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

[Michael McNally]

Last night.
2012 Tuesner Reibke Shiraz
Poured an hour prior to drinking.
Floral fragrance. Medium to full bodied. Dark blackberry fruit with some savoury notes. Fine tannins. Decent length.
Great value for money in my opinion.
Is this type of quaffer Shiraz likely to get better over time? Or is it a drink now type thing?

Hi Tinnie

I have plenty of the 2010s in the half-bottle format and they are travelling nicely. If this is the 750ml version I would say you have at least a few years of development available.

Reliable wine and in my view towards the cellaring end of the quaffer spectrum.

If you like this try the Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Shiraz. Similar $$ and also a good wine. Might be on to the 2013, but that's another good vintage!

Cheers

Michael

[bigtinnie]

^^^^^^^^^^
Hi Michael
I've tried the Shotfire and quite liked it. Another one at a similar price point that I head toward is D'Arenberg Footbolt. Both the 2010 and 2012 are great in my opinion.

[tonym]

2004 Arras Rose and 2014 Lakes Folly Hill Block Chardonnay

[maybs]

Last night

2013 Dalwhinnie Moonambel Chardonnay

Lean and nine rally but fills out a bit mid palate and with a generous finish. I only bought two of these but may grab a few more. Work mates raved about it. Could use a bit of time but already drinking well.

2013 Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz

Rich and fairly dense but only just above medium weight. Nice and lots of potential but needs at least 5 years and will take a lot more.

2008 Tyrrells Vat 47 Chardonnay

I love the Vat 47 and this was a pretty good one, though on this occasion I preferred the Dalwhinnie Chardy.

All good drinking after a tough week of work.

[Chuck]

Jamiesons Run 2001 Alexander Block Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon.

Certainly an improvement from the 1980's wine (Mildara Alexander) where grapes were picked too early. Adding the JR name killed this wine in retail land and was discontinued after a brief period 1998-2001. Can be picked up at auction for third of original RRP. Again a good example of how big business can make bad decisions. Wonderful rendition of Coonawarra cabernet from a warmish vintage allowing the fruit to ripen a bit more than usual. Quality oak and cork (barely stained). Now in its prime and should last another decade. 3 more still in the cellar. Will be on the lookout for more.

Carl

[catchnrelease]

Back in Australia for a week or so, trying to drink as much as possible. Off to a decent start.

2014 Polin & Polin Convicts & Catholics Verdelho - Nice enough, lost a bit of freshness. But too Sauv Blanc-ish for me, still not bad though. Bit one dimensional. 88

2015 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling - So young, acidity still piercing, needs six months at least. Leaner than what I thought it'd be, but still good quality. Citrusy, little bit of talc, very very fresh. Good length. Quality. 92+

2013 Oakridge Over the Shoulder Pinot Noir - Great nose and perfume. Palate a bit light, but nice bright red fruits and improved with air. Very fine tannins and well balanced. Maybe just wanted a bit more oomph but bottle was emptied with no complaints. 92

[JamieBahrain]

2001 Kay Brothers Block 6- Properly stored bottle at 14 degrees since release ( note the cork ) this presented a beautiful and full shiraz, with a focus guiding its intensity and a moderate complexity that was overall very gratifying and an architect of the region.

93pts

The Craiglee Sparkling Shiraz was very easy drinking. Structurally softened though showing cool climate fruit amongst some evolved secondary notes.

[Mike Hawkins]

1999 Dom Perignon - best bottle of this vintage yet. Why it will never be an upper echelon DP, this had great balance, length and mouthfeel. Really good.

2002 Pierre Moncuit Cuvee Nicole BdB - consumed with self professed lovers of BdN, and they were converted. This has real potential, albeit it's a tad disjointed right now.

1999 Peter Lehman Stonewell Shiraz - wasn't sure if I would like this, expecting it to be ripe and oaky. Thankfully both those qualities were relatively ok. Pretty good wine with years left.

2004 Penfolds Bin 707 - it got late and while I'd had enough, my mate pulled the cork on one more... Very primary - could have passed as a 2010 vintage. Excellent wine in the making...

[Redwine&Rum]

"it got late and while I'd had enough, my mate pulled the cork on one more".

You live a good life there Mike. Would love just to pop a sly bottle of Bin 707 just because you can I only have 1 bottle of 2012 Bin 707, and that bottle will be sleeping for a long long time in my wine cellar.

[Hacker]

Another 2010 Riebke in 375ml format. Just superb. Soft yet flavoursome and rich. Happy.

[catchnrelease]

2002 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz - Dad liked this, I did not. I found it hot and unbalanced. Nice ribena like notes on the nose, some herbal aspect and a bit of VA. Palate was the let down, length unimpressive, and not much of a mid palate (although not non-existent). Tannins not making an appearance, possibly past its best? Although I think this was unbalanced from the start. Next day showed significant development but no improvement. Not my favourite style of wine. 88

2014 De Iuliis Steven Vineyard Shiraz - Medium bodied and a bit acidic at first but after an hour or two it settled and opened up to be a fantastic Hunter-ish red. I say Hunter-ish as the Hunter essence is only faintly there in the background. Far more purple than expected, with rich red and purple fruits and a bit of earth and olive. But regardless a well balanced, delicious red that will reward patience. Bottle was finished very very quickly! 93+

[Mike Hawkins]

2002 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz - Dad liked this, I did not. I found it hot and unbalanced. Nice ribena like notes on the nose, some herbal aspect and a bit of VA. Palate was the let down, length unimpressive, and not much of a mid palate (although not non-existent). Tannins not making an appearance, possibly past its best? Although I think this was unbalanced from the start. Next day showed significant development but no improvement. Not my favourite style of wine. 88

2014 De Iuliis Steven Vineyard Shiraz - Medium bodied and a bit acidic at first but after an hour or two it settled and opened up to be a fantastic Hunter-ish red. I say Hunter-ish as the Hunter essence is only faintly there in the background. Far more purple than expected, with rich red and purple fruits and a bit of earth and olive. But regardless a well balanced, delicious red that will reward patience. Bottle was finished very very quickly! 93+

While RBPS is one of my favourite wines, I've been underwhelmed by the 1999-2003 releases. The 2002 comes across as a tad porty for my tastes. I'm hoping it will come around in 5+ years

[Chris H]

I think your are right, the 2002 Basket Press is past its best. Delightful drinking a few years ago, but now the alcohol heat shows (and it has been coolly cellared).

[Matt@5453]

A few impressions of Clare Valley Riesling:

2015 Jim Barry Watervale. Straight off the bat; nice lime and minerals, an elegant, "easy drinking" style. Acidity is in check and not that noticeable. Nice structure and length. Very enjoyable.

2015 Grosset Springvale. I love this wine, a lime/citrus spectrum of fruit flavours, 'crispy acidity', Flint type tones, with a long lingering finish. Just stunning, drink between now and next 2 years.

2001 Taylors St Andrews. A freakish wine. At 14 years of age still showing plenty of its youth, primary acidity, a touch of sweetness but only just starting to exhibit some aged tones of kero, floral notes. Colour was amazing for its age. Simply stunning wine with years ahead of it still. Like I said a 'freakishly' good wine. Outstanding.

2015 Grosset Polish Hill. One of the most approachable early drinking Polish Hill Rieslings I can remember , but simply stunning. Lemon sherbet, lip smacking acidity, complex mineral/slate but a finish to die for. One of the best 2015 white wines I have tasted to date.

[Matt@5453]

I think your are right, the 2002 Basket Press is past its best. Delightful drinking a few years ago, but now the alcohol heat shows (and it has been coolly cellared).

I had the 2010 a couple of weeks ago, it's developing very quickly, not sure it will be a long term wine either.

[Mike Hawkins]

I think your are right, the 2002 Basket Press is past its best. Delightful drinking a few years ago, but now the alcohol heat shows (and it has been coolly cellared).

Even though I'm not a huge fan of the 2002, I think it is way off its peak. I've had every release since the 86, and they age really well - even dud vintages like 1989....

[phillisc]

I think your are right, the 2002 Basket Press is past its best. Delightful drinking a few years ago, but now the alcohol heat shows (and it has been coolly cellared).

Even though I'm not a huge fan of the 2002, I think it is way off its peak. I've had every release since the 86, and they age really well - even dud vintages like 1989....

Agreed Mike, another dud vintage '95...I had this one last year and its just entering a sweet spot, very pleasantly surprised.
Am having a 91 on the weekend will report back.

Cheers
Craig

[Mike Hawkins]

Well stored bottles of the 1991 are magnificent Craig

[Redwine&Rum]

Just finished off the last glass of 2013 Majella 'The Musician' for lunch. Needless to say I am floating amongst the clouds at work this afternoon.
Very enjoyable quaffing wine that we had for dinner last night. Very tasty. I prefer the cabernet, but that is a little more expensive.
Noticed a little too much heat on the nice. But for a sun $20 bottle of wine, great value for money. I prefer it now over Metala white label as our everyday quaffer.

[felixp]

never got around to writing up my Golf weekend wines, so maybe just highlights/lowlights
Royal Mansfield 2015:

Lowlights:
*Clarendon Hills. Just too sweet, Astralis aside which is pretty good, but not great value. The rest are poorly made, IMHO. The Grenache are like treacle.
*more disappointments with the South Australia 95 vintage, don't think it ever really got going. The Rosemount Balmoral Syrah (90pts) was pretty good and the best of the shiraz, but 95 was really about the Marg River reds, which enjoyed a great vintage....the Leeuwin Estate cab truly excellent(95), and showed better than the Moss Wood (93) and the Cullen (88), to my utter amazement wrt the Moss Wood, but not wrt the Cullen. Incidentally, the 95 Domaine A was uncannily Bordeaux-like, I am certain I would have picked it as a lesser Cru left bank blind (89)

Highlights:
The 91 vintage in general, what an absolute ripper in SA, particularly the Barossa. I like it better than 1990.
The best of an incredible bunch of wines, maybe my year's tasting highlight:
91 Coliole Lloyd's Reserve.... holy moly, magnificent!! 98pts certainly WOTEW (Wine of the entire weekend) .12 awe-struck golfers worshipped this wine.
91 Penfold's Bin 389 ........ sublime, 97pts. The best-ever 389 in my experience. Smashed a continually-disappointing 91 St Henri.
91 Penfold's Grange ......... still too young, but wonderful 96pts
91 Leeuwin Estate Cabernet... a real surprise, 95pts, clearly these Leeuwins need years and years, too bad I drank so many disappointing bottles in their youth/adolescence. A wine very much under-rated by me.
91 Rockford Basket Press..... yum, pure, aged, delightful Barossa shiraz.(95pts) Drunk with sadness as my last bottle.
91 St Hallett Old Block..... bottle variation,. this was getting oldish, but still pleasant (90)
91 Grant Burge Meshach ... excellent, but again, I would say, past it's apogee. (91)
91 Wynns John Riddoch ... wow, better than any 91 Bordeaux I have seen. A later version of the wonderful 1982. (95)
91 Wynns Black Label...... hanging in there, but shown up by the John Riddoch, still a magnificent career, and bests the 1990. (90)
91 Penfold's 707............ the days of just too much oak, this and the 1990 have never developed as I had hoped. (87)
91 Bass Phillip Premium Pinot .... DOA, despite perfect cellaring conditions since purchase (by me) NR
91 Mount Mary Pinot...... last bottle, not a complex wine, but some interesting tertiary flavours. Still kicking and enjoyable. (89)
91 Hill of Grace ....... corked!!!!!! aaaargh!!!!!

A great (very long) weekend, the magnificent wines not matched by the golf haha. Royal Mansfield in perfect condition again, bravo!!!!!!
I get a head-ache just thinking about next year.

[Phil H]

Nice lineup Felix, I am always in awe of some of the regular contributors on this Forum.
On a more humbler note:
2003 Rosemount Show Reserve Cab SavShowing its age - in a good way, at its peak, charry oak prominent, full bodied, great VFM. Drinking at its peak.
Side Note; just purchased a Monopol Ah So which I used on this wine. The cork was in good condition - however what a great invention, very easy to use. Highly recommended.
2012 Logan Weemal Pinot Noir I have been a fan of this wine, and this did not disappoint. For a Pinot for under $20 - again great VFM . Recently purchased the 2014, I am not certain whether it is at the same level, will see in a couple of years.

[rens]

2004 Saltram Mamre Brook. From a good vintage, and it shows. Most that know me know I'm not a fan of Barossa Cabernet, but this was pretty good. Juicy fruit, slightly hollow mid palate and a decent lick of oak with powdery tannins. Nice drinking watching the lightning flicker and rain dance across Brisbane.

[JamieBahrain]

Thousand Candles 2011- Lacked the intensity of the 2012 which made it a pleasantly crafted and moderatley complex wine- probably due its shiraz, pinot noir, sav blanc blend- though it lacked a kick on the palate to rate it much beyond 90pts. $100 is ambitious though I suppose I did pay that without blinking so why not?

[Rory]

Jamie,

Personally, I think the whole Thousand Candles project is a joke.
I thought you were being generous in you words about the '11. Admittedly, 2011 was a disastrous year for reds in southern Vic, but I can't see the whole thing as a marketing exercise aimed at the wallet of those with more money than wine sense.

[Phil H]

2006 Tahbilk Marsanne A bit uncertain upon opening, however after the first glass, it drew me in, full bodied, a white wine for red drinkers. Everything you would expect from an aged Marsanne, slight Marmalade characteristics, This is why we cellar wine. Drinking well now, as this is my first wave of aged Marsanne, uncertain of how much more I can leave my last bottle. For under $15, a bargain.

[JamieBahrain]

Jamie,

Personally, I think the whole Thousand Candles project is a joke.
I thought you were being generous in you words about the '11. Admittedly, 2011 was a disastrous year for reds in southern Vic, but I can't see the whole thing as a marketing exercise aimed at the wallet of those with more money than wine sense.

The aromatics were a delight. The vintage came through on the palate which was just holding. If it were $50 I'd be a a supporter to be honest.

[Matt@5453]

2015 Pikes 'Traditionale' Clare Valley Riesling.

I thought this was exceptional. Floral, slatey, lime and a nice driving acidity, a really balanced wine with nice length. Grilled Gar Fish, salad & decent fries will accompany this beautifully; although my chicken curry was awesome with it.

[rooman]

Five Ways Wine Store in Paddington was kind enough to put on a Summer of Riesling tasting. I believe my favourite riesling was the Grosset Springvale 2015 over the Polish Hill 2015. Sort of the difference between doing the tango with a South American and a waltz with a German. I'm just not sure I have enough time in life to wait for the Polish Hill. I also really enjoyed the Granite Hills 2013. Just that extra degree of mid palate freshness and flavour to compared to the steely Clare Valley rieslings.

[felixp]

"Thanksgiving" dinner... ugh. Well, at least the host lived in Chicago for six years, so might be passable (just)

1996 Salon BdB
still not giving a lot, I remain a little mystified how so many people rave about this. Might well be superb in another decade, but for now, just too damn young!!! 93++

2010 Etienne Sauzet Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Referts
more evidence that 2010 is closing in on the greatest white Burgundy vintage of at least the last four decades. Although still so young, this wine has it all, exquisite white fruits, minerals and a touch of spearmint with a spine ensuring at least another two decades of development. Bravo!! 96+

2009 Didier Dagueneau Pouilly Fume Silex
brings back memories when I used to get this off the now defunct DeBurgh-Day many years ago. I felt it should have been served prior to the Sauzet, but still showed very well. This reminded me very much of the Pavillon Blanc from the same year, very much in the reserved, focussed style that probably could use a few more years. More like a top-class Graves than a Loire. Seems like Didier's kid is doing a good job. 92

2010 Domaine de Beudon Dole
interesting wine from the Valais in that it is a blend of Pinot 80%/Gamay 20%. Probably that is where the interest ends for me. Beautiful crystal red in colour, but both the nose and palate display overt green and unripe berries. Short and uninspiring. Good luck to the Swiss wine industry though, they have made inroads up here. However, based on this and a couple of others, they should stick to making chocolate and cheese. 83

2002 Domaine Joseph Roty Mazy Chambertin
Again interesting in that I rarely see this producer. Has the brute strength that all Mazis seem to possess, but thankfully there is also a good deal of complexity and a great, great deal of length. This still needs time, but is drinking well if you like the end-primary stage of Burgs. I am never really a big fan of Mazis, but this is really well done. Cool label too, love the traditional look. 93

1995 Chateau l'Eglise Clinet
A wine very familiar to me, finally drinking beautifully, but not in the class of the more recent vintages from this producer. Still, an excellent end to a wonderful evening, remains like a cuddly teddy bear, very enjoyable if a little simple. 91

Great night, great company, magnificent food. NE China wild boar might be the second-greatest dish on Earth (behind Shangri-La Yak)

[Hacker]

2009 Claude Dugat Gevrey Chambertin. Blimey it has the darkest hue, I would have said it was a shiraz if I hadn't seen the bottle. Strong steroidal blackberry/dark fruit influence. Tannins perfectly in check, and a giveaway meaty/bloody/masculine style of a Gevrey pinot. Everything in balance but nowhere near it's ideal drinking window. Perhaps 5-10 years.