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

[tuxy85]

I had my first ever glass of Standish on the weekend. I went out for dinner with my wife to Blackbird Grill. She is pregnant so I had to order from the by the glass menu. Thankfully their by the glass menu is very good. I had glasses of a King Valley Prosecco, New England Gewurztraminer and NZ Pinot Noir (can't remember what they were).

For the main course (rump steak) it was a tough choice between a glass of the 2015 "The Standish" and the 2016 Cullen Diana Madeline. I went with the Standish and I was very happy I did. Black and red fruits balanced with raisin, pepper, vanilla and fennel. It was very enjoyable now ...... however I think I need to add some to my collection to try out in 5 and 10 years time.

[felixp21]

2015 Sorrenberg Gamay
absolutely beautiful wine, loads of pure fruit, great length and very very gluggable, just like a really good BoJo. They are on a real roll at this address, might even have surpassed local legend Giaconda for overall product excellence. When you come across a Gamay as good as this, it makes you wonder why more Aussie producers don't give up on the incredibly difficult and fickle pinot noir grape and look to cultivate this instead. I have had very few Aussie pinot that would better this, and i am sure this would be amazingly popular as a restaurant pour. 91pts drink: now-2025.

2000 Chateau Monbousquet
there is no doubt that St Emilion was a bit hit-and-miss in this vintage,and unfortunately after 18 years and countless attempts with this wine, I would have to conclude it is a miss. Every bottle thus far has rather muted fruit and a faint ash-tray nuance to it. In St Em, that is usually a sign of slightly under-ripe grapes, which i suspect was the problem here. Not a bad wine, but certainly nothing to write home about. 87pts, drink: now-2025

1998 Penfolds Bin 389
very popular at the table, but just a little ho-hum for me. Extremely polished fruit, dark berries, a touch of floor varnish in the true Penfold's tradition, and very nice length. But, like so many of their wines, doesn't leave a sense of place with the drinker. I guess it would be horrible of me to compare Penfold's to McDonalds, but i just get the feeling of "sameness" with their wines. Where is the personality? 88pts drink: now-2025

[rooman]

Dinner at tets this coming Saturday night - a few great bottles planned & sourced over the past month or so.

Just called to confirm - THEY NO LONGER DO BYO!

18 years & now the policy has changed, no mention at the time of booking either - asked to make an exception just for one bottle of Cristal - refused!

Well I hope you cancelled the booking and went elsewhere. I think their food is overrated anyway these days, especially for the price. Seems stuck in time, yeah it's good, but the wow factor just not quite there for me the last few times, and when cost is 300+ p.p I'm over it. And now no BYO, completely!!

Higher end Sydney dining with BYO is tricky though, est are very good with it, Sake at the Rocks or Double Bay is good (prefer to Tets but many will disagree).

Have a great night either way!!!

Tim do sake in Double Bay do BYO? If so that’s good news.

Mark

[TiggerK]

Yeah they did for us a while back, can't recall what they charged, wasn't cheap, but wasn't the $50 a bottle that I think the Rocks Sake charges either.

[dave vino]

Yeah they did for us a while back, can't recall what they charged, wasn't cheap, but wasn't the $50 a bottle that I think the Rocks Sake charges either.

According to our forums it was $10pp with a max of 10 bottles.

[Michael McNally]

Yeah they did for us a while back, can't recall what they charged, wasn't cheap, but wasn't the $50 a bottle that I think the Rocks Sake charges either.

According to our forums it was $10pp with a max of 10 bottles.

10 bottles per person?!?! Even Brisbane Offlines usually max out around the 3 bpp mark....

Cheers

Michael

[TiggerK]

Have you seen our offlines Michael? There’s a reason Daves nickname is suitcase man.

[TiggerK]

Recent offline wines - Chablis / Chardonnay theme

Highlights were the first three, plus the Lambert/Les Dolomies duo. Always happy with Kumeu too of course!
Both reds were excellent.

2014 JP Droin 1er Vaulorent
2014 Louis Michel et Fils 1er Montee de Tonnerre
2012 Gautheron 1er Les Forneaux

2016 William Fevre Petit Chablis
2015 J Moreau et Fils Chablis

2017 Luke Lambert Chardonnay
2013 Les Dolomies Boutonniers

2016 Latta Vino Jurassique Blanc Ullaged Chardonnay

2011 Kumeu River Hunting Hill
2013 Kumeu River Mate's

2007 Bouchard Grand Cru Corton Charlemagne (Premox!)
2014 William Fevre 1er Montee de Tonnerre

2016 Gut Oggau Rot

2013 Produttori del Barbaresco Rabaja Riserva

[swirler]

2007 Grand Cru Corton Charlemagne (Premox!)

Heartbreaking! Who was the producer?

[TiggerK]

2007 Grand Cru Corton Charlemagne (Premox!)

Heartbreaking! Who was the producer?

Oops missed that, it was Bouchard.

[Mike Hawkins]

1996 Taittinger Comtes BDB... one of my great loves. Perhaps my favourite vintage of my favourite wine. Lovely golden colour, tiny bead. Just getting some honeyed, fruit salad, toasty notes on the nose. Waves of rich, ripe Chardonnay fruit on the palate that goes on and on and on. Simply mellifluous. Finishes with the vintage’s trademark acidity which has soften and integrated beautifully. Magnificent now, and will become a wine for the ages in due course. Sadly, not a typical Wednesday night for me....

[Sean]

deleted

[n4sir]

Notes on the new Wynns wines that I have bought after two tastings (Wed and Fri). I opened a btl of the Shiraz last night.

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 - The Black Label name has been dropped from the front label. (It isn’t on the 15 come to think of it.) They are still featuring the vintage number, in this case the 61st vintage.

It never used to have the Black Label name on the label in the past either, that was only brought in from the 2010 vintage.
My guess is that it was done the same time as the launch of the Black Label Shiraz to infer that they were of equal quality.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/c9OrvKJ.jpg[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/GJMQzmq.jpg[/img]

[Sean]

deleted

[Mahmoud Ali]

Hadn't noticed the term 'Black Label' on the label as I haven't bought one since the 2005 vintage. I have a '96 ready to go anytime soon, and this thread has me thinking that tomorrow might be the time to try one with some t-bone steaks that my friend plans on serving tomorrow night.

In the meantime Friday evening saw us drinking a bottle of the 2011 Domaine Weinbach 'Schlossberg' Riesling. This is still loaded with acidity, clean and linear, but is developing a honeyed, tangy aspect now that it is seven years old. Lovely wine.

Mahmoud.

[mjs]

No mention of Black Label on the front label of this either, just “Old Vines Shiraz” instead. Sourced from some very old shiraz vineyards. (Or mostly.) I was thinking about this a bit, because it was the replanting they did in the 90’s they would be drawing on too.

Wynns have drawn on the "Barossa Old Vine Charter" in which "Old Vines" are classified as at least 35 years of age. In fact a lot of the Black Label shiraz is from vines planed in the 1920's, with a limited amount dating back further to 1894, much older than their cabernet stocks.

Impressed by all the releases at a dinner on Wednesday, but most impressed with the '15 Messenger Cabernet from the Messenger Block in the south end of Coonawarra and the '15 John Riddoch.

My notes for the JR were "deep black red, crimson rim, blueberries, cassis, dark fruits, beautiful fruit feel in the mouth, fine ripe tannins, not much more than medium bodied, beautiful structure, oak there but not overbearing, length as well"

Its Day 5 of the Festival of Birthday today, I may be opening an '82 JR a bit later

[Chuck]

Lindemans 2006 Pyrus. Coonawarra fruit. Blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. On opening it was unyielding and tight with acid poking out a bit but after 3 hours in a zurrutti decanter it has blossomed into probably my wine of the year so far. Plush black and blue fruits and fully integrated oak. Lovely mouthfeel and mouth filling. I thought it was going to be medium bodied but it was a notch up. Power with elegance. Wonderful fruit that could not be faulted. Sadly after the first half of the bottle it started to slip just a bit but was still a pleasure to drink. Ready to go now and should hold at it's peak for a few more years but why wait. Yum. I can still taste it this morning.

On Friday night a Mockingbird Hill 2015 Single Vineyard Skilly Block Clare Valley Riesling. A really nice rizza that was still primary.Lovely floral notes, citrus and all things rizza. Really nice with crumbed gummy shark.

Carl

[Mahmoud Ali]

I opened the 1996 Wynn's Black Label Cabernet(only 13%) on Saturday night and from the first sniff of the decanter I thought something was wrong. From the glass I detected a slight tinny, sour note. The palate was equally attenuated, no hint of what I expect from an aged cabernet. The others at the table did not immediately notice the flaw but they also didn't know what I was serving. In fact the acidity didn't seem out of place because the previous wine I served was a 1996 Vino Nobilo de Montepulciano (Ruffino's Ladola Nuova), an older sangiovese with a lot of Italianate acidity. I suspected the Wynns was mildly corked and insisted on opening a back up which was a 1985 Chateau Gressier-Grand-Poujeoux from Moulis in Bordeaux. By the time I had decanted the Bordeaux, the others had also come to the conclusion that something was off with the Wynns. My friend expressed surprise at the reveal because he said he has always enjoyed Coonawarra cabernets.

I will have to ferret out another bottle of the '96 to see where it's at.

Mahmoud.

[phillisc]

Thanks for the note Sean, will pick up some BL Shiraz...in the last couple of vintages I was not convinced (and not just my opinion), 13 and 15 that its 2 1/2 times better than the white label...a wine which punches way above its weight and puts the $40!!?? Bin 128 into the weeds.
Interesting that the 2016 Gables score big marks...perhaps the 16 vintage for Wynns is great across the board.
Cheers Craig

[phillisc]

2017 Metala...not quite to the standard of 2016 or previous vintages from the noughties...a bit thin , but pleasant all the same.
My palate could be way off...first drink in 36 days!!!

Cheers Craig

[Sean]

deleted

[Sean]

deleted

[Hacker]

2004 Penfolds St Henri. Decanted a couple of hours prior. Screwcapped, not that it made much difference. It was just...boring. Some fruit but no complexity, and a very short finish. On release there was so much optimism, scoring 96 points from a number of respected critics. To my palate this has nowhere near lived up to its status.

[Matt@5453]

Sidewood Chardonnay 2017 - Wendy actually picked this, not me. Looking for a chardy in the wine fridge. I knew nothing about this Adelaide Hills winery and took a look at the website. It hasn’t been around long, but seems to have hit it off with the critics. Big points in the latest Halliday Wine Companion for many of their wines. A dozen wines got 95 or 96 pts. (That is featured on their website.) They have a number of vineyards. The grapes for this Chardonnay were picked over various times giving it a wider fruit profile. Wild yeast and 10 months in French oak barrels. Light straw colour and a lovely aroma of smoky oak and pristine fruit. Melon, citrus, peach, spice and filling out on the mid-palate with soft, leesy influences. Lots of deep acidity in this. Some bottle age will see it come up very nice.

Excellent note. In my mind Sidewood is a quiet achiever, but locally it is well known and regarded (the cellar door is often packed - it helps being located adjacent to a popular restaurant). The winemaker is a guy called Darryl Catlin, prior to this he was the winemaker at Shaw & Smith for many years. Darryl is a terrific winemaker, he makes some very good Pinot Noir & Shiraz also under this label also. I have certainly enjoyed this Chardonnay and the 'Owen' (next rung up in quality). The “Mappinga” Shiraz (under the Sidewood name) is an excellent example of Adelaide Hills Shiraz, from memory around $50-$60. Darryl also has his own label and produces some excellent wines under it.

[Rocky]

2004 Penfolds St Henri. Decanted a couple of hours prior. Screwcapped, not that it made much difference. It was just...boring. Some fruit but no complexity, and a very short finish. On release there was so much optimism, scoring 96 points from a number of respected critics. To my palate this has nowhere near lived up to its status.

I have a few 05/05/07 St Henri which I have been contemplating cracking. Too early still? Seems like I should forget them for a few more years.

[Chuck]

2004 Penfolds St Henri. Decanted a couple of hours prior. Screwcapped, not that it made much difference. It was just...boring. Some fruit but no complexity, and a very short finish. On release there was so much optimism, scoring 96 points from a number of respected critics. To my palate this has nowhere near lived up to its status.

Hi Hacker. The style is polarising (almost antithesis of Grange IMO) and sadly I'm in you camp. I just wish I got the style. It's like me and Pinot but in saying that my wallet is better for it.

Carl

[Sean]

deleted

[felixp21]

I opened the 1996 Wynn's Black Label Cabernet(only 13%) on Saturday night and from the first sniff of the decanter I thought something was wrong. From the glass I detected a slight tinny, sour note. The palate was equally attenuated, no hint of what I expect from an aged cabernet. The others at the table did not immediately notice the flaw but they also didn't know what I was serving. In fact the acidity didn't seem out of place because the previous wine I served was a 1996 Vino Nobilo de Montepulciano (Ruffino's Ladola Nuova), an older sangiovese with a lot of Italianate acidity. I suspected the Wynns was mildly corked and insisted on opening a back up which was a 1985 Chateau Gressier-Grand-Poujeoux from Moulis in Bordeaux. By the time I had decanted the Bordeaux, the others had also come to the conclusion that something was off with the Wynns. My friend expressed surprise at the reveal because he said he has always enjoyed Coonawarra cabernets.

I will have to ferret out another bottle of the '96 to see where it's at.

Mahmoud.

I have had dozens of the 96 over the journey, never been anything that very very ordinary for me. OTOH, there are many glowing reports, so I am guessing that this is another 1977, where there was a large batch of decent bottles, and an equally large batch of terrible bottles.
Actually had this again quite recently, from an entirely independent source, and we all thought it terrible.
For me, Wynns Black Label went thru a horrible period after the 1991 vintage, and this period lasted for many years. Overcropping, mechanical harvesting gone wrong, poor growing seasons and questionable work in the winery all contributed.

[deejay81]

2017 Mac Forbes Woori Yallock Pinot Noir

Clear, medium intensity purple.

Nose is clean with strawberries, under-ripe cherries, menthol, Arnott's Mint Slice. Jasmine.

Medium acid, medium tannin, light oak influence. Strawberries, watermelon, dark chocolate, cherry ripe. Black tea. Mouthwatering.

Finish is medium plus, taste is still young, yet extremely drinkable now. Should last many more years to come and develop more complexity with time in the cellar. Very good wine for a very good vintage. 92pts

[Scotty vino]

Local Droogie Mctavish did A St Henri vertical last night.
Buddy of mine signed me up. No charge and bottles sourced from P. Gagos personal collection. Generous pours considering it was free.
St Henri 1979, 1987, 1991,1999, 2007, 2009. 79 and 87 Henri's fantastic and just kept improving with air in the glass over the hour.
But the 1991!. Wow. right in the spot. so balanced. Lovely brambly blackberry, dark cherry, tobacco , cigar box , bitumen , gamey meats , chocolate and cedar. Tannins just hanging on giving it a beautiful balance and soft/supple mouth feel.
87 and 79 a touch bretty and porty on opening but i was surprised how much they improved over the short period.
More i went back the better they were getting. Similar profile to the 91 but perhaps lackng the balance of fruit and tannin.
99, 07, 09 still pretty bound up compared to aforementioned but still offerring some nice structure and promise for the future.
was supposed to try a 97 but apparently the hosts had a 'whoopsie' with it pre tasting.
All in all a great 90mins of tasting.
Posed the cork/screw cap grange question to the resident TWE host and yes, 2000 grange under cap to be assessed in 2 years.
But cork to remain no matter what happens. So yeah, hmmm.

On the side fellow attendee rocked in with a 1974 WB Grey label for s#$ts and giggles which was opened and passed around.
2 corkscrews later we were giving it a crack. Cork was down to the last millimetre or 2 but had hung on. Stripped of just about everything but still had some great cigar notes and although a touch cloudy i was surprised by its quality. Right in the porty/fortified spectrum but was a fun exercise and a good way to finish.