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

[rens]

1996 penfolds bin 28
Past it's prime, sour prunes, currents dried tea leaves, tabaco balsamic. Drink up

sounds cooked
where was the cork sitting in relation to the rim?
ullage?

Provenace

[felixp]

yea, you got a bad bottle there. The 96 is still well and truly alive and should be for at least another decade. Same with the 98, which is an even better wine, which in itself is unusual for Penfolds, where most of their 96's are better than their 98's

[maybs]

2013 Brokenwood indigo vineyard Chardonnay, Beechworth

Followed by 2010 Bests Thompson family Shiraz (decanting sine 10am this morning)

Not a bad little Saturday night there Mick. I quite like the indigo. Haven't tried the Thompson Family though I have half a dozen 2012's sitting in the cellar (young fellas birth year).

[dave vino]

1995 Mt Langi Ghiran The Langi Shiraz
Lovely aged cool climate shiraz. Bit of bricking, but still holding most of it's colour. Soft and supple on the palate, with some powdery tannins still present. Nice plums and dark fruit on the nose and palate. Started to open up with a bit more air, with some blackberry notes appearing. Aging beautifully.

[swirler]

1995 Mt Langi Ghiran The Langi Shiraz

Many of the Langi's from the 90s are Brett monsters. Wet dog flavours. Clipped finish. Not this one?

[dave vino]

Nope, had a 97 and 05 last weekend. And did a Langi vertical a couple of years back and didn't have any issues.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=13221&p=107005

[Hunter]

1996 penfolds bin 28
Past it's prime, sour prunes, currents dried tea leaves, tabaco balsamic. Drink up

sounds cooked
where was the cork sitting in relation to the rim?
ullage?

The cork had sunk a little, but still in good nic.
The 98's are beautiful.
I had a 1990 recently which was magic.
It must have been cooked.
Yet still enjoyable

[catchnrelease]

Nope, had a 97 and 05 last weekend. And did a Langi vertical a couple of years back and didn't have any issues.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=13221&p=107005

How was the '05? I have a bottle and am curious as to when to open it, seeing how it's under screwcap.

[scribbler]

1992 Baileys Shiraz

Glenrowan, made by Steve Goodwin, 14.5 %. I always had fond memories of trekking to the winery and tasting the monumental reds of Harry Tinson - and the HJT fortifieds- then the strike-rate of decent wines fell into decline. However, 1992 was a great red wine year in NE Victoria with startlingly good wines from Campbells, Chambers, Stanton and Killeen etc. Those were the days when sometimes I braved the crowds on the Rutherglen walkabout, but now I'm too fussy!

This is the humble commercial, red stripe wine. It would never have done well on the show circuit, despite its bright fruit. Its thrown a huge crust too. Its still got blackness and density to the colour; it still has voluminous liquorice aromas, raisins and dark fruits. Its a bit over-ripe, but has honest, generous flavours that impel another glass. An old friend (and last bottle). Always welcome!

[dave vino]

Nope, had a 97 and 05 last weekend. And did a Langi vertical a couple of years back and didn't have any issues.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=13221&p=107005

How was the '05? I have a bottle and am curious as to when to open it, seeing how it's under screwcap.

Still traveling well, I'd be in no hurry to open it. Give it another 5 years.

[Phil H]

2004 Penfolds Bin 28 Inspired on tastings on earlier vintages decided to revisit a few sitting in the cellar. Dark impenetrable color, charry oak, dark fruits, fine dusty tannins. At its peak, with a few years left. Enjoy now, very good.

[JamieBahrain]

Finally, a style with some constraint. Very good for it too and hopefully rewards those who cellar with an interesting wine in the future. Thanks to Ian for sending this one to HKG I hope to return the favor in November.

[Pelican]

2009 provenance geelong pinot noir - enjoyable mature pinot' with a lovely fennel/anise/licorice note

[felixp]

up in Hangzhou at the moment, nights are now quite cool(ish) making it possible to enjoy fine wine without the a/c going full blast.
lovely dinner, accompanied by some drab Moet champagne, and a bottle of
1997 Gaja Barbaresco
barbaresco?? really?? this is full-throttle, full-bodied and more reminiscent of an old Bailey's shiraz. Plenty of tar and plum, reasonable length and depth, but seriously, this has ZERO complexity. I waded thru a case of 1992 Bailey's director's reserve shiraz last year, which was eerily similar to this. Great quaffers, they were, and worth every last cent to the $20 I paid for them. But at $300 a bottle, Angelo is having a lend of us. Seriously.
88pts drink: now-2020.

[Hunter]

Finally, a style with some constraint. Very good for it too and hopefully rewards those who cellar with an interesting wine in the future. Thanks to Ian for sending this one to HKG I hope to return the favor in November.

The eden valley never let's down!

[Croquet King]

2004 Penfolds Bin 28 Inspired on tastings on earlier vintages decided to revisit a few sitting in the cellar. Dark impenetrable color, charry oak, dark fruits, fine dusty tannins. At its peak, with a few years left. Enjoy now, very good.

Nice to see this Phil. I've still got a few left plus some of the Bin 128 from 2004.
The last one I had didn't have any fruit so maybe slightly TCA affected.

[Mike Hawkins]

Finally, a style with some constraint. Very good for it too and hopefully rewards those who cellar with an interesting wine in the future. Thanks to Ian for sending this one to HKG I hope to return the favor in November.

Hi Jamie,

Is this in the Mt Ed style ? It's not a wine I've seen before.

Cheers

Mike

[michel]

1995 Mt Langi Ghiran The Langi Shiraz
Lovely aged cool climate shiraz. Bit of bricking, but still holding most of it's colour. Soft and supple on the palate, with some powdery tannins still present. Nice plums and dark fruit on the nose and palate. Started to open up with a bit more air, with some blackberry notes appearing. Aging beautifully.

check out the recent prices on Mt Langhi !!!!
almost 100 bucks

[swirler]

Seen lots of Langhi 97? 98? Going for around $30 recently. Don't believe me, ask any Grampians winemaker and they'll tell you about how bad Langi's Brett issues were. It's no secret.

Postings from the now defunct 'other' Aussie wine messageboard viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11200 Google 'mount langi ghiran shiraz 1997'

Also:

http://www.camwheeler.com/wine/2013/gra ... gi-ghiran/

[WAwineguy]

2005 Bouchard Vigne de L'Enfant Jesus

Took a couple of hours to open up, but improved over time until it was ultra smooth (just before we finished it!)

[WAwineguy]

1995 Mt Langi Ghiran The Langi Shiraz
Lovely aged cool climate shiraz. Bit of bricking, but still holding most of it's colour. Soft and supple on the palate, with some powdery tannins still present. Nice plums and dark fruit on the nose and palate. Started to open up with a bit more air, with some blackberry notes appearing. Aging beautifully.

Hmm, is that a burgundy glass? Surely not!

[dave vino]

1995 Mt Langi Ghiran The Langi Shiraz
Lovely aged cool climate shiraz. Bit of bricking, but still holding most of it's colour. Soft and supple on the palate, with some powdery tannins still present. Nice plums and dark fruit on the nose and palate. Started to open up with a bit more air, with some blackberry notes appearing. Aging beautifully.

Hmm, is that a burgundy glass? Surely not!

Yeah Riedel Vinum XL, I'd just washed all my Zaltos and didn't want to drag them out again and this was handy.

[dave vino]

Seen lots of Langhi 97? 98? Going for around $30 recently. Don't believe me, ask any Grampians winemaker and they'll tell you about how bad Langi's Brett issues were. It's no secret.

Postings from the now defunct 'other' Aussie wine messageboard viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11200 Google 'mount langi ghiran shiraz 1997'

Also:

http://www.camwheeler.com/wine/2013/gra ... gi-ghiran/

Not disputing it, I've seen reports from Mt Langi themselves about it. (defending it). Just saying it hasn't been my experience. (luckily)

[Polymer]

Seen lots of Langhi 97? 98? Going for around $30 recently. Don't believe me, ask any Grampians winemaker and they'll tell you about how bad Langi's Brett issues were. It's no secret.

Postings from the now defunct 'other' Aussie wine messageboard viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11200 Google 'mount langi ghiran shiraz 1997'

Also:

http://www.camwheeler.com/wine/2013/gra ... gi-ghiran/

FYI, Cam is quoting from the same tasting Dave posted earlier....

Also, you're suggesting any brett is bad and for you, that might be the case...But there are many many types of brett and some of it people actually quite enjoy...

[swirler]

Thanks.

[ticklenow1]

Finally, a style with some constraint. Very good for it too and hopefully rewards those who cellar with an interesting wine in the future. Thanks to Ian for sending this one to HKG I hope to return the favor in November.

My pleasure, glad you enjoyed it. I actually really rate Brett Grocke's whole range of wines. Restrained, yes, but still with plenty of interest. The 2012 Elevation was an absolute ripper and probably the best wine I tried in the Barossa last year. He made a 2013 Eden Valley Grenache from 100+ years old vines that was so perfumed and silky smooth, stunning wine.

2004 Heartland Director's Cut Shiraz. Langhorne Creek. I'm really starting to enjoy Langhorne Creek wines. This was quite brooding. Took quite a while to settle down. Started a bit porty and sweet but got better and better and really smoothed out. Lots of dark fruit and oak is certainly there. Tannins were a little chewy but it all worked quite well after some air time. Under cork but still quite fresh. Was certainly better on night two. Will last a few more years yet on this form. 3.5/5

Cheers
Ian

[phillisc]

1998 Woodstock Stocks shiraz

Beautiful colour with such a refined delicate MV nose, soft berries, spice.
Really lovely mouth feel and such silky tannins, now just entering a really wonderful phase....5-10 years easily.
Fantastic for around $20 release price.

Cheers Craig

[mjs]

Finally, a style with some constraint. Very good for it too and hopefully rewards those who cellar with an interesting wine in the future. Thanks to Ian for sending this one to HKG I hope to return the favor in November.

Love Brett Grocke's enthusiasm and winemaking at Eperosa. Will be visiting him next month

[Michael R]

2013 Brokenwood indigo vineyard Chardonnay, Beechworth

Followed by 2010 Bests Thompson family Shiraz (decanting sine 10am this morning)

Not a bad little Saturday night there Mick. I quite like the indigo. Haven't tried the Thompson Family though I have half a dozen 2012's sitting in the cellar (young fellas birth year).

Only the second bottle of Indigo I've had but I like it too. Good depth of fruit especially.
The Thompson family was class. Tried it at the Langtons tastings a couple of years ago and was really taken by it, been dying to crack a bottle ever since. Even though it was very young, I needed a 2010 for anniversary reasons...and it was really smooth and enjoyable post lengthy decant.

[mjs]

Agree, the Thompson Family was a standout at the Langton's Classification tasting last year (? ... time flies)