Since it's ticked over from the last thread ... here's a couple I'm trying tonight.
2002 Lambert Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon More fruit than I remembered from the other night, but still a little tired and old. Interesting savoury undertones though and a beautifully subtle fragrance that I couldn't help but keep inhaling as I drank the last glass.
2005 Tin Shed Wild Bunch Riesling Sensational moderately aged riesling this one. Smells almost like gummi lollies, but rich, fruity and honeyed in flavour.
2008 Pankhurst Unwooded Chardonnay Chilling now ... I can't recollect ever drinking a chardonnay before, so this should be interesting. Local winery Pankhurst has a reputation for good cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir and chardonnay. It's a beautiful spot with lovely people, so I have a soft spot for their wines. Love their 2010 cabernet merlot and have a 2000 cabernet sauvignon stored away for my wedding night in 2 weeks time. My goodness this last year has flown!
So now it's chilled a bit ... tasting notes: I was craving a Mclaren Vale shiraz when I ducked down to pick a wine, and somehow ended up bringing this back up. It's ok, a slightly more yellowish colour than my 14K gold engagement ring, a very fruity fragrance, but something I can't recognise (peach mixed with nectarine mixed with kiwifruit mixed with something sharper perhaps?), a very rich taste, acid to begin and lingering fruit to finish. Quite different to my usual whites (rieslings mostly), an acquired taste that I haven't acquired yet. I'll try some more tomorrow.
Paxton Quondong Farm 2010 Single Vineyard Mclaren Vale Shiraz Now this is what I was really after ... while decanting the colour is a lovely purple-red. The colour is a vivid black-red with crimson rim, the fragrance is beautifully fruity, with intense cherry and strawberry and a hint of watermelon. The taste is brighter and lighter than my last Mclaren Vale shiraz (Rockbare), with glazed cherry notes. Yes, definitely more red fruit presence than black fruit. Mmmmm, it's got a little bit of spice to finish. But not much, nowhere near as notable as the Rockbare. As I continue over a few glasses, interesting subtleties emerge. I am quite enjoying this! Partnering with a snack of potatoes + salt + butter, now with honey roasted macadamias, very nice. Interesting, see how this turns out over the rest of the bottle. Second glass, this is growing on me, but I miss that hit of spice and pepper I usually expect from a Mclaren Vale shiraz.
John
Last edited by porschemad911 on Sun Feb 19, 2012 9:34 pm, edited 7 times in total.
2009 Charles Sturt University Chardonnay Discovered this at the SMH NSW Wine Promotion at Hyde Park last year (looking forward to the same event next week). Great value for under $15. Great fruit flavours with oak present but not overpowering. Good length and complexity. Fruit sourced from the Orange region 4/5
Gosh I hate the cookies on this forum! The only page that can't keep me logged in So for the second time:
2006 Margan Shiraz A dark red robe. Black fruited with earth and liquorice. Big palate echoing the bouquet. Not that defined. Good.
2009 Schloss Lieser Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Kabinett A little reduced at first that blows off after an hour. A rich palate for a Kabinett of crunchy red apples. Would like it to be more electric like the 2008's but still Very Good.
cheers
Carl
Bartenders are supposed to have people skills. Or was it people are supposed to have bartending skills?
De Iulius Semilon 2011... Glowing green in the glass, this has lovely fresh citrus, cut grass, and slight lemon curd aromas. Very linear and precise with juicy acidity. Pleasantly fresh and crisp now, I think this has the balance for medium-term cellaring. Good value.
Herdade do Esporao Reserva Tinto 2005 (Alentejo Portugal, its a blend of two local grapes I can't spell & then Cabernet)... Full, deep red in the decanter, on the nose this delivers a whack of ripe black fruit, spice, and some slightly gamey, savoury nuances. Tasting it I said 'this is very new world' and low and behold looking it up this morning I find its an Aus born wine maker with a penchant for american oak! Nice wine though, available in Petersham aka Little Portugal.
Este (De Bortfoli) 2006 Sparkling... De Bortoli's attempt to make a "top end" bubble (RRP c$40-50ish), this is bright green/yellow with an intense but pure nose and wonderfully crisp acidity. Very clean and linear. I think this will age well, and its my style of bubbles. Recommended.
Sean wrote:Last instalment of a Penfolds mini-marathon that I have been doing lately.
2007 Penfolds Bin 28 - A couple of years after this was released and it is coming along nicely, though still a bit tight. Lots of purpley colour and elegant as well as typically rich and intense, with spice, licorice, sweet dark fruits, charry oak and mouthcoating chalky dry tannins.
2008 Penfolds Bin 28 - A bit different and a bit the same as the last time I had this last year, although it was bang on the second of two nights that I had this open. A typical red-purple colour and rich and spicy with blackberry, dark plums and cherry as well as savoury/vanilla oak flavours and smooth and slightly dusty tannins. If you have a few, keep some and drink some.
Thanks Sean. Bin 28 is long-time favourite of mine.
I have six of each of these vintages. Will try one of the 2008s. I am assuming from your description of the tannins in the 2007 that it can wait a while longer?
I have been drinking some 2006 half bottles of late - most recently last Thursday. It's in a good place but has plenty left. The smaller format is probably an influence though.
Alain Graillot Syrocco Zenata Syrah 2009, Morocco an interesting pick-up over the weekend for $35. Aromas of rosemary and grilled lamb which dominated the dark berry undertones until the second day when they yielded, but only slightly. Plenty of ripe flavours of blueberries and savoury plum flesh. These mask but are propped up nicely by the subtle tannins that are happy enough to hang out in the background. A long pleasing finish, this was fantastic for the Sunday of BBQ'd meats for lunch AND dinner.
Lots. Been too busy to focus on notes unfortunately but here's a few:
2005 Steingarten Riesling - dazzling wine, young and brilliant, limey, lemony and finely structured. I think I only have one left of about eighteen. All drunk quite early. 2002 Steingarten Riesling - still in good form, some honeyed characters but still quite steely and lively - again, will go for a few good years yet. All gone now. Patrick Coonawarra Cabernet 2008 - excellent, well composed and not overly minty- which I appreciate
Quite a few more but that said, the booze consumption has been a bit lessened of late as part of a New Year's resolution - still managing to maintain the rage.
Cheers Wayno
Give me the luxuries of life and I will willingly do without the necessities.
Just a couple this week. I didn't take notes so these are just my recollections:
2004 Greenock Creek Alice's Shiraz. Barossa Valley: I really wish I had bought more of this one. It is one of the best, if not the best Alice's I have had. Loads of fruit, silky tannins and oak only a bit part player. Saved a glass for the next night and it was still excellent. Went really well with the wife's (very) rich chocolate birthday cake. WIll go a few more years yet. 4.5/5
2004 Heartland Director's Cut Shiraz. Langhorne Creek: I bought this on the recommendation of Gavin after a wine I ordered online became unavailable. I'm glad I listened, as this was beautiful. Decanted for 2 hours but still took longer to open up. Once it did though, it was a real surprise. I thought the oak was a little over the top at first, but this wine just got better and better in the glass. The tannins were a little dusty but once that fruit emerged...dare I say it....YUM! I'll leave my last couple for another 3 or 4 years as I think it is still on the improve. 4/5
I am starting to agree with the critic's opinion that 2004 really was an excellent vintage for SA wines. I thought 2002 was overhyped so was a little apprehensive on 2004. It was my wedding year so I loaded up, and I have to say, I'm happy I did. I have had some really good mid priced wines from 2004 such as the 2 above.
dazza1968 wrote:2005 Marco Cirillo 1850's Grenache , 2010 Rusden Grenache
Regards Dazza
Dazza,
I'm curious as to how the Cirillo 1850's is travelling. I have a few left and after trying one on release, thought they needed a bit of cellar lovin'. Interested to hear your thoughts. Also, is the Rusden worth tracking down? I'm always on the lookout for quality Grenache.
Cheers Ian
If you had to choose between drinking great wine or winning Lotto, which would you choose - Red or White?
ticklenow1 wrote: I am starting to agree with the critic's opinion that 2004 really was an excellent vintage for SA wines. I thought 2002 was overhyped so was a little apprehensive on 2004. It was my wedding year so I loaded up, and I have to say, I'm happy I did. I have had some really good mid priced wines from 2004 such as the 2 above.
Cheers Ian
Best vintage of the decade in SA
In my opinion anyway! Structure with some restraint, almost all my favourites are from 2004!
2006 Marguet (champagne) - rich, maybe even a touch too much. We drank it too cold, so got little from the nose.
1996 Henriot - reminded why this was such a heralded vintage in Champagne. Excellent wine. Lots of citrus and just starting to develop secondary characters of honey and toast. Really good...
1988 Wynns John Riddoch - I've probably had this a dozen times since release and this was the best so far. Exactly what I hope for in aged Coonawarra cabernet. Cedar, tobacco and also had notes of chocolate, coffee, fennel and aniseed. Great length, and lovely velvety mouthfeel. Good bottles still have quite few years left... Excellent wine.
Mike Hawkins wrote:1988 Wynns John Riddoch - I've probably had this a dozen times since release and this was the best so far. Exactly what I hope for in aged Coonawarra cabernet. Cedar, tobacco and also had notes of chocolate, coffee, fennel and aniseed. Great length, and lovely velvety mouthfeel. Good bottles still have quite few years left... Excellent wine.
Had one only last month, Mike. Agree, a terrific wine, even if this one (and from a magnum, too!) was the most developed (gorgeously deep, earthy and leathery) I've opened thus far and worthy of 90 points. I think I've got a 750 ml bottle and a magnum left.
Had a dinner on the weekend for a member of our wine group who's moving to Adelaide. Didn't take/make notes on the wines on hand but can remember what I took along - a 2005 Louis Carillon Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Les Combettes" which was excellent/outstanding without setting the house on fire and a sensational VP - the Stanton and Killeen 1972 which was incredibly fresh and vibrant with a luscious, rich bouquet and a palate to die for. Will live for another 20-30 years if well-stored.
Mike Hawkins wrote:1988 Wynns John Riddoch - I've probably had this a dozen times since release and this was the best so far. Exactly what I hope for in aged Coonawarra cabernet. Cedar, tobacco and also had notes of chocolate, coffee, fennel and aniseed. Great length, and lovely velvety mouthfeel. Good bottles still have quite few years left... Excellent wine.
Had one only last month, Mike. Agree, a terrific wine, even if this one (and from a magnum, too!) was the most developed (gorgeously deep, earthy and leathery) I've opened thus far and worthy of 90 points. I think I've got a 750 ml bottle and a magnum left.
I had one in December and also agree - it is exactly how you want your aged Coonawarra cab to be. I think I also have a bottle or two and a Magnum left.
Sharkey
I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
It was my daughters 21st on the weekend so we had a dinner at our local restaurant. The food and service was fantastic as usual and we took along an assortment of appropriate byo wines.
NV Chrismont Prosecco
1991 Lindemans Hunter River Semillon Bin 7855 2005 Canobolas Smith Wild Yeast Chardonnay
1991 Orlando Lawsons Shiraz Magnum 1991 Yalumba Signature Cabernet Shiraz 1993 Penfolds Bin 707 2002 Taylors St Andrews Shiraz
The cork gods were smiling on us and all of the wines were excellent. It’s not often you open 4 bottles around 20 years of age and they’re all good.
Sharkey
I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
griff wrote:Gosh I hate the cookies on this forum! The only page that can't keep me logged in So for the second time:
2006 Margan Shiraz A dark red robe. Black fruited with earth and liquorice. Big palate echoing the bouquet. Not that defined. Good.
2009 Schloss Lieser Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Kabinett A little reduced at first that blows off after an hour. A rich palate for a Kabinett of crunchy red apples. Would like it to be more electric like the 2008's but still Very Good.
cheers
Carl
Schloss Lieser seems to be more ripe and tropical than others, even from the same vineyards - compare this to the equivalent 09 Fritz Haag B-J-S Kabinett which is floral and more lemony.
Had an interesting weekend moving my wine into storage while I move house.
Put it into Kennards in Artarmon. So I get down there with the first couple of hundred bottles. Get there and the lift was broken so ended up carrying it up a flight of stairs. Took the next couple of hundred on Sunday and load them up. Get the call Monday morning that their stormwater drain didn't cope with the storm on Sunday night and leaked water all through the 60 case cupboards.
Fortunately on the bottom boxes got wet and they relocated it all into other cabinets for me that weren't affected - now need to go and check the bottles and hopefully it wasn't all my cork stuff from the mid 90's onwards
2009 Domaine Tournon Shiraz This is a good cheap drink 2010 Rockford Alicante Pleasant enough 2008 Brown Brothers Albarino Is probably Savagnin however is very good. 2009 Teusner Independent I am so glad I bought a dozen of these - I really hope I can keep them for a while yet without devouring them.
Tonight enjoying the rest of the Paxton, and opened a bottle of 2005 Xanadu Dragon Shiraz. Didn't really enjoy the Pankhurst chardonnay in the end, didn't end up finishing the bottle.
The Xanadu is ok, a big hit of pure fruit flavours, but not much complexity or finish. Looking forward to trying the cabernet merlot from the same vintage I have downstairs, which is meant to be better.
Sean wrote:2008 Penfolds Bin 28 - A bit different and a bit the same as the last time I had this last year, although it was bang on the second of two nights that I had this open. A typical red-purple colour and rich and spicy with blackberry, dark plums and cherry as well as savoury/vanilla oak flavours and smooth and slightly dusty tannins. If you have a few, keep some and drink some.
Interesting to hear different opinions, I really didn't like this wine. Very syrup-ey and thick to my tastes, without many interesting subtleties, just overbearing. I ended up using the remainder in a beef with red wine casserole, which was delicious by the way! I agree that it was better the second night (after decanting on the first), but just not my style.
Over the past month there’s been a fair bit happening. Firstly, I’ve been away touring Victoria with Janet this month. We visited good friends in Bendigo, then drove to Hall’s Gap where I performed for three days at the very cosy Black Panther Cafe, joined at various times by some terrific jazz muso’s (including trombone legend Harry Price, the very talented multi-instrumentalist Nicola Shaw, wonderful guitarist/vocalist Danny Sowter and cameo’s from good friend, Mal Quine on clarinet and flautist/reeds man Don Brow from Adelaide) as well as play in programmed jazz bands during the Grampians Jazz Festival. We then travelled through the Pyrenees and onto Rutherglen where I caught up with David Morris and met for the first time, the lovely Ann Killeen. We dined at Tuileries, located in the impressive new complex borne from the old Seppelt cellars, that sat idle for years and years. The developer has done a splendid job adding to the original building with a courtyard, cafe and luxury accommodation, swimming pool, gym etc. While the food was mostly good, the wine deal the restaurant was offering was quite spectacular - all you can drink from a vast array of bottles on a tasting bench for $24/head. I also eyed off the value in their couple’s package - dinner in the restaurant, bed and a cooked breakfast for $299 per couple - worth it if you’ve got a few extra bucks on hand.
On the wine front, I raided the cellar earlier this month and plucked some very impressive bottles (and a few disappointments, too, it must be said). The 2002 Petaluma Riesling is an absolute cracker and about midway through its drinking cycle. The toastiness on the nose is a fore-runner to a most deliciously crisp and formidable palate that house the finest, integrated acidity imaginable. Combine this awesome structure with kaffir leaf, lime, musk and honeysuckle and you have one of the finest of the line ever produced and comparable with the otherworldly 1980 which was at its best up until about the turn of the millennium. Seemingly, this wine is following along a very similar path. 93 points. Sealed with a screw cap. 12.5% A/V.
Another riesling with impeccable pedigree, Hermann Donnhoff’s Oberhauser Brucke 1997 Auslese displayed kick-arse aromatics and taste with heavenly scents and flavours of honeyed peach, spiced apricot, apple tart, loads of ripe citrus as well as soft balancing slatey acidity to sure up the equation on a monumentally long finish and went down a treat. 95points.
Grosset’s 2003 Polish Hill Riesling also impressed greatly and after a burst of potent toast and petrol on the nose after unscrewing the cap, the wine improved in leaps and bounds revealling crystalline qualities of the purest lime and a wonderful minerally character that permeated the back end. Easy to award 93 points here, too. A terrific wine with a good 5-10 years superior drinking ahead of it.
Mount Majura Vineyard should be extremely proud of their 2009 Chardonnay. In qualitative terms I would rate it on par with the Cape Mentelle I review below - 92 points. This outstanding Canberra District wine reveals an attractive bright infantile colour, a classy and tightly coiled nose and palate of steely melon and nectarine fruit with complex but not overbearing barrel influence and very fine cut from seriously good acidity. Even more impressive is this wine comes from a particularly “hot†year in the district. There is every chance this elegant and restrained wine with inbuilt latent power will go the distance in the cellar. Drink now to 2019.
I also opted to buy/try a 2009 Cape Mentelle Chardonnay (not current release, I believe, paying about $30 from a local retailer). My verdict? It’s a winner. Ultimately drinkable now, this seductive and gorgeous drop will hold for a few years although I’d be opting to drink this sooner than later. In keeping with the marque, the wine impresses for its elegance with an astute balance of melon, peach and grapefruit, discreet oak and wonderfully smooth line. It smells and tastes just right for me with a silky mouth-feel and I’ll buy a few more for drinking over the remainder of the year. I’d rate it about 92. Screw cap closure.
We also opened a very sexy bottle of Grand Cru Burgundy on our trip to Victoria that went down a treat with a home-cooked, mildly spicy (Asian flavours) chicken casserole at the Beasley’s in Bendigo. Geantet-Pansiot’s 1999 Charmes Chambertin is ready for business having shed its youthful robe of yesteryear, now fully mature and garnishing integrated cherry, plum, pinot sap, earth and game aromas and flavours. The tannins are ripe and fully integrated and the acids all but melted. A lovely soft wine with a silky mouth feel and excellent length but in need of being drunk very much in the near term. 90.
One of the jazz bands I perform with at Hall’s Gap does a gratis performance at the motel where I stay for the four days - I opened a 2009 disgorged Joseph Sparkling that had the entire band coming back for more. Easily one of the best red fizzes on the market, this wine impressed me greatly with its blended complexity and cunning dosage which Joe Grilli has honed to a very fine point. With the barbeque, our hosts Tubby and Rhonda provided, I opened Petaluma’s inaugural vintage of their Adelaide Hills Shiraz/Viognier from 1998. For years this wine has been pretty tough to drink with it’s quite fiery tannin structure. The good news is - it’s now firing on all cylinders and the motor is purring. A lovely wine that goes well with red meat dishes. Both wines were not assessed fully as I was too busy playing in between sips and hence are not rated here.
Last Saturday night, I opened a bottle of 1972 Stanton and Killeen Vintage Port. My thoughts on this sensational wine follow.
In 1993, I was lucky enough to be given a bottle of this fortified shiraz from the late Chris Killeen from his family’s “bond store†- an odd free-standing old red brick building located near the cellar door on the Stanton and Killeen property just west of the township of Rutherglen. I remember Chris speaking fondly of this vintage, of the wine’s calibre, its amazing freshness and of the considerable way it still had to go (i.e. develop/mature) in the bottle. Some years later I opened that bottle and, not surprisingly, found the contents to be precisely as Chris had predicted.
So it was with great anticipation I purchased another bottle of this possible nectar from auction a few months ago for the princely (sic) sum of $19 (plus a small buyer’s fee). And when opened, what a wine it (still) is. Decanted at 5 p.m. last Saturday and drunk many hours later with members of my local wine tasting group, this wine makes some radical statements about the region and this period in fortified wine history. Namely, the quality of vintage fortified (dare not I mention the word “portâ€Â) from Rutherglen and from this era is generally nothing short of spectacular. Over the last year I have tried this wine style using a variety of red grapes (including some of Portuguese origin) from this amazing wine region made by Lindemans (1967), All Saints (1965, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972), Chambers (1971, 1972), Campbells (1965, 1972) and now this Stanton and Killeen from 1972. The 1972 Campbells took out my WOTY award for the highest pointed wine in 2011. I rate the ‘72 S&K VP as good, perhaps even a tad better! Most of the above mentioned VP’s scored well above 90 points in my official rating with many sitting around or above 95. (Please try and remember I do not hand out such high scores with gay abandon). This feat almost defies logic and boggles my brain as, not only have all been purchased from unknown previous owners and of uncertain provenance, but never in my lifetime to date have I scored so many wines similar in style and of such considerable age at such consistently high ratings. “But that’s what port is all aboutâ€Â, I hear the cynics cry. But compare this performance to the supposed legendary fortifieds of Portugal and even the great names from McLaren Vale and I promise you the same consistency over so many vintages listed above does not apply anywhere to the same degree.
So this wine will take some considerable beating in my wine of the year awards and if it does get pipped, whatever does the pipping will be well worth the experience! Without waxing lyrical, the Stanton & Killeen Gracerray 1972 Vintage Port fully deserves the 97 point rating I awarded it last Saturday night. To date, the only wine I have rated higher here is the phenomenal 1975 Chateau d’Yquem at 98 points. So my most humble thanks to Chris Killen all those years ago, may he continue to rest in peace, knowing what joy he, his forbears and hopefully, his descendants, have and will bring to those who sample these wonderful fortifieds from the winery of Stanton and Killeen.
Last edited by dlo on Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:44 am, edited 4 times in total.
1995 Jack Mann Absolutely stunning. Showed amazing balance, and a sweetness that is just so good. Amazingly, there was about an inch of wine left in the bottle overnight, and the next night, it was still wonderful, and showing no oxidisation. Quite a remarkable wine.
When not drinking a fine red, I'm a cardboard claret man!
griff wrote:Gosh I hate the cookies on this forum! The only page that can't keep me logged in So for the second time:
2006 Margan Shiraz A dark red robe. Black fruited with earth and liquorice. Big palate echoing the bouquet. Not that defined. Good.
2009 Schloss Lieser Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Kabinett A little reduced at first that blows off after an hour. A rich palate for a Kabinett of crunchy red apples. Would like it to be more electric like the 2008's but still Very Good.
cheers
Carl
Schloss Lieser seems to be more ripe and tropical than others, even from the same vineyards - compare this to the equivalent 09 Fritz Haag B-J-S Kabinett which is floral and more lemony.
AB
A mission I choose to accept
Road trip to Norway in April so we have decided to swing south via Berkastel-Kues for a couple of days. Now to decide who to visit. Decisions, decisions.
cheers
Carl
Bartenders are supposed to have people skills. Or was it people are supposed to have bartending skills?
... while decanting the colour is a lovely purple-red. The colour is a vivid black-red with crimson rim, the fragrance is beautifully fruity, with intense cherry and strawberry and a hint of watermelon. The taste is brighter and lighter than my last Mclaren Vale shiraz (Rockbare), with glazed cherry notes. Yes, definitely more red fruit presence than black fruit. Mmmmm, it's got a little bit of spice to finish. But not much, nowhere near as notable as the Rockbare. As I continue over a few glasses, interesting subtleties emerge. I am quite enjoying this! Partnering with a snack of potatoes + salt + butter, now with honey roasted macadamias, very nice. Interesting, see how this turns out over the rest of the bottle. Second glass, this is growing on me, but I miss that hit of spice and pepper I usually expect from a Mclaren Vale shiraz.
So for the second time:
