Burge Family Winemakers Port - Brisbane Group Purchase

[Michael McNally]

Rens and I are organising for all eight samples to be sent to us.

I am happy to host a tasting at my place and I reckon we could have up to ten participants and still get a decent taste.

If we started late afternoon (say 4ish) we could then have a simple BBQ and maybe crack a few reds?

Once we know what we like we can get an order together.

Tentative date is Saturday 16 August.

Who is keen?

Cheers

Michael

[rens]

Although already nominated, I'll do so formally.

[Cesar]

16th would work for me! Put me down Michael.

[ticklenow1]

Would love to come Michael (mainly for the few reds afterwards ), but can't commit until a few days before because of work. So if you fill the numbers before I can do that, so be it and I'll wait for our next offline to catch up with the gang.

Hope you have a great night if I can't make it!

Cheers
Ian

[gpk]

Would love to have made this one, but unfortunately I am in the wrong part of the world again. Look forward to seeing the tasting notes as I have been looking at grabbing a bit to top up the barrel and some of the older stuff for bottling at home.

cheers

Gerry

[Gavin Trott]

Hello

Just let me know what/which samples you wish, where and when, be my pleasure to organise for you.

Working my way through the samples now, you are in for a treat, what incredibly classy wines these are!

.

[Michael McNally]

Hi Gavin

I thought Rens had already ordered all 8 samples. If he hasn't can you send them to me? We need them for next Saturday. You should have my address/credit card details.

Cheers

Michael

[rens]

Sorry Michael, I thought you were ordering.
I'll text you
Rens

[Michael McNally]

Don't panic Brisbane!

Gavin has the matter in hand.

Thank you kind host.

Cheers

Michael

[ticklenow1]

Michael,

As I expected I won't be able to make it. Duty calls sadly but I hope you guys have a great afternoon and evening.

If you do get some bottled, please keep me in mind as I'd be interested in getting some.

Cheers
Ian

[Michael McNally]

Work???

Talk to your union rep!

No worries Ian, will let you know if we decide to get a bulk order.

Cheers

Michael

[rens]

At least we didn't get to Saturday thinking the other one had placed the order.

[vovo]

I'm keen but unfortunately can't yet commit. I'll keep you posted.

Cheers

[Michael McNally]

No worries. Catering will be simple and minimal!

Cheers

Michael

[Michael McNally]

Spoke to Libby at BFW this afternoon

The samples were posted this morning (thanks Gavin!). Should be here by Tuesday. I promise I won't open any....

Cheers

Michael

[rens]

What time did you want to kick things off Michael?
BYO steak and I'll bring some communal bread rolls too.

Oh and a bottle of 2003 David Franz Benjamin's Promise for after the ports.
I'll also bring some Seppeltsfield 20yo+ year old Tawny for QPR comparisons if that is OK with all attending.

[gpk]

a bit jealous guys, would really liked to have made this. looking forward to the notes before I order. cheers Gerry

[Michael McNally]

Gents

I picked up the ports from Australia Post this morning! No, I haven't tried them.

I was going to pick up some steaks from the local butcher Saturday morning so roll call by Friday night please. Cesar are you still in? Vovo can you make it? Ian, I sense a bit of a cough coming on for you which might require some time off work......

Anyone else out there is welcome to join us. Confirm your attendance and I will PM/email you the address (don't want 100 pissed teenagers turning up because they saw it on bookface).

I am happy to get the steaks and make a simple salad or roast some veges. I'll pick up some olives, crackers, cheese, dried fruit, nuts etc, but will keep it simple. With only 4 or 5 of us that's fine

Never tried the David Franz, thanks Rens. I was thinking of opening one of Rick's older GSM blends, like the 2005 that put me onto his wines a while back.

I think we should kick off around 4.30. We can have a fire in the back yard while we try the ports.......

Cheers

Michael

[ticklenow1]

Gents

I picked up the ports from Australia Post this morning! No, I haven't tried them.

I was going to pick up some steaks from the local butcher Saturday morning so roll call by Friday night please. Cesar are you still in? Vovo can you make it? Ian, I sense a bit of a cough coming on for you which might require some time off work......

Anyone else out there is welcome to join us. Confirm your attendance and I will PM/email you the address (don't want 100 pissed teenagers turning up because they saw it on bookface).

I am happy to get the steaks and make a simple salad or roast some veges. I'll pick up some olives, crackers, cheese, dried fruit, nuts etc, but will keep it simple. With only 4 or 5 of us that's fine

Never tried the David Franz, thanks Rens. I was thinking of opening one of Rick's older GSM blends, like the 2005 that put me onto his wines a while back.

I think we should kick off around 4.30. We can have a fire in the back yard while we try the ports.......

Cheers

Michael

Michael,

I actually do have a bit of a cough at the moment, so I won't be going to work as it was only overtime coverage anyway. But sadly I've made family commitments that I might get into to trouble for if I break them. So I'll sit this one out and I hope you all have a great night and I look forward to the tasting notes.

We'll have to sort another offline out which hopefully Gerry and Luke could attend.

Cheers
ian

[redstuff]

Sounds like an awesome event planned. Looking forward to reading the tasting the notes.

[Cesar]

Gents

I picked up the ports from Australia Post this morning! No, I haven't tried them.

I was going to pick up some steaks from the local butcher Saturday morning so roll call by Friday night please. Cesar are you still in? Vovo can you make it? Ian, I sense a bit of a cough coming on for you which might require some time off work......

Anyone else out there is welcome to join us. Confirm your attendance and I will PM/email you the address (don't want 100 pissed teenagers turning up because they saw it on bookface).

I am happy to get the steaks and make a simple salad or roast some veges. I'll pick up some olives, crackers, cheese, dried fruit, nuts etc, but will keep it simple. With only 4 or 5 of us that's fine

Never tried the David Franz, thanks Rens. I was thinking of opening one of Rick's older GSM blends, like the 2005 that put me onto his wines a while back.

I think we should kick off around 4.30. We can have a fire in the back yard while we try the ports.......

Cheers

Michael

I am definitely coming, please pm me your address. 4:30 sounds great. I will bring a couple of nice reds. Should I bring anything else?

[JarrodB]

Hi all,

I'm keen to meet the Brisbane crew if there's room?

Sounds like a great night!

Cheers,
Jarrod

[Michael McNally]

I am definitely coming, please pm me your address. 4:30 sounds great. I will bring a couple of nice reds. Should I bring anything else?

Hi Cesar.

PM sent. See you at 4.30

I'll have the first flight of 4 wines set up for a 4.45 kickoff.

No, no need to bring anything else, but thanks for the offer.

Cheers

Michael

[Michael McNally]

Hi all,

I'm keen to meet the Brisbane crew if there's room?

Sounds like a great night!

Cheers,
Jarrod

You are certainly welcome Jarrod (though your avatar has me a little worried )

PM sent

Cheers

Michael

[JarrodB]

Hi all,

I'm keen to meet the Brisbane crew if there's room?

Sounds like a great night!

Cheers,
Jarrod

You are certainly welcome Jarrod (though your avatar has me a little worried )

PM sent

Cheers

Michael

Thanks Michael. Looking forward to it!

Cheers,
Jarrod

Ps. Nothing to worry about unless I get near a music playlist

[Cesar]

Great night Michael, thank you for putting up a great tasting!

[vovo]

I agree, a thoroughly enjoyable evening all round and thank you to everyone for their generosity.

[Michael McNally]

A good time was had by all last night! A tasting of an excellent range of fortifieds and a few choice reds. Nice to meet two new forumites Vovo and JarrodB

I spoke to Rick about the tasting in the afternoon and how to serve the wines so the following was based on his advice. We started with Wine 1 the Old Sweet White. Toasty brioche and light apricot marmalade flavours. The nose was a little muted/musty, but the length and balance were excellent. Off to a great start!

I had bagged and mixed up wines 4, 5, 6, and 7 and thrown a mystery port in as well to keep everyone on their toes. I had set up a tasting table and the 5 of us were able to discuss the wines without knowing what they were. Lots of fun.

Wine C was the general consensus as the best and turned out to be Wine 6 – the Port Blend 1. The words I had written next to the wine were ‘power’ and ‘youth’. Wine 5 - Grenache Port Blend 2 - was also well favoured, smelling sweet with lush rich fruit. Wines 4 and 7 were also good, and I think it was style and preference rather than quality that won the day. What was interesting was that it was easy to pick the mystery port, a Peter Lehman 15 year tawny as it was clearly inferior and had none of the length or weight of any of the others.

We tried a little blending, but that simply reinforced why none of us are winemakers! To sum up, you coould buy any of these wines with great confidence, but unless you know your preferences I suggest you get some tasters.

We had a little pause and then tried the V.O. Blend next to a 20 year old Seppeltsfield blend that Rens had brought along. The BFW was clearly the better wine. Great power length and balance.

The two Muscats were served last and again it was stylistic preference that determined the winner rather than the quality of the wines. Both oozed class. For me the younger liqueur style won out. But in reality they were both simply too sweet for me, so I preferred the ports.

After that I fired up the BBQ and burned some cow which we had with a simple roast vegetable medley. People had brought an interesting range of wines. I wasn’t taking notes so just from memory:
2005 Burge Family Winemakers Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre – Not the best bottle I have had of this. Good but lacked the oomph of other bottles. Nice enough.
2003 David Franz Benjamin’s Promise Shiraz – not bad, but didn’t really impress. Not sure why.
2008? Koru Pinot Noir – not my cup of tea.
2009 Torbreck The Factor Shiraz – excellent. Great fruit, developed beautifully in the glass. Length, balance the works. WOTN by a head.
2006 Massena The Eleventh Hour Shiraz – another very good wine once it had had a chance to breathe. Some secondary characteristics.
1985 Wynns John Riddoch – stuffed. Shame. Not corked but clearly not a well-stored bottle.
2002 Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz – another excellent wine. Classic McLaren with vanilla and chocolate around some blackberry/mulberry fruit.
To finish the night (not that it needed finishing) I gave Cesar the pick of my cellar and he went for a 2008 Wild Duck Creek Estate Springflat Shiraz. Excellent wine, though still very primary. Years in front of it!

Thanks to everyone for their generous contributions.

Cheers

Michael

[Gavin Trott]

Wine C was the general consensus as the best and turned out to be Wine 6 – the Port Blend 1. The words I had written next to the wine were ‘power’ and ‘youth’. Wine 5 - Grenache Port Blend 2 - was also well favoured, smelling sweet with lush rich fruit. Wines 4 and 7 were also good, and I think it was style and preference rather than quality that won the day. What was interesting was that it was easy to pick the mystery port, a Peter Lehman 15 year tawny as it was clearly inferior and had none of the length or weight of any of the others.

Wow, Port Blend #1 was the favourite, interesting.

As a small, but significant, aside this wine is $10 per Litre, which equates to $7.50 per bottle.

Now that, is a world class bargain in anyone's language!

.
ps Grenache Port Blend 2 is even less $$$

.

[Michael McNally]

Wow, Port Blend #1 was the favourite, interesting.

As a small, but significant, aside this wine is $10 per Litre, which equates to $7.50 per bottle.

Now that, is a world class bargain in anyone's language!

.
ps Grenache Port Blend 2 is even less $$$

.

Hi Gavin

No, sorry, I didn't make that clear. The Port Blend #1 was the best of the blind flight of port blends, but the V.O. Port was clearly the best fortified on show. Rick asked me to taste it separately to the other port blends (presumably so that they didn't 'pale in comparison'). I also don't think you could compare the port blends to the Muscats or Wine #1. Just too different.

The V.O. was clearly in a different league to the other port blends, particularly if you were looking for something to bottle now, as opposed to something to contribute to a work in progress. Still great VFM in my view.

Cheers

Michael