Melbourne offline - Easter weekend

[Chris H]

If that is the choice I'd prefer Penfolds. Yet to drink a Zinfandel that is not alcoholic, monolithic and one dimensional.

[Ozzie W]

I've got no issues whatsoever with the original Penfolds wines that were suggested. They're both great wines. I was just pointing out that if we narrow the theme to "less than ubiquitous" then perhaps the Penfolds brand doesn't meet that definition? Looking at the Wynn's example given, perhaps we just need to use different wording such as "single vineyard"? I'm not fussed either way. Was just looking for clarity on the theme.

[n4sir]

I've got no issues whatsoever with the original Penfolds wines that were suggested. They're both great wines. I was just pointing out that if we narrow the theme to "less than ubiquitous" then perhaps the Penfolds brand doesn't meet that definition? Looking at the Wynn's example given, perhaps we just need to use different wording such as "single vineyard"? I'm not fussed either way. Was just looking for clarity on the theme.

The Penfolds Cellar Reserve Cabernet would qualify as single vineyard if you want to head down that path - all Block 41 fruit from their Kalimna Vineyard.

[conformistpete]

Less rules more good wine.

[Chris H]

Yep, diversity of good wines is the key. Bring the Penfolds Ian, we'll bring other stuff and all will be good in the land of Vino

[conformistpete]

Just made a booking at 6:30 for the 7 that were keen.

[n4sir]

Getting close now - what's the usual deal with Bergerac, how much for corkage and is it strictly cash on the night?

Perfect location for me, a few hundred meters from the hotel

[Ozzie W]

$10 corkage per bottle.
Cash is probably best as it avoids having to split the bill using credit cards.

[mjs]

2004-2006 is fine with me. Happy to narrow down the theme further if others want to, but I think we need to define "less than ubiquitous" a bit better. To me, anything Penfolds or Wynns is about as ubiquitous as one can get.

Okay, instead of the Penfolds how about a 2006 Kabminye Barossa Valley Zinfandel?

Not sure I entirely agree with this. There are some Penfolds label that are not exactly Koonunga Hill/Bin 28 etc in terms of number available/sold.

[Ozzie W]

It all comes down to how one defines "ubiquitous". If I can walk into any of the 140+ stores of Australia's largest wine retailer or the 75+ stores of the second largest and purchase (almost?) any Penfolds or Wynns label of my choosing, then those brands are ubiquitous to me. That was my line of thought when I made that statement.

[conformistpete]

Anything people generously bring, I think is great.

Just a warning I am stretching the theme to 07 as it is a wine I really wanted to try and get others input on.

I think it is not ubiquitous so Ozzie should be OK.

[Chris H]

I'm stretching the theme in the other direction by some way, with a masked comparison of two wines. Hopefully neither corked

[Ozzie W]

I like it when people are excited about the wines they're bringing. It's a sure sign that we're going to have a fantastic night.

I'll stick to the original theme with my primary and backup bottles but I'll also bring something extra for dessert that I've been itching to try.

Did we get the timing of this offline perfect or what? At 5:46pm on Monday it transitions to a fruit day .

[conformistpete]

$10 corkage per bottle.

I will be sure to bring 10 dollars then.

Good to see someone else keeping an all important eye on the phases of the moon. Don't want to drink wine on the wrong day!

Did we have anyone pull out? Any late additions?

[Diddy]

Hi guys, I managed to get myself free - I'd be keen to join if room? Thanks.

[Chris H]

Plenty of room Diddy - think it was still seven.

[alexc92]

So for us slow folk ; Theme is 04-07? And Bergerac at 6.30?

[Ozzie W]

The theme is 2004-2006, but some have indicated they are "stretching" the vintage window in both directions. 6:30pm start at Bergerac.

For those who aren't familiar with the venue and taking the train, get off at Southern Cross station. Walk up Bourke St for one block. Then turn right at King St. Another 50m and you're at Bergerac.

[alexc92]

Thanks Oz! See you all then

[conformistpete]

Hi guys, I managed to get myself free - I'd be keen to join if room? Thanks.

I'm sure there is room! I actually do t have final numbers. Will try do a roll call tomorrow morning.

[Chris H]

Pete's Grandma obviously won't let him use the computer, so I think we are :

1. N4sir
2. conformistpete
3. MJS
4. Ozzie +1
6. Chris H
7. Alex
8. Diddy

I'lll change the booking to eight.

[conformistpete]

Thanks Chris!

Been out and about or cooking most of the weekend so haven't really checked in.


If no one is bringing bubbles I will have something on theme. If someone else is bringing bubbles, then we will have two!

[Diddy]

Thanks gents - see you then.

[Ozzie W]

Another fantastic Auswine offline. Great people, great wines, great food, great conversation! Thanks to Pete for organising and thanks to everyone who came. Will post up some photos of the wines later.

[Ozzie W]

What a great line-up. Nothing was corked either. Will post a few notes later.

2005 House of Arras Blanc de Blancs
1990 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch
1990 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec
2004 Petaluma Coonawarra
2004 James Irvine Grand Merlot
2005 Noon Reserve Shiraz
2004 Mount Mary Quintet
2004 Mildara Cabernet-Shiraz
2005 Penfolds Cellar Reserve Cabernet
1972 Yalumba Vintage Port

[Chris H]

Yep, very enjoyable evening it was. Thanks guys. Some wines just a bit young to be fully enjoyed now. My impressions of the wines:

2005 Arras BdB -more than a passing resemblance to Champagne with some classy autolysis alongside the chalky-honeyed fruit.
1990 Wynns Riddoch - drinking well but would have been better with less oak.
1990 Wendouree Cab-Malbec - more vinous in their style, and broader due to the Malbec. The tannins must have been formidable when young, as still solid albeit softer now.
2004 Petaluma - well regarded wine and lived up to that. Lovely cassis and violets.
2004 Irvine Grand Merlot - took a while for the sweet fruitcake style fruit to come up but then it drank well. Thought it had a touch of bacony brett.
2005 Noon Reserve Shiraz - Good quality ripe fruit hiding under massive tannins, some at least oak derived. Young but will always be a big tannic style.
2004 Mt Mary Quintets - lovely leafy cassis fruit balanced with quality French oak. Can be drunk now but will just get better with more age.
2004 Mildara Cabernet-Shiraz - a far cry from the light bodied, elegant wines of yesteryear. Deep, intense fruit and oak - youthful and powerful.
2005 Penfolds Cellar Reserve Barossa Cabernet - elemnetal. Plenty of fruit and oak but needs 10-20 years.
1972 Yalumba Vintage Port - in great condition and fabulous drinking. Sweet, rich maturing fruit. No tiredness showing at all.

[JamieBahrain]

Nice one gents!

I'm putting together a Mt Mary dinner so the approachability is of interest.

[mjs]

I second Ozzie's comments, a great night guys. Terrific line up of wines, and there was something to like in each of them. My notes became less comprehensive as the night wore on, but a couple of things worth mentioning.

90 JR thought that was classic Coonawarra, didn't have as much of a problem with the oak as did Chris
blood red, dense, little leafy, cassis, beautiful

90 Wendouree Cab Malbec slight bricking, slight aroma of wet paint initially for me, spice, a little Christmas cake, little bit jammy from the Malbec maybe, now soft fruit, lovely drink

04 Petaluma Coonawarra deep red, after dinner mints, chocolates and blueberries, nice red fruit, merlot influence, nice wine

04 Irvine Grand Merlot dense red with a black core, interesting has some cassis character, hard to pick as a merlot, but lovely drink. Chris mentioned a touch of brett with which I agreed, just a touch.

05 Noon Shiraz fruit from Langhorne Creek, dense black wine, big tannins, would have been a whopper a few years earlier

04 Mount Mary Quintet medium red crimson, elegant, cabernet dominant nose, great structure, beautiful drink

04 Mildara Shiraz Cab dense black red, nose a little closed for me at first, eventual cassis, black fruits, very complete wine, complexity, fruit, tannins, structure.

05 Penfolds Reserve Cab deep red, massive bouquet, oak, fruit, very much a Penfolds style wine, will live long

72 Yalumba VP great to finish off the night with this, in good nick, rich, some sweetness but not too much

It was funny, with the exception of the Noons and obviously the VP, there was a sort of common character in the wines, all seemed to have some element of that cabernet cassis character (even the Merlot ), all had a nice complexity as well. Very hard to pick a WOTN, but for me the JR, Mt Mary, Petaluma and the Mildara were all up there.

Thanks to everyone for their generosity and great to catch up with Ian (n4sir) again

[n4sir]

A huge thank you from me to everyone who attended and especially the guys who organised, it was the highlight of my trip - fantastic wines, no duds here.

1990 Wynns Riddoch - Medium/very dark blood red. Like the colour the rest of the wine is remarkable young, jubey with peppermint and very smart biscuity/dusty oak that's very obvious but not a negative in my view - length and balance is spot on, this bottle was in fantastic condition and acted as a the perfect measuring stick for what followed.

1990 Wendouree Cab-Malbec - Medium red/garnet, showing its age compared to the JR. It's muddy and soupy/porty in comparison, Christmas cake, black pepper, soy and leather with a thick mid-palate - maybe it shouldn't be a surprise a few of us picked this as McLaren Vale?

2004 Petaluma - Medium red. Choc-mint and blackcurrant with a surprisingly obvious mid-palate hole and gravelly tannins on the finish - a nice enough wine, yet it's not exactly what I would expect from this label, the structure is almost Margaret River like with no Merlot influence to fill the mid-palate void! For the record, 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot.

2004 Irvine Grand Merlot - Medium to dark red/garnet. Lovely oak (a bit of an unplanned theme for the night as it turned out), cedar and graphite matched to inky/minty/lifted fruit that's very ripe and also a touch medicinal. Huge wine!

2005 Noon Reserve Shiraz - Very inky red with noticeable legs on the glass (no surprise when the wines identity and 16% alc level were revealed) Smells of blueberries and choc-mint with attractive, exotic star anise/five spice characters emerging with breathing; the palate's minty and weighty, but the I find the alcohol warmth just too obvious for my taste.

2004 Mt Mary Quintets - Medium red (at most). Leafy characters at first matched with cassis and very subtle brewed tea/tobacco and spicy/cedar oak characters; the balance of the palate is beautiful, around medium-weight with no mid-palate hole, finishing long and silky. The balance is outstanding, a lovely wine to linger and dwell on.

2004 Mildara Cabernet-Shiraz - Dark to inky red/garnet. Lovely mocha/graphite oak matched with inky jubey/blueberry fruit that's fully ripe, blackcurrant and black tea, peppermint, cedar and spice; with breathing it is a touch vegetal, but the tannins are always thick, soft, long and gravelly, some soy, umami, coffee and black liquorice with breathing. I had never tried this wine before, but after its identity was revealed I seem to recall it was raved about here when it was first released? There's a lot of gold bling (stickers) on the bottle, and on this form they are well deserved - while there's no real subtelty here compared to the Mount Mary, it's like looking at an oil painting after a watercolour, different styles, but both superb.

2005 Penfolds Cellar Reserve Barossa Cabernet - Medium to very dark red/garnet. Huge wine in typical Penfolds style, obvious but attractive oak matched with blackcurrant, Barossa dark/mocha chocolate, smoked meats, dried herbs and tobacco that at once just flood the palate with intensity front to back. Genuinely full-weight, and genuinely full-on!

1972 Yalumba Vintage Port - Dark to inky brown. Classic old VP at its peak with blackberry and black liquorice, a peep of old honeyed oak and gunpowder off in the distance; a great way to finish a top night.

[mjs]

Great notes Ian. As I said, all wines had something to like about them