The Auswine Forum

A few notes written Sunday:

Some (very) cheapies this week to recalibrate the palate('n'wallet ).



Not surprisingly, no stunners or even very good wines, but some pleasant drinking. Interestingly, the character of the varietals was well pronounced in a few of these

From left to right, then:

Ivanhoe Hunter Chambourcin, 2005 - A leftover half from Friday work drinks, I couldn't let the remains sit in a warm office over the weekend. Stunning colour; a vibrant amethyst purple, I've never seen anything like it. Unrevealing nose; soft, inoffensive and highly approachable palate with typical Chambourcin naunces, a little savoury, dark red fruits, some lemony tones, open-knit light to medium bodied, low acid. Medium finish. Will last a few years, but can't see it going anywhere...not bad! Good, then. No idea of cost, but would be reasonably good value at $12ish.

Irvine SA Merlot, 2004 - Not a patch on the Edencrest, acid poking out a little and some dry stewed fruit characters. A little austere, with a medium body. Passable. Not good value at around $14.

Georges Duboeuf Merlot, Vin de Pays D'oc, 2003 (France) - Sells for about $7 here, so they must pay you to take it away in Europe. Red fruits, cherry, freshing acid. A little marcipan. Lighter than medium bodied, no acid sticking out, shortish but pleasant finish. Tastes like Merlot. Good, and good value. Drink now...preferably with lighter-style flat pizza, certainly worked for me I don't know why our local cheapies can't do this...too much alcohol, bad oak and over-extraction sticks out with the lower end wines these days.

d'Arenberg The Stump Jump GSM, 2004 - Savoury, some green apple skin, capsicum and tomato plant. Drying tannins with a short to medium finish. Interesting! I'd have guessed a Cab/Malbec blend, if served blind. Not sure what to drink with this, it was pleasant enough but didn't do any wonders for a herbed chicken roast. Might come together? Good, okay VFM.

Donna Cristina Merlot, 2004 (Italy) - An Italian Merlot at around $12 at the local. Mmmm...okay. Colour is a little concerning, showing some brown naunces already. I start to wonder if my cheapie experiment won't result in anti-freeze poisioning, and law suits from blinded partakers (yes, I know this isn't Spanish...but still). One sniff, and fears are allayed. Chocolate, 'plum and mederia', soft plush red fruits. Merlot and also aged Durif characters. Again, light to medium bodied, no noticable tannins remain to integrate, but there is a light but velvety fruit structure here. Good+. Drink now? Perfect complement to a herb, spice and curry pasta sauce.

All in all, an interesting and affordable excercise. Back to the usual suspects tonight, with a '97 Filsell. It's a step up and a very good Barossa Shiraz with chunky chocolatey fruit . I'm sure I appreciate it more after the above

Big Dave wrote:Dom Perignon, 1998, Champagne, France.

Oh wow! First DP for me it has to be admitted and the youngest on the block I am led to believe. Extremely fine an vigorous mousse. Hint of bread/yeast on the nose, but more apples and perhaps a whiff of lemon. Massively refreshing in the mouth, full of apples and biscuits with great acidity and wrapped tight as a gnats arse. I suspect this might age quite well although admittedly that statement is with little experience of this wine itself.

opend a bottle of this last month, but found it a bit unsettled and needs sometime for it to come together. Compared to the 1988 Enothèque and the1996 the 1998 is not as round and complete IMO.

For what it's worth - a blurb on the Charles Hiedsieck Blanc de Millenaires 1995 that I had the pleasure of enjoying on Saturday night - as nicked from my sideproject website - www.acehighwine.com - this is one tremendous wine.

While I wouldn't suggest opening a bottle with dinner every Saturday night, if you can get your hands on this wine and can concoct a reason to celebrate, go for it! Priced at around $160. it's not cheap but compared to what you'll pay for drops such as Krug, Dom Perignon, Bollinger et al - it's a very attractive option!

Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires 1995

What kind of Champagne can garner the individual votes of 12 judges at an international wine competition? A drop like the 1995 Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires; the sparkling wine that dazzled and seduced a dozen global wine authorities at the second annual Critics Challenge International Wine Competition. Not only was this wine (made only in exceptional years mind you) named as the best sparkling wine of the show, it went on to scoop up the award for Platinum Wine of the Year - the competition's highest honour. But at the end of the day, all this is meaningless to the casual wine drinker. All that matters is what's in that Champagne flute before you with flute being the appropriate term because this blanc de blanc is indeed music to the palate. This wine may be 11 years old but like a vinous Kylie Minogue, is carrying its age just beautifully. Those whiffs of developed yeastiness on the nose continue on to the palate, aided with an injection of delicious cashew flavours. In the mouth, the Blanc des Millenaires is decadently creamy - I dare say almost "floaty" as if it had been lightly whipped like the centre of a Milky Way bar - and it sparkles from start to finish, refreshing the palate and injecting a spring in the step. In my mind and mouth, this is the lofty benchmark that all the other Champagnes, Kavas and sparkling wines that I drink this year will be measured against - damn it, I think I've just written off the rest of 2006 as eight-odd months of bubbly disappointment.

Ravensworth Shiraz 2004
A new winery from Canberra region with a vineyard nearby to Clonakilla so the sales person said. This is really good and quite Rhonish is style with liquorice and boot polish to the fore.

Glen Carlou Grand Classique 2002
A Cab Merlot blend from a fantastic Sth African winery (a 2004 Shiraz had late last year was brilliant). This had a nose more akin to Coonawarra but the palate was more savoury at the same age. I liked it but wouldn't rate it THAT highly. I understand 2002 was an average vintage in South Africa generally.

Brands Coonawarra Cab Sav 2000 Nice berry fruit, chocolate oak and fine tannins, a very nicely balanced wine - would be happy to drink this now - 2010, 90pts

Skillogalee Riesling 2002 Citrus fruit with a little kero that recedes after a few minutes in the glass. Probably never a great riesling and tasting a bit past its best already 82pts

Saltram No1 Shiraz 1996 Plums and blackcurrent fruit dominant even after 10 years, oak and tannins understated. Slight Alchohol heat on finish, not sure if this will be better in another 5 years as the fruit comes into more balance or not 88pts