The Auswine Forum

Presently Jacobs Creek Classic Riesling 2013, an agreeable summer quaff with varietal character. Yesterday/last night was Jim Barry Watervale Riesling 2013 with significantly greater depth of flavour much in the usual style of this label, De Bortoli Gulf Station Chardonnay 2010 with ripe citrus and well-integrated oak and a quite savoury Bests Old Clone Pinot Noir 2009 which is a rather interesting wine, will try the 2010 later today.

A few today:
Holm Oak PInot Gris 2014 - pretty nice
Delatite Pinot Gris 2008 - still drinking well
Willespie Old School Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 - Love this wine. Showing mature characters, and drinking really well. Will finish tomorrow.

Opened a Petaluma Hanlin Riesling 2005 yesterday. Definitely a case of 9 years young: the colour is only just starting to change from the pale green of young rieslings to a very gentle yellow hue. Touches of lanolin and green apples on the nose and a super crisp acid structure. Some secondary flavour development beginning but I have seen some 2012 rieslings that are more developed. Give it another 5-6 years minimum and this wine will repay your patience in spade fulls

Another Tyrrells Vat 47 2009. Needs further cellaring, but very nice. Last night, Penfolds 2000 Bin 407. Nothing exciting, slightly mouldy taste.

Hoddles Creek Chardonnay 2013, one more and the others are going into the cellar. Such easy drinking now...

1996 Clos des Lambrays - savoury, mature, sous bois, quite full bodied for the paleish structure present in the glass. All class.

2014 Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc... This is so incredibly ordinary, so entirely bland but competently made, it is like Coca Cola or fruit juice. If it has a single redeeming feature, it is the fact it does not change over more than 3-days. Which is quite scary. It is like they put the preservatives in it that make McDonalds burgers, like cockroaches, the only things to survive a global catastrophe. I imagine on a very hot day by the beach, I could probably drink a litre of this and not even notice but now, in colder weather, I remember why I never buy this (even though I don't hate Sav B as much as some do!).

sjw_11 wrote:2014 Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc... This is so incredibly ordinary, so entirely bland but competently made, it is like Coca Cola or fruit juice. If it has a single redeeming feature, it is the fact it does not change over more than 3-days. Which is quite scary. It is like they put the preservatives in it that make McDonalds burgers, like cockroaches, the only things to survive a global catastrophe. I imagine on a very hot day by the beach, I could probably drink a litre of this and not even notice but now, in colder weather, I remember why I never buy this (even though I don't hate Sav B as much as some do!).

Thanks Sam, made me feel better about drinking rose last night

2008 Juniper Estate Cab Sav. Really nice. Delicious actually.

2001 Trimbach Clos St Hune - easy to see why some say this is the greatest white wine in the world. Young and a tad austere, but with great length and minerality. Hold off on opening if you can.

2007 Trimbach Frederic Emile - super wine in the making.

1990 Lynch Bages - the 90 lunch bags is one of my all time favourite wines from what was one of the most consistently brilliant vintages around the planet. For my tastes, drinking right at its peak.

2003 Chateau d'Yquem - really good effort given how warm the vintage was. Excellent wine with decades of life left.

1997 Antinori Tignanello - not the best bottle. Hopefully the rest are in better shape.

1976 Dom Perignon - another warm vintage and another outstanding wine. That said, given how fickle champagne can be, I'd suggest drinking up soon.

1996 Dom Ruinart - just hitting stride. I really like this champagne and confirms my vintage bias for chardonnay-based 96s.

1988 Henschke Mt Edelstone - weaker wine than I was expecting. Dragging it through multiple countries over the years hasn't done it any favours.

1991 Penfolds Bin 707 - one of the best 707s I've ever had. Fantastic wine with lots of life left.

1986 Penfolds Bin 389 - another bottle that was a touch too austere. Maybe they're drying out ?

2013 the story henty Riesling. Beautiful and the high acid starting to slightly soften. Colour development
Starting as well. Beautiful crunchy green apples and white flower. Length that goes forever.

Had a bit of a cold so senses a bit muted.

2014 Clonakilla Riesling - Good, not as good as the 2013, but still very good. Quite approachable now, not overly acidic, makes for a great young drink. Good purity of fruit and focused palate. Questionable about it's future, it'll probably cellar for a fair bit but I doubt it has the structure for being a super long termer.

2013 La Prova Nero d'Avola - I think the cold may have hurt this wine more so than the Riesling. Still enjoyable, very smooth and plenty of flavour, but much simpler than previous bottles. Most likely because of the cold, though.

Sami Odi Little Wine #3 - Powerful but a tad unsettled. Ok, but not as enjoyable as a bottle a few months ago. Maybe needs a year or two in the cellar. Good wine, mind. Not dissing it.

Balgownie Gold Label Shiraz 2005 - opened somewhat muted then started to come together more like a pinot than a shiraz. Quite elegant, lovely red berry flavours and puckering tannins. Next time I'll give it a few more hours of decant time.

2012 Gomersal Grenache. Barossa Valley. My first glass of wine for almost 3 weeks after a sinus operation. I thought I'd start off with something lighter. I must say that I do love this wine. Yes, it's not complex and actually it's quite simple, but it's just so easy to drink. Lots of red fruits and a bit of sweetness, only light to medium bodied and also quite light coloured. Went absolutely perfect with home cooked slow roasted Pork Belly. Not really a keeper but should get better with another 2-3 years tops in the cellar. I have heaps of this and at the price I got it for it's a bargain. 3/5

Cheers
Ian

Got some chili crab balls to cook up for dinner tonight. Maybe a 2012 Antonina to go with that - plus a couple of single malts for dessert?

Tyrells Belford Semillon 2006 - My mother-in-law started the bottle last night (I don't begrudge her it - she was minding our apartment). Something refreshing on a hot day.

Blue Poles Merlot Cab Franc 2005 - Heard great things about this label & their Merlot-based reds so I am very much looking forward to this.

SC Pannell's 2013 Aromatico (Gewuerztraminer/Riesling) tonight. Some (16) Western and North Eastern Victorian wines tomorrow afternoon during the "East vs West Wine Challenge" tasting. Looking forward to it.

took the staff out today to celebrate a great singles day sales for us…. single day = 11/11 (11th November)
singles day in China is something of a modern marvel. All the singles go on-line shopping. This year was a new record, almost $10 billion USD in sales

2005 Henri Boillot Corton Charlemagne
given a 98+ score by the notoriously-low scoring Stephen Tanzer, this pricked up my interest several years ago, and I got a dozen circa 2010.
had the first in Niseko Dec. 2012, it was tight as a white could be, but the two years has been wonderful for this wine. While still a way to go, incredibly mineral, lime zest, ridiculous length. So complex, so structured. A masterpiece. As good a white wine as I have seen.
Drink: 2016-2030+ 99 points.

2006 Vieux Château Certan
touted as the wine of the vintage, hard to argue on this showing. Agree with the 96+ bestowed by both Parker and Martin, an incredible precocious wine of immense interest. Blackberries and cassis, cool fruits, a touch of mint, again… incredible. Will get better, but just so good now.
Drink: 2020-2040+ 97+ points.

08 Lethbridge Allegra Chardonnay
06 Dom Francois Bertheau Chambolle Musigny PC

Dinner and a show tonight as an early birthday present.

Dinner at Bentley was very good and washed it down with a 2006 Bass Phillip '21' Estate Pinot Noir. Was seriously good.

Presently, the last glass of a 6pk of Pepperjack Cab 2012 to accompany a nice steak with mushroom ragout.

daz wrote:Presently, the last glass of a 6pk of Pepperjack Cab 2012 to accompany a nice steak with mushroom ragout.

Daz, you've drunk the entire 6 pack tonight? Stamina!

Waiters Friend wrote:

daz wrote:Presently, the last glass of a 6pk of Pepperjack Cab 2012 to accompany a nice steak with mushroom ragout.

Daz, you've drunk the entire 6 pack tonight? Stamina!

Of course not! It took some months to finish the 6pk but there have been plenty of other wines in between times.

Mike Hawkins wrote:1990 Lynch Bages - the 90 lunch bags is one of my all time favourite wines from what was one of the most consistently brilliant vintages around the planet. For my tastes, drinking right at its peak.

1988 Henschke Mt Edelstone - weaker wine than I was expecting. Dragging it through multiple countries over the years hasn't done it any favours.

The 82 is excellent. Had it a few weeks ago. The Mt Ed 88 should be pretty good from memory? Or is that the 86? I get in around the wrong way but the 86 or 88 is amazing but vice a versa with the HofG.

Nice BBQ with a long session. Some amazing wines not pictured.



Salon 96 tight, the Boillot superb as was the 98 CNP V-T La Crau ( ready to go I thought ). 01 Pichon smart as was an 09!







Kistler pretty big an not my cup of tea but there was a fantastic American pinot and I can't see the bottle.



Aussies: the TF unopened and the Dalwhinnie 01 was pruney and average- probably corked or sun baked? The Marions 1990 cabernet from Tassie was super! Cab franc like more so than cabernet. Anyone with experience here I'd never heard of them!



Finish with a few wheat beers at ozone looking down at my old apartment.

2005 Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz On release despite numerous tastings, this vintage was not like any previous Chalambars, unimpressive, little fruit, very dry. Despite this, a few were thrown in the cellar.
After 9 years, there has been some development. Medium bodied, dry, fine dusty tanins, cherries, showing some elegance. Oak present but in the background, maybe more like a Rhone red. A very interesting wine, still very tight, needing a decent decant. Will revisit in a couple of years.
For around $20 the Chalambar is a wine that is worth throwing a few into the cellar every year, with the 2010 & 2012, showing great potential.

1991 Wendouree Shiraz - Dark crimson in colour, no bricking evident. Strong nose, but the palate was quite tight. Still plenty of fruit, albeit fully developed, as well as typical Wendouree VA or nail polish-y notes? Something like that. Fine tannins giving a bit of structure which is nice. There was some sharp acidity on the mid palate upon opening, I thought this was a pop and pour prospect but could have used a decant! I thought the cork may have affected this wine but after an hour or so in bottle it started to smooth out and open up. Showing well for its age, I don't think it needs more time in the cellar but maybe give it a quick decant before serving. A good wine, but not a great one.

Had a dinner last night at home to celebrate our 10th Wedding Anniversary. Some nice wines and food.

First up some home made Bruschetta with NV Billecart Salmon Brut. Quite nice with some creamy nutty notes and nice acidity. 3/5

Rockford Black Shiraz Magnum. Sparkling Shiraz. This was a prize for winning the Rockford Black Magnum Golf day this year. According to the note in the box - "In 1997, after 3 years maturation in oak a small amount of Black Shiraz was filled into 575 magnums, fermented, then aged on lees for another 11 years prior to disgorgement in 2008". I did have a couple of glasses but my wife and the rest of the gang were raving about this. It did seem to have a lot more depth of flavour than the standard Black Shiraz. Still had good fizz and the Magnum disappeared very quickly. 5/5 (wife's rating!)


Next up was a 2006 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay. Absolutely stunning wine that is only going to get better. Peaches, fig, citrus and that lovely buttery oak make this my favourite Chardonnay by a mile. Not as good as the 2001 but still exceptional. 4.5/5

Onto the reds and some slow roasted pork belly and wilted spinich and rich sauce:

2002 Rockford Moppa Springs. GSM. it's amazing how a $24 wine can live like this and still be so good. Colour is starting to fade a bit, but the nose and palate are still lively though. Super smooth tannins and still some good fruit but it is starting to fade. Should hold for a few more years but drinking fantastic now. I have so much of this in my cellar and after drinking this I am so glad. Moppa has always been one of our staples and it is such a good medium term cellaring proposition for the price. Lovely wine but was overshadowed by the next. 4/5

2002 Charles Melton Nine Popes. GSM. This was a bit of a step up from the Moppa Springs. Brighter in colour, it was also fresher as well. Much better than the 2003 we had at an offline earlier this year and I guess that would be down to the better vintage. Silken tannins and still plenty of red and black fruit poking through. Best Nine Popes I've had and a couple thought it WOTN. 4.5/5

Next up was some slow cooked Beef Cheeks in red wine along with baby carrots and new potatoes.

1997 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz. On it's own you'd say this is a cracking wine. Considering the vintage, it's a triumph. It does lack a little length but it's drinking very well at the moment. Colour is only light and fading but the nose is very good. Fruit has well and truly faded and the secondary characteristics are to the fore. It was not up to the same standard as the next wine but I'd rather have 6 to 8 bottles of this than 1 of the next. 4/5

1997 Penfolds Grange. My WOTN by a whisker from the Leeuwin. Still has time on it's side but as this was a wedding present we had always intended to drink it on our 10th anniversary. It didn't let us down and was a pleasure to drink. Not as powerful as some of the better vintage Grange's but still excellent. The tannins were beautiful and still shows plenty of primary fruit along with chocolate, spice and tobacco. So well balanced and yes, it does deserve it's spot at the pinnacle of Australian Wine as it's so consistently good, but it doesn't warrant it's price tag for me. 4.5/5

2004 Wendouree Shiraz Mataro. Still a pup and it really needs another 5-10 years. It was still very good and spent 12 hours in the decanter. Still quite tightly coiled and on the nose there was a distinctive note of mint/menthol. I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would and it reaffirmed my decision to get on the mailing list and purchase the wines. Colour looked like a current vintage wine and was still ultra bright. The wine had good balance and was on the big side of medium bodied. With plenty of swirling by the end of the night it was trying to open up but I suspect I should have decanted it the night before. 4/5

2003 Greenock Creek Seven Acre Shiraz. Only one word for this - Big! Like the Wendouree, the colour was so youthful. Just a big, slap you in the face fruit bomb. Oak only plays a minor role and the fruit is the star attraction. Even at 16% alcohol there was little to no heat at all. Like the colour, the wine is still youthful and has the tannin stucture to only get better. Not one for Pinot lovers or the anti RPJ set, but if you like them big, get onto this. Very good way to finish the reds. 4/5

Onto desert, a Caramel tart with home made milk chocolate and vanilla ice cream with whipped cream.

2001 Wendouree Muscat of Alexandria. I've had this a few times and it's just not my thing. Some at the table just loved it though. NR

We finished with an array of cheeses and some tea and coffee. A great night was had by all and the clouded head this morning suggests a good night!

Cheers
Ian

JamieBahrain wrote:

Mike Hawkins wrote:1990 Lynch Bages - the 90 lunch bags is one of my all time favourite wines from what was one of the most consistently brilliant vintages around the planet. For my tastes, drinking right at its peak.

1988 Henschke Mt Edelstone - weaker wine than I was expecting. Dragging it through multiple countries over the years hasn't done it any favours.

The 82 is excellent. Had it a few weeks ago. The Mt Ed 88 should be pretty good from memory? Or is that the 86? I get in around the wrong way but the 86 or 88 is amazing but vice a versa with the HofG.

I love the 86 Mt Ed. Probably been through 20 or more bottles, and 18 have been sensational.