Hi Good Peoples,
Its that time of the week again. Weekly drinking reports are due. Vibes, impressions, lists and tasting notes are all welcome. Please let us know what you have been drinking over the last week.
Sunday again......
On Saturday night, a group of eight assembled at the Aubergine Restaurant in Griffith, ACT for a wine dinner. The food was extremely good indeed; the service attentive and friendly. A dining establishment deserving a hearty recommendation and the $58 fixed price three-course deal worth every penny. Corkage $12/bottle. I'd rate it 93 points. 
The Wines
Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru NV Blanc de Noirs - a superb Champagne just entering its drinking window. Medium straw with a hint of rose water with almost impossibly-small, persistent beading. Heavenly nose of pastry shop with a delightfully complex autolytic lift over strawberries and cream fruit. The palate remains taut and vigorous with abundant crisp, steely pinot flavour, quite meaty amd mineral in nature, delightful creamy swirling mousse, superb balancing acidity, finely-crafted structure and an incisive, lengthy and powerful finish. Excellent cellaring prospects. 93 points. Drink now-2015+. 12.5 % A/V.
For the uninitiated, this wine spends many years on lees and then slept quietly for several years in my passive cellar (which is presently sitting at 20C whilst it's peaking at near double that outside.)
Fritz Haag Brauneberger-Juffer-Sonnenuhr Auslese 1985 - a right cracker of a Riesling. Bright green gold colour - remarkably youthful for its age. Some remnants of struck match blew off quickly to reveal a rivetting cornucopia of ripe stone fruits with perplexing contributions from freshly squeezed limes, redcurrants and a hint of kaffir leaf. In the mouth, the wine displays a degree of elegance that reflects the vintage thumbprint. Lovely subtle peach, nectarine and pomegranite flavours coupled with bright, integrated and cleansing slatey acids. Finishes long and relatively soft but with great persistence. Superb example. 92 points. Drink now - 2015.
Fritz Haag Brauneberger-Juffer-Sonnenuhr Auslese 1983 - understandable surprise around the table when this bottle appeared, but from a different person. And the two culprits here vehemently denied collusion! Remarkable similarities between the two wines except this wine was cleaner on the nose and seemingly richer, riper and with more intensity on both nose and palate. Another pristine high calibre example and a slightly better wine to my way of thinking. Should last longer than the 1985, too. 93 points.
Ch. Branaire-Ducru 1982 - Good colour but that's about it. Dank barnyardy nose followed by a soulless palate devoid of fruit - a drying tannin and acid bath in the mouth! 63 points. Atrocious.
Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou 1981 - Lovely medium ruby colour with plenty of lightening in the edges followed by a slightly lifted but still impressive nose and palate of provencal herbs, wet earth, weedy blackcurrants, dusty dark cherries and pencil lead. With melting tannins and just enough acidity to retain some vitality in the mouth, this medium-bodied wine finishes reasonably long with some detectable alcoholic heat suggesting it's slightly passed its best. Otherwise a solid effort and quite enjoyable. BTW, not a patch on my last bottle opened six months ago. Oh, well. 87 points and drink up.
Ch. Coutet 1976 - harbours a lovely mildly burnished gold colour and just remains at the peak of its powers, although there's a few cracks appearing in the walls. Very attractive, integrated amalgam of aromas - apricot, yellow peaches, pineapple, nougart, butterscotch, honey with that mysterious, alluring undercurrent of spicy oak providing great counterbalance. Impressive enough in the mouth with the typical Coutet hallmark of elegance and good acidty but the alcohol is beginning to rear its ugly head to fractionally spoil the relatively long finish and what is, otherwise, quite an excellent, fully mature Barsac. 89 points. Still amazes me how these wine's live on and on with only minimal deterioration as the years roll on.
Excellent night with great friends.
The Wines
Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru NV Blanc de Noirs - a superb Champagne just entering its drinking window. Medium straw with a hint of rose water with almost impossibly-small, persistent beading. Heavenly nose of pastry shop with a delightfully complex autolytic lift over strawberries and cream fruit. The palate remains taut and vigorous with abundant crisp, steely pinot flavour, quite meaty amd mineral in nature, delightful creamy swirling mousse, superb balancing acidity, finely-crafted structure and an incisive, lengthy and powerful finish. Excellent cellaring prospects. 93 points. Drink now-2015+. 12.5 % A/V.
For the uninitiated, this wine spends many years on lees and then slept quietly for several years in my passive cellar (which is presently sitting at 20C whilst it's peaking at near double that outside.)
Fritz Haag Brauneberger-Juffer-Sonnenuhr Auslese 1985 - a right cracker of a Riesling. Bright green gold colour - remarkably youthful for its age. Some remnants of struck match blew off quickly to reveal a rivetting cornucopia of ripe stone fruits with perplexing contributions from freshly squeezed limes, redcurrants and a hint of kaffir leaf. In the mouth, the wine displays a degree of elegance that reflects the vintage thumbprint. Lovely subtle peach, nectarine and pomegranite flavours coupled with bright, integrated and cleansing slatey acids. Finishes long and relatively soft but with great persistence. Superb example. 92 points. Drink now - 2015.
Fritz Haag Brauneberger-Juffer-Sonnenuhr Auslese 1983 - understandable surprise around the table when this bottle appeared, but from a different person. And the two culprits here vehemently denied collusion! Remarkable similarities between the two wines except this wine was cleaner on the nose and seemingly richer, riper and with more intensity on both nose and palate. Another pristine high calibre example and a slightly better wine to my way of thinking. Should last longer than the 1985, too. 93 points.
Ch. Branaire-Ducru 1982 - Good colour but that's about it. Dank barnyardy nose followed by a soulless palate devoid of fruit - a drying tannin and acid bath in the mouth! 63 points. Atrocious.
Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou 1981 - Lovely medium ruby colour with plenty of lightening in the edges followed by a slightly lifted but still impressive nose and palate of provencal herbs, wet earth, weedy blackcurrants, dusty dark cherries and pencil lead. With melting tannins and just enough acidity to retain some vitality in the mouth, this medium-bodied wine finishes reasonably long with some detectable alcoholic heat suggesting it's slightly passed its best. Otherwise a solid effort and quite enjoyable. BTW, not a patch on my last bottle opened six months ago. Oh, well. 87 points and drink up.
Ch. Coutet 1976 - harbours a lovely mildly burnished gold colour and just remains at the peak of its powers, although there's a few cracks appearing in the walls. Very attractive, integrated amalgam of aromas - apricot, yellow peaches, pineapple, nougart, butterscotch, honey with that mysterious, alluring undercurrent of spicy oak providing great counterbalance. Impressive enough in the mouth with the typical Coutet hallmark of elegance and good acidty but the alcohol is beginning to rear its ugly head to fractionally spoil the relatively long finish and what is, otherwise, quite an excellent, fully mature Barsac. 89 points. Still amazes me how these wine's live on and on with only minimal deterioration as the years roll on.
Excellent night with great friends.
Cheers,
David
David
rooman wrote:David, I am curious what sort of dishes you paired the Auslese with? Being a little late to the German riesling thing, I am still trying to work out the food pairing.
The table ordered quite a few, quite contrasting, dishes that, seemingly, went well with the two Riesling's. I ordered a cured salmon dish with white anchovie and a swimmer crab/herby/rocket assemblage that worked wonderfully well. I'd have to check a menu/with the others to see how their pairings went down but everyone seemed very happy to me.
Last edited by dlo on Sun Feb 08, 2009 7:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Cheers,
David
David
Cleaning out boxes of stuff following an archeological dig in the old "cellar". Some should have been consumed years ago.
Cape Mentelle Zinfandel 1997 still zinging but showing its age, thin in the mouth and quite dry on the finish.
Westfield Shiraz 1997 way oth and undrinkable
Bailey's 1997 Shiraz tertiary characters but still drinkable in a leathery way. Not as good as the 96 we had last week.
Andrew Garret Sparkling Shiraz 1998, oth, drinkable but why bother.
Tyrrels Vat 9 1997 a big smack of saddle leather but little else. A bit thin for my liking.
Purple Ridge Chardonnay 2008, pretty good quaffer for the $48 a dozen (including the $24 delivery). Clean fruit driven style. It's a chardonnay, what else can I say?
Peel Estate "Baroque" Shiraz Cremant 1994 , A drier more savoury style of Sparkling Shiraz. Bloody lovely pre dinner drinky for my 21st birthday, after a hard day listening to whingers (is it a full moon today?
Greenock Creek "Alices" Shiraz 2002, 2 bottles over dinner Friday Lovely primary fruit, smooth as silk in the mouth and a prolonged length on the finish. I like this vintage of the Alice a lot. Went very well with the blue fillet steak and mushroom gravy.
Peel Estate Zinfandel 1997, badly corked The previous bottle we had of this vintage last week was absolutely stunning.
G Rumier Chambolle-Musigny 2004, sheesh, superb with the Peking Duck. Lovely fruit complemented the duck dishes and the acidity cut through the fat. Delightful wine.
Cape Mentelle Zinfandel 1997 still zinging but showing its age, thin in the mouth and quite dry on the finish.
Westfield Shiraz 1997 way oth and undrinkable
Bailey's 1997 Shiraz tertiary characters but still drinkable in a leathery way. Not as good as the 96 we had last week.
Andrew Garret Sparkling Shiraz 1998, oth, drinkable but why bother.
Tyrrels Vat 9 1997 a big smack of saddle leather but little else. A bit thin for my liking.
Purple Ridge Chardonnay 2008, pretty good quaffer for the $48 a dozen (including the $24 delivery). Clean fruit driven style. It's a chardonnay, what else can I say?
Peel Estate "Baroque" Shiraz Cremant 1994 , A drier more savoury style of Sparkling Shiraz. Bloody lovely pre dinner drinky for my 21st birthday, after a hard day listening to whingers (is it a full moon today?
Greenock Creek "Alices" Shiraz 2002, 2 bottles over dinner Friday Lovely primary fruit, smooth as silk in the mouth and a prolonged length on the finish. I like this vintage of the Alice a lot. Went very well with the blue fillet steak and mushroom gravy.
Peel Estate Zinfandel 1997, badly corked The previous bottle we had of this vintage last week was absolutely stunning.
G Rumier Chambolle-Musigny 2004, sheesh, superb with the Peking Duck. Lovely fruit complemented the duck dishes and the acidity cut through the fat. Delightful wine.
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Anonymous
Hi guys,
I'm only new so am working out what "Sunday's" are about.
Lovegrove 2006 Sauvignon Blanc - Interesting Sauv Blanc from the Kangaroo Ground area in Victoria. It was nice fruity Sauv Blanc, very refreshing on a 47 degree day like yesterday. The interesting part of this Sauv Blanc was the zing it left on the palate, very similar to a Ninth Island Pinot Gris I had some years back.
I'll try and post more as I have them....
Matt[/b]
I'm only new so am working out what "Sunday's" are about.
Lovegrove 2006 Sauvignon Blanc - Interesting Sauv Blanc from the Kangaroo Ground area in Victoria. It was nice fruity Sauv Blanc, very refreshing on a 47 degree day like yesterday. The interesting part of this Sauv Blanc was the zing it left on the palate, very similar to a Ninth Island Pinot Gris I had some years back.
I'll try and post more as I have them....
Matt[/b]
08 Villa Maria reserve Omahu Viognier. probably the classiest NZ Viognier I have ever tried
05 Villa Maria Reserve Syrah. excellent. plenty of interest here
Also today many Puriri Hills wines 04 Estate, 04 Reserve, 05 Reserve, 05 Pope, 06 Reserve
2005 Puriri Hills Pope No notes just impressions but this underlined to me again that it is one of the best wines I have ever tried of any kind, at any time, from any country. I expected again much and yet again it over delivered expectations. It is just jaw dropping quality. Stunning, stunning, stunning. Years in this baby - needs time (i tried it the day after it was opened), but it will only become a legend. If you are in NZ and *still* havent got a bottle of this yet track down a bottle in retail at the old price and just buy it. Justify it as a valentines pressie or something!! In 5 - 10 years time i expect i will be arguing this is NZ's greatest ever red wine, possibly with one exception??? ....
Also tried from barrel at Puriri Hills: 08 Merlot, 08 Carmenere and 08 Cab Franc components from barrels destined for Reserve or Pope. Two words for this stuff I will offer: "Start Saving". In the wineries mind, best vintage ever - to me it certainly looks the goods to be that. It will be the first vintage made without consultant help which i really think is a good thing. These guys are hell bent on making absolute perfection. When it is released (anywhere between 18 months and 3 years away) be quick and snap some up but I can tell you now you wont be as quick as I will be!!
C
05 Villa Maria Reserve Syrah. excellent. plenty of interest here
Also today many Puriri Hills wines 04 Estate, 04 Reserve, 05 Reserve, 05 Pope, 06 Reserve
2005 Puriri Hills Pope No notes just impressions but this underlined to me again that it is one of the best wines I have ever tried of any kind, at any time, from any country. I expected again much and yet again it over delivered expectations. It is just jaw dropping quality. Stunning, stunning, stunning. Years in this baby - needs time (i tried it the day after it was opened), but it will only become a legend. If you are in NZ and *still* havent got a bottle of this yet track down a bottle in retail at the old price and just buy it. Justify it as a valentines pressie or something!! In 5 - 10 years time i expect i will be arguing this is NZ's greatest ever red wine, possibly with one exception??? ....
Also tried from barrel at Puriri Hills: 08 Merlot, 08 Carmenere and 08 Cab Franc components from barrels destined for Reserve or Pope. Two words for this stuff I will offer: "Start Saving". In the wineries mind, best vintage ever - to me it certainly looks the goods to be that. It will be the first vintage made without consultant help which i really think is a good thing. These guys are hell bent on making absolute perfection. When it is released (anywhere between 18 months and 3 years away) be quick and snap some up but I can tell you now you wont be as quick as I will be!!
C
Follow me on Vivino for tasting notes Craig Thomson
Leasingham Bin 61 Shiraz 1999 Working through a case as this summer's barbeque red -- mature but drinking nicely.
Dry River Craighall Riesling 2002 Rather disappointing -- decent but not stunning, & nothing there to think it'll improve with age.
Unison 2000
Cairnbrae 'The Stones' Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Quality sauv, esp. at 8.99 on blackmarket ...
Orlando St Helga Riesling 1999 Perfect match for a rotisseried chicken, marinated in lemon & rosemary.
Cheers
Peter[/b]
Dry River Craighall Riesling 2002 Rather disappointing -- decent but not stunning, & nothing there to think it'll improve with age.
Unison 2000
Cairnbrae 'The Stones' Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Quality sauv, esp. at 8.99 on blackmarket ...
Orlando St Helga Riesling 1999 Perfect match for a rotisseried chicken, marinated in lemon & rosemary.
Cheers
Peter[/b]
2006 Scorpo Chardonnay
On opening an slightly acrid flavour with herbs. Kind of like a greek BBQ!
After a couple of hours we have a very asian take with five spice on the nose and the palate broadening to include some fleshy tamarind to balance the spicy oak (the acrid nature of which has assimilated). A wine that kept us guessing while Very Good I have no idea if it will age any further. Under Diam.
2001 Bests Bin 0 Shiraz
A medium bright red. Opening quite horsey/ leathery and not sure about this one but after half an hour or so the red currants fruit shone and the crunchy fruit marrying with the earthy on the palate was lovely. Brett just in check in the background adding complexity. Excellent.
cheers
Carl
On opening an slightly acrid flavour with herbs. Kind of like a greek BBQ!
After a couple of hours we have a very asian take with five spice on the nose and the palate broadening to include some fleshy tamarind to balance the spicy oak (the acrid nature of which has assimilated). A wine that kept us guessing while Very Good I have no idea if it will age any further. Under Diam.
2001 Bests Bin 0 Shiraz
A medium bright red. Opening quite horsey/ leathery and not sure about this one but after half an hour or so the red currants fruit shone and the crunchy fruit marrying with the earthy on the palate was lovely. Brett just in check in the background adding complexity. Excellent.
cheers
Carl
Bartenders are supposed to have people skills. Or was it people are supposed to have bartending skills?
Saltram Mamre Brook Shiraz 2003
My wife (the brett Nazi) saw lots of band-aids in this. It may well have had a bit of brett, but I still found it quite enjoyable. I will have another one soon as I feel it is probably in its window and also for a further check on this brett issue.
My wife (the brett Nazi) saw lots of band-aids in this. It may well have had a bit of brett, but I still found it quite enjoyable. I will have another one soon as I feel it is probably in its window and also for a further check on this brett issue.
"It is very hard to make predictions, especially about the future." Samuel Goldwyn
David Traeger Verdehlo 2008
I stopped off at the cellar door at the weekend and was somewhat confused by the set up since the sale to Dromana Estate.
The new release of the Verdehlo hasn't even got a label stuck on the bottle yet, making it, erm, a cleanskin I suppose. However, it's $14 a bottle and it's delicious. I'm a little surprised that it doesn't get the attention that Tahbilk does for it's Marsanne.
Lot's of lively citrus and tropical fruit, some peaches in there as well. Lovely mouth feel and texture, good balance and length and a good fresh wine for these dark days.
I stopped off at the cellar door at the weekend and was somewhat confused by the set up since the sale to Dromana Estate.
The new release of the Verdehlo hasn't even got a label stuck on the bottle yet, making it, erm, a cleanskin I suppose. However, it's $14 a bottle and it's delicious. I'm a little surprised that it doesn't get the attention that Tahbilk does for it's Marsanne.
Lot's of lively citrus and tropical fruit, some peaches in there as well. Lovely mouth feel and texture, good balance and length and a good fresh wine for these dark days.
The Dog of Wine
Lanson NV black label
A generous, full bodied champagne. Fine, marmaladey nose. Nice and full in the mouth, with good acidity. Caramelised citrus, orange and a touch of lemon in the mouth, with a nice, long finish.
Forrest Estate dry riesling 2002
A lovely wine which tasted exactly as it did when I last drank a bottle, which was probably about a year ago. Much drier and more acidic than most NZ riesling, with a lovely, steely back-bone, and lashings of citrus fruit, grapefruit and lemon, (and a hint of kerosene) on the palate. Will last for years and years.
A generous, full bodied champagne. Fine, marmaladey nose. Nice and full in the mouth, with good acidity. Caramelised citrus, orange and a touch of lemon in the mouth, with a nice, long finish.
Forrest Estate dry riesling 2002
A lovely wine which tasted exactly as it did when I last drank a bottle, which was probably about a year ago. Much drier and more acidic than most NZ riesling, with a lovely, steely back-bone, and lashings of citrus fruit, grapefruit and lemon, (and a hint of kerosene) on the palate. Will last for years and years.
Saltram Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon 2004: A friend opened this one for us. Very intense blackcurrant and tabacco leaf flavours, with just a hint of oak. Perhaps a hint of mocha too. Wonderfully balanced and nice long finish. Very much enjoyed now, but will leave ours in the cellar for another 5-8 yrs ... unless 
Peter NZ wrote:Leasingham Bin 61 Shiraz 1999 Working through a case as this summer's barbeque red -- mature but drinking nicely.
Dry River Craighall Riesling 2002 Rather disappointing -- decent but not stunning, & nothing there to think it'll improve with age.
Unison 2000
Cairnbrae 'The Stones' Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Quality sauv, esp. at 8.99 on blackmarket ...
Orlando St Helga Riesling 1999 Perfect match for a rotisseried chicken, marinated in lemon & rosemary.
... and one more I'd forgot about ...
Framingham Select Riesling 2005 For my money, this is as good as any other NZ spatlese-style riesling, with a perfect juxtaposition of sweetness & acid. Drinking very nicely now, but absolutely no hurry.
Cheers
Peter
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Mike Hawkins
- Posts: 2797
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 9:39 am
2001 Lindemans Limestone Ridge x 3 - two of them had somewhat bretty noses, the other was good. OK fruit and length.
1996 Penfolds Bin 389 - pretty good, but not yet at its peak.
1996 Penfolds St Henri - ditto
1970 Dom Perignon - storage must have been an issue as this was looking a bit over the hill. Previous bottle was better.
1996 Penfolds Bin 389 - pretty good, but not yet at its peak.
1996 Penfolds St Henri - ditto
1970 Dom Perignon - storage must have been an issue as this was looking a bit over the hill. Previous bottle was better.