The Auswine Forum

With the first Sunday thread up and running for the year, let's all get out of our festive (alcohol induced) haze and share what we are all having this week...

Cheers,

Monghead.

In the spirit of drinking my best of 2009 first in 2010, I lined up another 1991 Wynns BL Cabernet. Nowhere near as perfect as the last one I had 8 months ago. Still a beautiful nose but the palate needed more time to come together. Massive crust, improved in glass over a 3 hour period but tasted more like some other examples of good but not stunning Wynns BL labels - possibly more like a 2001 (it still tasted too young to drink!).

Oyster Bay sparkling - boring one dimensional

Port Phillip Estate Chardonnay 2004 - not bad after it warmed up but tasted too much like generic aussie chardonnay for my liking

cheers

Luke

Been unable to post over the holidays, although I did try some interesting wines.

1995 Rosemount Balmoral Shiraz
Really enjoyed this, and was surprised by its colour, no bricking at all, classic McClaren Vale nose, palette also suggested it will last for many more years. V tasty.

2008 Clonakilla SV
Knew this might be too early but curiosity got the better of me, again. Thankfully very balanced, fruit, tannis and acid all to my liking. Possibly prefer the 08 O’Riada Shiraz but will enjoy watching both age.

Rockford Black Shiraz
What a treat, worth all the effort in hunting a bottle down. Wow.

2008 Rippon Jeunesse Riesling
Quite dry, no idea how much residual sugar, fruity but good minerality, nice bit of zing on the finish

2008 Felton Road Vin Gris
Never tried before, probably wont look for more, lightish wine but didn’t interest/appeal to me

Chandon NV
Very lively, spritzy and good value at <$30

1999 Laurent Perrier Champers
More serious that the Chandon, probably would have improved with food, quite austere palette, a suggestion of honey on the finish. Didn’t love or hate it.

2004 Punters Corner Chardonnay
Little bit of melon, not too oaky. Liked it

Luke W wrote:In the spirit of drinking my best of 2009 first in 2010, I lined up another 1991 Wynns BL Cabernet. Nowhere near as perfect as the last one I had 8 months ago. Still a beautiful nose but the palate needed more time to come together. Massive crust, improved in glass over a 3 hour period but tasted more like some other examples of good but not stunning Wynns BL labels - possibly more like a 2001 (it still tasted too young to drink!).

Oyster Bay sparkling - boring one dimensional

Port Phillip Estate Chardonnay 2004 - not bad after it warmed up but tasted too much like generic aussie chardonnay for my liking

cheers

Luke

Luke, I guess that adage of a good bottle rather than a good wine starts ringing true for a wine nearly approaching it's 20th birthday.

Cheers,

Monghead.

Michael R wrote:Been unable to post over the holidays, although I did try some interesting wines.

2008 Clonakilla SV
Knew this might be too early but curiosity got the better of me, again. Thankfully very balanced, fruit, tannis and acid all to my liking. Possibly prefer the 08 O’Riada Shiraz but will enjoy watching both age.

The Clonakilla SVs are so voluptious and easy drinking even in their infancy aren't they? I can remember guzzling many bottles of the 01-05 soon after their release...

Cheers,

Monghead.

I had actually never tried one before but would agree totally based on the recent experience.I've a couple more and will do well to ignore them for too long.

Would be interested to hear your feedback if you ever try the 08 O'Riada (might be straight Shiraz, doesn't disclose any viognier from memory), its half the price but gives the SV a serious run for its money...IMO

[/quote]

Luke, I guess that adage of a good bottle rather than a good wine starts ringing true for a wine nearly approaching it's 20th birthday.

Cheers,

Monghead.[/quote]

I seem to be finding this a lot lately and it works well if its a pleasant surprise rather than the reverse........but its usually not or maybe that's just the type of wine I seem to be drinking as I approach my alzeimic years - some of the wines must be approaching their dotage as well!

Michael R wrote:Been unable to post over the holidays, although I did try some interesting wines.

1995 Rosemount Balmoral Shiraz
Really enjoyed this, and was surprised by its colour, no bricking at all, classic McClaren Vale nose, palette also suggested it will last for many more years. V tasty.

It would've been interesting to watch you drinking the Balmoral with a palette(a thin and usually oval or oblong board or tablet with a thumb hole at one end, used by painters for holding and mixing colors) in your gob . Just joking. At least your palate(http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define. ... and-throat) seems to have appreciated the wine.

Cheers

daz

A couple of rip snorters the last couple of days....

1991 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz - almost as good as it gets for Aussie shiraz. This is Audrey Hepburn meets Bono - class, sophistication and elegance with a rock star frame. Intoxicating nose, still somewhat youthful palate with incredible complexity and an endless finish. Will be there when the whips are cracking for my WOTY in 2010. For my tastes, hands down the best BP ever made (though I haven't tasted the first 2 made).

NV Andre Clouet 1911 - this is probably my favourite NV, even in front of Krug. Complexity, refinement and everything I love in champers. Just a shame they don't make much of it.

2007 Craggy Range Block 14 Syrah- Dark ripe voluptuous fruits. Good linear length and persistence, with fine silty tannins. Very Good.

I am more and more impressed with Kiwi wines...

Cheers,

Monghead.

monghead wrote:2007 Craggy Range Block 14 Syrah- Dark ripe voluptuous fruits. Good linear length and persistence, with fine silty tannins. Very Good.

I am more and more impressed with Kiwi wines...

Cheers,

Monghead.

Agreed, this is a good wine. (See my post in the "Sunday January 3" thread). Some prefer it to the "LE Sol", however, the Le Sol is about three steps up in terms of power and concentration, and if you ever have the two together (as I have), the difference is marked. I greatly prefer the "Le Sol".

I tried the first of a half-dozen Neagles Rock 08 Cab Sav bought at the cellar-door on the weekend. Showed its youth and seven second breathing on night 1 - though still enjoyable, the second-half of the bottle the following night was very very nice.

2009 Brokenwood Semillon- Zesty lemons with a freshly mown grass lift. Light, tight and lean. A great aperetif. Good Good.

Hmmm... may just be coming around to young semillons.

Cheers,

Monghead.

Warning NWR - But........

I thought the last day of the last decade/century/millennium was 31 Dec 2000. If the first day of this decade was 1/1/2001 (as would make sense) doesn't the decade finish at the end of 2010. You don't start counting at zero. You have done ten when you have completed ten, or am I wrong? I have pondered this question when I have heard it on the radio or on TV.

Present your arguments please.

Cheers

Michael

Michael McNally wrote:Warning NWR - But........

I thought the last day of the last decade/century/millennium was 31 Dec 2000. If the first day of this decade was 1/1/2001 (as would make sense) doesn't the decade finish at the end of 2010. You don't start counting at zero. You have done ten when you have completed ten, or am I wrong? I have pondered this question when I have heard it on the radio or on TV.

Present your arguments please.

Cheers

Michael

Michael,

Wifey and I had the same discussion on NYE...

Is this the first day of the new decade, or is this the first day of the last year of the present decade?

Well, I guess it really depends on whether there was a year 0. Was there a 0AD, or did it go from 1BC to 1AD?

In typical monghead fashion, I forgot to google this fact, but thank you Michael, I now have, and you are right (Wiki says 1BC to 1AD, no year zero). This is the first week of the last year of the present decade... Tried to amend the title, but can't

Yeah, doesn't quite have the same ring to it heh?

Cheers,

Monghead.

It is good that the noughties ends with a nought

cheers

Carl

Perennial argument about decades, centuries, millenia. If the first year ends in one, the 10th year ends in zero, count it using your fingers if you still have all of those most of us were originally born with.

Best wine of the year to date has been the remaining 1/2 bottle of Tahbilk cab 05 left over from NYE.

daz

Happy new year to all.

Haven't posted since before Christmas, so this accounts for much of the memorable stuff over the past few weeks. Some unmemorable stuff was also consumed, but I forget what exactly (as per definition).

Te Mata Elston Chardonnay 07 - Good
Te Mata Elston Chardonnay 08 - Good; stuck me as a little lighter in body than 07
Te Mata Coleraine 07 - Not yet drinking especially well; I was disappointed with this wine, frankly. Sophia knocks it into a cocked hat (see below)
Te Mata Bullnose Syrah 08 - Pretty good, but, for me, lacks the charm of Church Road Reserve or Craggy Range. Preferred their 05/06
Te Mata Cape Crest 07 - Still lovely; drunk at a barbecue, and not given the attention it deserved
Te Mata Cape Crest 09 - Very good. Not so strident as top Saint Clair savvy, rather more subtle, yet still nicely concentrated in flavour
Te Mata Woodthorpe Gamay Noir 09 - Drank ok initially, but rather dry and ordinary toward the end of the bottle

Craggy Range Block 14 Syrah 07 - Very good syrah; highly recommended. Drank a couple of generous glasses at the vineyard restaurant in Hawkes Bay
Craggy Range Sophia 07 - Stunning wine. Absolutely brilliant. Reminded me of some recent SRL vintages, interestingly, but probably even more impressive. So smooth already, but man has it got power and balance. Made the 07 Coleraine tasted the next day seem positively ordinary. Had a bottle over two nights.
Craggy Range Te Muna Road Chardonnay 08 - Ok, not great - too oaky without the fruit to support it.
Craggy Range Fletcher Vineyard Riesling 08 - Nice, off-dry style, refreshing and tasty
Craggy Range Te Muna Road Pinot Noir 08 - Rather ordinary; very much in the red-fruit spectrum

Mission Estate Jewelstone Chardonnay 08 - Almost overpowering, its so creamy and rich, but its sure is tasty. If you're in the mood for this style, its rather good. Not sure I was in the mood though.
Mission Estate Reserve Syrah 07 - This was pretty good. Making good syrah in the Hawkes Bay in 07 must have been like shooting fish in a bucket.

Deutz Methode Tradionelle NV - Nice, but the bottle disappeared and I got less inside me than was hoped.
Pirathon Shiraz 05 - Drying out, and slowly turning into raisin soup. Which is a shame, as it was excellent only three years ago.
Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Spatlese 05 - This was lovely. A little spritzy on opening, and full of orange fruit {Only 8% alc.}
Pegasus Bay Riesling 06 - This was enjoyed more than the FH, funnily enough. Not disimilar in style, but higher alc here. Perhaps that what hit the spot.

Bick wrote:Te Mata Coleraine 07 - Not yet drinking especially well; I was disappointed with this wine, frankly. Sophia knocks it into a cocked hat

I picked up a couple of 06s last year on a whim while in NZ, having never actually tried the wine. Have I wasted my money?

Loztralia wrote:

Bick wrote:Te Mata Coleraine 07 - Not yet drinking especially well; I was disappointed with this wine, frankly. Sophia knocks it into a cocked hat

I picked up a couple of 06s last year on a whim while in NZ, having never actually tried the wine. Have I wasted my money?

I doubt it. I had an 05 about a year ago that was very, very good. I expect the 07 is "a good wine", as all the critics seem to say so, but it didn't float my boat as I had hoped/expected. Of course, Coleraine is notorious for being underwhelming at release (less immediately appealing than its stablemate Awatea) but generally comes good. That said, I felt both the Awatea and Coleraine 07's were less well balanced than prior recent vintages despite the plaudits for this vintage. I realise that runs against the tide of most (more quailified) opinion though. Craig and or others should feel free to label me a philistine...

2008 Tyrrells Vat 7 Shiraz
A nice easy drinker. Agreeable.

2009 Tyrrells Vat 9 Semillon
Slightly broad for a Hunter sem but it has typicity. Good wine and should improve. A bargain.

2002 RBJ Theologicum
So musky! Such lovely undergrowth and earthy character. Just wish they could do it at 13 as opposed to 16 percent alcohol as the hot finish is slightly disjointed. Very good!

Last night, we had a delightful wine.

2008 Bindi Composition Pinot Noir- Vibrant hue, see through, but slightly cloudy. Strawberries, cherries, forest floor. Reminded me of the Epis which we had recently, but this was darker and more complex. Smooth tannins. Very Good.

monghead wrote:Last night, we had a delightful wine.

2008 Bindi Composition Pinot Noir- Vibrant hue, see through, but slightly cloudy. Strawberries, cherries, forest floor. Reminded me of the Epis which we had recently, but this was darker and more complex. Smooth tannins. Very Good.

Hmmm....tempting! darker and more complex are two tempting descriptors.

cheers

Carl

griff wrote:2008 Tyrrells Vat 7 Shiraz
A nice easy drinker. Agreeable.

2009 Tyrrells Vat 9 Semillon
Slightly broad for a Hunter sem but it has typicity. Good wine and should improve. A bargain.

Did a double-take when I read this... Vat 9 Semillon? Vat 7 Shiraz? Have they totally reassigned their Vats?

odyssey wrote:

griff wrote:2008 Tyrrells Vat 7 Shiraz
A nice easy drinker. Agreeable.

2009 Tyrrells Vat 9 Semillon
Slightly broad for a Hunter sem but it has typicity. Good wine and should improve. A bargain.

Did a double-take when I read this... Vat 9 Semillon? Vat 7 Shiraz? Have they totally reassigned their Vats?

I think I wrote them down right. I'll check the recycling. No it is the Vat 7 Shiraz and the Vat 15 Semillon. They are the quaffing wines at $7 a pop. Great case fillers

cheers

Carl

2009 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Riesling- Tight, focussed, slate minerality with pristine lemon acidity. Very Good.

Cheers,

Monghead.

We opened a 1985 Brokenwood Graveyard Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (that's right) the other night. Bought as an experiment and, well, it was probably more successful than this experiment but only just. Blotted it out with a 2006 Bartholomew Park Estate Zinfandel we got in Sonoma, which was pleasant if unremarkable.

2006 Domaine Collotte 'Le Clos de Jeu' Marsannay Burgundy
Pretty good, powerful on the nose and palate (thanks Daz ).
Generous fruits & tannins suggested it will integrate and improve over next few years.