December 2016 Purchases

[Mike Hawkins]

6 x 2008 Perrier Jouet Belle Époque.... not normally a champagne I like, but Juhlin raved about this new release.

[via collins]

3 x Millton 2014 Riverpoint viognier
3 x Millton 2015 Te Arai chenin blanc

[JamieBahrain]

I've stopped buying until I organize previous purchases. It's a real problem in Hong Kong, you buy from Europe/UK and double-billed or orders muddles up. I have about 6 different companies I buy from so a true nightmare. Berry Brothers is a continual problem to manage. I don't know why? They should have cleaned up.

The time I'm putting into wine purchases more involved than the efforts to manage a self-funded retirement.

[rooman]

I've stopped buying until I organize previous purchases. It's a real problem in Hong Kong, you buy from Europe/UK and double-billed or orders muddles up. I have about 6 different companies I buy from so a true nightmare. Berry Brothers is a continual problem to manage. I don't know why? They should have cleaned up.

The time I'm putting into wine purchases more involved than the efforts to manage a self-funded retirement.

Jamie

I don't think you will get much sympathy from those of us who have to buy in a land where the price of wine includes both WET and GST.

Mark

[Ozzie W]

The time I'm putting into wine purchases more involved than the efforts to manage a self-funded retirement.

+1.

After the purchasing, then comes all the cellar logistics work -- adding the bottles to CellarTracker, adding new wines if they aren't already in CT, recording the invoice number, driving to my offsite at Kennards, accepting the delivery, checking in the bottles, selecting an existing box with empty space to store the bottle, playing Tetris with boxes, rearranging existing bottles to maximise space, starting a new box if applicable, recording where it's been stored, updating the drinking windows if applicable, etc.

[Rossco]

The time I'm putting into wine purchases more involved than the efforts to manage a self-funded retirement.

Surely you are buying wine at the moment with the hope of drinking it in your retirement years?

Thats what im doing. Most of my 2010 & 2012's should be peaking when im winding down

[phillisc]

Yep, whilst I have a few cases, sounds like way too much wine and way too much order/stress/whatever...I've always taken a bit of a random approach to the cellar.. a case 99 Zema Shiraz dozen that was found the other day, (love finding wine that I cannot member buying) complimented a pesto linguine beautifully last night.

Cheers
Craig

[Scotty vino]

The time I'm putting into wine purchases more involved than the efforts to manage a self-funded retirement.

+1.

After the purchasing, then comes all the cellar logistics work -- adding the bottles to CellarTracker, adding new wines if they aren't already in CT, recording the invoice number, driving to my offsite at Kennards, accepting the delivery, checking in the bottles, selecting an existing box with empty space to store the bottle, playing Tetris with boxes, rearranging existing bottles to maximise space, starting a new box if applicable, recording where it's been stored, updating the drinking windows if applicable, etc.

I love a good first world problem. I've been doing a bit of a stock-take of my cellar.
My problem is opening a death trap of a cellar with kids running around.
I've recently made/installed a few recycled timber racks and set them up in the cellar anticipating the influx of more 'stock'.
As for CT it's great when everything's in order. Getting to that point is another thing altogether.
On the brightside you often find some sleepers that have been missed.
For me a Wendouree Malbec that hadn't been lodged in CT.

[Chuck]

After the November purchase drought:

5 x Houghton 2007 CW Ferguson Cabernet Malbec.

1 x Yalumba Galway Pipe

12 x tennis club 2013 The Block Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (cleanskin). A good BBQ quaffer with subdued tannins. Should be better in a year or 2. Yours truely was in charge of the bottling process with a team of willing helpers who just kept testing and retesting throughout the afternoon. You can never have too much quality control they said. Who was I to argue? Only 50 cases produced so rarity value enhanced.

Carl

[Chuck]

My problem is opening a death trap of a cellar with kids running around.

Another first world problem

Carl

[sjw_11]

Tinto Pesquera Reserva Millenium 2002
Recaredo Reserva Particular 2004
Kripta 2008
Viña Tondonia Reserva 2004
La Bota de Fino 68 "Macharnudo Alto"
6 Bottles Habla nº 11 2010

[phillisc]

After the November purchase drought:

5 x Houghton 2007 CW Ferguson Cabernet Malbec.

1 x Yalumba Galway Pipe

12 x tennis club 2013 The Block Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (cleanskin). A good BBQ quaffer with subdued tannins. Should be better in a year or 2. Yours truely was in charge of the bottling process with a team of willing helpers who just kept testing and retesting throughout the afternoon. You can never have too much quality control they said. Who was I to argue? Only 50 cases produced so rarity value enhanced.

Carl

Great story Carl, reminds me when I go strawberry picking, one in the mouth and one in the bucket.
24 bottles of McPherson Victorian big and bold or bold and something Shiraz...picked up Winestates wine of the year...(whether that's a good or a bad thing!) at $5 a bottle...with a red bow on them, a few will be dispatched in a couple of weeks as presents and once in the glass who would know
12 bottles of Ingoldby MV 2015 Shiraz...again a bargain and a good return to form here...after a decade or more in the wilderness of average quality at best.
Finally got round to a mixed dozen of Greenock Creek...Mataro sold out...perhaps someone in Adelaide can spot me one.
Cheers
Craig.

[michel]

After the November purchase drought:

5 x Houghton 2007 CW Ferguson Cabernet Malbec.

1 x Yalumba Galway Pipe

12 x tennis club 2013 The Block Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (cleanskin). A good BBQ quaffer with subdued tannins. Should be better in a year or 2. Yours truely was in charge of the bottling process with a team of willing helpers who just kept testing and retesting throughout the afternoon. You can never have too much quality control they said. Who was I to argue? Only 50 cases produced so rarity value enhanced.

Carl

I found the 2007 Houghton vvv oaky fwiw

[Chuck]

After the November purchase drought:

5 x Houghton 2007 CW Ferguson Cabernet Malbec.

1 x Yalumba Galway Pipe

12 x tennis club 2013 The Block Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (cleanskin). A good BBQ quaffer with subdued tannins. Should be better in a year or 2. Yours truely was in charge of the bottling process with a team of willing helpers who just kept testing and retesting throughout the afternoon. You can never have too much quality control they said. Who was I to argue? Only 50 cases produced so rarity value enhanced.

Carl

I found the 2007 Houghton vvv oaky fwiw

Thanks Michael. I can tolerate higher levels of oak (this comes with age (me not wine) as your taste buds numb) and hopefully the wine may be more in balance after 9 years. When did you try it and do you think it will come into balance?

Carl

[michel]

3 Christmases ago
for me it will not be in balance
but if you like oak you will be fine
it was more coarser kinda oak than on the Jack Mann gear

[mjs]

I love a good first world problem.

Scotty Vino, you took the words right out of my mouth!!

[Sigmamupi]

1 x 2014 Domaine George Roumier Bonne Mares
3 x 2014 Domaine George Roumier Chambolle Musigny AC

The 2010 and 2012 vintages of the Chambolle Musigny probably the best young Village burgundies I have drunk, so very happy to buy what I can of this producer each release.

[JamieBahrain]

The time I'm putting into wine purchases more involved than the efforts to manage a self-funded retirement.

Surely you are buying wine at the moment with the hope of drinking it in your retirement years?

Thats what im doing. Most of my 2010 & 2012's should be peaking when im winding down

Yes Rossco I tend to buy now for the extremely long term - hopefully. One thing I've discovered is climate controlled cellaring pushes drinking windows out significantly which makes putting together a good retirement cellar easier.

[shirazphile]

Hoddles Creek Estate 1er Pinot Noir 2015 x 6

[rens]

3 x 2007 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial

[Con J]

2012 Giacomo Conterno Francia X 1.
2010 Pian dell’Orino Brunello di Montalcino Versante Amiata X 2.

Cheers Con.

[Michael McNally]

6 x 2013 Stanton & Killeen Vintage Port
9 x Various Noon (Eclipse, Reserve Shiraz, Reserve Cab)
6 x various aged vintages of Virgin Hills
12 x The Story wines (2013 and 2014 Shiraz, Riesling and Rhone White)
24 x 375ml 2014 Blackwell Shiraz

Cheers

Michael

[michel]

2012 Giacomo Conterno Francia X 1.
2010 Pian dell’Orino Brunello di Montalcino Versante Amiata X 2.

Cheers Con.

Giacomo should be v good - I jagged 3
Pian is extraordinary high tone perfume
I like your buying

[Dragzworthy]

Renato Ratti 2005 Barolo Rocche

[Con J]

2012 Giacomo Conterno Francia X 1.
2010 Pian dell’Orino Brunello di Montalcino Versante Amiata X 2.

Cheers Con.

Giacomo should be v good - I jagged 3
Pian is extraordinary high tone perfume
I like your buying

Thanks for that Michel.

I haven’t had any Pian dell’Orino before and only had a Conterno once thanks to a friend.

Cheers Con.

[michel]

1 x 2014 Domaine George Roumier Bonne Mares
3 x 2014 Domaine George Roumier Chambolle Musigny AC

The 2010 and 2012 vintages of the Chambolle Musigny probably the best young Village burgundies I have drunk, so very happy to buy what I can of this producer each release.

Seriously needs 10 years on the village for Roumier & Vogue
Love any Roumier wine

[Ian S]

Renato Ratti 2005 Barolo Rocche

Interested in how you get on with this. We visited the cantina a few years ago, and compared to most in the Langhe, it was 'space age' and they were clearly very proud, including how they made a genuine attempt to blend it into the landscape. A nice touch was giving away some prints they had done up, and I still have their 'vintage chart prints' which start at 1868.

[Dragzworthy]

Renato Ratti 2005 Barolo Rocche

Interested in how you get on with this. We visited the cantina a few years ago, and compared to most in the Langhe, it was 'space age' and they were clearly very proud, including how they made a genuine attempt to blend it into the landscape. A nice touch was giving away some prints they had done up, and I still have their 'vintage chart prints' which start at 1868.

Lots of alcohol on the nose. Palate was very cinnamon, tobacco, pine, earthy and mushrooms. Lots of tannins still present so although drinking well now I think it'll be better in another 5 years.

[Ian S]

Renato Ratti 2005 Barolo Rocche

Interested in how you get on with this. We visited the cantina a few years ago, and compared to most in the Langhe, it was 'space age' and they were clearly very proud, including how they made a genuine attempt to blend it into the landscape. A nice touch was giving away some prints they had done up, and I still have their 'vintage chart prints' which start at 1868.

Lots of alcohol on the nose. Palate was very cinnamon, tobacco, pine, earthy and mushrooms. Lots of tannins still present so although drinking well now I think it'll be better in another 5 years.

Thanks for that. Almost by accident I have very few 2005 Nebbiolo wines. The major factor was a gap in our regular visits to Piemonte (other Italian regions got our attention) which must have coincided with the year the 2005 Normale and Riserva / Cru wines would have been released. By all accounts a challenging year, but one where there appears to be some highlights.

I wasn't especially taken by the wines we tasted at Ratti (mostly lower end for some reason) but the visit was very interesting and otherwise very hospitable (especially for a bigger producer), so we have fond memories.

[Chuck]

Not necessarily a purchase but given as a present at an early extended family Xmas yesterday:

1 x Tyrrell's 2009 Vat 1 from a nephew who works in the retail industry.

1 x Cat Among the Pigeons 2014 Fat Cat Barossa Shiraz.

1 x Montecristo Cuban Cigar from another nephew

Carl