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

[Teisto]

2006 Grove Estate Cellar Block Reserve Shiraz Viognier - This is just starting to hit its straps. This was singing last night. Made by Tim Kirk.

[maybs]

The missus loved it too, slowly training her to love a bit of funky interest. When she said 'It's funky and a little stemmy without being green or gross' I fell in love all over again

Are you sure she wasn't talking about you...?

haha mate if she was her note was spot on!

[Scotty vino]

2010 Glaetzer Bishop Shiraz.
not bad this wine. says can drink to 2020+ but i reckon it's prob time to crack it based on the weekends sample.
This is the last one out of 3 i bought a few years back. Some nice plummy, vanilla bean with some oak poking its head thru.
There was some really light lingering tannins hanging around in terms of mouth feel but only barely.
Think I paid abut 20-25 for these.

For me, The 2010 Mount Langi cliff edge shiraz I had about a week ago was a
more complex wine with nicer structure and balance.

Interesting comparing these 2 considering varietal, vintage and price.

[Rossco]

2006 Mount Mary Triolet

Still such a baby, it was quite a revelation. My first MM Triolet, so I didnt really know what to expect.
My first sip I realised I had served it too cold, but more worryingly it was very closed/muted, to the point I thought it may have suffered some TCA.

Poured the bottle and the rest of my glass into a decanter and left it for half an hour. Never needed to decant a white before, so this was more of a hail mary than anything.
And WOW im glad I did as the decanter really opened it up and (with a bit of warmth) the wine came alive.
Unripe pineapple and honeydew, some Chalky minerality with a sort of preserved lemon acidity backbone.
The mouthfeel was quite a surprise and I think there is some barrel ferment / oak treatment in there. Not a lot, but enough to provide some wonderful texture. Was still evolving in the decanter after more than an hour when the last glass was poured & drank. After finishing it I remember thinking, gee that was almost vinicide it seemed that young (even at 11 years of age!)

Like I said, was my first mount mary, and this vintage will last a LONG time. Probably another 15+ years if the Diam holds up (mine was
perfectly inserted, with no seepage).

[Chuck]

D'arenberg 2005 McLaren Vale Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon. Great example of McLaren Vale cab. Great fruit. Tannins not resolved yet but not intrusive. Years left in the tank.

D'arenberg 2006 Galvo Garage McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot. Again rock solid and great QPR. Still plenty of time to enjoy this.

Carl

[Michael McNally]

Some nice wines over this long weekend (in Queensland). Thank you to the labour movement.

2013 Thompson Estate Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
Typical Margaret River Cabernet nose. Strong cassis, light mushroom and wet gravel nose. Immediately juicy and vibrant across the palate. Blackberry pastilles (not too sweet) and more cassis. Medium-full bodied. Nice grainy tannin. Certainly some aging potential.

2014 Sons of Eden 'Kennedy' GSM
Sweet stewed plum nose with some musk. Not sweet but savoury plum. Smooth vanilla finish. Very good wine that was better the next night, and holding the night after.

2012 Kurtz Family Vineyards ' Boundary Row' GSM
Very good Barosssa GSM with some depth and complexity. Not as deep as the 2010, but bright approachable fruit and good length.

2006 Marius 'Symposium' Shiraz Mourvedre
Ridiculously dark colour. Plum, smoke, very feint liquorice on the nose. A panoply of dark fruits and old wood on the palate. Great length and interest. Changed over the course of two hours from medium to full bodies. The perfect accompaniment to slow-cooked Moroccan lamb.

2015 Toolangi Pinot Noir
New label for me. Nice approachable Pinot with some lifted red berry fruit and bright, but not OTT acid. Settles nicely with some air and better on the second night.

2010 Warramate Yarra Valley Shiraz ' Black Label'
Another new label. Very enjoyable medium bodied Shiraz. Cool climate dark berry, with bright acid and some drive. Moreish and savoury on the close. Nicely balanced and ready to drink. Could probably go a few more years but why wait? Delicious now.

Cheers

Michael

PS a number of these were consumed at a dinner with other folks!

[Matt@5453]

2014 Pauletts Polish Hill River Shiraz

A very good Clare Valley Shiraz at sub $25. The fruit speaks for itself without being overworked, it needs a good 30-60 mins in the decanter to show its best. Medium to full bodied, dark fruits, a touch of plum, spice and well balanced & integrated oak; the palate is rich and well rounded with an very good finish.

A very good 'honest' shiraz, suited to a rich pasta dish, beef schnitta, or flavoursome cheese

[JamieBahrain]

I had a few bottles of Heritage Rosscoe's Shiraz 2004. Softened with age and beyond its prime- mint slice biscuits come to mind.

[michel]

I had a few bottles of Heritage Rosscoe's Shiraz 2004. Softened with age and beyond its prime- mint slice biscuits come to mind.

Buy a motel
And pop one under everyone's pillow

[michel]

Krug MV
DRC 2010 Grand Echezaux
DRC 2007 Richbourg
2006 Giacomo Conterno Monfortino
Bit of a birthday bash
Building to next year
Beautiful pretty wines

[Ian S]

I had a few bottles of Heritage Rosscoe's Shiraz 2004. Softened with age and beyond its prime- mint slice biscuits come to mind.

Buy a motel
And pop one under everyone's pillow

[Chris H]

2006 Monfortino approachable ?

[michel]

2006 Monfortino approachable ?

2008 is way more approachable atm
2006 was better the next day
i wouldnt normally drink this but ......

[winetastic]

2006 Monfortino approachable ?

Every 2006 I have looked at is an impenetrable wall of tannin - and I am a tannin fiend.

[Cloth Ears]

Had a few folks over on Saturday, so we tried:
2011 Sieur d'Arques Première Bulle Brut - crisp and a bit yeasty for a pittance
unknown DOC Prosecco - also quite nice, but a bit on the sweet side.
2007 Paringa Chardonnay - nicely yellow with a bit of butter and cream. Glad we've got a couple more...
2006 Paringa Pinot Noir - smooth and lightly complex. Very nice and I hope there's some more (I really have to finish that cellar!)
1991 Wynns BL Cab Sauv - just at it's peak. I'm not very good at descibing wine when there's nothing left to do but drink it.
1963 Armangac - superb now. Was a little rough when we got this three years ago, having just come out of the barrel. But now, it's alcoholic liquid toffee (without the sweetness).
30YO Glen Orrin (yes, the Aldi blended one) - surprisingly flavoursome with some depth. Quite a bite from the grain alcohol, but way better than the $100 price tag.
10YO Eradour - one of those sweetness and light whiskeys, with a lovely floral smell and taste, that just leaves you wanting more (but you don't)
1979 home-made vino cotto - from my father-in-law. Tawny port on steroids! Full of intense flavours and dark as pitch.

My dad passed away last Thursday, so I'm going to drink a few to his memory over the coming weeks/months. It was his fault I got started on the wine in the first place...

[Phil H]

2006 Murray Street Vineyards Benno Shiraz Mataro Big Bold Barossa Shiraz (Mataro not evident) - at 15 % alc, a bit too big for me, however a crowd pleaser amongst my friends. A typical bid Barossa Shiraz, without being jammy or too oaky. Drinking well now, no hurry to drink.

2005 Chateau Lagrezette (Cahors Malbec) Very tight, with tannins still present. Slightly earthy, needing time to open up, showing restraint and elegance despite its tannins. One of my favourites.

2013 Domaine Alain Burget Gevrey-Chambertin Mes Favourites Still trying to work out Burgundy and is it worth pursuing. Wine developed upon opening, going from slightly green and tannic, to a elegant light bodied delight with red fruits and a touch of spice. Yes it's classy, however priced at over $100, there are plenty of Aussie wines priced under $100 that would compete well. Still undecided on Burgundy but will still keep on trying.

2008 Clonakilla Shizaz Viognier . This is my first bottle of this wine. Pleasantly surprised, lighter bodied than I was expecting, with the Viognier hardly evident. Medium bodied Shiraz, with elegance and class, showing cold climate characteristics, pepper and spice. My favourite out of the wines reviewed.

2007 Wirra Wirra Woodhenge Shiraz Priced under $30, drinking well now. Oak certainly evident but not out of proportion. Full bodied Mclaren Vale Shiraz, dark red fruits with a slight touch of liquorice. Very Good.

2011 Belgravia Apex Chardonnay From a defunct winery from the Orange region, fortunately I was able to acquire a range of their wines as they were winding down. A fuller bodied Chardonnay, a white wine for red drinkers. Drink up now. Very good, but not for everyone.

[phillisc]

Had a few folks over on Saturday, so we tried:
2011 Sieur d'Arques Première Bulle Brut - crisp and a bit yeasty for a pittance
unknown DOC Prosecco - also quite nice, but a bit on the sweet side.
2007 Paringa Chardonnay - nicely yellow with a bit of butter and cream. Glad we've got a couple more...
2006 Paringa Pinot Noir - smooth and lightly complex. Very nice and I hope there's some more (I really have to finish that cellar!)
1991 Wynns BL Cab Sauv - just at it's peak. I'm not very good at descibing wine when there's nothing left to do but drink it.
1963 Armangac - superb now. Was a little rough when we got this three years ago, having just come out of the barrel. But now, it's alcoholic liquid toffee (without the sweetness).
30YO Glen Orrin (yes, the Aldi blended one) - surprisingly flavoursome with some depth. Quite a bite from the grain alcohol, but way better than the $100 price tag.
10YO Eradour - one of those sweetness and light whiskeys, with a lovely floral smell and taste, that just leaves you wanting more (but you don't)
1979 home-made vino cotto - from my father-in-law. Tawny port on steroids! Full of intense flavours and dark as pitch.

My dad passed away last Thursday, so I'm going to drink a few to his memory over the coming weeks/months. It was his fault I got started on the wine in the first place...

Cloth Ears sorry to hear that, my dad had a horrible last 6 years of his life, before he 'lost' it we had a lunch with bottles of St Peters, Bests Bin O and Thompson's and Rockford BP...every anniversary we go round again.

Cheers
Craig

[Matt@5453]

2014 Woodvale Vintners Spring Gardens Shiraz, Clare Valley

Kevin Mitchell's own label (winemaker at Kilikanoon). Decanted for an hour prior to tasting. A complex nose of aniseed, hints of violets, spice and fine grained french oak. The palate is just gorgeous; inky, dark fruits, full bodied. Plum spectrum of fruit, spice (leaning towards Chinese 5 spice), aniseed and hints of dark chocolate. The wine has a great mouthfeel, showing a touch of acidity and well balanced 'ripe' tannin. The use of oak is judicious, resulting in a well balance wine with a very good finish. An excellent example of Clare Valley Shiraz and suggest it has a good drinking window ahead of it. I'd come back to it in 2-3 years and then reassess. i would suggest the wine is akin to the Eperossa Elevation wines, but a fraction of the cost. RRP is just $30.

[BrandonS]

Hi Guys,

First entry in this forum Last night the Mrs and I jumped from an Artemis 2014 Riesling (Southern Highlands NSW) to a Scarborough 2012 Blue Label Chardonnay (Hunter Valley). I preferred the Chardonnay and even though it's a cheaper bottle, I prefer the lesser oaked Blue Label compared to the Yellow Label from Scarborough.

Have to share a bitter moment from earlier this week. A family member very kindly have me a '95 Saddler's Creek Cab Sav for a recent birthday..unfortunately it hadn't been well-stored prior to being gifted and I think the cork had gone years earlier. I discovered this by finding wine slowly dripping past the wax seal onto my floor.

I finally decided to regretfully throw it out, but decided to give it a taste anyway - it wasn't as gone as I expected, but managed to be insipid and vaguely offensive at the same time.

A real shame, I've found that Saddler's reds with 10+ years on them pay real dividends, but I expect even if the '95 had have been stored appropriately it would have been past peak by now.

[sjw_11]

Hi Guys,

First entry in this forum

Welcome to the forum Brandon! I recall having a similar view of the Scarborough Chardonnays. Overall I think their wines are credible but not top drawer.

[BrandonS]

Hi Guys,

First entry in this forum

Welcome to the forum Brandon! I recall having a similar view of the Scarborough Chardonnays. Overall I think their wines are credible but not top drawer.

Thank you kindly!

I find the Blue Label and White Label Chardonnay's pretty easy drinking, but I'm finding myself more and more underwhelmed by Hunter Valley wines in general. There are some great wine-makers there but considering Chardonnay and Semillon make up the bulk of the fruit there, I'm consistently finding better drinking expressions with fruit from regions with colder climates like Adelaide Hills, Clare, Orange etc.

I haven't gone as far as looking at the weather patterns and vintage charts over the last ~10 - 15 years, but I have this sneaking suspicion that the whole region has grown too warm for a lot of the common vines planted there now.

[Teisto]

2009 Printhie MCC Cabernet Shiraz - This was a great wine coming in at 13% and is drinking really well with plenty of time left.
2008 Peppertree Classics Cab Merlot blend and thankfully doesn't have the Wrattonbully minty streak through it. This was balanced but a little sweet and again having had these before with 10-15 years age on them they do morph into something not too bad

[rens]

2004 Penfolds Bin 389 Double decanted 24 hours before consumption. It still lacks what those from the late '90s have. Penny's clearly do not use the same fruit. In fact it is pretty inferior to a 1996 or 1998 for that mater. It has everything balanced thanks to the chemists in the lab at Penfold's, but the clarity of fruit is lacking and there is alcohol heat that detracts from the overall experience. I feel sorry for those that hear such great things about this label and buy it based on a reputation that has slowly become undeserving over the last two decades. Especially in the light of significant price rises. Disappointing considering the stellar vintage-all the good fruit probably went into special bins and everything else higher up the food chain. It has probably another decade under the belt. If cellared properly, it my get another 15-20 but you can't help feeling that greatness will elude this vintage.

[Diddy]

A few wines yesterday with a delicious wagyu steak. Didn't take any formal notes, but here are my (faint) recollections:-

2012 Castagna Genesis - lovely nose with beautiful acid and cool climate pepper notes
2007 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde - needed a few hours in the decanter to really come alive. Very meaty and gamey - so much complexity
1996 Penfolds Bin 389 - WOTD - a fantastic bottle - wow!

[Phil H]

2015 Centennial Vineyards Gewurztraminer Consumed over two nights, better on the second night. A slight sweetness, with a touch of spice, melon. A fair bit going on,but not too serious. Thouroughly enjoyable, perfect accompaniment to my prawn stir fry. I normally enjoy dry Rieslings, however this was a nice change - must get more of this variety.

[Pelican]

2012 henschke hill of peace semillon $45 - purchased recently from henschke - beautifully presented in wooden box - still elemental but with power in reserve - excellent length - ticks boxes for all semillon qualities - wax , lanolin etc - other 2 i could buy will go in the cellar - only 600 bottles made - from hill of grace vineyard - but semillon ! as a counterpoint i enjoyed the natural wine disco at uraidla last night - but drinking this tonight i can say with conviction that conservatism and tradition has a lot to be said for it as well !

[BrandonS]

Enjoyed a 2012 Mort's Block Killikanoon Riesling followed by a 2012 Reserve Chardonnay from Saddler's Creek (used the Chardonnay in a Seafood Chowder I made last night).

Definitely preferred the Riesling, went well with a chowder loaded with prawns, scallops, ling fish and mussels

[Matt@5453]

over the weekend I had a 2014 Eldredge 'RL' Cabernet Malbec, Clare Valley.

Loads of black currant / cassis, a touch of menthol, mint, with fine grain oak supporting the wine. A deep, rich, full bodied wine with excellent palate weight and a full length finish, with enough drying tannin to give it a hint of grip. Overall I thought it very balanced and well made considering the 14.8% stated alcohol. The wine needs a good decant and time to open up, but so enjoyable right now. I think this has the balance and structure to go 10+ years.

[Mike Hawkins]

2008 Vilmart Couer de Cuvée... one bottle smashed in transit, but this one was pristine. Superb young Champagne - tons of fruit, big whack of dosage, some oak and lovely acid finish. Put it all together and you have a magnificent wine in the making... Laurent is a superstar

[Bobthebuilder]

2007 Tertini Pinot Noir - First Southern Highlands Pinot I've had that I can recall, and quite impressed.
Brick red around the edges and a slight mustiness on the nose show its 10 years of age, but still some nice pretty fruit on the palate with a good amount of earthiness giving it some complexity.