Melbe East Offline - Oct 2003 - Tasting Notes

[ChrisH]

Usual axe-murderers - Anthony, Neville, Rory, Sanjay, Peter, Pau and myself adjourned to Samsara in Mt Waverley, where the food was even better than last time. The only downside was my Riedel got broken at the table ! (what are the Esse Design Bordeaux glasses like - Murray, anyone ?)

Wines were :

2002 Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir
Bright ruby colour. Attractive dark cherries on the nose. Medium bodied, smooth cherry fruit with some smoky oak rounding out the finish. Reminded me more of a New Zealand Pinot style (and all the better for it) and pretty good value in the low to mid $20Â’s.


1992 Bests Bin O Shiraz
Still relatively youthful ruby-red. Lovely perfumed fruit, with touches of mint and vanilla. Refined, sweet blackberry fruit, still slightly tight to taste resulting in a shortish finish that should fill out with time. This was obviously a very good vintage for Bests.


1994 Guigal Cote Rotie
Medium red. Chalky-powdery sweet fruit to smell – quite enticing, and opened up further over time. The palate is rich and powerful enough yet also elegant in that Cote Rotie style. Some tannins to finish and probably still on the upward climb to maturity.


1994 Xanadu Reserve Cabernet
Medium to deep red-ruby. Excellent nose of cedary cassis fruit. Lovely full-bodied palate with some Margaret River earthiness and moccha oak. Reminded me of a cross between Moss Wood and Cape Mentelle.


1984 Moss Wood Cabernet
Medium red. Maturing plummy fruit and cedary oak to smell. Rich plum and cedar in balance with dark chocolate at the back of the palate – something like an Australian Pomerol. On a plateau and no sign of going downhill – great for a wine that almost 20 years old.


1993 Kenwood Artist Series Cabernet (Sonoma Valley)
Very deep, maturing blackish red. Overtly fruity to smell – oak is there but certainly subservient to the fruit. Similar to taste – almost exuberant in its youthful fruitiness, although the structure is there underneath. The Merlot appears to have quite an influence on the style of the wine. I have never had a Californian like this (obviously I should get out more).


1990 Cullens Cabernet-Merlot
Deep red, blackish middle. Earthy fruit on the nose. The palate shows plum-cassis fruit and some of that earthy-gravelly character talked about (in a positive sense) with Margaret River Cabernets. Still relatively youthful - quality Aussie Bordeaux blend.


1994 Chateau Greysac
Medium red. Oak is now the dominant feature of the wine as the fruit has started to fade away.


1983 Hugel Gewurztraminer Selection de Grains Noble (375ml)
Extremely rich yet not over the top. Great wine tasting of honey, peaches and that typical lychee character adding to the complexity of the dessert wine. Could live a long time but certainly drinking well now.


regards
Chris

[Anthony]

Great notes Chris. For me the WOTN was a tie between the 1994 Guigal Cote Rotie and 1983 Hugel Gewurztraminer Selection de Grains Noble (375ml) Both awesome wines, with heaps and heaps of complexity.

The Margaret River wines were all stunning with all three having years ahead of them. The rest were also very very good. I would love to see all these wines again in five years time.

cheers
anthony

[Murray]

There you go Chris;

At $35 per Riedel Vinum Bordeaux and $6 (or less) per Esse Design, how much money is sitting on the pedestal?

[Adam]

To have it a guess...$47??

[Murray]

It's Chris' quiz; no heckling from the sidelines permitted.

(but he is permitted to phone a friend)

[Adam]

Wheres quizmaster when you need him to officiate these things...I believe the apprentice quizmaster is conflicted...

[ChrisH]

Murray, you are a devil !

Looking at my Riedels, the one in the middle seems to have the same join where the stem meets the bowl. Not sure about the other two - really need to get a megapixel camera better than 2.0 Muzz !

I know they look similar, but have you tasted tested them in comparison ?

regards
Chris

[Murray]

Chris,

Actually it's a 1.3mp, and a crop of it at that!

The middle one is the Riedel, the other two are Esse design. In a pack the only real obvious way to tell is the thickness of the stem.

In terms of aroma presentation I haven't found a significantly consistent difference between the two, given the bowl shape is the same for the top 7/8 of the glass, and they are both clean cut rim.

At home I use them interchangebly, and when I'm packing the briefcase I use the Esse to minimise the emotional impact of any breakages.

[ChrisH]

At home I use them interchangebly, and when I'm packing the briefcase I use the Esse to minimise the emotional impact of any breakages

Thanks Murray - might do the same. I have broken too many Riedels in the past 18 months for my wallet to allow any more.


regards
Chris

[Gasman]

Murray,
Where are the Esse design glasses available from in Melbourne? I've also broken a few Riedels recently, and wouldn't mind an alternative for more rowdy dinner parties.

[Guest]

Gasman,

I know Myer sell them, and mark them down regularly, but I don't think they're an exclusive brand to that retailer.

I've got 18 or so, bought at various sales.

Murray

note the author of this post owns Coles Myer shares.

[Murray]

I was the author of that post, and both of us still own Coles Myer shares

[ChrisH]

Guess what - Myer has 30% off them at the moment - worked out a under $5 a glass. I'll let you know the results of my taste comparison in due course.


regards
Chris