Weekend Drinkies... April 17/18

[monghead]

Hi all, hope everyone is having a great weekend...

Monghead.

[Sean O'Sullivan]

deleted

[Wayno]

04 Grant Burge Filsell Shiraz - very good
06 Hoddles Chardonnay - in a sweet spot. Excellent.
04 Mitchell Cabernet Sauvignon - good but a touch green.

[dazza1968]

99 Barossa valley estate Shiraz is drinking very well right now , still in good nick ,mind you it has really lived a great life in a controlled cellar
06 Henschke Johann Garden Mostly grenache seems to be in its drinking window now Normally leave this for 3 years before drinmking but this is good now

Probably tomorrow as being my sons birthday will dig out a 1990 to drink

Regards Dazza

[monghead]

1998 Penfolds St Henri- Having had the St Peters a few days ago and loving it, I was really looking forward to this. Although a monstrous wine with each component grabbing your senses (the typical christmas cake Barossa fruit, the sweet oak, the mouthfilling tannins), I thought it was a little clumsy as they did not meld well together. Thus, although it was good, it wasn't exciting. Perhaps it will improve with time? For now though, just a Solid Good.

Cheers,

Monghead.

[daz]

A couple of approx $10-$11 reds, along with a couple of bargain-basement labelled chardies and a shiraz cab.

I've previously posted impressions of Penny's Hill Red Dot Shiraz 2008. For less than $10 it's a very good value Vale shiraz. More savoury than sweet, a bit of warm alcohol, dark chocolate, oak much in the background, medium finish.

Also grabbed a bottle of Metala Langhorne Creek Shiraz Cabernet 08. For a dollar or so more, this offers complexity at a higher rung. It's sweetly-fruited but also has a savouriness to it. Oak is noticeable, a fair whack of American oak (I think) that gives it an almost bourbon character, supports the mixed spices and regional eucalypt that's noticeable but is a part of the whole. Ripe, dusty, drying tannins add to a good length finish with well-balanced acid in support extending the fruit and with noticeable but not excessive alcohol warmth. I've had quite a few reds nearer $20 that this would equal or better. Oh, yeah, it's a full-bodied wine that should suit spicy asian food.

Cheers

daz

[Peter NZ]

'02 Dry River Riesling -- intense wine, & enjoyed it more than last couple of bottles, but the kerosene element (which is unusual in NZ rieslings) still puts me off a little ...

'00 Eldridge Estate Pinot Noir -- quite pale in colour, good fruit but no obvious tannins -- good wine.

'02 Kingsley Syrah -- more warmer climate Oz in style than the typical HB syrah (& unusually with I think 14% Cab Sauv), this wasn't showing much development for its 8 years.

'02 Saltrams Pepperjack Syrah -- typical Barossa, & not yet really showing its age.

Cheers
Peter

Cheers
Peter

[Bick]

Dog Point Chardonnay 2007 - very enjoyable; a solid, old-fashioned, meat'n'potatoes kind of wine; mealy, biscuity, rich chard, with heaps of tropical stone-fruit. Just how I like my chardonnay.

[Wayno]

On a mini-Hoddles Creek vertical this weekend - I decided to back up the 06 Chardonnay from Friday night with an 07 Chardonnay last night.

Not discernably different from the 06 - both pretty youthful, although more lemon and juiciness in the younger wine. Both show enormous class for their relative price-point.

I reckon, on balance, their Chardonnay is the standout - I find the Pinot a bit variable (although still good), whereas the Chardonnay seems to comprehensively nail it.

[TiggerK]

Devils Lair Chardonnay 2008 - Rather impressed with this, great acid spine balancing the weighty fruit and well integrated oak. Good Good

Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2007 - Stalky, brambly, lovely fruit, a really good drink. Good Good

Cheers
TiggerK

[rooman]

2001 Domaine Robert Arnoux Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Proces drinking well. Light prefumed nose with red fruits and super fine tannins. Starting to thin out just a little at the end. I doubt there is much upside keeping any longer. Still a very noice wine by my limited burgundy experience.

1998 Seppelts St Peters. Not quite as good as a recent bottle. Still a wonderful earthy savoury wine with a slight licorice after taste. I opened the bottle about 7-8 hours before we drank it and I suspect this may have been just a tad too long in advance.

2004 Savaterre Pinot Noir I am still really disappointed with this wine especially compared to one of the Epis P/N I had recently (both with the same price point and region). I had such great hopes for it that have never really been fulfilled. No great depth or complexity so far. I will leave the remaining few bottles for another couple of years and see how we go.

[Craig(NZ)]

'02 Dry River Riesling -- intense wine, & enjoyed it more than last couple of bottles, but the kerosene element (which is unusual in NZ rieslings) still puts me off a little ...

knocked off a 00 DR Craighall Riesling on sat night...was sensational...all class

[Rawshack]

Dog Point Chardonnay 2007 - very enjoyable; a solid, old-fashioned, meat'n'potatoes kind of wine; mealy, biscuity, rich chard, with heaps of tropical stone-fruit. Just how I like my chardonnay.

One for me to look out for, thanks Bick

[Rawshack]

A couple of note:

Bowen Cabernet 2005 - I'd read mixed reviews about this wine and I can understand why; the alcohol (15%) seems at odds with the varietal characters. I actually liked it and saw past the heat but it's not the last word in elegant, refined cabernet

Chandon Tasmian Cuvee 2006 - Domain Chandon is one sparkling producer that I don't really look out for. I remember enjoying their Zero Dosage, but otherwise generally looking elsewhere for homegrown sparkling. However, this was pretty special and I liked it a lot. Lovely citrus and stone fruit going strong, brioche and pistachios. I really liked the mouthfeel and it displayed good structure. The only minor comment was the residual sugar at the finish and I'd be interested to know how many g/l it was carrying.

[Red Smurf]

1998 Penfolds St Henri- Having had the St Peters a few days ago and loving it, I was really looking forward to this. Although a monstrous wine with each component grabbing your senses (the typical christmas cake Barossa fruit, the sweet oak, the mouthfilling tannins), I thought it was a little clumsy as they did not meld well together. Thus, although it was good, it wasn't exciting. Perhaps it will improve with time? For now though, just a Solid Good.

Cheers,

Monghead.

Im a big fan of this wine and having tasted the 98 a couple of times, in 05 and 08 and each time it has been all over the place as well.
Was just about to open another this year but looks like I should hold on for quite a while yet before tasting again?

Cheers,
Red Smurf

[AndrewCowley]

2006 Henschke Keyneton Estate: An upfront and very simple wine. Nice but lacking that something special.

[Stavros]

Tooks the kids away for a camping trip last week and grabbed a few from the cellar (cupboard) to
while away the time with, including....

2007 Sons Of Eden Kennedy GSM...Great stuff,really well balanced wine, good fruit and Oak. last of 3..need more.
2004 D'Arenburg The Galvo Garage Bordeaux blend...delicious, no mintiness/herbaceousness, sweet and full
flavoued, more like a Barossa shiraz to me
2007 Chalice Bridge Chardonnay, made by Bob Cartright, i bough a 6 pack of these about 18 months + ago from
VC's on special ($15ea) and this is the second last one i have and only now iot's hitting it's straps, still pale in
colour, fresh and lively acidity, but just starting to develope those secondary characters..i want more!
2007 Juniper Crossing Shiraz...cool climate style, nice peppery and savoury characters great QPR at under $20.
2004 Tin Shed Cabernet Franc...Funky Brambly stuff...gotta love it!.
2004 Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz...Savoury but with a slight astingency to it, was better the next day, but was my
least favourite of the selection.
Campbell's Rutherglen Muscat, the cheapy one, approx $20.375mls, nice gear, obviously not as complex as the
grand or rare versions, but still nice drop with some decent cheeses.

Cheers...S

[Michael McNally]

2007 Sons Of Eden Kennedy GSM...Great stuff,really well balanced wine, good fruit and Oak. last of 3..need more.

Thanks for the reminder Stavros. This is great gear. Had my last of these a couple of months ago and been meaning to get some more.

I believe our host sells it...... Gavin? ............. Gavin?

Never around when you need him............ just kidding.

Cheers

Michael

[Franco]

On a mini-Hoddles Creek vertical this weekend - I decided to back up the 06 Chardonnay from Friday night with an 07 Chardonnay last night.

Not discernably different from the 06 - both pretty youthful, although more lemon and juiciness in the younger wine. Both show enormous class for their relative price-point.

I reckon, on balance, their Chardonnay is the standout - I find the Pinot a bit variable (although still good), whereas the Chardonnay seems to comprehensively nail it.

Hi Wayno, the 2009 will be released about June this year. Looks really good just starting to settle down. Agree that '06 looks excellent at the moment and really in the groove. Found the '07 is a different beast but has years ahead of it.

Going on past vintages, I think Hoddles Chardy drinks really well from 5-7 years from release. At the moment, Chardonnay probably ages better than Pinot at Hoddles. Although 04 PN is still going strong, as is 05, 06.

Cheers
Franco

[seddo]

Wynns Centenary Shiraz/Cabernet 1991 - consumed this at the Courgette(Canberra) celebrating 20th wedding anniversary, the wine was still very youthful - and developed nicely over 2+hrs in the decanter, still has 5+ years in it easily - very very nice.

cheers
Seddo

[Luke W]

2006 Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir - its funny I didn't exactly love pinot when I travelled around Central Otago a month or so ago but found that I missed it or almost craved it when I came back. This one was the best that I've had since and thought it was fabulous - lots of different aromas and flavours (red berry fruit diminishing to some truffles and mushrooms) , drying tannins and went down easily with a platter of cheeses, dips and meats.

[daz]

T2004 Tin Shed Cabernet Franc...Funky Brambly stuff...gotta love it!.

Cheers...S

Sounds interesting, I'm a fan of their Melting Pot Shiraz, quite like Tahbilk cab franc.