Melbourne Offline - Friday 30th Jan

[conformistpete]

White it is then

[Ozzie W]

I had a great time last night. A big thanks to Alex for organising.

The wines were all great. The venue and food was great. The company and discussions we all had were great. I'll post the photos I took when I get chance.

Thanks everyone for your time and generosity. Looking forward to the next one.

[conformistpete]

Great night indeed, if leaving me a little dusty this morning. Amazing wines brought by all!
Ridge Santa Cruz Estate 1995 Just pipping the Pascioppro 2011 for WOTN for me. The Ridge still fresh and holding its fruit at 20 years.

Thanks for organising Alex. Looking forward to the next one!

[TiggerK]

Some of those old Ridge wines are amazing, general opinion seems to be they're at their best around 20 years of age, so nice work with a 1995!

Be keen to see if anyone think the Passopisciaro 2011 has changed at all in the 8 months since release. Lovely wine.

List of wines please?? And pics or it didn't happen.

[alexc92]

Great night again

Thanks all for coming, generous as always!

95 Ridge was special, so much life left at 20 years. Amazing!

Look forward to the next

[Ozzie W]

Below is the complete list of wines. All were tasted blind. I didn't record any formal notes, but I'll post some comments from memory later.

Wine 1 - 2007 Domaine des Baumard Savennieres Clos St Yves


Wine 2 - 2011 Passopisciaro Etna Rosso [WOTN Runner Up]


Wine 3 - 2001 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904


Wine 4 - 2009 Benanti Il Monovitigno Nerello Mascalese


Wine 5 - 1995 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet [WOTN]


Wine 6 - NV John Kosovich Liqueur Verdelho


Wine 7 - 2010 Castagna Genesis Syrah


Wine 8 - 2005 Noon Eclipse

[Diddy]

It certainly was another brilliant Melbourne offline - thanks to the generosity of those who attended and to Alex for organising.

I really enjoyed the wines on offer - it was a great opportunity to diverge from my normal Australian predilections and try some amazing old world wines.

Still scratching my head about that Noon Eclipse though! Way too hot for my liking

[via collins]

Terrific line-up!

I sure picked the wrong event to miss. Any notes on the Kosovich? Stunning winemaker, I've been relishing the Rare Muscat from there.

Cheers

[Ozzie W]

I wrote down some notes over the weekend based on my memory and further contemplation. Everyone else who attended, please feel free to disagree and/or add your comments.

Wine 1 - 2007 Domaine des Baumard Savennieres Clos St Yves
I'm not much of a white wine drinker and this was my first ever chenin blanc. Green apples, minerality, extremely dry finish. Great acid balance.

Wine 2 - 2011 Passopisciaro Etna Rosso [WOTN Runner Up] -
Elegant raspberry, cherry & strawberry fruit. Lovely tannins keep it all in balance. Very long finish. Tastes like a good Pinot, but with tannins. I think this will be amazing given a few more years in the cellar. This was my personal WOTN.

Wine 3 - 2001 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904
Medium bodied dark fruits, vanilla oak, hint of leather. Lots of acid on the finish which evolved considerably over 15 minutes in the glass, causing me to incorrectly guess the grape variety, despite being correct after first impressions.

Wine 4 - 2009 Benanti Il Monovitigno Nerello Mascalese
Medium bodied complex red cherry and currants. Good structure and balance. Soft tannins. Long finish. This has the same Nerello Mascalese grapes as the Etna Rosso, but it tastes completely different. That's terroir for you!

Wine 5 - 1995 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet [WOTN]
Bold current and plum, good pepper and leather balance. Certainly not young, but tasted blind I couldn't believe it was 20 years old. Still so much fruit left in it. My personal runner up for WOTN.

Wine 6 - NV John Kosovich Liqueur Verdelho
Interesting, but tasted very hot. Not my style or not balanced?

Wine 7 - 2010 Castagna Genesis Syrah
Elegant dark plums with some raspberries & subtle notes of nutmeg. Long very fine tannins. Peppery graphite like finish that balances out the ripe but not too sweet fruit. Has some Voigner in it too. Still way too young. This needs a few more years in the cellar.

Wine 8 - 2005 Noon Eclipse
Very hot on the palate. Tasted like brandy soaked plums. Not my style or not balanced?

[Polymer]

Sounds like a great night...Ridge is an old school favorite...

Agree with you guys on the 2005 Noon...Last time I had it, it was very hot and hard to get much else from it..it is like everything else was in the background and the alcohol was all that was really there...I'm sure these must be better on release... Interesting to see how these go though....a few big AU reds have somehow started blooming later on...

[conformistpete]

Any notes on the Kosovich? Stunning winemaker, I've been relishing the Rare Muscat from there.

Cheers

Unfortunately the wine was a bit hot. Weighing in at 19% did not help it at all. However all the right flavours were there just quite how I remembered it at cellar door.