The venue was Vincenzo's Cucina Vera which is on Unley Rd at Parkside for all the Adelaideans here at Auswine, formerly the site of La Casalinga. Magnificent food and brilliant service. Special.
Grabbed a few wines out of the cellar, but didn't get to all of them.
Veuve Clichot 1999 champagne was coupled with Rockford Black Shiraz (2001 disg). The champagne was fresh and prickly with long mouthfeel. My sister who "doesn't like champagne" drank two glasses. The Black Shiraz was luscious with dark shiraz flavours and was drinking very well.
There were three reds on offer:
Penfolds Grange 1989: I thought that this would be in its drinking window and it was. Soft and well-rounded, it didn't have any intrusive oak or acid poking out and was a very enjoyable drink. A 'lesser' vintage and not a powerhouse Grange (as an aside had the 1990 two weeks ago and that was best described as 'intense') but a good drink, especially with my black pork ragu pasta.
Henschke Mt Edelstone 1992: This had more acid than the Grange and was clean and long. Not as deep on the palate and more savoury than the Grange, it had its fans on the night. I think the Grange just pipped it for mine.
Rockford Home Block Cabernet 1999: In magnum (as they all are), this was a lovely, well-balanced cabernet with a beautiful nose to it - I smelt roses.
Reinforced my view that 1999 is a sleeper of a vintage in the Barossa.
All in all, the wines came up as expected and it was a treat to drink the last ever "affordable" Grange.
-- George Krashos
