The Auswine Forum

Also finished off the last of my 2001 Arlewood Cabernet Sauvignon over the weekend - well I think its the last. The nose offered up hints of blackcurrant and black olives. The wine is really in a lovely spot at present - medium bodied with cedary tobacco characters, earth and spice. Reminiscent of an aged margaux with smooth tannins and a long aftertaste. Excellent value for money, it is superb drinking right now.

It's done well. I picked up some of the 2000 Reserve at a billy bargain price a few years ago (£6.80) when an online wine merchant was closing down. I noted with the last two bottles at 11 & 12 years old, that I felt it mature, not in decline, but not necessarily any future improvement. However as my tastes have moved towards more mature, even over-mature wine, I'm not sure I'd now agree!

Am I right in recalling they changed their vineyard for the 2001 vintage, selling one and buying another?

Ian not sure about the vineyard change but the wine was right in the middle of its optimal drinking window. No point holding it any longer. For some reason it is not a wine that gets mentioned which is a pity because it ages beautifully and is a reasonable price still blow $40.

2012 Metala White Label Shiraz - Cabernet
Clear, dark purple but less dense than before. No sediment when decanting.
Nose was a little muted, but swirling gave off blueberries, coconut, a little bit of tobacco.
Similar taste profile with some acid, but very much in check with some tannin, fruit, and oak. Not very complex but a good clean drinking wine. Well balanced, great value wine with a medium finish. 89pts

deejay81 wrote:2015 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett
Fairly light bodied, sweetened lemon and lime.

Good note.
Had this last Thursday at Bar H, also liked it, particularly noted the sweetened lemon & lime.

2015 Simon Tolley Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills

A lunch wine today. Very good aromatics. The wine displays stonefruit, cashew nuts, touch of pineapple with very good acidity. The fruit is encapsulated in fine oak treatment, overall it is balanced. Tightly wound together now, it should unfurl over the next few years and show its true best. Very good long lingering finish. Good stuff.

Matt@5453 wrote:2015 Simon Tolley Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills

A lunch wine today. Very good aromatics. The wine displays stonefruit, cashew nuts, touch of pineapple with very good acidity. The fruit is encapsulated in fine oak treatment, overall it is balanced. Tightly wound together now, it should unfurl over the next few years and show its true best. Very good long lingering finish. Good stuff.

Day turned into night:

2013 La Linea Tempranillo, Adelaide Hills

Made by Peter Leske, the first wine I have tried from this producer and I was thoroughly impressed. Perfumed nose, floral and sweet fruits. On the palate; medium weight, cherry compote, mulberries but quite savoury with a nice soft tannin profile. A very well rounded wine that finishes very well.

2015 Eldredge Vineyards Blue Chip Shiraz, Clare Valley

A full bodied Clare Valley Shiraz. Violets, blueberries, plums, slight touch of vanilla and spices. Excellent palate weight and finish, with some dusty/grippy tannin right at the end. Give this some air time now to show its best, but I suspect will happily evolve over the next 8-10 years. Good stuff.

Jamsheed YV Seville Syrah 2013 with some steak, mash taters and brussel sprouts.

Technically, this was "the other night" but I thought I would mention it as I was very influenced in my red wine choice thanks to this thread.

Had a fantastic evening at Aria Restaurant, the wine and food were well-matched in quality. In drinking order:

- 2008 Taittinger Brut Millesime - goddamn that's a good champagne
- Robert Weil Rheingau Trocken Riesling, think it was a 2013, probably one of the best rieslings I've had of a german style, not that I've drunk a whole lot.
- I popped my Barolo cherry with a 2012 Massolino, just an absolutely phenomenal wine and I'm in total agreement with all the Nebbiolo enthusiasts.

I had never even heard of Barolo prior to sticking my head in this forum, so thanks for the tips to date, and thanks in advance for the continuing education

Some recent wines...

• 2011 Fotsch Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (7/4/2017)
  This is 100% estate grown Napa Cabernet. I cannot find a lot more about it. The estate's website is... under developed, to say the least, and mentions nothing about the viniculture.
  
  This is still a deep, blood red. The nose is commanding, seriousness framed by the oak. The nose is akin to sniffing a varnished oak cabinet filled with open bottles of blackberry liqueur. Open over three days it becomes a bit lighter, and broader, with more red berry notes coming through. The palate is juicy and medium bodied, with still firm tannins providing structure. It finishes slightly short, but not at all hot despite 14% abv.
  
  This will continue to evolve over 3-5yrs more. (90 pts.)
• 2009 Morgenster Lourens River Valley - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch (6/26/2017)
  A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon on the label, but no percentages given. The website reveals it is 62% Merlot, 23% Cab Franc and 15% Cab Sav. Having written the below note before paying any attention to this it is a surprise. This is very well put together- with the merlot providing beautiful soft fruit and the cabernet varieties adding fragrance and structure. No hint of the leafy greenness often seen in Cab Franc or the mid palate hole of Cabernet.
  
  Bright ruby red. Refined, stately wine. Very polished. Still quite primary with bright blackcurrant and plum, cedar, and no hint of green on the nose. Ripe tannins. Medium to long finish, and good acid. Barely changed over three days suggesting a fine future over at least 5+ years. (93 pts.)
• 2010 Peter Lehmann Sémillon Margaret - Australia, South Australia, Barossa (6/18/2017)
  Classic. No formal notes. Still very youthful. Under screw cap, there is no rush at all. Will develop complexity over at least 10 more years.

Posted from CellarTracker

BrandonS wrote:- I popped my Barolo cherry with a 2012 Massolino, just an absolutely phenomenal wine and I'm in total agreement with all the Nebbiolo enthusiasts.

I had never even heard of Barolo prior to sticking my head in this forum, so thanks for the tips to date, and thanks in advance for the continuing education

Sorry for getting you hooked Now to get you a fully mature one to try and we should be able to put you beyond rehab

Voyager Cab Sav Merlot 1999 opened this last night after a miserable 24 hours and it brought both Ms Roo and myself to a standstill. Previous bottles have been overly tannic with little secondary development. This bottle however was just superb, the tannins have become velvet like and integrated with the dark berry fruit. Medium heavy bodied, there is a superb depth of complexity through the mid section which just made us sit back and go "wow". The long finish makes this one of my favourite cab savs over the past 12 months.

Another cracking night at the monthly catch up. Craig Isbel was in attendance, and was a great addition to the group adding knowledge and a winemakers observation to the night. Plus he's a good bloke and makes some excellent wines to boot!

2016 Izway Mates - aglianico/mataro - very fruity, clean, crunchy pink red fruited, red flowers, earthen, some dried garden herbs, a bit sweet on the nose, but fruit finishes savoury, grippy tannin. Fun, smashable wine 91
2016 Izway agathist Grenache - red cherry, macerated strawberry, rose petals, earthysilken mouthfeel, spicy fruit, tarry, glycerol. Good gear, exciting wine 92 pinot'ish
2015 izway Maurice Grenache - darker than the agathist, heavier, more black fruit, black cherry, peaty, light funk, silken, spicy, serious. 93
2014 Izway Bruce Shiraz - black plum, kirsch, zing of cherry, graphite, ground coffee beans, leather, nice tannin structure, again spicy. A long finish, and a good wine 92

On to the blind tasting
w1 2006 Yering Station SV - black cherry, plums and earth, meaty, leather, with a lift, dry and savoury, like this. lean and mean, tobacco, cut of greeness at the end 91
w2 2004 Torbreck run rig - black fruits, glycerol, sweet fruited, leather, length, savoury, roast lamb, coffee and tarry, complex. a little hot for me 92 nice wine tho
w3 2005 Yalumba habermann grenache - creme caramel, black cherry, sweet vibes, glycerol, spicy charry, coffee'd oak, complex, but overly sweet 90
w4 2008 Standish ganarcha - rose, red and purple flowers, red cranberried fruit. light on the finish slippery, spicy and sticky tannins quite intense. good gear 92
w5 2012 Izway Don - black plum, dried italian herbs, gentle vanilla cola, meaty, tiny bit of chookshit, rendang, smooth flowing savoury tannin 94 best so far
w6 - 2015 Curtis limited series grenache - red cherry, raspberry compote, white choc, leather, winter mherbs, deep, complex, layered, complete wine 96
w7 - 2006 Charles Melton Grenache - blackberry bush, dark, hint of black olive, smooth, lean a bit awash at the end. sweetened fruits, glycerol, 90
w8 - 2006 colonial estate grenache - similar to the previous. coffee, raisins, amaronesque got a bit of pong, just a bit, falling over 88
w9 - 2006 torbreck shiraz marsanne (made for french laundry, CA) - black fruit, savoury, concentrated, tar, complex, brackish, mouth coating, coffee'd oak. serious and great gear. 93
w10 - 2014 olivers taranga corinna's - plums, blackberry, dark choc, minty, tomato leaf, good stuff. very enjoyable wine 92
w11 - 2002 laughing magpie shiraz viogner - sweeter raspberry, cherry cola, dark glycerol, blackberry fruited, good gear. props for a good aged wine. 91
w12 - 2009 izway three brians - purple and red fruits, caramel oak, winter herb, spicy. glycerol, gentle tannin. really good gear 93
w13 - 2013 Standish high eden valley - red and black fruited, spicy oak, smooth sandpaper/greenish like tannin. cherry nerd flavour, greenish tannin, 90
w14 - 2009 Standish relic 93. Had notes, but they got deleted. Good gear.

pc79 wrote:Another cracking night at the monthly catch up. Craig Isbel was in attendance, and was a great addition to the group adding knowledge and a winemakers observation to the night. Plus he's a good bloke and makes some excellent wines to boot!

2016 Izway Mates - aglianico/mataro - very fruity, clean, crunchy pink red fruited, red flowers, earthen, some dried garden herbs, a bit sweet on the nose, but fruit finishes savoury, grippy tannin. Fun, smashable wine 91
2016 Izway agathist Grenache - red cherry, macerated strawberry, rose petals, earthysilken mouthfeel, spicy fruit, tarry, glycerol. Good gear, exciting wine 92 pinot'ish
2015 izway Maurice Grenache - darker than the agathist, heavier, more black fruit, black cherry, peaty, light funk, silken, spicy, serious. 93
2014 Izway Bruce Shiraz - black plum, kirsch, zing of cherry, graphite, ground coffee beans, leather, nice tannin structure, again spicy. A long finish, and a good wine 92

On to the blind tasting
w1 2006 Yering Station SV - black cherry, plums and earth, meaty, leather, with a lift, dry and savoury, like this. lean and mean, tobacco, cut of greeness at the end 91
w2 2004 Torbreck run rig - black fruits, glycerol, sweet fruited, leather, length, savoury, roast lamb, coffee and tarry, complex. a little hot for me 92 nice wine tho
w3 2005 Yalumba habermann grenache - creme caramel, black cherry, sweet vibes, glycerol, spicy charry, coffee'd oak, complex, but overly sweet 90
w4 2008 Standish ganarcha - rose, red and purple flowers, red cranberried fruit. light on the finish slippery, spicy and sticky tannins quite intense. good gear 92
w5 2012 Izway Don - black plum, dried italian herbs, gentle vanilla cola, meaty, tiny bit of chookshit, rendang, smooth flowing savoury tannin 94 best so far
w6 - 2015 Curtis limited series grenache - red cherry, raspberry compote, white choc, leather, winter mherbs, deep, complex, layered, complete wine 96
w7 - 2006 Charles Melton Grenache - blackberry bush, dark, hint of black olive, smooth, lean a bit awash at the end. sweetened fruits, glycerol, 90
w8 - 2006 colonial estate grenache - similar to the previous. coffee, raisins, amaronesque got a bit of pong, just a bit, falling over 88
w9 - 2006 torbreck shiraz marsanne (made for french laundry, CA) - black fruit, savoury, concentrated, tar, complex, brackish, mouth coating, coffee'd oak. serious and great gear. 93
w10 - 2014 olivers taranga corinna's - plums, blackberry, dark choc, minty, tomato leaf, good stuff. very enjoyable wine 92
w11 - 2002 laughing magpie shiraz viogner - sweeter raspberry, cherry cola, dark glycerol, blackberry fruited, good gear. props for a good aged wine. 91
w12 - 2009 izway three brians - purple and red fruits, caramel oak, winter herb, spicy. glycerol, gentle tannin. really good gear 93
w13 - 2013 Standish high eden valley - red and black fruited, spicy oak, smooth sandpaper/greenish like tannin. cherry nerd flavour, greenish tannin, 90
w14 - 2009 Standish relic 93. Had notes, but they got deleted. Good gear.

That is some tasting! Very Jealous.

Was the '06 Charles Melton Grenache "The Richelieu"? I have some in the cellar and was curious about when to drink.

Cheers
Ian

Hi Ian, it was the Richelieu.
I think the overarching takeaway from the night is that the younger Grenache was generally in a better place than the older versions which all seemed to develop caramel on the palate. The Charlie Melton is good to go now, but in my opinion was not up to the standard of most of the others on the night.

2013 Turkey Flat Butchers Block White

Pop and poured, taken from cellar @ 17°c. Label suggests to chill but drank straight from cellar.
Clean, pale straw yellow. Nose was between citrus and tropical with some orange peel with swirling, some struck match as well.
Medium minus to light bodied. Taste reflected the nose with a slight honeysuckle finish. After about an hour it was very much pineapple cocktail/ pineapple alcohol. Subtle hints of oak, very subtle. Not very complex.
Finish was medium minus and got less interesting the more I drank. Decent, but nothing special. 87pts

2013 Kilikanoon Blocks Road Cabernet Sauvignon, Clare Valley

Decanted an hour prior to consuming. Strong dark sweet smelling fruits, coffee grounds and blackberries. The palate was medium to full bodied with a delicious core of cassis, dark chocolate and black olive with a medium to long finish delivering a drying / savoury tannin profile. Cellaring time I have no doubt will see this wine go 10+ years maybe even longer. I really enjoyed this.

2002 Tahbilk Eric Stevens Purbrick Cabernet Sauvignon - in a perfect window, fruit has taken on some beautiful secondary development and some lovely leathery notes combine to produce a really great Aussie Cab from a cooler climate region. The shiraz of the same vintage is very good, the cab takes the stage however. This donut has no hole.

2002 The Standish Wine Company The Standish

Stood for half a day, then pop and poured, and drank over 5 hours.
Cork was in pristine condition.
Clean, dark garnet, showing only small signs of age. Nose was very complex with blueberries, blackberries, eucalyptus, burnt rubber, tar, and some cigarette smoke.
Body was medium plus to full. There was flavours of dark plums and plum skins. Oak and silky tannins very well integrated with the fruit with not one characteristic overpowering any other. Finish was long. It is drinking extremely well now but I think still has the potential to develop even more complex characteristics with more time. Very very good wine. 95pts

Matt@5453 wrote:2013 Kilikanoon Blocks Road Cabernet Sauvignon, Clare Valley

Decanted an hour prior to consuming. Strong dark sweet smelling fruits, coffee grounds and blackberries. The palate was medium to full bodied with a delicious core of cassis, dark chocolate and black olive with a medium to long finish delivering a drying / savoury tannin profile. Cellaring time I have no doubt will see this wine go 10+ years maybe even longer. I really enjoyed this.

Thanks Matt. I really liked this wine recently at the cellar door and bought 3. Just a clarification, when you say "will see this wine go 10+ years, maybe even longer" do you mean from vintage (ie 2023) or from now (2027)?

Cheers

Michael

Michael McNally wrote:

Matt@5453 wrote:2013 Kilikanoon Blocks Road Cabernet Sauvignon, Clare Valley

Decanted an hour prior to consuming. Strong dark sweet smelling fruits, coffee grounds and blackberries. The palate was medium to full bodied with a delicious core of cassis, dark chocolate and black olive with a medium to long finish delivering a drying / savoury tannin profile. Cellaring time I have no doubt will see this wine go 10+ years maybe even longer. I really enjoyed this.

Thanks Matt. I really liked this wine recently at the cellar door and bought 3. Just a clarification, when you say "will see this wine go 10+ years, maybe even longer" do you mean from vintage (ie 2023) or from now (2027)?

Cheers

Michael

Ten years from 2013, so 2023 but I think it would likely go to 2027

Matt@5453 wrote:Ten years from 2013, so 2023 but I think it would likely go to 2027

Thanks

Michael

Mauro Molino Barolo Gallinotto 2011

simple, light, boring. Remined me of a $15 Bourgogne. 83pts

Vina Alberdi Reserva 2010

lots of critical accolades. OK.... plenty of oak, tastes like a coconut milkshake. 88pts

felixp21 wrote:Mauro Molino Barolo Gallinotto 2011

simple, light, boring. Remined me of a $15 Bourgogne. 83pts

Ouch.
I've visited them a couple of times and do like the wines, though it's fair to say they lean towards modernist, but not extremists by any means. Indeed the criticism I sometimes hear voiced is that the (barrique) oak can be noticeable in youth.

I've not tasted the 2011 wines.

regards
Ian

Vinea Marson Heathcote Sangiovese 2012
Cherries, raspberry and Cola, fine tannins and a good lick of acidity to wash the pizza down. Missing the savouriness than a Chianti had last weekend. Starting to develop a dustiness that I can't recall on release.

Overall pretty handy for a midweek wine.

I just grabbed a handful of wines from my cellar in ADL last week.

Wendouree were great. Not prepared to the usual finesse and popping and pouring the shiraz mataro 98 was acceptable though a thirty minute aeration in a decanter best. the Cabernet Malbec had a few hours but needed longer as usual. The BP 2001 shows why I love cellaring wine and delivered a great wine in a hot vintage and with a little upside. Mt Ed was charming and the Battley complete and spherical in its style and drinking well.

Finished off a bottle of Killikanoon's Killerman's Run Grenache Shiraz Mataro 2013 over Wed - Thurs nights this week.

After being open for about an hour the flavour profile didn't waver much for the next 48 hours. This was a great wine, already has a slight jammy character to it (which I don't mind at all), very solid body, dark berry predominantly with a touch of tobacco which I'm expecting will be more dominant over time.

Drank this with a pizza with plenty of spicy salami and italian sausage, went really well!

I have another 4 or 5 bottles I think so I might look in on one of these again in about 3 years and see how they're going. Kilikanoon included a bottle of their Baudinet Blend GSM with the Killerman's Run lot..looking forward to cracking that at an appropriate time too

felixp21 wrote:Mauro Molino Barolo Gallinotto 2011

simple, light, boring. Remined me of a $15 Bourgogne. 83pts

[

I bought the 2012 vintage Felix and I didn't bother with a note on the nebbiolo page. I was going to try another as it was too light though with a little charm. I assume you bought from Watsons in HKG? Worst place to buy Italians but sadly, they have Burlotto. You must try Burlotto's 2013's! Reports are they are outstanding from critics but more importantly, seasoned nebbiolo drinkers,. If you don't like them, give up on Piedmont !

Meyney 2003
really nice, basic Bordeaux, none of the 2003 cooked or over-ripe traits, nice cherries and earth. Pretty typical St Estephe from a good vintage. 90pts

JamieBahrain wrote:

felixp21 wrote:Mauro Molino Barolo Gallinotto 2011

simple, light, boring. Remined me of a $15 Bourgogne. 83pts

[

I bought the 2012 vintage Felix and I didn't bother with a note on the nebbiolo page. I was going to try another as it was too light though with a little charm. I assume you bought from Watsons in HKG? Worst place to buy Italians but sadly, they have Burlotto. You must try Burlotto's 2013's! Reports are they are outstanding from critics but more importantly, seasoned nebbiolo drinkers,. If you don't like them, give up on Piedmont !

Hi Jamie, will do, thanks.
this was a sample, hoping (in vain) to get on the restaurtant list.