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

[smithys]

2011 Brokenwood Graveyard. Fire is roaring, wine is decanting, it's been a very long week!

[rens]

2010 Metala White Label (because the other half went in the cooking). Consistently good and excellent vfm. Great with Veal Ossa Bucco.

[sjw_11]

I am going to have to up my game... last night was a couple of Kingfisher lagers and right now its only 1030am here so for now, just coffee for me!

Maybe I will pick up something Italian for tonight. My local Tesco has some pretty reasonably priced chianti classico...

[Luke W]

2005 Jim Barry Lodge Hill Shiraz - yummy, acidic, big in ur face blackberry fruits, great flavour and balance. Gone because I had to share it.

[Michael R]

2010 Bannockburn Pinot tonight

[Hacker]

Sami Odi Little Wine - delicious with a BBQ rump steak!

[Red Smurf]

Lovely line up Dave!

Last night was at a small Jura tasting. Superb line up, but standouts were:
2011 Ganevat Cuvee Florine Chardonnay...clean, amazing
2009 Overnoy Chardonnay....oxidative, legendary

Bought a ticket to this Mick but just couldn't get there.
Really wanted to try that ox Overnoy as well.

Consoling myself with Billecart and Tissot.

Billecart Salmon BdB, cheesy, primary lemon pith, lovely acid line with just enough autolic character. Love this stuff.
Tissot Emprinte, declassified Chard because of some RS left over. Notes to follow, too busy drinking Champagne!

[rooman]

Had a superb evening last night. Someone recommended the Larder down on the W wharf so I headed off for an excellent meal outside next to Ottos. Superb food and can't recommend the restaurant highly enough. As we went BYO the total bill came to $105 for an outside table, two courses and BYO. As for the wines, a Lakes Folly Cabernets 2003 and a Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino 1999. The Frescobaldi still has an amazing tannin structure and red cherry and roses fruit.

[Krusty]

Mixed bag tonight.not particularly vinuous.
Dinner at the local meant a couple of schooners of Young Henry's Newtowner then home for the last glass of the Vinteloper Pinot from last night, and now i am treating myself to a neat 1983 Port Ellen - hmmm classic kippers and slippers PE, such a shame this distillery closed.

Funnily enough Hacker i pulled a little wine from the cellar and then decided to put it back in favour of a malt. Think it will get a run tomorrow night with a similar protein match

[griff]

2009 Schloss Lieser Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett
Quite sulphurous a year or so ago but open for business tonight. Yellow peaches predominate balanced by a mineral undercurrent. Surely Spätlese level? Excellent with Chinese.

[Hacker]

Funnily enough Hacker i pulled a little wine from the cellar and then decided to put it back in favour of a malt. Think it will get a run tomorrow night with a similar protein match

Tell me all about it on Monday

[Krusty]

It's sure to be better than the golf you will witness

[damonpeyo]

Noon's Shiraz 2010.... Just because...

how was that?

Got a six pack in the cellar been thinking about opening the first bottle soon.

[damonpeyo]

It's a bitsa mix in there. Some tahbilk grand tawny, some romante cardinal Pedro, some new Zealand coffee
Liquor, a dash of brandy and then topped up with some galway pipe tawny. That was about 18 months
Ago and wow is it really starting to impress.

Sounds like just like my type of fortified.

[dave vino]

Casual Pizza and Wine night with friends. Will do a proper tasting note of the Wendouree later today.

[phillisc]

2007 Tyrells Heathcote shiraz, rich choclately and a joy to drink for a wine that was $13 on purchase.

Dave spoke to Tony Brady yesterday..."still slowly working through the orders Craig" was the curt but polite reply.

Cheers
Craig

[rooman]

Casual Pizza and Wine night with friends. Will do a proper tasting note of the Wendouree later today.

Great to see the Stonyridge on the table. Irun by an old school friend of mine over on Waiheke Island 20 mins outside Auckland. I have a few vintages but not this one. I have put it up against Moss Wood and Moubnt Mary in the past and believe it comes out ahead. I look forward to your feedback

Mark

[dave vino]

Stonyridge had Brett. First whiff was like smelling an Elastoplast packet. Pretty disappointing as I was looking forward to it. Tell your mate he owes me a bottle

[rens]

1996 Hardys Hermitage Shiraz: Not rocket science. Aged shiraz showing pepper, charred steak, burnt toffee and earthy dirtiness. No tannins to speak of and probably past its best if not, just holding on by its finger tips. The back label says that it will cellar for the next few years, so it was definitely an early drinker, but testament to the vintage that she can still turn up and look pretty good (mind you the night club is dark and the music is turned up to 11).

[Michael R]

2010 Bass Philip estate and a recent oakridge 864 Chard

[Hacker]

Selosse Initial to celebrate my win in the Winter Medal - nett 75 and blowing a gale!
Watch out Michael and Krusty!

[Phil H]

2009 Charles Stuart Chardonnay I am a bit biased towards Orange Region Wines, and this one does not disappoint. Managed to pick up a case for under $10 bottle, and still working my way through them, thinking they may be getting past it , however still got a couple of years left. A white wine for red wine drinkers, med bodied, oak present however in the background, everything in balance.

[Brucer]

2002 Penfolds 389
Still waving the flag!
Its bloody good.

[qwertt]

Rolf Binder Heysen Shiraz 2006. After a terrible previous bottle, this one is fabulous. Beautifully integrated oak. Lovely tannin; great length; terrific fruit. Love it.

[Brucer]

Rolf Binder Heysen Shiraz 2006. After a terrible previous bottle, this one is fabulous. Beautifully integrated oak. Lovely tannin; great length; terrific fruit. Love it.

haha Cork roulette.
I have one bottle left.
Whats the odds? hehe

[Michael R]

Selosse Initial to celebrate my win in the Winter Medal - nett 75 and blowing a gale!
Watch out Michael and Krusty!

Well played!!
Looking forward to Monday, it's been too long ......and keen to hear about the Selosse

[TiggerK]

Nicely done Hacker!

As per Dave Vino's pics above, six of us had a great casual pizza 'n' wine get together last night.

Wines in approx order...
Framingham F Series Old Vine Riesling 2012
Little's Hunter Valley Semillon 1998
Clonakilla Viognier 2008
Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett 2009
Pyramid Valley Howell Family Hawkes Bay Cabernet Franc 2007 (served blind)
Bertolo Barbera d'Asti 1970
Ar Fion Smokestack Lightning Pinot Noir 2013
Thomas Kiss Shiraz 2003
Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz 2012
Wendouree Shiraz 2012
Stonyridge Larose 2000
Warrabilla Reserve Durif 2004
Inniskillin Sparkling Icewine 2004

A few notes from memory....

Framingham F Series Old Vine Riesling 2012 - Only 1910 bottles made, lovely floral perfume, almost no residual sugar noticeable (6gm/l apparently), bit of phenolic bitterness but this faded as it warmed from 4C upwards to 8-10C (where it should be ideally served). Good fruit and acid with lemon/orange pith notes. JancisR loved it recently, I managed to score a few bottles, so wanted to try this with friends and was very pleased with it. (Until the Egon appeared)

Little's Hunter Valley Semillon 1998 - a bit past it, but still some nice classic Hunter lanolin lime semillon things going on amongst the oxidised notes. Bottle variation most likely as it was stored well.

Clonakilla Viognier 2008 - Showed very well, flavours a bit hard to pin down, good texture and balance, quite 'light' compared to a few other heavy viscous Viogniers I've struggled with in the past. Good wine.

Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett 2009 - Superb. Everything about this wine was rocking. The nose, the balance, the length, just the right amount of RS for me, but I can only imagine how good the Spatlese and Auslese of this would be. Had a few competitors, but I think this was my WOTN.

Pyramid Valley Howell Family Hawkes Bay Cabernet Franc 2007 (served blind) - Had some fun keeping the group guessing on this, not the best options success by the normally accurate crew. It was a hard one to identify, not sure what I would have thought if I hadn't known what it was. Probably a 10 year old Aussie Cabernet Shiraz I think. Or maybe a ripe year Bordeaux? Either way I thought this was a very nice wine, lovely furry tannins flowing through underneath a wash of fairly complex dark youthful fruit. Drink now or hold for a few more years. Runner up WOTN for me.

Bertolo Barbera d'Asti 1970 - My attempt at bringing a birth year wine for a belated birthday Self-Cheers! Failed somewhat, but a fascinating bottle shape when viewed side on! Wine was sound, but very much past it, with all the fruit faded away leaving iron, acid and plenty of tannins. Went OK with food, but a curio at best.

Ar Fion Smokestack Lightning Pinot Noir 2013 - Funky 500ml bottle, aw natural cute little fella. Name a tribute to the Howling Wolf classic. Very pure, perfumed, 'strawberries and cream' (© D.Vino on the nose and palate. Maybe a bit simple as a young wine, but so enjoyable to drink and bottle time should see it improve greatly. A rare treat to try.

Thomas Kiss Shiraz 2003 - Needs some more time I think, all the elements are there, and rather good elements they are too. Some plush savoury Hunter fruit, a bit of acid, some tannic grip, a lash of sweet French oak. Just one element at a time though along the flow from glass to stomach. I feel a bit more integration over time should produce a delicious wine. Potential plus.

Wendouree Shiraz 2012 - Smashable, up front approachability, somehow 'light', yet gobs of bright red fruit, some mint, acid is there, but this doesn't sit up and scream long term wine to me. Reminded me of the 09 and 10 Basket Press somehow, in the vein of sudden approachability compared to previous years. They say it's vintage conditions causing this, hmm, not so sure.... Definitely a very good wine though, but having only tried them briefly, from memory I still prefer the Cabernets from 2012. More cellar time and more contemplation deserved.

Stonyridge Larose 2000 - Wonderful Bordeaux blend, so impressive, yes the fruit underneath the moderate brett is delicious. But sadly just a touch too much band-aid brett for me to be able to enjoy it. Thanks for bringing this though Dave, the fruit underneath was enough to convince me of it's merit on the NZ scene, having not been blown away with the few other bottles I've had.

Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz 2012 - Bit of young rubbery reduction blew off with a short stint in the Zalto A great pizza wine (although pizza was mostly gone by now!). Solid effort, will get another bottle or two of this to revisit. A few years in the cellar would be worthwhile.

Warrabilla Reserve Durif 2004 - So often I dread these 'big' wines, but only a modest 16.5% this one. Phew Dread was undeserved, a really good wine. I've had 13% wines that tasted 'hotter' than this. Good balance and the fruit ripeness was just right, in that goldilocks zone.

Inniskillin Sparkling Icewine 2004 - Awesome stuff. No doubt WOTN for a few, but because sweet wines so often get the WOTN love, I generally eliminate them from the running. The sparkling element ws quite subtle, just a bit of spritz giving some lift. Beautiful apricot, lychee and orange notes, top stuff.

Fantastic night, some good pizzas at Peter Pan in Crows Nest, fun service staff and a food bill just over $40 each for some seafood, plenty of pizza, dessert and coffee.

Cheers!
Tim

[camw]

Wines in approx order...

Nice work on the notes Tim. The Muller was 09.

[camw]

and a couple of other burgs and a riesling that escape me at present

Full lineup was;

Krug 2003
Louis Sipp Osterberg GC Riesling 2004
Bindi Quartz Chardonnay 2004
Prancing Horse Chardonnay 2006
Lakes Folly Reserve Cab 1994
Wendouree Cab Malbec 1994
Bindi Block 5 Pinot 2004
Dujac Morey St. Denis 1er Cru 2011
Domaine de Courcel Pommard 1er Cru Grand Clos des Épenots 2009
Rousseau Laveaux St Jacques 2011
Clonakilla SV 2002
Rockford Flaxman 1999

[Mark Perth]

1983 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon. Superb, secondary notes but still with nuances of primary fruit. What a pleasure and a perfect match with roast crispy skinned duck.