$100 Choices

[Gianna..]

Dearest Forumites,

I am trying to decide on a few new half case packs, for longer term cellaring, from the following 3 regions and prepared to pay $100 pb.

Barossa Shiraz (have plenty Stonewell, Rockford BP )
Coonawarra Cabernet (have plenty JR's, Petaluma)
Magaret River Cabernet (have plenty Cullen or Moss Wood)

Your suggestions would be most appreciated as I'm sort of stuck for inspiration.

Or should I start to consider French wine at these prices?

[Chow Chow]

Barossa Shiraz (have plenty Stonewell, Rockford BP )
Elderton Command, Octavius 2001 (release mid-year)

Coonawarra Cabernet (have plenty JR's, Petaluma)
Reschke Empyream 1998, Balnaves tally 2001

Magaret River Cabernet (have plenty Cullen or Moss Wood)
Jack Mann (Frankland) 1999/2001 & VF Heytesbury 2001

[Guest]

Barossa Shiraz? MESHACH! ...nuff said

[Chow Chow]

Meschach is off my buying list.

2 mths. ago I did a horizontal Barossa 1998 - Grange, Command, Octavius, Stonewell and Meschach was the weakest of the lot by a wide margin.

[Guest]

Meschach is off my buying list.

2 mths. ago I did a horizontal Barossa 1998 - Grange, Command, Octavius, Stonewell and Meschach was the weakest of the lot by a wide margin.

Ever heard of such a thing as a bad bottle
MM.

[Guest]

Who cares? '98 was a poor vintage for Meshach. Try 1990-1996 or the '99 and just maybe you'll be in vinous heaven

[707]

Gianna, seems you have a nice cellar already and diversification is good.

Barossa - a couple of new small makers stand out for me. Kalleske Greenock Shiraz 2002 or 2003 and Glaymond The Distance Shiraz 2002 or Glaymond Landrace Shiraz Mataro 2002. Send me an e-mail if you need assistance finding these.

Coonawarra - Murdock (made by Peter Bissell) is a newish label off old vines and they've just released their brilliant 2000 Cabernet. Also made by Peter Bissell is Balnaves The Tally 2001, excellent.

Margaret River - Gralyn do a Cabernet that rivals both MW & Cullen in stature and price, probably CD is the best method of purchase. Vase Felix Heytesbury is always excellent whenever I try one.

[KMP]

Gianna, seems you have a nice cellar already and diversification is good.

Barossa - Kalleske Greenock Shiraz 2002 or 2003

I agree with this but they are currently sold out if the information on their site is correct. I would certainly try to get on the mailing list.

An alternative is Dutschke Oscar Semmler. The 2002 was one of the best reds that we tasted out of bottle during our trip to the Barossa, and its way less than $100/btl.

Two other wines that will probably go over the $100 but are worth it (at least from barrel tasting) are the Kalleske Johann Georg Shiraz and the Two Hands Ares. Unfortunately both will be very hard to get.

Mike

[Maximus]

Barossa Shiraz (have plenty Stonewell, Rockford BP )

Penfolds RWT is nice and around the money you're looking to spend, although I haven't had the '01 and hear bad things about it. Track down the '99 if you can, simply gorgeous. The newly released Kaesler Weapon of Mass Seduction could also be worthwhile. I'm hanging out for my first try of that little beast.

Coonawarra Cabernet (have plenty JR's, Petaluma)

Penfolds 707 is partly sourced from Coonawarra. Agree with already mentioned comments on the Balnaves Tally. I've heard good things about the Parker First Growth Cabernet and the Yalumba Menzies is a personal favourite (subject to vintage - loved the 2000).

Magaret River Cabernet (have plenty Cullen or Moss Wood)

Maybe pick up some older (and better vintage than current IMO) Leeuwin Art Series Cab and hunt around for some Howard Park as well (although this is only partly Margaret River). The Vasse Felix gear is good value too.

[Daryl Douglas]

Tahbilk 1860s Vines Shiraz - can't understand why it's not been mentioned. A btl of 95 at Christmas was nectar, just starting to show some aged characters but with years to go yet.

Cheers

daz

[michaelw]

Tahbilk 1860s Vines Shiraz - can't understand why it's not been mentioned. A btl of 95 at Christmas was nectar, just starting to show some aged characters but with years to go yet.

Cheers

daz

It's not from any of the three regions mentioned in the post. Nagambi is a fair way from Barossa, Coonwarra and Margaret River.

[Guest]

From the Borrossa
Wendouree Shiraz though good luck finding it
Jacobs Creek limited release Shiraz,Cabernet 1998 is awesome and still selling
Octavius

Coonawarra

Parker First Growth
John Riddoch

Magaret River

Pierro
Howard Park in good Vintages
Houghton Jack Mann


Or for way less than $100 and from left field Mount Pleasant Maurice O Shea Shiraz is a beauty and the 2000 and 2001 are great for long term.

[Gary W]

03 Grand puy Lacoste
03 Sociando Mallet

on indent - are around $100.

or look out for 03 Brokenwood Graveyard release which is a beauty.

or look into some 2001 Bordeaux that have just hit the market. You could do worse than hooking into some 01 Pape Clement.

GW

[KevinT]

Margaret River

Agree with the comments on Jack Mann.
Also had a Brookland Valley Reserve Cab 01 the other day. Really good.

[Guest]

The Jack Mann 1999 was an absolute knocker.
2000 was a weak vintage, not worth the hefty $$$$$. Eagerly waiting for the 2001 release.

[Gianna..]

To all the forumites, I really appreciate all of the responses.

I've heard many good things about the VF Heytsbury, the Gralyn and the Jack Mann, so I'll start scouring the internet for tasting notes and deals.

I suppose this is a great problem to have, but my cellar is about 1,000 bottles of which about 750 I classify as true quality drinking wines.
I only drink about 2 bottles a week on average throughout the year, so I have a reasonable reserve even if I stop buying now. (yeah, as if anyone ever stops buying wine).

But I figure now is the time to start buying some genuienely serious wine for drinking in 2015 +

Some French and Italian wines must get a guernsey soon I suspect.

[M.B.A.]

Gianna, do you someone to share your tipple?

Cheers,
Roy MbA*




*Married but available.

[707]

Roy, I think you'll find Gianna is a male unless you're that way inclined, anyway, you're married!

[Gianna..]

707, that is correct, male I am.

For what its worth, Gianna, is actually John in Italian.
Except that I am not Italian.

[Jakob]

Pretty much agree with everything here, though there's been no mention made of Greenock Creek. Pretty unique wines, mostly excellent if you ask me. Though not from the right 'suburb' you do a lot worse than the Clarendon Hills Sandown Cabernet, try the 1998 if you can find it, really top stuff.

[Kieran]

Margaret River: Woodlands Kevin 01 is good (as is Margaret, which is rather cheaper). Gralyn is worth trying and cellaring also. Perhaps try to get hold of some Cape Grace Cabernet, about $40.

Coonawarra: Balnaves The Tally 01. Highbank Coonawarra 01, Parker First Growth and 02 Cab. Majella (Malleea also). I'm told Hollick Ravenswood cellars very well. Also consider the top end Jamiesons Run stuff.

Barossa: Tin Shed Single Wire Shiraz 02, 02 Dutschkes. Schild are planning a reserve shiraz from 150 yo grapes. Veritas Hanisch. (It's not shiraz, but Veritas Bulls Blood 02 is great too). Turkey Flat 02. Rockford. Schubert Goose Block.

Other regions

Wirra Wirra RSW 02
O'Leary Walker Reserve Shiraz 02
Wendouree Shiraz
Seppelt St Peters 02, when released

Kieran

[Guest]

Schild are planning a reserve shiraz from 150 yo grapes.

...unless 1855 was a huge 'vintage of the post-jurassic period', I'd say the grapes are way past their use by date

[Stan]

Gianna,

Italian names ending in 'a' are female!

Ending in 'o' would be better for a bloke....maybe not for you. I don't know. 'e's and 'i's might be OK too. I'm not Italian so I hope this is correct. I think so.

eg. Marina=fem., Marino=male

By the way, I saw Wendouree mentioned. Is Wendouree in Barossa or Clare?

Seems there are a lot of $100 wines around now. Global demand and an increasinly affluent, appreciative local market has aided this.

Good luck with your choices.


Stan

[Guest]

John in Italian is "Giannino"

Wendouree is Clare