The Auswine Forum

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Sean, thanks for the notes. I am really impressed with the 2019 Wynns red stripe. Folklore suggests a cab/shiraz/merlot blend, but who knows anything could have gone in. The recent acknowledgement of Malbec is good, the 2019 is quite a different tasting wine, very round and approachable, but suspect it will live a bit. At $11 or whatever the chains have been flogging it for, its a bargain.
Cheers Craig

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My Notes from and evening Late June – Xmas In July (Semi Special/Distinguished) was the theme
And for the next two days I am fully caught up with all my notes now! First time in nearly 2 years

As always, all wines served blind


Wine # 1 – 2002 Bollinger R.D. Extra Brut
Lovely colour here, lighter gold/straw but definitely has some age.
Nose is enthralling, Ginger, shortbread biscuit and some red apple in there.
Some red berry fruit as well, but more new season strawberries.
Very rich in the mouth, creamy, elegant and silky. Fully bodied champagne (and we ARE in champagne) – unmistakable chalky minerals here. Love how dry this is too.
Very floral, white flowers and jasmine on the palate.
More bready notes starting to come through as it warms up in the glass. I really like the dryness and acid here, its not dominant or intrusive, just sits in the back doing its thing.
Feels 15+ years old (I said 2002 or 2004) as has this regal elegance about it. Pinot dominant for sure with that roundness and fullness.
Buttery & creamy notes too – strawberries & cream – I'm sure they serve this at Wimbledon.
Super complex, super length and a super wine. What a magnificent start AND popped my RD Cherry – she was very gentle


Wine # 2 – 2010 Domaine de la Vougeraie Corton-Charlemagne Le Charlemagne
Another wine that appears to have some age on it. Darker yellow / gold, this shines bright and rich.
Salty Sea air fragrance, lemon balm, lemon zest, and a slight aniseed/fennel note to it. Not in a big way, but its there, which leads me to Meursault or possibly Corton (I choose Meursault)
There is a linearity about the wine, not in a bad way. It has fruit richness, power and finesse…BUT in a different way to other white burgs. Some wines build and build their flavour until right at the end when the crescendo peaks, but not this wine. This wine hits you right in the front palate, its max power straight away, but then stays there. It doesn’t drop away, it doesn’t stop – it just stays there.
Some white peaches, more lemon custard, and slatey/rock like minerals. Length is beautiful, fruit weight like a Grand Cru, poise and presence. Skilled winemaking


Wine # 3 – 2001 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques
There is an initial mustiness about this. Like an old attic or dusty cupboard that hasn’t been opened in a while. Mushrooms and forest floor – some others describe as soubois
The mustiness blows off thankfully in the glass and reveals beautiful red fruits. Lots of red cherry, redcurrants and some slight sweet cranberry.
Some cola notes too, dry dusty tannin and some wet earth.
Tiny lick of spice right at the end, touch of white pepper and herb. Started off with a question mark, ended with an exclamation mark; ugly duckling into a to beautiful swan transition here.
Feels old in a regal kind of way


Wine # 4 – 2012 Faiveley Clos Vougeot
Some blurring in the glass, but a cherry red colour.
Muted nose, not really revealing much – gee I hope this opens up. Gave it a swirl in the Zalto Burg glass for a few minutes…… nope nothing, still flat – ominous.
Palate is similar, not a lot of fruit, acid probably a bit to dominating at this point or its closed down.
Fruit feels stripped a bit, I think this has fallen victim to those dodgy tree bark producers.
Length is very short, bordering on Clipped, some TCA here.
Missing that X factor that you would expect from a wine like this.
Disappointing.


Wine # 5 - 2013 Domaine Denis Mortet Clos Vougeot
We are again in Burg territory. Dark Cherry red in colour, Rich ripe fruit on the nose too. Darker fruit profile than usual.
Difficult nose to pin down. There is whole bunch in there, but I'm confused as well. I get the slightest hint of Oxidation, but that could just be the whole bunch.
Not as much tannin as I was expecting either, same with the dryness. This isn’t a dry, tannic wine; although the tannin is on the gravelly spectrum. This is more a new world style. Fruity and ripe – I wonder if it’s a new world (or young) wine maker in Burgundy?
Fruit is powerful, blackberry, dark cherry, mulberry type notes, has to be a warm year here.
Oak is perfectly soaked up by those fruits, opening up in the glass, that ox has blown off and the whole bunch notes still there. Young wine, just in its infancy and needs time.


Wine # 6 - 2009 Soldera (Az. Agr. Case Basse) Sangiovese Toscana IGT
Wow, would you look at that colour, spectacular. Clear & translucent cherry red. Has a brightness to it, it shines and shines like a clear summers day.
Powerful and commanding nose. We are clearly in the presence of greatness here. So burgundy like, ethereal nose. Cherry, floral roses, pot-pourri, all just leap out of the glass. Unlike anything I have had in a long time…. This just smells expensive.
Explosion of complex flavours that is all enveloping. There is so much going on here, it’s actually difficult to put into words.
Powerful fruits, tannin, but a lighter body wine. Half choose burgundy, the other half choose Italy. I can see both in sides in this wine.
Tannin structure is Italian, but that fruit and power is all Burg…. I choose incorrectly.
More cherry, herbal, the use of big, old oak to give it some body is a master-stroke. Some light earth in a terracotta style, herbal and some Tuscan spice blend in there.
Another cherry popped and this time it wasn’t so gentle, but battered and bruised, but wasn’t it worth it…. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Clearly wine of the night. Has to be in the running for red wine of the year!


Wine # 7 - 2005 Domaine Arlaud Clos de la Roche
Heaven help the person who goes next and try’s to follow the last wine….but someone has to do it and thankfully its not me.
Crushed ants on the nose, raspberry and purple/violet florals. Lovely nose here, not as intense, but it is elegant. Mushrooms and blackberries on the nose as well. Lovely perfume leaping out of the glass.
Has some blurriness, but I feel that’s due to age, Darker cherry in colour similar to others of the night.
With some air those red fruits come to the surface, this is starting to build some real powerful tannins. Lovely silky mouthfeel, nice length. Feels 20ish years old.


Wine # 8- 1990 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron
Oh here is some real Bordeaux varietal seriousness. Leaps out of the glass, pure pencil shavings, some capsicum, and a very sweet fruited scent as well.
That nose could be new world its so loaded with sweet fruits, Cassis and some cedar in there too.
Nice blackberry type colour with some ever so slight browning on the rim but still has a shine/brightness to it. Hmmm I wonder how old this is.
Beautiful fruit weight in the mouth. So elegant, yet has a power about it, and is balanced all at the same time. Silky mouthfeel, and the mid palate tannin comes rushing in. Fruit up the front, tannin in the back.
Blackberry fruit, little plum, not jammy though. Lots of iron, graphite minerals, more dark fruits of blueberry in particular. That structure has to be old world, but that fruit is just so sweet. Thoroughly enjoyable if not slightly confusing all at the same time.


Wine # 9 – 2006 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron
Oh would you look at that colour! Dark purple, but has a youthful exuberance to it. Shines very bright in the glass, I could look at that colour all day; mesmerising deep, dark and brooding.
Big fruit on the nose again. Exactly like the previous wine (and we all now know why!) except this is younger. This is a masculine wine, or vintage. Big rich ripe fruits, but again not jammy, but sweet.
Similar level of oak, but not distracting, It needs to be to swallow up all that fruit. Tannin there but dominating that fruit. WOW you would be forgiven thinking this was a new world cab, just bursting with life.
Blackberry, plums, blueberry and violets.. Very young and feels like 5-10 years old… I love the way bdx always confuses me with its ability to age. This has a timelessness about it, kind of like it will live forever (cork gods being agreeable). Length just goes on and on, perfect with the slow roasted goat.


Wine # 10 – 2011 Chateau Rieussec Sauternes
Lovely colour here in the glass. Sunshine in a bottle type yellow. Glistening and shimmering.
Big nose of pineapple, apricot, almond and herbs, sage in particular, Some lemon grass type notes as well.
Perfect mouthfeel, so silky, classy and profound. The sweetness is probably a little heavy for huge points, I feel the balance slightly off and I want a touch more acid in here. Its cloying sweetness, but still a wonderful wine.
Im not getting the barley sugar notes, so im not in Barsac… I choose Sauternes (got one right!)
Some lemon cream, vanilla custard and toffee in the mouth, more pineapple and apricot. Love the herbal notes too, maybe just the slightest touch of fennel or aniseed in here and a hint of stony minerals. What a wine! Drinks superbly… if only it was a bit more balanced.


Wine # 11 – Gehrig Estate 1994 Vintage Port
Corked

These are fabbo dinners that you have Rossco, keeping up my average, had a Petaluma sticky from your last one, and have wine #1 from this one.
Cheers Craig

Nice one Rossco. Soldera can be really something. Last vertical I did showed they are best with significant age when they more structurally ethereal.

Sean wrote: ↑Wed Jul 06, 2022 12:12 pm Diamond Valley Reserve Pinot Noir 07 - Got 15 yrs on it now. Garnet red colour. Earth, leather and undergrowth. Not much primary fruit, some red fruits perhaps. Soft, subtle tannin on the palate and long.

Oh Diamond Valley... haven't seen them in ages. I used to like their blue label chardonnay ... Do they still exist (looking at the website I assume not, since it seems about 10+ years out of date)

phillisc wrote: ↑Wed Jul 06, 2022 4:06 pm These are fabbo dinners that you have Rossco, keeping up my average, had a Petaluma sticky from your last one, and have wine #1 from this one.
Cheers Craig

Yeah I'm very lucky and do not take anything for granted on these nights.
The guys are very generous and want nothing more than to share, enjoy and discus the
wines amongst people that appreciate it.

Lol @ keeping up the average, I love it.

JamieAdelaide wrote: ↑Wed Jul 06, 2022 4:40 pm Nice one Rossco. Soldera can be really something. Last vertical I did showed they are best with significant age when they more structurally ethereal.

Yep I can only imagine how good one with more age could be. Just an astonishing wine.... Wine moment for me,
Without even knowing what it was at the time, just blew me away.

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Probably going way too early here, but grabbed a few of these and they’re at the lower end of the WDC pricing so worth a punt…

Decanted for a few hours. Lots of rich red fruit on the nose, a hint of mineral / earth. This is very young, big and tannic. Lots of power. Lots of red fruit. It’s not smooth and velvety (like I sometimes describe Margaret River Cabernet). Definitely one to have another look at 5+ years from now.

Cheers Ed


Edit - Day 2: delightful. Shows the potential this has as it softens a bit. Lovely.

VinoEd wrote: ↑Fri Jul 08, 2022 6:55 pm Probably going way too early here, but grabbed a few of these and they’re at the lower end of the WDC pricing so worth a punt…

Decanted for a few hours. Lots of rich red fruit on the nose, a hint of mineral / earth. This is very young, big and tannic. Lots of power. Lots of red fruit. It’s not smooth and velvety (like I sometimes describe Margaret River Cabernet). Definitely one to have another look at 5+ years from now.

Cheers Ed

Thanks for the note, I bought some of this too. It sounds similiar to the Alan's of previous years. I opened a 2020 Yellow Hammer Hill last weekend. Lovely drinking. Fruit forward, less oak than other years, didnt take any notes but noted the lovely nuances from the blend of varieties. Needed an hour or so in a decanter to really show its best. One of my favourite wines with slow cooked food.

sjw_11 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 06, 2022 8:25 pm

Sean wrote: ↑Wed Jul 06, 2022 12:12 pm Diamond Valley Reserve Pinot Noir 07 - Got 15 yrs on it now. Garnet red colour. Earth, leather and undergrowth. Not much primary fruit, some red fruits perhaps. Soft, subtle tannin on the palate and long.

Oh Diamond Valley... haven't seen them in ages. I used to like their blue label chardonnay ... Do they still exist (looking at the website I assume not, since it seems about 10+ years out of date)

I think they are now Punch wines, believe the brand was sold but the vineyards retained? David Lance's son James now winemaker? Some of the first Pinot Noir I ever bought were the 1994 Black Label Close Planted.

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2 Muscadets tonight for an online tasting with Jelle. My 95 had the higher fill and did not have to travel all the way to Amsterdam, but it was still a lot darker than Jelle’s bottle. It seemed to be past it, but patience and air worked well and the wine was drinkable by the end. Tasted more like and old Chenin though, but the creaminess was there.

The 2012 Monnieres Saint Fiacre had 2 years sur lie and 6 years in concrete before being bottled. It’s brilliant with a drinkability that is through the roof. Lots of cream and some honey on the nose. Lovely creamy melon and some camomile in the mouth and a moorish finish with just a hint of lime. Great stuff.

A couple of Coonawarra's... surprise surprise.
2019 Leconfield Cabernet, lovely blue fruits spice and nice whack of oak. Palate was medium weight with a very slight green bitter note early, but blew off eventfully, with a bit of air, to leave a smooth finish with a bit of acid and plenty of tannins. For the cash a good buy and needs a big sleep.

2018 Wynns single vineyard Harold Cabernet. 3rd release after the 01 and 13 and picked up a few extra bottles after the chains were chucking them out. This is fabulous, everything that I want, red currants/berry, mixed spice, palate is really complex, lots going on here, French oak is evident, but doesn't dominate, smooth, rich, lovely finish. Smashable now, but will cellar 20 years, very different wine to the Leconfield, and took the points tonight

Cheers Craig

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mychurch wrote: ↑Sun Jul 10, 2022 10:41 pm
2 Muscadets tonight for an online tasting with Jelle. My 95 had the higher fill and did not have to travel all the way to Amsterdam, but it was still a lot darker than Jelle’s bottle. It seemed to be past it, but patience and air worked well and the wine was drinkable by the end. Tasted more like and old Chenin though, but the creaminess was there.

The 2012 Monnieres Saint Fiacre had 2 years sur lie and 6 years in concrete before being bottled. It’s brilliant with a drinkability that is through the roof. Lots of cream and some honey on the nose. Lovely creamy melon and some camomile in the mouth and a moorish finish with just a hint of lime. Great stuff.

Thanks for this mychurch.. I keep meaning to look out for some of these wines. Any top tips for muscadet?

Pepiere is the only house I have really bought in Muscadet. The ‘basic’ wines are anything but and , even with recent price rises, good QPR, but it’s the higher end wines like Clisson that I would want in the cellar

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Thanks for the note Sean
Cheers Craig

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Strange redundant label design, with 2 mentions of Grenache and none of the winery - was there a neck label?

This night was a bit of a special event back at the start of this month

It was all the Cru's from the 2005 Vintage of Proddutori del Barbaresco

Only the First Two wines & the fortifieds were masked/served blind. The PdB we knew
what the wines were and in which order they were being served. Some of the Cru's i had never seen or
tasted (any vintage) before, so i was pretty excited.

Wine # 1 (Masked Starting Sparkling White) – NV Champagne Miniere F & R ‘Influence’
Colour is gold with a tinge of blush (red). Only the slightest hint of red, but its there.
Nose is very chalky and minerally. Lots of lemon pith, super fragrant – orange blossom in particular.
You can almost smell how dry this is, it has a dusty element to the nose.
That dryness is on the tongue in spades. Its beautiful and really is a standout, but that fruit…. Oh here it comes! Golden Apple, green apple, more lemon and something else….. curd maybe
Feels like a BdB, but there is this fruit richness that belies a usual BdB.
Lots of rich fruit, but not like a hot year ripeness. Intriguing…. I choose a vintage blend… majority chardonnay, still a large pinot component. I think the richness is from the pinot. Not a huge amount of cream or strawberries, but there is some light cherry and red fruit notes. That length is amazing, beautiful acid, and you know what, it just tastes expensive. Not big house expensive, its too expressive for that, feels like a grower. It just doesn’t fit into a house ‘style’, so I choose grower.
What a great wine, outrageous value once the price was revealed. I will be seeking these out for sure! 30% PN. 42% PM & 28% Chardonnay


Wine # 2 (Masked extra white) – 2004 Francois Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot
Lovely bright yellow, kind of straw colour. Nose is a big hit of lemon curd, creamy nose, some nuttiness on the raw cashew side/scale.
In the mouth it’s a rich fruited wine as well, but its still restrained, almost tight. Its powerful, its feminine and its delicious. Some salty rock mineral, white asparagus, more lemon notes, crushed oyster shells and some brine. Buttery notes but in an interesting twist, its not creamy. More Cashews, white stone fruit… nice nice….. restrained power, feels 10 ish years old and I went 2010. Subtle and very well handled French oak, has a touch of spice, acid running all the way through. Blown away at the quality and vintage here…. Never picked this as an 04. Astonishing and this is exactly why you cellar white Burg…………. But the failures are many and expensive. This is one of the amazing ones!!

Flight One

Asilli – Touch of VA on the nose, some slight browning and dark cherry red(ish) in colour but its dull. Doesn’t shine, isn’t bright…. This is a very dull colour.
Dry dusty tannin, hits the tongue, old leather notes at the end, this isn’t quite right. Cork Taint and dead fruit. Travesty – not a good start …. Bloody corks – Ranked 3rd in the flight


Pora – Colour is much better than the Asilli – This is a bit redder, a bit brighter, and smells like it should. Very floral nose, lots of purple fruits, some lavender,
Red fruits on the palate – Red currants, red and black cherry,
Gritty tannis though, a bit distracting and quirky not a texture im used to in a Neb. I wonder if this is a vineyard trait? – Kind of like eating a prawn that hasn’t been de-veined.
Lovely fruit though, not powerful fruit, nice oak but doesn’t hit the heights I expect of PdB – Maybe a vintage thing as 05 was challenging. Ranked 2nd in the flight


Rio Sordo – Ok here we go, this smells right, great darker fruits launching out the glass. This has a fruit richness and power that the other two don’t. Bigger tannin hits the cheeks and moves onto the tongue, crazy good. That nose is enthralling, just fills the room with a wonderful perfume of red fruits and florals.

Liquorice and red rope liquorice, red cherry, star anise with other exotic spices as well as a touch of tar and a touch of old leather. Power, masculine, medium plus body, but length is beautiful. Fruit power, oak power, tannin power – this has everything - # 1 of the flight



Flight Two

Moccagatta – Dark cherry in colour – again dull and no shine, no colour. The wine looks dead.
Some Ox on the nose with some menthol – TCA strikes again – Fruit is dead – Bloody corks # 3 in this flight
Shame as i had never seen or heard of this cru before.

Paje – Lighter in colour, bright red in the glass – looking good!!
Old leather nose, cool mints (those round white mint lollies) – Another powerful wine here. Commanding. Dry and dusty tannin, tar and roses type neb here. Aniseed/Liquorice root and some alpine herbs. I love the cool mintiness here, its complements the acid, feels like cool climate or high altitude grapes, no idea how high this vineyard is, but its an elegant wine. I love it and easily # 1
Of the flight.


Rabaja – Darker than the Paje, but still has a good brightness and shine, but oh dear – some very slight ox on the nose. Has the fruit depth of a Barolo, the power of one and intensity. Served blind I would never pick this as a Barbaresco, the acid is softer and oak just a touch bigger… you never stop learning! – Low and soft tannin, that fruit is just so powerful. Again just a hint of ox in the mouth; doesn’t ruin the wine, but does lessen the enjoyment for me. Im very sensitive to Ox, not so much TCA or Brett, but Ox I can pick a mile away. Others enjoyed this a lot more than I did. # 2 of the flight


Flight Three

Montefico – Brown, dirty and completely dead – Full Ox almost vinegar
Bloody cheap shitty corks used in such an expensive wine. PdB hang your head in shame.


Montestefano – Kind of similar to the Rabaja, this is dark in colour and the nose is so nice. Powerful, floral, rose potpourri type notes, with a hint of blue fruits. Again tannin is so soft, I wonder if this is a vintage thing, as its quite a common theme throughout most of these wines. Could be producer/winemaker influence as well I guess, but its really fascinating. This is only possible analysing the wines in this fashion. All the cru’s and in one vintage.
Fruit power, tar, liquorice hint of orange rind/zest at the end. Lovely wine and # 1 of the flight by default.


Ovello – Again Dirty dishwater brown. Bonox and beefy / barnyard horsey smell.
Yuck
What I take out of this is PdB used very cheap shitty corks this vintage. I cannot tell you why, supply issue? Cutting costs? I don’t know, but I wont be talking the risk of buying any 05’s. Simply not worth the risk. Yes the good ones were good, but that’s about it.




Taminick Cellars – 1981 VP
This feels familiar, like we have had this producer before. Not necessarily the vintage (and this IS a Vintage Port) as it looks old. Has a honeyed sort of colour to it, still dark blue to black fruits, but older. Im thinking 50’s-60’s type age. Has a type of fruit note that I see in McLaren Vale VP’s. Blackberries, blueberries, some blackcurrants as well. Lovely salty minerality about it, like the vineyard is near the ocean (lol – couldn’t be further from the truth if I tried)
Something a bit clipped short about this wine. It smells nice, but it falls off a cliff in the mouth. Silky mouthfeel, creamy and sweet, nice acid integration as well as a lovely spirit. Some coffee notes with old leather and oak mixed in. I wasn’t even close to the vintage….like 20-30 years off hahahah!
Still a nice old dame, but nqr with that shortness and on the downward slope



Kopke 1970 VP (Portugal)
The colour here is a bit worrying, slightly brown with a hazy redness to it. Nose is very promising, and the colour seems to red to be Australian. Nose of a Chinotto soft drink with some Asian spices mixed in. Star anise is prominent.
In the mouth it bursts with Turkish delights, rosewater and some purple potpourri florals
Medicinal herbs, cherry medicine, and cinnamon sticks with that rawness you get from a freshly grated one. Love the length here, but it’s a lighter style, feminine wine, lovely balance.
Almond/marzipan spirit, seems cleaner than it should be for a Portuguese. Some unsweetened cola type hints coming through at the back end, this is scintillating. Again the spirit is very well integrated, no heat or alcohol, no acid jutting out, just pure joyous VP.


What an interesting tasting.

Kopke 1970 VP (Portugal)
The colour here is a bit worrying, slightly brown with a hazy redness to it. Nose is very promising, and the colour seems to red to be Australian. Nose of a Chinotto soft drink with some Asian spices mixed in. Star anise is prominent.
In the mouth it bursts with Turkish delights, rosewater and some purple potpourri florals
Medicinal herbs, cherry medicine, and cinnamon sticks with that rawness you get from a freshly grated one. Love the length here, but it’s a lighter style, feminine wine, lovely balance.
Almond/marzipan spirit, seems cleaner than it should be for a Portuguese. Some unsweetened cola type hints coming through at the back end, this is scintillating. Again the spirit is very well integrated, no heat or alcohol, no acid jutting out, just pure joyous VP.

Sounds like a classic Kopke - so contrasting to the classics like Taylors or Fonseca. Enjoy Kopke for the tastings notes outlined above!

I’ve done a number of complete PdB horizontals and I’ve never had such a bad run. Ouch! I assume at least 10% buggered by cork taint or other cork issues including Piedmont premox.

I was a committee member of the Knights of Alba and Hong Kong Wine Society. I just checked in to see if any opinions on failure rates of PdB and at a recent event 40 x 2015 opened and all OK.

Sounds like you’ve copped a combo of taint, premox and poor transport / storage.

JamieAdelaide wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 9:24 am I’ve done a number of complete PdB horizontals and I’ve never had such a bad run. Ouch! I assume at least 10% buggered by cork taint or other cork issues including Piedmont premox.

I was a committee member of the Knights of Alba and Hong Kong Wine Society. I just checked in to see if any opinions on failure rates of PdB and at a recent event 40 x 2015 opened and all OK.

Sounds like you’ve copped a combo of taint, premox and poor transport / storage.

All the wines were bought directly from Distributor on release and professionally stored ever since, so yes possibly transport issue,
but definitely cork and premox issues as well.
The ones presented were the 'good ones' and there were about 3 or 4 others that were cactus as well not in that list.

I do absolutely believe in Piedmont premox

Next year is planned a 2007 Cru vertical, so hopefully they have only limited those issues to the 2005 vintage.

You have knocked the average around now Rossco. Went close with the Booths Taminick Cellars, had many of these in the 80s.
Cheers Craig