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

[Wayno]

With SWMBO away I've been tucking into some quaffers and some curios lost in the cellar. Last night I opened a 375ml cleanskin 1998 vintage port from Seppeltsfield. You may recall they were clearing out the cellars about 10 years ago after (I think) the winery changed hands.

The cork was solid with barely 2mm of stain at the base. Dominant aroma and flavour of dried apricot and very nice indeed. Just a pup at the moment this gem will likely go another 20-30 years even in the smaller bottle. There is just one bottle left unfortunately however I might just bring it along to the Adelaide offline if anyone's interested. It fits the 8 theme.

Carl

I still have about a dozen of the 1997s. Very occasionally I’ll dip into them but they are still quite strong-minded aniseedy wines. I live in hope that one day in my lifetime they’ll become something bordering on (for me) approachable.

[Mahmoud Ali]

What did you make of the Florio Marsala?
I hadn't realised they were part of Banfi, who I don't have a lot of time for - a conglomeration of mediocrity normally.

Hi Ian,

This is a dry Marsala and I liked it very much. It is much like a sherry, though not quite as dry as a fino. The Vecchioflorio is a Marsala Superiore and it exceeds the minimum requirement of two years in barrel/casks, having been aged 30 months in oak casks. It is a bottle that I bought in Montreal because in Edmonton we only find the sweet Vecchiflorio.

Quite a number of years ago I spent a few days in Trapani, Sicily and visted Florio (as well as Donnafugata) and was very impressed, not only by the history of the estate but also their Marsala. Their riservas, aged for many more years, really stood out. They were named Terre Arse (yes, I know, it's an awkward name) and Targa, the Terre Arse being the drier of the two and really fine-boned, long, intense, and complex. I recall saying that if these marsalas were more widely available people wouldn't think of marsala as cooking wines.

I also did not know that Florio was owned by Banfi. Are you sure? I do not recall Banfi comimg up in our tour or in the tasting room.

Cheers ................ Mahmoud.

[Ian S]

Hi Mahmoud
Thanks for the that. Quite a battle for them to break the image of Marsala as cooking wine / an ingredient in Zabaglione.

Yes, the Florio site is a subsection of the Banfiwines site - which certainly surprised me. I'd gone looking to see if it was them who made the unfortified (and hence outside of the DOC) wine, but I think that might be De Bartoli.

Regards
Ian

[Cloth Ears]

Had a couple of nice ones the other night at my mum's place.
Charles Heidsieck Blanc Des Millenaires 1995 - fresh and fruity, yet showing not nearly as much age as you might expect (apparently the caves where it's stored are responsible).
Wendouree Shiraz/Mataro 1998 - nicely balanced with tannins on their way out, yet a still fresh fruit flavour (that was just perfect with the rib roast). Nose was initially muted (although it might be the remnants of last weeks cold!)

[Bobthebuilder]

2017 BK Wines One Ball Chardonnay - lovin it, such restraint but so much power, restrained with oak and malo, powerful with the fruit but so well picked nothing is over ripe. Well done Brendon, look forward to trying the carbonic maceration chard next.

2014 Collector Marked Tree Shiraz - Very good cool climate shiraz, so not the fruit bomb, spices and forest floor and nothing overdone. I wouldn't hold for a decade more but wouldn't worry about leaving it another 5 or so.

2 very promising winemakers IMO

[Ian S]

A half of 2010 Mas de Daumas Gassac last night and tonight. Would have been easy to guess incorrect as Southern Rhone, though the blackcurrant from the Cabernet Sauvignon did some though more with air. Possibly better on the second day - or possibly better appreciated after some work in the garden!

Earlier in the week, and over the course of 3 nights:

• 2010 Gini Soave Classico Superiore Contrada Salvarenza Vecchie Vigne - Italy, Veneto, Soave Classico (03/04/2018)
  Prompted by Daniele's divergent experiences in the two notes preceding this, it seemed timely to open one of two bottles of this I have left.
  
  Lemon-Gold colour with good brightness
  
  Appealing nose of lime to the fore, backed by lemon, honey and a more general savouriness that avoids a simple 'fruit salad' aroma.
  
  The palate offers genuine progression, from initial soft honeyed fruit, eased away by still firm acidity which emphasises the lime/lemon more and also carries some bitterness. As that dissipates on the finish, a little more complexity emerges.
  
  There will be more instantly appealing wines out there, but this has plenty of character (and though I don't especially like the word in wine tasting notes - 'minerality' will strike a note for many). The mid-palate acidity / bitterness does beg for suitable food, but in addition, I suspect there may still be more to come from this wine in the coming 3-4 years. I'm tempted to leave the last one that long to see.
  
  Postscript
  - Held well on day 2
  - Opened out further on day 3, with better balance and complexity, whilst no discernible oxidation. I suspect that 3-4 years could be extended further!
  [img]https://cdn.ct-static.com/labels/497736.jpg[/img]

[rooman]

2015 Journey Wines Chardonnay Yarra Valley
Fine linear natural acidity with a stonefruit driven nose and subtle stoney pear palate
Get on board the Journey Train
He is making such brilliant wine (Damian North) like Mr Luke Lambert.

I finally tracked down a bottle of the Journey Chardonnay but the 2016 vintage. I received a call from the local wine shop that had it after making my initial inquiry. When they called to say the new vintage was back in stock, they also flagged it was a warmer vintage and more "fleshy". Having tried it last night, I think what they were really saying it lacked the acidity of the previous vintage. On a warm evening, the lack of acidity with the 2016 meant it was ok but a long way from the profile you described above.

I also tried a kiwi Villa Maria Taylors Pass Chardonnay recently that as approx $26 was excellent value with that crisp acidity you see more often in NZ chardonnays. Well worth tracking down.

[rooman]

Penfolds Bin 389 2002 - I opened the first one of these a few years back from the case and it was in a decidedly dormant stage of development - two dimensional and boring. By way of contrast, last night's bottle was just superb with the wine bursting into its drinking window. The tannins have now fully integrated with the fruit and the secondary development has produced an almost old world style of wine, savoury and moorish. The cab sav fruit is very much to the fore and if people have any tucked away, it is well worth opening one now.

[Bobthebuilder]

Penfolds Bin 389 2002 - I opened the first one of these a few years back from the case and it was in a decidedly dormant stage of development - two dimensional and boring. By way of contrast, last night's bottle was just superb with the wine bursting into its drinking window. The tannins have now fully integrated with the fruit and the secondary development has produced an almost old world style of wine, savoury and moorish. The cab sav fruit is very much to the fore and if people have any tucked away, it is well worth opening one now.

One of my neighbours opened this a few years ago and I thought it was very good but needed a little more time
I then bought one at auction and it is sitting waiting
Think it might be coming to Thredbo this year where I find this kind of wine shows best

[rooman]

Penfolds Bin 389 2002 - I opened the first one of these a few years back from the case and it was in a decidedly dormant stage of development - two dimensional and boring. By way of contrast, last night's bottle was just superb with the wine bursting into its drinking window. The tannins have now fully integrated with the fruit and the secondary development has produced an almost old world style of wine, savoury and moorish. The cab sav fruit is very much to the fore and if people have any tucked away, it is well worth opening one now.

One of my neighbours opened this a few years ago and I thought it was very good but needed a little more time
I then bought one at auction and it is sitting waiting
Think it might be coming to Thredbo this year where I find this kind of wine shows best

Not sure if you are serious about the Thredbo comment but I did find last year at Perisher that some wines really came into their own at altitude. We are off to Perisher again this year second week of July. Praying for good snow.

[phillisc]

A couple more bottles of the 2013 Gomersal Reserve Barossa Shiraz...really balanced palate between fruit, oak and tannin...opens beautifully with a bit of air. Not had much experience with this label but based on Ian T's assessment its a lovely wine.

Cheers
Craig

[Bobthebuilder]

Penfolds Bin 389 2002 - I opened the first one of these a few years back from the case and it was in a decidedly dormant stage of development - two dimensional and boring. By way of contrast, last night's bottle was just superb with the wine bursting into its drinking window. The tannins have now fully integrated with the fruit and the secondary development has produced an almost old world style of wine, savoury and moorish. The cab sav fruit is very much to the fore and if people have any tucked away, it is well worth opening one now.

One of my neighbours opened this a few years ago and I thought it was very good but needed a little more time
I then bought one at auction and it is sitting waiting
Think it might be coming to Thredbo this year where I find this kind of wine shows best

Not sure if you are serious about the Thredbo comment but I did find last year at Perisher that some wines really came into their own at altitude. We are off to Perisher again this year second week of July. Praying for good snow.

Altitude had nothing to do with it, because let’s face it, unfortunately we don’t have much of it here in Oz.
It was all to do with the big red in cold weather, with a bit of pennies glamour for those old mates that really don’t know much about wine!

[Dragzworthy]

NERO D'AVOLA Vito Curatolo Arini 2012 IGP
Beautiful luxurious wine. Violet on the nose, strong Blackberry and plums through the mid palate, finishes with some vanilla notes. Long finish. Tongue scrapingly tannic but opened in the glass after half an hour and became distinctly more complex. Self note to buy more of this though wasn’t cheap sadly.

[rooman]

One of my neighbours opened this a few years ago and I thought it was very good but needed a little more time
I then bought one at auction and it is sitting waiting
Think it might be coming to Thredbo this year where I find this kind of wine shows best

Not sure if you are serious about the Thredbo comment but I did find last year at Perisher that some wines really came into their own at altitude. We are off to Perisher again this year second week of July. Praying for good snow.

Altitude had nothing to do with it, because let’s face it, unfortunately we don’t have much of it here in Oz.
It was all to do with the big red in cold weather, with a bit of pennies glamour for those old mates that really don’t know much about wine!

We are heading to Perisher second week of July. Are you going down this year? If so do you know where and when?

[Mahmoud Ali]

SWMBO?

[Mahmoud Ali]

With a peppery steak for dinner I decided to go for something bold and young. I chose the 2008 Matetic 'Corralillo' Winemakers Blend, D.O. San Antonio, Chile (14.5%). Though it is not on the label their website says it is a blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec. Very much a new world style, the nose was bright and perfumed, redolent of blueberry and a touch of tobacco. The palate was still fresh, nicely poised between fruit and hints of what might develop with more time in the bottle. There is some undelying structure but the fruit is still in the foreground. My partners guess was "new world", "cab blend", and "Argentina". Pretty much bang on I thought since I had forgotten that there was no cabernet in the blend.

CorralilloAbruzzoE.jpg

After dinner we had a post prandial glass of Punch Abruzzo 'Evangelista Liquori Sambucceto di Sangiovanni, Italy (35%). This was something I picked up about fifteen years ago mainly because it was on a clearnce shelf. I knew nothing about it except that it was likely to be herbal but I did like the fact that it was high in alcohol. I knew I wasn't going to follow the instructions on the back label: to drink in winter with 1/3 hot water along with tea, coffee or hot milk, or in summer with ice, soda, or in cold tea or on ice cream. It had been knocking around the place for many years before it was finally opened last year. I cannot be sure but I feel certain that age has helped it along. Last night it was as good as it was last year, rich, textured, glycerin-like on the palate, with a deep herbal bitterness that is nicely counter-poised by the sweetness. It is long and lingering on the palate. The label says it is made with alcohol, sugar, natural herbs and flavours, and caramel E150-b. Nothing special except perhaps the magic of age. Reminds me of the time an old bottle of Harvey's Bristol Cream did something similar.

Cheers ................ Mahmoud.

[Diddy]

SWMBO?

She Who Must Be Obeyed

[Scotty vino]

Rockford LG sem 2015. such good VFM this one.
love the oak.
this is gluggable x 50.

[Bobthebuilder]

Not sure if you are serious about the Thredbo comment but I did find last year at Perisher that some wines really came into their own at altitude. We are off to Perisher again this year second week of July. Praying for good snow.

Altitude had nothing to do with it, because let’s face it, unfortunately we don’t have much of it here in Oz.
It was all to do with the big red in cold weather, with a bit of pennies glamour for those old mates that really don’t know much about wine!

We are heading to Perisher second week of July. Are you going down this year? If so do you know where and when?

nothing booked yet but it will be Thredbo probably last week of July or 1st week of August.
If we get some good early season snowfalls then I might be able to squeeze another trip down with my brother early - mid July, but it would most likely be Thredbo as my brother is almost totally blind and finds Perisher a bit hard to navigate - at Thredbo he can usually spot the village from most places which puts the whole mountain into perspective, and the trails are more defined. Prey to the snow gods!

[phillisc]

Rockford LG sem 2015. such good VFM this one.
love the oak.
this is gluggable x 50.

Great Scotty V...have a bottle in the fridge so will have one tonight.
Cheers
Craig

[Mahmoud Ali]

SWMBO?

She Who Must Be Obeyed

Of course, Rumpole of the Bailey. Thanks.

[rooman]

Dinner last night at Brown Sugar with a couple of overseas friends. First up Grosset Springvale 2005 under screw cap. Starting to show decent levels of complexity. Acid was a little more muted than the 2007 sibling I had a week or so ago. I was wondering if the screw cap version might be in a bit of development hole at present as the secondary flavours come to the forth.

Next up a pleasant Dupont-Tisserandot Charmes Chambertin 2007 GC. Not a great vintage and decent enough depth of flavour, savoury, mushrooms and forestal fruit. Little short on the finish.

Final bottle a Clos des Pape 2004, a superb bottle and definitely my bottle of the evening. Great length and beautiful fruit.

[Chuck]

Yalumba 2004 The Menzies Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (cork). Very drab and boring with noting to get excited about. Past it's prime or cork related issue? Other vintages have been better.

Carl

[Wayno]

Rockford LG sem 2015. such good VFM this one.
love the oak.
this is gluggable x 50.

One of my favourite Rockford wines - and it ages well too: I have several 09 and 11s that are still in very good shape.

[Rossco]

Yalumba 2004 The Menzies Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (cork). Very drab and boring with noting to get excited about. Past it's prime or cork related issue? Other vintages have been better.

Carl

I have had a lot of yalumba top wines across many vintages, and agree, they just don't hit the mark (haven't had caley as yet).

For me, their mid-tier wines are where they really shine. Signature (2012 = OMG), FDR1a and virgilius are outstanding wines.

[swirler]

Yalumba 2004 The Menzies Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (cork). Very drab and boring with noting to get excited about. Past it's prime or cork related issue? Other vintages have been better.

Carl

I have had a lot of yalumba top wines across many vintages, and agree, they just don't hit the mark (haven't had caley as yet).

For me, their mid-tier wines are where they really shine. Signature (2012 = OMG), FDR1a and virgilius are outstanding wines.

Not a fan of these wines usually, but, yes, 2012 Signature is pretty decent.

[Mike Hawkins]

Yalumba 2004 The Menzies Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (cork). Very drab and boring with noting to get excited about. Past it's prime or cork related issue? Other vintages have been better.

Carl

I have had a lot of yalumba top wines across many vintages, and agree, they just don't hit the mark (haven't had caley as yet).

For me, their mid-tier wines are where they really shine. Signature (2012 = OMG), FDR1a and virgilius are outstanding wines.

For me, Signature, Reserve and (the now oak reduced) Octavius are excellent wines. They age superbly and peak at 25+ years. Menzies isn’t my cup of tea, but is symptomatic of many underperforming Coonawarra cabs. As for the 2012 Caley, it is probably the best young Aussie red I’ve had in a few years.

[Scotty vino]

2009 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon
2013 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon

An inadvertent vertical.
I pulled an 09 out of the cellar for some guests and they showed up with a 13

09 still needs a bit of time but it had some really great fruit purity/drive. Tannins had softern nicely and i think
the other 09 i have left can hold another year or 2. Nice drop. Solid. Medium weight finish.

13 pretty tight in comparison. Grippy tannins. Lacked the depth of the 09. Seemed disjointed and
I kept staring at the glass with a half gob full trying to gauge whether it was overly acidic or not.
I think yes.

I was playing 'cards against humanity' whilst making these observations so my attention to the vino wasn't quite there...

[rens]

A few whilst on holidays with the family:
2010 Bremerton Shiraz Old Adam Langhorne Creek: Big and oak driven. Nice enough, but to over the top with alcohol and fruit for me.
2007 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm McLaren Vale: Not bad, but once again not my thing. Big bold and not much finesse.
2007 Fraser Gallop Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River: This was on song. Good fruit with hints of tobacco starting to come through. Nice dustiness about it.
2011 Giaconda Nebbiolo Beechworth: This was an interesting wine. It solved in the glass from something very closed and I almost thought it was stuffed, but if fleshed out into a typical nebbiolo. The last glass was the best-I want to slow ox this next time as I think that will bring out its best.
2005 John Forrest Collection Cabernet Sauvignon Gimblett Gravels: Still waiting to see an improvement in this. It is nice enough, but lacks some of the x factor.
2004 Leeuwin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Art Series Margaret River: Right on song and a beautiful wine. Depth of fruit and no rush at all to drink this.
2008 Marius Wines Shiraz Simpatico McLaren Vale: A very good wine-not as good as the Symphony from the same vintage I had a few weeks back, but well worth cellaring this. No hurry here either but good drinking now.
2007 Marques de Valdecanas Cariñena Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo: Buggered by bark. Just the faintest hint, but I'm pretty sensitive to TCA, so down the sink it went.
2006 Yalumba Cabernet Sauvignon The Menzies Coonawarra: Full weight velvety palate of cool climate fruit that is mouth filling and rich without being flabby and over worked. Enjoyed this sitting on the balcony overlooking the canals.

[Rossco]

3 x 2010 Fromm Fromm Vineyard syrah.
3 x cork failures all oxodised in some form. Still drinkable,
But not showing their best. Anyone who has these needs to check the tops of their bottles. Very poor quality corks for this wine/vintage. All had a crease/fold in them that the wine seeped up, so maybe more of a production line issue.