Virtual CD Tastings

[mjs]

There have been a few CDs and the odd retailer and other entities spruiking on line tastings of late. I’m not sure that any of them have really got it right yet. Some like NWC are offering 50ml test tubes, others aren’t even offering any wine at all, just asking you to watch them drink wine! Some have offered a two bottle tasting pack.

Our approach has been to endeavour to properly taste the CD offering from some of our favourites, so we have had a couple of very enjoyable tastings over the weekend with Balnaves in Coonawarra and Tscharke in the Barossa. We arranged for the wineries to send us a six bottle selection pack, there’s a few of us (4 in Adelaide, 3 in Melbourne, and for Tscharke, 2 more in Sydney), and then we have decanted and distributed on the day, so we end up with a very reasonable 180-200ml tasting sample for everyone.

Worked very well I have to say. Happy to help if anyone wants any advice or help doing something similar, not sure how long the current restrictions will last.

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[JamieBahrain]

Looks great! Well put together.

My group organised a few though the logistics a bit of a challenge. One with the Cazes family of Château Lynch‑Bages. Just a few days notice, so all my "lunch bags" in my Australian cellar, and I visited my local retailer and it was $400AUD a bottle for a few youngish vintages. Passed which I'll probably regret.

[Benchmark]

This is outstanding Malcolm.

[phillisc]

Good work as always mjs.
Overlooked, that I had a virtual tasting over the 'dog and bone' with my mother on mother's day. Happened to have a glass of wine in hand of a same wine that I dropped over to her last week...thanks Crabtree! Not the same or as good as Zoom, but fun anyway.
Cheers Craig

[mjs]

It was interesting (and enjoyable) how long each session went for. We had eight wines with Balnaves and spent well over two hours tasting the wines and talking wine shit. We had six wines with Tscharke and took nearly two hours. It's a bit like everyone is starved of interaction, or maybe we can just crap on a bit, not sure which.

[Rory]

Looked great! Well done.

[Scotty vino]

I did the NWC online Beechworth tasting. Was actually quite good.
Someone from the NWC dropped around seven little bottles (not test tubes) the day before with a few basic instructions.
3 whites and 4 reds.
Had wine maker Peter Graham from Domenica Wines (ex ergo sum and nephew of RIck K) and Rhys from small change wines online and a somm from the NWC.
Peter was fantastic due to his immense knowledge of the region and his willingness to answer questions and share his experiences. Top fella.

I thought the tasting itself rolled along quite well and it was nice to relax at home and take it all in. I'd say there was 25-30 other's partcipating thru zoom either as couples or solo. Clearly some folk were just looking for something different to do in their respective ISO situ while others were were getting more involved in terms of curiosity. Either way, it was pretty relaxed and something to pass the time.

Wines themselves;
2018 Sorrenberg SBS. Fantastic minerality and steeliness.
2016 Castagna Savagnin. Very nutty and sherry like off the bat but evolved very quick with some ox.
2017 Two Cells Chardonnay. Sharp and smart wine with great purity.
2017 Small Change Sangiovese. nice fruit forward quaff too easy to drink.
2015 Domenica Nebbiolo. stunning wine. structure immpeccable. lovely dark fruit, gamey nose with awesome fine boned tannins.
2016 Indigo Vineyard Hannaford. interesting bordeaux blend. slightly perplexing at first but opened up very rapidly.
2018 Fighting Gully road Pinot. This was a blind taste/guess the vino. I guessed pinot off the bat without much trouble as did most. The Somm declared that a little more homework may have to be put into the next blind guess as most picked it straight up.

My first proper delve into Beechworth. Really impressed. Such a small region. Pound for pound putting out some really nice stuff.
For me the Nebb really squared me up. Just a brilliantly structured alluring vino. I'd love for some of the NEBB heads on here to try and see what they think of this.

Liked the tasting enough to sign up for the June instalment of the Grampians / pyrenees including shiraz, sparkling.

[paulf]

It was interesting (and enjoyable) how long each session went for. We had eight wines with Balnaves and spent well over two hours tasting the wines and talking wine shit. We had six wines with Tscharke and took nearly two hours. It's a bit like everyone is starved of interaction, or maybe we can just crap on a bit, not sure which.

I see you've made it on to the Balnaves facebook page. You're Famous!

[paulf]

My first proper delve into Beechworth. Really impressed. Such a small region. Pound for pound putting out some really nice stuff.

There are probably a few more producers there than you realize, but very few have cellar doors so you'd have to make appointments.
If you've not been it's a really nice little town with some great spots to eat, a good wine bar and one of the more interesting breweries in Australia. Hopefully all the places that make it great will still be there when we aren't locked down and can travel freely.

[mjs]

It was interesting (and enjoyable) how long each session went for. We had eight wines with Balnaves and spent well over two hours tasting the wines and talking wine shit. We had six wines with Tscharke and took nearly two hours. It's a bit like everyone is starved of interaction, or maybe we can just crap on a bit, not sure which.

I see you've made it on to the Balnaves facebook page. You're Famous!

[Scotty vino]

My first proper delve into Beechworth. Really impressed. Such a small region. Pound for pound putting out some really nice stuff.

There are probably a few more producers there than you realize, but very few have cellar doors so you'd have to make appointments.
If you've not been it's a really nice little town with some great spots to eat, a good wine bar and one of the more interesting breweries in Australia. Hopefully all the places that make it great will still be there when we aren't locked down and can travel freely.

If/when borders open up it's definitely on my radar. Been thru Shepp a few times but not BW. Stunning area.
Gods country up there for sure.