Adelaide Offline

[Scotty vino]

I left my Plumm Yangarra-branded stemless there last time. oops. maybe it's still there....
It was great for the jacket pocket too and somehow survived the offline at T chow.

I thought the glassware was suffice but it may be interesting to bring something like
a Zalto (universal?) or equivalent to enhance the experience.

[JamieBahrain]

BP "Winemaker's Release"

Happy to, but you won't be there for the 11 May dinner. Is there another "in the works" when you arrive a week later?

-- George Krashos

Hi George,

No need but thanks. I have a lot of the Reserve wine. I was more interested in seeing folks views on same-same or different?

Hope we do a high end offline the week after.

[Mark Jappe]

Is there still room for 2?
If yes, Gail and I would be keen.

[trufflequeen]

I left my Plumm Yangarra-branded stemless there last time. oops. maybe it's still there....
It was great for the jacket pocket too and somehow survived the offline at T chow.

Just sent you a message (appears the one I sent after last offline didn't go through), I picked up your Yangarra glass for safekeeping at the end of the Wendouree night, and will bring to the next offline, so it survives again

[Scotty vino]

I left my Plumm Yangarra-branded stemless there last time. oops. maybe it's still there....
It was great for the jacket pocket too and somehow survived the offline at T chow.

Just sent you a message (appears the one I sent after last offline didn't go through), I picked up your Yangarra glass for safekeeping at the end of the Wendouree night, and will bring to the next offline, so it survives again

Oh great. I thought I'd seen the last of it.

[David Librandi]

Hi All

Please find updated attendee list (with proposed wines people are bringing along) and the Cliche Menu/Pricing following my discussions with the restaurant today as promised.

Mark, I have added Gail and yourself to the list. Although this makes 13 there maybe someone that drops out over the next few weeks.

Carl (Chuck) x 1 - 1998 Wynns John Riddoch
Mario (Tucker Wine Studio) x 1 - 1998 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec (auction purchase so a possible back up wine) - TBC
David x 2 - 1998 Rockford Basket Press or 1998 St Hallett Old Block (2nd guest wine still TBC)
Hunter x 1 - 2008 Greenock Creek Roennfeldt Road Shiraz or 1998 Pendfolds 389 (if 2008 RR doesn't suit) - TBC
George (Krashos) x 1 - 1998 Rockford Winemakers Release (TBC)
Scot (Scotty Vino) x 1 - 2008 Elderton Command Shiraz (TBC)
Jeff x 1 possibly 1988 Penfolds 707, 1988 John Riddoch , 1988 Petaluma or 1988 Hill of Grace (TBC) - possibly 1998 or 2008 options
Allan (Waiters Friend) x 1
Ian (n4sir) x 1 - 1998 Dead Arm or 1998 Mt Langi Ghiran (still TBC)
Adel (Trufflequeen) x 1
Mark Jappe x 2

Cliche Exhibition North Adelaide (6.30 pm for 7.00 pm) on Friday May 11th.

Sharing Banquet Menu $50.00 per head, Dessert ($8.00 per head (optional), Corkage $10.00/bottle which IMO is very reasonable.

Note: The menu may charge (unlikely) due to seasonality.

WINKLERS WONDERFUL POTTED DUCK PATE
Duck liver parfait with accompaniments

SQUID
Chargrilled local squid tossed in garlic, coriander & chilli
dressing & served with fregola & heirloom tomato salad

PORC ME (GF)
Crispy pork belly on saffron bean puree & finished with green & red tomato salad & caper Jus

CUBIQUE DE L’AGNEAU
Crusted pulled lamb shoulder croquette with
sugar snap peas on a potato puree

AUBERGINE (VG)
Crispy eggplant served with confit tomato salsa

CREVETTES (GF)
Wild caught local King prawns cooked in garlic & verjus sauce served with pilaf rice & confit fennel

POULET ROTI (GF)
Roasted chicken served with aligot & chard broccolini & finished w roasting jus

POISSON DU JOUR (GF)
Pan seared salmon on smashed peas & edamame &
served with lemon beurre noir & crème fraiche

CHEEKY BEEF (GF)
Slow braised beef cheek in red wine served with lardon
& mushroom sauce on potato pureè

MONET’S GARDEN (VG/GF)
Salad mix with beetroot

POMMES FRITES
Straight cut chips with smoked aioli

Any questions please don't hesitate let me know.

Feedback very welcome of course.

[Chuck]

Food looks great.

Carl

[phillisc]

So wish I could get to this...looks pretty high end to me!!!
Cheers
Craig

[David Librandi]

So wish I could get to this...looks pretty high end to me!!!
Cheers
Craig

You know it would be great to have you with us on the night as discussed.

[trufflequeen]

Hi David, could you please put me down for a 1998 St Henri. I will bring a back up 2008 Balnaves The Tally.

Thanks for organising, should be a good night.

[JamieBahrain]

So wish I could get to this...looks pretty high end to me!!!

Yep. No 2015 BL.

[Scotty vino]

So wish I could get to this...looks pretty high end to me!!!
Cheers
Craig

Agree. In terms of Aussie Wines we're pretty close to the ceiling in terms of quality.

If we were talking old world, than yes, the dial could be wound way up and outta reach for me.
I'm not sure I could Play in the same sand pit as JamieB and FelixP

At the langtons '6' equivalent we did have some whites to kick things off.
Not sure if it's something we want to look at or not. From memory some pennies yat, Grosset PH( ) and Vat 1 etc

[JamieBahrain]

I'm not sure I could Play in the same sand pit as JamieB and FelixP

Hi Scotty.

Worthy of clarification and please, I'm not raining on anyones parade, and good luck for your offline.

Considering this is a wine forum, I find a shade of reverse snobbery on occasion- not with your comments Scotty. Sharing the great wines of the world is not expensive in an offline scenario. Please see below the last SAIK offline.


I doubt if anyone on the forum does not have a trophy wine that was up to the standard of the last "high end" offline that we did. Nobody turned up in Ferraris and dinner was cheap by international standards and by Australian standards- in terms of quality and professionalism.

I know expensive hobbies. Friends fly vintage fighter aircraft, collect cars, boats, heli-skiing etc etc.

This offline below with remarkable wines probably cost a participant $80 for dinner and a bottle of their trophy wine- which only costs something if you replace it. What an inexpensive hobby when coupled with knowledge ( buying and tasting ) and passion!






2002 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut (cork): Pale straw with a good mousse and very fine bead. An initial burst of aldehyde on first whiff gives way to a young, tight bouquet with grapefruit, wet quartz, a little smoke and milk chocolate; the palate’s just as dry and tight, long and crisp with a little more bread and fennel characters with breathing. Perfectly balanced for the long haul, cork withstanding – it’s worth noting neither of the Krug corks looked particularly good tonight.

Krug Champagne Brut Rosé (cork): Pale Salmon with a good mousse and very fine bead. Rich and broad with obvious bread/aldehyde, caramel and coffee characters matched with very round strawberry fruit, a startling contrast to the lean, tense 2002 Krug. I thought this was just as enjoyable, although some questioned if this was a slightly advanced/heat affected example; a great match for the in-house smoked oysters, while the 2002 Krug was perfect with the natural oysters with lemon.

1978 Domaine Jacques Prieur Montrachet (cork): Medium amber. Heavily oxidised, sherried and dry but still (barely) alive, the palate a little more subtle and balanced than the nose with almond, tobacco and toasty, minerally characters. Curio value only.

1998 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux (cork): Medium straw. Still fresh and savoury, wool carpet, grapefruit, sugared biscuits, lemon rind and blossoms, the palate beautifully round and rich with a smoky, minerally finish. I love Great Chablis like this, it’s just a pity it has become so hit and miss.

1994 Domaine Bruno Clair Corton-Charlemagne (cork): Dark gold/light amber. Buttery and toasty, some popcorn with touches of bacon and ground paprika, the palate very spicy, rich and fat; at its peak, a great contrast to the Chablis, and a perfect match for the scallops wrapped in pancetta.

1973 Penfolds Grange Hermitage, South Australia (cork): 98% Shiraz, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from the Kalimna Vineyard, Barossa Valley, Magill Estate, Modbury, and Coonawarra. Penfolds clinic 2014 bottle. Medium to very dark red/garnet. Smoky oak, raspberries and earth, vanilla, cocoa and a touch of pickle which has always been a feature of this vintage, relatively lightweight for Grange with a dry finish and more obvious bourbon oak with breathing. After an initial strong showing it faded quickly in the glass, but perhaps that was not surprising since this bottle had accidentally been triple decanted.

1978 Penfolds Grange Hermitage, South Australia (cork): 90% Shiraz, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from the Kalimna Vineyard, Barossa Valley, Magill Estate, Modbury, Clare Valley and Coonawarra. Penfolds clinic 2014 bottle. Spectacular medium to very dark red/purple colour – this is 38 years old?! Seems young, juicy and powerful for its age, blueberry, blackberry, cocoa, crushed ants, vanilla pod and graphite, very long, velvety and grippy. A classic full-weight Grange with black fruits, lots of American oak and time on its side.

1980 Penfolds Grange Hermitage, South Australia (cork): 96% Shiraz, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from the Kalimna Vineyard, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Magill Estate, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra. Medium to darkish red/garnet. An interesting contrast to the 1978 vintage, minty and exotic Dujon mustard characters with red raspberry fruits in comparison to black fruits; the palate is velvety, fat and tangy choc-cherries, the oak much more restrained, relatively approachable and near or at its peak right now.

1992 Henschke Hill Of Grace Shiraz, Eden Valley (cork): Medium blood red. Sweet, spicy and jubey, raspberries, red jellies, becoming very minty with breathing; the palate is around medium-weight, relatively light, even for Hill of Grace, but is well balanced and long enough. A nice enough wine, but lacked the wow factor of many others tonight.

1994 Henschke Hill Of Grace Shiraz, Eden Valley (cork): Medium to dark crimson/blood red. In contrast to the 1992 vintage this opens with powerful oak and black fruits compared to red, black liquorice, blackberry, cocoa, bitter chocolate, dill, truffle and aniseed. It’s scale and swagger are initially impressive, but there is also dirty smell of barnyard that intensifies with breathing and eventually it becomes way too distracting for my liking. I always wanted to try the “vintage of the black ferments”, according to some one of the most powerful Hills of Grace ever made, and I am glad to have finally crossed it off my list. Thanks Jamie.

1996 Penfolds Block 42 Kalimna Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley (cork): Medium to very dark red. Lavish oak and ripe cabernet fruit in big Barossa style, black cherries, cassis, tobacco, dark chocolate, peppermint, earth and oil, the palate genuinely full-weight with no mid-palate hole and impossibly long. In a night of super reds this was well above the rest, and it’s just a baby.

1999 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único (cork): Bugger, horribly corked.

1998 Wendouree Shiraz, Clare Valley (cork): A backup slotted in for the previous corked wine. Medium to dark garnet. Stocky and toasty at first, with rather sappy/charred oak ahead of the minty red berry fruit; it’s a big wine for Wendouree in all respects, yet for some reason I was not as enamoured with it as everyone else.

1999 Château d'Yquem Sauternes (cork): Medium amber/straw. Still showing some youthful whiffs of sulphur along with waves of botrytis-derived quince paste, marzipan, plastic, dried ginger, candied citrus, salted caramel and eventually peppermint; the palate’s massive and incredibly long with gum-draining/mouthwatering acidity stopping it from being cloying, finishing with smoky/French vanilla. A superb wine, its complexity, weight and balance cannot be faulted, although part of me still has trouble justifying the hefty premium compared to the very best of the 1er Cru Sauternes.

1990 Trimbach Pinot Gris Sélection de Grains Nobles (cork): Medium straw/amber. Right at its peak, honeyed with overripe banana, ginger and a touch of tealeaves, a solid sweet wine in its own right, but it’s a tough act to follow d’Yquem!

1930 Seppelt Para Liqueur Port, Barossa Valley (cork): Murky brown. Rich and hedonistic, and yet in contrast to the 100 year old Para there is a freshness and softness still there, Christmas pudding drenched in crème de cacao, espresso, tobacco and dark chocolate, all of which just lingers on, and on, and on. At one stage one of our hosts told me he went to the cellar to collect a bottle of red for the staff, walked back into the dining room and all he could smell was this magical elixir! A truly astonishing wine, and relatively speaking still ridiculously cheap at auction.

NV Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Rare Liqueur Muscat 500ml (screwcap): Very dark brown with an olive rim. Raisiny with fruitcake, dried dates and neutral spirit, a great fortified wine although not remotely close to the heavyweight division of the Para.

[Scotty vino]

I'm not sure I could Play in the same sand pit as JamieB and FelixP

Hi Scotty.

Worthy of clarification and please, I'm not raining on anyones parade, and good luck for your offline.

Considering this is a wine forum, I find a shade of reverse snobbery on occasion- not with your comments Scotty. Sharing the great wines of the world is not expensive in an offline scenario. Please see below the last SAIK offline.


I doubt if anyone on the forum does not have a trophy wine that was up to the standard of the last "high end" offline that we did. Nobody turned up in Ferraris and dinner was cheap by international standards and by Australian standards- in terms of quality and professionalism.

I know expensive hobbies. Friends fly vintage fighter aircraft, collect cars, boats, heli-skiing etc etc.

This offline below with remarkable wines probably cost a participant $80 for dinner and a bottle of their trophy wine- which only costs something if you replace it. What an inexpensive hobby when coupled with knowledge ( buying and tasting ) and passion!






2002 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut (cork): Pale straw with a good mousse and very fine bead. An initial burst of aldehyde on first whiff gives way to a young, tight bouquet with grapefruit, wet quartz, a little smoke and milk chocolate; the palate’s just as dry and tight, long and crisp with a little more bread and fennel characters with breathing. Perfectly balanced for the long haul, cork withstanding – it’s worth noting neither of the Krug corks looked particularly good tonight.

Krug Champagne Brut Rosé (cork): Pale Salmon with a good mousse and very fine bead. Rich and broad with obvious bread/aldehyde, caramel and coffee characters matched with very round strawberry fruit, a startling contrast to the lean, tense 2002 Krug. I thought this was just as enjoyable, although some questioned if this was a slightly advanced/heat affected example; a great match for the in-house smoked oysters, while the 2002 Krug was perfect with the natural oysters with lemon.

1978 Domaine Jacques Prieur Montrachet (cork): Medium amber. Heavily oxidised, sherried and dry but still (barely) alive, the palate a little more subtle and balanced than the nose with almond, tobacco and toasty, minerally characters. Curio value only.

1998 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux (cork): Medium straw. Still fresh and savoury, wool carpet, grapefruit, sugared biscuits, lemon rind and blossoms, the palate beautifully round and rich with a smoky, minerally finish. I love Great Chablis like this, it’s just a pity it has become so hit and miss.

1994 Domaine Bruno Clair Corton-Charlemagne (cork): Dark gold/light amber. Buttery and toasty, some popcorn with touches of bacon and ground paprika, the palate very spicy, rich and fat; at its peak, a great contrast to the Chablis, and a perfect match for the scallops wrapped in pancetta.

1973 Penfolds Grange Hermitage, South Australia (cork): 98% Shiraz, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from the Kalimna Vineyard, Barossa Valley, Magill Estate, Modbury, and Coonawarra. Penfolds clinic 2014 bottle. Medium to very dark red/garnet. Smoky oak, raspberries and earth, vanilla, cocoa and a touch of pickle which has always been a feature of this vintage, relatively lightweight for Grange with a dry finish and more obvious bourbon oak with breathing. After an initial strong showing it faded quickly in the glass, but perhaps that was not surprising since this bottle had accidentally been triple decanted.

1978 Penfolds Grange Hermitage, South Australia (cork): 90% Shiraz, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from the Kalimna Vineyard, Barossa Valley, Magill Estate, Modbury, Clare Valley and Coonawarra. Penfolds clinic 2014 bottle. Spectacular medium to very dark red/purple colour – this is 38 years old?! Seems young, juicy and powerful for its age, blueberry, blackberry, cocoa, crushed ants, vanilla pod and graphite, very long, velvety and grippy. A classic full-weight Grange with black fruits, lots of American oak and time on its side.

1980 Penfolds Grange Hermitage, South Australia (cork): 96% Shiraz, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from the Kalimna Vineyard, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Magill Estate, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra. Medium to darkish red/garnet. An interesting contrast to the 1978 vintage, minty and exotic Dujon mustard characters with red raspberry fruits in comparison to black fruits; the palate is velvety, fat and tangy choc-cherries, the oak much more restrained, relatively approachable and near or at its peak right now.

1992 Henschke Hill Of Grace Shiraz, Eden Valley (cork): Medium blood red. Sweet, spicy and jubey, raspberries, red jellies, becoming very minty with breathing; the palate is around medium-weight, relatively light, even for Hill of Grace, but is well balanced and long enough. A nice enough wine, but lacked the wow factor of many others tonight.

1994 Henschke Hill Of Grace Shiraz, Eden Valley (cork): Medium to dark crimson/blood red. In contrast to the 1992 vintage this opens with powerful oak and black fruits compared to red, black liquorice, blackberry, cocoa, bitter chocolate, dill, truffle and aniseed. It’s scale and swagger are initially impressive, but there is also dirty smell of barnyard that intensifies with breathing and eventually it becomes way too distracting for my liking. I always wanted to try the “vintage of the black ferments”, according to some one of the most powerful Hills of Grace ever made, and I am glad to have finally crossed it off my list. Thanks Jamie.

1996 Penfolds Block 42 Kalimna Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley (cork): Medium to very dark red. Lavish oak and ripe cabernet fruit in big Barossa style, black cherries, cassis, tobacco, dark chocolate, peppermint, earth and oil, the palate genuinely full-weight with no mid-palate hole and impossibly long. In a night of super reds this was well above the rest, and it’s just a baby.

1999 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único (cork): Bugger, horribly corked.

1998 Wendouree Shiraz, Clare Valley (cork): A backup slotted in for the previous corked wine. Medium to dark garnet. Stocky and toasty at first, with rather sappy/charred oak ahead of the minty red berry fruit; it’s a big wine for Wendouree in all respects, yet for some reason I was not as enamoured with it as everyone else.

1999 Château d'Yquem Sauternes (cork): Medium amber/straw. Still showing some youthful whiffs of sulphur along with waves of botrytis-derived quince paste, marzipan, plastic, dried ginger, candied citrus, salted caramel and eventually peppermint; the palate’s massive and incredibly long with gum-draining/mouthwatering acidity stopping it from being cloying, finishing with smoky/French vanilla. A superb wine, its complexity, weight and balance cannot be faulted, although part of me still has trouble justifying the hefty premium compared to the very best of the 1er Cru Sauternes.

1990 Trimbach Pinot Gris Sélection de Grains Nobles (cork): Medium straw/amber. Right at its peak, honeyed with overripe banana, ginger and a touch of tealeaves, a solid sweet wine in its own right, but it’s a tough act to follow d’Yquem!

1930 Seppelt Para Liqueur Port, Barossa Valley (cork): Murky brown. Rich and hedonistic, and yet in contrast to the 100 year old Para there is a freshness and softness still there, Christmas pudding drenched in crème de cacao, espresso, tobacco and dark chocolate, all of which just lingers on, and on, and on. At one stage one of our hosts told me he went to the cellar to collect a bottle of red for the staff, walked back into the dining room and all he could smell was this magical elixir! A truly astonishing wine, and relatively speaking still ridiculously cheap at auction.

NV Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Rare Liqueur Muscat 500ml (screwcap): Very dark brown with an olive rim. Raisiny with fruitcake, dried dates and neutral spirit, a great fortified wine although not remotely close to the heavyweight division of the Para.

Ok Let's cue a Dad joke. Mate you're flying at a higher altitude than a lot of us. In terms of offlines attended, quality of those offlines and the quality and quantity of the vino you buy. Does that clarify the Sand pit comment? I'm glad you see I'm not having a dig (more puns!). It's just a straight up observation. Hey more power to you. I'm not there.....yet

[tonsta]

Hi David,

Haven't been to the forum for a few weeks so I couldn't respond. I got your PM and replied saying I was (still) keen.

If there's no room could you add me to the waiting list - although don't count on me if someone pulls out close to the night as I have three young kids and my leave passes require a fair bit of advance positioning with the boss

Cheers,
Tony

[Hunter]

So wish I could get to this...looks pretty high end to me!!!
Cheers
Craig

Agree. In terms of Aussie Wines we're pretty close to the ceiling in terms of quality.

If we were talking old world, than yes, the dial could be wound way up and outta reach for me.
I'm not sure I could Play in the same sand pit as JamieB and FelixP

At the langtons '6' equivalent we did have some whites to kick things off.
Not sure if it's something we want to look at or not. From memory some pennies yat, Grosset PH( ) and Vat 1 etc

A white to start would be nice

[Mark Jappe]

Will bring a 98 Michael + something for Gail. Will try and find a white.

[David Librandi]

Hi All

Please find a further updated attendee list (with proposed wines people are bringing along) and the Cliche Menu/Pricing.

Tony (Tosta), I have now added you to the list. Please let us know what wine you are thinking on bringing along to the dinner. Adele, Mark and Gail, I have now added your proposed wines to the list.

Given we have not heard back from Allan (Waiters Friend) I have assumed he is unable to attend and also given he is from interstate.

There are a few attendees that are wanting to also bring along a wine wine (2nd wine) to kick off the event. Whoever is interested please let me know so we can co-ordinate.

Thanks to everyone so far that is committed to attending in what I am sure will be a fantastic night with a great group of people.

Carl (Chuck) x 1 - 1998 Wynns John Riddoch
Mario (Tucker Wine Studio) x 1 - 1998 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec (auction purchase so a possible back up wine) - TBC
David x 2 - 1998 Rockford Basket Press or 1998 St Hallett Old Block (2nd guest wine still TBC)
Hunter x 1 - 2008 Greenock Creek Roennfeldt Road Shiraz or 1998 Pendfolds 389 (if 2008 RR doesn't suit) - TBC
George (Krashos) x 1 - 1998 Rockford Winemakers Release (TBC)
Scot (Scotty Vino) x 1 - 2008 Elderton Command Shiraz (TBC)
Jeff x 1 possibly 1988 Penfolds 707, 1988 John Riddoch , 1988 Petaluma or 1988 Hill of Grace (TBC) - possibly 1998 or 2008 options
Ian (n4sir) x 1 - 1998 Dead Arm or 1998 Mt Langi Ghiran (still TBC)
Adel (Trufflequeen) x 1 - 1998 Penfolds St Henri + 2008 Balnaves The Tally (as a back up)
Mark Jappe x 2 - 1998 Wynns Michael + 1 TBA (for Gail)
Tosta (Tony) - WIne TBA

This makes a total of 13 attendees.

Cliche Exhibition North Adelaide (6.30 pm for 7.00 pm) on Friday May 11th.

Sharing Banquet Menu $50.00 per head, Dessert ($8.00 per head (optional), Corkage $10.00/bottle which IMO is very reasonable.

Note: The menu may charge (unlikely) due to seasonality.

WINKLERS WONDERFUL POTTED DUCK PATE
Duck liver parfait with accompaniments

SQUID
Chargrilled local squid tossed in garlic, coriander & chilli
dressing & served with fregola & heirloom tomato salad

PORC ME (GF)
Crispy pork belly on saffron bean puree & finished with green & red tomato salad & caper Jus

CUBIQUE DE L’AGNEAU
Crusted pulled lamb shoulder croquette with
sugar snap peas on a potato puree

AUBERGINE (VG)
Crispy eggplant served with confit tomato salsa

CREVETTES (GF)
Wild caught local King prawns cooked in garlic & verjus sauce served with pilaf rice & confit fennel

POULET ROTI (GF)
Roasted chicken served with aligot & chard broccolini & finished w roasting jus

POISSON DU JOUR (GF)
Pan seared salmon on smashed peas & edamame &
served with lemon beurre noir & crème fraiche

CHEEKY BEEF (GF)
Slow braised beef cheek in red wine served with lardon
& mushroom sauce on potato pureè

MONET’S GARDEN (VG/GF)
Salad mix with beetroot

POMMES FRITES
Straight cut chips with smoked aioli

Any questions please don't hesitate let me know.

Feedback very welcome of course.

[David Librandi]

Sorry I was referring to White Wine as the additoinal wine.

[tonsta]

Appreciate you letting me in David - I haven't been collecting for as long as some so it's likely that I'll bring something from '08. Also, having a look at what others are bringing we're very heavy on SA reds so I was thinking of something over the border. How about either a 2008 Yarra Yering Dry Red N°1 (I reckon the N°3 would be more interesting but unfortunately it's not on the list), a 2008 Clonakilla SV (won't be a popular choice among a few of you!) or a 2008 Houghton Jack Mann? -personally I reckon the two cabernets will be too young!

Alternatively I'm happy to bring along a magnum of 2008 Franck Bonville Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésimé. I appreciate that this doesn't fit the theme but we could do much worse than kick things off with French bubbles in a French restaurant

On a related matter, I just noticed that one of our favourite Offliners in recent times, Jason Barratte, is very interested in coming but unfortunately he's not on this forum (he relies on 'word of mouth'). Jason's well known to many of us, and apart from being very knowledgeable and extremely generous, most importantly he is a great bloke.

I know it's pushing the friendship but is it possible to extend Jason an invitation (you won't regret it )?

Cheers,
Tony (Tosta )

[George Krashos]

I second Tony's motion.

-- George Krashos

[trufflequeen]

I'll third it

[Scotty vino]

Jason was VERY generous at the '6' offline.
So hopefully we can squeeze him in.

[David Librandi]

Hi Tony the people have spoken. We look forward to Jason joining us. Please confirm he is able to attend and I will add his details to the list (including choice of wine).

We are now at our final number of 14 guests. Sorry to anyone else that may of wanted to attend.

[tonsta]

So is everyone happy for me to cheat the theme and bring the magnum of bubbles?

[jeff]

A magnum of Grand Cru bubbles cheating! Works for me, so do it Tony.

[Tucker Wine Studios]

So is everyone happy for me to cheat the theme and bring the magnum of bubbles?

Hi Tony,
Actually, I would love to start with a glass of champagne - great idea, so a YES from me.

Found my bottle of 1998 Wendouree CabMac in the cellar, relieved it exists, fill level looks great, so far so good.

Cheers,
Mario

[tonsta]

Cool - sorted! The beauty of a magnum is that we can have a FULL glass of something while we're stewing over which wines to drink first.

[Hunter]

Id like to lock in my Roennfeldt road if everyones happy with that. Although its going to be a powerhouse, we'l need some diversity in vintage i think. As theres only one other 2008. So far.
Cheers.

[Chuck]

I have no experience on decanting the 98 JR. Should it be decanted at home and allowed to breath and if so for how long? In my experience older wines can improve with breathing but can also fall over fairly quickly. Any assistance would be appreciated. Opening at home also allows for tainted wines to be pulled.

Carl