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

[phillisc]

2015 Bowen Estate Shiraz...first proper wine in 40 days and tasted so good. I note there are critics of the 15 Bowen's having far too much acid, but certainly not here. Tasted very cool, lots of blueberry, bordering on full bodied, drunk over dinner with a few guests, went down a treat.
Trying to look at more wine younger now...will look at the next one in 5 years.
Based on this will certainly be getting some 2016s...said to be a superior vintage in Coonawarra.

Cheers
Craig

[mychurch]

2017 Sewn Chardonnay, Seville Eatate
Seville Estate have been named the Winery of the Year in the 2019 Halliday guide. This is the basic Chardie, rated 95 by Halliday, the same as the $50 Flametree I tried a few months ago. With coconut and aniseed on the nose, this has good mid plate weight, plenty of fruit and slightly heavy oak. It’s young, so may settle down, buts it’s a just good value cheapie and nothing more. At $24 it’s fine for a mid week dinner with chicken, but 85-88 is a better guide.

[rens]

2015 Mike Press Cabernet- Reaching strataspheric pricing now days at $12.95. I remember when you could get it for $12.00.
Delicious cabernet fruit and at 3 years still young and tannic. Great week day quaffer.

[deejay81]

2017 Serrat Pinot Nior

Clear, dark ruby red, a little bit of purple.

Nose is clean with plenty of strawberries, cherries, herbal/mint tea, white pepper, tar.

Medium bodied, soft tannins, medium acidity. taste is similar to the nose. Finish is medium.

It's a very good wine that drinks well now and pairs with light food. possibly could be a little more complex and time will probably make it even better. 92pts

[Hacker]

2015 Mike Press Cabernet- Reaching strataspheric pricing now days at $12.95. I remember when you could get it for $12.00.
Delicious cabernet fruit and at 3 years still young and tannic. Great week day quaffer.

I have not really considered buying the Mike Press wines, probably shamefully thinking you get what you pay for. Is the standard of his wines at 'weekday quaffer' or are they legitimately a much better product? If so, how much better? How long is a piece of string?

[Hacker]

Tried a 2004 Kalleske Greenock Shiraz tonight together with the flagship Johann Georg, Both blind. Tried this first and found it immensely enjoyable, at it’s peak and quite full bodied with thick black fruit. Next the JG and it was almost identical save for a more prominent tannic spine. Both lovely to drink with beef cheeks, but the hip pocket votes for this $35 version as opposed to the $100 JG.
Must grab some of the 2016.

[Sean]

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[Bobthebuilder]

2006 Sang de pigeon, by Michael Hall Wines, Adelaide Hills
I’ve been a fan of MH’s wines since first trying his Pinot’s in the last few years, but never tried anything else.
A blend of 90% chardonnay with 10% sav blanc.
This is really nice, some reductive notes on the nose seem to give power to the sweet stone fruit on the palate, the oak is only slightly noticeable and with a decent whack of acidity it all comes together very well with a persistent and enjoyable finish.

[michel]

2006 Sang de pigeon, by Michael Hall Wines, Adelaide Hills
I’ve been a fan of MH’s wines since first trying his Pinot’s in the last few years, but never tried anything else.
A blend of 90% chardonnay with 10% sav blanc.
This is really nice, some reductive notes on the nose seem to give power to the sweet stone fruit on the palate, the oak is only slightly noticeable and with a decent whack of acidity it all comes together very well with a persistent and enjoyable finish.

Michael is lovely guy
I enjoy his wines and his personality
I have nothing to declare

[deejay81]

2017 Jim Barry Watervale Riesling

Clear, almost no colour, perhaps a slight green tinge.

Nose is clean with freshly squeezed lemons and limes. Citrus candy. Newly cut green grass.

Body is light, high acidity, very little residual sugar, if any at all. Lemon and lime sherbet. Salty, wet rocks. Minerally driven wine.

Finish is medium length but the juicy acidity keeps the mouth salivating. Very good dry Riesling that is drinkable now but with more to come for 5-10 years. 88pts

[Chuck]

A big night with friends over for some winter comfort food of corned silverside, mustard white sauce and roasted root veges.

Cloudy Bay NV bubbles. Nice bubbles.

Santarossa Better Half Yarra Valley NV bubbles. Always a crowd pleaser.

Lindemans 2006 Coonawarra Limestone Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon . Nice but no wow factor. Not sure it will get any better

Peter Lehmann 2006 Barossa Mentor. The straight cabernet sauvignon version. Nice but I prefer the blended version.

Brands Laira 2008 Blockers Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. The surprise packet of the night. Lovely sweet fruit so typical of the vintage in Coonawarra.

Seppeltsfield 2015 Barossa Shiraz. Performed well for such a young wine.

Then a selection of malt whiskies and tawny ports.

Carl

[Chuck]

A big night with friends over for some winter comfort food of corned silverside, mustard white sauce and roasted root veges.

Cloudy Bay NV bubbles. Nice bubbles.

Santarossa Better Half Yarra Valley NV bubbles. Always a crowd pleaser.

Lindemans 2006 Coonawarra Limestone Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon . Nice but no wow factor. Not sure it will get any better

Peter Lehmann 2006 Barossa Mentor. The straight cabernet sauvignon version. Nice but I prefer the blended version.

Brands Laira 2008 Blockers Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. The surprise packet of the night. Lovely sweet fruit so typical of the vintage in Coonawarra.

Seppeltsfield 2015 Barossa Shiraz. Performed well for such a young wine.

Then a selection of malt whiskies and tawny ports.

Carl

[michel]

2004 Ruinart bdb outstanding wine seek out and enjoy in decent glasses
1999 Ampuis Guigal tight and trying to unfurl - wait longer
2006 Vogue Bonnes mares forest floor aromas with wild berries and wonderful tannins - it is perfect now

[Mahmoud Ali]

Peter Lehmann 2006 Barossa Mentor. The straight cabernet sauvignon version. Nice but I prefer the blended version.

I did not know there was more than one type of Mentor. The very first Mentor I bought and cellared was the 1999 which I feel certain was a blend. I now have a bottle of the '06 and '10 which has a different label due to the horrendous livery change but am now unsure if they are a blend or a straight cabernet.

Then a selection of malt whiskies and tawny ports.

I'm curious, what were they?

Mahmoud.

[deejay81]

2010 Turkey Flat Butchers Block Red

Clear, deep dark purple showing very little signs of age.

Nose is clean with blackberries, mint, eucalyptus, white pepper and cloves

Full bodied, medium plus tannin, medium acid. Taste is similar to the nose. Add some bitter dark chocolate, American oak presence, with a long blackcurrent, blueberry finish.

Finish is medium plus. Tasting very young for an 8 year old. Still a good few years till peaking. Good representation of a classic Barossa GSM blend. 88pts

[Chuck]

Peter Lehmann 2006 Barossa Mentor. The straight cabernet sauvignon version. Nice but I prefer the blended version.

I did not know there was more than one type of Mentor. The very first Mentor I bought and cellared was the 1999 which I feel certain was a blend. I now have a bottle of the '06 and '10 which has a different label due to the horrendous livery change but am now unsure if they are a blend or a straight cabernet.

Then a selection of malt whiskies and tawny ports.

I'm curious, what were they?

Mahmoud.

Based on the JH site it was a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Malbec until 2011 after which it was a straight cabernet however the 2006 bottle states it's a straight cabernet. Not sure if they made too versions in the one year. A 2008 version recently was the blend and really nice.

Malts were:
Glenlivet 15YO
Macallan 12YO (Double cask. Much better than standard IMO)
Oban 14YO
Hyland Park 12YO
Glenmorangie Lasanta
And a ringin. Clyde May Bourbon.
And a 1987 Grand Prix tawny port. Really nice juice IMO and many vintages of it are currently ridiculously priced at auction at around $10.
A lot of empty whisky bottles in the recycling bin so need to get more. We are heading os next week so may be able to bring some in duty free on the way back in although I've found the price differential is not significant.

Carl

[Tucker Wine Studios]

Mahmoud Ali wrote:

Chuck wrote:
Peter Lehmann 2006 Barossa Mentor. The straight cabernet sauvignon version. Nice but I prefer the blended version.


I did not know there was more than one type of Mentor. The very first Mentor I bought and cellared was the 1999 which I feel certain was a blend. I now have a bottle of the '06 and '10 which has a different label due to the horrendous livery change but am now unsure if they are a blend or a straight cabernet.

Chuck wrote:
Then a selection of malt whiskies and tawny ports.


I'm curious, what were they?

Mahmoud.



Based on the JH site it was a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Malbec until 2011 after which it was a straight cabernet however the 2006 bottle states it's a straight cabernet. Not sure if they made too versions in the one year. A 2008 version recently was the blend and really nice.

Opened yesterday a 2002 PL Mentor, it's really good, still dark and brooding, quite some crust. Great drinking now but no hurry to drink up.
Blend is 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 10% Shiraz and 8% Malbec, all from vineyards in the Stonewell, Light Pass and Ebenezer subregions of the Barossa. Aged in new French oak hogsheads for 18 months. 14% Alc.
Cheers, Mario

[JamieBahrain]

I've been drinking modernist Rioja this week. Riservas from 2010 I recall. Quite boring and moved back to 8 euro dolcettos for more a wine expereince.

[Cactus]

Spritz Aperol. Summer has come early here in Sydney. In sun drinking with a bit of Aretha Franklin . Magic. Might get to a 2014 Vat 1 later in arvo.

[michel]

2014 Esk Valley Terraces
Malbec merlot cab franc
Absolute cracker with leafy herbal characters and fine tannins
Grilling some fan tail snapper with home grown greens
I am intrigued how the guests handle this double blind!

[Bobthebuilder]

2016 The Thredbo, McLaren Vale cab sav

complimentary bottle you get when you arrive and they have already taken you to the cleaners before you've even seen the accommodation!

The accommodation was great, the snow was fantastic, all the wines I brought are now gone and its the only thing left to drink, and to be honest its not too bad. As it should be considering how much they stripped me!

It also came with a nice double bottle bag/carrier, which my missus and I have been debating for almost a week now whether its real leather or real good pleather!

[Sean]

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[rooman]

An enjoyable Camille Giroud Huit-Saint-Georges Les Vaurains Prem Cru 2006 with the family dinner last night. Soft tannins and mellow fruit - sort of just ripe strawberries . It definitely took a couple of hours to open up but in the end I was trying to convince Ms Rooman perhaps she should hand over her wine glass as mine was now empty and replace it with a whiskey on ice.

[rooman]

Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2010 - 51% cabernet and 49% shiraz. Got 12 months in American oak, 40% new. I guess the rest might be the “old” Grange barrels. A good vintage for Penfolds giving them plenty of choices from around South Australia and it shows. Blackberry, cherry, licorice and dried herbs. The oak is still evident without distracting too much from the quality in this. Nice fruit intensity and beautiful, dense tannins (that I am looking for in this) give it structure.

I tried one earlier this year but they are definitely a long term hold. At present I thought the tannins were just too bold to allow the wine to be enjoyable. No question however one day in another decade or so it will be great drinking.

[catchnrelease]

2009 Amelia Park Cabernet Merlot - Held on to this too long, fruit gone leaving only acid and a bit of tannin behind. Surprisingly purple. Tried to persist with it but no good, down the sink.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Sunday night, with pan-fried marinated steaks, we had a 1994 Penfold's Kalimna Bin 28, South Australia (14%). The nose was quite perfumed, spicy, peppery, menthol-inflected with hints of polished leather. The palate was not quite as exotic, but the ripe plump fruit had a herbal element that, with time, developed a dry, savoury profile. Very enjoyable, it was perfectly matched with the food.

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

[felixp21]

Manologan Classic Rouge 2015
from Kalamata (Massinia) in Greece. You know you have a rare or cheap one when it does not even appear in Cellatracker
although not stated on the label, this is almost certainly Cabernet Sauvignon, and it certainly has all the hallmarks of this grape. Lovely leafy character, with berries and cassis. Bright and long, a lovely drink-now quaffer. 88pts.
some really good value Cabs come out of Messinia, certainly worth trying if you can find any down under.

[conformistpete]

2009 Amelia Park Cabernet Merlot - Held on to this too long, fruit gone leaving only acid and a bit of tannin behind. Surprisingly purple. Tried to persist with it but no good, down the sink.

Seems awfully young for a Cabernet to have aged so much.

[catchnrelease]

2009 Amelia Park Cabernet Merlot - Held on to this too long, fruit gone leaving only acid and a bit of tannin behind. Surprisingly purple. Tried to persist with it but no good, down the sink.

Seems awfully young for a Cabernet to have aged so much.

I was pretty surprised, I thought it would have been fine. Screw cap so unlikely a bad bottle. Only bought one bottle so no idea what it was like young.

[Bobthebuilder]

Seppelt night here!

2013 Jaluka Chardonnay - interesting nose of fruit & flowers, pears, red apple and slightly underripe peach on the palate with racy acidity and some subtle sourness on the finish. Quite nice.

2013 Chalambar Shiraz - was sceptical at first, it seemed a bit all over the place but after a bit of air came together nicely. Spicey savoury, a bit minty, obvious oak but not overpowering, juicy blood plum, fresh tobacco and cedar. Probably could do with a few more years but given some air shows well, I’m guessing even better tomorrow night.

Given the price point of these wines (mid 20’s) I think they are outstanding VFM.