I have been called worse than a Philistine, so no issues.
David, thank you for organising a wonderful evening and for your generosity. As you will probably remember, I was the last one to arrive. However, my excitement jumped as soon as I found the group. Not because my (and your) old friend Baby Chickpea was at the table, but because Cedric Bouchard was sitting there. No evening with Cedric can ever be a disappointment, and this offline definitely was not.
As has happened numerous occasions, I found myself at the end of the night alone with the wines after everyone left. This gave me a chance to take some notes as I no longer had people around me that were forced to listen to me talk... sorry if my exuberance about being let out annoyed anyone.
My quick take on the wines that were left over at the end of the night were:
Cedric Bouchard Inflorescence Brut Blanc de Noirs - 12.5%: As always, amazing Champagne. In this case so rich and textured, packed with white stonefruits and white flowers. Vanilla. Some nougat. Rounded, then wonderful slatey and flinty mineral structure carries it a long way home. Surely this has dosage? Please anyone confirm or deny.
94-95
1994 Wendouree Shiraz - 13.3%:Red fruited, red plums, sweet mint, some gum leaf, old dusty furniture, meatiness. Has impressive mid-palate depth and generosity but is tightened up quickly by dusty, grainy tannins that are quite prominent but shaped and pliant, then expand with more chalky texture over the back palate. Fruit carries well but overall a little drying for greatness.
92
2002 Wendouree Shiraz Mataro - 13.3%:Savoury, VA haze. Ripe red fruits with darker/tarry/raisin/savoury dimensions. Very controlled. Cool/slightly minty/gum leaf layers cover over the defined grainy/chalky powerful tannins that are starting to round and resolve. Long palate. Needs more time if the savoury/VA haze allows.
91
2004 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec - 13.2%:Ripe Peppermint Pattie marshmallow flavour and even texture that I associate with Greenock Creek Shiraz, then with masses of underlying silty fine-grained tannins carry the wine and provide chewy texture to the excellent depth. The wine has a concentrated core of dark berry fruit with even some fruitcake dimensions but without the alcoholic warmth or glycerol texture that is usually associated with such favours (Greenock Creek and South Australia in general). Juicy yet with masses of dry extract, deep and layered. Still probably medium/full bodied in the Australian context but the power and control that the defined flavoursome tannins provide is quite special as displayed by their great mouth-filling expansive length.
95
2005 Wendouree Cabernet Sauvignon - 13.2%: Very savoury with an elegant core of red and black fruit with sweet mint, then the wine gets bony/tannic as the palate continues with grainy/chalky tannins providing great focus and control but this wine does not have the fruit to age. Enjoyable for its quality aspects but the wine is incomplete.
89
2008 Wendouree Shiraz - 14.0%:Layers of gorgeous ripe plums and raspberries with darker and spiced fruit dimensions nearly making the powerful tannic control unnoticeable through the middle palate. Savoury and VA dimensions in balance but noticeable. Cooler, savoury, mineral layers. Excellent consistent depth. Powerful finish with flavoursome chalky tannins being expansive and chewy.
93
2010 Wendouree Shiraz Mataro - 14.2%:Sweet vanilla and grilled nuts are in balance with the ripe red/cherry/plum fruit. Excellent depth. A hint of warmth on the back is distracting. Has the depth and power of the best of them but not the focus.
92
2011 Lakes Folly Cabernets (CS 61%, Shiraz 18%, PV 13%, Merlot 8%) - 13%:If starting with a Cedric Bouchard didn't confirm that I was in the company of educated, classy gentlemen, the arrival of this wine on the table put the issue beyond all doubt.
(Thank you dave vino)
Perfumed red and white flowers. Core of beautifully ripened sweet red berries with dimensions of blue and purple fruits. Sweet vanilla is obvious but in balance. A little earth, mineral, fresh tobacco and brioche. Silky and defined structure is integrated into the layers of the fruit... gorgeous texture. Elegant and generous. Long and satisfying. Reminded me of the 2009 Cullen “Diana Madelineâ€Â. The latent power of the Wendouree wines caused many at the table to miss the grace of this wine, but I saw Danny transfer some funds into his wine purchasing account on his iPhone when he tasted this!
94-95
Other Wendouree wines that were served during the evening but were consumed, so these notes are from memory:
1990 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec - 13.4%:Textured, dark, complex. Milk and dark chocolate. Masses of satin/silky tannins. Deep, controlled and long, absolutely fantastic but (although most people's wine of the night)... I was at least one point off for a little too much sweet mint.
94 (only)
2002 Wendouree Shiraz (13.7% I think):The only wine that its owner (Sam) suspected something was wrong with, and I agreed. I still enjoyed it immensely despite some wet dog characters. Lots of fruit with great control and many dimensions of texture along the palate.
92-93--->
2004 Wendouree Shiraz:Seriously don’t have any palate memory of this wine. I only know that it was beautiful and deep and at least 93-94. It was served with the 2002 Shiraz and I remember it definitely being Gold Medal wine and better than the 2002.
94--->
1998 Wendouree Shiraz Mataro (13.7% I think):Another that I don’t have any palate memory. I remember its having some VA but the fruit was good and the VA seemed to be blowing off. Please remind me.
Did I miss any Wendouree wines? My list is (I think this was serving order):
1990 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec
2004 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec
2005 Wendouree Cabernet Sauvignon
1994 Wendouree Shiraz
2002 Wendouree Shiraz
2004 Wendouree Shiraz
2008 Wendouree Shiraz
1998 Wendouree Shiraz Mataro
2002 Wendouree Shiraz Mataro
2010 Wendouree Shiraz Mataro
Other wines that were served included:
2010 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz (14.5% I think): Yes, yes, yes, a Philistine. Yes, a great BP with masses of depth and fruit but the finish is simply too unfocussed for me due to its alcohol. The wine attempts to maintain classical balance with seriously ripe fruit, but simply can’t do it for my palate (like most of the 14%+ SA crew). Around this time attendees started talking about a Noon offline... shudder
2012 Mike Press Shiraz: After tasting it, I was too embarrassed to serve this blind so I served it "open". I found it very very simple and sweet oak dominant next to the Wendouree wines. Others commented that it was great value for money, which it is and made me happy. Thank you.
2012 Grey Sands The Mattock Merlot Malbec CF - 13.1%: Danny found the 10% CF too dominant. Others commented that it was very peppery, which was very interesting. Nonetheless, it is a cool, silky rich example of what can be done with these varieties in a good Tasmanian vintage. Excellent juicy depth with fresh red and blue berries. Has mineral and savoury nuances. Medium bodied shaped richness. 92-93
Lastly, being a fan, I could not resist bringing a few of these:
2002 Wendouree Muscat of Alexandria - 14.5%: Colour is orange toffee. Although sweet and lightly fortified, it is nearly like a dry wine. Marmalade with sugar powder. Hints of brown sugar. Layer of yellow stonefruits. Excellent consistent controlled drive through the fresh bright palate with spritzy mineral. Finishes clean. Relatively simple but complete, enjoyable and satisfying. 90
2008 Wendouree Muscat of Alexandria - 14.9%: Colour is bright yellow... yes, think urine. White and yellow stonefruits. Aspects of marmalade and honey. Very bright and spritely. Finely flinty textured. The fine spirit assist the acid line... I wonder what spirit they use? Dances across the tongue. Lingering flavour but still clean. 92
Please feel free to provide adverse or positive feedback to any of my comments... just don’t call me anything worse than a Philistine.
Thanks again for making it a wonderful night.
Adair
all the cool kids are doing it
