Right, COVID-19, what are we drinking right now?

[Tucker Wine Studios]

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Centenary Shiraz Cabernet 1991
Opened a 750ml bottle yesterday. Bought at auction around 2010 in Perth, moved with me to Adelaide. It lived since then in a wine fridge, until recently when the fridge died. Was standing upright for a couple of weeks in my passive underground cellar. Cork was soaked through about three quarters, very fragile and crumbly but extracted it carefully in one piece with my Ah-so. Feared it might be corked but first sniff and sip made me smile a lot. With this bottle’s questionable provenance and storage I feel very lucky that it shows so brilliantly. Hardly any brickening, mulberries, plums, tobacco, bit of garrigue, creamy vanilla oak, lively acidity, smooth tannins, very gentle, medium bodied mature wine. Very happy with this bottle. I guess a lot of the bottle variation is due to varying cork quality, eg how much TCA it contained originally.
Cheers, Mario

[felixp21]

2015 Domaine Dublere Corton Charlemagne
wow!!!! this is good. Got that pop-corny, fire-cracker, lemony thing that is so distinctive with good CC's. Lean and long, defies the warm vintage.
Highly recommended. Drinking beautifully already, ideally another 3-4 years. 94+ pts

[JamieBahrain]

I visited this guy many years ago whilst spending a few weeks in Beaune. I always liked his wines but the few I bought never rocked any of my Burg-lover friends' boats. May have been the non-conventional link of an American owner and winemaker and Old World snobbery.

[Ozzie W]

I've presented Domaine Dublere blind a couple times in wine groups. Stood up well amongst it's peers both times.

[brodie]

Opened two 2004s last night. 2004 Ch Carmes Haut Brion was brett infected and not nice. First problem bottle out of full case and only 3 left. I was then "forced" to open another wine. Chose the 2004 Clape Cornas. What a nice choice, lovely floral nose and such a pure classic expression on Nth Rhone Syrah. Unforced, neutral oak just a mouthful of elegant balanced brambly Syrah. Yum indeed.

brodie

[Hacker]

+1 with Blair from Dublere. I have some of his GC Charmes Chambertin and Volnay Taillepieds. They look quite light and are a tad austere but open up to be quite flavoursome. Very well priced too. Didn't he sell and move on?

[Ozzie W]

That's correct, Hacker. He sold to Domaine Terres de Velle last year. Domaine Dublere is no more.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Opened two 2004s last night ... Chose the 2004 Clape Cornas. What a nice choice, lovely floral nose and such a pure classic expression on Nth Rhone Syrah. Unforced, neutral oak just a mouthful of elegant balanced brambly Syrah. Yum indeed.

I have a bottle of this sitting at home along with a 1991 Chapoutier 'Monier de la Sizerane' Hermitage. Both are syrahs and I've been thinking that the Cornas is likely to be far too young and was prepared to return it to the cellar in favour of older wines. Any thoughts?

[felixp21]

sipping on a beautiful wine listening to a Grace Chang album from 1961. The greatest diva to have ever lived (IMO )
the wine fits the music to a tee, intense, complex and incredibly pure.

2005 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze
just an incredible wine. Amazing. The purity, lift and complexity defies logic in this youngster, not even 15 years of age.
decided to open it in this time of uncertainty, my last bottle, but after just two songs from Grace, I knew this was the wine that needed to accompany her. The two absolutely go and in hand.
In my experience, the best wine this wonderful domaine has ever made. 100pts drink: just make sure you drink it anytime over the next 50 years.

[brodie]

Opened two 2004s last night ... Chose the 2004 Clape Cornas. What a nice choice, lovely floral nose and such a pure classic expression on Nth Rhone Syrah. Unforced, neutral oak just a mouthful of elegant balanced brambly Syrah. Yum indeed.

I have a bottle of this sitting at home along with a 1991 Chapoutier 'Monier de la Sizerane' Hermitage. Both are syrahs and I've been thinking that the Cornas is likely to be far too young and was prepared to return it to the cellar in favour of older wines. Any thoughts?

Hi Mahmoud, 1991 was a really good year for Nth Rhone and the Chapoutier should be drunk now IMO. If you bought it on release and the level is good it will be fine but if you got it sometime after release I would drink it now.

I found the 2004 Clape really open and enjoyable. 2004 was a good but somewhat lighter year so I don't think it needs nearly as much cellar time as some of the bigger vintages (2005, 2009 & 2010 for example).

cheers Brodie

[Rossco]

Primo Estate Joseph Sparkling Red
When life gives you lemons, Joseph is always here. Praise be to Joseph. Didnt note the vintage/disgorge date (will do that when i get home)
Silky silky mouth feel, full and rich indicating some some real aged materials in here. McLaren Vale chocolate, some mint...
Dark fruits, plums, blackberries, and even some sweet prunes. Lots of spice here too... Christmas cake, star anise, cinnamon
cloves. Love the lenght and complexity. Perfect mousse, that mouthfeel is stunning.

2016 St Hugo Coonawarra Cab Sav
A gift from a client, and you know what, this is quite good. I thought of MJS when drinking this and wondered if he had any in his
cellar. Not sure how good the 2016 vintage was, but lovely cassis, eucalypt/mint and some pencil shavings. This isnt a monster wine, it has an elegance and purity about it. Lovely use of fruits too. Dark Red/Blue spectrum; Bright colour in the glass, I love the red clay/earth here too. Again medium+ body and just a really nice drink. I question how long it will age for, because the balance is so good now....Not sure its going to last a long time, but medium cellaring 5ish years I would love to see this again.

2010 Schwarz 'Nitschke Block' Shiraz
This has been in my 'drink now' pile for a while. Being so turned off by over-ripe, rich, over oaked Barossa Shiraz,
it was literally the last wine left (before I went digging in the cellar).... but geeeze.... wow this was completely
different to what I thought it would be. Feel like some whole bunches in here, medium+ body, felt a bit like a Sami-Odi if im honest.
Some forest floor mushrooms in here, nice oak treatment and some plummy fruit. Some tomato leaf and raspberry jam. Minerals
in here too, slatey. Big surprise and welcome one.

2007 Tahbilk 1927 Vines Marsanne
Fresh cut wet grass, morning dew and some hay. Slight brine in here too with some kero notes as well. Quite a bit going on.
Some really nice lemon zest acidity to balance the kero, bit of bling on the label makes for good conversation. Touch of lanoin.
Light Yellow gold makes it look younger than it is. Nice length, but I'm left wanting. Something missing...texture, mouthfeel....something.
Still a good drink, not great though.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Opened two 2004s last night ... Chose the 2004 Clape Cornas. What a nice choice, lovely floral nose and such a pure classic expression on Nth Rhone Syrah. Unforced, neutral oak just a mouthful of elegant balanced brambly Syrah. Yum indeed.

I have a bottle of this sitting at home along with a 1991 Chapoutier 'Monier de la Sizerane' Hermitage. Both are syrahs and I've been thinking that the Cornas is likely to be far too young and was prepared to return it to the cellar in favour of older wines. Any thoughts?

Hi Mahmoud, 1991 was a really good year for Nth Rhone and the Chapoutier should be drunk now IMO. If you bought it on release and the level is good it will be fine but if you got it sometime after release I would drink it now.

I found the 2004 Clape really open and enjoyable. 2004 was a good but somewhat lighter year so I don't think it needs nearly as much cellar time as some of the bigger vintages (2005, 2009 & 2010 for example).

cheers Brodie

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated.

I've had Chapoutier's 'Sizeranne' for quite some time, pretty much on release back in the early to mid-90s. Interesting story behind this because the first bottle I had, courtesy of a friend, was corked, very corked and obvious from the get go. It literally reeked. As everyone poured their glasses back into the bottle so that my friend could return it for a refund, I kept my glass. Beneath the off odours was evidence of a deep, rich, core of fruit and depth. As I assessed it I asked my friend where he got it and how much he paid. He said it was C$18. I thought to myself "What, for a Hermitage!" Anyway, after a few days I reasoned that not all the bottles would be corked and if lucky we just got the corked bottle in the case. So I went to the store and picked up the remaining bottles, six for me and one for my sister. At the till was an open bottle with an upsidedown cork stuffed in it, likely my friend's corked bottle. I never undestood why they were selling it for C$18 but later noticed that some of the premium wines were arriving in 6-packs and that perhaps they had divided the case price by 12 instead of 6.

I have a few of the Clape Cornas so I'll take your advice and try one this year.

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

[Rossco]

2015 Pooley Coal River Riesling
Only just starting to get into its drinking, such was the very high acid on release.

Pale straw yellow in the glass.
Lemon blossom and quite chalky as well. Lime leaf with some crunchy green apple. Lemon sherbet, has a fruit sourness, then the chalky minerals come back. I like this a lot and has plenty of life left.

[mjs]

1998 Orlando St Hugo Coonawarra Cabernet
Medium red garnet, v slight brick edge, mulberry cassis, a little dusty note, some cedar, perhaps some leafiness, virtually no mint surprisingly. Medium red fruits, soft tannins, some dried herbs, leather notes later, evolving in the glass, perhaps a little thin on the finish, maybe not the best bottle of St H, but a nice drink.

[phillisc]

Rossco, Malcolm would have a few 16s I'd reckon
I picked up a 6 pack after the wine cleaned up at the LCWS last year. Think a local show is a very good barometer for a wine's credibility. The 2010 or could be 2012 Wolf Blass gold label Coonawarra Cab that came home with a fist full of silverware is drinking beautifully.
Cheers Craig

[sjw_11]

2015 Pooley Coal River Riesling
Only just starting to get into its drinking, such was the very high acid on release.

Pale straw yellow in the glass.
Lemon blossom and quite chalky as well. Lime leaf with some crunchy green apple. Lemon sherbet, has a fruit sourness, then the chalky minerals come back. I like this a lot and has plenty of life left.

Thanks for the note Rossco ... sounds promising for my one 2012 of their Margaret Pooley Tribute Riesling. I tried it at the cellar door and was impressed enough to buy despite the price being right up there (for Riesling ...about $40 something at the time, IIRC)

[Rossco]

Thanks for the note Rossco ... sounds promising for my one 2012 of their Margaret Pooley Tribute Riesling. I tried it at the cellar door and was impressed enough to buy despite the price being right up there (for Riesling ...about $40 something at the time, IIRC)

I quite like most of the pooley line up, but they always need a few years. Must be very cold down there!

[Rossco]

LAS Vino NV Pirate Blend (Red)
Blend of portuguese grape varieties. Touriga, tinta cao & sousao although i don't know %.
This is a bit different. All Margaret River fruit, so has that classiness about it.
Lots of spices here, cardamon, coriander, 5 spice, pepper, star anise, garam masala.... jesus a bit going on here.
Fruit seems a bit ripe and in the dark spectrum black plums, blackberries...but not sweet. Not sure what years the blend is, but I really love the mouthfeel.
Very silky, nice balance of tannin and acid. Still probably a bit young, like the oak here. It's fruit heavy not oak

Wouldnt buy it again for the price, but its good because its different

[GraemeG]

All looking grim, isn't it. Social-isolation in the cellar! Where I have way too many Hunter wines, I'm slowly coming to realise.

• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8274269]2010 Kilikanoon Riesling Mort's Reserve[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Watervale (1/04/2020)
  {screwcap, 12.5} Deep yellow, verging on gold. Developing palate of sweet lemon butter, with a lime touch. Has a patina of age, but remains fresh and vibrant, with integrated medium acidity, and medium/full weight for riesling. Dry in modern Clare style, nicely even along the palate, with a medium/long finish, not screechy with acid carrying it beautifully. Nicely furry texture. It remains rather more fruit-driven than soil or earth; a more polished effort then the 2005 from a couple of nights ago. No rush to drink; 5-8 more years will be fine, and may indeed bring another dimension.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8272419]2011 Brokenwood Shiraz Mistress Block[/url] - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley (30/03/2020)
  {screwcap, 13%} fairly deep ruby garnet colour; no change at the rim. There’s a little development on the nose, which has intense but maturing aromas of raspberry, vanilla bean, dusty earth, and a complexifying hint of brett, if there is such a thing. Maybe it’s just leather though. The palate is rather more mature, with murky dusty remnants of ripe but possibly dilute red berry, without obvious fruit character. Medium acid, low/medium dusty tannins and light/medium weight make up the structure, which is most of what’s here right now. It has a nicely even palate, coating all the tongue, but then it finishes no better than medium length. The whole thing just seems to add to a bit less than the sum of its parts, somehow. Possibly worth holding another five years just for interest; I can’t see it noticeably declining in that time. Just a bit underwhelming at the moment.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8267100]2008 Andrew Thomas Wines Sémillon Braemore[/url] - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley (29/03/2020)
  {screwcap, 10.2%} I’ve been critical and sceptical in the past of the longevity of this bottling, I must say. No older Braemore I’d tasted ever really hit the magic button. This is pretty special though. It’s barely a mid-yellow colour. The nose is hardly developed, with a little sweet lime, cut grass, and a fresh vivid spring water character. All at twelve years of age;it’s quite remarkable. This could be a wine from Lothlorien; it’s elvish all the way through. The palate is subtle and promises much; it tastes of citrus and hints of smoke, with soft acid carrying everything and giving it an even smooth character to the palate. There are also the typical Hunter hallmarks of straw and citrus; it’s around light/medium body, but also with great intensity, and has a crunchy sort of dry finish, medium/long on the palate. Five years easy, possibly longer. Really special wine, this.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8263663]2005 Kilikanoon Riesling Mort's Reserve[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Watervale (27/03/2020)
  {screwcap, 12%} Deep golden colour, looking quite aged. Surprising for 2005 under screwcap, but there you go. Expressive nose, less developed than the colour suggested of lemon butter, beeswax, honey, vanilla bean. Really attractive and intense. Relaxed, open palate, with soft acid, less pronounced flavour than the nose but of the same character, quite developed and mature. It’s dry, only really light-medium weight and does finish a bit on the short side. No kero or petrol flavours, but there’s a tobacco twist on the finish, which is rather broad. Objectively this is past peak as far as complexity and interest go, I reckon, but it’s still a lovely example of mature Clare riesling. Auction provenance; this didn’t appear to have been abused but who knows; impeccably stored bottles may be different.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8259103]2010 Brokenwood Shiraz Indigo Vineyard[/url] - Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth (26/03/2020)
  {screwcap, 13.5} Crimson garnet colour; slightly hazy as befitting a decade’s age. Developing aromas of raspberry and white pepper. A bit reticent, still ripe, fragrant and poised. On the palate open gritty tannins are soft and matured; by now the fruit richness has faded somewhat, giving this a rather bony character on the finish. It retains a spicy, peppery character, of just medium weight; it avoids warmth, but still runs out of puff by the mid-palate. In the end the finish is almost medium-length, no more; it feels like a wine which has missed its window a bit; would have been better in the 5-8 year zone I think. The back labels tells the story of the vineyard planted in 1999; perhaps the grapes are in an awkward stage as far as cellar-worthy wines go; vines need to be under five or greater than twenty years for best results!
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8256149]2012 Caillard Mataro[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (25/03/2020)
  {screwcap, 14.5%} Mid-garnet with a slightly fading rim, commensurate with age for the variety from the Barossa. Raspberry jam notes on the nose, with faint oak undertones and a sweetly jammy note that’s never too confected or sugary. The palate is about the same, driven by ripe red fruit and still active acidity, low dusty oak tannins, medium weight and a medium length, nicely even finish. This feels ready to drink (‘cellar a while’ says the back label) but nicely judged all round, as you’d expect from Andrew Caillard MW. A hint of mataro rusticity, but with a refined edge, like a sportsman in a suit on awards night. Enjoyable and unlikely to fall over soon.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8254344]2002 Weingut Heymann-Löwenstein Winninger Uhlen Riesling "R" Roth Lay[/url] - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (23/03/2020)
  {cork, 13%, AP 17 03} Deep gold. Scary gold. Indeed, the nose has a little custard and a lot of nuts. There’s a furry note on the palate which is reminiscent of burnt sugar, but it’s not really sweet. Mostly just seems too old; the cork hadn’t leaked despite mild soaking three-quarters up; I rather start to believe this was a fairly oxidative style which should have been drunk young, irrespective of the preceding or following vintages. Brown leaf and cooked apple flavours, a little stale, although some remaining acid saves it from catastrophe; it’s the ultra-short finish which really lets this down - had it lingered longer it could have been a real connoisseur’s wine, instead of a shell of a riesling.

[deejay81]

Not sure if this has been brought up before or if anyone else has noticed it, but ol faithful Metala White Label, has gotten rid of all the Single Vineyard markings on the bottle for their current 2018 Vintage. Probably indicating it is not single vineyard anymore?

So the dark ribbon under Metala used to say Single Vineyard, and there used to be a red stamp in the bottom right corner that said SV... they're both gone... I know a bottle of 2006 White Label that I have doesn't have any SV markings.. but is this a new thing?

Here's a pic of the current vintage with no SV stuff on the label.
[img]https://cdn.ct-static.com/labels/e094c0ff-c1 ... afaaf6.jpg[/img]

To me as well, I didn't really like this one like I did the previous vintages tasted a lot sweeter and jammier.... I noticed this before i noticed the label so I'm pretty sure it wasn't just being deceived by the label... thoughts?

[phillisc]

DJ, well done, a stalwart of my cellar going back 20 years. Will have a look. Interestingly and not often released is the Shiraz/Cab Malbec version, 09 I think was the last. I picked up a dozen of the '18 for $110...silly price and yes a little jammy. But they age so well.
I do wonder about the single vineyard status, one because it has been the cheapest longest released wine in the country (maybe with Wynns Shiraz) and how can a single vineyard be this cheap, and two, some years 200 000 cases are made!
Cheers Craig

[GraemeG]

Bloody big vineyard, I guess! Not impossible, given it's Langhorne. Long-running labels seem always to be bastardised in this country.
Once upon a time d'Arenberg's Footbolt was called 'Old Vine'. That went by the way as they fought to keep its price point.
And the list of long-running labels which were quite cellar-worthy last century but aren't any more is a pretty long one.

[Ozzie W]

Latta Tranquil Nebbiolo Rosé 2018 (12.5% ABV)

The last bottle of Rosé from my summer drinking stash.

My favourite Rosé are those made from Nebbiolo. This one is a blend of 80% Nebbiolo and 20% Sangiovese. IMHO, Latta one of the top producers of this style in Australia.

Strawberry compote, bittersweet orange, rosehip, fennel, quinine. Long finish with more bittersweet orange and even some chalky tannins. My style of Rosé.

Just ordered a couple bottles of the 2019 vintage for next summer's stash.

[Benchmark]

2016 Telmo Rodriguez Gaba do Xil Glalcia

Wasn't going to drink tonight.

Our last bottle. Good midweek drink.

Plenty of fruit. Enough complexity to keep you interested. Good VFM.

Stay safe.

[Rossco]

2012 Hillcrest Vineyard Premium Pinot (Yarra Valley)

I'm pretty impressed by this. My very first wine from this producer, and my expectations were low (dont know why, they just were). Release notes say as close to burgundy as you get, but this doesn't have the structure for that, missing tannin (has the nose though), but thats a quibble, this is good!

Love the depth here. Mushrooms, damp cave type nose. Earthy... Wet earth and forest floor. Tomato leaf makes me wonder about whole bunch % has to be some in here.
Dark purple in the glass, no browning but looks unfiltered as its blurry.
Briary spice. Some slight white pepper, bay leaf, touch of blackberry. Nice length and perfect oak. Balance is good with still some acid keeping it in check.
12.30% shows we can make good wine without being 15%. Didn't pick it as Yarra though. Had a ByFarr feel about it, wonderful Pinot here.

[Rossco]

Up next

Sami-Odi little wine #8

Although others have had a much worse day/week/month/year than me, tonight still called for another special wine.

And doesn't this deliver in spades! Every single smell has something different, reveals more and more. Fascinating

First it was a bit of fennel and liquorice, then there is this really nice musky note.
Raspberry, red rope sweets, blackberry pastilles, red earth. Purple florals, especially lavender. Some dried herbs, truffles.... Can't get over the complexity here. Nothing like any Australian red I have ever had. Shocked this is from Barossa. Feels cool climate.
Medium body, length stunning. Again low oak, fruit doing all the talking. So juicy and full of life, the tannin integrated already but acid still there.
Wow.... Kind of speechless
100% Shiraz but from Multiple Vintages.

[Benchmark]

2012 Hillcrest Vineyard Premium Pinot (Yarra Valley)

I'm pretty impressed by this. My very first wine from this producer, and my expectations were low (dont know why, they just were). Release notes say as close to burgundy as you get, but this doesn't have the structure for that, missing tannin (has the nose though), but thats a quibble, this is good!

Love the depth here. Mushrooms, damp cave type nose. Earthy... Wet earth and forest floor. Tomato leaf makes me wonder about whole bunch % has to be some in here.
Dark purple in the glass, no browning but looks unfiltered as its blurry.
Briary spice. Some slight white pepper, bay leaf, touch of blackberry. Nice length and perfect oak. Balance is good with still some acid keeping it in check.
12.30% shows we can make good wine without being 15%. Didn't pick it as Yarra though. Had a ByFarr feel about it, wonderful Pinot here.

Thanks for the write up.

Have a few.

Always thought Hillcrest one of the best in VIC.

[JamieBahrain]

What happened with Hillcrest? They sold out to mainland Chinese interests? I've done a few minutes of incomplete detective work on the net. They always seemed popular amongst the "online" crowd over both forums.

[phillisc]

Up next

Sami-Odi little wine #8

Although others have had a much worse day/week/month/year than me, tonight still called for another special wine.

And doesn't this deliver in spades! Every single smell has something different, reveals more and more. Fascinating

First it was a bit of fennel and liquorice, then there is this really nice musky note.
Raspberry, red rope sweets, blackberry pastilles, red earth. Purple florals, especially lavender. Some dried herbs, truffles.... Can't get over the complexity here. Nothing like any Australian red I have ever had. Shocked this is from Barossa. Feels cool climate.
Medium body, length stunning. Again low oak, fruit doing all the talking. So juicy and full of life, the tannin integrated already but acid still there.
Wow.... Kind of speechless
100% Shiraz but from Multiple Vintages.

Just when I am bleating about no more wine...first of all got sucked in by the Standish train...but so looking forward to trying these when mature. And now Sami Odi...people seem genuinely enthused about what Fraser is doing. Small producer small make, unusual wines, think I am on. Will write to hopefully be in the position to procure a few next release.
Cheers craig

[Rossco]

Thanks for the write up.

Have a few.

Always thought Hillcrest one of the best in VIC.

For me ByFarr is leading the pack in Vic. There are MANY others that are very very close, but when I had the 2008 Tout Pres last year, it just blew me away. Have been looking for some ever since.