Hi All,
My friend has given me the following wine:
Chateau Yaldara (Can't be young!) Duck's Flat Dry Red.
I am fascinated with this wine because
1) Its probably undrinkable now
2) There is no vintage on the label
3) Had a look at Yaldara's website, and found out that the Dry Red is called Grenache Mataro Ruby Cabernet now. However, from the winemaker's comment, there is probably no Cabernet in the blend.
4) A Grenache Mataro blend at 11.5% alcohol??
Anyone had this wine before? I am really interested in your comments.
Cheers,
Alan
Duck's Flat Dry Red??
Re: Duck's Flat Dry Red??
Hi Alan,
Your mention of this wine has brought back many memories. I last saw it about 97-98 and was hoping to avoid it forever.
In about 1995 or 96 some friends of mine found this great bargain for about $5.99 with the bonus "Buy 1, get 2 free", thus proving the age old adage that if something looks too good to be true, it probably is. During a weekend of excess, they opened the first bottle and it was deemed corked, oxidised, faulty or heat effected. The kitchen sink had a good cleanout. So a second was called for. It tasted exactly the same. Same sink.
The third bottle was then put on a pedestal and worshipped for some time. Nobody being game to touch it. It was later wrapped in a Grange wrapper and passed around our group of friends whenever a birthday or Christmas beckoned. Soon we all learned to dread a celebration where you were given a gift that at first sight appeared to be a bottle of Grange.
The whereabouts of this beast are currently unknown, and I hope they remain that way. The sight of it in a bottle shop was always a cause of great mirth.
To answer your questions.
1) Always has been
2) The ones we saw never had a vintage either. I suspect it could be about 8-9 years old.
3) It was believed there was a component of salt water in the original blend.
You are right to be fascinated by it.
Your friend has an evil sense of humour
This is a wine for laying down and avoiding !!!
BA
Your mention of this wine has brought back many memories. I last saw it about 97-98 and was hoping to avoid it forever.
In about 1995 or 96 some friends of mine found this great bargain for about $5.99 with the bonus "Buy 1, get 2 free", thus proving the age old adage that if something looks too good to be true, it probably is. During a weekend of excess, they opened the first bottle and it was deemed corked, oxidised, faulty or heat effected. The kitchen sink had a good cleanout. So a second was called for. It tasted exactly the same. Same sink.
The third bottle was then put on a pedestal and worshipped for some time. Nobody being game to touch it. It was later wrapped in a Grange wrapper and passed around our group of friends whenever a birthday or Christmas beckoned. Soon we all learned to dread a celebration where you were given a gift that at first sight appeared to be a bottle of Grange.
The whereabouts of this beast are currently unknown, and I hope they remain that way. The sight of it in a bottle shop was always a cause of great mirth.
AlanK wrote:Hi All,
I am fascinated with this wine because
1) Its probably undrinkable now
2) There is no vintage on the label
3) Had a look at Yaldara's website, and found out that the Dry Red is called Grenache Mataro Ruby Cabernet now. However, from the winemaker's comment, there is probably no Cabernet in the blend.
4) A Grenache Mataro blend at 11.5% alcohol??
Anyone had this wine before? I am really interested in your comments.
Cheers,
Alan
To answer your questions.
1) Always has been
2) The ones we saw never had a vintage either. I suspect it could be about 8-9 years old.
3) It was believed there was a component of salt water in the original blend.
You are right to be fascinated by it.
Your friend has an evil sense of humour
This is a wine for laying down and avoiding !!!
BA
-
Guest
Hahahahahaha 
Thanks BA for the amazing stories and information. The thing you did with the Grange wrapper reminds me of what I did with the wine--Great Wall Cabernet Sauvignon (China).
We ordered a bottle of the above wine in a nightclub in Beijing, and was bemused when the waiter brought along with him lemon slices and an ice bucket. We soon found out why, that stuff actually tasted better ice cold (to tone down the taste) with lemon.
You really can't blame them for drinking their wine with lemonade or coke.
I think I am going to do the following with the Duck's Flat:
Store it upright on the top of my fireplace and see how low the uliage can get!
Cheers,
Alan
Thanks BA for the amazing stories and information. The thing you did with the Grange wrapper reminds me of what I did with the wine--Great Wall Cabernet Sauvignon (China).
We ordered a bottle of the above wine in a nightclub in Beijing, and was bemused when the waiter brought along with him lemon slices and an ice bucket. We soon found out why, that stuff actually tasted better ice cold (to tone down the taste) with lemon.
You really can't blame them for drinking their wine with lemonade or coke.
I think I am going to do the following with the Duck's Flat:
Store it upright on the top of my fireplace and see how low the uliage can get!
Cheers,
Alan
From their website 
Duck's Flat Grenache Mataro is a fascinating wine and is a breakaway from straight varietals. As such this wine represents flavour, character and style with an overall easy drinking approach. It is soft yet rich in flavour and lively in texture, truly showing the best of Grenache and Mourvedre (Mataro).Easy to drink yet satisfying in completeness of balance. The winemaker was given an open hand to establish the style which had to be: (a) Nice, fruity, classy wine. (b) Very reasonable in retail price. (c) Lively and interesting. (d) Go with the easy living lifestyle of the bistro scene but have enough presence to be noticed for its own sake. (e) The wine had to be truly "user friendly". Duck's Flat Grenache Mataro - Here richness without heaviness is the golden rule. A lively wine which fairly dances across the palate with mulberry fruit, and depth of flavour. Overall this wine is styled for sheer unadulterated enjoyment where companionship and food are perhaps more important than the wine itself. Value - style - enjoyment.
Winemakers Tasting Notes:
Colour: Mid - bright red
Bouquet: Ripe mulberry with leafy lift.
Palate: Soft and languorous. Rich, warm, friendly.
Optimum Drinking Time: Drink wine now.
Serving Suggestions: Typical alfresco, finger sandwiches, pizza, all pastas and purely as a "conversation" wine.
Duck's Flat Grenache Mataro is a fascinating wine and is a breakaway from straight varietals. As such this wine represents flavour, character and style with an overall easy drinking approach. It is soft yet rich in flavour and lively in texture, truly showing the best of Grenache and Mourvedre (Mataro).Easy to drink yet satisfying in completeness of balance. The winemaker was given an open hand to establish the style which had to be: (a) Nice, fruity, classy wine. (b) Very reasonable in retail price. (c) Lively and interesting. (d) Go with the easy living lifestyle of the bistro scene but have enough presence to be noticed for its own sake. (e) The wine had to be truly "user friendly". Duck's Flat Grenache Mataro - Here richness without heaviness is the golden rule. A lively wine which fairly dances across the palate with mulberry fruit, and depth of flavour. Overall this wine is styled for sheer unadulterated enjoyment where companionship and food are perhaps more important than the wine itself. Value - style - enjoyment.
Winemakers Tasting Notes:
Colour: Mid - bright red
Bouquet: Ripe mulberry with leafy lift.
Palate: Soft and languorous. Rich, warm, friendly.
Optimum Drinking Time: Drink wine now.
Serving Suggestions: Typical alfresco, finger sandwiches, pizza, all pastas and purely as a "conversation" wine.
Re: Duck's Flat Dry Red??
[quote="BA"]Hi Alan,
Your mention of this wine has brought back many memories. I last saw it about 97-98 and was hoping to avoid it forever.
In about 1995 or 96 some friends of mine found this great bargain for about $5.99 with the bonus "Buy 1, get 2 free", thus proving the age old adage that if something looks too good to be true, it probably is. During a weekend of excess, they opened the first bottle and it was deemed corked, oxidised, faulty or heat effected. The kitchen sink had a good cleanout. So a second was called for. It tasted exactly the same. Same sink.
The third bottle was then put on a pedestal and worshipped for some time. Nobody being game to touch it. It was later wrapped in a Grange wrapper and passed around our group of friends whenever a birthday or Christmas beckoned. Soon we all learned to dread a celebration where you were given a gift that at first sight appeared to be a bottle of Grange.
The whereabouts of this beast are currently unknown, and I hope they remain that way. The sight of it in a bottle shop was always a cause of great mirth.
brilliant
Your mention of this wine has brought back many memories. I last saw it about 97-98 and was hoping to avoid it forever.
In about 1995 or 96 some friends of mine found this great bargain for about $5.99 with the bonus "Buy 1, get 2 free", thus proving the age old adage that if something looks too good to be true, it probably is. During a weekend of excess, they opened the first bottle and it was deemed corked, oxidised, faulty or heat effected. The kitchen sink had a good cleanout. So a second was called for. It tasted exactly the same. Same sink.
The third bottle was then put on a pedestal and worshipped for some time. Nobody being game to touch it. It was later wrapped in a Grange wrapper and passed around our group of friends whenever a birthday or Christmas beckoned. Soon we all learned to dread a celebration where you were given a gift that at first sight appeared to be a bottle of Grange.
The whereabouts of this beast are currently unknown, and I hope they remain that way. The sight of it in a bottle shop was always a cause of great mirth.
brilliant
International Chambertin Day 16th May