so your weekly drinking reports are due.
In my case, I have had a couple of bottles of Seppelt 2002 FRS that have gone down a treat on hot days; terrific value and very quaffable as long as you don't think deeply about it.
Last night was an increadible night of wine and good food. I will leave it to Adair and Danny to fill you in on the details as they took notes.
Now what have you guys been drinking?
A week to go till Christmas but its still Sunday.....
I been buying to much!! Not drinking a lot, in fact I didnt even open a bottle this week!!
Last Sunday I cracked a very commercial 2001 Montana Marlborough Riesling which must be the cheapest cellar worthy wine in the country at $9 on special. It showed plenty of weight, good focus and excellent chisp clean flavours. Not the most delicate of wines but neither was it harsh, definately one that improves out of sight after 3 or 4 years in the cellar.
I also grabbed a taste at my folks of a 2002 Te Mata Woodthorpe Syrah Viognier which was an extremely classy wine for sub $20. Fine velvety tannins, black spice ladden fruit, carressing texture and the stamp of some Te Mata class and arrogance. Very impressive wine which has improved since release no end.
Also 2005 Sanctuary Pinot Gris. A chunky wine with a good amount of flavour, pears, hints of cloves, stonefruits. Im not a huge pinot gris fan, but this $16 on special jobbie certainly would deal to a swag of overpriced insipid examples that are currently highly fashionable in NZ.
Cheers
C
Last Sunday I cracked a very commercial 2001 Montana Marlborough Riesling which must be the cheapest cellar worthy wine in the country at $9 on special. It showed plenty of weight, good focus and excellent chisp clean flavours. Not the most delicate of wines but neither was it harsh, definately one that improves out of sight after 3 or 4 years in the cellar.
I also grabbed a taste at my folks of a 2002 Te Mata Woodthorpe Syrah Viognier which was an extremely classy wine for sub $20. Fine velvety tannins, black spice ladden fruit, carressing texture and the stamp of some Te Mata class and arrogance. Very impressive wine which has improved since release no end.
Also 2005 Sanctuary Pinot Gris. A chunky wine with a good amount of flavour, pears, hints of cloves, stonefruits. Im not a huge pinot gris fan, but this $16 on special jobbie certainly would deal to a swag of overpriced insipid examples that are currently highly fashionable in NZ.
Cheers
C
Xmas parties this week so mostly beer and quaffers.
Plenty of Seppelts orginal sparkles 02, need to get another case of this as it is dissapearing fast and I would like to see how it goes with a couple of years under its belt.
Heartland 2004 Shiraz this is still great qpr
1999 Waninga shiraz, had at a party, no notes but is a pretty decent quaffer nearing the end of its drinking window. Already a fair amount of bricking but still a pleasant drop.
Will wait to see what comes out for xmas dinner/lunch before I make a call on wine of the year
Glen
Plenty of Seppelts orginal sparkles 02, need to get another case of this as it is dissapearing fast and I would like to see how it goes with a couple of years under its belt.
Heartland 2004 Shiraz this is still great qpr
1999 Waninga shiraz, had at a party, no notes but is a pretty decent quaffer nearing the end of its drinking window. Already a fair amount of bricking but still a pleasant drop.
Will wait to see what comes out for xmas dinner/lunch before I make a call on wine of the year
Glen
Winner of the inaugural RB cork-count competition
Runner up RB-NTDIR competition
Runner up TORB TN competition
Leave of absence second RB c-c competition
Runner up RB-NTDIR competition
Runner up TORB TN competition
Leave of absence second RB c-c competition
-
Big Dave
Been a bit of a buying week here too, but still managed to fit in a few bottles in between!!
Mann Brut Reserve, 2002, Swan Valley, WA.
Interesting sparkling number made from cabernet sauvignon. Pale reddy gold in colour, with a nose full of biscuit, yeast and a little peanut! Fine bead, nice mouthfeel and good acidity. A mouthful of bread and biscuits with a hint of butter and a very light touch of red fruit. Finishes a little short, but all in all a lovely summer drink.
J. Vidal-Fleury Crozes-Hermitage, 2000, France.
Decanted and drunk with liverwurst and chorizo. Initially a pooey whiff on the nose that blew off quite quickly. Not much for a while but gradually opened up to a few light hints of black fruit with a bit of tar. Initial gentle blackberry fruit, slightly spicy, very soft, resolved tannins, but not much on the middle palate drops away quickly with some light red fruit and treacle flavours. Maybe a hint of greenness but not in an unpleasant way. Not a bad wine, not a great wine, a bit disappointing maybe.
Seppelts Victorian Shiraz, 2003.
Deep inky purple in the centre to red rim. Initially not a big nose with some spice, a little redcurrant, a hint of port and a whiff perhaps of alcohol. Flavours are also light and redcurranty with a hint of greenness and little in the way of discernible tannins. Decanted the wine at this point. With a bit of time after decanting, the nose evolved to blackberry and dark chocolate. However, the palate still seems much more red berry oriented with hints of black fruit and mild pepperiness. Soft tannins coming up slightly at the end. Black fruit came up a little more with time. Overall, reasonable value as a bbq quaffer.
Dacia Tamaioasa Romaneasca, 2000, Cotnari, Romania.
Well, I have to admit that looking at a bottle of Romanian (sweet white) wine, some horrible memories of student days came surging back, so I guess I was a little prejudiced before drinking. That will teach me to be so judgemental! This one is a botryised style of wonderful deep yellow-golden colour with restrained marmaladey nose. On the palate, it is sweet and lightly unctuous upfront, with strong marmalade flavours and a hint of lemon and honey in the mid palate with a good acidic finish. If I was to criticise, perhaps it is just a little short. A good accompaniment to some strong rotting grey/yellow coloured blue cheese that was lying around. For me, a surprise and an interesting contrast to some of the lower acidity sticky-sweet botrytal wine styles I have had here (admittedly not many though!).
Also, picked up a few bottles of Tyrells Rufus Stone McLaren Vale Shiraz 2001 at a warehouse moving sale and cracked one last night. No notes taken but good, deep full bodied wine with lots of upfront fruit and soft tannin. As I write, I am quaffing Jacob's Creek Reserve Cab Sav 2002, which, while not a patch on its Shiraz counterpart, came out of its shell well with a good lump of rare steak.
Cheers
Dave
Mann Brut Reserve, 2002, Swan Valley, WA.
Interesting sparkling number made from cabernet sauvignon. Pale reddy gold in colour, with a nose full of biscuit, yeast and a little peanut! Fine bead, nice mouthfeel and good acidity. A mouthful of bread and biscuits with a hint of butter and a very light touch of red fruit. Finishes a little short, but all in all a lovely summer drink.
J. Vidal-Fleury Crozes-Hermitage, 2000, France.
Decanted and drunk with liverwurst and chorizo. Initially a pooey whiff on the nose that blew off quite quickly. Not much for a while but gradually opened up to a few light hints of black fruit with a bit of tar. Initial gentle blackberry fruit, slightly spicy, very soft, resolved tannins, but not much on the middle palate drops away quickly with some light red fruit and treacle flavours. Maybe a hint of greenness but not in an unpleasant way. Not a bad wine, not a great wine, a bit disappointing maybe.
Seppelts Victorian Shiraz, 2003.
Deep inky purple in the centre to red rim. Initially not a big nose with some spice, a little redcurrant, a hint of port and a whiff perhaps of alcohol. Flavours are also light and redcurranty with a hint of greenness and little in the way of discernible tannins. Decanted the wine at this point. With a bit of time after decanting, the nose evolved to blackberry and dark chocolate. However, the palate still seems much more red berry oriented with hints of black fruit and mild pepperiness. Soft tannins coming up slightly at the end. Black fruit came up a little more with time. Overall, reasonable value as a bbq quaffer.
Dacia Tamaioasa Romaneasca, 2000, Cotnari, Romania.
Well, I have to admit that looking at a bottle of Romanian (sweet white) wine, some horrible memories of student days came surging back, so I guess I was a little prejudiced before drinking. That will teach me to be so judgemental! This one is a botryised style of wonderful deep yellow-golden colour with restrained marmaladey nose. On the palate, it is sweet and lightly unctuous upfront, with strong marmalade flavours and a hint of lemon and honey in the mid palate with a good acidic finish. If I was to criticise, perhaps it is just a little short. A good accompaniment to some strong rotting grey/yellow coloured blue cheese that was lying around. For me, a surprise and an interesting contrast to some of the lower acidity sticky-sweet botrytal wine styles I have had here (admittedly not many though!).
Also, picked up a few bottles of Tyrells Rufus Stone McLaren Vale Shiraz 2001 at a warehouse moving sale and cracked one last night. No notes taken but good, deep full bodied wine with lots of upfront fruit and soft tannin. As I write, I am quaffing Jacob's Creek Reserve Cab Sav 2002, which, while not a patch on its Shiraz counterpart, came out of its shell well with a good lump of rare steak.
Cheers
Dave
Only a couple this week due to work committments unfortunately...
2001 Tatachilla McLaren Vale Shiraz
A lovely wine that would of got better had I the will power not to drink it..
Lovely aftertastes of liquorice and plum.
2002 St Hallett Faith Shiraz
Great tasting Shiraz that got better and better in the decanter the longer you left it. I just love this wine.
2001 Tatachilla McLaren Vale Shiraz
A lovely wine that would of got better had I the will power not to drink it..
Lovely aftertastes of liquorice and plum.
2002 St Hallett Faith Shiraz
Great tasting Shiraz that got better and better in the decanter the longer you left it. I just love this wine.
"A woman drove me to drink, and I'll be a son of a gun but I never even wrote to thank her" WC Fields
WW Chook Block 1998
Upon opening the volatiles from the opening was weedy/grassy...which stayed...when i finished it off a couple of days later. Very dark red and tasted well, packed a big punch...not sure it's worth the $70 i paid when it was released...but i have 2 more bottles to retry in a few years.
Upon opening the volatiles from the opening was weedy/grassy...which stayed...when i finished it off a couple of days later. Very dark red and tasted well, packed a big punch...not sure it's worth the $70 i paid when it was released...but i have 2 more bottles to retry in a few years.
Cheers
Only one this week.
Nicholson River Winery - 2000 The Nicholson
(Gippsland, 13.5%, Merlot 85%, Shiraz 15%)
I would have never picked this as dominantly Merlot. Strong Pinot like characteristics on the nose and in the palatte with a dominance of red berry fruits. Soft, well integrated tannins. An enjoyable drop.
Nicholson River Winery - 2000 The Nicholson
(Gippsland, 13.5%, Merlot 85%, Shiraz 15%)
I would have never picked this as dominantly Merlot. Strong Pinot like characteristics on the nose and in the palatte with a dominance of red berry fruits. Soft, well integrated tannins. An enjoyable drop.
David G
"I'm going to die with a twinkle in my eye cause I sung songs, spun stories, loved, laughed and drank wine"
"I'm going to die with a twinkle in my eye cause I sung songs, spun stories, loved, laughed and drank wine"
Eileen Hardy 1991 - Very nice if not a little hot on the finish
Stonewell 1991 - More plush than the Eileen but finished a bit short, still very good.
Haselgrove H Shiraz 1996 - Lots of lushious berry and balanced oak, surprised at how good this was.
Bin 407 1996 - Very Cabernet nose and palate, other bottles of this have not showed as well, this was most enjoyable and going on this bottle will last for many years to come. My last bottle though.
Stonewell 1991 - More plush than the Eileen but finished a bit short, still very good.
Haselgrove H Shiraz 1996 - Lots of lushious berry and balanced oak, surprised at how good this was.
Bin 407 1996 - Very Cabernet nose and palate, other bottles of this have not showed as well, this was most enjoyable and going on this bottle will last for many years to come. My last bottle though.
-
Andrew Jordan
- Posts: 775
- Joined: Wed May 05, 2004 11:53 am
- Location: Sydney
2002 Peter Lehmann Shiraz The Barossa
This wine and the 2002 PL Cabernet are house favourites at the moment. Would have to say the cabernet is drinking better at the moment, but this is a very smart wine for the price. Give it a few years and it will be humming!
1999 Glaetzer Shiraz The Bishop
Haven’t had this vintage of the Bishop before, but previous tastings of this label really have not done too much for me. Not decantered but the bottle was opened 30 minutes before consumption. The wine was medium bodied reddish/purple colour. Nose of spice, dark plums, blackberries, and chocolate but wasn’t as strong as some other Barossa Shiraz’s I have had. Maybe needed some more air time? Anyway the palate followed with chocolate and dark plums with a faint hot finish which detracted from the wine. At 14% alcohol, would not of expected to experience this as I have had plenty of +15% shiraz’s over the year with no indictation of a hot finish. Overall, an average wine with nothing really special going for it. At $20 maybe priced at the top end – is more like a $10-12 bottle of wine as my wife said she liked the 2002 Peter Lehmann better. JO's rating of 88 even appears a bit generous for this bottle. However, not sure if this bottle is representative of the wine but if it is I would say that this has peaked and maybe on a slow downhill decline. Definitely try a bottle now if you have a few.
2003 Stella Bella Cabernet-Merlot
One of the 101 wines to make Halliday's recent top 101. Very good example of Margaret River Cabernet. Medium bodied but a powerful wine with hints of blackcurrant and spice on the palate. Soft, silky tannins with a nice finish. I liked it a lot and will be buying some more! Bargain for under AUS$20! Screwcap. Not sure if I agree with Halliday that it is a 95 pointer, but definitely a low 90 point wine with some up side as it matures.
This wine and the 2002 PL Cabernet are house favourites at the moment. Would have to say the cabernet is drinking better at the moment, but this is a very smart wine for the price. Give it a few years and it will be humming!
1999 Glaetzer Shiraz The Bishop
Haven’t had this vintage of the Bishop before, but previous tastings of this label really have not done too much for me. Not decantered but the bottle was opened 30 minutes before consumption. The wine was medium bodied reddish/purple colour. Nose of spice, dark plums, blackberries, and chocolate but wasn’t as strong as some other Barossa Shiraz’s I have had. Maybe needed some more air time? Anyway the palate followed with chocolate and dark plums with a faint hot finish which detracted from the wine. At 14% alcohol, would not of expected to experience this as I have had plenty of +15% shiraz’s over the year with no indictation of a hot finish. Overall, an average wine with nothing really special going for it. At $20 maybe priced at the top end – is more like a $10-12 bottle of wine as my wife said she liked the 2002 Peter Lehmann better. JO's rating of 88 even appears a bit generous for this bottle. However, not sure if this bottle is representative of the wine but if it is I would say that this has peaked and maybe on a slow downhill decline. Definitely try a bottle now if you have a few.
2003 Stella Bella Cabernet-Merlot
One of the 101 wines to make Halliday's recent top 101. Very good example of Margaret River Cabernet. Medium bodied but a powerful wine with hints of blackcurrant and spice on the palate. Soft, silky tannins with a nice finish. I liked it a lot and will be buying some more! Bargain for under AUS$20! Screwcap. Not sure if I agree with Halliday that it is a 95 pointer, but definitely a low 90 point wine with some up side as it matures.
Cheers
AJ
Cabernet is ... and will always be ... KING!
AJ
Cabernet is ... and will always be ... KING!
Jacobs Creek Limited Release Shiraz Cabernet 1999.
-- This is great stuff, layers of fruit and tannin,complete with fantastic texture, dark fruit, considerable length, and a wonderful sense of balance and integrity. It is a style of wine that I admit l enjoy hugely. I can't taste the terroir, but who cares?, I am just tasting a fantastic wine. It's seamless but still young now and I'd try another in four years. Excellent+
I have one bottle left of the '99 and will try and pick up another. I went out this week and bought the last bottle I could find of the 1996 vintage and three of the 1998 at about $50 ea. This leaves Bin 389 trailing in the dust.
Anyone tasted the 1997?
Grant Burge Filsell Shiraz 2002
Bought a dozen based on the reviews in this forum. Thanks chaps, good advice, outstanding QPR. I'll skip the 2003. Outstanding
Thorn-Clarke Barossa Valley Shiraz 2003
Single bottle of this high quality quaffer. Good in the modern style. Tonnes of fruit, zero complexity. Recommended but "Next please ..." for my tongue.
Rosemount Show Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Just released, special at $18 in Foodtown, so picked up a trial bottle. Took an hour to sort itself out, as initially it was a complete mess. Tobacco/leafy but quite pleasant nose. Slightly metallic taste. Some okay fruit but no length so I suspect young vines. Agreeable with food but why bother ...
Also bought 4 x 2002 Kaesler WOMS.
Hmmm ... what's for Xmas then?
Cheers -- Jay
-- This is great stuff, layers of fruit and tannin,complete with fantastic texture, dark fruit, considerable length, and a wonderful sense of balance and integrity. It is a style of wine that I admit l enjoy hugely. I can't taste the terroir, but who cares?, I am just tasting a fantastic wine. It's seamless but still young now and I'd try another in four years. Excellent+
I have one bottle left of the '99 and will try and pick up another. I went out this week and bought the last bottle I could find of the 1996 vintage and three of the 1998 at about $50 ea. This leaves Bin 389 trailing in the dust.
Anyone tasted the 1997?
Grant Burge Filsell Shiraz 2002
Bought a dozen based on the reviews in this forum. Thanks chaps, good advice, outstanding QPR. I'll skip the 2003. Outstanding
Thorn-Clarke Barossa Valley Shiraz 2003
Single bottle of this high quality quaffer. Good in the modern style. Tonnes of fruit, zero complexity. Recommended but "Next please ..." for my tongue.
Rosemount Show Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Just released, special at $18 in Foodtown, so picked up a trial bottle. Took an hour to sort itself out, as initially it was a complete mess. Tobacco/leafy but quite pleasant nose. Slightly metallic taste. Some okay fruit but no length so I suspect young vines. Agreeable with food but why bother ...
Also bought 4 x 2002 Kaesler WOMS.
Hmmm ... what's for Xmas then?
Cheers -- Jay
“There are no standards of taste in wine. Each mans own taste is the standard, and a majority vote cannot decide for him or in any slightest degree affect the supremacy of his own standard". Mark Twain.
Oops, my mistake. That should have been a Highly Recommended on the 2002 Filsell. Not in the same league as the Jacobs Creek yet.
Else I'll turn into a wine critic and everything is 93-97.
Jay.
Else I'll turn into a wine critic and everything is 93-97.
Jay.
“There are no standards of taste in wine. Each mans own taste is the standard, and a majority vote cannot decide for him or in any slightest degree affect the supremacy of his own standard". Mark Twain.
-
action2096
- Posts: 59
- Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 9:00 am
- Location: Sydney - Australia
Mr Riggs Shiraz 2004
Very dark inky purple colour. Powerfull fruit & coffee aromas and a huge gob full of black fruit. Even though this is 15% you'd never tell. Oak & tannins all in balance. Great wine.. Tried a pennys hill 04 a few days prior and while its a nice wine i reckon this is as step up in class and would definetly hold up better in the cellar
One for the new years purchase list i reckon
Very dark inky purple colour. Powerfull fruit & coffee aromas and a huge gob full of black fruit. Even though this is 15% you'd never tell. Oak & tannins all in balance. Great wine.. Tried a pennys hill 04 a few days prior and while its a nice wine i reckon this is as step up in class and would definetly hold up better in the cellar
One for the new years purchase list i reckon
Well the hangover's just worn off the Blacktongues final fling, a BYO last Saturday at Wicko's where I've just heard the empty bottles to hit the recycling bin were:
2002 Leconfield Riesling
1996 Tahbilk Marsanne
2003 Tahbilk Marsanne
2004 Spy Valley NZ Pinot Gris
1998 Disg Rockford Black
NV Foggo Spklg Shiraz
NV Kaesler Spklg Shiraz
2004 Hollick Spklg Merlot
2002 Escarpment NZ Pinot Noir
1996 Mt Ida Shiraz
1990 Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz
1999 Majella Cabernet
1999 Kay's Hillside Shiraz
1993 Mildara White Label Cabernet
1998/2000/01 Irvine Baroness Merlot/Cab F/Cab S
2001 Henschke Henry's 7 Shiraz/grenache/Viognier
1998 Gartner Coonawarra Cabernet
1994 Cimicky Signature Shiraz
1997 Summerfied Shiraz
2003 Samuel's Gorge McV Shiraz
1997 Turkey Flat Shiraz
1998 Tim Gramp McV Grenache
1992 Wynn's Cellar Door Shiraz
2003 Schwartz Nitschke Block Shiraz
2002 Brown Bros Sangiovese (Magnum)
1998 Haselgrove H Shiraz (Magnum)
1993 Brand Cabernet/Merlot (Magnum)
I wasn't taking notes on the night, so the only TN I have was the magnum I took (and had half left over to consume over the last few days):
2002 Brown Bros. Limited Edition Heathcote Sangiovese: Glass hugging, dark red/brick colour. A smoky/savoury nose featuring earthy cherries, smoky meats and touches of chocolate/coffee, vanilla, pepper and spices. The mid-weight palate is quite a mixture of earthy cherry fruit shot with herbal/green characters and obvious tannin providing excellent structure and length, finishing ever so slightly green and tannic. This is a classic food wine that will also benefit some cellaring.
Cheers,
Ian
2002 Leconfield Riesling
1996 Tahbilk Marsanne
2003 Tahbilk Marsanne
2004 Spy Valley NZ Pinot Gris
1998 Disg Rockford Black
NV Foggo Spklg Shiraz
NV Kaesler Spklg Shiraz
2004 Hollick Spklg Merlot
2002 Escarpment NZ Pinot Noir
1996 Mt Ida Shiraz
1990 Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz
1999 Majella Cabernet
1999 Kay's Hillside Shiraz
1993 Mildara White Label Cabernet
1998/2000/01 Irvine Baroness Merlot/Cab F/Cab S
2001 Henschke Henry's 7 Shiraz/grenache/Viognier
1998 Gartner Coonawarra Cabernet
1994 Cimicky Signature Shiraz
1997 Summerfied Shiraz
2003 Samuel's Gorge McV Shiraz
1997 Turkey Flat Shiraz
1998 Tim Gramp McV Grenache
1992 Wynn's Cellar Door Shiraz
2003 Schwartz Nitschke Block Shiraz
2002 Brown Bros Sangiovese (Magnum)
1998 Haselgrove H Shiraz (Magnum)
1993 Brand Cabernet/Merlot (Magnum)
I wasn't taking notes on the night, so the only TN I have was the magnum I took (and had half left over to consume over the last few days):
2002 Brown Bros. Limited Edition Heathcote Sangiovese: Glass hugging, dark red/brick colour. A smoky/savoury nose featuring earthy cherries, smoky meats and touches of chocolate/coffee, vanilla, pepper and spices. The mid-weight palate is quite a mixture of earthy cherry fruit shot with herbal/green characters and obvious tannin providing excellent structure and length, finishing ever so slightly green and tannic. This is a classic food wine that will also benefit some cellaring.
Cheers,
Ian
Forget about goodness and mercy, they're gone.