Sydney Tasting group first tasting coming up !

[cuttlefish]

Hi Everyone,

The first tasting is on at my house in Mosman on Wednesday evening, the 16th September (that's NEXT WEDNESDAY).

The theme is Chardonnay (WA vs Victoria) any vintage.

Please indicate here if you can join us. I think we'll need a minimum number of tasters, but let's just see what the response is.

Once we have a rough idea of numbers, I'll get everyone the finer details by private email, etc.

Cheers,

Cf

[TiggerK]

Hi cf,

cheers for getting it up and running. Mrs TiggerK and I would love to attend.

Thanks

[cuttlefish]

Great, we have 4 people confirmed, right off the bat ! (2 for TiggerK, and 2 for me)

I'd like to cap numbers for this tasting at 12, but let's see how the response is. We might not get to that number..

Keep 'em coming, folks !

Cf.

[odyssey]

Myself and +1 would like to come along. Although I must admit to not having a single bottle of WA or Vic chardonnay. I'll have to go find a couple before wednesday.

I generally only buy white wine at cellar door tastings, not from the stores, and thus the majority of whites in the cellar are from the Hunter... besides having a bias towards reds.

[dave vino]

Is there parking available?

[cuttlefish]

Plenty of street parking, just don't scratch any of the Range Rovers. God forbid.

[bacchaebabe]

And try not to get shot as you're getting out of your car. It's so much safer over here in the innerwest!

BTW, I won't be able to make it. Have fun though.

[dingozegan]

Thanks for organising. Please count me in.

[GRB]

Count me in, should be +1 if a sitter can be organised.

Glen

[cuttlefish]

Righto, as of right now, I have the following confirmed for our first tasting:

Cuttlefish
BabyShiraz
Softy + 1
Alex F
Odyssey + 1
GRB (+ 1)
dingozegan
TiggerK + 1

As I said I'll need to cap it around 12 people simply due to space constraints, and that's twelve right there. Gee, that was easy !

If anyone has to pull out, do let me know, as there still might be some who'd like to come.

I'm in two minds as to whether you should all PM me what you're bringing, so we don't have double-ups, or just risk it.
One good reason to let me know would be so we don't end up with all Victorian or all WA. Perhaps if you let me know which state (via PM), that might be enough. For those coming as couples or with a + 1, you may want to think about bringing one from Vic and one from WA between you ??

We can taste them all blind on the night if you like, or not. I'll leave that up to public debate !

Cf

[Alex F]

I cannot come... sorry!

[odyssey]

I don't want to make a habit of this but I think we'll have to cancel as well! Very sorry!! Just too many things on our plate this coming week - we'll be just returned from a long weekend in Melbourne so will be very tired too!!!

Sincere apologies.

[cuttlefish]

OK, so now there are 3-4 spots left. If anyone is interested in joining us, please let me know !

Cheers,

Cf.

[cuttlefish]

TiggerK, can you please PM me your email address. I am sending out the details for the tasting.

Cheers,

Cf

[cuttlefish]

Still spots available for this, so if anyone is interested...let me know

[TiggerK]

How are we looking cf?? Still all go for Wednesday??

Any latecomers still welcome....

Cheers
TiggerK

[cuttlefish]

Looking good. Ready to go. We have 9, I think, and could squeeze in one more only to make it 10. I thought I could handle 12, but it might be too cramped for that many.
Look forward too seeing you all tomorrow night !

Cf.

[TiggerK]

Many thanks to cuttlefish and babyshiraz for hosting the inaugural North Shore tasting evening. It was a great night with good company and some very fine chardonnay indeed.

My tasting notes were a bit brief (yum, nice oak, great nose, well integrated, very yum... etc), so I'll leave it up to one of the gurus to provide detailed notes.

Did we have a winner?? Softy's Coldstream Hills Reserve Chardonnay 1997, with accompanying 'welcome to your first NS tasting evening, may the cork gods smile upon you' letter from the winemaker (at the time) J. Halliday himself was hard to beat, but it was close as so many wines showed well.

Cheers everyone.
TiggerK

[cuttlefish]

I can't find my blasted tasting notes....

...someone left a really big wine glass behind. Was that you, TiggerK ?

[TiggerK]

Yep that was me!! Please keep for next time cf.... Should be nice with a tasty Hunter Shiraz in it...

Finished off the remains of my 2 tasting evening wines this evening...

Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay 2007 - tasted a bit more pineappley this time than at the evening 2 nights ago, (been in the fridge ever since, but now a bit less cold). Very nice wine indeed, long, zesty and still very fresh, not particularly complex, but I feel more complete than it was when first opened. If I had more, I'd keep it a year or three.

Bannockburn Chardonnay 2006 - Great stonefruit nose very prominent, ripe apricots and peach... Drank it a bit cold, but most enjoyable. Yum.

Mrs TiggerK enjoyed a Caldora Yume Montepulchiano D'Abruzzo 2005 while I was enjoying the Chardonnay's. I enjoyed what was left... rustic, dark and rich on the nose, with a big hit of acidity and dark cherry and blueberry flavour. No complaints at all, but really will benefit with more time.

Cheers
TiggerK

[cuttlefish]

Found them ! Folded neatly in the pages of a book I was reading....Hallidays Companion, no less

Bracket 1

Willespie Chardonnay 1999
Light golde straw colour. Nose a little closed. Faintly mineral edge. Grapefruit, and mousey ? The palate fine and zipy, and remarkably good length. 16/20

Coldstream Hills Reserve Chardonnay 1997
Slightly more developed colour: golden straw. Big attractive sweet oak, and a touch of pine, like a number of Hunter Chardies. Buttery and very aromatic. Big juicy front palate, then a real dip, then comes back a little. 15/20

Eaglevale Chardonnay 2003
Lovely colour with a shade of honey. The nose here seems a little wet decomposing grassy, and possibly a little rubbery. Palate is a bit listless. Probably a faulty bottle, unfortunately. Liquorice ? Spicey palate, but many agreed this is past it's best. Certainly shows on the palate. 9/20

Bracket 2

Bannockburn SRH Chardonnay 2001
Gold straw colour. Very faint honey, and a textured palate. Treacle, stock aromas. Palate showing nectarine like fruit, and well developed. Seems quite austere. 13/20

Bannockburn Geelong Chardonnay 2006
Light clear straw colour with a suggestion of green. Sweet sappy aromas of crushed leaves, mealy. An excellent lively palate of apples and ripe stone fruit. Good length. 17/20

Yabby Lake Red Claw Chardonnay 2006
Fine white straw colour. Some free sulphur, mineral, egg-shell aromas developing over time to show marzipan. Palate very fine, and do I detect botrytis ? 15/20.

Bracket 3

Marchand & Burch Chardonnay 2008
Bright light straw with a fleck of yellow. Faintly buttery, and very textured, very complex, but not revealing all yet. Firm slippery acid and good length. Some melon, but definitely toward savoury overall. 17/20

Woodlands Chardonnay 2007
Light white straw with a fleck of green. Mealy and textured with fine firm acid and good length. A little egg-shell aroma, and the palate quite viscous (watery ?)

Dalwhinnie Moonambel Chardonnay 2006
Light yellow straw colour. Interesting aroma with minty leaf, mealy, and sweet oak. Quite different from all others today. 16/20

Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay 2007
Light straw with a fleck of yellow. Savoury, stocky nose, with a touch of sulphur, and fine toasty oak. A lively palate of nectarine/peach. I guessed Margaret River because of the peach aromas. Lovely wine. 16/20

[griff]

Thanks for the notes. Looked like quite a comprehensive tasting! A few surprises there as well.

cheers

Carl