Right, what are we/you drinking now .. tonight

[dave vino]

2013 Wild Duck Creek Yellow Hammer Hill - this was a freebie that Duck threw in my case with a 'Try this, D' written on the bottle. It is a Shiraz/Malbec blend and meant to be a quaffer style wine according to the label. Big and dense, with dark fruits, licorice, woody notes, and lots of chocolate in a nice smooth package that leaves you puckering your mouth up at the end with acid, and coming back for more, the tannins are on the softer side. Make no mistake this a big, rich, beefy wine, I had it with pizza last night while watching the footy (go the Doggies!!) and it was a perfect match, a few of the other boys also commented on it as well, saying 'this is a nice, easy to drink drop'.

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[maybs]

Cooked up some duck breasts at home last night, and when you are eating duck and have a pinot obsessed wife, well, this is what happens.

2014 Tyrrell's Vat 6 Pinot - light bodied, strawberry, some fine tannins. Pleasant enough.

2009 Clemens Hill Reserve Pinot - just slightly sour cherries, really spicey/peppery notes on the palate and noticeable oakiness. At first it was kind of weird but after adjusting to the change from the Vat 6 it was decent enough. Interesting.

2013 Tolpuddle Pinot - this was the class act in the group for mine. Rich, deep cherry. Very fine tannins, a hint of stalkiness, smooth persistent finish. Very decent.

[dave vino]

2013 Quest Farm Grand Central Pinot Noir
Lifted aromatics of dark cherry, blackberry that I normally associate with NZ Pinots. Nice structure on the palate, with a good chewy grip although the fruit comes across as quite soft and supple. Some plums, cherry, earthy elements, and a nice clean herbaceous element finishes to a medium length. Nice acid progression through the palate. This will age well over the next 5 years.

[phillisc]

1995 Wynns Ovens Valley Burgundy ...last in this lineage I believe, found three or 4 stray bottles in the cellar

just starting to have a slight brown edge, but brick to dark red.
beautiful nose of violets, sligtly earthy, fruit has lasted well.
lovely on the palate tannins all gone but a joy.
At $6 plus a perfect cork..happy days

Cheers
Craig.

[maybs]

2014 Meerea Park Indie Marsanne Roussanne

Floral, just a tiny touch of Lanolin on the nose. Mild spicey floral palate, wonderful unctuous mouthfeel. Pretty decent finish (helped by the mouth coating texture I'm sure). Pretty enjoyable.

[Mike Hawkins]

2002 Grosset Polish Hill - I absolutely loved this wine, finding it quite youthful. Lots of lemon and lime in particular on the nose. One drinker noted kero, but I couldn't detect any.

2012 (dis) Rockford Black Shiraz - this is drinking nicely now. Just getting some mushroomy notes on the nose. The dosage is in balance and the wine has good, but not great, length.

2010 St Hugo Cabernet - seemed a tad ripe, but I find ripe cabernet easier to deal with than (over) ripe shiraz or grenache. Good wine that should be excellent in 10 years.

MV Krug - older label that I would guess I bought 10 years ago. Drinking nicely, albeit there was a hint of sherried aromas and flavour.

[Mike Hawkins]

1995 Wynns Ovens Valley Burgundy ...last in this lineage I believe, found three or 4 stray bottles in the cellar

just starting to have a slight brown edge, but brick to dark red.
beautiful nose of violets, sligtly earthy, fruit has lasted well.
lovely on the palate tannins all gone but a joy.
At $6 plus a perfect cork..happy days

Cheers
Craig.

I used to love this wine 'back in the day'

[swirler]

2010 St Hugo Cabernet - seemed a tad ripe, but I find ripe cabernet easier to deal with than (over) ripe shiraz or grenache.

I don't mind a little leafiness in cabernet, but, yes, there's nothing worse than overripe grenache. Actually, there is - overripe grenache matured in American oak.

[gpk]

I have not posted for a long time, but had a few over the weekend with friends.

Friday
Kaesler 2006 Vine Vale Shiraz: I thought this was the ducks nuts when I bought it. Now a typical 16% alcohol wine, too heavy and over powering with the high alcohol sticking out a bit. Just not my liking anymore, others may enjoy.

Campbells Barkelys Durif 2008: Another brute of a wine, dark fruit, full and fleshy, but nothing to write home about.

Mitchelton Print Label Shiraz 2002: corked

Wynns Cabernet Sauvignon 2003: OK now we are where I like to be. Classic Coonawara, may not be the best vintage, lots of capsicum, herb and notes of mint of the nose. Nicely balanced wine and a pleasure to drink.

SaturdayRockfords 2009 Sparkling Shiraz: Always good, lovely fruit on the nose and soft and plush moose.

Grosset 2002 Riesling: Lovely citrus nose with underlying stone fruit characteristics. Some slight minerality in the background. What a great wine, luckily I still have a few left just need to keep my hand s off.

Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2008: Gorgous wine, lovely cherry, flowery nose and perfect structure and length that just went on. My wife who is not that keen on Pinot’s was equally impressed as everyone else. I wish I had more.

Cahillton Shiraz 2004: When opened, very dull and dead and we through it was stuffed. A decant and 60 min later this wine started to blossom. I would not have picked it as a shiraz, nicely plum furit nose with good balance and soft pallet. A nice surprise.

Rockford Hofman 2001: Opened early, 1st bottle corked. Opened a 2nd bottle which was nice and bright with classic back fruit and underlying rasberry on the nose and what I call classic hofman signature. 6 hrs later when we had it with the main course the wine had opened up further and was just starting to strut its stuff. Maybe not the best vintage, but a big and lovely classic Barossa shiraz that is not over the top.

Wendouree Muscat of Alexandria 2006: very nice.

Barrel Port: always good!!

cheers Gerry

[JamieBahrain]

Duval Entity Shiraz 2012- Sad when you have to drink wines of this class up to make room in the wine fridge. In saying that, stunningly approachable, showing a warm, earthy and fruit intense Barossa shiraz on day one; very cuddly and gratifying. Day two, after a shot of argon, settles toward a more linear and savory wine in its hibernation.

93pts+

[Michael McNally]

I have not posted for a long time, but had a few over the weekend with friends.

Barrel Port: always good!!

cheers Gerry

Good to see you posting Gerry!

And barrel port is always good when it isn't leaking all over the floor and into the ceiling below!!

Cheers

Michael

[Croquet King]

Leasingham Classic Clare Sparkling Shiraz 2002
had this with Peking Duck for my birthday.

WOW what a wine. This is the second one of these I've had and I love it.

Bright purple, with a hint of blue colour in the glass.
Slightly sweet fruit on the nose but a real dry, earthy almost barnyard palate. Forest floor and vegetal characters.
Not huge tannins but a very well made shiraz in its own right.
Very long finish that is very easy and pleasant to drink. 93 points

With the duck - a match made in heaven. I sat at the table and closed my eyes as I ate and drank so I could savour it all.

[WAwineguy]

2009 Pichon-Longueville Baron

This was superb. Young, but superb. And was a pleasure to drink in my new Zalto Bordeaux glass

[Redwine&Rum]

Had a few nice drinking wines over the last week.

Barossa Valley Estate E & E Black Pepper Shiraz 2006 (Barossa)
Seppelt Mt Ida Shiraz 2006 (Heathcote)

I couldn't split them. Both sensational. Got another 5 bottles of each so look forward to trying another bottle of this in the future.

Tatiarra Cambrian Shiraz 2006 (Heathcote). Quality, just not as good as the 2 above.
Tatiarra Culled Barrel Shiraz 2006 (Heathcote). Quaffing wine. Probably drank this too chilled and it took a while to open up and sing. For $20 not bad wine though.

[maybs]

2001 Seppelt Chalambar

Popped, decanted to remove sediment and poured. Still almost inky purple. Complex nose of black and blue fruit, almost a hint of menthol. The fruit carries through on the palate which is still powerful but silky, tannins mostly resolved but just a hint of fine, well integrated ones left. Juicy. Moreish. Medium length finish. Yum. Sub $25 auction buy. Get me another 2 dozen like this!!

[Hunter]

2009 Pichon-Longueville Baron

This was superb. Young, but superb. And was a pleasure to drink in my new Zalto Bordeaux glass

How great are they !
I've decanted another chateau senejac, home made pizza.
They really do open up the nose. Notes I wasn't aware ov with a riedel

[JamieBahrain]

Wild Duck Estate Springflat Shiraz 2002- It's great to be drinking good Australian wine on a regular basis with the low $AUD but I need to regulate my pours having been quaffing mostly lighter European wines over the last decade. It was hard getting out of my chair !

Plenty left in the tank and I think it will be better for it. At the moment there's lovely rich and ripe dark berry fruit, cherries, oak and a distinct iron-granite note. A nip on day one and by day two the wine had unpeeled on the palate with a good volume of sweet dark fruits with a cocoa edge- the razor run of acidity works well with the rich style delivering an out of whack freshness.

91pts+

[Mike Hawkins]

2009 Pichon-Longueville Baron

This was superb. Young, but superb. And was a pleasure to drink in my new Zalto Bordeaux glass

Nice to hear ! I shan't be touching mine for 15+ years....

[WAwineguy]

2009 Pichon-Longueville Baron

This was superb. Young, but superb. And was a pleasure to drink in my new Zalto Bordeaux glass

Nice to hear ! I shan't be touching mine for 15+ years....

Same goes for the rest of mine, but just wanted to try it. I've got a bunch more of young Bordeaux (and Burgundy) recently delivered, so will be trying them over time then stashing the rest away for many years.

[Bytown Rick]

Barossa Valley Estate E & E Black Pepper Shiraz 2006 (Barossa)

Does anyone know when was the last vintage? 2008?

[tonym]

2013 Dexter Chardonnay, Mornington Pen, an exceptional wine and a great price

[mse]

Clos du Marquis 1985

Bought it recently for HKD$430 (roughly AUD$78) from a retailer in Hong Kong, ullage down to shoulder, cork almost crumble (luckily I did manage to open the bottle without the need of Ah-So)

Colour - Dark Garnet body with Ruby rim.

Nose - Cedar, Leather, Cassis, hint of Menthol then Tobacco.

Palate - Sour Plum, Black Olives, bit of Blackcurrent, then the fruit dead within 10 seconds after swallow, hardly any aftertaste.

Probably past the peak drinking window by 10-12 years.

[Luke W]

2012 Clarendon Hills Domaine Clarendon Syrah - wonderful full bodied young wine with lots of complexity and dimension. Just got better and better and quite stunning the following night.
2003 Brokenwood ILR Reserve Semillon - nice enough but not as stunning as the 99 Vat 1 from a couple of offlines ago. It may just be in a dumb place at the moment (although I admit to drinking the whole bottle myself - we'll it is only 11%)!

[TiggerK]

Some fabulous banter and some great wines last night at an impromptu Friday night wine and pizza popup.

Daniel Etienne-Defaix Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot 2002
Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre 2006
Pikes Reserve Riesling 2002
Pewsey Vale Contours Riesling 1998
Escarpment Pahi Pinot Noir 2008
Escarpment Kupe Pinot Noir 2005
Joseph Nebbiolo 2013
Gaja Costa Russi 2004
Reichgraff von Kesselstat Auslese GK 2003 (Bernkasteler Doctor I think)

Plenty of contrasts and interest. The two Chablis were thankfully premox free, and both very good, the Raveneau took 15 mins in the decanter to blow off some excess parmesan cheese notes, then for me really cleaned up, with the classic powerful Raveneau style quite evident from a warm vintage. I was pleased it showed well, always nervous about bringing a white burg over 3 years old these days!!

The Defaix was excellent as well, great line of acid and some tutti-frutti notes adding a touch of richness along the way.

Both Rieslings were developing wonderfully under screwcap... Both feeling like they're good to go now, but will last many years, particularly the Contours.

The two Escarpments couldn't have been any more different. Our host emerged from his cellar with a blind wine, naturally we immediately began playing the man and started in Burgundy and stayed there. Plenty of guesses like Dujac Grand Cru etc with consistent guesses of 2007 vintage being the only potential clue that the touch of ripeness we were getting amongst the good structure and lovely florals hinted at the New World. Needless to say the reveal of the Pahi 2008 was a nice surprise. Great wine, just needs 3-5 more years to integrate fully, should be special.

By pure coincidence I had brought along it's stablemate, the Kupe 2005. Such a different wine though, quite a way from burgundy for me. Brooding, darker, earth and grip, black fruits rather than red, some charry notes detracting a bit too. Perfectly drinkable, but super masculine after the pretty Pahi. Still young, but can't really see it improving a great deal, potentially that charry note may dominate, could be better eventually if not.

The Joseph was also served blind. Milk chocolate, strawberry and strawberry leaf, good structure. McLaren Vale showed through, different style for Nebbiolo, but I liked the point of difference.

Gaja was simply awesome... still young, but enough age to really start to feel special. Thanks monghead!

Tasty German sticky to finish, very cleansing and lively, always a pleasure drinking German sweeter wines.

Sorry notes got brief at the end, gotta go.... Thanks to my drinking buddies, was a great evening.

[Michael McNally]

Tonight I am doing a Fathers' Day tasteoff (I think most fathers would prefer a Saturday Fathers Day so they don't have to work the next day, but I digress)

2011 Meerea Park 'Hell Hole' Shiraz. Red forrest fruits on the nose. Cranberry and red cherry palate with fine drying tannins. Fair slosh of taut acidity to sweep it all off, with a nice bit of persistence. Medium-full bodied and savoury. Very enjoyable.

2010 Seppelts 'St Peters' Shiraz. Shy dark fruit nose with wood and tar. Quite tightly wound dark berry dark choc fruit. Flavour cramming tannin. Good length. Not as good as expected, but that may be higher than reasonable expectations, might be too young, or might be the comparison with the Hell Hole (or all three!!).

Will see how they are faring tomorrow night and update.

Happy Fathers' Day folks

Cheers

Michael

[JamieBahrain]

1998 Giacomo Bologna Braida Bricco dell' Uccellone- This is Barbera at its best. The people's wine of Piedmont made in an age worthy style that smashes the the traditional prejudices of Barbera being the the simple weekday wine. I've seen it at the auction houses pretty cheap and I hope this note inspires some of you to track some down.

It's mature yet fresh- dark Barbera fruit ( black cherry, blackberries, tar etc ) with a fresh leather and floral buzz combining with supporting oak to give quite complex aromatics. Rich and full bodied with quite powerful licorice fruit notes and damp earth- the natural high acidity carries the wine for some time with oak support and a powerful anise an dark fruit persistence. With air, the wine rounds out magnificently, a Burgundian mulch emerging on the nose and a ripe fruited roundness on the palate. Great stuff and nice people if you ever visit. I have a box of 12 and the best drinking is now and for a few more…..

93pts

[Phil H]

2007 Saint Cosme Chateauneuf du Pape Medium bodied, fine dusty tannins, being more savoury than sweet, tobacco and cherries. Fantastic wine, wish I had more.

2010 Kellermeister Wild Witch Shiraz More full bodied with a touch of elegance. Chocolate, dark berries. Drinking well now. Very good.

[maybs]

Back up in the Hunter...

Last night, 2004 Vat 47 at dinner. Quite nice but lacking a bit of power or drive on the finish or something, couldn't quite put my finger on it.

Also 2013 Thomas Allen Old School Shiraz Cabernet, afternoon drink before a snooze pre-dinner. Very nice. Will get better with time.

Plus tastings at De Iulius and Thomas Allen. Thought the Thomas Allen wines were a class above but the De Iulius weren't bad. Premium Shiraz good but too expensive.

Awesome tasting at Mount Pleasant this morning. Had the place to myself just about and spent an hour with the cellar door manager chewing the fat and tasting about 10 wines. 2007 Lovedale is drinking pretty well but will take plenty more time and get better. Some of the premium end Shiraz (not O'Shea) quite good too though not cheaper bought a bottle of the 90 year old verdelho liqueur for dad for Father's Day. They let me taste it (not normally on tasting) and it was interesting enough to spend the $ for a gift.

Heading to a late lunch at Botanica shortly so will see what takes the fancy there.

[catchnrelease]

Did you get to try the 2014 De Iulius Steven shiraz? Got a nice review but would like to see other opinions. Pick of the Allens? I'm after Hunter reds so any feedback or tastings by others is appreciated!

[Polymer]

Foillard Fleurie 2009
I know Foillard isn't typical Beaujolais but I still enjoy his stuff a lot...His Fleurie bottling is relatively hard to come by given he only has 1ha vs. his Morgon holdings which account for 8.6ha (Includes his Cote Du Py, 3.14 and Corcelette). His Beaujolais are almost always what I feel is on the bigger end of the spectrum there...riper..and 2009 made it even more so. While not consider typical Beaujolais, it was his return to traditionalist values that pushed the style of the wine. Old vines, organic..later harvesting and heavy sorting. Very minimal use of SO2 and no filtration...

A bit of funk and stem on the nose...raspberry, strawberry..lots of ripe red fruits as well as some floral notes... Not getting any bubble gum at all...Medium bodied with very fine tannins that provide just enough grip on the finish to remind you they're there with great acidity to carry away the tannins through to the finish... Darker red fruits on the palate, definitely some stem action as well but it doesn't taste green in the least. The stems just seem to provide a savory element in compliment with the acidity to provide and overall great mouthfeel to the wine which is fuller than most Beaujolais but very in line what you see with a lot of the premium cuvees in Beaujolais. Some slightly herbal and sappy notes as well which help pull it back from coming across as too ripe...I really like where these are headed...I think after release these were quite a bit bigger and came across a lot riper but they're starting to evolve quite nicely..the fruit is just not coming across as much (which is great) and the wine is starting to develop some really nice complexity and the overall texture of the wine seems like it is improving each time I have it.