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

[Mahmoud Ali]

I may be wrong (nothing new in that) but my guess is that the Orlando was something akin to a one-off wine based on a special parcel of grapes or something that didn't quite fit into a regular blend. It seems unlikely that they would brand a wine '720 3V6'. One time at the Henschkecellar door they had a 1972 Malbec for sale. When I asked they told me that the wine was in excess of what was required that year for their red blend.

By the way, the colour looks great, just what I want to see in an old bottle. And I love the classic old label. About a year ago I had a bottle of 1995 Weinart Malbec from Argentina. It was lovely though not as advanced as the Orlando. The new world can indeed make good Malbec.

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

[phillisc]

Yes the label very much looks like the forerunner to the Orlando ribbon series that I used to sell as a youngster in the early 80s in the drive through. Think there was a Splatlese, Semillon, Cabernet and probably a few others.
Interestingly Kaiser Sthul went down the same road with ribbons...green EV Riesling, red, BV Shiraz etc.

Cheers Craig

[phillisc]

Finished 2021 with a fabulous Wynns BL 2008 Cabernet...what else!!
Has decades in the tank, wonderful wine dark core of black blue fruits, olive, dried herbs, jasmine. Great palate weight and firm tannins.
Only have about 8 left

Cheers Craig

[Mahmoud Ali]

Coincidentally my quiet Christmas dinner with lamb chops included a Drappier N/V Brut and a Wynn's 2000 Black Label. While not a particularly good vintage I thought it might provide some nicely aged Cabernet character to go with the lamb chops. The nose and fore palate were nice enough but it had a slightly spiky finish that marred the overall impact. Glad I only have one more bottle.

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

[mychurch]

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There is no doubting that Semillon can age and this is a lovely wine. Honey on the nose and some dry sauterne. Crunchy acidity keeps it fresh. Initially it was creamy and honeyed, but with air the richness dissipates and it becomes quite linear. It has that ‘drink me quickly’ moorishness and I have to fight myself from skulling it. Fruit seems to be heading to the tangerine spectrum, which again is common in old Chenin and Sauternes. Some toastiness on the nose, but I don’t get any in the mouth. Needs more time ? Don’t think so. Yum

Note that the wine is a bit better looking than the top picture suggests - some condensation on the glass has darkened the picture

[Mahmoud Ali]

Thanks for posting the picture and notes on the Elizabeth. I see that it is a museum release. Do they put a release date on the label?

[mychurch]

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This 64 Piñon Demi-sec was a late release and managed to survive being flown over from France as part of an online order.

It’s brilliant. I shared an 89 with some of the Melbourne crowd a few months ago, but this is at another level. Top quality Chenin of this this style can take years to peak, but I think this one is ready. It has a lovely full bodied silky texture, with the tangerine fruit and the quince in equilibrium. Effortless, with no harsh edges and a long finish. Not sure Chenin can ever be classy, but that would be a fair description. I will drink this over at least 2 days and my guess is that it will be better tomorrow.

Update: just noticed that there is a big difference in colour between the 2 photos. 2nd is more accurate, with a lot of orange to it.

[Ian S]

A local shop has stocked (now solely Francois) Pinon wines for a while now, and I've had some lovely wines for very modest cost. The modest cost being small comfort when I dropped a bottle of the 1989 Vouvray Moelleux onto the garage floor. The only time I hoped for a bottle to be corked (it wasn't going by the aroma from the smashed bottle).

The Vouvray Brut makes a fine and interesting sparkler, such that I always try to keep 2-3 bottles for when the moment demands some fizz.

[mychurch]

He is nice producer Ian and I think the QPR is high. There are better producers out there - Boudignon and Menard are the 2 that I buy when I can - but they don’t necessarily make the traditional style I see in the old Piñon. As far as I know he is no longer imported into Auz, and that is a shame. Once we get the worst of the summer over, I will be ordering some more from France.

[mjs]

Pulled a 2007 Bowen Estate from the cellar, surprised to find it under stelvin, wasn’t expecting that, had obviously forgot since buying at CD. Tasted in some new Riedel Winewings Cabernet glasses. They really bring out the aroma, fine glass making, nice to taste from.

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Deep garnet red, some bricking at the edges, but bright colour, soft spice bouquet, some dark cherry, perhaps leaning to plum, nice mouthfeel, soft tannins, still plenty of fruit, nice drink, still some years to go.

[Mike Hawkins]

2017 Naked Run The First… excellent CV riesling in the making. Citrus notes that I think will become specifically lime in years to come. Nice acid finish.Will leave the other 11 for some years.

2002 Grosset Polish Hill. This is why I love aged riesling. Superb. To quote Molly..‘do yourself a favour’

2006 Vilmart Couer de Cuvee. Normally live this wine but this was a tad boring. Maybe a bad bottle.

2008 (disg) Rockford Black Shiraz. In a really nice place. Yet to get the mushroom notes but lots of earth and forest floor and strangely violets.

2006 Taittinger Comtes.. good one to drink while waiting for the 02, 04 and 08. While it’s an excellent wine, the hype on American boards is OTT. The aforementioned vintages spank the 06.

[phillisc]

Another bottle of the stunning 2021 Leo Buring Clare Riesling...the aroma coming from the glass as I pour is getting very distinctive.
Only purchased a couple of dozen...a pallet would have been a far better idea
Cheers Craig

[WineRick]

Another bottle of the stunning 2021 Leo Buring Clare Riesling...the aroma coming from the glass as I pour is getting very distinctive.
Only purchased a couple of dozen...a pallet would have been a far better idea
Cheers Craig

Good idea! Shall we go halves in a pallet?

[Michael McNally]

2007 Sons of Eden ‘Zephyrus’ Shiraz
Super dark red/black. Voluptuous lifted nose of plum and blackberry compote. Some mint, vanilla bean and pepper. Super smooth black fruits. Plum. Milk chocolate. Fruit sits deep on the palate with effortless travel. Tannin is completely resolved and only just noticeable. Nice slightly savoury twist to the fruit on the finish. Quite long. Brilliant!

[Michael McNally]

2020 Varney Wines Chardonnay
Very pale colour. White stone fruits with some light tropical notes. Mouthfilling from the outset. More citrus and melon evident on the palate. Almost but not quite into the grapefruit spectrum. Delicious acid. Really good persistence. I would love to see this with a couple more years on it (note to self to get some more).

[Michael McNally]

2017 Mount Pleasant ‘Philip’ Shiraz
Medium dark red. Leather and red berries on the nose. And something black and/or briary. Just medium bodied. Savoury forest floor and black berries on the palate. Really interesting and complex/evolving. Excellent and getting better.

[felixp21]

2017 Naked Run The First… excellent CV riesling in the making. Citrus notes that I think will become specifically lime in years to come. Nice acid finish.Will leave the other 11 for some years.

2002 Grosset Polish Hill. This is why I love aged riesling. Superb. To quote Molly..‘do yourself a favour’

2006 Vilmart Couer de Cuvee. Normally live this wine but this was a tad boring. Maybe a bad bottle.

2008 (disg) Rockford Black Shiraz. In a really nice place. Yet to get the mushroom notes but lots of earth and forest floor and strangely violets.

2006 Taittinger Comtes.. good one to drink while waiting for the 02, 04 and 08. While it’s an excellent wine, the hype on American boards is OTT. The aforementioned vintages spank the 06.

..... interesting. Our wine group had the four vintages of Comtes you mentioned blind in our December dinner. The 06 was absolutely the clear winner, unanimous amongst the 12 attendees, followed by 02 and 04 who equally garnered second place votes, with the 08 in fourth place. The 08 might well end up the best of the lot, but surely needs at the very very least another decade... it resembles floral battery acid at this stage.
it was also quite interesting that, IIRC, 9 of the 12 tasters correctly identified all four vintages. (the Comtes is incredibly popular amongst us )

[Gavin Trott]

Another bottle of the stunning 2021 Leo Buring Clare Riesling...the aroma coming from the glass as I pour is getting very distinctive.
Only purchased a couple of dozen...a pallet would have been a far better idea
Cheers Craig

Yeah

its good init!~?

[Chuck]

2017 Naked Run The First… excellent CV riesling in the making. Citrus notes that I think will become specifically lime in years to come. Nice acid finish.Will leave the other 11 for some years.

The 19 vintage is also a superb wine. Had a bottle last night with some whole snapper. We were fighting over the last drops. Always a good sign.

[Mike Hawkins]

2017 Naked Run The First… excellent CV riesling in the making. Citrus notes that I think will become specifically lime in years to come. Nice acid finish.Will leave the other 11 for some years.

2002 Grosset Polish Hill. This is why I love aged riesling. Superb. To quote Molly..‘do yourself a favour’

2006 Vilmart Couer de Cuvee. Normally live this wine but this was a tad boring. Maybe a bad bottle.

2008 (disg) Rockford Black Shiraz. In a really nice place. Yet to get the mushroom notes but lots of earth and forest floor and strangely violets.

2006 Taittinger Comtes.. good one to drink while waiting for the 02, 04 and 08. While it’s an excellent wine, the hype on American boards is OTT. The aforementioned vintages spank the 06.

..... interesting. Our wine group had the four vintages of Comtes you mentioned blind in our December dinner. The 06 was absolutely the clear winner, unanimous amongst the 12 attendees, followed by 02 and 04 who equally garnered second place votes, with the 08 in fourth place. The 08 might well end up the best of the lot, but surely needs at the very very least another decade... it resembles floral battery acid at this stage.
it was also quite interesting that, IIRC, 9 of the 12 tasters correctly identified all four vintages. (the Comtes is incredibly popular amongst us )

I think many people like the 06 for now (lots of ripe, approachable champers from the vintage) but I’d be confident in saying in 10 to 15 years it will be the weakest of the 4. I like your 08 description and remember thinking similarly when the 96 was released. I really think the 08 will be an all time great by 2040. It had better be as I bought 7 cases…

[felixp21]

yes, I think the 08 will be amongst the best of Comtes. We all see/taste things differently, but I think the 2006 will prove to be an outstanding vintage for my tastes. the vintage 2006 is, I feel, underestimated in both Champagne and Burgundy.

[Rossco]

Been so busy, haven't caught up on my notes for a LONG time.

This event happened back at the end of July 2021.

Theme was Piedmont or not Piedmont, and as always all wines were masked.

Wine # 1 (Extra) - NV Bollinger Rose
Beautiful copper amber colour in the glass. Nose of strawberries & cream - lots of pinot in here
That chalky / Talc nose I usually associate with Champagne isnt there. So this is a bit curious whether its on theme or not.
Acidity is minor and very faint. This is a drink now style of sparkling.

Very rich fruit on the palate. Pinot dominant but could also be a large/sweet dosage as well. Sweet red fruits of
raspberries, summer strawberries and red cherries. Some rose petal in there too, not much oak, but that mouthfeel
is rich like it was fermented in oak. Feels kind of like a grower rose due to the power and dominance of that fruit rather
than a house style, lacks minerality and chalk/talc on the palate as well. No tartness, but the length and mousse is impressive. Fine silky bubbles.

Wine # 2 - 2007 Passopisciaro Nerello Mascalese
Love the colour here. Translucent dark red, almost dark cherry like. Crystal clear though, just a purity of fruit on the
nose.

Palate is unexpected. It feels older and the tannins have melted into the wine. Acid is still high, and a bit pokey... not integrated
as well as the tannin. Woody/Barrel notes are at play here as well. Probably a bit heavier than i would have thought, but not
overpowering or distracting in any way. Darker red fruits, think dark cherry type spectrum. Not very mineral either, I dont
get the volcanic minerals of etna but there is liquorice there. Confusing wine to pick region, but lovely nonetheless. Feels well over 10 years old.

Wine # 3 - 2004 Tenuta le Potazzine Brunello di Montalcino
Faulty of some sort. Not sure if cooked or TCA but not great.


Wine # 4 - 2011 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Villero
Wierd nose initially, sort of buttery/dairy type nose, but that blew off. Touch of VA perhaps, polish/varnish
Glorious colour though, similar to the Passopisciaro but lighter. Cherry red, translucent and

Pot purri nose, liquorice as well, red cherry fruit this is lovely, just needed some air.
Feel 10 ish years as has started to integrate and balance out. Fruit forward with
cranberry, strawberry, cherry. Some slight mulchy/mushroom and floral notes as well adds to the
complexity. Alpine herbs, tar and a bit earthy. Lighter in style as well only just medium body. Less tannin than i
would have thought, bit more acid. Length is fantastic

Wine # 5 - 2009 Cappellano Barolo Piè Rupestris Otin Fiorin
Now this is on another level. Nose of lavender, violets, so much purple fragrances.
Lighter in the glass, still clear ruby red.
Huge tannin.... not soft, but firm style of tannin. Im thinking its oak tannin, coates the mouth.

Intense fruit on the palate as well. Very high quality fruit. Medicinal cherry, red licorice,
Not an oaky wine, but fruit has absorbed it well. This would have been a hard wine on release.
Very minerally. Wet stone, iron shavings, earth, tar, leather and some balsamic. Wow lots going
on here complexity off the scale. Clearly top producer. Memorable and possibly wine of the night.

Wine # 6 - 2008 Platinetti Guido Ghemme Vigna Ronco al Maso
Initial chlorine nose, very tight and wound up not revealing much
Barolop-ish nose, smells very young, but thats where it ended. Fell apart in the glass - TCA
horrid.

Wine # 7 - 2015 Antoniolo Gattinara Riserva Osso San Grato
Lovely florals here again, you could smell this all night. More red spectrum florals,
rose, dried raspberries, some peppery spice and red liquorice again.

Serious deep red fruit on the palate. Red Cherry, redcurrants, tar, minerals and some
mint/menthol type characters. Spicy pepper again in the mouth, medium body.

High tannin and high acid makes this feel young. Needs more time, but will be a superstar
if the cork gods permit.


Wine # 8 - 1982 Croft Vintage Port
Horribly Bretty - Wow, some really bad brett


Wine # 9 (backup) - De Bortoli Sémillon Black Noble Barrel Aged 20 Years Old
Molasses, Espresso, Christmas cake, caramel, toffee, cinamon, citrus peel and
loads of spice.

As you would expect, colour is inky black. Thick as treacle its more of a dessert than
a liquid. Mouth coating, just floods the senses and you could even go as far as
overwhelms them if you have too much at one time. You only need the tiniest drop and it hits you like a slap in the
face. Length is unrelenting and goes on and on and on. Chewy texture, with lovely
integrated acid to just give it that lift. Cracking wine and way to finish and exceptional
meal.

[brodie]

Friends 50th birthday lunch on Saturday. Other than both bottles of the 2002 HN Richebourg being corked, all the other wines were on song. great line up


Egly Ouriet Blancs des Noirs: powerful, full bodied, great palate presence but still has elegance. I love Egly Ouriet

2011 Agrapart Venus: very different style from the Egly Ouriet, more lemony fruit with a bit of ginger, refined, long with good structure. I preferred the Egly but was in the minority in this I think.

2002 Giaconda Chardonnay (magnum): medium yellow, powerful and full bodied but in really great shape. A touch of fruit sweetness gives away its new world origin (compared to the next two wines)

2010 Bouchard Montrachet: under Diam. Very youthful and tight, primary and intense and but unyielding. Impressive depth and length and power but not showing a lot. Needs at least another decade.

2010 Carillon Bienvenue Batard Montrachet: much more open and ready, delicious with great structure and length. Balanced and detailed and yummy

2002 Hudelot Noellat Richebourg: Aargh both bottles corked, one badly and the other more subtle but still not correct. Geez I just “love” the romance and tradtion of the cork closures.

2002 Rousseau Chambertin (magnum):nose is delicate etheral and very complex. Beautiful light to medium body refined and lovely, showing lots of beautiful 2002 ripe fruits in the red fruit spectrum. Just excellent

2001 Rousseau Clos St Jaques: back up bottle for the HN Richebourg. Just another absolute beauty of a wine, lovely lines, balance and length. when tasted against the 2002 Chambertin you could just detect a little shortness of the fruit but this is being very ungenerous to the wine.

1970 Ch Mouton Rothschild(magnum): dark vibrant red colour hardly any sign of the age. Nose is absolutely classic Paulliac with cigar box and cassis and dried herbs. The nose was followed by a palate of rich dark fruits and a bit of the Mouton exotic spice note. had a gentle dried herb leafiness that i thought was wonderful. Long finish

2006 Ch Rayas: Orangey red colour, wild huge nose of strawberry and raspberry, a nose to get lost in. The palate mostly followed the nose with beautiful decadent wild strawberry. Such a treat

2006 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Schlossberg TBA: mid to dark yellow. Tropical fruit nose, powerful concentrated palate had some tasters going to 2001 Sauternes, Great acidity on the long powerful finish. Just a baby really

[Ian S]

Hi Rossco
Great to see some non-Langhe Piemontese wines and a shame about the TCA on the Platinetti

Antoniolo very much a favourite of ours and we had a very interesting visit there, the lady remembering us 1-2 years later when we popped into the little cellar door shop to pick up a few bottles. They're certainly very serious about their work, and at first she was a little grumpy we were late for the visit/tasting (we'd cycled there from Il Cavenago, on mountain bikes whose gears no longer worked!). She warmed to us as the visit progressed and we had some good discussions about the history of the region, the varying oak regime and I also discovered her contempt for wines labelled 'Spanna' (as it has no legal definition, she was of the belief it was often not 100% nebbiolo).

[JamieBahrain]

Couple of nice Barolos there Rossco. Your notes capture both producers perfectly. I’d just add the 09 Cappellano probably a little woody as he’d changed some big botti at the time ( I vaguely recall ) from my annual visit. Could be wrong though I’m now a lifetime away from that level of exposure to Piedmont ( so it feels )

[Rossco]

Hi Rossco
Great to see some non-Langhe Piemontese wines and a shame about the TCA on the Platinetti

Antoniolo very much a favourite of ours and we had a very interesting visit there, the lady remembering us 1-2 years later when we popped into the little cellar door shop to pick up a few bottles. They're certainly very serious about their work, and at first she was a little grumpy we were late for the visit/tasting (we'd cycled there from Il Cavenago, on mountain bikes whose gears no longer worked!). She warmed to us as the visit progressed and we had some good discussions about the history of the region, the varying oak regime and I also discovered her contempt for wines labelled 'Spanna' (as it has no legal definition, she was of the belief it was often not 100% nebbiolo).

Ar.Pe.Pe. probably my favourite Alto/Valtelina/Bramaterra producer maybe then tied with La Palazzina & Antoniolo. Both very, very good

[Rossco]

Couple of nice Barolos there Rossco. Your notes capture both producers perfectly. I’d just add the 09 Cappellano probably a little woody as he’d changed some big botti at the time ( I vaguely recall ) from my annual visit. Could be wrong though I’m now a lifetime away from that level of exposure to Piedmont ( so it feels )

With the Cappellano you could definitely see the oak, but this bottle had the fruit had swallow it whole, and was in a supporting role rather than
dominating. My very first Pie Rupestris too.

[phillisc]

2012 Rockford BP...my first of these. Cork hardly stained, lovely classic BV aromas, plush fruit , savoury, twinge of oak. Medium weight on the palate, finished a fraction short with fine silky tannins. Hopefully the wine is just at the start of it's development, reasonably confident of a long life.

1997 Seppelts Great Western Reserve Shiraz...this and the 98 were the only reserve releases, with Adam Carnaby stating never again, with all the fruit now going to the St Peters. Remember at the time discussions of too much oak, but definitely not the case here. Anyway picked up a sixer of each, relative bargain on release.
Cork fabulous for age, bright colour, nose of earthy meaty dusty tones. Wonderful depth of flavour, plenty of dark fruits drying out with the finest tannins. Back label indicated a 15-30 year drinking window, think that they have that right, certainly has the oomph to go another 5. Great expression of GW Shiraz.

Cheers Craig

[Matt@5453]

2012 Rockford BP...my first of these. Cork hardly stained, lovely classic BV aromas, plush fruit , savoury, twinge of oak. Medium weight on the palate, finished a fraction short with fine silky tannins. Hopefully the wine is just at the start of it's development, reasonably confident of a long life.

Cheers Craig

Thanks Craig, you saved me opening one . Recent Cellar Tracker notes seem to indicate there is no rush in opening these as well.

[Matt@5453]

My wine drinking has been pretty sparse in 2022 and mainly been limited to the Clare Valley Riesling realm (most of which I have made notes on previously).

I bought a mixed 6er of the Wild Duck Creek whites prior to Christmas for drinking over new years / January;
The 2021 Mallard Riesling was okay, lacked a bit of acidity, talc came to mind. Went well with fresh calamari.
The 2021 Rose was 'interesting'. Detected some oak, for my tastes not a great example of Rose unfortunately
The 2021 White Duck (Marsanne Viognier Roussanne Grenache Blanc) - I did enjoy this, a fair bit of complexity happening here. Again I detected the oak. I have made a note to put one down for 5 years