It's Sunday, forget the hangover, post notes on the cause!

[Red Bigot]

Ric is up to his neck in alligators and piranhas in his shop (well at least a few feral neon tetras from a broken fish tank)

Apart from 85 reds at the NWS tasting, the highlights of my drinking week were:
95 Brookland Valley Cab-Merlot, classy wine with great fruit purity and nice overtones of musk/violets from the merlot, years ahead of it yet, from a winery that has had a bit too much variability across vintages since then to justify the jump in price.

93 Mt Langi Shiraz at dinner with a steak after the NWS tasting (I think I was sober enough to drive after the tasting, but didn't), quite a rich ripe style for Mt Langi, slight maceration character, a difficult vintage (picked in May says the back label), nicely mature, I don't think it ranks in the top echelons of MLG despite the claim on the back label.

BTW for Canberrans/visitors, the restaurant we took the MLG to (Jean-Pierre at Fringe Benefits) is only worth going to if you take your own wine (and have the Entertainment card for a discount) and to take a look at their "extensive" wine list with extensively inflated prices on a wide range of Grange, other Penfolds and other 'Oz Classics' older vintages. Maybe the 91 Bin 407 they were offering at $130/btle was the stuff I sold for less than $30 a few years back because I didn't like it.

Food was Ok, but there is much better available in Canberra for the same/less price, standard glassware not up to the wine list, maybe they have some special ones if you order a special bottle. They didn't offer to decant the MLG either. Oddly enough the place was nearly full with mostly couples of a wide range of ages (didn't notice any special bottles being served, the lights were very bright too) and at least half the group of 8 20-something females at the table near us were drinking red wine (in fairly copious amounts).

[Anthony]

Drunk some pretty decent booze thanks to a very good dinner on Thursday night.

91 Wynns Limited release Cabernet Shiraz: drinking so well now. A perfect cool-climate Cabernet from a very good year. think this will see out another 6-8 years pretty easily.

90 Kays Block 6 Shiraz: an amazing wine. Up there with the Wynns but a completely different wine and style. I fou have some of these left, please do not touch for at least another 5 years.

Raydon Cab 01: very good barossa cab that shows off what a great 01 in the barossa was.

Thrown in there was a bottle of Rockford SVS Shiraz tha to me was showing a little too mcu oak.

Not a bad return for three people on a thrusday night

Last night had a Rockford Rifle Range Cabernet Sauvignon 01: while watching a valiant effort from our boys last night. Again very good. Not a bad wine for the week.

cheers
anthony

[David Lole]

Some nice reds this week.

Louis Jadot 1996 Volnay - almost fully mature now with some reductive characters on the nose at first. Mostly spicy bing cherry, game and sappy pinot fruit on a smooth silky light- to medium-bodied palate. Soft tannin but enough acid to live on for a few more years. Good length for a generic. Agreeable.

Ch. Beychevelle 1986 - deep garnet colour, powerful weedy nose with plenty of currant, sandalwood and some damp earthy notes. Sweeter and quite youthful in the mouth with plenty of stuffing, good balance and some unresolved tannin to integrate. Needs 3-4 years. Highly Recommended.

Henschke 1996 Keyneton Estate- Medium ruby with substantial bricking in the edges. Textbook bouquet of blackberry, licorice, cedar with spicy blackcurrant, plum, white pepper and a hint of cigar box in the background. Creamy and plump in the mouth with good weight and flavours akin to the forementioned. There's abundant acid and furry, fine grained tannins skilfully meshed to the ripe, classy fruit and well-seasoned oak. Impeccable finish. With a few more years bottle age this beauty shoud be at the peak of its powers. Rated Excellent. This wine is worth every dollar and thensome of my modest initial purchase price.

Prue and Stephen Henschke have, seemingly, excelled with their '96 reds if the Mt. Edelstone and Keyneton are any guide. My Cyril's will have to wait a while longer before I crack one; oh, and the HOG?.......some kind soul may let me sip a bit.......one day, perhaps.

[Rory]

Over the week:
The first three offered by a supplier for the wine list.
'98 Marienberg Reserve Shiraz
A good McLaren Vale shiraz that has ripe fruit, rich flavours, good length and nice tannins and acid. A great wine for $29.95 on the winelist.
Marienberg "The Clifton" '98 Cab/Sauv
Should have shown better for the vintage, not a good reflection of McLaren Vale Cab/Sauv. Thin, one dimensional and lacking. Didn't get a guernsey.
'98 Browns of Padthaway "The Bridgestock" Shiraz/Cab/Malbec.
Had never heard of this before, which supprised me, as it was a ripper. Retailing at around $45 on the wine list, you are going to get your fill on this one. Wonderfully complex nose, generous palate with rich fruit, good length, smooth tannins. A blockbuster that would be good to share between a couple of people, as it would be hard to finish the bottle, it has so much presence. Definately won a place, and took some for personall consumption as well.

Out of my own cellar:
Main Ridge Estate '98 Chardonnay
I hate bottle variation!
A previous bottle drunk six months ago was very forward and developed, over the top.
This was completely the opposite, more in the normal Main Ridge style, certainly showing some richness with age, but holding structure, fruit quality and elegance. Certainly a more enjoyable wine, still acouple of years left in it.

Rory

[GrahamB]

Saltram No 1 1999 Shiraz

Probably the most approachable ‘on release’ No 1, that I have tasted. I did get a small taste at the Berringer Blass trade tasting about four months ago, but this is the first full bottle. Quite tight, as expected, with nice berry fruits and fine/soft tannins. I would like to be drinking this wine when it reaches double figures. Certainly one to put away.

Metala Original Plantings (Black Label) 1998

We opened one of these about a year ago and were blown away with the intensity of colour and smell. Within half an hour the room was filled with beautiful aromas. Very tight on the palate, but it opened up over the next five hours until there was none left (you have to keep tasting). While the colours were the same, this bottle showed very little of the HUGE aromas of the first. A well balance wine and one that should be cellared for a few more years yet. Maybe another taste in six months.

Tyrrells Rufus Stone McLaren Vale Shiraz 1998

We saw this at our local Bottle O and decided it was worth trying. I have been really happy with the 2001 when a three bottle buy came with a Spiegelau (Authentis Bordeaux) glass.

Another deep crimson wine, initially quite closed but opened up beautifully within a few hours. Great balance of fruit, oak and silky tannins.

Kept half a bottle for the Rugby Final and was delighted with the choice. Was it worth $20. Every bit of it but donÂ’t know if I would be interested in cellaring this. Just enjoy it now as a great quaffer,

Maglieri McLaren Vale Shiraz 2000

Half a bottle of McLaren Vale Rufus Stone shiraz does not go far, so another was required on short notice. Deep crimson and a soft nose similar to the rufus stone. Not the complexity of the R/S but by the end of extra time it had begun to develop beautifully.

It has been a treat lately to be tasting the differences between Barossa, McLaren Vale and elegant Clare shiraz. All great wines and all different.

Who said it – “So many red wines and so little time”

[JamieBahrain]

Last night wife had her 30th so we made the best of-

1995 Dom Perignon- " Brioche and honey tones, blending quickly with fresh almonds and apricots embellished by hints of smokiness. After the upfront intentsity and roundness on the palate, there is a gradual tension which becomes vibrant, pure, mineral & fruity".

When we finally got the temp right there was some of the above. First experience with Dom. Nice experience and worht the $100 Aus. Back home I would prefer a few great bottles of red for the $200 charged.

20001 Cullen "Diana Madeline" Cabernet Merlot- Second bottle consumed in my allocation. Has to be drunk here! The cork was sodden compared to the first, which was perfect. Bottle variation due cork failure at this early stage. Way too young, similar to my first bottle albeit, lacking a fruit freshness which is probably attributable to the cork problem.

Dr H Thanish "Bernkasteler Doctor" 2002 Riesling Auslese-The legendary Bernkastteler Doctor. The legend comes from the 14th century when a German Archbishop was helplessly ill and medicine of no use. A winegrower recommended the his Bernkastler wine and the Archbishop was cured- " The best Doctor grows in this vineyard in Bernkasteler" was nationally declared.

New to German wine and I would best describe this wine as supremely delicate - grapey and Muscat like with a bouquet for nosing. The wine has remarkable body and persistance of flavour. The sweetness is pure and balanced in a way making it unnoticable. Lovely stuff and I will be putting a few in the cellar.

* David-thanks for the update on the Keyneton Estate. I have a bit and sometimes the occasional mixed report on this wine a concern.

I personally feel a lot of the Henschke stable not as robust to abuse or less than perfect cellaring conditions. Evidenced by forward development of many, when having laid on a hot retailer shelf or unknown provenance at auction.

[peterk]

A quiet week wine wise.
TeMata Estate Coleraine 2001
Way to young and showed as such still tight and unrevealing

Rosemount Estate Mountain Blue 1997
no notes as such but a very soft wine easy drinking went down well.

D'Arenberg Coppermine Rd 1998
Opened and decanted a 96 which was corked so opened a 98, Bright crimson in colour,a hard nose to describe subtle earth,cherry,blackcurrent. Cherry and blackcurrents on the palate maderate length tart like finish. Not my cup of tea.

Clarendon Hills Brookman Vinyard 1998

Full red/crimson in colour,a nice nose of spice,dark cherrys,hints of licorice very aromatic and rich and intense.(Craiglee on steriods).
sweet red berry on the palate,plenty of spice ,soft fine tannins,long finish a very nice wine

Penfolds 707 1982

This wine took ages to open up,showing blackcurrent ,cherry,and sweet red fruit both on the nose and palate,longish finish We drank it over mains and a cheese platter. a good wine.

Cherrs Peterk

[MartinC]

Jaime,

My bt. of Cullen also showed some travel lines(slightly soaked) on the cork but the wine was "purrfect" This btl. was hand carried back fr Vic. with excellent provenance. I guessed since it was released during summer, the journey fr WA might have taken it's toll.
The longer cork used prevented it fr oxidised. Damm difficult to extract using my waiter's frd.

I read somewhere on GAJA(Piedmonte), they also use long cork n their rational were longer cork r better quality cork which is the core of the bark n not the surface which minimise the chances of contamination & TCA.

Rgds,

[Guest]

Jaime,

I guessed since it was released during summer, the journey fr WA might have taken it's toll.


Rgds,

Cullen was released in June. That is winter.

[Wizz]

Only a few wines this weekend:

03 Turkey Flat Rose: good gluggable stuff for a warm Brisbane weekend. Rose petal pink. Raspberry, rosepetal/turkish delight tinged nose, palate strawberries, raspberries, and then some musk & boysenberry (think this is the dolcetto?), with a freshness of lighter fruits, perhaps gooseberry. A hint of bubblegum character. Closes crisp and clean.

91 Lindemans St George: Our wine fr a night in, in front of the world cup (and then the Presidents Cup golf). Colour is losing its intensity, but not browning. Cigar box, cassis, blueberry, leather, some EA on the nose. Palate has an array of savoury elements: leather, tealeaf, cigar box, and ample sweet black berry fruit. This did show a bit of capsicum after a couple of hours. Nicely integrated now, tannins softening and acid a little prominent. Does have a bit of a mid palate hole, but this doesnÂ’t detract much from the medium length. A very nice drink now.

Also a cheapie through the week:

02 Yalumba Barossa Chardonnay: Opened as thin, acidic and lacking flavour. We persevered for a second glass to see if anything happened. Nope. 24 hours later this is a better wine, softer, some buttery elements, soft peach, and much more approachable. Still only average.

I read somewhere on GAJA(Piedmonte), they also use long cork n their rational were longer cork r better quality cork which is the core of the bark n not the surface which minimise the chances of contamination & TCA.

Rgds,

We tried a Gaja Barolo a little while ago, and you're right: I've never seen a cork as long as this!


cheers

Andrew

[JamieBahrain]

Martin

My Cullens were purchased from Changi Duty Free.

A point of interest the complete contrast in cork conditions of two bottles of the same wine, that were purchased from the same place.

Looking for differences between the two wines, I noticed, very critically, a lack of freshness and fruit vibrancy between the sodden cork and the perfect cork. The wine was still very good.

I don't understand corks. Have had similar experiences with other wines. Straight from CD to Climate Controlled ( do these people turn off the aircon at night ?). Yet whole cases of wines showing seepage and travel in the cork. Another case of the same wine, same day purchase from the winery, perfect condition after the 5 years in CC. Baffling! My example here some 94 Mt Edelstone.

[simm]

Some nice reds this week.


Henschke 1996 Keyneton Estate- Medium ruby with substantial bricking in the edges. Textbook bouquet of blackberry, licorice, cedar with spicy blackcurrant, plum, white pepper and a hint of cigar box in the background. Creamy and plump in the mouth with good weight and flavours akin to the forementioned. There's abundant acid and furry, fine grained tannins skilfully meshed to the ripe, classy fruit and well-seasoned oak. Impeccable finish. With a few more years bottle age this beauty shoud be at the peak of its powers. Rated Excellent. This wine is worth every dollar and thensome of my modest initial purchase price.

Prue and Stephen Henschke have, seemingly, excelled with their '96 reds if the Mt. Edelstone and Keyneton are any guide. My Cyril's will have to wait a while longer before I crack one; oh, and the HOG?.......some kind soul may let me sip a bit.......one day, perhaps.

Hi David, I agree with you on this wine. I have one bottle left and really have to hold myself back!

'98 Marienberg Reserve Shiraz
A good McLaren Vale shiraz that has ripe fruit, rich flavours, good length and nice tannins and acid. A great wine for $29.95 on the winelist.

I tried this about two years ago Rory, and found it had intense ripe inky aroma's similar to those from the old Gestetner hand printers they used to use in schools to copy work-sheets, and there were plums and prunes. A lovely surprise from Marienberg, who I find a little on the unreliable side, especially for the $17 I bought it for back then Will have to try another soon!

My weekend started with a refuelling from the Tatachilla Cab 1999 from last weeks notes. I decanted it up to a meniscus into a 600ml very clean bottle and sealed tight under a screwcap. A week later it was only very slightly softer on the fruit intensity (imagine my delight!) and had softened off on the tannins a bit. The alcohol still made me boyant after the second glass. Then...

Rosemaount Traditional 2001
Sadly this bottle was showing signs of oxidisation right from the start. There weren't any signs of leakage and came from the same batch that I know are good. It wasn't at all pleasant according to expectation and was eventually sinked. There are plenty of notes on it anyway.

Normans Shiraz 1999 took its place and didn't get the decanting it really needed.

Colour: Very dense and slightly murky depths but crisp and reflective on the surface with deep reds and a slight purple around the edges. A thick staining of the glass.
Nose: Huge nose of blackberry jam on almost burnt toast leaps out of the bottle, and already you can tell this one needs time in the cellar.
Palate: Follows on from the nose and made me think it was beginning to feel like a cabernet, and then it dawned on me that McLaren Cab is often like this anyway There were liqorice and plums running around in the blackberry taughtness, acids high and the tannins gum-pulling. Give it five and then give it a go.

The next was a cheapy that came along for the alcohol contribution and doesn't rate a mention due to its lolly-water nature.

Best to all, see you in 6 weeks.

[Pana]

97 Skilogalee Cabernets - Very good, peaking, underrated wine and winery
99 Kaesler Stonehorse - Very Good, Fruit, fruit and more fruit. Superb example of fruit driven lightly oaked Barossa Shiraz. Excellent VFM.
96 Orlando Centenary Shiraz - Classy wine showing great balance rich fruit and a lingering end. Still has at least 4yrs before oeak but drinking well.
98 Grant Brurge Shandrach Cabernet - Big letdown, overrated, thin, lacking both fruit and tannin structure. At approx $35 and for a 98 can get better in the $15 range.
99 Tatachilla Foundation Shiraz - Excellent, still very much on the incline, a wine that you can sniff forever. Palate follows the superb nose. If you can still find it at the $40 mark, definetely buy.

[Mark S]

Petaluma Merlot 1990 (Proprietor's Reserve)
Finally, a Petaluma merlot I like! Had a no. of poor examples (eg 1994, a shocker) of this wine over the years, & had almost given up on them. Rich, complex, long, savoury - took an hour or two to open up, then flowers on the bouquet, palate dominated by layers of secondary characters. Great the next day - very much like a top Pomerol.
Tyrrells Rufus Stone Merlot 1999
Another lovely merlot (after so many disappointments with Oz merlots) - clean, varietal, already with some development & complexity, again suggestive of a top bordeaux merlot-based wine, all this for under $20!
Don't think it's got many years in it however, drink now - 2005.
Curly Flat Chardonnay 1998
Relatively new winery, Macedon Ranges, initial commercial release. Rich, heady, integrated fruit/acid/oak, stone fruits, some citrus, nougat on both nose & palate. Can't wait to try their pinot.
Pewsey Vale riesling 1991
Deep golden/yellow, hints of honey on toast, overripe cumquats, very soft, acidity almost gone, tending toward fatness. Ideally drunk a couple of years ago. Now almost a dessert style, without the residual sugar.
Ashton Hills Pinot 1998
Berries, earth, touch of game & foresty character, varietal bouquet, full & long in the mouth; very good.
Chateau Bastor Lamontagne Sauternes 1983 375 ml
There's a defining characteristic that only true sauternes has, some magic combination of lush sweetness with brisk counter-balancing acidity & overt botrytis influence that I just adore, and this wine has it. The half bottle in front of me one minute, empty the next.

[Guest]

It's been a fortnight now,

Leo Buring 2003 Clare Valley Riesling: Simple, fresh, juicy. Just a bit of fun. The weakest of the trio.

Leo Buring 2003 Eden Valley Riesling: Richer, drier and more intense than the Clare. Again really just good fun but could drink plenty of it.

Leo Buring 2003 Leonay Eden Valley Riesling: Compared to the first two this wine just says "stop, take a step back and look at me". All class, real sophisticated drink. Had exceptional purity and length but very much in a restrained style. Still a fraction shy and will be long lived. Stunning!

Mesh 2003 Eden Valley Riesling: Unfortunately this was drunk a week apart from the Leonay. A richer fuller more intense style than the Leonay. Complemented the baked dhufish superbly. At this point this is my pick of the 2003's but the Leonay will outlast it. Truly stunning!

Voyager 2002 Shiraz: Firm, tight and still a bit shy. Good weight but not up to the 2001. Might fill out with a couple years age or a solid decant. Good but in no rush to buy.

Voyager 2000 Cabernet Merlot: Big muscular full bodied style for a MR cab. I found an overt herbal greeness, certainly not under ripe, that just destracted me too much. Plenty of life in it. Not for me knowing that the 2001 must surely be a better wine. The 2000 and 1997 are the weakest since 1995 but are still honest to their style and for quality, consistency and value this winery is on the money.

Moondah Brook 1999 Shiraz: A cheap quaffer that will cellar. Just an old school big dry red.

Charles Melton 2003 Rose: This sort of gear should come in 1 litre bottles!

cheers
TA

[DJ]

1990 Thomas Hardy C/S Pleasant aged Coonawarra cabernet. Really impressed the non-wine drink we dined with. Will probably hold for some time but unlikely to improve.

1997 Mitchell Watervale Riesling. Excellent young Watervale Riesling. There have been a few comments about whether 97 will continue to improve, I've no problems with this one. Great length and balance, still very fresh (as drunk a week ago memory serves no further)

1994 Vintage Cellars Stephen Pannel Signature McLaren Shiraz. The 94 Chateau Reynella Basket Press Shiraz and Cabernet are rumored to have been hit heavily by a bad batch of corks - what could be resucued went into this wine and a Cabernet for the Wine Society. This was quite outstanding, initially quite briary, with a fair bit of tannin - with steak and air in the glass opened into a mass of fabulously balnced fruit and aged complexity

1999 Peter Lehmann Seven Surveys, 2001 Annies Lane Shiraz I think I paid less than $15 for the Annies and a bit more for the Lehmann - great wines for drinking now with plenty of life left in them - each drunk over a couple of nights as mid week drinking

[Andy]

Curly Flat Chardonnay 1998
Relatively new winery, Macedon Ranges, initial commercial release. Rich, heady, integrated fruit/acid/oak, stone fruits, some citrus, nougat on both nose & palate. Can't wait to try their pinot.

Mark

The Curly Flat pinot is fantastic. Probably my favourite discovery this year. The 00' has just been released but I have still seen some 99' around.

Having seen your notes, I will have to try the chardonnay.

Cheers

Andy

[Guest]

1991 Lindemans HR Semillon - typical golden brown colour, hints of toast and honey, lovely clean tangy finish

2002 Petaluma Riesling - slightly more approachable than what I remember of the last bottle, less in-your-face acidity. A bargain for the price.

1994 Wynns Michael - still quite young, traces of purple. Packs the tannin in and probably could do with another 5 years

1994 Penfolds Bin 389 - lots of blackcurrant and mint. Could have sworn this was a straight cabernet. Great intensity and length, though one person thought some mid-palate was lacking.

1990 Wynns John Riddoch - once the cork came out in a hundred pieces, we were worried, and with some justification. Having had another bottle recently, it was below its best, with the fruit a bit dull, and the finish somewaht chalky. A pity, because it is normally a cracker.

[Mark S]

Curly Flat Chardonnay 1998
Relatively new winery, Macedon Ranges, initial commercial release. Rich, heady, integrated fruit/acid/oak, stone fruits, some citrus, nougat on both nose & palate. Can't wait to try their pinot.

Mark

The Curly Flat pinot is fantastic. Probably my favourite discovery this year. The 00' has just been released but I have still seen some 99' around.

Having seen your notes, I will have to try the chardonnay.


Andy, glad to hear their pinot is excellent - I've got a few bottles of their 1998 & 1999. Highly rated all round by Winewise magazine. By the way, what is the picture in your avatar? (hard to make out the letters)
regards, Mark S

Cheers

Andy

[Mark K]

91 Wynns Limited release Cabernet Shiraz: drinking so well now. A perfect cool-climate Cabernet from a very good year. think this will see out another 6-8 years pretty easily.

Anthony,

How does this compare to the 91 Centenary? You don't see the limited around very much at all.

Mark K

[Andy]

Andy, glad to hear their pinot is excellent - I've got a few bottles of their 1998 & 1999. Highly rated all round by Winewise magazine. By the way, what is the picture in your avatar? (hard to make out the letters)
regards, Mark S

Mark

The rather poor picture in my avantar is of Gordon's Wine Bar in Embankment, London.

It is a bar that provided a number of happy memories at a time I was just discovering wine. I found it by chance when I noticed two ancient bottles of my favourite champagne in the window (Pol Roger).

Can't wait to get back there one day.

Cheers

Andy

[Guest]

91 Wynns Limited release Cabernet Shiraz: drinking so well now. A perfect cool-climate Cabernet from a very good year. think this will see out another 6-8 years pretty easily.

Anthony,

How does this compare to the 91 Centenary? You don't see the limited around very much at all.

Mark K

Mark,

Stylistically the Centenary is closer to the Riddoch and Michael and the Limited release is on par with the quality of the '91 Black label. I tried the limited release a cuppla months ago and it's a wonderfully balanced wine in the prime of life with plenty of juice left in the tank. It sold at Langton's last Monday night for $25 +++. I bought some, way back when, for about $11 a bottle by the case.

[Mark K]

91 Wynns Limited release Cabernet Shiraz: drinking so well now. A perfect cool-climate Cabernet from a very good year. think this will see out another 6-8 years pretty easily.

Anthony,
How does this compare to the 91 Centenary? You don't see the limited around very much at all.
Mark K

Mark,
Stylistically the Centenary is closer to the Riddoch and Michael and the Limited release is on par with the quality of the '91 Black label. I tried the limited release a cuppla months ago and it's a wonderfully balanced wine in the prime of life with plenty of juice left in the tank.

I was going to do a Centenary Vs Limited taste off sometime before Christmas, so it was a very timely post. Thanks heaps for the notes.

Mark K

[Phil Shorten]

Just a couple (before the big tasting on Sunday)

Argueso Manzanilla NV (375ml)

Is this the best value wine in the world?

Absolutely stunning stuff - salty, tangy, yeast, fresh and clean as a whistle - an absolute pleasure to sip away on, and all for less than £4.50.

Bourgogne Pinot Noir Roncevie 2001 Domaine Arlaud

This wine won't be a keeper, but who cares. Very good base level wine for drinking over the next year or two. Lays down the challenge to New World pretenders, especially at the price of just over a tenner.

Cheers
Phil