T'was a big night but its still Sunday....

TORB · Post by **TORB** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 8:34 am

Hi Good Peoples,

Plonk Oz 2004 is on and the biogts got together for dinner last night (and the night before.) Some pretty ordinary plonk was consumed last night. Frog Bubbles which I passed on, a 2000 Black Shiraz which was stunning but overshaddowed by the next bottle, an 83 Grange. The wine screamed formic acid and massive complexity. The Ultimate, this is as good as Oz wine gets, the oohs and ar's were pornographic in sound. :wink:

That was followed by an 86 John Riddoch which was no slouch either. Quintessential Coonawarra Cab, it was Outstanding and still have year left, a veritable baby.

The 94 HoG was vininfanticide and also Outstanding. I will have to get another couple of these at auction, it was my only bottle.

We finished with a Bullers Rare Muscat and the consumed the backup Tokay. What a night. The food was to die for too, we had the desgation menu at Marque and we all thought it was better than our last visit to Claudes.

Now what have you guys been drinking.

Vickie · Post by **Vickie** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 9:47 am

Mitchelton Print Shiraz 1998

Purchased based on Campbell's recommendation in WFM, May 2002.

...and what a fantastic recommendation and purchase :lol:

woohoo - 5 bottles left and drinking magnificently.

concentrated with a nose that screams "drink me"

Cheers,
Vickie

707 · Post by **707** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 10:09 am

Vickie, Mitchelton Print is a line that seems to get little airplay but since the early 90s has been a consistent label that rarely disappoints and frequently excites.

Various vintages often appear at dinners and always rate well amongst top class line ups.

George Krashos · Post by **George Krashos** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 12:52 pm

Had two bottles with a friend last night:

Rockford Vine Vale Riesling 2001: The more I have the Vine Vale, the more I think it's an early drinker. This one was a golden yellow, broad, flavoursome and very easy to drink. No minerally tightness which you'd get from a young Clare riesling but good acid balance and viscocity from a bit of skin contact. A different style that sang with char-grilled octopus.

Rockford Basket Press 1992: Haven't had this vintage in a long, long time and blow me away if this wasn't the most perfect bottle. No ullage, dark as night and the smell was earthy, deep and floral - on reflection, I got violets whilst the drinking buddy said lanolin. Ah heck, it smelt wonderful! I was expecting green characters on the nose and palate given the '92 vintage reputation but there were none at all. Spicy and ever so long, this had power and depth to it (as well as another 10 years on this bottle's showing). No obtrusive oak or tannin, it had good mouth pucker and built in the glass (the Riedels likely helped here as well). Basically, it was a lesson in trying to evaluate this wine too early. A glorious drop from an unheralded vintage that made me salivate for what delights the '96 and '99 will hold in years to come.

-- George Krashos

707 · Post by **707** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 1:40 pm

Thanks George, helps back up my reply under "Most reliable Shiraz" where I gave my thoughts on Rockford Basket Press being a wonderful wine with age, almost no vintage disappoints.

The 2002 is going to be another great BP, along the lines of the sublime 1998 IMO.

n4sir · Post by **n4sir** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 2:54 pm

Apart from the superb Blacktongues blind tasting (see separate post), it’s been a quiet week.

1995 Annies Lane Clare Valley Shiraz: Dark, clear ruby red with just a faint hint of purple hanging on the rim. The massive crusting prompted the use of the decanter & breatheasy, filling the room with wonderful aromas of tobacco, mint, pepper and red berries before a glass had been poured! There’s strong coffee/toasted/earthy sweet oak with a hint of banana on the nose of that first glass, then revolving between tobacco, soy sauce, coconut, perfume, vegemite, mint, and espresso. The palate is just as complex and inviting; a spicy entry and oak with fine lingering tannins and some banana on the aftertaste at first, becoming plush and velvety very quickly with sugared raspberries and pepper. While 1995 wasn’t a great vintage for most of SA, some of the Clare and McLaren Vale wines are traveling very nicely – I think this was the first under David O’Leary.

Cheers
Ian

Geoffrey · Post by **Geoffrey** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 4:19 pm

Good summer drinking, 2000 Fiddler's Green, Riesling, Waipara Light yellow,classic riesling bouquet of lemon and lime some floral, dry, crisp citrus flavors some pineapple, good mouth feel and acid backbone all now well balanced with some age,excellent lenght. The riesling has rewarded cellaring and $nz18 purchase on release is superb late afternoon summer aperitif drinking.

cheers

Geoffrey

Gavin Trott · Post by **Gavin Trott** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 5:10 pm

Very short note, lots of samples as ever, and great night at the Blacktongues Ian has written notes.

FWIW the 2002 Rockfords Rifle Range was my #1 wine in a very good line up. Great wine, 2002 is a vintage to check out the Barossa Cabernets!

2002 Nine Popes on Friday night, now this is the stuff! Great wine indeed, my wife talked about it for hours, a thing she rarely does regarding wine.

Some of this will find its way into the cellar, terrific wine, great balance and intensity ... lovely.

707 · Post by **707** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 9:08 pm

Ian, can only agree on the quality of the 95 Annies Lane, a real over deliverer but I've unfortunately got none left.

You're right, 1995 isn't a highly regarded vintage, yet with time has proven to be very good in Clare, Barossa and McLaren Vale. It was of course the worse vintage for a dozen years in Coonawarra.

markg · Post by **markg** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 11:25 am

Opened a 2002 Seppelts original sparkling shiraz to have before dinner on Saturday night. It was hot and this was cold AND Red and just fit the bill so much that we finished off the bottle over dinner. Lovely licorice, asian spice and plum flavours with good body and finish. I think I may keep a few of these around for summer.

JamieBahrain · Post by **JamieBahrain** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 2:09 am

Champagne Gosset NV- Green-gold, lively with plentiful fresh bread aromas. Citrus-straw palate flavours and a clean finish. Very good.

Seppelt Show Reserve 1993 Sparkling Shiraz- Developed, dark garnet-red. Brett is not overt on the nose, couples well with developed shiraz charateristics of old leather, mushrooms and feral nuances- the resulting amalgam definately in the earthy-mineral spectrum -sparkling Crozes Hermitage for those who can relate to Rhone peat bog! Subdued spright on the finish.