The Auswine Forum

Steven – Drinking really well, very big shiraz which makes me wonder if it had something else blended in. Tertiary phase of it’s life with all the tannins nearly resolved. Really smooth on the palate/mouth. Dark fruits, leather, pretty clean for a Hunter Shiraz.

Rockford – a bit tired and funky I thought, couldn’t see any evidence of what the blend was (if any). I should find out from the source. Chocolate, kirsch, with some acidity soldiering on. I think it suffered also being in the same flight as the Steven.

Tahbilk – A baby, more body than the std Marsanne, oily, with Riesling characteristics (lanolin etc). Will do 15 more years no worries.

Moss Wood – fantastic wine, really nicely balanced, really pure and focused fruit. Would love to sit on one of these over the night as it was constantly evolving. Onya mse

O’Shea - was a bruiser of a wine, if you have any kids born in 2003 hunt some of this down as it will be singing for their 21st/30th and beyond. The tannins were all enveloping, they just crept up on you and bang!! Would have been so much better had we had it when I had my steak. This is a serious wine with the fruit to match and go the distance.

What a great selection of wines, icon after icon was poured and they all showed well to outstanding. A few hazy reflections on some highlights...

Moss Wood Cab 1999 - My wine of the night by a country mile, classic combination of power and finesse, appeared to be far more youthful than the vintage would suggest as far as the fruit profile goes, however the tannin structure was right in its peak drinking window for me - still present but hardly overwhelming. Would love to see this with rare roast beef and horseradish.

O'Shea Shiraz 2003 - So glad we opened this right at the end of the night. Complex, powerful by hunter standards, balanced. Will certainly hold for many more years, however probably best to look in over the next 5 or so.

Wendouree Cab/Malbec 2001 - When initially poured it looked a bit too youthful and had loads of blackcurrant character, however the last few sips and a sneaky final pour on the way out the door showed an outstanding, mature and refined aussie red. Give it another 5-10 years or a long decant and a big glass.

Lindemans Steven Shiraz 1990 - Classic aged hunter, regretted not bring my Zaltos since the restaurant glassware did not allow this to show its subtleties.

Rockford Grenache 1997 - How on earth was this still alive and vibrant? A real surprise.

Bindi Composition Pinot 2010 - Once again was screaming for a better glass, however my word this paired well with the confit duck. Had it just outside my top 3 for the evening.

Champagne Jacques Selosse - The antithesis of Krug, light, ethereal, balanced, delicious.

Finally got around to making some notes from the night....

Champagne Jacques Selosse Initial Brut NV - Powerful, but refined and well balanced, just a hint of ox adding character and interest. Delicious. 4th for me on the night.

Leo Buring Leonay Riesling 2005 - Nose of the night for me, just heavenly semi-aged Riesling bursting forth with complex lime/citrus. Palate just a smidge less weighty after the promise of the nose, but I loved it and 5+ more years should see this become legend, consistent and perfectly aged under screwcap. 3rd on the night for me.

Tahbilk 1927 Vines Marsanne 2006 - Clean, pure and almost watery, but textural with well balanced acid and a subtle and intoxicating depth to the lemon, honey/honeysuckle flavours that grow and enticed me more with every sip. Quite taken with this actually.

Lakes Folly Chardonnay 2011 - Coiled and reticent. Oak well integrated, no reductive notes. Just needs time to unleash it's potential, could be quite something when it does.

Yarra Yering Chardonnay 2012 - So muted to start I even considered low level TCA, but it did start to slowly unfurl in the glass after a while and showed a touch of class. Not sure if fruit lacking due to vintage, just a bit of a dumb phase or just needed some air and less chill (maybe all of these!). Hard to judge this without a 4 hour decant or another 5-10 years in bottle.

Whiskey Gully Wines Reserve Chardonnay 2002 - (Blind) - Popcorn and butter to start which soon calmed down and while it was always of the older school nutty oaky template, it did integrate quite well. Granite Belt Chard under screwcap at 16 years old? Hey, not bad at all.

Les Dolomies Arco Savagnin 2015 - (Blind) - OK this was me throwing something different into the mix to test the waters and no doubt provoke some love / hate reactions. Yep, got them. I loved it, others did too, others certainly didn't. "Cider", " Do you actually like this?" were some of the comments, and I totally understand and get it. It's not for everyone, but this style of wine (when done well like this) grew on me and these days I'm a confirmed Jura-Phile. The wine was a bit cloudy, with plenty of saline tang, lemon/lime sherbet phenolic character, a hint of honey & bruised apple plus the highlight of lots of juicy fresh acid on the finish. So food friendly and interesting.

...onto the reds...

Lindemans Hunter River Steven Hermitage Bin 8025 1990 - I think I said 'stop right here, nothing will beat this, I'm off home once this is finished' Fantastic old Hunter, smooth and complex red and black fruits with classic leather and earth. Tannins fully integrated yet present, nose and palate both in harmony. I was in heaven with this. Easily my WOTN.

Rockford Grenache 1997 - As Dave said, this suffered next to the Lindemans, wasn't bad at all, just felt a little faded and unfocused.

Az. Agr Comunali Montalcino Produce Brunello di Montalcino 1992 – I found the nose and palate a bit raisined and oxidised, probably reflecting the poor vintage, maybe storage a factor too. But it wasn’t all bad as there was still some goodness to be found if you could get past the tired elements.

Bindi Composition Pinot Noir 2010 – Nice classic New World Pinot, more black fruit than red, cherry and dried herbs etc. Well balanced, fairly shy on the nose and still quite youthful for my tastes, still somewhat abrupt in its acid and tannin profile. Might have wanted a decant, if I had some I’d keep a couple more years.

Ridge Lytton Springs 2007 – Zinfandel / Petite Sirah (Durif) / Carignane blend. I always like the Ridge wines, no exception here. They always manage to get across the highwire balancing big fruit on one side with balance and structure on the other.

Domaine A Cabernet 2001 – Oxidised.

Moss Wood Cabernet 1999 – Now we’re talking. Harmony and class. Restrained power. Still quite primary, but a lovely glass of wine. My 2nd choice.

Marius Symphony Shiraz 2005 – Pretty decent wine, no complaints, but I had hoped for a little more character. Expectations too high perhaps? More time? Vintage?

Wendouree Cab/Malbec 2001 – In true Wendouree style it was constantly changing in the glass, like a fencing match between the air and the wine. Started a bit awkward, tight and blocky, but once the air won the fight, it really composed itself nicely. Classic style with dark black fruits, edgy acid and plenty of fine tannins along for the ride. Very nice, decant and drink now or hold.

Galah Cabernet Malbec 2002 – Bit more ripeness and eucalypt here, touch of funk, some red fruit as well as black. Pretty good wine which I initially preferred over the grumpy-to-start Wendouree next to it. Drinking well now.

McWilliams Maurice O'Shea Shiraz 2003 – I thought the tannins were quite resolved, it was big yet not overripe, mouth filling sweet red fruits. Not a lot of ‘Hunter’ in it perhaps, but a tasty package in general although I was slightly put off by a bit too much coconut influence from the oak.

Wonderful food and service from St Claude’s as always, if I’m critical maybe the bread could go up a notch and my soufflé could have been a bit more cheesy (like previous visits), but the tuna dish was excellent and the steak and duck dishes either side of me looked superb. Top BYO venue, let’s support them Sydney people!

Great night, thanks everyone!

Cheers
Tim

Thanks for a great night guys. Lovely to see a few of you again after a long time and also to meet a whole bunch of new people. I look forward to doing this again whenever I next make the long trek back to Oz.

I didn't take any real notes, just enjoyed the evening but my thoughts accord pretty much exactly with what Tim has said, so I am going to copy him, with the following exceptions/amendments:

- I tried the YY Chardonnay again at the end and it had really unfurled and was a terrific wine. I still put it neck and neck with the Lakes Folly, in slightly different styles. I wish I had more of that Lakes Folly Chardonnay. Oh well.

- On the Brunello, I had a more positive take on it. I really enjoyed it and did not find it excessively "raisiny", though it did take a fair bit of air to get going.

- On the Savignin, I was one who called Cider. I did not like this.

- I really did not like the Wendouree at first, and was very disappointed. But right at the end, it had definitely begun to unfurl. Troublesome little wines these! This was a random auction purchase that was probably intended for an offline some years ago, so no harm no foul. It will be awhile until I next bring Wendouree as my own cellar-from-release wines start from 2010.

- I really liked the Marius. Even with 12 years of age and a double decant (IIRC) prior to the evening this presented very youthful, very primary. But it was still delicious and drinkable. It was also unmistakably Australian. I honestly think in more time these are going to be true cult wines which will drink astonishingly well at 20+ years. Anyway, time shall tell.

I also add my kudos to the restaurant. Lovely to have the top floor to ourselves and plenty of extra glassware and decanters available. The parfait and duck were superb, as were the cheeses, and just perfect to match with the food. I also had serious food envy over the soufflé and the steak.

I also reiterate my alternative take on WOTN:
If I could take the Champagne, the Lakes Folly and either/or both of the Lindemans and the Ridge Lytton Springs for a long springtime lunch, maybe on a deck overlooking vineyards... I would be a very happy man!

For the record I think my formal votes for WOTN were the Leonay, the Moss Wood and the Lindemans (with the Champagne excluded, though noted as being of at least equal standing).