November 2016 Purchases

[winetastic]

I usually don't like heavily oaked wines. While there was noticeable oak on the finish, I didn't find it intrusive in the slightest. If anything, it only added to my enjoyment of the wine because of the way it integrated with all the other things going on. This is a very complex wine and for my palate all the other things at play balanced out the oak influence. Looking forward to hear what you think once you've tried it.

Spent a fair bit of time with the Garagiste Terre de Feu Pinot Noir 2014 last night, my initial impression is that is indeed an excellent wine with many layers of complexity, its smokey, oaky, has a hint of cured meats, some stalkyness, some briar patch and lurking undearneath is a tight core of wonderful fruit. That being said, this is an extremely oaky wine (for my tastes) and I have my doubts that the oak will ever integrate. Happy enough to have a couple more to pop in the cellar and revisit in 10 years however.

I have one glass left to try again this afternoon.

Oh and my better half picked it blind as old world pinot.

[Chris H]

Does sound a bit polarising as hinted at in Campbell's review of it.

With all those unusual descriptors and now yours of cured meats I still can't get Brett out of my head with this.

[winetastic]

Second look at it now 24 hours later - much much better wine, the oak is now playing a supporting hand and the fruit is shining through. It is still smokey and savory, but in a very positive sense. There is a bit more pinot sappyness, the texture is so velvety and the length is outstanding.

I take back what I said about whether the oak will integrate with time, it is a thoroughly enjoyable drink now on day 2.

RE: The cured meats, I don't detect any brett, seems clean as a whistle, just has some subtle complexity in the strangest places.

[Ozzie W]

My bottle didn't last until day 2.

The wine continued to open up over many hours until the very last sip. The length was astounding as you pointed out. Felt like I could still taste it an hour after the last glass was empty.

[Ian S]

Found a couple of sneaky 2010 Barolos at a retailer:
Schiavenza Barolo 2010
Schiavenza Barolo Broglio 2010

Very impressed by this producer, the family running it are relatively young, but have a serious/questing outlook. Really impressed across all their Barolo wines.

[winetastic]

Found a couple of sneaky 2010 Barolos at a retailer:
Schiavenza Barolo 2010
Schiavenza Barolo Broglio 2010

Very impressed by this producer, the family running it are relatively young, but have a serious/questing outlook. Really impressed across all their Barolo wines.

Who can argue with the price of their back vintage barolos on the wine list at the restaurant as well, loved our visit there.

[Ian S]

Ah you made it to the restaurant.
There are fancier restaurants around, but for good classic piemontese food, I reckon it's very good value... and yes the wine is good, including plenty 'by the glass' (within reason they seemed happy to open something up for by the glass).

What did you think of the restaurant / food?

[winetastic]

We really enjoyed the restaurant, the food was very good and the value for money was probably the best we found in Piedmonte (tied with the 'slow food' place in Alba) - I will definitely return on our next trip (and make a point of arranging a tasting visit as well).

I think the fact that one can conveniently visit Vinoteca Centro Storico before dinner certainly doesn't hurt, pretty sure we spent more on pre-dinner drinks than we did on dinner + Barolo.

[Ian S]

Cool
If you want to try another 'Slow food' restaurant, then Boccondivino in Bra was IIRC the first restaurant recognised as such by Slow Food movement. It isn't 'Fine dining' and sometimes people appear disappointed that it isn't the greatest restaurant they've ever been to. It does serve very tasty food without too much ostentation.

FWIW Bra is a surprisingly humdrum medium to large town, with few indications of the foodie backdrop of Slow Food launching out from here. There is a slow food 'university' but that's a few kms out of town. Once of those rare occasions where I'd say go there for a meal, have a brief stroll around before or afterwards (perhaps buying some excellent cakes at a nearby pasticceria we visited) and then head back to hotel/apartment. That said, with the pedestrianised streets nearby, I could imagine an evening meal being prefaced by a pre meal passeggiata.

We've certainly had decent luck with Slow Food recognised restaurants/osterie. Sadly I have nothing to do with them in UK, after a handful of the board fashioned a 'coup' backed by money from Pru Leith and her cooking school business. The members forced an EGM to block it, but those board members (supported by Slow Food in Italy, fed up with the bad finances of the UK branch) over-rode their wishes. So 6 months into my first year as a member, I lapsed all involvement.

The only positive from the experience, was the first and only time I've cooked food for paying customers - a simple Piemontese dish, pears in Moscato. An absolute doddle to cook (peel pears, simmer or oven bake in moscato wine, sympathetically spiced), but looks good, and at a pudding party event, was very popular for 2nd & 3rd visit when the likes of the sticky toffee puddings were sitting heavy on the stomach. None gone on the first sweep round (worrying at the time), but all gone by the 3rd sweep round.

regards
Ian

[rooman]

Visit both regularly as am local to the area so do what I can to support the local wine and food producers, am really fortunate that we have some great options in the hood.

Alec is amazingly passionate about what he does and generous with his time and wine, realised after my first tour and tasting that for future tastings would need a desgnated driver as had to take the rat run home after the first one.

Lew at Granite Hills is equally as passionate in a more understated way, have already made a fair dent in the case of Reisling I bought and swore to put aside for a while but is drinking beautifully now.

Barney

I figured you must be local. I have a good friend who I stay with in Kyneton so we have tried a few of the local cellar doors in the Macedon area. I found 99% of the winemakers superb and incredibly generous. I suspect because they are so spread out they need less daytrippers after a cheap drink. Also had a superb late afternoon one time at Curly Flat that necessitated a dirt track rat run back to Kyneton.

Mark

[Mike Hawkins]

6 x 2015 JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese GK

[Ozzie W]

A few auction purchases last night.

2001 Marques de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial
2006 Descendientes de Jose Palacios Bierzo Villa de Corullon
2006 Domaine Lucien Boillot et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Cherbaudes
2008 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets
2008 Descendientes de Jose Palacios Bierzo Corullon Moncerbal
2013 Domaine Heresztyn/Heresztyn-Mazzini Morey St Denis 1er Cru Les Millandes

A few more:
7 x 2014 Garagiste Pinot Noir Terre de Feu
2 x 2015 Tonic Wines Nebbiolo

Just when I thought I'd finished for the month, some 2015 Yarra Valley Pinot's I was eagerly awaiting got released.
6 x 2015 Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir 1er
6 x 2015 Coldstream Hills Pinot Noir Deer Farm

[michel]

Hoddles 1er
6 pack of each
montalto 15% off 2015 pinot and chard 3 of each

[rens]

A couple of each:
Hoddles Creek Estate 1er Chardonnay 2015
Hoddles Creek Estate 1er Pinot Noir 2015
Hoddles Creek Estate 1er Pinot Noir 2014

[rooman]

Second look at it now 24 hours later - much much better wine, the oak is now playing a supporting hand and the fruit is shining through. It is still smokey and savory, but in a very positive sense. There is a bit more pinot sappyness, the texture is so velvety and the length is outstanding.

I take back what I said about whether the oak will integrate with time, it is a thoroughly enjoyable drink now on day 2.

RE: The cured meats, I don't detect any brett, seems clean as a whistle, just has some subtle complexity in the strangest places.

I am curious, when you try and the wine the second day, do you replace the screw cap (assuming it is a screw cap) overnight, vacupak or leave it open? One sees lots of comments about trying wines over several days, does everyone reseal the wine overnight?

[winetastic]

I am curious, when you try and the wine the second day, do you replace the screw cap (assuming it is a screw cap) overnight, vacupak or leave it open? One sees lots of comments about trying wines over several days, does everyone reseal the wine overnight?

Usually ill put the wine back in the bottle and replace the screwcap/cork. If its a more fragile wine, I keep a 1/2 bottle on hand, fill up as much as possible, replace screwcap and put it in the fridge.

[Chuck]

Not one bottle so far this month. Not even a beer. Must be a record for me although cellar is just overflowing after loading up big over the past 12 months. Getting a little twitchy though. Upside was the credit card bill was a pleasant surprise.

Carl

[Dragzworthy]

Torbreck Descendent 2001 x 1 (auction)
Wynns Black label 2014 x 4
Wynns Black label 2013 x 2

Actually ordered the black label online from Dan murphys expecting all 2014 vintage but they gave me some 2013...strange?

[Mike Hawkins]

Another 6 x 2008 Pierre Peters Les Chetillons

[via collins]

3 x 2015 Hoddles Creek 1er Pinot Noir
3 x 2015 Hoddles Creek chardonnay

Creature of habit.

[Mahmoud Ali]

I'm trying not to buy any more young wines but based on tasting it and finding it so deliciously approachable I went out and bought four bottles of the 2013 Annie's Lane 'Copper Trail' Shiraz, Clare Valley.

[mjs]

6 x 2010 Ch Desmirail

[Andrew Jordan]

x3 2008 Pierre Gimonnet Champagne Special Club

[Mike Hawkins]

x3 2008 Pierre Gimonnet Champagne Special Club

Excellent wine. Did you buy it in Oz?

[Andrew Jordan]

x3 2008 Pierre Gimonnet Champagne Special Club

Excellent wine. Did you buy it in Oz?

Yes

[Andrew Jordan]

x3 2008 Pierre Gimonnet Champagne Special Club

+
x3 2008 Pierre Péters Speciale Blanc de Blancs Les Chetillons

It's champagne month!

[Dang]

A visit by Elderton allows me to add a few to the cellar:
'12 Command Shiraz x2
'12 Ashmead Cabernet x2
Since I have not touched my '04 Command yet, one wonders when these will be drunk!
A talk with young Ashmead himself reveals that there is one more special wine in the lineup: '13 Fifteen Shiraz, with about 80 dozen made. My wife found out that only 18 bottles made to the province of Alberta and two days later she came home with a box of three and most likely there were none left in Calgary. The wine is made from the grapes of the 1915 vineyard just acquired by Elderton.
A week later I visited my friendly wine importer who had made trips to the Barossa. I found what I wanted, a bottle of '14 Eperosa Elevation Eden Valley Shiraz only about 100 dozen made. Great but I was told that only 4 dozens of the much rarer LRC Shiraz came to the store and they were taken in 2 hours. Next year then !

[Rossco]

3 x Ruinart n/v
6 x squid ink sparkling shiraz n/v
6 x 05 gibson aust. Old vine barossa shiraz
6 x 06 schubert goose yard shiraz
6 x 01 tahbilk reserve shiraz
3 x 02 elderton ode to lorraine shiraz/cab/merlot magnums

[mychurch]

Ganevat came out yesterday here. I bought a mixed case and 3 magnums. Only 1 of his own wines - the 06 Les Vinges de Mon Pere -the rest being from his Vin de France Range that he makes with his sister. All sulphate free and low in alcohol. Apparently the reds were very good in 15 and I'm looking forward to trying some odd blends again.

[Panda 9D]

6x 2015 Lapierre Morgon
2x 2014 Foillard Morgon Cote du Puy
2x 2014 Foillard Morgon Cuvée Corcelette
1x 1996 Moulin Touchais

The Lapierre is good. Haven't tried the others.