The Auswine Forum

trufflequeen wrote:

Scotty vino wrote:
I'd go for a wendouree day, but I'd be popping something pretty young.
What would be even better would be an Auswine Adelaide offline where the last 20-25 vintages could be benched
and a wide variety of vintages could be sampled.
Not unlike the Tasting Australia Wendouree vertical coming up in may. But without the price tag!
Mind you, a wendouree vertical with Stephen George isn't going to happen too often so I'm considering it.

+ 1 for an Adelaide Wendouree offline (my first). Like Scotty Vino, I'm a relatively new mailing-lister, so my old stock is auction sourced. But would be very keen if someone wants to try to cobble something together.

+ 1

The Sydney team did a Wendouree vs. Rockford BP vs. Mount Edelstone a few years back. It was beneficial to see how a Wendouree, even though it may be perceived as good bad or excellent, measures up against other icons. Mt Ed won the day then. For those interested, here is the link:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=14578&hilit=Wendouree+vs+Rockford&start=90

I have several older Wendourees and want to open one this weekend, but on the US wine boards it is tough to find any drinking guidance. Any recent experience on the 96 Shiraz/Mataro, 97 Shiraz/Mataro, and 97 Shiraz/Malbec would be appreciated. I drank several Bottles of Shiraz way to early! I did see the 96 in an earlier post and it sounds great, but still curious about the others.

Did anyone previously take a look at the Tasting Australia Wendouree event's wine list and spot a 1986 (or similar) shiraz advertised for tasting? I'm pretty sure it was there, but has been updated with something from the 2000s. The current list of wines advertised is:

Wendouree Shiraz Mataro 1994 and 2012
Wendouree Shiraz 2005, 2006 and 2014
Wendouree Cabernet Sauvignon 1994 and 2013
Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 2004 and 2013
Wendouree Malbec 2005

http://www.tastingaustralia.com.au/even ... -wendouree

A bit disappointed if they have removed the older shiraz from Sunday's tasting, as the chance to taste a 30+ years aged Wendouree shiraz with provenance was one of the main reasons I booked my ticket.

TQ, This is really poor form, and I have had same at (won't mention a winery that I am fond of...lawyers will be on the phone again) events in years gone by and indeed at a number of hosted wine functions. There either needs to be some compensation for extra pours or additional wines put on...and to their credit some hotels, wineries and those who organised the events did do...or indeed a refund
I remember at Langtons classification, wineries that were advertised were not in attendance...bloody annoying.
I don't want to poke the finger too much here as the bottle shop organising this on the whole is pretty good and I am sure that Tony Brady would one be very dissapointed that a wine was not presented, and two if in the position, see it replaced with something else.

I suspect that this event has been oversubscribed, the stock of 86 Shiraz that the winery and or shop has is limited, or indeed there might be many a corked specimen.

We will make up for it on the 12th.
Looking forward to your report.
Cheers
Craig.

Thanks Craig. It could be the same list (i.e. I've gotten it wrong), but I don't think so. I wouldn't have been as excited about a couple of 94's and then everything else from the 2000s and later (heavily weighted towards the last few years releases). Shame I didn't take a screenshot. Have emailed the event organisers to check if lineup has changed, and will report back on what their response is.

trufflequeen wrote:Did anyone previously take a look at the Tasting Australia Wendouree event's wine list and spot a 1986 (or similar) shiraz advertised for tasting? I'm pretty sure it was there, but has been updated with something from the 2000s. The current list of wines advertised is:

Wendouree Shiraz Mataro 1994 and 2012
Wendouree Shiraz 2005, 2006 and 2014
Wendouree Cabernet Sauvignon 1994 and 2013
Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 2004 and 2013
Wendouree Malbec 2005

http://www.tastingaustralia.com.au/even ... -wendouree

A bit disappointed if they have removed the older shiraz from Sunday's tasting, as the chance to taste a 30+ years aged Wendouree shiraz with provenance was one of the main reasons I booked my ticket.

That is very disappointing. Not much point in showcasing an 05 and an 06 together if you are looking to gauge how the shiraz develops over time.

-- George Krashos

Hi all

I've confirmed there was indeed a switch from the shiraz original line up (albeit, it was originally a 1985 on offer, not 1986!). I checked a cache of the page from 27 April and the line up was:

Wendouree Shiraz Mataro 1994 and 2012
Wendouree Shiraz 1985, 2005 and 2014
Wendouree Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 and 2013
Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 2004 and 2013
Wendouree Malbec 2005

Quite disappointed. As mentioned, the older shiraz was my main reason for justifying the exxy ticket price. It doesn't look like the event is oversubscribed, as tickets are still on sale. Perhaps the wine was corked? Will be interesting to see what the organiser comes back with.

trufflequeen wrote:Thanks Craig. It could be the same list (i.e. I've gotten it wrong), but I don't think so. I wouldn't have been as excited about a couple of 94's and then everything else from the 2000s and later (heavily weighted towards the last few years releases). Shame I didn't take a screenshot. Have emailed the event organisers to check if lineup has changed, and will report back on what their response is.

TQ, you are spot on...I was tempted because there was indeed an 85 on offer but then a $200+ entry fee put me off.
I will be very interested to see how many of your are there on Sunday...if there are 50 of you then thats a 10 grand budget...that buys a lot of Wendouree, and as Stephen George and East End Cellars are involved then these wines would have been obtained at release and at cost...cheap as chips I would expect...(yes on the second hand market now perhaps a bit more, but only Shiraz in exceptional vintages brings the big money), therefore 10 grand should afford at least 150 bottles...bet there will not be anywhere that amount opened.

As an aside, in 1988, I managed to get 3 bottles of the 86 Shiraz from Walkerville Cellars for $8:99!!!! and they had buckets of all of the wines...if only I had known (but only just got to know the wines then), should have got dozens.

Cheers
Craig

Response received from 10 years of Wendouree wines event organiser this morning:

"Yes, you are correct. The wines have changed under the direction of Tony Brady as seven of the ten wines come from his cellar and the other three from mine.

Tony was concerned about us pouring the older wine to such a large scale of people.

I completely understand if you'd like for us to credit/refund your ticket, but I'm more than positive this will be one of the great tastings of the Tasting Australia."

I have a great deal of trust in Tony Brady, but still disappointing that there will be no early shiraz to taste. Thoughts?

TQ...your third point to me is poignant. Would this be one of the few public occasions for said winery where reputation and scrutiny will be a concern.
Goes two ways...30 year old wines are opened and they are warmly received because they are wonderful.
30 year old wines opened and they are panned as over the hill, oxidised, thin brown rubbish and the trash talk takes hold by many in attendance who don't know the wines, who have turned up on an ooh and an arrgh 'its Wendouree", or people like yourself who know the wines, and can respectfully expect that at 30 years on, there will be both good and bad bottles.

So I read into this that all parties concerned want to play it safe.
Interesting dinner table talk for next Friday.
Cheers
Craig

phillisc wrote:
So I read into this that all parties concerned want to play it safe.

Cheers
Craig

I tend to agree.

My initial interest in the event was centred around the '85 Shiraz (the first Wendouree I tasted - amazing wine, but that was in 1997), but then I saw the cover charge. I appreciate its probably once in a lifetime chance to do this, but cannot justify it at the moment considering the kids winter sports subs are all now due . Nick Stock is a good host, no doubt it will be a good event.

The fact that they are willing to refund your ticket, if you decide to opt out, makes it totally fair IMO.
Seems as though the aim is to make the experience as good as possible.
If that means leaving out a wine that could possibly be disappointing in terms of quantity and/or quality
then that's understandable.
If I'd bought a ticket I'd still be going.

Meanwhile in Western Mozambique....

I know... talk about first world problems

I think I'll hang onto my ticket, still very keen to hear Stephen George talk. I do hope it's worth it.

I still don't think that explanation makes sense... if the bulk of the wines come from the winery, surely the fist conversation the organiser had would have been "well I will open X, Y and Z if you can dig into your cellar for A, B, C and D"..... at which point the winemaker says "Please don't open X, its too old".... not after the event is advertised??

I mean, if they didn't discuss vintage availability before hand how did they know what wines to advertise at all??

This vertical is being organized in HKG dinner come December. Do you guys think Stephen George would be approachable? I wouldn't mind connecting the organizer.



Wendouree Shiraz Vertical
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1991
1990
1988
1987
1986
1978
1977
1976
1975

Surely with the generous tax concessions and the prices of wine being much lower in HK, some well heeled Honky ( and there seems to be plenty of them) could fly him over least you could do
Cheers
Craig

ps. looks like a good line up brought 74-76 about 10 years ago on the second hand market and they were very very good.
Will be interested on how the 86 shows.

I'm actually surprised there are not more organized wine tasting events in Australia such as this. Easy to organize but tough getting folks to cough up? These were all auction purchases so for 10 people probably $300-ish Aussie a head which is peanuts if wine is your hobby and considering the gravity of such an event.

Hi Jamie

I'm sure Stephen would be happy to hear from you. Will PM you his email address and mention to him that I've passed it on. I still need to post my notes from the Tasting Australia session - hopefully will find some time this weekend.

--
Adele

I reckon you should hold off until the gaps are filled
There's not many of them although that 78 - 86 one might be tricky!

I stopped bidding for Wendouree shiraz 1998 at $155 a bottle at the last Wickmans auction. Didn't want to use up my bottles for an upcoming dinner.

Have a bunch of old Armagh so considering an Armagh versus Wendouree shiraz dinner. Any opinions on the styles up against each other?

JamieBahrain wrote:Have a bunch of old Armagh so considering an Armagh versus Wendouree shiraz dinner. Any opinions on the styles up against each other?

Did a big guns tasting a couple of years ago and Wendouree V's Armagh was in the group. Armagh is an oak driven wine until recently and extract/oak dominate. You would be comparing heavy oak V's elegant oak treatment and higher alc and more hang time V's what Wendouree do.
Would almst be Masculine V's Feminine

post in another thread also:

2005 Wendouree Shiraz Mataro, Clare Valley

An auction purchase a number of years ago from excellent provenance, has since been stored in a wine fridge.

Cork came out perfectly, hardly stained at all. I decanted at about 3pm, the bottle had a light crust. Initially the wine was closed and had an acetone aroma about it. I left it until dinner time. I revisited it at about 7.30 pm and it was looking good. The colour still looking quite youthful, no real signs of bricking. On the palate it was medium weight showing primary fruits; mulberry, dark cherries, with an earthiness about it. Still a reasonable tannin profile akin to black tea. Overall, soft and smooth, and drinking very well now, but felt its about to start its secondary phase soon.

Thanks Matt,

An almost timely reminder ? Must be a newsletter due soon. :-0

Nice note matt
especially when the time is taken with consumption
funnily enough thats one wine you tend to find people approach with patience and understand its a wine that requires this

JamieBahrain wrote:Thanks Matt,

An almost timely reminder ? Must be a newsletter due soon. :-0

Oh God no.... waits for 500 threads to start, "how do I get on the mailing list?", "What's my crayon mark mean?', "has anyone got their order form yet?", "What do you think you'll get from your order?", "I posted my order form yesterday, when will I get my wines?", "Is it ok to just order Shiraz?", "Which State is being processed first??, "My CC still hasn't been credited!?!", "I have $472 on my CC, I wonder what I ended up getting?"

dave vino wrote:

JamieBahrain wrote:Thanks Matt,

An almost timely reminder ? Must be a newsletter due soon. :-0

Oh God no.... waits for 500 threads to start, "how do I get on the mailing list?", "What's my crayon mark mean?', "has anyone got their order form yet?", "What do you think you'll get from your order?", "I posted my order form yesterday, when will I get my wines?", "Is it ok to just order Shiraz?", "Which State is being processed first??, "My CC still hasn't been credited!?!", "I have $472 on my CC, I wonder what I ended up getting?"

Based on that premise Dave, should a new and separate thread be started..."Wendouree 2017 release".
Would hate to get wax pastels mixed up with the wine notes

Cheers
Craig

OK Sooooo get excited Dave Vino.
Received mailer today.
If the last offline was any guide I'm going a bit longer on Cab and Cab blends this time.
Prices look the same from memory.

Came across this fine specimen from an unamed auction house today. A 97 Shiraz Mataro if you can't tell from the pic.
Not brave enough to jump on it, but curious as to how the label might have been damaged in this way. Any thoughts?

trufflequeen wrote:Came across this fine specimen from an unamed auction house today. A 97 Shiraz Mataro if you can't tell from the pic.
Not brave enough to jump on it, but curious as to how the label might have been damaged in this way. Any thoughts?

wendouree shiraz mataro 97 damaged.png

Looks like fingerprint dust!