tasting Notes: July 2014
Last night we drank the following wines:
2006 Cristom Sommers Reserve Pinot Noir - solid chocolately oak influence and not a bad wine.
2002 Tatachilla Foundation Shiraz - good wine. Will go another 10+ years
2006 Cristom Sommers Reserve Pinot Noir - solid chocolately oak influence and not a bad wine.
2002 Tatachilla Foundation Shiraz - good wine. Will go another 10+ years
Smack my [insert grape type here] up !
Re: Tasting Notes: July 2014
Two 1996 gems:
Moss Wood Cab Sav: Elegant, medium bodied, decanted for an hour beforehand. Well resolved quite mature, mix of berries and some tertiary notes. Broke down a bit after a couple of hours in the glass.
Penfolds Bin 389: Decanted 3 hours beforehand. Velvety and rich, built in the glass over a number of hours, just got better and better. Wow! A wine of power still, with years to go. Great structure.
Moss Wood Cab Sav: Elegant, medium bodied, decanted for an hour beforehand. Well resolved quite mature, mix of berries and some tertiary notes. Broke down a bit after a couple of hours in the glass.
Penfolds Bin 389: Decanted 3 hours beforehand. Velvety and rich, built in the glass over a number of hours, just got better and better. Wow! A wine of power still, with years to go. Great structure.
Imugene, cure for cancer. Brainchip, solution for compute.
-
catchnrelease
- Posts: 507
- Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2013 6:12 pm
Re: Tasting Notes: July 2014
2010 Blue Poles Allouran - Drank over two nights. First night was pretty tight and not giving up much upon opening, after a few hours it had become more generous on the palate, but was still a bit acidic and out of place with the balance between the earthy fruits and tannins. Second night was much much better, the wine had opened up and shown its true colours. Clear crimson purple, with a fantastic powerful nose. That harsh acidity was completely gone and velvety oak tannins taking its place, giving great mouthfeel. Plenty of fruit but not your typical merlot, definitely more savoury with slightly earthier fruit and vanilla. The 70/30 blend of merlot and cab franc coming from soils resembling Bordeaux set this apart from the other Aussie merlot's I've tried. Has a great future ahead of it, but if opening it now give it plenty of air.
Re: Tasting Notes: July 2014
With the recent cold snap, it was time for a mid winter dinner party at home. First up a duck ragu pappardelle followed by a stuffed beef fillet with a Madeira sauce. Sadly I was too busy cooking, eating and drinking to take notes but my dim recollection of the wines are as follows:
Leeuwin Estate Riesling 2013 Thankfully my friends have learnt that the best way to get on the good side of the chef is to turn up with riesling and not sav blah!. Lovely crisp green apple riesling from WA. Superb way to start the evening.
George Michel Golden Mile Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008 - a new kiwi label to me. I initially thought it was a village level burgundy. More savoury/forestal than most typical kiwi fruit driven pinots, very enjoyable. 3.5/5
Roda Rioja Reserva 2001 - mellow savoury mellow Tempranillo. I am still experimenting with Spanish wines but I enjoyed this and it was a good substitute for pinot with the duck ragu 4/5
Turners Crossing Bendigo Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Still developing and really some way off entering its drinking window. 3/5
D'Arenberg Dead Arm 2002 I found this wine particularly interesting given our recent discussion around the ageing qualities of warm climate shiraz. This was a lovely wine but I doubt additional years will add to the enjoyment of this wine. 3.75/5
Black Jack Block 6 Shiraz 2008 Bendigo On reflection it really was a night of big hearty Australian shiraz which was just as well given the beef fillet was singing! Another enjoyable Australian shiraz with some age to take off the fruity edge of youth. 3.5/5
Bowen Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Still too young for this wine. It really needs at least another 3-5 years. I discovered half a case recently so hence I have been trying a few but in fairness to the wine I need to bury it back into the depths of the cellar. 3.4/5
Ulithorne Frux Frugis Shiraz 2001 This was probably the most interesting wine of the evening and has meant that the other wines should be scored below 4. I remember enjoying it at the time but enjoyed it even more the second day when I discovered that somehow half a bottle had survived. Apparently it is dry irrigated and the depth of favour, savoury and long, was impressive. Gorgeous wine. 4/5
Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 For an average vintage this wine is drinking well at present. Soft mellow tannins, medium bodied, this wine is one to drink whilst one waits for the 2010 and 2012 vintages to come into their own. 3/5
De Bortoli Noble One 2010 These wines are so under-rated. Of the Australian dessert wines I have tried, the Noble One really does stand head and shoulders above all else. Given one with just 4 years in the bottle was a treat.
Leeuwin Estate Riesling 2013 Thankfully my friends have learnt that the best way to get on the good side of the chef is to turn up with riesling and not sav blah!. Lovely crisp green apple riesling from WA. Superb way to start the evening.
George Michel Golden Mile Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008 - a new kiwi label to me. I initially thought it was a village level burgundy. More savoury/forestal than most typical kiwi fruit driven pinots, very enjoyable. 3.5/5
Roda Rioja Reserva 2001 - mellow savoury mellow Tempranillo. I am still experimenting with Spanish wines but I enjoyed this and it was a good substitute for pinot with the duck ragu 4/5
Turners Crossing Bendigo Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Still developing and really some way off entering its drinking window. 3/5
D'Arenberg Dead Arm 2002 I found this wine particularly interesting given our recent discussion around the ageing qualities of warm climate shiraz. This was a lovely wine but I doubt additional years will add to the enjoyment of this wine. 3.75/5
Black Jack Block 6 Shiraz 2008 Bendigo On reflection it really was a night of big hearty Australian shiraz which was just as well given the beef fillet was singing! Another enjoyable Australian shiraz with some age to take off the fruity edge of youth. 3.5/5
Bowen Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Still too young for this wine. It really needs at least another 3-5 years. I discovered half a case recently so hence I have been trying a few but in fairness to the wine I need to bury it back into the depths of the cellar. 3.4/5
Ulithorne Frux Frugis Shiraz 2001 This was probably the most interesting wine of the evening and has meant that the other wines should be scored below 4. I remember enjoying it at the time but enjoyed it even more the second day when I discovered that somehow half a bottle had survived. Apparently it is dry irrigated and the depth of favour, savoury and long, was impressive. Gorgeous wine. 4/5
Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 For an average vintage this wine is drinking well at present. Soft mellow tannins, medium bodied, this wine is one to drink whilst one waits for the 2010 and 2012 vintages to come into their own. 3/5
De Bortoli Noble One 2010 These wines are so under-rated. Of the Australian dessert wines I have tried, the Noble One really does stand head and shoulders above all else. Given one with just 4 years in the bottle was a treat.
Re: Tasting Notes: July 2014
Hacker wrote:Two 1996 gems:
Moss Wood Cab Sav: Elegant, medium bodied, decanted for an hour beforehand. Well resolved quite mature, mix of berries and some tertiary notes. Broke down a bit after a couple of hours in the glass.
I had this wine I couple of years back and thought it was a wonderful wee drop. Lovely to see it is still rolling along.
-
Mike Hawkins
- Posts: 2761
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 9:39 am
Re: Tasting Notes: July 2014
rooman wrote:Hacker wrote:Two 1996 gems:
Moss Wood Cab Sav: Elegant, medium bodied, decanted for an hour beforehand. Well resolved quite mature, mix of berries and some tertiary notes. Broke down a bit after a couple of hours in the glass.
I had this wine I couple of years back and thought it was a wonderful wee drop. Lovely to see it is still rolling along.
This is an excellent wine...
Re: Tasting Notes: July 2014
catchnrelease wrote:2010 Blue Poles Allouran - Drank over two nights. First night was pretty tight and not giving up much upon opening, after a few hours it had become more generous on the palate, but was still a bit acidic and out of place with the balance between the earthy fruits and tannins. Second night was much much better, the wine had opened up and shown its true colours. Clear crimson purple, with a fantastic powerful nose. That harsh acidity was completely gone and velvety oak tannins taking its place, giving great mouthfeel. Plenty of fruit but not your typical merlot, definitely more savoury with slightly earthier fruit and vanilla. The 70/30 blend of merlot and cab franc coming from soils resembling Bordeaux set this apart from the other Aussie merlot's I've tried. Has a great future ahead of it, but if opening it now give it plenty of air.
This one seriously impressed me too. One for the cellar for sure.
Bartenders are supposed to have people skills. Or was it people are supposed to have bartending skills?
Re: Tasting Notes: July 2014
deleted
Last edited by Sean on Wed Mar 08, 2017 4:22 pm, edited 11 times in total.
Re: Tasting Notes: July 2014
knocked over an Arras Grand Vintage 2004 last weekend with the missus.
Bloody Delicious.
Complex yeasty nose with a rich, and mouthfilling palate that was both clean and very, very long. Lemon, grapefruit, toasted cashew, brioche - all the usual suspects if you close your eyes and search for them individually, but all playing together nicely and none sticking out. At $55/bottle it is easily the best QPR sparkling I've had, and sits comfortably amongst the best at any price point (once again in my relatively limited experience).
Bloody Delicious.
Complex yeasty nose with a rich, and mouthfilling palate that was both clean and very, very long. Lemon, grapefruit, toasted cashew, brioche - all the usual suspects if you close your eyes and search for them individually, but all playing together nicely and none sticking out. At $55/bottle it is easily the best QPR sparkling I've had, and sits comfortably amongst the best at any price point (once again in my relatively limited experience).
Re: Tasting Notes: July 2014
Excellent tasting note Thommo.
fwiw ...brought a 96 Moss Wood to a grape mates dinner last year. Drank well enough to get 91 'wheelers' from the great man!
Speaking of Cam, bumped into him last night at the Ultimo tasting which was held at Double bay vintage cellars.
Some decent wines on show, but i couldnt handle the crowd so baled after tasting 4 wines. Didnt even bother to try the 09 Grange. Thought the 2010 Lehman Stonewell looked good though, 09 Les Amis was disappointing, a bit thin, 10 Elderton Ashmead Cab Sav was solid but i prefer the 08. The last one was a 2010 Mascolino Barolo, beautiful wine, made me hungry drinking it!
Cam..if you read this...did you try the Grange...thoughts?
fwiw ...brought a 96 Moss Wood to a grape mates dinner last year. Drank well enough to get 91 'wheelers' from the great man!
Speaking of Cam, bumped into him last night at the Ultimo tasting which was held at Double bay vintage cellars.
Some decent wines on show, but i couldnt handle the crowd so baled after tasting 4 wines. Didnt even bother to try the 09 Grange. Thought the 2010 Lehman Stonewell looked good though, 09 Les Amis was disappointing, a bit thin, 10 Elderton Ashmead Cab Sav was solid but i prefer the 08. The last one was a 2010 Mascolino Barolo, beautiful wine, made me hungry drinking it!
Cam..if you read this...did you try the Grange...thoughts?
-
Duncan Disorderly
- Posts: 227
- Joined: Mon May 06, 2013 9:20 pm
- Location: Canberra
Re: Tasting Notes: July 2014
catchnrelease wrote:2010 Blue Poles Allouran - Drank over two nights. First night was pretty tight and not giving up much upon opening, after a few hours it had become more generous on the palate, but was still a bit acidic and out of place with the balance between the earthy fruits and tannins. Second night was much much better, the wine had opened up and shown its true colours. Clear crimson purple, with a fantastic powerful nose. That harsh acidity was completely gone and velvety oak tannins taking its place, giving great mouthfeel. Plenty of fruit but not your typical merlot, definitely more savoury with slightly earthier fruit and vanilla. The 70/30 blend of merlot and cab franc coming from soils resembling Bordeaux set this apart from the other Aussie merlot's I've tried. Has a great future ahead of it, but if opening it now give it plenty of air.
Great tasting note. It ensured I bought another half dozen bottles.
Re: Tasting Notes: July 2014
Michael R wrote:Cam..if you read this...did you try the Grange...thoughts?
Just briefly - it is a good wine and will be fine if you need a 2009 Trophy to put away for a kid or anniversary in 20 years or you must have an unbroken vertical, but I don't see any point otherwise - both 07 and 08 are better wines. 91/100 or something like that?