TN: Adelaide Offline at Cos with Sparky 14/4/11
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 12:10 am
The first Adelaide offline for 2011 happened a little later than usual, partly because of the late vintage and other events, partly because I haven't been motivated, but Mark has fortunately taken the baton for it to finally happen. My thanks to everyone for sharing their fine wines and equally fine company, Mark for organising it, and to Cos for the great food.
1996 Yellowglen Cuvee Victoria (cork): Bright straw with an average mousse and course bead. Toasty and yeasty, full of grapefruit and a little apple, some more aldehydic notes appearing with breathing; the palate's solid but not particularly creamy, and goes flat fairly quickly. It's probably just a little past its best, but still a nice enough wine to break the ice.
1996 Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon, Hunter Valley (cork): Toasty with some lovely sandy/oyster characters, but there's still fresh lemon fruit in abundance, a touch of lanolin and lemon marmalade at times too; the palate's tight and pristine with lovely acidity and a tight, long finish. Not quite as impressive as the 1997 a couple of months ago, but still looking very good with years in reserve.
2006 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River (screwcap): Very peachy and sweet with a massive oak injection, but overall I thought the slight flaws that I picked out in the vertical last month are still there. The fruit weight is definitely lighter for a LEAS, the acidity and oak are slightly sticking out and there is a hollowness about three-quarters through the palate, although there is a nice rebound of smoky bacon/nutty oak on the end. It's a nice chardonnay, but I'm still not convinced that it's a great LEAS.
2006 St. Huberts Chardonnay, Yarra Valley (screwcap): In direct contrast to the LEAS this had a decidedly milky texture, and wasn't as big, bold and oaky; there's still a good core of grapefruit, bright acidity and (wild yeast?) tuna-like characters. It's nowhere near as big and flashy but is drinking well enough now, and should become quite buttery in a few years for those malo-freaks out there.
1985 Chateau Tahbilk 1860 Vines Shiraz, Nagambie Lakes (cork): Bright red. A lovely, fully developed wine, medium-weight and soft, leathery and tarry with strawberries, spices and just a little coconut and mushroom, finishing earthy and grippy but equally soft. While a few thought this was a little past its peak, I thought this was spot-on, one of the highlights of the night.
1991 Wendouree Shiraz, Clare Valley (cork): Medium red. There’s definitely a mothball-like character that Moira picked out, but there's also cool blackcurrant and black cherry fruit, black liquorice and menthol with the finest dusting of white pepper imaginable. The palate's medium-weight and grippy with black tea like tannins and meaty nuances, finishing very long and lacy; an impressive showing tonight.
1998 Wendouree Shiraz Mataro, Clare Valley (cork): Medium to dark red/brick. Looked really flat and unimpressive next to the 1991 Shiraz, mineraly and slightly jammy, a little damp with bilgy old oak on the finish. To be honest I had the suspicion this was possibly ever so slightly scalped, although I was equally unimpressed with this vintage at the vertical last year.
1982 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon magnum (cork): Dark red. When I opened this at home I didn't immediately pick it as corked but had a sense something wasn't quite right and took my spares. A couple of hours later the taint had come to the surface, and while there was a great core of red fruits and earthy/truffle characters the damage was done. A group of us bought these Wynns refilled and recorked magnums a few years ago from a local retailer, and from memory three out of four have been corked.
1995 Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz, Clare Valley (cork): The colour is still an impressive dark to inky red, but unfortunately that's the most impressive thing about it; it's one-dimensional with tannins that outweigh and will outlive the medium-weight minty/black cherry fruit by decades. Disappointing, even for a 1995 SA red.
1999 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz, Barossa Valley (cork): Dark to very dark red. Very stocky and meaty at first, liquorice allsorts, dark chocolate and some VA lift; the palate's bright and tangy with cherries and blueberries, almost grenache-like, finishing very dry. To be honest I was expecting more weight, and wasn't impressed considering the reputation of the vintage and the wines that followed.
2000 Mount Mary Quintet, Yarra Valley (cork): Medium to dark blood red. Beautifully perfumed with pure, lifted creme de cassis and a touch of dry herbs, while the palate's soft, medium-weight and just as elegant, with fine, chalky tannins and exceptional length. It was the one wine that I really wanted to go back to, but not surprisingly it disappeared very quickly. WOTN for me.
2000 Houghton Jack Mann, Frankland River (cork): Very dark red/purple. Raw and powerful compared to the Quintet, with obvious cedar oak, VA lift and syrupy blackcurrants/blueberries that are tarry and tart; with breathing it's noticeably minty and herbal, even slightly vegetal. An impressive wine on its own, but for all its swagger I preferred the elegance of the Quintet tonight.
2002 Elderton Command Shiraz, Barossa Valley (screwcap): If I thought the 2000 Jack Mann was heavy on the oak this was over the top, full of coconut, varnish, white coffee, cloves and vanilla ice cream, all on top of blackberry syrup and black liquorice, becoming medicinal with breathing. Unfortunately the solid core of fruit, balance and length gets lost amongst all that sweet oak.
1999 Parker Coonawarra Estate First Growth Cabernet Sauvignon (cork): Dark to very dark red. I think this was younger and better than the last bottle I remember, cool-climate with mint, blackcurrant, ash and earth; this is travelling very nicely and should benefit even more with another 3-8 years on this form.
1972 Wolf Blass Bilyara Vintage Port (cork): Made from Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz from Clare, Barossa & the Riverland. More like a tawny than a vintage, with heavy rancio characters; that said it's still very pretty, medium-weight and nutty with lifted spirit, smoky vanilla, hazelnuts and a bright finish. Much more advanced than my previous bottle, but considering its condition that wasn't a surprise.
1944 Seppelt Para Liqueur, Barossa Valley (cork): The bouquet seems a little leathery, earthy and tired, but the palate's much better, significantly bigger and darker than the 1972 Bilyara with walnuts, espresso, dark chocolate and toast, the length exceptional. It's not the best Para I've tried, but still a pleasure to taste.
2005 Coates Fortified Shiraz, McLaren Vale 500ml (DIAM): I wasn' happy with the Bilyara so I opened this, a classic, hedonistic yet surprisingly elegant VP-style, inky and custardy with black cherries and jubes, layered and lifted with fine, elegant spirit and malty oak in the background. A classic in the making, and a brilliant finish to the dinner.
Cheers,
Ian
1996 Yellowglen Cuvee Victoria (cork): Bright straw with an average mousse and course bead. Toasty and yeasty, full of grapefruit and a little apple, some more aldehydic notes appearing with breathing; the palate's solid but not particularly creamy, and goes flat fairly quickly. It's probably just a little past its best, but still a nice enough wine to break the ice.
1996 Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon, Hunter Valley (cork): Toasty with some lovely sandy/oyster characters, but there's still fresh lemon fruit in abundance, a touch of lanolin and lemon marmalade at times too; the palate's tight and pristine with lovely acidity and a tight, long finish. Not quite as impressive as the 1997 a couple of months ago, but still looking very good with years in reserve.
2006 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River (screwcap): Very peachy and sweet with a massive oak injection, but overall I thought the slight flaws that I picked out in the vertical last month are still there. The fruit weight is definitely lighter for a LEAS, the acidity and oak are slightly sticking out and there is a hollowness about three-quarters through the palate, although there is a nice rebound of smoky bacon/nutty oak on the end. It's a nice chardonnay, but I'm still not convinced that it's a great LEAS.
2006 St. Huberts Chardonnay, Yarra Valley (screwcap): In direct contrast to the LEAS this had a decidedly milky texture, and wasn't as big, bold and oaky; there's still a good core of grapefruit, bright acidity and (wild yeast?) tuna-like characters. It's nowhere near as big and flashy but is drinking well enough now, and should become quite buttery in a few years for those malo-freaks out there.
1985 Chateau Tahbilk 1860 Vines Shiraz, Nagambie Lakes (cork): Bright red. A lovely, fully developed wine, medium-weight and soft, leathery and tarry with strawberries, spices and just a little coconut and mushroom, finishing earthy and grippy but equally soft. While a few thought this was a little past its peak, I thought this was spot-on, one of the highlights of the night.
1991 Wendouree Shiraz, Clare Valley (cork): Medium red. There’s definitely a mothball-like character that Moira picked out, but there's also cool blackcurrant and black cherry fruit, black liquorice and menthol with the finest dusting of white pepper imaginable. The palate's medium-weight and grippy with black tea like tannins and meaty nuances, finishing very long and lacy; an impressive showing tonight.
1998 Wendouree Shiraz Mataro, Clare Valley (cork): Medium to dark red/brick. Looked really flat and unimpressive next to the 1991 Shiraz, mineraly and slightly jammy, a little damp with bilgy old oak on the finish. To be honest I had the suspicion this was possibly ever so slightly scalped, although I was equally unimpressed with this vintage at the vertical last year.
1982 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon magnum (cork): Dark red. When I opened this at home I didn't immediately pick it as corked but had a sense something wasn't quite right and took my spares. A couple of hours later the taint had come to the surface, and while there was a great core of red fruits and earthy/truffle characters the damage was done. A group of us bought these Wynns refilled and recorked magnums a few years ago from a local retailer, and from memory three out of four have been corked.
1995 Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz, Clare Valley (cork): The colour is still an impressive dark to inky red, but unfortunately that's the most impressive thing about it; it's one-dimensional with tannins that outweigh and will outlive the medium-weight minty/black cherry fruit by decades. Disappointing, even for a 1995 SA red.
1999 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz, Barossa Valley (cork): Dark to very dark red. Very stocky and meaty at first, liquorice allsorts, dark chocolate and some VA lift; the palate's bright and tangy with cherries and blueberries, almost grenache-like, finishing very dry. To be honest I was expecting more weight, and wasn't impressed considering the reputation of the vintage and the wines that followed.
2000 Mount Mary Quintet, Yarra Valley (cork): Medium to dark blood red. Beautifully perfumed with pure, lifted creme de cassis and a touch of dry herbs, while the palate's soft, medium-weight and just as elegant, with fine, chalky tannins and exceptional length. It was the one wine that I really wanted to go back to, but not surprisingly it disappeared very quickly. WOTN for me.
2000 Houghton Jack Mann, Frankland River (cork): Very dark red/purple. Raw and powerful compared to the Quintet, with obvious cedar oak, VA lift and syrupy blackcurrants/blueberries that are tarry and tart; with breathing it's noticeably minty and herbal, even slightly vegetal. An impressive wine on its own, but for all its swagger I preferred the elegance of the Quintet tonight.
2002 Elderton Command Shiraz, Barossa Valley (screwcap): If I thought the 2000 Jack Mann was heavy on the oak this was over the top, full of coconut, varnish, white coffee, cloves and vanilla ice cream, all on top of blackberry syrup and black liquorice, becoming medicinal with breathing. Unfortunately the solid core of fruit, balance and length gets lost amongst all that sweet oak.
1999 Parker Coonawarra Estate First Growth Cabernet Sauvignon (cork): Dark to very dark red. I think this was younger and better than the last bottle I remember, cool-climate with mint, blackcurrant, ash and earth; this is travelling very nicely and should benefit even more with another 3-8 years on this form.
1972 Wolf Blass Bilyara Vintage Port (cork): Made from Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz from Clare, Barossa & the Riverland. More like a tawny than a vintage, with heavy rancio characters; that said it's still very pretty, medium-weight and nutty with lifted spirit, smoky vanilla, hazelnuts and a bright finish. Much more advanced than my previous bottle, but considering its condition that wasn't a surprise.
1944 Seppelt Para Liqueur, Barossa Valley (cork): The bouquet seems a little leathery, earthy and tired, but the palate's much better, significantly bigger and darker than the 1972 Bilyara with walnuts, espresso, dark chocolate and toast, the length exceptional. It's not the best Para I've tried, but still a pleasure to taste.
2005 Coates Fortified Shiraz, McLaren Vale 500ml (DIAM): I wasn' happy with the Bilyara so I opened this, a classic, hedonistic yet surprisingly elegant VP-style, inky and custardy with black cherries and jubes, layered and lifted with fine, elegant spirit and malty oak in the background. A classic in the making, and a brilliant finish to the dinner.
Cheers,
Ian
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