The Auswine Forum

Still lovin that emoticon scoring system Bick, make sure you patent it...

jeremy wrote:Still lovin that emoticon scoring system Bick, make sure you patent it...

Though David has to be given credit for actually exploring the possibilities of a 100 point system; 50 out of 100? Why not?

Given the description of the wine, however, it still leaves 50 points virtually unusable.

I may bough to the (absolutely silent; very subtle) pressure from my avid supporters to start scoring wines. I think I will use the 100 point system, but I will distinguish myself by going to two decimal places .

This will allow for far more accurate ranking

Around 75 is considered a pass mark in the 100 point scale Craig so 50 is pretty dire.

I used to hate those post grad courses where you needed 90 to pass. never made sense to me, what happenned to scaling

I didnt drink much in the weekend. 07 Carrick Pinot and 07 Villa CS Merlot Cab. Both pretty good, the carrick a littel to young but Mel was impatient to try it

Orpheus, Craig and others-

Had a dinner with the folks and dad pulled out a Penfolds '96 Bin 389 which I supplemented with a Penfolds '97 RWT.
Both fantastic wines with the cork gods being nice to us. It was kind of like a neck and neck race. Upon opening the 389 was showing better than the RWT however, after a couple of hours the RWT took over evolving in the glass to become something quite spectacular. I'm not really very good with tasting notes but there were sublime elements of blueberry, spearmint and juniper. The tannins were as smooth as silk and the length just went on and on.
I've read mixed reports on the 97 RWT but based on this bottle (which is easily my RWOTY so far) I am stoaked to have another bottle in the cellar and whilst I think it will hold, it is drinking so well now that I think I'll invent a special occasion to crack it in the next 6 months.

Mumm NV
Don't recall it being this good. Bright and lively, lemony fresh with fine texture, and subtle fresh baked bread notes. Length and persistence, good stuff.

2007 Yalumba Scribbler
Nice wine, ripe enough and only a little more than medium bodied. True to cab/shiraz style, plum and raspberry fruit, a bit of spice, and earthy notes add complexity. Fine, but chewy tannin structure, not ultra modern and all the better for it. Didn't do much over an hor or two, and in fact tannins closed over and wenty a little steely. May have to re-visit.

2007 Barwang Shiraz
What colour! Bright black/purple, ripe fruit in the violet, blueberry, blackberry spectrum, woody herbs and a touch of pepper. Nice depth, but tannins still pretty bound up through the middle. A slatey, crushed rock note adds interest. Very smart wine for the price.

2001 Mitolo Riever Shiraz
Much better than previous bottles. An open wine, with sweet and savoury red fruits, sweet chewy tannins, a touch of leather and baked earth, and a tang of acid still keeping it fresh and appealing. Still essentially a medium to full bodied fruit driven red, but the odd smokey, gamey rough edge adds to the drinkability.

1995 Hardys Tintara Shiraz (Magnum)
Really in the groove this one. Spiced plum, raspberry and black cherry notes, tobacco leaf, sweet earth, and integrated husky oak. Full in mouth, tectured and chewy with hints of cocoa and vanilla spice. Beautifully balanced and held it's form over a couple of hours nicely.

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Two very important Germans opened in Merimbula I clean forgot to include yesterday. I blame the dreaded lurgy.

Hermann Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese 1998 - absolutely brilliant showing of this label on this occasion - perhaps the best bottle I've opened thus far - very youthful straw/lime colour - compact yet somehow incredibly effusive - gorgeous lime and underripe stone fruits with a gently sweet personality, lithe minerally acidity - dances across the palate with the dexterity of Gene Kelly - finishes with the grace of Audrey Hepburn. 94 on its ear. Still got plenty of juice in the tank and I thought it may have peaked - fool!

Zilliken Saarburger-Rausch Riesling Spatlese 1996 - deeper colour than the Donnhoff - lemon/green gold - diesel/redcurrants/lemon custard/nectarine bouquet and palate - broader/fatter style with more weight and punch - a tad phenolic but plenty of acid for longer keeping - very darn good but not a patch on Hermann above - 88

rooman wrote:

dlo wrote:

rooman wrote:

dlo wrote: Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo 1997 - excellent - savoury although a tad feral - mainly cherries and old leather - 89

David

Which one? I know you have a few of them. Following an earlier discussion, I have left them alone for a while. Seems it may be time to try another.

Fixed ..... depending on which "batch" you get your hands on, Mark ..... the original batch brought in by the importer was in top condition .... the second batch I sourced .... not in as good condition, but certainly not off. This bottle was from the second batch.

Not sure which batch I ended up with, purchased them on Langtons about 4-5 years ago. I have a Paje or Pora downstair (can't remember which) ready to drink soon to celebrate an Italian friend's wedding. I will post some comments. I also really enjoyed one you kindly send down to an offline in Melb a few years ago at the Oyster.

David,
Opened the Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva 96 Paje last night along with a Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo 98. The Paje is drinking very well. Soft tannins, dark cherry and savour flavours with lovely depth. I know some of the 97 needed more time but the 96 are firing on all cylinders. The Castelgiocondo is also drinking very well. I have a mini virtual of the stuff from 97-99 and 98 was the weaker of the three vintages. Last night's bottles however was probably the one I have most enjoyed the most so far. I believe I drank some of the other bottles too early. Now taking on some degree of depth and complexity. On the spectrum of wines, I find the sangiovese grape pretty close to nebbiolo. Both with the dark cherry, savory licorice flavours. The sangiovese is for me however a tad more earthy/licorice/tanned leather driven whilst the nebbiolo has a tad more fruit definition with soft dried plums.