Some sorta gooduns

[daz]

Turkey Flat Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 was shared at Mackay with m.y niece and my b-i-l on her 40th birthday because she prefers cabs, cab/merls to big heavy shiraz but this cab is no shrinking violet, years ahead of it. The only TF cab I've tried, top drop, excellent. Wish I had more.

Tahbilk 1860s Vines Shiraz 1997 was also shared with niece and b-i-l the next night to celebrate b-i-l's upcoming 60th birthday on 26th April. That being the day after Anzac day, I guess it's understandable that he volunteered for national service - never left Lavarack after training interstate though. He had a wife and daughter and his father was an MLA. The wine was delightful. I was a bit surprised that it displayed obvious oak but it was in perfect balance, good deep plummy and black fruits, an excellent wine. She who don't like big shiraz' loved it. The 2004 has had some very good reviews, I'm seriously tempted even though the ESPs are cheaper - the 1860s Vines has a cachet and is produced in diminishing volume, about 100 dozen according to Halliday after the loss of some of those heritage vines.

Totally selfish, Forest Hill Vineyard Shiraz 2005, all of it for just me. Don't really know what to say about this one other than excellent+. It put me in mind of the 1860s Vines 97 initially because of it's obvious elegance but it was the cool climate shiraz fruit, depth and length of flavour that made it probably the best wine I'll drink this year. The 97 1, where's860s Vines was bloody good, this was just a notch better for half the price though the comparable longevity clouds my crystal ball. Really glad have a bottle of this exemplary wine left for 5-10 more years hence. It's worth $50 from good vintages, a challenger to Howard Park Great Southern wines?

Kilikanoon Oracle Shiraz 2004 was another self-indulgence. Bloody hell, if you have any of this don't go near it for at least another ten years. It's huge, fully-fruited, oak?, what oak? I thought Jeanneret Denis Reserve 2002 was a big Clare shiraz but it's a softie compared to the Oracle 04. Don't know if RPJ ever reviewed this wine but reckon it'd be at least 94/100 from him. Don't ever believe that the Barossa has a monopoly for big-fruited shiraz.

Grant Burge Filsell Shiraz 2004 has developed a touch of elegance, is a fine example of Barossa shiraz. Its black cherry, plum and blackberry fruit are underpinned by a savouriness and coffee oak complexity that lingers on the palate until those dark fruits reprise on the finish. Good value wine for $25-$30 from good vintages.

Cheers

daz

[Softie]

Daz,

Forest Hill Estate Shiraz 07 vintage again a cracker cool climate shiraz - and only mid $20's. Good drinking even now and buy enough (6?) to drink over next ten years.

John

[Waiters Friend]

G'day Daz

When you're talking the $50 Forest Hill, I assume you're talking about the Block 9 Shiraz (not the standard model)? If so, I'd have to agree with the comments on quality, and the Block 5 Cabernet from the same year was even better.

Also had a Clare Valley shiraz last night (2003 Reilly's Stolen Block Shiraz) and it was huge for a seven-year-old - it HAD to be sipped, as it was so rich and mouthfilling. A very good wine indeed.

Cheers

Allan

[daz]

It was indeed the Block 9 05 Alan. The Block 5 04 (apparently not quite as good as the 05) was still the current release when I ordered the case the Block 9 05 came in.

Cheers

daz

[rooman]

Kilikanoon Oracle Shiraz 2004 was another self-indulgence. Bloody hell, if you have any of this don't go near it for at least another ten years. It's huge, fully-fruited, oak?, what oak? I thought Jeanneret Denis Reserve 2002 was a big Clare shiraz but it's a softie compared to the Oracle 04. Don't know if RPJ ever reviewed this wine but reckon it'd be at least 94/100 from him. Don't ever believe that the Barossa has a monopoly for big-fruited shiraz.

daz

I have some magnums of the 2003 Oracle and have been wondering recently whether I should open one. It looks from what you are saying that these are a long term hold (which is fine by me). I appreciate it is the 03 rather than the 04 but from recollection 03 was not a greatly inferior vintage. Any experience with the 03?

Mark

[Wayno]

Daz

I agree with you on the 04 Filsell. Tried one last night- a very good wine and yes, with an elegance to it.

[Waiters Friend]

It was indeed the Block 9 05 Alan. The Block 5 04 (apparently not quite as good as the 05) was still the current release when I ordered the case the Block 9 05 came in.

Cheers

daz

I missed out on the Block 5 Cabernet 05 as well. The delightful Sue and I were there for lunch, and I had a glass with lunch. Then downstairs to buy wine, only to find that the bottle my glass came from was the last one - they couldn't sell me any

[Daryl Douglas]

Kilikanoon Oracle Shiraz 2004 was another self-indulgence. Bloody hell, if you have any of this don't go near it for at least another ten years. It's huge, fully-fruited, oak?, what oak? I thought Jeanneret Denis Reserve 2002 was a big Clare shiraz but it's a softie compared to the Oracle 04. Don't know if RPJ ever reviewed this wine but reckon it'd be at least 94/100 from him. Don't ever believe that the Barossa has a monopoly for big-fruited shiraz.

daz

I have some magnums of the 2003 Oracle and have been wondering recently whether I should open one. It looks from what you are saying that these are a long term hold (which is fine by me). I appreciate it is the 03 rather than the 04 but from recollection 03 was not a greatly inferior vintage. Any experience with the 03?

Mark

Unfortunately, Mark, my only experience of The Oracle is the 04. JH rates the 03 94pts, the 04 93pts. But his respective drinking windows are 2015 and 2029. Your 03 magnums should live to about 2020+. The 04 really is a bit of a monster! JH described is as "An immensely powerful, challenging wine which will take at least a decade to settle down, and will live for decades thereafter."

Cheers

daz

[Waiters Friend]

Kilikanoon Oracle Shiraz 2004 was another self-indulgence. Bloody hell, if you have any of this don't go near it for at least another ten years. It's huge, fully-fruited, oak?, what oak? I thought Jeanneret Denis Reserve 2002 was a big Clare shiraz but it's a softie compared to the Oracle 04. Don't know if RPJ ever reviewed this wine but reckon it'd be at least 94/100 from him. Don't ever believe that the Barossa has a monopoly for big-fruited shiraz.

daz

I have some magnums of the 2003 Oracle and have been wondering recently whether I should open one. It looks from what you are saying that these are a long term hold (which is fine by me). I appreciate it is the 03 rather than the 04 but from recollection 03 was not a greatly inferior vintage. Any experience with the 03?

Mark

Unfortunately, Mark, my only experience of The Oracle is the 04. JH rates the 03 94pts, the 04 93pts. But his respective drinking windows are 2015 and 2029. Your 03 magnums should live to about 2020+. The 04 really is a bit of a monster! JH described is as "An immensely powerful, challenging wine which will take at least a decade to settle down, and will live for decades thereafter."

Cheers

daz

And the 05s and 06s? I have one or both in the cellar.

[Daryl Douglas]

And the 05s and 06s? I have one or both in the cellar.

05 95pts, some similarity of comments to the 04. drinking window to 2020. If you have the 06 Allan, you may have missed slightly on the 06, 92pts/2015, "a little reduction" perhaps the main detractor. The rest of the TN though reads well as do lots of JH's, "the palate is multilayered" sounds good.

Cheers to you and Sue

daz

[Mahmoud Ali]

Daz,

"Missed slightly on the 06" and only "92pts/2015"? Gee, tough crowd.

Mahmoud

[daz]

Daz,

"Missed slightly on the 06" and only "92pts/2015"? Gee, tough crowd.

Mahmoud

Hi Mahmoud, good to see you being a bit more active on this board lately.

The rating and drinking window are from Halliday, the critic others like to criticise for his high(?) ratings. My "missed slightly" was simply a comparison of Halliday's ratings of the two vintages.

The "3 decades of Cabernet" 6pk arrived from Tahbilk recently. The "random" bottle from the 1980s is an 87. I was hoping for an 86 rated 95pts by Halliday at the 150th anniversary tasting recently but no such luck - the 87 wasn't in the tasting it seems. The 87 is rated on the Tahbilk website as ready to drink, as is the 86 but the windows are 15-20 for the 87 vs 20+ for the 86. I'll post a tn of the 87 soon. The cab 91 should be good, Halliday 94pts, fully mature, Tahbilk 20+, ready to drink.

Except for the screwcapped 2006, all bottles are cork-sealed. A cursory look at the top of the capsule of the 87 indicates some seepage but if it is spoiled, from prior experience Tahbilk will readily replace it, most likely with the same vintage.

Cheers Mahmoud

daz