The Auswine Forum

Hi Tony, thanks for advising. I'm going to jump in an add a plus 1. We are now back at 12.

Sorry guys i also have to pull out. A functions come up i just cant get out of.

Hi TQ,
I would be available next Friday. At this stage I have no Wendouree wines in my cellar but I think I could source some to complement the current selection. It would be from auction so provenance is somewhat uncertain. And I could confirm my attendance only by mid next week. Maybe consider me for the reserve list. And if somebody else is ready to fill in the No 12 spot in the meantime please go ahead.
Cheers,
Mario

Hello All,

I am keen for this and can bring a 1998 Shiraz and 2000 Cabernet Malbec to fill in some gaps.

Hope not pushing Mario out!

Cheers

Matthew

Hi Matt and Mario (Matt, great wine selections).

I have added you both to the list (Mario to reserves). Will let you fight it out In the meantime, if anyone else is unable to attend, do let us know so we can fit both Matt and Mario in.

Matthew, please go ahead. I'll remain as a potential last minute candidate for this tasting. But I'm sure I'll join you for one of the following offlines.
Cheers, Mario

Can now confirm a 99 shz mat and 99 cabernet

Thanks Mark, have updated the list. Very excited to taste the 1999 Cabernet. The 1994 Cabernet served at the 10 Years of Wendouree Tasting yesterday was my WOTD (will post a review in the Wendouree Wines Notes thread when I get time). I was also able to have a quick chat to Stephen George after the tasting, and mentioned our upcoming wine dinner. He kindly proffered his email address and has agreed to look over our wine selections with a view to advising on decanting (if at all), plus order of wines.

trufflequeen wrote:Thanks Mark, have updated the list. Very excited to taste the 1999 Cabernet. The 1994 Cabernet served at the 10 Years of Wendouree Tasting yesterday was my WOTD (will post a review in the Wendouree Wines Notes thread when I get time). I was also able to have a quick chat to Stephen George after the tasting, and mentioned our upcoming wine dinner. He kindly proffered his email address and has agreed to look over our wine selections with a view to advising on decanting (if at all), plus order of wines.

great work TQ. It was worth going after all.

Ok You lot and indeed 'Mr Wendouree' Jamie HK...
I've just returned from the cellar and amazed at how pristine the bottles from unopened dozens that have sat quietly for 20 years look...would be a shame to drink them
I have got the 97 Pressings which I think is a Malbec and an early 90s Cabernet...vintage to be revealed on the night.
Both bottles are at mid-neck levels and I have them standing up...interesting it was warmer in the cellar (15 degrees) than outside this morning.
I am thinking of pulling the corks Friday morning and either doing a double decant, or will just let them sit for 9-12 hours slowly adjusting the wine to the air.

Thoughts??

Cheers
Craig

TQ, also 'found' a box of 98/99 MoA...good level and looks a fraction dark...hope its just bodied up...with the sugar and 15.5% alcohol preserving it, fingers crossed it will be the goods. So we will have a couple of sweeties to finish.

Cheers
Craig

Hi all. Only 48 hours left to go. At this stage we are still at 12 confirmed attendees with one reserve. If any confirmed attendees are now unable to attend, it would be appreciated if you could please advise as soon as possible. Also, I've heard back from Stephen George re decanting and suggested brackets and order. See below:

"'m not really big on decanting but what was done on sunday worked well... an hour before the tasting decant young wines and immediately  pour back in their bottle . same decant and return for older wines but just before serving. i'd taste the older wines  in each bracket first.

suggested brackets and order:
shiraz malbec
malbec
shiraz mataro
__
shiraz
__
cabernet
__
pressings
cabernet malbec
__
muscat of alex."

Glassware wise, I take it everyone is ok sticking with the Plumm glassware offered by the restaurant?

ive got 2 options with the 2011 shiraz. I can decant and pour back in just before i leave home or bring the trusty
conical flask and do it on arrival. if the first part of the tasting takes about hour then decanting on arrival is probably the better
option. I'm happy with in house glasses supplied but I'll bring a stemless glass for backup.

Scotty vino wrote:ive got 2 options with the 2011 shiraz. I can decant and pour back in just before i leave home or bring the trusty
conical flask and do it on arrival. if the first part of the tasting takes about hour then decanting on arrival is probably the better
option. I'm happy with in house glasses supplied but I'll bring a stemless glass for backup.

I would decant at home 1st in able to allow you to check for cork taint.

Mark, I think that is what I will do and then a decant later in the day.

Cheers
Craig

Mark Jappe wrote:

Scotty vino wrote:ive got 2 options with the 2011 shiraz. I can decant and pour back in just before i leave home or bring the trusty
conical flask and do it on arrival. if the first part of the tasting takes about hour then decanting on arrival is probably the better
option. I'm happy with in house glasses supplied but I'll bring a stemless glass for backup.

I would decant at home 1st in able to allow you to check for cork taint.

this bad boy is under screw cap.

Another quick email received from Stephen this morning, he wanted to stress that temperature is more important than anything. Around 20c for all wines would be ideal (obviously cellar temperature too cold). Cheers.

Hi all

I am just checking in again to make sure there are no cancellations for this eve? If so, could you let me know asap so I can advise the restaurant? I have paid the $10 per head deposit, and look forward to meeting everyone over Wendouree

trufflequeen wrote:Hi all

I am just checking in again to make sure there are no cancellations for this eve? If so, could you let me know asap so I can advise the restaurant? I have paid the $10 per head deposit, and look forward to meeting everyone over Wendouree

Gail and I are still good. I checked both wines at lunch time and then put the corks back in. Will give a quick double decant just before I leave.

trufflequeen wrote:Hi all

I am just checking in again to make sure there are no cancellations for this eve? If so, could you let me know asap so I can advise the restaurant? I have paid the $10 per head deposit, and look forward to meeting everyone over Wendouree

See u there. I'm gonna decant mine quickly before hand at home and give it a chance to come up a bit in temp.

Opened two wines this morning, a decant, rinse of bottles and refilled....just hope they are not corked and will leave that to others...suffering a bit a present.
Corks perfect along with bright colour with both wines
The 97 pressings had thrown an enormous crust.
I will be on foot, so trust there will be a decanter for a quick aeration, when I arrive.

Nearly didn't make this offline TQ, but that maybe a story for later.
Trying to finish a manuscript, hard at the best of times, even bloody harder on a Friday afternoon with the thought of so much Wendouree waiting less than a mile away.
Cheers
Craig.

Have a great evening. Looking forward to read your tasting notes and impressions. Hope I can make it next time.
Two Wendouree wines waiting to be opened at a future offline .
Cheers,
Mario

trufflequeen wrote:temperature is more important than anything. Around 20c for all wines would be ideal

Hopefully this sage advice won't get forgotten in the excitement of the evening. It would be a shame, both for attendees and interested onlookers, if the wines aren't enjoyed at their peak.

Have a great evening!

91 Shiraz just popped up in our Melbourne Shiraz tasting, beautiful wine, thanks Chris H.

Thanks to everyone for attending last night's offline and generously sharing from their cellars. It was a great night with some remarkable wines shown. A few people were dilligently taking notes, so I'm sure a write up will be published soon

Yes will put up a full report later today.
Cheers
Craig

A very memorable night (wine, food and company). I am so glad I attended and am certainly looking forward to the next event. Hopefully not long before the next one. Question is what will the theme be? Possibly 1998 vintage? Might get to try that Ampelon again Craig.

Great night. For me the cabs really shone, both blends and straight cab sav. 2000 cab mal and 94 cab sav were right up there.
98 shiraz was a beautifully balanced wine also.
A real eye opener for me. A lesson in acidity, tannin structure, precision and oak balance .
Couldn't believe how fresh some of the wines were. Case in point the 92 Malbec. Was fresh as a daisy.

Cork gods were kind to us too. Says the guy who brought the only screw capped wine.

Thanks to everyone fro their generosity and special thanks to TQ for organising the event. Job well done.

David Librandi wrote:A very memorable night (wine, food and company). I am so glad I attended and am certainly looking forward to the next event. Hopefully not long before the next one. Question is what will the theme be? Possibly 1998 vintage? Might get to try that Ampelon again Craig.

This would be a great theme next year ? A complete 1998 Wendouree horizontal of 98's. I have them all and could fill in what folks didn't have but would be a bit shy of putting up both the shiraz and cab due limited bottles.

Thanks Jamie, not sure its the intention, David and I were having a laugh about what he would offer me to try a 98 Bowen Ampelon Shiraz , the only vintage to be made
From memory, I think I still have 6 bottle of each of the 98 Wendourees...but might be better to say put them against the 90, 06, or 12 vintages.
Cheers
Craig