An open theme with the expectation of something special. Glass put on a San Francisco-grill style dinner, with carvery & preparation at the table. Lots of fun. A smaller group tonight, but universally excellent wines.
- 2018 Oakridge Local Vineyard Series Blanc de Blancs - Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
{diam, 12.5%} [Greg] An aperitif to the aperitif. Quite a yeasty sort of sort of nose, with lychee fruit aromas. There’s a bit of lees character on the palate also, but not overly so – the chardonnay fruit is still quite apparent. Medium-sized vigorous bubbles, but quite refined. Only light/medium weight on the palate, but dry and refreshing - lychee and faint citrus - and with a solid medium length finish. Research says it saw five years on lees, which is pretty good for a wine that’s $65 from the winery’s website. - NV Albert Lebrun Champagne Grand Cru - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
{diam, 12%} [Stephen] Paw-paw and peach on the nose and palate – only minimal autolysis characters evident. Light-bodied, clean and youthful, with medium-sized creamy bubbles. A very blanc-de-blanc character to it. A bit light-on for complexity given it’s labelled ‘grand cru’, but of course that’s a village designation in Champagne, as opposed to a vineyard classification over the rest of the country. A bit low-key overall, but a tidy wine all the same. - 2010 Schloss Johannisberg Riesling Silberlack Erstes Gewächs - Germany, Rheingau
{AP 8 11, cork, 12.5%} [Graeme] Deep yellow/gold colour. Looks well over fifteen years. Aged nose of browning leaves, honey, apple sauce. The palate follows, with the acidity on the low side, although that might be an effect of what must be a few grams of residual sugar, whatever the ‘trocken’ on the label might promise. The gives it a weighty sort of palate. Luscious texture, and it’s very drinkable indeed, although it’s not as racy and exciting as you might hope from this estate, or top Rheingau riesling. Spongy cork, but no leaking and the level was fine. I’d have loved to see an example under screwcap in comparison. Still wouldn’t risk keeping this too much longer. - 2022 Closerie Des Alisiers Chablis 1er Cru Vau de Vey - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
{cork, 12%} [Dan - guest] Pale straw. A flinty, restrained sort of nose. Not green, just austere. The palate has gentle white fruit – can sand be a flavour? I guess not – with no oak apparent. There’s a grape-skin texture to it though. Light/medium weight, dry, with medium acidity. Medium length finish. A bit young to be terribly interesting but the purity is appealing and another five years or so should flesh out the flavour a bit. - 2023 Mewstone Chardonnay D'Entrecasteaux Channel - Australia, Tasmania, Southern Tasmania
{screwcap, 12.9%} [Steven - guest] A tiny 700 bottle production from a vineyard adjoining the d’Entrecasteau Channel south of Hobart – this is pretty marginal wine-growing country. A worked wine, with plenty of glue-like oak battling it out with sweet tropical fruit. A vanilla slice quality to it. Medium weight at least, low acidity. Quite old-fashioned in style really. Surprised to see it from such a cool area. I’d advise drinking early. - 2018 Mount Mary Pinot Noir - Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
{diam, 13.3%} [Geoffrey] Decanted just prior to dinner. A seductive, fragrant nose with floral scents, roses, gentle spicy curing meat and a little touch of vanilla. There’s a little of lifted estery character on the palate, more of that gentle sweet fruit laced with five spice character. Medium acid, low dusty tannins, light/medium weight. Despite that, it’s very even in presence along the tongue, with a long, polished finish. It’s moved off a primary phase, but it still far from fully-developed. In five years it will sing. Beautiful wine. - 2014 Hutton Vale Shiraz - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
{screwcap, 15%} [Dan - guest] From a recently sold vineyard across the way from Henschke’s Hill of Grace vineyard, I’m told. Neither the dark ruby colour nor the inky, iodine-like blackberry juice aromas hint at a decade’s age at all. The full-bodied palate is warm, with that jammy black fruit and subtle coconut oak dominating – it remains very much fruit driven. Faint oak tannins and low/medium acidity let the structure down a bit, and give it a port-like air on the warm, medium-length finish. It’s impressive in its way, but I feel that a solid percent less alcohol would have lifted the freshness and finish of this. Blockbuster style, ready to drink. - 2022 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Shiraz Michael - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
{screwcap, 13.1%} [Andrew] Pointed spicy nose, blue and blackberry fruit. Elegant presentation considering how youthful it is. The palate has great density but without too much weight, even though I’d still call it medium/full-bodied. Tightly buttoned-up with polished spicy black fruit, medium chalky tannins, balanced oak, medium-long finish. Perfectly-judged ripeness & alcohol. I didn’t taste the 21 (better vintage?) but this is hugely impressive, even if it wants another decade’s cellaring at least. - 2020 Calabria Family Wines Durif 3 Bridges - Australia, New South Wales, Big Rivers, Riverina
{screwcap, 14.5%} [Greg] Rich plum and blueberry nose. A full-bodied but plush and almost corpulent sort of wine. Lots of powdery but friendly oakish tannins, low/medium acidity. Upholstered palate with mid-palate presence and a warm, medium-length finish. Drink anytime before its decade is out. - 2015 Campbells Durif The Barkly - Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen
{screwcap, 14.5%} [DavidH] Blackberry and liquorice; somewhat developing after a decade now. Medium/full weight, with smeary, velvety purple fruit flavours. Soft powdery tannins, medium acid. Alcohol under control, but it’s pretty voluptuous in any case. Nicely aging, even palate; a decent example of possibly the best durif the country has to offer, on average? No need to keep longer. - 2009 Château Léoville Poyferré - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
{cork} [Gordon] Double-decanted prior to dinner. Ticks all the Bdx boxes – soft cedary palate, evolving currant flavours, medium weight. Medium chalky tannins a highlight, medium acid, even balance on palate, medium long finish. Not helped being surrounded by all the big bruiser wines – context is everything – and rather flew under the radar this night. Still this is very fine now, and will age a while still. - NV Tomich Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve Single Vineyard Partners - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
{cork, 15.5%} [Graeme] From the Crossland vineyard in California (which was sold in 2016 for US$3.5m!) but distributed locally via the Adelaide Hills winery, who still seem to have a range of (vintage-dated) Californian reds on their website. No vintage specified on this, although the label makes a reference to the 2012 Halliday Companion, so I assume it’s from around the 2008-12 period, to judge by colour and general condition. It’s certainly developed on the nose and palate, but it’s about prune juice and port and raisins and alcohol. Full-bodied, yes, but almost devoid of tannins and with only wispy low acidity it sags on the palate and finishes short/medium in length. A bit of a caricature, although decent enough if you like the style. - 2002 Clarendon Hills Syrah Piggott Range Vineyard - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon
{cork, 14.5%} [DavidL - guest] Aged nose of super-charged Barossa shiraz in the fully Parkerised style. Big aromas of vanilla, coconut and jammy black fruit. Palate is full-bodied, somewhat drying-out – more from alcohol than the low chalky tannins, which are in full retreat. Raisins, cranberry sauce, and a brandy character pervade the palate. Medium length warm finish, but it’s tending towards a baked kind of astringency. Definitely a drink-now prospect. - NV Cockburn Porto 10 Year Old Tawny - Portugal, Douro, Porto
{cork, 20%} [Stephen] Cold tea and brown leaves. A kind of liquid old wood character. Warmly spirity on the palate. Medium weight. Not overly sweet, more about ancient barrels and dusty old leather than fruit remnants. Medium length finish. Tidy.