Right, what are we/you drinking now .. tonight

[Luke W]

Comparison was made between the 2011 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz and the 2012 Rockford Rifle Range Cabernet. Both beautiful wines, the BP decanted 6 hours prior to service and the RR 3. The RR explodes with big black berry flavours and typical high end cabernet aromas - this is a wonderful RR that will evolve for 20 years and develop terrific complexity. It has a lot of finesse and great balance - possibly one of the greatest RR's ever made.
The BP seems lighter to start but keeps developing and 'thickening' as the evening progresses. The sweet shiraz fruit is beautifully balanced and remarkably elegant - a glorious food wine. However it differs from previous BP's and is missing some of the Rockford earthiness that previous vintages have - it doesn't taste like a BP. Despite that it's still a lovely wine. As a comparison, the RR is a bigger, stronger wine with more fruit flavour, complexity and cellaring potential but the BP is such a pleasure to drink now and is so elegant.
I'm looking forward to the 2012 BP later in the year and suspect it will be remarkable.

[Scotty vino]

Comparison was made between the 2011 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz and the 2012 Rockford Rifle Range Cabernet. Both beautiful wines, the BP decanted 6 hours prior to service and the RR 3. The RR explodes with big black berry flavours and typical high end cabernet aromas - this is a wonderful RR that will evolve for 20 years and develop terrific complexity. It has a lot of finesse and great balance - possibly one of the greatest RR's ever made.
The BP seems lighter to start but keeps developing and 'thickening' as the evening progresses. The sweet shiraz fruit is beautifully balanced and remarkably elegant - a glorious food wine. However it differs from previous BP's and is missing some of the Rockford earthiness that previous vintages have - it doesn't taste like a BP. Despite that it's still a lovely wine. As a comparison, the RR is a bigger, stronger wine with more fruit flavour, complexity and cellaring potential but the BP is such a pleasure to drink now and is so elegant.
I'm looking forward to the 2012 BP later in the year and suspect it will be remarkable.

A group of us did this comparison recently.
General consensus was that the BP was a drink now/soon prospect whereas the RR is in for the long haul.
Both great wines.

[Mike Hawkins]

Hi Jamie,

The CSH is probably 15 years off its peak. I'm confident it will be a fantastic wine in time.

Mike

[JamieBahrain]

Hi Jamie,

The CSH is probably 15 years off its peak. I'm confident it will be a fantastic wine in time.

Mike

G'day Mike

I didn't write up my notes due time constraints. Tasted blind in a mix up of Germans without any prior knowledge it would be in the line up. :

2007 Clos St Hune- Subdued, delicate florals and spices. Powerful fruit showing up in volumes of richness on the palate; nicely offset slate and mineral. Oyster shells in a long, long finish with a good phenolic grip.

93pts +


The comparison to the 59 wasn't meant to detract from the wine, it was just how magnificent this aged German was in comparison. 1959 an amazing vintage notwithstanding. I rated it 98pts and it will hold for 10 years! We forget how superb Germans are with age. Dr Tom did say he wished the Clos St Hune was his wine as we muttered comments about its origins at the end of the tasting before the wines revealed.

[Bobthebuilder]

Day 2 of a glaetzer godolphin shiraz 2005
Really lovely wine, the fruit and oak is nicely balanced.
24hrs has seen the acidity decline and the sweetness of the ripe fruit shine through.
This bottle appears to have been really well stored, good tightly packed in cork and sitting well below the rim of the bottle, required quite a bit of effort to pull out.
I'm a real fan a glaetzer, especially the Amon ra.
This was my first godolphin and it impressed me immensely.

[gpk]

Comparison was made between the 2011 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz and the 2012 Rockford Rifle Range Cabernet. Both beautiful wines, the BP decanted 6 hours prior to service and the RR 3. The RR explodes with big black berry flavours and typical high end cabernet aromas - this is a wonderful RR that will evolve for 20 years and develop terrific complexity. It has a lot of finesse and great balance - possibly one of the greatest RR's ever made.
The BP seems lighter to start but keeps developing and 'thickening' as the evening progresses. The sweet shiraz fruit is beautifully balanced and remarkably elegant - a glorious food wine. However it differs from previous BP's and is missing some of the Rockford earthiness that previous vintages have - it doesn't taste like a BP. Despite that it's still a lovely wine. As a comparison, the RR is a bigger, stronger wine with more fruit flavour, complexity and cellaring potential but the BP is such a pleasure to drink now and is so elegant.
I'm looking forward to the 2012 BP later in the year and suspect it will be remarkable.

A group of us did this comparison recently.
General consensus was that the BP was a drink now/soon prospect whereas the RR is in for the long haul.
Both great wines.

Yep, it looks like other's agree as it appears they have sold out of the 12 RR at the cellar door. Glad I decided to grab some more when I was there in April as I have always been a fan of Rockfords Cabernets.

[Luke W]

After drinking the newer Rockford wines last night I needed another tonite. Ever since reading JO's critique of the 2010 Rockford RR, I've been worried about the $480 I spent on a dozen 2010 Rockford RR's. He gave it an 84 and said it was porty and somewhat pathetic.
However after a 4 hour decant this wine climbed the heights I expected after last nites repasts. It is a beautiful cabernet but needs time and air to show its wares. It has alternating red and black berry highlights. It approximates the potential of the 2012 RR but falls just a point or two short. However who knows what lies ahead as it is a wine for the long haul. It is a bit more typical of its heritage and tastes like a better example of its breed - reminded me of the 2006 and the 1995.

[Phil H]

.Chateau Rollan de By 2006 Medoc, 13% Alc. Merlot, Cab Sav, Petit Verdot. Med to full bodied, fine dusty tannins fading in the background, cedar & tobacco integrated with dark berry fruits. Very Enjoyable, well balanced and integrated, and fair value for around $50.

[maybs]

2006 Pewsey Vale Contours Riesling

Noticeable Kero on the nose but still a crisp, lively drink with some good lemon on the palate and a somewhat kero/petrol aftertaste but not at all in a bad way. Ages ahead of it.

2011 La Soufrandière Beaujolais-Leynes Bien-Venu in X-tremis.

Ripe, funky both on the nose and a bit on the plate. Some spicey herbal notes. Nice light weight and good texture. I enjoyed it. Will give it some time but don't know enough about it to know if this will help it round out and become a more balanced wine.

2012 Domenica Shiraz

On pop and pour kind of like drinking a light to mid weight glass of white pepper. Time in the glass saw it become smoother and balance out, a more rounded and enjoyable wine. I liked it and can see it becoming very good in years to come.

[tonym]

Sorrenburg 2013 Chardonnay and a 2012 William Downie Pinot Noir.

[Phil H]

Sorrenburg 2013 Chardonnay and a 2012 William Downie Pinot Noir.

Hi Tonym, I have seen the William Downie around and have never tried it. What is it like and isi it worth the money?

[michel]

Sorrenburg 2013 Chardonnay and a 2012 William Downie Pinot Noir.

Hi Tonym, I have seen the William Downie around and have never tried it. What is it like and isi it worth the money?

downies divide people
i find they fall over with age and a bit clunky dry red like on the palate
but they have their admirers

[tonym]

I havn't had to describe a wine before but here goes, It is a Gippsland pinot and is a rich or should I say full bodied style and tastes of plum fruit with a slight taste of oak and I would say it is well balanced wine. I paid $62 each for two bottles(the other is the Yarra Valley which I havn't tried yet) and I would buy this one again. I bought it along with two bottles of 2012 Bass Phillip estate( yet to try) to get the Mrs into pinot as she wasn't that impressed with a couple of other brands I bought from OZ and NZ. I don't know if it will age as most of the wine I buy is drunk within a couple of months of purchase. Hope that helps

[Phil H]

Thanks Tonym, description is great, let us know how you go with the Bass Phillip, another wine I am interested in .

[Mike Hawkins]

Hi Jamie,

The CSH is probably 15 years off its peak. I'm confident it will be a fantastic wine in time.

Mike

G'day Mike

I didn't write up my notes due time constraints. Tasted blind in a mix up of Germans without any prior knowledge it would be in the line up. :

2007 Clos St Hune- Subdued, delicate florals and spices. Powerful fruit showing up in volumes of richness on the palate; nicely offset slate and mineral. Oyster shells in a long, long finish with a good phenolic grip.

93pts +


The comparison to the 59 wasn't meant to detract from the wine, it was just how magnificent this aged German was in comparison. 1959 an amazing vintage notwithstanding. I rated it 98pts and it will hold for 10 years! We forget how superb Germans are with age. Dr Tom did say he wished the Clos St Hune was his wine as we muttered comments about its origins at the end of the tasting before the wines revealed.

Nice work... I've never had a rizza that old....

[maybs]

2008 Borgogno Barolo

Cork was soaked to about 2/3 up. Wine is fine but not a great sign in a wine only 7 years old and presumably only in bottle 4 or 5 years.

I digress. Lovely garnet colour. Smells like freshly laid bitumen, but in a delicious way. Herbal, little rich red fruit, tannic, exceedingly dry. Enjoying it. Will go well with the footy and pizza (maybe a bit too classy for both but bugger it)

[Ddavew]

2011 meerea park xyz shiraz(100% hunter shiraz)

when i pour this wine it looks bright red, i thought i took the wrong bottle but nope, it is xyz shiraz. ( in a zalto burgundy glass)

doesn't smell like shiraz at all, very light aroma and doesn't taste like shiraz either, raspberry like pinot , tannins still there on the 2nd night . few more bottled to go , will try again in 5 years.

[Phil H]

2004 Morris Durif 14% What a monster of a wine. Dark impenetrable color, unbalanced at first, but after about an hour, it all came together. Acid & tannins still present, mulberry & & blackcurrent with cedary oak in the background. Still a baby, no hurry to drink. For around $20 great value wine.

2012 Woodlands Cab Merlot 13.5%. Decided to see what all the fuss was about, and I agree. Upon opening could see its potential, muted at first, however after about 30minutes, it all came together. Full bodied, dusty tannins in the background, vanilla oak subtle, dark berry fruits. Well worth a try, however possibly suffering from a mild touch of Brett. Not being experienced in this fault, there was a slight "metallic" taste. Will be going back for another try of the 2013 vintage.

2013 DeBortoli Estate Pinot Noir 13% Another wine that has featured lately. Upon opening simple raspberry fruits, But given 30 minutes, it all unravelled. Classic Pinot characteristics, med bodied, very enjoyable and worth the money, however in my opinion I have enjoyed Pinots from Orange (yes here I go again) for around the same price. Still worth a try and decide for yourself.

[WARREN]

Eighteen with silk stockings - the wine was eighteen and the silk stocking was my wife's - and it made a very adequate sieve for a 1997 Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon by Gralyn Winery. The colour had shaken off its purple youth and certainly had not turned brown with decrepitude of age, rather held a mid red brick colour. The aroma was believe me something that made me want to hook it up to a respirator and suck on for the rest of my days. Ripe raspberries made me wish for ice-cream, and pencil shavings recalled days of a small primary school and the fine aroma of their shavings in the days long before the impersonal click of the keyboard. Also on the palate were some medicinal/herbal hints, but they were I no way over powering.
I remember going down to Margaret River and tasting the wine and purchasing the wine at the winery and it was surprising in that it was very together in the bottle then, and indeed has surprised me with its longevity. I look forward to downing several more of the same of similar age, rather than practicing infanticide on those bottles of baby age. Aaahh one of the few benefits of age![color=#BF0000][/color]

[felixp]

2001 Domaine du Clos de Tart, Clos de Tart
black fruit spectrum, with spice and sandalwood. Highly perfumed, still quite structured. I tend to like and drink Burgundy on the younger side, but this is still no-where ready. If you have any, hold for another decade.
92++ points, drink: 2025-2045.

[maybs]

2012 Wendouree Shiraz Malbec

2 1/2 hours in the decanter smoothed out a few edges. Dizzying purple fruit and herbaceous nose. Rich fruit, mellow menthol kick at the middle and back palate. Long finish. Tannic a dense mouth feel. Powerful and hedonistic. Drinking surprisingly well young but has plenty of punch for the years ahead. Yum.

[Bobthebuilder]

Ok I guess I'm going to take the vibe down a couple of notches to quaffer level
Krinklewood, chardonnay, broke fordwich, 2009, screw cap.
Pale straw, palate nothing like the appearance, clearly some nice age development, not a lot, but a a bit and a nice bit at that.
Fruit and nuts, sweet grapefruit and lightly toasted almonds.
Would make a great paring wine with the right dish. I might have some fun with that if I can get my hands on another couple of bottles
I really like this, never expected that upon purchase TBH

[mse]

Penfold's Grange 1996:

On the nose: Vanilla, Coconut, Cinnamon spice, Bourbon like smokiness, luscious Caramel, Liquorice, Blackberry and Blueberry compote, a hint of Mineral and Cedar.

One the palate: Plum, sour Cherry, dark Chocolate, fair amount of acidity, chalky tannin and astringent aftertaste. After a few sips, I feel like a Granny without denture! More classic and savory (old world) than the Grange 91' (which was more fruit forward). Still a bit muted after 7 hours of decanting, this is still a sleeper for at least another several years. I still have 11 bottles left to try over the next two decades (or the rest of my life, which ever comes first!).

[bigtinnie]

Had a glass of Langmeil 'Ressurection' Mataro (2010). I can't describe it in wine speak but it smelled like toilet air freshener that would be called 'garden fresh' and tasted like what I would imagine water from our of a vase of flowers would taste like. The smell and taste of flowers was way overpowering.
Is this normal for this grape variety? If so 'Mataro' won't be passing my lips ever again.
This followed a 2010 Olivers Taranga Corrinas (Cab/Shiraz). Lovely flavoursome full bodied wine with savoury (smokey?) hints. Reminds me of Lake Breeze Bernoota which is a favourite of mine. Will definitely be buying more of this.

[deejay81]

2008 Gomersal GSM

Really nice - Drinking well but still has much more to give, no sign of fading.
Very powerful, I think it's 16.2% which makes it one of the more higher % alcohol wines (non port) that I've had. YOU can feel the heat but it's not overpowering.

Had with some Sukiyaki.

[Hacker]

2008 Gomersal GSM

Really nice - Drinking well but still has much more to give, no sign of fading.
Very powerful, I think it's 16.2% which makes it one of the more higher % alcohol wines (non port) that I've had. YOU can feel the heat but it's not overpowering.

Had with some Sukiyaki.

I love this wine as well. Dropped in to Gomersal Winery a month or so back and picked up a dozen of this, and it is a full flight flavoursome experience!

[phillisc]

After the Coonawarra weekend a few weeks ago, 3 bottles of 2012 Mildara Cabernet.
Just a lovely wine with all the varietal and regional characteristics and excellent VFM.

Might have to get some more.

Cheers
Craig

[Hunter]

Going too try the 08 wirra wirra RSW when I get home after service tonight...
Looking forward too it.

[pc79]

2010 Xanadu Chardonnay - early drinking Chardonnay. Nectarine, pears, spicy oak, biscuit and cream. Good shooting for the $, but nothing overly complex or lingering.
2013 Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir - $20, who's kidding? Serious Pinot for the dollars, and the first of my stash of 13s. Beautiful nose of violets, cherry, rose and strawberry. Palate, cherry, a bit of smoked meats, mushroom funk, finishes relatively long and savoury. Pretty bloody good!

[Mike Hawkins]

1976 Mildara Coonawarra Cabernet - thought this may be DOA, but had some life in it. Lots of tobacco and earth. It was at an age where I find Coonawarra cabs and shiraz often take on similar characteristics. Enjoyable curio...

1983 Chateau Margaux - this is the ants pants. For me, it is by far the best Bordeaux of the vintage of the few dozen I've tried.

2001 Chateau d'Yquem (375) - believe the hype, this is an all time great wine, not just an all time great stickie. Length, power, complexity, impeccable moutfeel... Mellifluous perfection.....

2004 Tyrrells HVD Semillon - ok, but nothing too memorable.

1998 McWilliams Lovedale Semillon - right at its peak. Would have prefered it to be under something other than cork

1991 Henschke Mt Edelstone - really really good, but a whisker behind the 1990 and 1986 which are sensational. Plenty of years left in these....