The Auswine Forum

Pls see my TN on a Chilean wine : Question; The Breathing time is SO important to any particular wine; this wine after 17hours (2nd day) is quite yummy not withstanding it only costs AUD$8.0 . My question is one really has to taste every label/vintage at least tasted once before you know its real power/ best time to drink , true?
Montes Classic CS 2008
Smell: upon open, perfuming oak+vanila+chocolate sweetness come out from bottle=no breathing.
But the smell is not as good after pouring into glass; even with swirl + a bit of green/leafy smell + 60% of the above smell.
Palate: Not fruity, ok smooth (4/10) with a bit of hot alcoholic (14%) when swollowing; a bit of oak aftertaste. Simple not complex.

General comment=not as good as a well breath (2nd day) yellow Label shiraz-at least not as fruity; less easy drink & less sweet than a Nottage hill merlot. This one smell better than taste (too strong alcohol) but Not bad for ard HK$50 & look forward a 2nd day tasting to see if can improve. To give a score; 80/100 upon fresh open.

7 hours later:
Smell keeps
Palate: Not fruity still become Rebenna like-quite to very sweet; trace of oak + more acidity + less burning alcohol. Seems peaked.
confirm worst than YL Shiraz but similar to Koonunga Hill (smell not good, taste ok) but different style (smell good, taste not as good)=same score 79-80/100.

19 hours later:
smell deteriors a bit; still ok; upon heavy swirl heavy sweetness of vanila comes out; I would say prefuming upon swirl.
Palate: improve a lot. Fruit at last came out. Sweet + little acid well blended=can call it yummy.The alcohotic hotness aftertaste still there-nothing series just not "smooth" enough; again no complain at this price range la.

Conclude: This wine also takes 1 day + breathing; I would say better than Koonunga Hill Cab shi , in par with YL; or even slightly better-thinner than YL=medium body wine only. 82-83/100.

Background (2007 from offical web):
85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, both sourced from the well known Colchagua valley. Aged for 6 months in new and used American oak.
An outstanding wine for bottle aging (5-10 years).
Cellaring Recommendations: Up to 4 to 5 years. (contradict with above?)
Decanting: Recommended to be decanted for 30 minutes.

I'm confused

You're confused.
From a noob perspective I'm wondering what he is saying.
From an alcoholics perspective I'm wondering how a bottle could last three days.
And from an Aussies perspective I am wondering if he is speaking english.

From an alcoholics perspective I'm wondering how a bottle could last three days.

exactly. the biggest missing ingredient to this bottle of wine occassion is friends to share it with. why do it otherwise?

And is it 79/100 or 80/100. be decisive please, you are playing with my spending habits here

What are the attributes that are different between a 79/100 and an 80/100 wine that you were struggling to nail down with this one?

Perhaps move to 1dp scoring?

wommom

I assume that as you are from HK that English is not your first language. Good on you for posting, and please ignore any people who have a go at your English (some of the "native" speakers who post here could do better too!). I wonder how many forumites would be willing or able to have a go at posting a tasting note in a foreign language?

Nice effort for a tasting note. If I might offer a sugestion I think you might be over-analysing the wine. You don't have to pick every subtle smell, flavour, texture. Particularly in lower priced wines, some of those subtle things may not be there anyway. It is enough to say: "nice fruit, good body, poor/short finish", and leave it at that. If you want to put a point score, please do, and again ignore those people who don't like points.

Keep posting

Michael