Melbourne Offline / Fri 24 Aug / 10yo+ Cabernet

[Ozzie W]

Post-dinner rankings below.

[img]https://s15.postimg.cc/if2eua6ff/Screenshot_ ... .51_AM.png[/img]

Comparing with our pre-dinner rankings, there's a few surprises. My observations:

1998 Chateau Reynella was our WOTN but only ranked in the middle earlier.
1990 Chateau Leoville and both Moss Woods ranked highly on the night and prior.
2001 Wirra Wirra ranked much more highly than we anticipated.

[TiggerK]

Top stuff guys, I certainly wouldn't have picked the Reynella to win, otherwise results not too unexpected, bottle variation issues aside. I maintain that the Block 42 96 is still too primary and coconut oaky so you may have missed the chance to try a good wine, but it's a wine still not close to showing it's true potential. (P.S What, you didn't look at the label mjs? Surely a clue there? Or was it wrapped in paper perhaps?)

Good wines, we're going to have our work cut out matching that lineup here in Syd!

[mychurch]

Yes, it was a great night and lovely to meet everybody. Amazing how proffesional it all was.

Can’t complain about the lack of the Block 42 - I had the 80a down as a ‘young wine’, probably the 01 Angelus. One of those Penfolds wins that will make 50 years.

The Reynell was the most humbling wine - it was so obviously a mature bdx - and deserved its ‘wine of the night’ accolade.

[Rossco]

Sounds like another great night, with a surprise ending!

[mjs]

Top stuff guys, I certainly wouldn't have picked the Reynella to win, otherwise results not too unexpected, bottle variation issues aside. I maintain that the Block 42 96 is still too primary and coconut oaky so you may have missed the chance to try a good wine, but it's a wine still not close to showing it's true potential. (P.S What, you didn't look at the label mjs? Surely a clue there? Or was it wrapped in paper perhaps?)

Good wines, we're going to have our work cut out matching that lineup here in Syd!

Yes, you are going to have your work cut out

Right stuff up there tbh. Knew the box with the Block42's, looked quickly inside the box on Thurs night as I had to race out to a burgundy tasting, pulled out a bottle with "Kalimna" on it, then didn't happen to note the label before I put it in a carry bag for Friday. I still didn't notice when I was decanting it at work an hour before the dinner. Gee, that cork is a bit soft, oh well, bit of care with the Ah-So to get it out. Hmm, looks bit older than what I expected, tastes ok. Oh, f#*k, its the wrong wine, too late to change.

Fortunately, as MyChurch commented, it showed very well. I will def bring a Block42 to another suitable tasting (Rossco - note that!).

[Rossco]

Fortunately, as MyChurch commented, it showed very well. I will def bring a Block42 to another suitable tasting (Rossco - note that!).

Hahahahah you know I had thought the exact same thing and was going to write that in my previous post....but thought better of it.

I'm back in with a chance !

[dave vino]

I think it would be wasted in Melbourne, you should bring it up for the sophisticated palates of Sydney.

[mjs]

Dave, get in line

[mychurch]

Posted the notes below on wine pages. I am normally very stingy with ratings, so 2 4.5 and a few 4* meant we had some lovely wines.

'We have debated the pros and cons of blind tasting over the years and this tasting, arranged with some of the auswine croud, showed both sides

All the wines were double decanted and bagged and picked out by Chris in a random order. The venue was the rather nice Bergerac, just a stones throw from Southern Cross, and we had a big round table to ourselves for the whole night.

The lineup, which we all knew, was

1980 Moss Wood Cabernet (ConJ)
1998 Reynell Cabernet (n4sir)
1989 Peter Lehmann Stoddart Trophy Cabernet Malbec Merlot Shiraz (n4sir)
1978 Ch Leoville Poyferre (Mychurch)
1996 Penfolds Block42 Cabernet (mjs)
1996 Moss Wood (ChrisH)
1990 Ch Leoville Poyferre (Ozzie W)
2001 Wirra Wirra Angelus (Michael)
2001 Lindemans St George (Michael)
1986 Ch Tahbilk Bin 73 (ConJ)
2006 Reschke Bos Coonawarra Cabernet (n4sir+2)

allthough mjs picked up the wrong bottle by mistake and we had to make do with Penfolds 1980 Bin 80a Kalimna Cabernet/Shiraz

Pre Tasting White – 2008 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay
On the intial taste my thoughts went straight to the FlameTree SRS Chardonanny that Keith prothero had used in his Old World/New World tasting. Similar ripeness of fruit, good oak, very long. Must be a 6 to 8 year old WA chardonnay. But then Chris started to play the options game and my judgment went AWOL. So I went New Zealand for the country, then NSW when it came to the region and finally, 2012 when we had to pick the vintage….really should have stuck to my guns. Good wine, but nothing like the wines I remember drinking at the the start of the 00’s. 15/16 Flametree are better wines (and value) though, but it’s a matter of taste 4*

Wine 1 – 1996 Moss Wood Cabernet
Mature wine, probably just past its best. None of the cassis i was expecting and to me it tastes a bit like a blend. Sensual and seductive, hint of forest floor, delicate red berry fruit. Gorgeous. What a start. Must be either the Penfolds 80a or the 86 Thablik. (Wrong) We did not have enough glasses to keep this, which was a shame as it got better and better in the glass.4 going on 4.5

Wine 2 – 2001 lindemanns St George
Stronger colour. Younger and tastes like a straight cab. Tabacco, tomato leaf, cassis. Past adolescence and is a spotty teenager on its way to adulthood. Must be one of the 2001. Seems a straight Cab, so I’ll go for the Lindemaans St George. Correct!! 4*

Wine 3 - 1986 Ch Tahbilk Bin 73
Corked !!
Plenty to see behind the taint though. Still a strong colour and, being rather immune to tca (looks of horror around the table as I continued to taste), I could taste that there was fruit underneath. Shame

Wine 4 - 1989 Peter Lehmann Stoddart Trophy Cabernet Malbec Merlot Shiraz
Chunky wine that’s a real conundrum. Ceder and delicate berries on the nose, this explodes in the mouth with rich carmalised black current. Long powerful finish. Changes quickly in the glass and starts to fall away - hence only 3.5. Is it the 98 Reynell ? Nope, the 89 Lehman. Footnote. At the end of the tasting the smell from the empty bottle was amazing. No idea if this needs more time or should have been drunk up. 3.5

Wine 5 – 1978 Ch Leoville Poyferre
This looks older and lighter. It’s quite tertiary, with ceder and forest floor. More acidity that the earlier wines and misses some fruit. Had to be the 78, and it was.

The cork had loosened a bit and we had to push it in. Shame, but a recent 12000km flight probably did not help. Imagine this would have been great though on its own with the food. 3*

Wine 6 – 1990 Ch Leoville Poyferre
Another odd 1. This has the look of an old wine, but it’s very rich, with lots of fruit. Similar to Nr 1, but it’s less of a blend, with rich cassis and some exotic oak. Too ripe for France, but does have lovely balance. Must be 96 Moss Wood. Nope...4*

Wine 7 – Penfolds 1980 Bin 80a Kalimna Cabernet/Shiraz.
Lovely sweet fruit. Definitely a young wine, this has the best structure so far and is very classy. It’s more rounded than the 01 St George. Some ceder emerges on the nose and the fruits are in the red spectrum. Long finish. To rich for the bdx and as it’s youthful, it must be the 01 Wirra Angelus...

I originally had his as 4* and in 6th place, but given that it’s 21 years older than I thought, it’s actually my wine of the night. Stunning stuff. 4.5*

Wine 8 – 2005 Reschke Cabernet
Stands out a mile due to its fruity nose and dark color. Boiled black current sweets. Very young and intense. Has to the the 06 Reschke. Correct.

Wine 9 – 1998 Reynell Cabernet
This was an easy one. Seductive nose. Lighter than all the other wines, this is the best balanced wine of the night with that ethereal quality you only get in good mature bdx. Lovely black current, gentle. So easy to drink. Yum. Has to be 90 Poyferre

Nope. This fooled a few and ended being voted wine of the night. 4/4.5*

Wine 10 – 1980 Moss Wood Cabernet
Old, with a touch of bitter almonds on the nose. It’s not complex, despite the obvious age, but the fruit of stunning, with cassis, violets and some spice. Lovely wine and a step up from the previous. Old, but still with lots of life. Probably the 86 Thahblik

This was my wow wine on the night. So drinkable and showing just how well Auz Cab ages. Should have seen the link to wine 1, but we were swallowing. 4.5*

Wine 11 – 2001 the Angelus, Wirra Wirra
Lighter style. This has some leather in the nose and is a bit sweaty to start with - is this the Pendfolds with its dollop of Shiraz ? Opens out a lot in the glass though and while it’s different to all the others, it’s classy and has great balance and plenty of complexity. Yum. Must be either the Penfolds or the Thablik blend...Nope

Aging faster then the 01 St George. This is drinking very well today. 4*

Conclusion
On the plus side, this 98 Reynell showed just how preconceptions can be torn to shreds. Lovely wine – sold as Chateau Reynell in the UK when I used to buy it – and worth seeking out. The Penfolds of course showed the other side. I marked it slightly down on the night as it was obviously still young and on its way up. Once you know what it is though, then you can see we have a great wine here and one that may make 50 years of age.

Great night, and I must say that I was very impressed with the deep knowledge of auswine boys. Kudos esepcially to Irving, and his tool collection, for managing to get all the wines uncorked, decanted and bagged "

[Ozzie W]

I've done this theme three times now and I've thoroughly enjoyed it every time. It takes any label snobbery out of the equation and puts all the wines on a level playing field, whether they cost $50 or $350. There are always surprises and it just reinforces the fact that when it comes to wine, price is not always commensurate with quality.

There are wines you expect to be good and they are. There are wines you expect to be good and they disappoint one way or another. There are wines you expect to be less good (compared with their peers) and they punch way above their weight... sometimes they are even epic!

[Willard]

What a terrific line-up, and I really like the tasting structure/methodology.

Thanks for the notes mychurch, really excellent and easy to get a feel for the wines individually and relatively.

Will

[rooman]

Pre Tasting White – 2008 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay
On the intial taste my thoughts went straight to the FlameTree SRS Chardonanny that Keith prothero had used in his Old World/New World tasting. Similar ripeness of fruit, good oak, very long. Must be a 6 to 8 year old WA chardonnay. But then Chris started to play the options game and my judgment went AWOL. So I went New Zealand for the country, then NSW when it came to the region and finally, 2012 when we had to pick the vintage….really should have stuck to my guns. Good wine, but nothing like the wines I remember drinking at the the start of the 00’s. 15/16 Flametree are better wines (and value) though, but it’s a matter of taste 4*

The reference to the Flametree reminds me I was looking for some of these earlier this year in my quest to add more Chardonnay to the cellar. Was this a random thought about the Flametree or have you tried it in the past since you seem to be putting it in the same group as the LEAS? I'm interested to know if its worth trying to track down. Your thoughts?

Mark

[Michael McNally]

That was a great lineup of wines and a wonderful time thanks. I cannot believe how many bottles of wine were actually the Moss Wood 96! Just goes to show the quality of the wines (I actually wrote down Moss Wood 96 as the first guess on the first wine, but then listened to others and talked myself out of it.

Thanks for a lovely night and exceptional generosity as always. As Malcolm said you would be very happy with any of those wines opened in front of you (except the 86 Tahbilk!). And good work with the surveys and masking Ozzie!

Cheers

Michael

[mychurch]

The reference to the Flametree reminds me I was looking for some of these earlier this year in my quest to add more Chardonnay to the cellar. Was this a random thought about the Flametree or have you tried it in the past since you seem to be putting it in the same group as the LEAS? I'm interested to know if its worth trying to track down. Your thoughts?

Mark

Mark, check out the Old World/New World Blind Chardonnay Challenge on Wine-Pages. Keith did a lot of pre-tasting, and he choose the 16 Flametree as one of his top picks from the New World. After I read all the notes, I went out and bought a bottle of the 15 and the 16 Flametree. I preffered the 15 as I thought it was more old school - reminded me the wines I used to drink at the start of the 90's. The 16 is more refined, classier and I imagine with 5 or 6 years of bottle age it will be quite similar to the Leeuwin we had on Friday.

Word of warning though - until i moved here in Jan, I probably only drank a couple of bottles of Auz Chardonnay in the previous 10+ years. (and not much more non Auz chardonnay). Its fun at the moment trying the style again, but i imagine true chardonnay lovers may be a better guides.