The Auswine Forum

Ok I will start this this week

For me just been drinking expensive wines for the hell of it lately. I have too many of them so why buy more wine when I need to lighten the top end of the cellar

1994 Muga "Torre Muga" Rioja This is the "Terraces" of the Muga empire; the luxury cuvee. I picked up for a silly $25 about a decade ago. Extremely complex and complete wine with an enormous length of flavour and interplay between savoury and sweet. Beautifully structured and layered. Drinking perfectly but no rush, easily another 5 years in this probably more. Best matched with nothing at all, not too many friends and sipped over an evening

This afternoon -

2002 Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon
1996 Orlando Jacaranda Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon
1998 Seppelt Great Western Reserve Shiraz

Drank these with friends and family over a BBQ this afternoon.

The Wynns was just to get things started, without being over the top. Lubrication so to speak. It was above my expectation given that 2002 Coonawarra isn't thought highly of. A very 'true' cabernet sauvignon. Lovely and peppery.

As for the next two, wow. And wow. Wow. Lost for words. The Seppelt in particular was profound. Scary that I reckon it still has 10-15 years worth of life in it. But an amazing drink even now. Amazing depth. Lovely blackcurrent taste. Got better and better. And that was with only a 1 hour decant.

The Jacaranda Ridge was everything its reputation suggested. Brilliant length. Lovely and smooth.

Two incredible wines. Wish I was better at writing up these reviews and then I could do them more justice.

AndrewCowley wrote:This afternoon -

2002 Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon
1996 Orlando Jacaranda Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon
1998 Seppelt Great Western Reserve Shiraz

Drank these with friends and family over a BBQ this afternoon.

The Wynns was just to get things started, without being over the top. Lubrication so to speak. It was above my expectation given that 2002 Coonawarra isn't thought highly of. A very 'true' cabernet sauvignon. Lovely and peppery.

As for the next two, wow. And wow. Wow. Lost for words. The Seppelt in particular was profound. Scary that I reckon it still has 10-15 years worth of life in it. But an amazing drink even now. Amazing depth. Lovely blackcurrent taste. Got better and better. And that was with only a 1 hour decant.

The Jacaranda Ridge was everything its reputation suggested. Brilliant length. Lovely and smooth.

Two incredible wines. Wish I was better at writing up these reviews and then I could do them more justice.

Not bad BBQ wines!
Chuck

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From a local auction house yesterday I couldn't wait to open a Kangarilla Road McLaren Vale 2004 Shiraz Viognier. A full bodied wine that rang all the right bells. Superb fruit and right at its peak of drinking. Very very nice. My sort of wine and perfect winter drinking. Don't think it would be as good in summer; just too mouthfilling. Handled the 15% well. Eaten with a slow cooked osso buco and a fresh crusty bread. Bliss.

Balgownie Estate 2006 Chardonnay. Vey nice

Majella 2007 Coonawarra Musician. Like to see it in a few years. I just can't get with recent vintage reds. They seem a little awkward and disjointed.

Chuck

Chuck wrote:Not bad BBQ wines!
Chuck

Worth clarifying that the Wynns was the BBQ quaffer and the other two were given the time required afterwards.

Craig(NZ) wrote:Best matched with nothing at all, not too many friends and sipped over an evening

I love this advice!

1998 Barossa Valley Estate Black Pepper Shiraz- Dense, dark, fulfilling. Everything you could want in a Barossa shiraz... Christmas cake with creamy vanilla brandy sauce, porcini mushrooms, and hints of chestnut jam. Very Very Good.

Michael McNally wrote:

Craig(NZ) wrote:Best matched with nothing at all, not too many friends and sipped over an evening

I love this advice!

Yes, beautiful advice that.

Decided to crack a couple of decent bottles to track how they are travelling

1996 Wynns Michael Shiraz- WOW is all I can really say this was a beautiful drink. Hard to describe in my lack of elegant prose.

1999 Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz - So totally different to the Michael and tasted like a fruit bomb in comparison. Tannins had really settled and seems like it has a lot of years ahead of it yet.

Warramate White Label Yarra Valley Shiraz 2008

Definitely lighter this year but I think it will end up being one very long lived wine.

Light ruby coloured. Pinot coloured. Nose of cranberry, glacé cherry and smoky overtones. Subdued and feline nose, though crystal clear flavours. Light bodied, all cherries and spice with elegant, almost pretty fruit. Licoricey mid palate. Crisp acid through the finish, if just a tad watery. Nice dry tannins.

Too elegant? Perhaps, but I think this will only blossom with bottle age. 17.2/90+

Brokenwood Graveyard Hunter Valley Shiraz 2007

Very Hunter and divisively so. I'm not convinced this is the best vintage of Graveyard, but there is a certain youthful gawkiness that covers what could be an impressive wine in the longer run. Really important plus signs.

Leather. New Leather. Wet dirt. Chook poo. Hunter. Reductive. Infant palate. Awkward acid. Beginnings of Hunter stink all through the palate. Surprising lack of cut through the finish. At the moment it doesn't taste anything like a $140 wine, but it will get better. Based on this bottle, at this point in time, the score is conservative. 16.7/89+

Yalumba Single Site Eden Valley Shiraz 2006

No questions about the quality here. Solid old vine Eden Shiraz drinking delightfully. Yum.

Red fruit and just a hint of the barnyard on the nose. Straw. Clean palate starts with red fruit and then gets richer, blacker and firmer as it goes along, fanning out into truffles and roasted meat. Complexity plus! Lots of flavour and interest here, finishing chewy and firm. Distinctive, enjoyable wine. 18.5/94

Peter Lehmann Eight Songs Shiraz 2005

Suffered by following the last wine. The only thing that I don't like here is the alcohol heat through the finish. Good wine regardless.

Dense, rich, oaky and very full Barossan red. Chocolate and cocoa powder. Roasted red fruits. Maybe a tad overripe, with just a smidgen of meaty, figgy overripeness. Can't fault the chewy generosity of the palate though, which is typical Eight Songs and unquestionably attractive. Alcohol heat through the finish not so.
Good, if not quite the best vintage for this wine. 17.5/91

Andrew