Auswine Blind Tastings (New Discoveries) - PT 1

[markg]

First off, thank you Gavin and Robyn for a very pleasant evening and a superb line up of wines.

All wines were tasted blind and Gavin should be congratulated for selecting such a wonderful line up. A night full of suprises and some wonderful discoveries.

Wine 1
The first wine was an indicator for the rest of the night. Nobody could pick it, everyone thought it was excellent and all were confused as to what it was.It was deep purple, almost black with intense pepper and spice and hints of meat, liqueur cherry and plum. Very rich, complex, polished savoury flavours with layers of sweet plum and milk chocolate. Wonderfully structured and a great length.
Nobody picked it as a Grenache, (2002 Kalleske Grenache) - A great discovery for me as I find that the only Grenache I have enjoyed in the past have been Noons Eclipse.

Wine 2
The next wine paled besides the first one. A nose of gunsmoke, lead, milk chocolate, pepper, violets and mint. However, on the palate there was no fruit, a skinny body and short length. However a number of people noted that the palate was quite structured for all its shortcomings and that it may bode well if we let it breathe. They were right, after a few hours it opened up marvelously with layers of fruit coming through and a wonderful finish. It was WOTN for a few people. - 2002 Reske Cab/Sav

Wine 3
Killibinbin - Corked.

Wine 4
Personally I didn't think much of this wine, others said it was a good food wine with a nice middle palate but not much length.
Bidgeebong (NSW) - Not sure about vintage.

Wine 5
This one totally suprised everyone. A deep red/purple. On the nose cherries, tea, a hint of mint and spicy oak. A silky palate of creamy oak wound around a core liquer plums. A nice complexity and a finish of grainy fruit tannins and a very nice length. Going by the legs, the silkiness and fullness of the body I guessed it was around 14% alcohol BUT I didn't find out as it was revealed as a 2002 Adelaide Plains Shiraz CLEANSKIN !!!! Well, we all thought Gavin was joking when he first said what it was !! If they keep making more cleanskins like this I know what I will be filling my cellar with (assuming they will have some staying power).

Wine 6
This was our third suprise of the night and an unusually complex wine of savoury and sweet characteristics.
A classy nose of light vanilla, soy and black bean, which came through on the palate with graphite, pencil shavings and smoke. An elegant wine of complex flavours, nice length and structure. Gavin asked how much we would price it at and we responded around the mid-20 to 30 range - Well, bowl us over if its not another CLEANSKIN !!!! 2000 McLaren Vale Shiraz Cleanskin.

Whoops - got to go... Continued tommorrow.

[Gavin Trott]

First off, thank you Gavin and Robyn for a very pleasant evening and a superb line up of wines.

All wines were tasted blind and Gavin should be congratulated for selecting such a wonderful line up. A night full of suprises and some wonderful discoveries.

Wine 1
The first wine was an indicator for the rest of the night. Nobody could pick it, everyone thought it was excellent and all were confused as to what it was.It was deep purple, almost black with intense pepper and spice and hints of meat, liqueur cherry and plum. Very rich, complex, polished savoury flavours with layers of sweet plum and milk chocolate. Wonderfully structured and a great length.
Nobody picked it as a Grenache, (2002 Kalleske Grenache) - A great discovery for me as I find that the only Grenache I have enjoyed in the past have been Noons Eclipse.

Wine 2
The next wine paled besides the first one. A nose of gunsmoke, lead, milk chocolate, pepper, violets and mint. However, on the palate there was no fruit, a skinny body and short length. However a number of people noted that the palate was quite structured for all its shortcomings and that it may bode well if we let it breathe. They were right, after a few hours it opened up marvelously with layers of fruit coming through and a wonderful finish. It was WOTN for a few people. - 2002 Reske Cab/Sav

Wine 3
Killibinbin - Corked.

Wine 4
Personally I didn't think much of this wine, others said it was a good food wine with a nice middle palate but not much length.
Bidgeebong (NSW) - Not sure about vintage.

Wine 5
This one totally suprised everyone. A deep red/purple. On the nose cherries, tea, a hint of mint and spicy oak. A silky palate of creamy oak wound around a core liquer plums. A nice complexity and a finish of grainy fruit tannins and a very nice length. Going by the legs, the silkiness and fullness of the body I guessed it was around 14% alcohol BUT I didn't find out as it was revealed as a 2002 Adelaide Plains Shiraz CLEANSKIN !!!! Well, we all thought Gavin was joking when he first said what it was !! If they keep making more cleanskins like this I know what I will be filling my cellar with (assuming they will have some staying power).

Wine 6
This was our third suprise of the night and an unusually complex wine of savoury and sweet characteristics.
A classy nose of light vanilla, soy and black bean, which came through on the palate with graphite, pencil shavings and smoke. An elegant wine of complex flavours, nice length and structure. Gavin asked how much we would price it at and we responded around the mid-20 to 30 range - Well, bowl us over if its not another CLEANSKIN !!!! 2000 McLaren Vale Shiraz

Whoops - got to go... Continued tommorrow.

Mark

Loads of typing there, my thanks.

A couple of notes.

Wine 2 was the new 2002 Reschke Bos Cabernet made by Peter Douglas. Opened up tight and taut as, and following the Kalleske Grenache was a big ask. Three hours later it was singing.

Wine 3 was horribly obviously corked.

Wine 4 was 2002 Bidgeebong Gundagai Shiraz which I really enjoyed, medium bodied and well made indeed. It paled in such intense company however.

5 and 6 were both outstanding cleanskin wines, something I have been searching for and have now found.