Its Sunday again....

[TORB]

Hio Good Peoples,

Its time for your weekly drinking reports. The highlight of my week was....

Summerfield Wines 2001 Reserve Shiraz Sept 05

I was updating my cellar records and noticed that this was one of those wines where Oliver and my thoughts differed substantially. Although there was no TN on Oliver's site, his drinking window was predicted as 2003-2006. My note advised it should peak about 2007 so I decided to open one to see what gives. On the first sniff, I think I had the difference between our windows nailed. The inviting, floral dark plum and black fruit aroma shows some sign of being a bit cooked; chocolate, fresh cut grass notes and cooling menthol enhance the bouquet. Palate flavours are a moorish combination of attractive chocolate, together with some slightly stewed plum and blackberry flavours, as well as well managed dark coffee oak characters which finish to mint. Well backed by fine dusty tannins, this muscular-weight wine has incredible power for its weight and a long, persistent finish. An absolute joy to drink, it's rated as Highly Recommended (the initial assessment was Excellent but has been downgraded because of the technically slightly cooked fruit - which is far from being into the "dead" category) and whilst it may not last as long as I had first hoped, its in no danger of falling over soon either. Glad I still have more in the cellar; its bloody enjoyable. Drink over the next 3-4 years.

Yesterday, I finally got up the energy to move 100 bottles from the cellar to home, so I will now have lots of good stuff to try and write TN on again.

Your turn, what have you been drinking?

[Serge Birbrair]

On Sunday I watch commercials
while drinking
1986 Cos d'Estrournel, St Estephe, Bordeaux

[Jeff2]

Had a 2000 Curlewis Reserve Pinot Noir. Fresh, very fresh, hasn't changed at all in the last couple of years, really quite minerally, tannins a touch bitter maybe. Needs another three years, and then it will be beautiful. Australian pinot can age.

Also had a 1996 Turkey Flat Shiraz. Nice wine, a bit blocky, quite a bit of toasty oak and certainly a very powerful drop. Drinking well from now, but not yet at its peak. This wine will live for another decade easily. Iam just not sure that I like it all that much anymore.

Jeff2.

[Red Bigot]

Highlights:

Heartland Langhorne Ck / Limestone Coast Shiraz 2004 and Cabernet 2004 - These have been reviewed here before, you could toss a coin to pick a favourite amongst these two (the Shiraz gets my vote though), both deliver fruit, structure and balance way above the under $15 asking price. Do yourself a favour and get some before they are sold out.

Hentley Farm "The Beauty" Barossa Shiraz 2004 - Made by Reid Bosward (Kaesler) or Neil Pike (it doesn't say on the back label) it has the soft, silky mouthfeel that both of these achieve in their shiraz. A deep magenta/purple, the nose has blackberry predominant and this follows through on the palate, with deceptively fine tannins and very subtle oak, the fruit is ripe and bright, it copes easily with the 14.5% a/v and there is (thankfully) only the subtle lift on the finish from the Viognier component and no overt apple/apricot from it on the nose or palate. The structure is there, but it's so approachable and balanced now I wonder why you would bother to see how it cellars. Indeed a "beauty", but pushing the friendship at $50, having tasted some barrel samples of 04 Kaesler Old Vine and 04 Kalleske Greenock Shiraz I think there will be better cellaring wines coming around that price from the 2004 Barossa vintage.

Geoff Hardy Adelaide Hills Shiraz K1 2001 - nice medium-weight shiraz showing some cooler-climate spiciness despite the hot vintage and an acceptable level of cedary oak, drinking well now, will mature/hold for a couple of years, but not a long-term wine. Update: The second half of the bottle the next night showed dominant coarse oak and faded fruit, driink it all in one night and don't decant.

Lowlight:
Eden Springs Eden Valley Shiraz 2000 - I'd never liked this one as much as the 99, this one showed why, a fair dose of brett developing now, down the sink.

[TORB]

Lowlight:
Eden Springs Eden Valley Shiraz 2000 - I'd never liked this one as much as the 99, this one showed why, a fair dose of brett developing now, down the sink.

Hi Brian,

Interesting. I have never seen as much as hint of Brett in the 3 I have drunk so far. Here is my last TN - 7/05 The impressive thing about this wine is that it was clean as a whistle, pure fruit was the dominant feature and gun barrel straight on the palate. It is a refined, mid-weight wine and everyting it should be with nothing there that shouldn't be. A joy to drink. Pristine blackberry, dominates the earthy mushroom and milk chocolate flavours that are supported by tannins that have softened nicley; a good food wine, it is rated as Highly Recommended.

The 99 Cab had an known problem but this is this is the first report on the 2000 Shiraz I have seen with Brett.

[Guest]

"earthy mushroom" in a young-ish red wine? could easily be one of the more attractive flavours of brett.

[TORB]

"earthy mushroom" in a young-ish red wine? could easily be one of the more attractive flavours of brett.

And it can also just as easily be derrived from French oak.

[Guest]

I wasn't having a go at you. Just suggesting what might be happening here.

As a winemaker said to me once, 'If that's an oak flavour, then your oak has got a lot of brett in it.' Or something like that.

French oak, on a new wine, really shouldn't taste like mushrooms, even if it sometimes does. If the oak tastes like mushrooms, there is something growing on the wood.

I have not tasted this wine. I am not commenting on it specifically. I am just saying that as a reader, I see the word 'mushroom' and assume that the wine has a touch of brett, for better or for worse.

[qwertt]

Very interesting tasting of Keith Tulloch with winemaker at a Canberra wine shop. It may have been alcohol deprivation and a tough working week but it is clear from what I tasted that the 5 star rating that Halliday gives the winery is totally justified. My previous experience is a 1999 shiraz that he made on contract to a large national wine retailer - bought a few bottles initially at around $18 and thought it good value for a quality Hunter Shiraz - then the chain dropped it to $10 a bottle, which made it my bargain of that year.

Of the wines tasted 2004 Semillon was absolutely outstanding. 2005 indicated it would go the same way. Very grassy, but quite intense 2001 Kester Shiraz a very complex, dense wine - lovely stuff, worth it at over $40 a bottle. 2202 Kester getting there as well. Of the other wines on show I particularly liked the 2000 Forres Cabernet blend with a particularly strong Cabernet varietal flavour but very smooth. There was also a very silky Syrah-Viognier (with a 9% Viognier content) - 2002 I think, and a very pleasant Hunter style Chardonnay. The only wine I was not enamoured with was a Merlot.

Finally, there were two outstanding (but not cheap) stickies - 2000 and 2004, the latter with a whopping 14% alcohol from memory.

Bought a bottle of the Forres and had with dinner. Being under cork, and not giving it time to breathe, there was a little stink and sharpness which had not been present at the tasting (where the bottle had been open for 4 to 6 hours) but wore away. I'll have the last third tonight and report back.

[Red Bigot]

Lowlight:
Eden Springs Eden Valley Shiraz 2000 - I'd never liked this one as much as the 99, this one showed why, a fair dose of brett developing now, down the sink.

The 99 Cab had an known problem but this is this is the first report on the 2000 Shiraz I have seen with Brett.

Ric, this is my third bottle of 6 in the 4 years since purchase, the last one about a year ago was drinkable, but not satisfying, this one was full-on mousey and metallic (maybe even mice that had been frolicking in mushroom compost ), it got quickly worse as it breathed and I could only take a few sips before it became unbearable.

I agree on the 99 cabernet, lucky I only bought 3, though 1 was replaced in a subsequent order by the late RW when I mentioned I thought it had a problem. The replacement had the same unpleasant character and slightly premature browning.

[Chuck]

Good morning all,

A bit slow out of the blocks this am after a BIG 40th birthday dinner party towhich we took.

Leasingham 1998 Classic Clare Riesling which have tended to be below expectations however this was just lovely displaying all those wonderful aged charateristics including kero. Typically last of the dozen.

Henschke 1996 Cyril Henschke Cabernet. Double decanted at 5pm, at dinner this was just lovely although thought it a bit light on in fruit with oak a tad dominant. Still a pleasurable to experience.

Penfolds 1998 Bin 128 Shiraz. Same treatment as the Cyril and a pleasure to drink. Lovely cool climate job right in its drinking window.

But WOTN was the birthday girl's Bannockburn 1999 Shiraz. My first taste of this and it simply blew me away. The Cyril and 128 were not in the same class although the Italian food probably compliments it better. I love this style and would love Forumites to recommend others in this style although the price tag may be a problem.

Tried the highly rated 2004 Henry's Drive Pillar Box shiraz/cabernet/merlot. Apparently surplus from a US order and I can only say it's in the RPJ style. Undrinkable and out of balance with flabby in your face fruit and 15% alcohol. Luckily the remaining 11 were taken back by the retailer.

Chuck

[Red Bigot]

Tried the highly rated 2004 Henry's Drive Pillar Box shiraz/cabernet/merlot. Apparently surplus from a US order and I can only say it's in the RPJ style. Undrinkable and out of balance with flabby in your face fruit and 15% alcohol. Luckily the remaining 11 were taken back by the retailer.

Chuck

A Melbourne merchant listing this (as a Cab-merlot-Shiraz, is it the same wine?) claims it's made by Chris Ringland and is the "best Australian Red under $20!". What's wrong with your palate Chuck? (Just joking of course).

[peterk]

No real highlights or notes as such

a 95 Melba Barrel Select showing so differently than previous bottles,a lot of bottle stink which never left, but clean red berry, long length but quite thin.
98 Chalambar plenty of mint. from memory a pleasant drink

95 Yattarna very developed and not to my palate,others seemed to like it.

02 389 tons of fruit all in all a good drink

02 Binder Veritas well made wine clean flavours,a table fav and a nice wine.

76 707 no primary fruit,leather,meaty flavours and nuances some underlying cassis/black current, longish length past its peak.

Cheers
Peterk

[TORB]

As a winemaker said to me once, 'If that's an oak flavour, then your oak has got a lot of brett in it.' Or something like that.

French oak, on a new wine, really shouldn't taste like mushrooms, even if it sometimes does. If the oak tastes like mushrooms, there is something growing on the wood.

as a reader, I see the word 'mushroom' and assume that the wine has a touch of brett, for better or for worse.

Interesting! And food for brain thought too. I often find earthy mushroom like aromas in wines that have been aged in French Oak, especially Victorian wines. I will need to do some more checking/testing.

[Chuck]

A Melbourne merchant listing this (as a Cab-merlot-Shiraz, is it the same wine?) claims it's made by Chris Ringland and is the "best Australian Red under $20!". What's wrong with your palate Chuck? Wink (Just joking of course).

RB,

Correct, it's labelled as a cabernet/shiraz/merlot but no matter which way you spell it it's still a RPJ wine. The retailer noted the Chris Ringlands connection and that it was a hot seller. I must be in the minority

Chuck

[Lolly]

Hello. Just a few this week.

Chateau Leoville Las Cases (St. Julien) 1994

I've opened my first bottle of this vintage from one of my all-time favourite producers. Parker rates this as one of the six great wines of the vintage. 91 points. I now understand why.

Saturated deep-ruby almost right the way to the edge with a touch of brick red near the meniscus. Gorgeous nose of intense blackcurrant, cedar and freshly turned, sweet wet earth backed by perfectly integrated newish savoury oak. Voluminous, creamy and quite full entry with masses of flavour - mostly cassis, new saddle leather, plenty of assertive savoury oak and grippy, medium-grained tannins cutting through the back-end that pucker the walls of the mouth and linger, almost, interminably. An amazingly pure, hedonistic, most serious St. Julien, not quite ready to my taste, but definitely built for the long haul. Drink 2010-2020. Can't fault Parker's rating. Excellent now, almost Outstanding with better things in store for those with patience.

Opened for friend who came over to upgrade my computer on Thursday -

Grosset Polish Hill Riesling 2002 (Screwcap) - no note taken - infantile, bracing limey minerality with a trace of light toast. Brilliant natural acid cut. Great length. As good as it gets. Will last well too.

And last night a few glasses of 1996 Comte Armand Pommard 1er Cru "Clos des Epeneaux" - this monopole site holds legendary status amongst many a scribe. This particular vintage was harvested from Pinot Noir vines ranging from 25-80 years of age. Coates wrote, in 1998, the winemaker, Pascal Marchand, considered this his best Epeneaux ever. Coates was tempted to agree. I thought the wine impressive, exhibiting good colour, plenty of sappy cherry and plum fruit with an element of rusticity - earthy, undergrowth aromas and flavours interplaying with some nicely honed savoury oak, silky textured, with grainy tannins, some lift from the acidity common to this vintage and very good length. Unfortunately, it doesn't compare to the great Burgundies I've had the (occasional) pleasure of sharing over the years, but, all in all, a wine that can be highly recommended and drunk over the next several years. I enjoyed it very much and will have another look at it with lunch shortly.

[GrahamB]

Grant Burge Filsell 1998

Had this with some friends at a curry night last night. Had some before the hot indian curries and the last of the bottle much later.

Drinking very well now (much better than a year ago) nicely integrated. Glad I didn't drink them up quickly now.

Graham

[andyc]

2001 Chalkers Crossing Tumbarumba Chardonnay
Have been a keen fan of this winery but must say the Chardonnay is the most consistent although the reds can be good at times.
This wine is definitely in the subtle mode of grapefruit, almond meal and with lovely balancing acidity. Made by French woman, Celine Rousseau and she certainly handles this wine well. Just starting to hit its peak.

Vintage Cellars Barossa GSM 2003
Never buy much here and not quite sure how these stores survive when I look at the pricing compared to most independents. That said, I have ended up on their mailing list where this wine grabbed my attention on the back page. It's made by Torbreck and I haven't had a bad wine from them so decided to try a bottle @ $10 pb. I must say this is exactly what I am looking for from a cheap red. A good savoury style with no pretence of oak, therefore no confected aftertaste from cheap oak which marrs so many low priced wines to my palate. The strawberry/plum fruit from Grenache being balanced by more meaty tones from Mouvedre & Shiraz. A good wine.

[Nayan]

Interesting! And food for brain thought too. I often find earthy mushroom like aromas in wines that have been aged in French Oak, especially Victorian wines. I will need to do some more checking/testing.

Torb,

Mushroom aromas can come from a couple of butane based alcohols (if memory serves me right). They are often found in cork, and as such find their way into the wine. I can imagine the same compounds are also found in oak.

N.

[Jordan]

Two wines tasted for possible future purchases:

2002 St Halletts Old Block Shiraz

After a 4 hour decant the wine seemed to open a little but remained very tight. Good quality fruit with plum and some blackfruits showing but very subdued for this label. Did not find the overt lashings of oak normally found in an Old Block or the rich Barrossa fruit I expected.
Will I purchase? At the $49 price point I got this bottle at, maybe 3 bottles only, just to see how it turns out.

Seppelt Benno Bendigo Shiraz 2003

Drunk after the Crows magnificant victory over the "pow-wa". This wine was magnificent! Plumb, blackberries, some cherry all well supported by unobtrusive oak. Powerful yet very restrained, as good as the St. Peters label IMO. Long-term wine.
Will I purchase? At any price point (up to $60) I will buy as many as i can find.

Wines enjoyed over awesome Sunday lunch at Adelaide institution Maximillians:

Bird in Hand Adelaide Hills 2004 Sav Blanc

Dont ask me. I passed on the see through and chose to open my account with a perfect bottle of Stella Artois! Overpriced, fancy labelled Belgian brew, but gees, I still love them!

Greenock Creek Cab Sav 2002

Very nice wine. All mocha and black fruit if not a little spirity at 14.5%. Very enjoyable.

Greenock Creek 2001 Creek Block Shiraz

WOW! 16.5%, spirity, porty, ultra ripe stewed plum, chocolate and even honey Not a wine i would have in my cellar or classically enjoyable but one that caused plenty of conversation and different sensations of taste. Not a food wine!

Solitude Adelaide Hills Shiraz 2000

Made by Torbrek w/maker David Powell, this was a perfect accompanient to Max's famous mushrooms! A Shiraz with elegant fruit and restrained oak, this was Adelaide hills shiraz at its best. A suprise from the 2000 vintage. At 12.5% alcohol, it made me want more "low-alcohol" (read normal) shiraz. A wine the eminentt American one wouldn't enjoy, thus increasing my enjoyment!

Grant Burge Holy Trinity 1999 (GSM)

A perfect wine to move from the Solitude Shiraz to the Greenock Creek Cab Sav. Generous and upfront array of blackberry and raspberry with a long spicy finish. Probably my favourite Holy Trinity and probably drinking at its best now.

A great lunch and Happy 21st Gerard! Shame his old man wouldnt spring for the 1947 Maurice O'Shea, 1986 Grange or the 1996 Meshach Magnum - tight old bugger!

[Campbell]

Just out of interest Jordan - is there seriously a 47 Mount Pleasant on the list there or is it just there as a tease? how much is it? what's the restaurant called again?

Campbell.

[Adair]

2003 Starvedog Lane Shiraz/Viognier - 13.5%
Ripe, lush, free flowing. Dark cherries. Good perfume. Viognier well used and is not obviously apparent on the palate. Some restraint and just enough fine structure. Drink now. 16.8/20, 89/100.

2004 Castello del Poggio Mascato D'Asti - 5%
Fine beads. Smooth, creamy mouthfeel. Obvious sweetness as is style but well balanced. Better definition and structural fineness than any Australian (think Brown Brothers) example I have tasted. Went beautifully with poached pears. 16.3/20, 87/100.

2002 Balnaves “The Blend” Cabernets – 14%
Complex, cranberries but a little bitter and green on the back. 15/20, 82/100.

NV Balnaves Sparkling Cabernet (February 2005 disgorgement) - 13.5%
Not as big and bold as the 2004 disgorgement and unfortunately is not as enjoyable for it. A surprising amount of elegance on a long palate with very enjoyable aged characters but seems just slightly disjointed despite a smooth palate. 15.8/20, 86/100.

2000 Meeting Place Pinot Noir – 13%
Lean and lacking depth and intensity but complex and savoury. Drink up. 14.8/20, 81/100.


Went to Kingsleys Australian Steakhouse & Cigar Lounge KingleyÂ’son King Street on Saturday night:

2002 Kingley's "Tyrrell's" Hunter Shiraz ($28 )
Hunter deep red fruits and savouriness on an adequately deep front palate but lacks generosity on the back palate with just slightly too much acid, although quite harmonious. 15.4/20, 84/100.

2003 Jim Barry Cover Drive Cabernet Sauvignon – 15% ($45)
Big and powerful but not polished. Strong, slightly chalky tannin under the dark fruit. Goes well with steak. 16/20, 87/100.

2003 Yalumba Shiraz Viognier ($38 )
Not in the same class as the Starvedog Lane. Lacking much on the middle and back and nothing greatly interesting on the front except blackcurrant and a little perfume. Viognier was well balanced though. 15.3/20, 84/100.

1995 d'Arenberg "Old Vines" Shiraz $85
Silky and deep with harmonious aged dark characters with liquorice, chocolate and sweet spices. Fine structure. Ready. Nothing profound but lovely drinking. 17.5/20, 91/100.

1999 Stovehaven Padthaway Shiraz ($55)
Very Barossa. Deep throughout the palate. Dark with liquorice and tar. Tannins big and ripe in harmony. A standout on the night. 17.9/20, 92/100.

2003 or 2004 Primo Estate Joseph Botrytis Riesling ($45)
Powerful fruit and sweetness on a long, acid structure. In your face yet elegant. 17.8/20, 92/100.

2003 De Bortoli Noble One ($56)
Deeper and sweeter than the Joseph but not as powerful or long. Still very good. 17.4/20, 91/100.

And finally, my large rib eye steak was not that good.

Kind regards,
Adair

[DJ]

1999 Noon Reserve Cabernet - during the annual cellar relay and stock take discovered I hadn't even tried one of my 6. I'm sure the Cabernet purist would complain it didn't have enough varietal character Who cares This is a very enjoyable wine. fairly closed on the nose to begin but dark fruit, chocolate and oak characters emerge - this is reflected on the palate rich soft character. I like the long soft tanins I'l seeing in the Noons. Distinction. I am certainly not up set that Noons is now the number 2 winery in the cellar only just beaten by Penfolds and I've been cellaring Penfolds since 1990 and only discovered Noon in 1998.

2003 Carpineto Dogajollo - I don't get to try enough imports so gave this a burl, initially had a lovely perfumed nose but didn't follow through. A pleasant drink but I won't be rushing back for more. Credit.

2001 Thomas Hunter McLaren Vale Shiraz - I might have posted this one recently - scored a case for $15 per bottle (all inclusions) at Langton's - I tried this one in the Hunter and thought it was good at $30 - $15 a bargin. Rich easy drinking, very enjoyable. Distinction.

[Adair]

I went to Tyrrell's Private Bin tasting on Saturday at the great location of North Sydney Oval. Breif notes below. Case price at the end of each wine.

2005 Vat 4 Semillon: Broad, lanolin. Ripe acid. Very good length. 16.3/20, 87/100. $186

2005 Vat 18 Semillon: Not defined enough. Broader than Vat 4. Okay length. 15.3/20, 84/100. $208

2005 Vat 1 Semillon: Complex. Lime, florals, passionfruit and minerals. Super fine acidity. Depth and balanced from front to back. Good power. Superb drinking. 18.7/20, 95/100. $275

2005 Vat 63 Chardonnay/Semillon and 2005 Vat 91 Chardonnay: Broad, smooth but a little flabby. Both 15.3/20, 84/100. $208 and $186 respectively.

2005 Vat 47 Chardonnay: Smooth and long. Very harmonious. Acid excellently integrated. Palate builds. 17.7/20, 92/100. $360

2005 Trigger Traminer: Varietal but not exciting. Only slightly sweet. Simple with adequate depth. Not bad, which is probably surprising in itself. 15.5/20, 85/100. $150

2004 Vat 4 NVC Shiraz: Medium bodied. Good depth. Good generosity of savoury plummy and cherry fruit on the front. End slightly dry and lean. 16.3/20, 87/100. $300

2004 Vat 9 Shiraz: Savoury, dark cherry and blackberry fruit. Excellent depth. Smooth and harmonious yet well structured with fine, ripe tannins and excellently integrated acidity. Not a show wine but awesome to sit with over half an hour, as I did looking over North Sydney oval. 18/20, 93/100. $300

2004 Vat 11 Baulkam Shiraz: Does not have the depth of the Vat 9, nor the length. 16.3/20, 87/100. $300

2004 Vat 8 Shiraz/Cabernet: A bit all over the place at the moment but even so, I hoped for more power. Will be very good with 5 years but never excellent. 17/20, 90/100. $300

2004 Vat 70 Mudgee Cabernet: Didn't excite. 15.7/20, 86/100. $300

2003 Vat 14 Cabernet: Not worth the $80. 14.3/20, 79/100.

2003 Rufus Stone Cabernet Malbec: Powerful, well structure, some complexity. Enjoyable over the next 5 years. 16.7/20, 89/100. $264

The 2004 Hunter red vintage is not in the same class as 2003, but the 2004 Vat 9 is welcome on my table at any time.

A most enjoyable hour!

Kind regards,
Adair

[mphatic]

Ric, this is my third bottle of 6 in the 4 years since purchase, the last one about a year ago was drinkable, but not satisfying, this one was full-on mousey and metallic (maybe even mice that had been frolicking in mushroom compost ), it got quickly worse as it breathed and I could only take a few sips before it became unbearable.

I agree on the 99 cabernet, lucky I only bought 3, though 1 was replaced in a subsequent order by the late RW when I mentioned I thought it had a problem. The replacement had the same unpleasant character and slightly premature browning.

I opened up a 99 Penfolds Bin 28 the other night - first time tasted since release. Straight up, the fruit was quite expressive, but after a period of about 10mins it became metallic. Checking again over the next 1/2 hour it closed up and became totally undrinkable - it was like biting into steel. Leaving it for another hour or so, the metallic feeling started disappearing to leave a wine that was now drinkable. Still not what I expected from Bin 28, but nevertheless for a wine that was about to go down the sink only an hour earlier, it was acceptable.

Has anybody else come across this with this wine?

[Jordan]

Just out of interest Jordan - is there seriously a 47 Mount Pleasant on the list there or is it just there as a tease? how much is it? what's the restaurant called again?

Campbell.

I kid not. There was a 1947 Hardys Maurice O'Shea Claret on the wine list. A bargain at $1200. Maximillians has one of the best rare and aged wine lists i have seen in a restaurant! The 1996 Meshach Imperial (6 litre) was also impressive!

[Steve]

I spent Saturday at Clare tasting and buying wine, but don't remember too much except the damage done to my Visa card. Whoops.

I cheated a bit with this post, I actually opened this today:

The 2004 Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz pours dark purple, and so far there isn't any sediment to be seen. I'm not entirely sure how long this has been in the bottle, but it can't be long - the cork barely showed any signs of wine contact.

The nose offers a wonderful array of aromas. Initially dominated by honeysuckle and blackberry and pepper, after some time in the glass the wine opened up to reveal cassis, plum, currants, raspberry, and typical cool climate shiraz spices. Very intense and complex. The fermentation on viognier skins is quite apparent. So far, so good.

Wow. Honeysuckle, pepper, currants, cassis, plum, raspberry. Fine, well integrated tannins. Quite complex... lots of spice and fruit and tannin mingling together to coat the mouth and pull away in layers, ending with a pleasant and intense purfumed honeysuckle and raspberry finish that keeps going and going.

[RedVelvet]

O'leary Walker, Sauvignon Blanc, 2005

Clear slightly silver grey green tinge, nose of lychee, passionfruit and stone. The palate was well balanced with tropical fruit, guava, passionfruit, mineral slate and an acidic clean cut to the finish. This is very impressive and quite a powerfull wine in my opinion.

Katnook Estate, Odyssey Cabernet, 1997

Simply stunning! Deep crimson, an aromatic nose full of Cassis, shoe polish, hazelnut and oaky nuances. On the palate deep set black currant, oaky, smooth, oily and rather complex. I thoroughly enjoyed this wine and would jump at the chance to have it in my glass anytime.

Thats it for this last week a rather poor effort considering.....

[qwertt]

Bought a bottle of the Forres and had with dinner. Being under cork, and not giving it time to breathe, there was a little stink and sharpness which had not been present at the tasting (where the bottle had been open for 4 to 6 hours) but wore away. I'll have the last third tonight and report back.

Yep - wonderful - smooth as ....

[action2096]

I went to Tyrrell's Private Bin tasting on Saturday at the great location of North Sydney Oval. Breif notes below. Case price at the end of each wine.

2005 Vat 4 Semillon: Broad, lanolin. Ripe acid. Very good length. 16.3/20, 87/100. $186

2005 Vat 18 Semillon: Not defined enough. Broader than Vat 4. Okay length. 15.3/20, 84/100. $208

2005 Vat 1 Semillon: Complex. Lime, florals, passionfruit and minerals. Super fine acidity. Depth and balanced from front to back. Good power. Superb drinking. 18.7/20, 95/100. $275

2005 Vat 63 Chardonnay/Semillon and 2005 Vat 91 Chardonnay: Broad, smooth but a little flabby. Both 15.3/20, 84/100. $208 and $186 respectively.

2005 Vat 47 Chardonnay: Smooth and long. Very harmonious. Acid excellently integrated. Palate builds. 17.7/20, 92/100. $360

2005 Trigger Traminer: Varietal but not exciting. Only slightly sweet. Simple with adequate depth. Not bad, which is probably surprising in itself. 15.5/20, 85/100. $150

2004 Vat 4 NVC Shiraz: Medium bodied. Good depth. Good generosity of savoury plummy and cherry fruit on the front. End slightly dry and lean. 16.3/20, 87/100. $300

2004 Vat 9 Shiraz: Savoury, dark cherry and blackberry fruit. Excellent depth. Smooth and harmonious yet well structured with fine, ripe tannins and excellently integrated acidity. Not a show wine but awesome to sit with over half an hour, as I did looking over North Sydney oval. 18/20, 93/100. $300

2004 Vat 11 Baulkam Shiraz: Does not have the depth of the Vat 9, nor the length. 16.3/20, 87/100. $300

2004 Vat 8 Shiraz/Cabernet: A bit all over the place at the moment but even so, I hoped for more power. Will be very good with 5 years but never excellent. 17/20, 90/100. $300

2004 Vat 70 Mudgee Cabernet: Didn't excite. 15.7/20, 86/100. $300

2003 Vat 14 Cabernet: Not worth the $80. 14.3/20, 79/100.

2003 Rufus Stone Cabernet Malbec: Powerful, well structure, some complexity. Enjoyable over the next 5 years. 16.7/20, 89/100. $264

The 2004 Hunter red vintage is not in the same class as 2003, but the 2004 Vat 9 is welcome on my table at any time.

A most enjoyable hour!

Kind regards,
Adair

Hi Adair,

I bought both the 03 VAT9 & the 04 VAT1.. What are your thoughts on these vs the 04 VAT9 and the 05VAT

Cheers
Chris