So what have you been drinking? 21/8
Re: So what have you been drinking? 21/8
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Last edited by Sean on Mon Mar 11, 2013 2:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: So what have you been drinking? 21/8
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Last edited by Sean on Mon Mar 11, 2013 2:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Mahmoud Ali
- Posts: 2954
- Joined: Fri Aug 25, 2006 9:00 pm
- Location: Edmonton, Canada
Re: So what have you been drinking? 21/8
daz wrote:Hmmm, the Seaview label was around for many years...................
Have you seen some of the new Seaview wines? They're made from Italian varieties and feature a fine looking retro label. From what I recall the whites are Fiano and Vermentino (both good) while the reds include Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, fairly substantial and cellar worthy.
Mahmoud.
Re: So what have you been drinking? 21/8
Sean wrote:I tried the 2009 Leconfield at a store tasting. I found the Leconfield disappointing after some promising aromatics, even a bit thin on the palate. I have liked some recent vintages of it very much, but this wasn’t a buy for me. On the other hand, a mate of Wendy’s says the Leconfield he tried was beautiful and having it from a bottle that had been open most of the afternoon made all the difference.
(I also tried the Majella and I thought it was the pick of the two. Nice one anyway if you like the mocha oak and dense fruit and tannin style, which reminded me of the 2005 vintage.)
Wendy is a fan of the Leconfield, so we usually get at least one bottle to try. We didn’t this time. Neither of us thought it was as good as the recent vintages that we have liked.
I actually like that relatively leaner or lighter style it has and that I don’t see in many Coonawarra cabernets anymore. I guess others can find it a bit green, especially the vintages that have some overt green capsicum. I know I wasn’t being asked, but I have tasting notes on the 04, 06 and 08 which might help with where I am coming from anyway.
2004 Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon - This is medium-bodied with red-purple colour, lovely aromas of capsicum, leaf, cedar, blackcurrant and olives, vibrant and persistent fruit on the palate (which is not surprising because it’s screwcapped) as well as some oak and powdery tannins and a long finish. (2007 tasting note)
2006 Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon - This is dark red-purple and medium-bodied with appealing leafy, berry and dusty oak aromas and shows finesse on the palate, which has dark berries, cedar and a slightly herbaceous feel to it as well as tannins running through it from start to finish. (2008 tasting note)
2008 Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon - This is very purpley with legs in the glass, but definite cabernet character in spite of the 14.5% alcohol, although it’s very young and unevolved, with mint, herbs, green capsicum and blackcurrant as well as typical oak flavour and dry, powdery tannins. (2010 tasting note)
Thanks. I think this means that from your point of view, the 2008 it a bit young to really assess, and the 2006, when you drank it, was much more approachable.
My own feeling is that the '06 is a better balanced wine than the '08, and I have preferred it at every stage of their respective lives.
Re: So what have you been drinking? 21/8
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Last edited by Sean on Mon Mar 11, 2013 2:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: So what have you been drinking? 21/8
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Last edited by Sean on Mon Mar 11, 2013 2:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: So what have you been drinking? 21/8
Some brief impressions at a couple of instores to round off the month:
2008 Voyager Estate Chardonnay, Margaret River (screwcap): The presenter bragged it got 97 points from Halliday – it’s good, but not that good. There are no malo-derived characters, but there’s plenty of toasty/vanillin oak to go with the stonefruit; it’s mineraly with good balance and excellent length, but it’s nowhere near LEAS and Giaconda (or even recent Yattarna & Bin A) standard.
2009 Chalk Hill Sangiovese, McLaren Vale (screwcap): A lovely wine that’s fresh, fruity and not overworked, full of mulberries, cherries and spices that entice the nose and dance around the palate, with a clean, solid finish. A lot better than Coriole’s standard wine, and that’s high praise indeed – also probably the highlight of the whole tasting.
2009 Chalk Hill The Procrastinator, McLaren Vale (screwcap): Smells sweet and scrubbed like boiled lollies and detergent suds, with more fruity raspberry and meaty characters appearing with breathing; the palate’s rather watery and short, inoffensive but very bland and a non-entity. Despite all the components it comes out like a gutless middle age Grenache – universally disliked, even the presenter couldn’t find a kind word to say about it.
2009 Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale (screwcap): Very earthy and minty with blackcurrant and confectionery, well balanced but definitely on the light side for a Vales cabernet; I can see a pattern with the better 09 McLacker’s wines, nice early drinking styles but not keepers; that doesn’t say much for the lesser ones.
2009 Chalk Hill Shiraz, McLaren Vale (screwcap): An excellent colour, darker, sweeter and a little more weight than the cabernet, more in the plum/cherry spectrum, but it’s still not up to the usual standard for the region; a relatively approachable, slurpable quaff, but it’s not worth anything more than that.
2008 Voyager Estate Shiraz, Margaret River (screwcap): Like the Chalk Hill blend this is rather sudsy and overly sweet on the nose, a little sweet and sour, minty and earthy, and while it has decent weight and length isn’t really good enough compared to their other wines.
2008 Voyager Estate Girt by Sea Cabernet Merlot, Margaret River (screwcap): There’s a lot to like here, it’s savoury with caramel/soy characters of the merlot making a real impact with the minty/blackcurrant Cabernet characters, adding spice and grip to the mid-palate. Definitely osso buco territory, the traditional version with veal stock, white wine and accompanying risotto ala Milanese; that said, it’s virtually at its peak right now, and I question just how long it can hold this form?
2009 Chalk Hill Barbera, McLaren Vale (screwcap): There’s good fruit here but I find it’s overwhelmed by nutty/gluey oak, even a touch porty at times; I struggle to get what exactly a good version of this varietal should be like, and I suspect many who make it do too.
2005 Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot, Margaret River (screwcap): Is this the current release or some lingering stock? The crimson colour’s rather advanced but the bouquet is attractive, the merlot again making an impact with sweet/smoky cinnamon characters to add to the currant fruit. The palate isn’t as good, the initially impressive fruit giving way to bright acid and a touch of minty heat on the finish; nowhere near as good as it should be when I think of the Moss Wood in comparison, is it in a flat spot or was it suspect stock being shown?
2011 O'Leary Walker Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc (screwcap): Juicy and full of tropical fruits, passionfruit, banana esters and kiwifruit along with a little grass, and just a touch of a turpentine character lurking in the background. A pretty good result this year, with some similarities to the Mike Press release.
2010 O'Leary Walker Polish Hill Riesling (screwcap): Very bright straw. It’s very pithy/way and lean on the nose, losing whatever initial lemony blossoms it had a year ago; the palate’s still on very good shape, but seems to be on the verge of shutting down already.
2011 O'Leary Walker Polish Hill Riesling (screwcap): Bright straw, maybe a hint of green. A lot fresher than the 2010, fresh and sudsy with lemon blossoms and mineral salts, finishing with very good length but not the weight of the best vintages. A fair effort.
2011 O'Leary Walker Watervale Riesling (screwcap): Very similar to the Polish Hill this year, very lemony and mineraly with just a touch of fresh herbs on the nose, and a slatey palate that’s somehow missing the touch of fennel/white sambuca that the best vintages have.
2008 O'Leary Walker Drs’ Cut Riesling (screwcap): Light to medium yellow. Showing a lot of development already, very fat with kerosene, toasty lemon and lanolin characters; the palate’s very round and ready to go, great drinking now but it’s also way too advanced for a three year old, even more so for a rarely made flagship.
2009 O'Leary Walker Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir (screwcap): Mushroomy and sweet cherries, a little funk and smoke, all the right Pinot things yet everything from the medium red colour onwards seems rather advanced for what should have been a powerful vintage. I think this will be lucky to last five years, ten is a big ask.
2009 Blue Cutting Road Cabernet Merlot, Polish Hill (screwcap): Like many 2009 Cabernets this is fresh and ready to go, cranberries and some smoky/sweet camphor, soy and caramel from that merlot add interest, but it’s relatively lightweight and there’s some minty heat on the finish (14.5%).
2010 O'Leary Walker Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (screwcap): Surprisingly not that much more concentrated than the Cabernet Merlot blend, but it’s pure with inky, curranty fruits, medium-weight, again with a little heat on the finish (14.5%). A solid wine, but not with their best which is frankly a little disappointing for what should be a strong vintage.
2009 O'Leary Walker Clare Valley/McLaren Vale Shiraz (screwcap): More fleshy and powerful than their cabernet, inky and exotic with plum and star anise/Asian spices, black cherry and earth on the well judged, medium-weight palate which has great length and no heat. An excellent wine for the vintage and great value as always.
2006 O’Leary Walker ‘Claire’ Reserve Shiraz (screwcap): Very similar to last year, attractive but showing some noticeable leathery/earthy development with some complex/attractive soy characters appearing this time. A lovely wine but pricey.
Cheers,
Ian
2008 Voyager Estate Chardonnay, Margaret River (screwcap): The presenter bragged it got 97 points from Halliday – it’s good, but not that good. There are no malo-derived characters, but there’s plenty of toasty/vanillin oak to go with the stonefruit; it’s mineraly with good balance and excellent length, but it’s nowhere near LEAS and Giaconda (or even recent Yattarna & Bin A) standard.
2009 Chalk Hill Sangiovese, McLaren Vale (screwcap): A lovely wine that’s fresh, fruity and not overworked, full of mulberries, cherries and spices that entice the nose and dance around the palate, with a clean, solid finish. A lot better than Coriole’s standard wine, and that’s high praise indeed – also probably the highlight of the whole tasting.
2009 Chalk Hill The Procrastinator, McLaren Vale (screwcap): Smells sweet and scrubbed like boiled lollies and detergent suds, with more fruity raspberry and meaty characters appearing with breathing; the palate’s rather watery and short, inoffensive but very bland and a non-entity. Despite all the components it comes out like a gutless middle age Grenache – universally disliked, even the presenter couldn’t find a kind word to say about it.
2009 Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale (screwcap): Very earthy and minty with blackcurrant and confectionery, well balanced but definitely on the light side for a Vales cabernet; I can see a pattern with the better 09 McLacker’s wines, nice early drinking styles but not keepers; that doesn’t say much for the lesser ones.
2009 Chalk Hill Shiraz, McLaren Vale (screwcap): An excellent colour, darker, sweeter and a little more weight than the cabernet, more in the plum/cherry spectrum, but it’s still not up to the usual standard for the region; a relatively approachable, slurpable quaff, but it’s not worth anything more than that.
2008 Voyager Estate Shiraz, Margaret River (screwcap): Like the Chalk Hill blend this is rather sudsy and overly sweet on the nose, a little sweet and sour, minty and earthy, and while it has decent weight and length isn’t really good enough compared to their other wines.
2008 Voyager Estate Girt by Sea Cabernet Merlot, Margaret River (screwcap): There’s a lot to like here, it’s savoury with caramel/soy characters of the merlot making a real impact with the minty/blackcurrant Cabernet characters, adding spice and grip to the mid-palate. Definitely osso buco territory, the traditional version with veal stock, white wine and accompanying risotto ala Milanese; that said, it’s virtually at its peak right now, and I question just how long it can hold this form?
2009 Chalk Hill Barbera, McLaren Vale (screwcap): There’s good fruit here but I find it’s overwhelmed by nutty/gluey oak, even a touch porty at times; I struggle to get what exactly a good version of this varietal should be like, and I suspect many who make it do too.
2005 Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot, Margaret River (screwcap): Is this the current release or some lingering stock? The crimson colour’s rather advanced but the bouquet is attractive, the merlot again making an impact with sweet/smoky cinnamon characters to add to the currant fruit. The palate isn’t as good, the initially impressive fruit giving way to bright acid and a touch of minty heat on the finish; nowhere near as good as it should be when I think of the Moss Wood in comparison, is it in a flat spot or was it suspect stock being shown?
2011 O'Leary Walker Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc (screwcap): Juicy and full of tropical fruits, passionfruit, banana esters and kiwifruit along with a little grass, and just a touch of a turpentine character lurking in the background. A pretty good result this year, with some similarities to the Mike Press release.
2010 O'Leary Walker Polish Hill Riesling (screwcap): Very bright straw. It’s very pithy/way and lean on the nose, losing whatever initial lemony blossoms it had a year ago; the palate’s still on very good shape, but seems to be on the verge of shutting down already.
2011 O'Leary Walker Polish Hill Riesling (screwcap): Bright straw, maybe a hint of green. A lot fresher than the 2010, fresh and sudsy with lemon blossoms and mineral salts, finishing with very good length but not the weight of the best vintages. A fair effort.
2011 O'Leary Walker Watervale Riesling (screwcap): Very similar to the Polish Hill this year, very lemony and mineraly with just a touch of fresh herbs on the nose, and a slatey palate that’s somehow missing the touch of fennel/white sambuca that the best vintages have.
2008 O'Leary Walker Drs’ Cut Riesling (screwcap): Light to medium yellow. Showing a lot of development already, very fat with kerosene, toasty lemon and lanolin characters; the palate’s very round and ready to go, great drinking now but it’s also way too advanced for a three year old, even more so for a rarely made flagship.
2009 O'Leary Walker Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir (screwcap): Mushroomy and sweet cherries, a little funk and smoke, all the right Pinot things yet everything from the medium red colour onwards seems rather advanced for what should have been a powerful vintage. I think this will be lucky to last five years, ten is a big ask.
2009 Blue Cutting Road Cabernet Merlot, Polish Hill (screwcap): Like many 2009 Cabernets this is fresh and ready to go, cranberries and some smoky/sweet camphor, soy and caramel from that merlot add interest, but it’s relatively lightweight and there’s some minty heat on the finish (14.5%).
2010 O'Leary Walker Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (screwcap): Surprisingly not that much more concentrated than the Cabernet Merlot blend, but it’s pure with inky, curranty fruits, medium-weight, again with a little heat on the finish (14.5%). A solid wine, but not with their best which is frankly a little disappointing for what should be a strong vintage.
2009 O'Leary Walker Clare Valley/McLaren Vale Shiraz (screwcap): More fleshy and powerful than their cabernet, inky and exotic with plum and star anise/Asian spices, black cherry and earth on the well judged, medium-weight palate which has great length and no heat. An excellent wine for the vintage and great value as always.
2006 O’Leary Walker ‘Claire’ Reserve Shiraz (screwcap): Very similar to last year, attractive but showing some noticeable leathery/earthy development with some complex/attractive soy characters appearing this time. A lovely wine but pricey.
Cheers,
Ian
Last edited by n4sir on Thu Sep 08, 2011 11:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
Forget about goodness and mercy, they're gone.
Re: So what have you been drinking? 21/8
Grosset 1999 Watervale Riesling... Deep yellow in the glass, this has an enticing aroma of candied lime, with just a hint of lanolin. The palate is clean with a pronounced lime juice character and finishing with a curl of sweetness. Most enjoyable, but definitely at the peak - drink up.
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Sam
Sam
Re: So what have you been drinking? 21/8
Don't like cork seals, says he with a 6pk of GB Filsell 09 waiting at work for a ride home..........
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winenovice
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 10:27 pm
Re: So what have you been drinking? 21/8
sjw_11 wrote:Red Robin Rythym Stick Wines Clare Valley Riesling 2009... Covered with enough gold it could be a rap star this was made by Tim Adams according to the level. This has a pristine colour all glowing yellow green and "pristine" is definitely the word of this wine, supported by the low alcohol (11.5%). The nose is zesty lime and the palate is clean, and crisp with just a hint of oiliness from the 2yrs in bottle. Wonderful stuff, will age well.
Can't argue with that. Their reserve is only 6 dollars more and all the fruit is hand managed and picked, coming from a single vineyard block. I just ordered 6 of them and should be coming pretty soon. Can't wait to try them when the weather starts to warm up!
Gavin doesn't stock them, but here is a link to the winery's website.
http://www.rhythmstickwines.com.au/page1.aspx
John