Your Wines Of The Year - 2011

[TiggerK]

Still a few weeks to go of course, but lets all reflect on some of our extra special vinous moments of 2011.

It could be a stunning wine, a superb value/quality revelation, amazing food match.... up to you, any or all....

And we can always update as the year finishes off...... (I'll do mine tonight after some thought)

Cheers
Tim

Cut and paste after this......


My 2011 Highlights....

Best Sparkling/Champagne
x
x

Best Younger White
x
x

Best Old White
x
x

Best Younger Red
x
x

Best Old Red
x
x

Best Sticky/Fortified
x
x

Best Misc Moment - Beer / Spirit / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment etc (go on, go for it)
x
x

[AndrewCowley]

Just one.

Best Old Red
1999 Seppelt St Peters

[jester]

My 2011 Highlights....(hopfully some will be replaced over the coming weeks)

Best Sparkling/Champagne
x Krug MV (disg. 2006)
x Primo Joseph Sparkling Red

Best Younger White
x Pewsey Vale Riesling 2010
x Shaw and Smith M3 Chard 2008

Best Old White
x Tahbilk Marsanne 2000 (aged release)
x Lehmann Wigan Riesling 2004

Best Younger Red
x Teusner Albert Shiraz 2008
x St Hallett Blackwell Shuraz 2008

Best Old Red
x Penfolds Bin 389 1991
x Seppelt GW Show Reserve Shiraz 1998

Best Sticky/Fortified
x Brown Bros Noble riesling 1997 (750ml)
x Morris Old Premium Muscat

Best Misc Moment - Beer / Spirit / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment etc (go on, go for it)
x Easy, Cats winning the flag after all and sundry had written them off as too old, too slow etc......................
.....................yeeeeewww beeeeaaauuuttttttttttttty.

[TiggerK]

Most of my highlights were at the one event http://forum.auswine.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=12154&start=0, but there's most certainly been a few special moments other than that....

My 2011 Highlights....

Best Sparkling/Champagne
Perrier-Jouet, Cuvee Josephine 1985
Dom Perignon 2002
Pol Roger 1999/2000

Best Younger White
Pyramid Valley Field Of Fire Chardonnay 2009 (amazing wine)
Bannockburn S.R.H Chardonnay 2006 (so beautifully balanced)
Giaconda Chardonnay 2008

Best Old White
(I've been very lucky this year, could have been so many more listed, thanks to Shannon, our aged German riesling maestro. Old Riesling Is Amazing)
Schloss Eltz, Eltviller Sonnenberg, Auslese, Riesling, Rheingau 1967
Staatsweinguter, Rauenthaler Gehrn, Riesling, Spatlese 1976
Clovis Lefevre Vouvray Sec, Grand Cru, Loire Valley 1962 (Chenin Blanc)
Petaluma Riesling 1990 - (cheers Dan - second time I've tried it, still a great wine)

Best Younger Red - (all still too young though)
Felton Road Block 3 Pinot Noir 2009
Felton Road Block 5 Pinot Noir 2007
Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2007
Luke Lambert Nebbiolo 2009

Best Old Red- (bugger it, still too many to choose from, have to stop at six!)
C Marey & Liger Belair, Musigny Grand Cru 1947
Chateau Lafleur, Pomerol, Bordeaux 1947
Chateau Lascombes Margaux 2nd Growth 1976
Lindemans Bin 4810 Burgundy Shiraz 1973
Mount Mary Quintets 2000
Henschke Cyril Henschke Cab Sav 1988


Best Sticky/Fortified
Weingut Leonhard Lauth Allsheimer Sonnenburg Trockenbeerenauslese 1976
Pieroth, Gau Odernheimer Petersberg, Beerenauslese 1949
Campbells Merchant Prince Rare Muscat

Best Misc Moment - Beer / Spirit / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment etc (go on, go for it)
Wine - 2004 Azienda Agricola Stanislao Radikon Ribolla Gialla (thanks Ben!)
Beer - Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA
Spirit - Camus Borderies XO Cognac (cheers Dave!)
Restaurant Meal - Guillaume Hats Off (esp the OMG steak dish)
Sporting Moment - OK, I'm a kiwi, have a guess....

Cheers
Tim

[daz]

Not many worth reporting. In random order, Grant Burge Filsell Shiraz 2009, Forest Hill Vineyard Riesling 2010, Bests Great Western Chardonnay 2010, Mike Press Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Dandelion Wonderland of Eden Valley Riesling 2010. The failure of the electricity supply due to cyclone Yasi caused me to drink out a few older wines, thought the 2002 St Henri more enjoyable than the 1996.

[Luke W]

My 2011 Highlights....

Best Sparkling/Champagne
1994 E&E Sparkling Black Shiraz

Best Younger White
2005 Giaconda Chardy or 2005 Leeuwin Estae Chardy

Best Old White
2000 Pepper Tree Semillon or 1999 Tyrells Vat 1

Best Younger Red
Mt Mary Quintet 2004, Moss Wood Cabernet 2005, Dianna Madeleine 2001 (stiil tasted like a younger red!)

Best Old Red
Penfolds Grange 1996, Bin 389 1996 or Mt Edelstone 2001

Best Sticky/Fortified
Yalumba Kingston Town Vintage Port

Best Misc Moment - Beer / Spirit / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment etc (go on, go for it)
A week-end in the mountains in a chalet with only my wife, eating wonderful food and drinking loads of Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir (2007).

Merry Xmas forumites

Cheers

Luke

[Craig(NZ)]

My 2011 Highlights....

Best Younger White
2007 Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay

Best Old White
2006 Kumeu River (Edit: Mates) Chardonnay

Best Younger Red
1995 Ch Ducru Beaucaillou (yes it was young)
2005 Puriri Hills Pope

Best Old Red
1992 Henschke Hill of Grace
2000 Stonyridge Larose


Best Misc Moment - Beer / Spirit / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment etc (go on, go for it)
French Cafe with 2009 Te Mata Coleraine, 2009 Kumeu River Chardonnay and 2010 Neudorf Moutere Riesling as the wines
My first marathon - 3:53
RWC. Webb Ellis back in NZ where it belongs

[griff]

UK has been great for older wine. Unfortunately, unless one is in London, not so good for trying new releases.

Best Sparkling/Champagne
1995 Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Millénaires
1988 Krug
2002 Bollinger Grand Année Rose

Best Younger White
2007 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese

Best Old White
1980 Comtes Lafon Meursault Goutte d'Or
1988 Ramonet Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet

Best Younger Red
2008 M.Chapoutier Ermitage l'Ermite

Best Old Red
1978 Chateau Musar rouge
1991 Dujac Chambolle-Musigny Les Gruenchers

Best Sticky/Fortified
1960 Warre's
1966 Warre's
1999 Rockford VP

Best Misc Moment - Beer / Spirit / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment etc (go on, go for it)
Getting married on Islay

cheers

Carl

[Chuck]

Sporting Moment - OK, I'm a kiwi, have a guess....

Cheers
Tim

Cricket?

[Michael McNally]

Sporting Moment - OK, I'm a kiwi, have a guess....

Cheers
Tim

Cricket?

Rugby League 4 Nations?

Netball?

[boris3930]

As a newbie to this site I don't have a lot to add to this list apart from ..........

Best value Red. '09 Hereford Shiraz.

Best Beer. White Rabbit.

[Loztralia]

Best Younger White
2006 Meerea Park Terracotta Semillon
2005 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon

Best Younger Red
2009 Yarra Yering Pinot Noir
2009 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir

Best Old Red
1996 Moss Wood Cabernet
2003 Meerea Park Alexander Munro Shiraz

Best Misc Moment - Beer / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment etc (go on, go for it)
Beer: numerous real ales on return to UK in May
Restaurant meal: Sepia, Porteno
Sporting moment: Ashes, QPR back in the Premiership

[Michael McNally]

As a newbie to this site I don't have a lot to add to this list apart from ..........

Best value Red. '09 Hereford Shiraz.

Best Beer. White Rabbit.

Hi Boris

Welcome to the forum.

Keep posting and you'll have a longer list next year!

Cheers

Michael

[rens]

My 2011 Highlights (JUST OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD)....

Best Sparkling/Champagne
-2000 Bollinger
-1996(Disgorged) Rockford Black

Best Younger White
Don't drink much so will not comment

Best Old White
See Best young white

Best Younger Red
2006 Grange

Best Old Red
1986 John Riddoch
2000 SVS Hoffmann

Best Sticky/Fortified
Gerry's home blend
Chateau Reynella 16yo

Best Misc Moment - Beer / Spirit / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment etc (go on, go for it)
Brisbane Roar winning the A-league Grand Final is just pipped by a night at Gerry's (April this year) with fantastic food, wine and company, followed closely by the 2 Brisbane off lines

[Mike Hawkins]

I'm sure I've forgotten some

Best Older Champagnes

- 1990 Dom Perignon
- 1990 Krug
- 1996 Henriot Enchanteleurs (not every bottle was great)

Best Younger Champagnes

- 2002 Pierre Peters Les Chetillons
- 2002 Vilmart Couer du Cuvee
- 2002 Dom Perignon (based on 5 of 7)
- 2002 Camille Saves
- 2006 Cedric Bouchard La Boloree

Best Whites

- 2001 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile
- 2004 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile

Best Young Reds

- 2006 Henschke Mt Edelstone
- 2006 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz

Best Older Reds

- 1986 Henschke Mt Edelstone (has been in the list 6 of last 7 years - superb wine)
- 1986 Wynns John Riddoch
- 1990 Lynch Bages
- 1971 Bin 389

Cheers

Mike

[Peter NZ]

Best Younger White
2010 Felton Road Block 1 Riesling

Best Old(er) White
Tie between 2006 Church Road Tom Chardonnay & 2006 Escarpment Kupe Chardonnay

Best Younger Red
2009 Craggy Range Sophia

Best Old Red
2001 Felton Road Block 5 PN
1996 Stonyridge Larose

Best Sticky/Fortified
Donnhoff Eiswein, with thanks to Wizz – not 100% sure which, but think ’07 Oberhauser Brucke

Best Wine Event
Spoilt for choice, with excellent winery events at Craggy Range (with pretty well every wine they’ve ever made open), Esk Valley (all vintages of The Terraces through to 2000), & Felton Road (multiple vintages of everything except Block 5, plus the 2010 Pinots from barrel), & a tasting of all pre-2001 Stonyridge Larose, mainly from magnums / double magnums. Of these, I’d put the Felton Road open day at the top of the list – a down to earth event with incredible generosity from Nigel Greening & Blair Walters.

Cheers
Peter

[ticklenow1]

Best Younger White:
2008 Belarmine Chardonnay
2007 Hoddles Creek Chardonnay

Best Older White:
1996 Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon
2002 Pierro Chardonnay
2004 Blue Pyrenees Reserve Chardonnnay

Best Younger Red:
2009 Noon Twelve Bells
2008 Charles Melton The Kirche
2006 Kay's Block 6 Shiraz

Best Older Red:
1996 Henschke Mount Edelstone
2001 Henschke Mount Edelstone
1999 Wild Duck Creek Springflat Shiraz
1988 Wynn's John RIddoch
1999 Seppelt's St Peters

Best Wine Moment:
Without a doubt, the Rockford Black Magnum Golf Day and Dinner. Had a wonderful day and evening and can't wait to tee it up again next May. Now, I only have to find a partner as my mate has pulled the pin due to family reasons.....

Best wishes to all for Christmas and my 2012 bring many more great wines to our glasses!
Ian

[Wizz]

Best Sticky/Fortified
Donnhoff Eiswein, with thanks to Wizz – not 100% sure which, but think ’07 Oberhauser Brucke

We must have been pretty gone by then -dont remember opening it! It woudl have been the Brucke - but see my best sticky in the list below - unbelievable wine...

Heres my list - all this really shows is my palate preferences:

Best Sparkling/Champagne
96 Dom Perignon

Best Younger White
06 Bouchard Chevalier Montrachet
08 JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese
10 Felton Road Block 1
11 Auburn Bendigo Riesling

Best Old White
79 Leo Buring DWI16 Eden Valley Riesling
95 JJ Prum Wehelner Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese

Best Younger Red
06 Leroy les Beaux Monts
07 DRC Richebourg

Best Old Red
01 Leroy Pommard les Vignots - didnt drink very many really old reds

Best Sticky/Fortified and Wine of the Year
07 Emrich Schonleber Monziger Fruhlingsplatzchen Riesling Eiswein

Best Beer
Three Boys IPA in Dunedin and Central Otago. Awesome beer.

Best Spirit
Ron Zacapa 23 year old rum.

Best Wine Event
2011 Central Otago Pinot Celebration. Hoot of a good time, even for a conservative bod like me.
closely followed by:
2011 Pie-Off - in front of the AFL Grand Final. Awesome pies. Great wines too.

[n4sir]

Best Sparkling/Champagne (Surprisingly slim pickings this year - I'm tempted not list any TBH)
1998 Lanson
2003 House of Arras Grand Vintage

Best Younger White
2008 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay
2009 Penfolds Bin 09A Chardonnay
2010 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
2010 Tim Adams Riesling

Best Old White
1997 Domaine Rene et Vincent Dauvissat Chablis 1er Cru, La Forest
2005 Leabrook Estate Reserve Chardonnay
1997 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon

Best Younger Red
2008 Hentley Farm Clos Otto
2008 Majella Malleea

Best Old Red
1990 Mount Mary Quintet
1991 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Centenary
1998 Penfolds St. Henri
1991 Mount Mary Quintet
2000 Mount Mary Quintet

Best Sticky/Fortified
1957 Chateau Reynella VP
1975 Chateau Reynella VP
1977 Chateau Reynella VP

Best Misc Moment - Beer / Spirit / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment etc
Wine Event - Mount Mary Quintet Vertical
Restaurant Meal - AFWAC dinner at Aria Bar e Ristorante
Sporting Moment - It's a rare year where every team I support has been absolute garbage, all bottom or near bottom.

Cheers,
Ian

[via collins]

My 2011 Highlights....

Best Sparkling/Champagne
- not my thing ....... yet

Best Younger White
- 2007/2008 Millton chenin blanc
- 2008 Voyager Estate chardonnay

Best Old White
- 2003 Heymann Lowenstein Uhlen Roth Lay riesling
- 2003 Steingarten riesling (again)

Best Younger Red
- 2009 Head Brunette Syrah
- 2009 Bress Le Grand Coq noir shiraz
- 2009 Clearview Old Olive Block cabernet blend

Best Old Red
- 1995 Ch Pibarnon bandol rouge
- 2005 Caterina Zardini valpolicella classico superiore
- 2006 Domaine du Coulet cornas

Best Sticky/Fortified
- many may argue, but the 1998 Seppelts clearskin vp form last years flurry has many great moments
- Pennyweight Constance fino sherry - especially when the sun shines,

Best Misc Moment - Beer / Spirit / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment etc (go on, go for it)
- dining at Casa Coupage, a closed door restaurant in Palermo, Buenos Aires. Run by two sommeliers, the most astonishing food & wine matches, and a bit of a master class in wines from South america
- Gran Bar Danzon, Buenos Aires - great wines, great food, great service.
- Return to Terroir tasting in Melbourne. Breathtaking range, local and international and between discovering Millton wines in NZ, Castagna in Beechworth, and having a rousing session with the Felton Road crew, felt my whole world of wine open just a little bit wider.

[Curt]

2011 Highlights....

Best Sparkling
2006 No. 1 Family Estate Virginie - the best NZ bubbles I have tried and better than any Champagne
tried this year

Best Old White
1988 Ch. Suduiraut - perfect
1988 Kientzler Vendage Tardive Gwtz - amazingly fresh

Best Younger Red
2010 Obsidian - great potential & price ( EP )
2009 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir - a great NZ Pinot will unfold
2009 Neudorf Home Bock Pinot Noir - earthy & full of potential

Best Old Red
1986 Henschke Hill of Grace - starting to fade but special
1989 Jim Barry Armah - one of my all time favorites and still holding

Best Misc Moment - Beer / Spirit / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment etc (go on, go for it)
Rugby World Cup. A great celebration of Rugby
Also a trip to Martinbourough last January was heaps of fun

[jafa]

Memories from 2011

Best Young White
2009 Dr Loosen Urziger Wurtzgarten Kabinett
Honorable mention;
2010 Villa Maria Keltern Chardonnay

Best Young Red
2004 Ch Lamartine Cuvee Particuliere (Cahors)
Honorable mention;
Two "tank" samples (went back for another!) 2010 Mudbrick Velvet. Grapes 'secret' but I'd say Merlot/Cab Franc/ +?

Best Older Red
1999 Palliser Reserve Pinot Noir. Out of the orphans bin, but this really hit the spot.
Honorable mention;
1996 Penny Bin407

[Edit] Darn, Forgot event highlight.
Another Gallaher Shield win.
Eight in a row , and 10 from 11 finals games this century!
The first NOT played at Eden Park, ( some kind of overpriced hoopla took priority ).

Best Wishes to everyone for a great new year, with plenty of great wine.

jafa

[sjw_11]

My 2011 Highlights....

Best Sparkling/Champagne
Kreglinger 2004
Freycinet Radinet 2001
Barossa Valley Estate Black Pepper Sparkling Shiraz 1993
Primo Estate Joseph Sparkling Shiraz NV (2008 disgorgement)

Best Younger White
Yalumba Virgilius Viognier 2007
Briar Ridge Dairy Hill Chardonnay 2009
Moorilla Muse Riesling 2010

Best Old White
Henscke Julius Riesling 2004
Tahbilk Marsanne 2002

Best Younger Red
Caillaird Mouvedre 2008
Charles Melton Richeliu Grenache 2006
Charles Melton Nine Popes 2004
Luciano Sandrone Barbera D'alba 2008

Best Old Red
Coriole Mary Kathleen Cab Merlot 2001
Wolf Blass Black Label 1984 & 1989
Moss Wood Cabernet 1996
Turkey Flat Shiraz 2000 (Magnum)

Best Sticky/Fortified
Balthasar Ress Rheingau Beerenauslese 1994
D'arenberg VP 1975
Hardy's Show Reserve Tawny 1947

Best Misc Moment - Beer / Spirit / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment etc (go on, go for it)
Drinking lots of strong Kingfisher while trawling across India in a 2-week, 2600Km rickshaw journey

[dave vino]

Best Sparkling/Champagne
Dom Perignon 2002

Best Younger White
2007 Reinhold Haart Piesport Goldtropfchen Riesling Auslese
2008 Giaconda Chardonnay

Best Old White
1996 LEAS Chardonnay
1971 Erbach Schloss Reinhartshausen Auslese

Best Younger Red
2009 Clonakilla SV
2009 Rockford BP

Best Old Red
1947 Chateau Lafleur
1982 John Riddoch

Best Sticky/Fortified
1911 Seppelt Para 100 Year Old Tawny
Campbells Merchant Prince Rare Muscat

Best Misc Moment - Beer / Spirit / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment
Wine - 2004 Radikon (mind blown)
Spirit – 1992 Lagaluvin Distillers Ed. PX Cask
Restaurant Meal – Restaurant Como Dego for my Bday, good wines, good mates.
Sporting Moment – Cadel Evans TdF

[daz]

There were a few good'uns but I'll mention only my stand-out of the year, Bests Great Western Riesling 2011. I was expecting a dry, cool climate riesling but was astonished to experience the most full-bodied riesling I've ever tried and was initially a bit put off by it. But by the third and last bottle shared with a brother and his wife who both also enjoyed it on Christmas Day, I was hooked (or rather hallidayed). I'm off to check out the Bests site because I want more.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and best wishhes to all for the coming year.

Cheers

daz

[Rossco]

Best Sparkling/Champagne

1995 Dom Perignon (had a back to back with the 1995 Krug.......Dom KILLED IT!)


Best Younger White

2010 Moores Hill Riesling
2011 Bay of Fires Pinot Gris

Best Old White

2003 Cullen Chardonnay


Best Younger Red

2009 Palliser Estate Pencarrow Pinot Noir
2008 Majella Shiraz (Loved their Cab Sav too)

Best Old Red

1998 Tahbilk 1860's Vines Shiraz......simply stunning
followed VERY closely by 1998 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz then
equal third 1997 Tahbilk Old Block Cabernet and 1999 Mt Langhi Ghrin Langi Shiraz


Best Sticky/Fortified

Sánchez Romate Cardenal Cisneros Pedro Ximenez...........STUNNING! I have raved about this on other posts here, so will leave it at that

Best Misc Moment -

BEER Kooinda Brewery pale ale
Spirit Lagavulin 16 Year Old Single Malt....... isle of Islay....amazing
Restaurant Matteo's in Fitzroy North..... amazing food, service AND BYO
Sporting Moment Cadel.....simply superhuman effort!

[Cloth Ears]

Best Sparkling/Champagne
1999 Lanson Gold Label ($42?????)
2002 Verve Cliquot
2009 Brown Brothers Sparkling Doplcetto & Syrah

Best Younger White
2010 Rochford SauvBlanc
2009 Ten Minutes By Tractor Wallis Chardonnay

Best Old White
2000 Peter Lehmann Barossa Reisling

Best Younger Red
2009 Brown Brothers Nero d'Avola
2009 Ten Minutes By Tractor 10X Pinot Noir

Best Old Red (not exactly old, but)
2001 Cascabel Shiraz
2001 Zema Estate Cluny

Best Sticky/Fortified
2004 Barrett's Wines fortified Pinot
1987 Brown Brothers Orange Muscat & Flora)

Best Misc Moment - Beer / Spirit / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment
My July Home Brew
17yo single barrel Laphroig
Lakehouse at Daylesford
Cadel & Samantha in a dead heat

[Mark Carrington]

My 2011 Highlights....

Best Sparkling/Champagne
Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis-sur-Loire Triple Zero NV


Best Younger White
Henschke Julius '07

Best Old White
Domaine Weinbach Gewurztraminer Altenbourg Cuvée Laurence 2005
Bonneau Du Martray Corton Charlemagne '01&'02

Best Younger Red
Wynns Black Label CS '05
Rolf Binder Heysen '06

Best Old Red
Sassicaia '97
Hill of Grace '91

Best Sticky/Fortified
Bodegas Toro Albala Montilla-Moriles Don PX 1982
Rieussec '01.

Best Misc Moment - Beer / Spirit / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment etc (go on, go for it)
Moment: Riding down the Col du Galibier
Beer - Hopus whilst in Bruges
Restaurant meal- La Trompette Grand Cru Burgundy lunch.
Sport - SCG 7 Jan.

[Craig(NZ)]

Sport - SCG 7 Jan

A good way to forget the loss to New Zealand. But remember unlike New Zealand, India are only a second rate side, so don't get too excited

[Michael R]

Best Sparkling/Champagne
Dom Perignon 2002
05 Rockford Black Shiraz

Best Younger White
2008 Giaconda Chardonnay…I’m thinking this could be in my list every year, I’ll simply move it into old category.
2007 Michel Gahier Arbois Chardonnay La Fauquette
2009 Pyramid Valley Field Of Fire Chardonnay

Best Old White
1976 Domherrenhof, Mittelheimer Edelmann, Riesling, Auslese
1999 Mount Mary Chardonnay

Best Younger Red
2005 Mount Mary Quintet
2007 Felton Road Calvert
2006 Rockford Basket Press

Best Old Red
1999 Mount Mary Quintet
1999 Rockford SVS Shiraz
1993 Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Brunello di Montalcino Frescobaldi-Ferré Riserva

Best Misc Moment - Beer / Spirit / Restaurant Meal / Sporting Moment
Wine – 2007 Michel Gahier Arbois Chardonnay La Fauquette…not a famous or expensive wine, but opened my eyes to Jura chardies, with the slightly oxidised character…really loved it.

Bargain – 08 Ringbolt Cab Sav

Restaurant Meal – long lazy lunch at Eleven Madison Park in NYC (thanks Mike H for the tip)….possibly the most enjoyable meal in my life
Special mentions – Est dinner inc the 05 MM Quintet. Also had a wonderful lunch experience at the Star of Greece in Willunga S.A…. my favourite Oz restaurant.

Best Wine Bar….Wine Library, Paddington, Sydney, not good for big groups but perfect for 2-3 people

General Sporting moment – Watching Black Caviar win repeatedly (Horse racing)
Personal Sporting Moment – Playing the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, South Carolina

Tastings: another fun year with Grape mates, more amazing tastings & personal generosity (notably Dave Vino who brought a massive suit case to one event full of fine wine, even though he was spitting!, TiggerK and of course Red Velvet for organising the Christmas party. Will have to get to one of Shannons extravaganzas, hopefully this is the year 

Had some lowlights too, in fact last year was doosie for Henschke wine..a 96 Mount Ed & 96 Cyril H were undrinkable, and a 92 Mount Ed (cellar door museum release) was very ordinary (too much oak). Throw in a few off-form 99 Mount Langhi Ghirans and a couple of Wendouree Shiraz Mataro….plus it seems I’ve finally run out of luck on the 98 Charles Melton Shiraz….price has come back down at auction but the failure rate has gone up considerably.

Resolutions….. need to drink more Italian wine, and write more tasting notes

In terms of Auswine, that blog on whether wine is meant to be nasty or nice was a definite lowlight. I read a lot of more than I contributed last year, but aim to remedy that in 2012. Thanks to all you forumites for the tasting notes, as well as the personal stories which I always enjoy reading.

Cheers
Michael