Sunday is here once again.....

[TORB]

Hi Good Peoples,

You know the drill. Time to let us know what you have been drinking in the last week. Tasting notes, vibes, impressions and even lists welcome.

For those that have not posted notes previously and may be lurkers, have a go, we don't bite (hard) at newbies and always appreciate those who are trying.

[Craig(NZ)]

05 villa maria reserve riesling. i dont think this wine gets quite the spotlight it deserves and i know a few people that dont rate it tha thighly but i think this stuff is magic, and is so basically every vintage. once more its not badly priced in the low $20's.

Drank this hot on the heals of last weeks 05 villa maria reserve noble riesling which is also stunning

[Red Bigot]

Yup, just posting next to a TORB post afects tiping and speling.

[davidg]

Tasted earlier this week at a venue not really suitable for taking notes

1995 Penfolds St Henri
Humming along, rich, complex, heaps of life left in it will continue to improve for some time to come.

1999 Wynns Coonawarra Shiraz.
Slightly disappointing, nothing wrong with the wine, it just didn't live up to its potential. No doubt part of the problems was it was tasted after the St Henri.

1993 Baileys 1920's Block Shiraz
Bretty to the point of being undrinkable. I seem to recall having a bottle of this a while back which was most enjoyable at the time -- but not this one.

1973 McWilliams Mount Pleasant Sauternes
Probably at its best quite a few years ago, but a fine way to end the evening.

[Leigh]

2005 Haan Merlot Prestige - Decanted for 3 hours. Amazing wine!.
2001 Bremerton Reserve Cabernet. Smooth classy cabernet!.
2005 Stella Bella Shiraz. Always excellent!.
2004 Bests Bin 0 Shiraz. Very nice!.
2004 Giant Steps Sexton Bernard Clones 95 and 96 Chardonnay. Quality!.
2007 Astrolabe Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Very nice!
2006 Bobby Dazzler Shiraz - Made by Journeys end (Ben RIGGS). Excellent value full bodied red!.

Cheers
Leigh

[pstarr]

Mount Pleasant Philip shiraz, 2003, Hunter Valley, 14%, cork.
- This was a good stop on the roulette of Mount Pleasant corks, though a bit more advanced than other bottles I've had. Starting to show development, fruit weight backing off a bit - good basic Hunter shiraz.

Vinifera Wines tempranillo, 2003, Mudgee, 12.9%, cork.
- I felt like Australian tempranillo to go with some simple food but this was a cork casuality (TCA) and hard to judge the fruit underneath the taint. Think I still have a bit more of this somewhere.

Cosme Palacio y Hermanos, Cosecha tempranillo, 2001, 13.5%, cork.
- Yay for Spanish corks - this showed barely a millimetre of soaking. The tempranillo shone here, plus some excellent vanillan characters from the oaking. Silky through the palate, with good acid. Interesting hit of citrus on the nose - that pressed rind/orange oil character I find in a lot of young Australian tempranillo, but less commonly in Spanish gear. Just added interest in this case.

Valminor albarino, 2004, Rias Baixas, 12.5%, cork.
- Another excellent Spanish cork, and another good bottle of albarino from this producer. I've been aging a variety of albarino to see how they go and Valminor seems to be the standout performer with a bit of bottle age. I like these young, but this slightly riper and more extracted style (compared to, say Santiago Ruiz, Fefinanes, or Castro Martin) seems to pick up some quince-like characters with aging, to complement the citrus, blossom and stonefruit they start out with. Good wine, and went well with chicken schnitzel.

Mitolo Jester cabernet sauvignon, 2004, McLaren Vale, 14.5%, screwcap.
- Coming to this after some Adelaide Hills pinot noir really highlighted the sweetness in this ripe McLaren Vale cabernet. Plush fruit, hinting at jam but not completely over the top. Held up well over two nights.

[tpang]

Noon Winery Reserve Cabernet 2005, McLaren Vale
Deep, brooding inky purple colour with a fantastic nose of black fleshy plum, granite, liquorice and blackcurrant liquor. Seamlessly rich with amazing purity of fruit framed on a backbone of firm tannins. This will no doubt keep for 15+ years, but why wait till then when it can be enjoyed now?

Domaine la Roquette Chateauneuf du Pape 2005
This has come out quite nicely in the expected style of the 2005 CdP vintage, more fruit forward and not hiding anything. This has a dark ruby/purple colour, the nose is distinctly grenache with aromas of raspberries, liquorice, hint of black pepper and Provencal herbs. The tannins are still very much present on the palate, but not overly offensive. This comes from the use of 30% stems, so you get the tannic elements which impart some elegance to the feel of this drink. I think this will settle down over the next year and will drink well over the next decade.

Vignobles Brunier Telegramme Chateuneuf du Pape 2005
This was rather disappointing knowing that it comes from the line of Vieux Telegraph. It felt backward, withdrawn and hiding behind a pillar of cold stone. There's notes of savoury raspberry and rustic Provencal spice and is overall, a decent drink. Wouldn't bother filling previous cellar space with this one.

Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape 2005
Aha! this is much better than the Telegramme. a nice dense purple with reddish tinge, lovely nose of black fruit, raspberry, kirsch and pepper. Full bodied, concentrated and pure fruit flavours with a long satisfying finish. But it's not quite ready yet, I think it will be receptive in about 4-6 years and will keep for 10+ years.

[Craig(NZ)]

Yup, just posting next to a TORB post afects tiping and speling.

hey hey i wanna take the glory for my own inability to spell and type. im not giving TORB a big head by letting him think he is teaching us

[John #11]

We watched the Adelaide Crows murder the Hawks, while sharing a 2003 Henschke Tappa Pass Shiraz.
A beautiful purple-red colour, aromas of violets, some dark fruit, and meat. Soft, integrated tannins, subdued French oak, and lovely fruit, all in good balance. A lovely well rounded wine, drinking beautifully.

The footy was pretty good too.

[Wayno]

Hoddles Creek Chardonnay 2006
Excellent, crisp, tight and lemony. A touch of bitterness but that's the lemon as far as I can tell.

[fivewells]

Well, only two ….. as just back from KL on Sat am.

1) 1996 Pepper Tree - Cabernet - Coonawarra, wonderful nose, cassis and cedar / tobacco tastes, opened up over the next hour and we all enjoyed it immensely.

2) 2004 Majella Sparkling Shiraz - Coonawarra, first the nose - heavy hint of pure vanilla, extremely nice and elegant the taste - creaminess, red fruit, enormous pleasure.

Cheers Geoff

[Daryl Douglas]

Perhaps with another three or five years the Thorn-Clarke Quartage 06 I've been guzzling will gain some elegance but it is very guzzlable now. The initial plumminess gives way to some nice cabernets characters with cassis and black olive. Oak plays a secondary role but is there, a mix of french and american I think. I can see why it picked up an NWS trophy. The blend from this winery seems to have really hit the mark over the course of the last three vintages and is excellent value for around $18. 04s are gone from my inventory but it'll be interesting to compare the 05 and 06 in a few years time.

Cheers

daz

[winetastic]

TN: Mount Pleasant Rosehill Shiraz 1991

I didn't take any notes at the time as I was more interested in enjoying this wine than analysing it. Purchased at auction for around $30.

Cork was easy to remove and an initial whiff confirmed the wine was sound, storage appears to have been good. No time was wasted in pouring the first taster, initially it was all leather/sweat/barnyard but that quickly blew away revealing dark hunter Shiraz fruit and spice.

The first glass was light, elegant and silky smooth. After about an hour or so what was left of the fruit really started to sing and there was a glimpse of the power from years past. Overall I felt it was fading fast but still a great wine / experience.

Score? Based on a pure enjoyment perspective, 93/100.

[Muscat Mike]

Had to go to a wedding and was quite reluctant to drink the wine so stuck to beer for a while.
Thought I might try the red. Most pleasantly surprised. Nothing remarkable about it but went down very, very smoothly.
It was a Barossa Valley Shiraz Cabernet and I enjoyed it.
I had never heard of the Brand and it just may be put together for restaurants. Has anyone heard of Retro 55?
Mike.

[Red Bigot]

Had to go to a wedding and was quite reluctant to drink the wine so stuck to beer for a while.
Thought I might try the red. Most pleasantly surprised. Nothing remarkable about it but went down very, very smoothly.
It was a Barossa Valley Shiraz Cabernet and I enjoyed it.
I had never heard of the Brand and it just may be put together for restaurants. Has anyone heard of Retro 55?
Mike.

I think Retro 55 is a Rolf Binder label (certainly made by him or his crew), possibly made especially for his mate David Farmer.

[Mike Hawkins]

1980 Dom Perignon - while not the greatest release from this label, I was pleasantly surprised. Cognac and coffee nose, caramel and vanilla palate with surprising length. This wont get any better unlike other 80s vintages -specifically 82, 85, 88.

2001 Wolf Blass Platinum Label Shiraz - going through a weird phase. Didn't hit the heights of previous bottles.

1999 Penfolds Grange - the best 99 I've had (of 4 bottles). None of the crushed ant nose that has dominated other bottles. Vanilla, coffee and raspberry nose. Palate has the perfect balance between sweetness and austerity, with a fine, grippy tannin finish. I'll revisit the other bottles circa 2020. Maybe Andrew Caillard was on the money with his rating...

1994 Howard Park Cabernet - lives up to the hype. IMO, one of the best WA cabs of the 90s. Quintessential cabernet.

1986 Chateau Montrose - tannic acidic mess. Remaining bottles went to auction Friday.

[mattECN]

1996 Bremerton Fortified Shiraz Langhorne Creek (375ml)

Absolutely fantastic. Rich, reasonably viscous, ripe raisons, milk chocolate, great mouth feel, length and balance. Greatly appreciated by the non-fortified drinkers with us too. Has many years ahead of it too.

[roughred]

2000 La Testa ‘The Blend’
Second of a six-pack ex Grays. Sweet lifted cherry fruit, offset by savoury dried herbs and plenty of typical earthiness. Still plenty of oomph through the middle, with chewy tannin structure, and integrated oak, though I doubt it ever stood out. Will hold well in the short to medium term, but unlikely to improve further.

2005 McClay’s Road Shiraz (Giaconda)
Lots of peppercorn on opening. Slowly revealed some fleshy raspberry fruit, restrained and savoury. Gathered weight with time, but a little disjointed. No doubt it will come together well over the next 3-4 years.

2003 Cape Mentelle ‘Walcliffe’ Shiraz
Not sure where this is at. Little hot on the nose, with heady violet and ink like characters. Slightly muted plum fruit up front, with a big knot of tannin in the middle, and nutty oak. Structure wise it may come into line, but doubt it has the fruit to go long term.

[Sean]

deleted

[Gary W]

Of note on weekend.
2000 Moss Wood Cabernet - from my own cellar a much better bottle than at a recent tasting. Excellent.
2004 Ch. Grand Pontet - minerally and savoury. Dry rather than fruity like the Moss Wood. Good wine.
2000 Yalumba FDR1A Cab Shiraz - Good. Oaky but nice.
2005 Faiveley Clos du Myglands - Love this wine. Great value.
2002 Leeuwin Art Chardonnay - rooted. Cork failed and delivered a perfectly oxidised and tired wine. Sink job.

A mix of (some of the) wines I picked out for a BBQ -
2007 Voyager Estate SBS - Excellent
2006 Hoddles Creek Chardonnay - Top wine. Small price.
2007 Karra Yerta Riesling - Dry, flinty and toit. Excellent
2007 Torzi Matthews FD Riesling - Smelly, individual but excellent.
2004 Bodegas Breton "Lorinon" Crianza - Very good smooth quaffing wine.
2005 Marius Simpatico - Lovely. A big hit and a big favourite.
2005 Hayshed Hill Cab Merlot - Varietal and very well balanced.
2006 Teusner Riebke - Juicy Barossa fun.
2006 Shelmerdine Pinot - Excellent.

GW

[Peter NZ]

Kumeu River Mates Chardonnay 2006 I'll agree with Craig on this one -- quite stunning, & already drinking well.

Marc Bredif Vouvray 1986 1st bottle was corked; 2nd drinking very nicely. Plenty of interest & not showing its age (at least once it'd had a little air).

Penfolds Kalimna Bin 1996 Still good fruit & very good. No rush.

Cheers
Peter

[Craig(NZ)]

I'll agree with Craig on this one

Never fear it is still legal to do so in New Zealand.

[Ian S]

Some interesting bottles round at a friends house (missed a couple of the details, as we were drinking, not tasting).

1962 Ch Talbot Blanc. Still very pale undeveloped colour. Seemed Sauvignon Blanc dominant and surprisingly primary. Interesting lychee/rambuthan type edge to it. More interesting than exciting, but interesting nonetheless. Birth year wine for two of the attendees.

Ch Talbot 1983. Pretty pongy, but for me this is a positive. The fruit certainly backed it up and gave the impression of being a relatively big wine.

Ch Talbot 1970. Still holding up very well, but noticeably lighter bodied (and less pongy) than the 1983. A little more genteel and perfumed.

Overall I preferred the 1983 as a wine, but the 1970 was possibly better the with food (Lamb) and the comparison was intriguing.

1980? Burmeister Vintage port. Was a pretty good showing, with nice complexity and a touch of licorice.

[Davo]

Had to go to a wedding and was quite reluctant to drink the wine so stuck to beer for a while.
Thought I might try the red. Most pleasantly surprised. Nothing remarkable about it but went down very, very smoothly.
It was a Barossa Valley Shiraz Cabernet and I enjoyed it.
I had never heard of the Brand and it just may be put together for restaurants. Has anyone heard of Retro 55?
Mike.

I think Retro 55 is a Rolf Binder label (certainly made by him or his crew), possibly made especially for his mate David Farmer.

Yep, a RB label. We had quite a few of them a year or so ago when he was having a stock clearance. Very pleasant juice for the price. Not sure if he still makes it but.

[dazza1968]

1998 Canaliza syrah (spanish) Shaping up brilliantly , no crimson edges with plenty of life left. to be honest cant remember much about the wine what i do know is i really enjoyed it . No Preservative added . will give you more Tasting notes on the next bottle Regards Daz

[Adair]

I'll agree with Craig on this one

Never fear it is still legal to do so in New Zealand.

Yep, outlawed here years ago.

FWIW - 2004 Colvin Vineyard (Hunter) Semillon and 2000 Colvin Vineyard Sangiovese were my wines of the week, along with a Petit Chablis as posted by Attila. A 2006 Jauka was also excellent after warming up and breathing.

Adair

[Ian S]

I'll agree with Craig on this one

Never fear it is still legal to do so in New Zealand.

I think the correct term is 'decriminalised'