Hot Sunday - more like Summer.....

[TORB]

It's so warm I am going to officially declare it Sparking Shiraz weather at Chea TORB's Joint and celebrate with a bottle of the good stuff tonight.

Till then, please let us all know what you have been drinking over the past week.

[Wayno]

Orlando Jacaranda Ridge CS 99 - went through a couple of bumps along the way but finished strongly. Excellent wine.

[seddo]

Consumed one too many this week:

Elderton Shiraz 05 - not bad need alot more breathing time than what I allocated,nice Barossa shiraz but not as big as some of the past vintages, the Cimicky Trumps was a better drink.

Madfish Gold Turtle Shiraz 05 -after 4 hrs breathing the fruit came to the fore, medium bodied not bad but i will have to continue my quest for a great WA shiraz

Brindabella Hills Shiraz 06 - had some raves in the local press but not my cup of tea - too weak could not taste what the reviewers did.

Standout of the Week

Barwang Cabernet 06- beautiful deep purple red colour with a glorious taste of black fruits - smooth as silk - love hilltops cabernet

cheers
Seddo

[rens]

2007 Wynns Cabernet Sauvignon Nice little drop. Typical of the style. Firm tannins that should see this go 15 years. Will go buy a case (or two) after I pay last months wine bills off the credit card.
2007 Clos Pierre Pinot Noir This is one of those exclusive to DM. 16 bucks! I've tasted plenty of $30-$40 Pinots that aren't as good as this one. Nice pinot fruit, supple tannins and good length balanced with a hint of oak. Very nice.
2008 Clos Pierre Pinot Noir Well the 2007 is good and the 2008 is no different. Still 16 bucks and great value. Will be a regular weekly quaffer for me.

[Chuck]

1991 Wynns John Riddoch My first of this wine bought from auction which can be a bit of a lottery. It did not disappoint and thought it may be better in 5 years.

Chuc

[jeremy]

2006 Curly Flat Pinot Noir- cherries, sap, forest floor, quality oak (which will integrate), cinammon and some boysenberry. Superb.

[Muscat Mike]

Last night enjoyed a '98 Tyrrells Rufus Stone Shiraz. This is really in a great drinking window at the moment. Mellow, smooth with all in great balance. It will not improve but does not need to. Think there still maybe a year or two to go at this level.
Mike.

[A_n_d_r_e_w]

Had a 90s dinner last night . . .

1999 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon - Smelt and tasted amazingly young and fresh. Still predominantly lemon and lime, with just the start of the buttery, toasty characteristics. Should cellar for a long time yet. Great wine

1991 Tahbilk Shiraz - Had concerns as to whether this wine might be past it but happily is in still in great form! Lovely red brick colour. A beautiful aniseed aroma and plenty of complexity and length on the palette. Wine of the evening.

1996 Leasingham Bin 56 Cabernet Malbec - Aniseed, mint, and berries. Nice structure and soft tannins suggest it still has a few years yet. Very nice wine but somehow didn't quite have the complexity or enjoyment that the Tahbilk had.


Cheers,

Andrew

[monghead]

2008 Felton Road Pinot Noir- Sexy Good

Now, how do I get some Block 3 or 5...

Monghead.

[dlo]

Been away this weekend playing at the Wagga Jazz Festival. Took a few bottles to drink with the band over the course of the "long" weekend.

Mount Mary Chardonnay 2004 - excellent, complex, hanging in there nicely

St Huberts Cabernet Sauvignon 1990 - outstanding but fully mature, fruit may be marginally in decline

Giaconda Chardonnay 2002 - sensational at first but became very oaky and grippy after half an hour which really spoiled the earlier joy

J. J. Confuron Nuits-St-Georges Aux Boudots 1993 - excellent, ready to go.

Trimbach Pinot Gris SDGN 1990 - oxidised

[Bick]

Bouchard Ainé et Fils Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Chaboeufs 05 - a tasty, fragrant, well made pinot, but needs time for oak to integrate. Too young, as I imagined it would be going in - call it an educational experiment to try a good young burgundy - but better value can be had from NZ and Aus I'm sure (Felton Rd block 5 is cheaper, afterall!).

[qwertt]

Over the weekend:
Warrabilla Reserve Durif 2005 - intense, balanced, carries 16% alcohol very easily
Orlando Jacaranda Ridge Cabernet 1998 - really lovely, but not in the best drinking window yet. Poised between primary and secondary characteristics.
Seppelt Jaluka Chardonnay 2004 - Opened too early as well. I'll leave my other bottle for a few years.

[Craig(NZ)]

2008 Felton Road Pinot Noir- Sexy Good

Now, how do I get some Block 3 or 5...

saw some 08 block 3 in the weekend for a very reasonable $78. cheapest ive seen it in years. unfortunately i resisited....i just have too many expensive wines and i just gotta get a grip a bit

was tempting though!

[ufo]

2002 Marius Shiraz, just brilliant, even better on the second day.

[Chrisp]

On a recent grazing trip across country Victoria:

Golden Ball Shiraz 2006 - plenty of appeal but needs at least 3 more years. Enjoyed with a top steak at Simone's in Bright.

Bests Bin 0 Shiraz 2005 - drinking beautifully and a great match with slow cooked lamb at the Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld.

[monghead]

2008 Felton Road Pinot Noir- Sexy Good

Now, how do I get some Block 3 or 5...

saw some 08 block 3 in the weekend for a very reasonable $78. cheapest ive seen it in years. unfortunately i resisited....i just have too many expensive wines and i just gotta get a grip a bit

was tempting though!

So, in terms of getting a better grip..... how do the Felton Road Block 3 or 5's compare to Ata Rangi?

[Craig(NZ)]

So, in terms of getting a better grip..... how do the Felton Road Block 3 or 5's compare to Ata Rangi?

I cant say ive tried every vintage multiple times but i have cellared the odd bottle of both often enough for opinion. the felton rd's are perhaps more structured they respond to cellaring and more red fruited. every 5 year+ block ive drunk has been amazing. The 00 block 5 a was the best south island pinot noir ive ever tried just pipping out the 01? Daniel Schuster Omihi

The Ata Rangi is a more plush wine with softer tannins, richer. Its a good reliable label. The other pinot from martinborough i really rate is the escarpment te rehua and voyager and of course the old martinborough reserves (the new incarnations are fantastic too but at 700 bottles and $150+ thats purely academic - at least ata rangi is common)

Both FR and AR are good wines. Though ive been picking up Carrick for $26 this year so there hasn't been too much avenue to the cellar for $70+ Pinot. Im just going through one of those phases where other things are pushing wine down the list a bit!

[monghead]

So, in terms of getting a better grip..... how do the Felton Road Block 3 or 5's compare to Ata Rangi?

I cant say ive tried every vintage multiple times but i have cellared the odd bottle of both often enough for opinion. the felton rd's are perhaps more structured they respond to cellaring and more red fruited. every 5 year+ block ive drunk has been amazing. The 00 block 5 a was the best south island pinot noir ive ever tried just pipping out the 01? Daniel Schuster Omihi

The Ata Rangi is a more plush wine with softer tannins, richer. Its a good reliable label. The other pinot from martinborough i really rate is the escarpment te rehua and voyager and of course the old martinborough reserves (the new incarnations are fantastic too but at 700 bottles and $150+ thats purely academic - at least ata rangi is common)

Both FR and AR are good wines. Though ive been picking up Carrick for $26 this year so there hasn't been too much avenue to the cellar for $70+ Pinot. Im just going through one of those phases where other things are pushing wine down the list a bit!

Thank you.

I think I must get to NZ for a bit of a tour very soon...