Brisbane offline 13th February?

[Luke W]

Hi team

Anyone interested to bring a wonderful wine out somewhere in Brissie or the Gold Coast on Saturday nite next week?

Cheers

Luke

[Michael McNally]

Hi Luke

I am free and interested, thanks. Would prefer Brisbane, but not if there are more takers down the Coast.

Cheers

Michael

[rens]

Brisbane sounds good. I'll see if I can get Kell to it too. Will let you know.

[Luke W]

I have tentatively booked 85 Miskin but need to confirm by Monday next week - table of 8-10. They will do a degustation menu of 8 courses for $89 a head and charge $15 a bottle corkage (although I think others have negotiated this price in the past).

Themes? - I don't think we've done a Margaret River night yet but would enjoy that (to tell the truth I'd enjoy anything). I'd be willing to bring Hallliday's wine of the year last year (2011 Xanadu Stevens Road Cabernet) if we go with that as a temptress.

[rens]

Kellee is my +1 and the babysitter is booked.

Margaret I can do, but my stuff is not top shelf.
The best from Margaret that has any age on it would be these two:
2008 Moss Wood Pinot Noir
2004 Leeuwin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Art Series (which has made an appearance at an off line before thanks to Nick).

Or I could do these two (if the theme was abbreviations ):
2006 Teusner Shiraz Astral Series FG Riebke (which is grange-esk)
2007 Amisfield Pinot Noir RKV Reserve (which is a shiraz drinkers pinot)
Honestly I'd like to show the last two, but if Margaret is the theme, then happy to go with the other two.

[Michael McNally]

My best from the West is probably a 2010 Vasse Felix 'Heytesbury' Cabernet Sauvignon.

If we are doing 'critics raves' a la Xanadu Stevens Road, I could sacrifice a 2010 St Henri (cue howls of vinfanticide!)?? See what the hype was about??

If we wanted something with some age I could do a 2001 Torbreck 'The Steading' or a 2001 Lindemans 'Limestone Ridge'.

Any other takers?

Cheers

Michael

[Luke W]

I'm easy - it'd be interesting comparing wines of the year - I think I still have a 2000 Mt Pleasant Maurice O'Shea which was Hallidays WOTY in 2002 or 3. Ian and Perry may be starters as well.....

[rens]

WOTY hey?
I have a bottle of Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005. Wine spectator wine of the year in 2007. But I'm not willing to part with that one as yet (Sorry Nick).
A quick scan through the rest of the list only has the 2010 St Henri, and not much else....

[ticklenow1]

I'm in with more than likely Janine (have to sort a sitter) and if we have space, another mate would more than likely love to join the group.

West Australian theme is interesting, but I don't have much with a lot of age. About 07 or 08 on Cabernets and Shiraz (Cherubino, Laurance Icon and a few others). I do have a few nice Chardonnays from 06 & 07 though (Cape Mentelle, Devils Lair). If we go down the critics choice route, I may be in some trouble. I do have some of the 2014 Serrat SV but that would be the ultimate infanticide and I've buried them at the back of the cellar. I have a Cherubino Grenache that Halliday gave 97pts to which would satisfy both theme ideas.

Seeing as Luke is doing the organising, maybe he should pick the theme.

Cheers
Ian

[Luke W]

Gee what a cop out! I just want to drink some good wine!
What if we just bring a wine that we consider is one of our best that is ready to drink now and show its best. My Xanadu is unlikely to do that for a few years yet but the Maurice O'Shea is more likely to have developed to the point where I'm proud of it.

However if the group would prefer a blockbuster nite of RPA wines I guarantee nothing will come close to the Giant Squid Ink although I might need to decant it now (and leave it at 15 degrees)!

I think we're past that and would be quite happy just to say bring a $50 bottle of wine in a brown paper bag and try it blind.....

[JarrodB]

Hi Luke,

The planets finally align for myself and the +1 next weekend in Brisbane. It would be nice to me some more of you guys.

A non specific ready to drink theme sounds pretty good to me.

Cheers,
Jarrod

[rens]

I emailed Kym over at Teusner last night about the FG and he says it should be right in its window now. So I'll bring it and will try and squeeze it into the theme somehow .

[Luke W]

I emailed Kym over at Teusner last night about the FG and he says it should be right in its window now. So I'll bring it and will try and squeeze it into the theme somehow .

Don't forget to put it in a brown paper bag so we don't know what it is. Do u want me to bring the Wine Spectator Tasting box?
Who wants to be embarrassed?
I regularly make a fool of myself when presented with a mystery wine - anyone else want to have a go?

[Luke W]

By the way welcome Jarrod

[vovo]

I'd be pretty keen to attend, can I put down for me and a +1? Not sure how numbers are stacking up so far.

Happy for any of the mentioned themes so far, though can't seem to find the list of wines of the year.

Thanks
Clive

[Luke W]

Clive

I just spent 2 hours putting together all of JH'S highest pointed wines of the last 13 years and then hit submit and it all vanished in the ether!

Anyway it's only since the 2014 that he has actually had a WOTY before that it was just s list of the highest pointed wines. Most were 97 pointers (except 2 Granges - 2004/2006 a 2008 Penfolds Bin 620 ) which got 98.
The 2014 WOTY was a 2010 Bass Phillip Pinot
2015 - 2011 Xanadu Stevens Road Cabernet
2016 - 2014 Serra Yarra Valley Shiraz Viognier

The last 3 have all got 99 points. There are others that also got 99 but didn't win so points creep seems to be rife.

[Luke W]

And of course u + 1 will be welcome

So who is coming and who has a plus 1?
Rens and Kellie
Mick + 1 ?
Ian
Luke
Jarrod + 1
Clive + 1
Perry
Better cap it there team?
10 plus Mick's plus 1?

[vovo]

Clive

I just spent 2 hours putting together all of JH'S highest pointed wines of the last 13 years and then hit submit and it all vanished in the ether!

I hate it when that happens.

I could go an O'Shea 04 if you go the 00, my wine from the west is all pretty young but I'm sure we could rustle something up.

Thanks

[Luke W]

Let me be led by the multitude - do we say what we're bringing or do the paper bag thing?
Mick did u reduce the corkage last time or was that someone else?
Can people let me know their final numbers as I need to call them tomorrow please?

[rens]

Two confirmed for me.
I'm all for bring what you want, but I'm only one voice.
I'm sure one or two could bring their wine in a paper bag for a bit of fun.

[JarrodB]

By the way welcome Jarrod

Thanks Luke!

I'm still keen with a +1. And since I haven't mentioned anything about the wines, I could certainly do the paper bag thing.

[Luke W]

That sounds like a good idea - choice of bringing something up front or in a paper bag approximate cost $50. If you bring a partner bring two - if you're bringing something old or in cork bring a backup in case - sound ok?

[JarrodB]

Sounds like a plan.

[Michael McNally]

If I have something that was $49 in 1971 is that okay? (just stirring Luke) I am sure people will bring the good stuff!

I will be a brown bagger and will look for something interesting.......

Though on a wine wanker note, the paper bag thing makes it difficult to arrange the order of the wine. But maybe that's overrated too!

Cheers

Michael

PS Not sure if Yasmin can make it, but working on it

[rens]

Ok. Wine in a bag it is.
The wine wanker in all of us should be able to hint as to whether the wine should be drunk at the start, middle or end of the evening and we could arrange them in some sort of order.

[Luke W]

Booked for 11 for Saturday night at 7.30 at 85 Miskin. Mick if Yaz isn't coming call them and say 10. They will only charge us $7.50 a bottle for corkage and $89 for the set menu. If u don't eat seafood they'll change the salmon to something else (8 courses)!
If u can't make it or u want an extra call the restaurant on 33714558.
Cheers
Luke

[Michael McNally]

Yas isn't coming so I will call them. 10 is a good number anyway.

Looking forward to it.

Cheers

Michael

[rens]

Booked for 11 for Saturday night at 7.30 at 85 Miskin. Mick if Yaz isn't coming call them and say 10. They will only charge us $7.50 a bottle for corkage and $89 for the set menu. If u don't eat seafood they'll change the salmon to something else (8 courses)!
If u can't make it or u want an extra call the restaurant on 33714558.
Cheers
Luke

Really looking forward to this.

[Michael McNally]

A happy crew of 10 gathered at restaurant 85 Miskin Street for the first offline of 2016. Many of the wines were brought bagged and various levels of guessing games ensued. We thoroughly demonstrated our ignorance and inability to pick a wine blind. But we had a lot of fun!

First cab off the rank was a Chardonnay (Clive gave us that much). Very pale suggesting youth, and intense fruit verging on tropical this had a lot of length but most didn’t guess Margaret River. It was revealed as the 2013 Woodlands “Chloe”. This will develop into a super wine.

Next was the 2008 Pewsey Vale Riesling (Ian didn’t hide the label on this one). A little lanolin on the nose and some gentle white flowers. Still very youthful acid was quite full-on and really needed some food to be appreciated properly.

I had brought the last of my 2004 Yalumba Cuvee D Black Sparkling. Still plenty of fizz as a 12 year-old this was a trip down memory lane for a couple of us who had bought the same special way back (Ian had apparently ‘guzzled’ his!). Soft blackberry and plum with a little bit of peppermint pattie on the finish. Very respectable.

Rens had masked his first wine with an individual label (hopefully Ian can provide a bottleshot). A couple of us thought the nose suggested Grenache but the cola and cherry on the palate pointed to a cool-climate Shiraz to me. Wrong! Turned out to be the 2007 Amisfield RKV Pinot Noir. Nice drop.

Jarrod had brought the next masked one and again, there were some who said Shiraz or Cabernet and a couple who picked it as Pinot. I thought it might be Cabernet with the beetroot and mint. Revealed as the 2009 Pooley “Butcher’s Hill” Pinot Noir. Excellent Pinot, but not sure where these new world Pinots are going.

Next was my masked wine. Most guessed that it was South Australian, and many guessed it was straight Cabernet. Not many guessed it was from Langhorne Creek. Most guessed it was a 1996, some a 93, but only Kellie guessed it was an 83. Revealed as the 1983 Wolf Blass Grey Label Cabernet Sauvignon this was very much still alive. Gentle fruit, mint and cigar box. Lovely resolved tannnis. A general vote of thanks from the group to the kind soul who had cellared this so well and so long and then sold it at auction.

Clive’s second wine was a Shiraz (again, info provided free), clearly cool climate. A fair few guessed Canberra but none guessed Collector – the 2009 ‘Marked Tree’ Shiraz. My note says “cool climate Shiraz well done, good balance (others didn’t think so) not remarkable”. I should clarify that in my book "not remarkable" does not = "not good". Just didn't have a wow factor for me.

I don’t have the name of the next wine written down. It apparently smelled like Anne’s grandma, but having never smelled Anne’s grandma I couldn’t say for sure.

Somewhere in there was Perry’s unmasked E&E Shiraz which was corked!

Things started to get a little more food focused by this stage as we were nearing mains. Jarrod had another masked wine which turned out to be the 2004 Mt Pleasant ‘Maurice O’Shea’ Shiraz which I would have sworn came from anywhere other than the Hunter. Very nice.

Luke had another meaty charry number which fooled everyone despite some not so subtle hints. It was revealed as the 2004 Pirramimma Petit Verdot. Gorgeous and soft, great colour and tannin.

Then Jarrod pulled another Shiraz. I thought Heathcote, but this turned out to be from Great Western, the 2000 Seppelt’s St Peter’s Shiraz. Lovely charry oak and inky fruit.

Luke’s next masked offering was intense blackberry pastille (at least that’s what my note says) but wasn’t a Cabernet at all, but another Maurice O’Shea Shiraz, the 2000. Ian thought it particularly savoury.

Rens had brought along a 2006 Teusner FG Shiraz. This was huge but still balanced, sweet but savoury and massive on the palate. A bit big for me.

Perry pulled out his reserve wine, a 2006 Rockford Cabernet. Stood proud after the wines before it, and a fitting way to end the night.

The group universally decided the 83 Wolf Blass the wine of the night so we voted for runner up:
Pooley - 5 votes
Teusner FG - 3 votes
Seppelt's Saint Peter's - 2 votes

The food was excellent – a very good degustation menu. Every dish came together well, some beautifully. The two mains – a lamb belly and a beef cheek both came to the table hot, which I love as often the meat is only lukewarm by the time it gets to you.

Roll on the next offline!

Cheers

Michael

[Lincoln2]

Rens had masked his first wine with an individual label (hopefully Ian can provide a bottleshot). A couple of us thought the nose suggested Grenache but the cola and cherry on the palate pointed to a cool-climate Shiraz to me. Wrong! Turned out to be the 2007 Amisfield RKV Pinot Noir. Nice drop.

Nice, but not terribly varietal?