Wednesday - Value Drinking First Post

[Daryl Douglas]

G'day

"Wines over the past week" - well - I'm glad that is the criterion, as we would just end up posting a list of our evergreen value favourites.....

.... except that's what I've been drinking (among others):

Me too! But you and I aren't the only ones who find wines we like in the $15-$20-$30 that become our evergreens. We also tend to try other wines in the value price bracket because they're more affordable. It's an opportunity to alerted to more value wines to try, those others have and think are pretty good.

daz

[Jay60A]

St Hallett The Reward Cabernet 05
I really enjoy Barossa Cab when I don't try to pigeon hole it. Normally well priced as it's a hard sell internationally. Good example here though.
This is always a good wine which reminds me of a junior Seppelt Dorrien cab ... unforced fruit, lovely length, chocolate and herbs, open for drinking not quite Dorrien-esqe texture but nice wine for the price. Selling at about 8 quid in the UK ($20aud?). '04 was even better wine from memory.

My planned quaffer is Kalleske Shiraz '05 which was discounted 50% in the UK to about $20aud also.

[ufo]

What !?! Kalleske Shiraz for AUD $20. Retailer must be nuts and lucky drinkers. But I wouldn't call Kalleske Shiraz a quaffer. It is a wine that deserves much more respect.

[Jay60A]

What !?! Kalleske Shiraz for AUD $20. Retailer must be nuts and lucky drinkers. But I wouldn't call Kalleske Shiraz a quaffer. It is a wine that deserves much more respect.

I bought two cases ... agree it's a very good wine ... quaffer is a function of price really.

[Luke W]

Wynns Coonawarra Shiraz 2002 - picked up for about 10 bucks a few years ago - nice but a bit closed on night one but night 2 turned into a swan. These wines are stunning when they're on and a bit thin when they're not.

About 10 years ago I used to buy a couple of cartons of McWilliams Inheriance Riesling and put them away for a couple of years. They were about $4 a bottle but after a couple of years became as drinkable as any of their more fancied rivals from Eden Valley or Clare.

[GRB]

Standard quaffers around our place currently are clean skins from either Warrabilla or Tim Adams or some auctions bargains such as the Nefertiti/Nefertari duo which are slowly creeping down in price.

GB

[Adair]

Sir James Hardy Brut de Brut at $11 - returned to glory after a short experiment with only leaving on lees for 18 months - back to 2 years
NV Brown Brothers Brut at $18 - a real step up from where it was a number of years ago when I last tasted it.
Adair

[Daryl Douglas]

The "Mystery Cleanskin" Nashwauk Shiraz 2006 that's been confirmed as genuine by Brian is a really big mouthful for $10.50 delivered. It has abundant ripe black cherry, plum, licorice, dark chocolate underlaid with malty, vanillin oak that could have been lightly charred. There's also a gentle greenish character that may be the result of a whole-bunch component. It's been proposed this wine's not from the initial labelled bottling but from an individual tank. Whether all of the bottling tanks contained the same component blend is anyone's but Reid Bosward's or the cellarhands' guess. Anyway, it does reflect Halliday's TN, has some alcohol warmth on the finish.

I'll get back later about Bleasdale Bremerview Shiraz 05. It's good for about $15 but I need to try another bottle to check my impressions.

Cheers

daz

[Wayno]

Josef Chromy Pepik Pinot Noir 2007
Nice wine, quite gutsy with substantial texture and varietal character, nice length. A slightly bigger style of pinot and none the worst for it. Not 'sublime' but pretty good nonetheless and around the same ballpark re: QPR as my current favourite, Williams Crossing 06, I'd suggest.

FOOTNOTE: Remains sampled the next night, the wine is even better, with a flourish of fruit and added complexity. Delicious stuff.

[pc79]

Cracked a bottle of 2004 Tatiarra Culled Barrel Shiraz which was great from the first sip, far better than any of the previous bottles (5) that had been drunk. It leads me to believe that my cellar may be a little toasty as this seemed to have matured relatively quickly. Cellared around the 18-20degree mark. Thinking of purchasing a cheap wine fridge to pop some of the better bottles into.
05 Brand’ Blockers Cab Sav – reliable and a great cabernet for the price. I’m still to purchase anything more than one at a time, but might bite the bullet and grab a 6 pack and put them away.

[Daryl Douglas]

Bleasdale Bremerview Shiraz 05 This is an interesting wine for $15-$17. It has plenty of dark fruits with some savoury bacon notes and a bit of old leather. Good depth of flavour, nice length on the finish that has soft red cherry acid and very fine, dusty tannins towards the end. There's a bit of warmth from the 14.5% alc but it mingles with the acid on the finish.

[Mahmoud Ali]

When I was in Sydney a few years ago there were a few wines that I could count on as good value “quaffers”. By that I mean inexpensive wines that were good everyday wines that one is prepared to drink again and again. For me that would be wines available for under A$15, anything higher and they ought to be good.

I imagine that these wines are still good value wines with a small caveat being vintage variation.

2002 Mount Pleasant Philip. The first Philip that I enjoyed. It had fruit, structure and a ripe earthiness that epitomizes the Hunter. While drinkable straight from the bottle shop I see no reason why the wine wouldn’t keep for a few years as well. I see by other posts that Mount Pleasant has kept the wine on track.

Dalfarras Cabernet Sangiovese. This is a value priced range of wines from Tahbilk’s. I can’t remember the vintage (2004?) but the wine was a lovely blend, a medium bodied wiine that was eminently compatible with food.

2001 Dogajolo. This was a Tuscan wine with a very pretty label. A drier style it was savoury and food friendly. A caution though, being Tuscan I would restrict purchases to good vintages only.

2001 Elizabeth Semillon. This particular vintage was delightfully fruity and rich. The 2002 was more classically austere and not one I would drink without cellaring. I imagine that another vintage like the ’01 will come along again.

Cheers................Mahmoud

[Bick]

Bob would be proud of me: Concha y Toro Cassillero del Diablo Carmenere 07. This was a decent drink at $18. I could have mistaken it for a merlot blend possibly, with some malbec in it. Nicely fruity, with the same sort of palate spectrum as similarly priced shiraz, but without the pepperiness. Enjoyable.

[JJap]

Pewsey Vale Riesling had last night with a Laksa was very nice. It can be had for around $14 and offers good fruit, a little sweetness and a nice long lemony finish.

[Waiters Friend]

Bleasdale Bremerview Shiraz 05 This is an interesting wine for $15-$17. It has plenty of dark fruits with some savoury bacon notes and a bit of old leather. Good depth of flavour, nice length on the finish that has soft red cherry acid and very fine, dusty tannins towards the end. There's a bit of warmth from the 14.5% alc but it mingles with the acid on the finish.

Hi Daz

Have you also tried the Bleasdale Malbec? At $11-13 on special, it's great VFM - but it's not a taste for everyone. I had a friend offer to sell me hers because she thought it was off - it just wasn't her style. It's mine, once you give it some air and let the alcohol warmth wear off.

Cheers

Allan

[Daryl Douglas]

Bleasdale Bremerview Shiraz 05 This is an interesting wine for $15-$17. It has plenty of dark fruits with some savoury bacon notes and a bit of old leather. Good depth of flavour, nice length on the finish that has soft red cherry acid and very fine, dusty tannins towards the end. There's a bit of warmth from the 14.5% alc but it mingles with the acid on the finish.

Hi Daz

Have you also tried the Bleasdale Malbec? At $11-13 on special, it's great VFM - but it's not a taste for everyone. I had a friend offer to sell me hers because she thought it was off - it just wasn't her style. It's mine, once you give it some air and let the alcohol warmth wear off.

Cheers

Allan

Hello Allan

Haven't tried the malbec but have enjoyed the Mulberry Tree cab in the past. From memory, I've not tried any varietal malbecs other than one from Tahbilk, preferred their cab franc at the time though the malbec probably shaded the merlot. Shiraz and cabernet have become my preferred varietal reds but I don't mind a few red blends including GSMs from time to time just for a change, perhaps a very occasional good varietal grenache such as Longhop's.

Bleasdale's 2004 malbec is the vintage to look for if you trust Halliday's palate, which I mostly do. But you didn't mention the vintage of that to which you refer.

Cheers

daz

[Waiters Friend]

Bleasdale Bremerview Shiraz 05 This is an interesting wine for $15-$17. It has plenty of dark fruits with some savoury bacon notes and a bit of old leather. Good depth of flavour, nice length on the finish that has soft red cherry acid and very fine, dusty tannins towards the end. There's a bit of warmth from the 14.5% alc but it mingles with the acid on the finish.

Hi Daz

Have you also tried the Bleasdale Malbec? At $11-13 on special, it's great VFM - but it's not a taste for everyone. I had a friend offer to sell me hers because she thought it was off - it just wasn't her style. It's mine, once you give it some air and let the alcohol warmth wear off.

Cheers

Allan

Hello Allan

Haven't tried the malbec but have enjoyed the Mulberry Tree cab in the past. From memory, I've not tried any varietal malbecs other than one from Tahbilk, preferred their cab franc at the time though the malbec probably shaded the merlot. Shiraz and cabernet have become my preferred varietal reds but I don't mind a few red blends including GSMs from time to time just for a change, perhaps a very occasional good varietal grenache such as Longhop's.

Bleasdale's 2004 malbec is the vintage to look for if you trust Halliday's palate, which I mostly do. But you didn't mention the vintage of that to which you refer.


Cheers

daz

G'day Daz

I can't definitively state I was drinking the 2004 Bleasdale Malbec - it may have been 2005. Worth a go in this price range, regardless.

As far as Halliday recommendations, I agree with him some of the time, but also find stuff I like that he doesn't review as favourably. Personal choice - and I trust my palate while being open to new experiences.

I've also heard good things about Argentinian malbec recently - if you can find some, it might be worth the experiment. Can't give you labels, unfortunately, although Jules may choose to chime in here.

Let us know what you find.

BTW, you refer to Tahbilk red 'non'mainstream' varietals. I've had some interesting northern Italian Cabernet Francs, and I like Tahbilk's, as you do. I don't like the Merlot (and it's rare for me to find an interesting Aussie Merlot anyway) and I found the other Tahbilks to be OK without rocking my world. I was in their wine club for several years, but found myself 'timed out' when I was buying more of their gear locally (and cheaper) and not going through the club for regular purchases. They have some pretty good 'verticals' on sale, however.


Cheers

Allan

[Wayno]

A truly surprising wine that continues to do well.

Jacobs Creek Reserve Shiraz 2002
Forget your violetty, tobaccoey, poxy SA 2002s, this defies that trend quite nicely, with a full flush of freshness with every gulp. Dark crimson, and a nice nose with some mildly toasty oak and some plummy, blackcurranty rich fruit, the palate is still chock with same and some pleasant leathery characters are edging into the feisty mix. The finish is long and snappy, with a goodly, sweet aftertaste. Very solid indeed.

[Daryl Douglas]

A truly surprising wine that continues to do well.

Jacobs Creek Reserve Shiraz 2002
Forget your violetty, tobaccoey, poxy SA 2002s, this defies that trend quite nicely, with a full flush of freshness with every gulp. Dark crimson, and a nice nose with some mildly toasty oak and some plummy, blackcurranty rich fruit, the palate is still chock with same and some pleasant leathery characters are edging into the feisty mix. The finish is long and snappy, with a goodly, sweet aftertaste. Very solid indeed.

It's generally a reliable label, great value when <$14. I'm sure I've drunk it but don't remember this individual vintage.

daz

[Sharkey]

A truly surprising wine that continues to do well.

Jacobs Creek Reserve Shiraz 2002
Forget your violetty, tobaccoey, poxy SA 2002s, this defies that trend quite nicely, with a full flush of freshness with every gulp. Dark crimson, and a nice nose with some mildly toasty oak and some plummy, blackcurranty rich fruit, the palate is still chock with same and some pleasant leathery characters are edging into the feisty mix. The finish is long and snappy, with a goodly, sweet aftertaste. Very solid indeed.

It's generally a reliable label, great value when <$14. I'm sure I've drunk it but don't remember this individual vintage.

daz

Yes - 02 Jacobs Creek Reserve was a fantastic wine for double the money. I have 1 bottle left out of a couple of cases.

I bought some 06's recently for the ridiculous price of $8.50 a botlle and hope they go as well as the 02's