Adelaide Offline

[mjs]

Can you guys hurry up and do this, the suspense is killing me. You have six pages already and still no off-line

[n4sir]

I am still in.

As per George's request and other positive feedback the 1998 Langi Shiraz will be the go (not the Dead Arm).

[img]https://i.imgur.com/nI3vLdA.jpg[/img]

Not long to go now...

My primary is still the 1998 Langi Shiraz.

My backup will now be a 1998 d'Arenberg Coppermine Road Cabernet - I have not tried that one for many years, so it jumps the Dead Arm as the reserve.

[TiggerK]

Can't believe this is tonight, been watching this thread for an eternity. Have a good night people! Hope the cork gods are kind.

Better start planning the Xmas offline now I reckon!

[Ozzie W]

Can you guys hurry up and do this, the suspense is killing me. You have six pages already and still no off-line

You made it seven pages

The Adelaide crew now has the record for the longest thread related to an offline (even before it's taken place). You've set a high benchmark for the other states to beat. Keep this up and we risk overloading Gavin's server.

Enjoy the night! Looking forward to the photos and tasting notes.

[trufflequeen]

Thanks to David for organising a wonderful Adelaide offline last night. We enjoyed some beautiful wines (perhaps Ian will be kind enough to share some notes), good company and plentiful food. Look forward to the next one!

[phillisc]

OK, from the other side of the world, lets see some notes then.
Cheers Craig

[Scotty vino]

Thanks to David for organising. Another great night. Food excellent and kept on coming.

Off the bat the 98 Michael (WOTN for me), 08 Grange and 98 Winemakers stock release BP were the wines of the night.
Also gotta say the 08 YY dry red no.3 was really good. 91 Michael also right up there.
88 magill also hanging in and i did enjoy.
(thanks to jason for the pennies contribution)

Wasn't without some down sides...Riddoch and Wendouree Cab mal both corked.
Gutted as the mid 90's Wendouree cabs and cab blends ive had in the past have been fantastic.

All other wines were pretty solid. Old block, Eld command, Tally and wild witch
Eileen and Mt Langi Ghiran disappointing. Some brett issues here?

also thanks to Adele for bringing back my yangarra stemless. It lives to see another offline.

Ian was note taking furiously and giving me some good back stories on a number of wineries.
performed some skilful cork surgery with Jason on some of the wines. well done.

I took a few pics as did others so ill post early in the week.
Also good to meet hunter.
Looks like we may be Barossa bound for our next offline.

[n4sir]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/Xu7VprH.jpg[/img]

Been nursing a Showdown/Eurovision sized hangover all weekend, the proper notes are halfway through so until they're done sometime this week you get the emoticon rating system Mother Pluckers!

2008 Franck Bonville Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésimé magnum
1988 Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz, Adelaide
1998 Mt Langi Ghiran Langi Shiraz, Grampians
1998 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz, Barossa Valley
1998 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz (Winemaker’s Stock Release)
1998 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon
1991 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Michael Shiraz
1998 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Michael Shiraz
1998 St Hallett Old Block Shiraz, Barossa Valley
1998 Hardys Eileen Hardy Shiraz, South Australia
2008 Elderton Command Shiraz, Barossa Valley
2008 Hemera Estate JDR Shiraz, Barossa Valley
2008 Penfolds Grange, South Australia
2008 Kellermeister Wild Witch Shiraz, Barossa Valley
1998 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec, Clare Valley
2004 Balnaves The Tally Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
2008 Yarra Yering Dry Red No 3, Yarra Valley

Cheers,
Ian

[Mark Jappe]

Thanks all for a great night and to David for organising.
Some very generous wine contributions, with special thanks to Jason for allowing us the privilege of trying the 08 Grange again and to Tony for cracking his back up Yarra Yering despite his magnum of champagne being faultless.
Apart from a couple of corked wines and the odd bit of brett I thought that the wines were of a consistently high quality.
My favourites (in no particular order) were the Yarra Yering, the Grange and the 91 Michael (an off theme replacement for a corked 98 John Riddoch).
Mark

[mjs]

Great wines guys. I'm not surprised at the '98 Michael. I think it's an underrated label. Good examples are drinking wonderfully imo. Other wines are really the who's who of '98/'08 in Oz. I look forward to Ian's notes.

[conformistpete]

2008 Franck Bonville Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésimé magnum


Cheers,
Ian

How is this drinking Ian? Is it a drink now prospect or can it sleep for awhile yet?

[Polymer]

You guys seriously need to post more after notes or comments .

Months of buildup...tons of pages...and we get some smileys and some cosplay Mulan in a singing contest...

[George Krashos]

Can't do wine notes, don't have the gift. Enjoyed the two Michaels - liked the 91 better simply because I'd cracked one a year ago that was decidedly inferior and this one made me sit up. The two 98 BPs were interesting. I brought the Winemaker's Release and had given it a bit of a decant, so I think it showed better than the "straight one": mind you, to my pedestrian palate, there wasn't all that much difference between them. Grange was lovely (as expected I suppose) but the wine I actually enjoyed the most was the Yarra Yering, likely because I've had so little of it. Delicious juice. On to the next one.

-- George Krashos

[Scotty vino]

Ok Polymer. Ya got me. Ive been super busy. kids work etc.
heres some pics

[Scotty vino]

some more

[Scotty vino]

few more.

[n4sir]

2008 Franck Bonville Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésimé magnum


Cheers,
Ian

How is this drinking Ian? Is it a drink now prospect or can it sleep for awhile yet?

I liked its complexity, but I did not think it was in the same league as the top Marques such as Krug, Dom Perignon and the like - the acidity is there, but I would have liked more palate weight and length. As for Champagne in general, unless it's in that top eschelon I don't see a lot of point cellaring them too long, I have tried too many disappointing aged Champagnes over the years...

That said, it's probably best to ask Mark Jappe about this one, he drinks a lot more Champagne than I do and he thought it was possibly a contender for wine of the night.

Cheers,
Ian

[Mike Hawkins]

2008 Franck Bonville Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésimé magnum


Cheers,
Ian

How is this drinking Ian? Is it a drink now prospect or can it sleep for awhile yet?

I liked its complexity, but I did not think it was in the same league as the top Marques such as Krug, Dom Perignon and the like - the acidity is there, but I would have liked more palate weight and length. As for Champagne in general, unless it's in that top eschelon I don't see a lot of point cellaring them too long, I have tried too many disappointing aged Champagnes over the years...

That said, it's probably best to ask Mark Jappe about this one, he drinks a lot more Champagne than I do and he thought it was possibly a contender for wine of the night.

Cheers,
Ian

I really think this is at least 5 years off its peak. It’s an acid-fest at the moment, like a number of 2008 BdBs. I had it at the winery at release and again recently, and it hasn’t changed much. I’ve had many Bonvilles with age and they definitely need time

[conformistpete]

Awesome thanks for the thoughtful responses gents.

I have had some of the 2009s and they seemed quite approachable. Will let the 08s sleep.

[Mike Hawkins]

Awesome thanks for the thoughtful responses gents.

I have had some of the 2009s and they seemed quite approachable. Will let the 08s sleep.

2009 is a more approachable vintage... lots of ripe, tropical flavours and lower acid. The fact Cristal and DP released 2009 first shows many 2008 champers need time