The Auswine Forum

Haven't had too much to report the last few months ... too much going on at work and at home. Summer is now here in the UK and hopefully a bit more time to enjoy some nice wine. I have been quaffing aussie rieslings but found a few gems based on my growing principles of looking for top wine with more age ...

Three gems to start off the month, first two I have drunk before, third I have been watching out for a while -

3 x Wynns Centenary Shiraz Cabernet 1991
1 x Mg Penfolds St. Henri 2004
2 x Saltram Winemaker's Selection Cabernet 2002 (Dorrien fruit I believe)

See how the rest of May progresses ...

12 x 2008 Chapel Hill Vicar shiraz.

3 x D'Arenburg Wild Pixies 2008
3 x D'Arenburg Laughing Magpie 2008
3 x Battle of Bosworth Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
1 x Mt Langi Billi Billi Shiraz
2 x Delta Pinot Noir 2009
3 x ninth island Pinot noir
3 x 2008 Mother's Milk Shiraz

1 x 2006 Grange
2 x 2006 St Henri

3x the following
08 Marius End Play
08 Marius Symphony
07 Marius Symposium
06 Marius Symposium

12x '09 Colonial Estate Exile

2x '10 Giant Steps Tarrafour Chardonnay
2x '10 Giant Steps Arthuts Chardonnay
2x '10 Giant Steps Gladysdale Pinot

4x '10 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc
1x '07 Maurice O'Shea Shiraz
2x '09 Clonakilla O'Riada
2x '09 Clonakilla Hilltops
3x '09 Bests Bin1

A dozen The Colonial Estate Mungo Park Shiraz 2009

Hope they're as good as the hype - I'm told the 08's were pretty stunning

2 x 2006 Saltram No. 1
1 x 1999 Rockford SVS Hoffmann
2 x 2000 Rockford SVS Hoffmann

Picked up the following Pinots on / after a visit to Queenstown / Cromwell over Easter:

Bannock Brae Barrel Selection 2009
Quartz Reef Bendigo Block '07 & '08
Burn Cottage Vineyard '09

And some Te Mata Coleraine '09

Cheers
Peter

6 x 2010 Head Old Vines grenache
6 x 2010 Hoddles Creek chardonnay
2 x 2010 Hoddles Creek pinot blanc

12 x 2006 Rolf Binder Christa Rolf Shiraz Grenache
6 x 2008 Deviation Road Adelaide Hills Reserve Shiraz
6 x 2009 Chalk Hill McClaren Vale Cabernet
6 x 2006 Cirillo 1850's Old Vine Grenache
6 x 2010 Head Old Vine Grenache

Another couple
2 x 2009 Bay of Fires Pinot Noir

Yarra Yerring No1 and 2, 6 of each.

A mixture of Fourrier 2008 Burgundies; 2008 seems to be talked up as a good year (time will tell), and Fourrier is on the rise.
12 Gevrey Chambertin VV
12 various 1er incl some CSJ, les Goulots, les Gruenchers, and les Cherbaudes

cheers,

DM

A couple more of 2007 Stonecroft Syrah. One of the very best of the vintage and in today's world $37 a bottle is bloody good value. Any of you kiwis wanna know where pm me or talk to me Sunday

I also just noted the new owners have wasted no time in extracting value out of the winery with 2009 Stonecroft Syrah being relabeled 'Reserve' "to avoid confusion" and oh this is now gonna cost you $60 a bottle because "the wine tends to sell out quickly"

And oh it is now the 2nd tier wine in the rankings anyway as there is now a super cuvee called 2009 Stonecroft 'The Original' which is $80 a bottle

Good buys don't stay forever??

A couple Mt Mary 2008 Quintet

Craig(NZ) wrote:Good buys don't stay forever??

Good bye Good buy!

cheers

Carl

Long weekend in South Australia

All singles except the Tintara

92 Henschke Mount Edelstone
06 BVE Ebeneezer Shiraz
06 BVE Black Pepper Shiraz
NV BVE Sparkling Shiraz (CD only)
08 Rockford Moppa Springs…actually not certain of the vintage
08 Rockford Rifle Range
08 Rockford Basket Press
05 Hardys Eileen Hardy Shiraz
06 Hardys Tintara Reserve Shiraz
08 Sons of Eden Romulus
Kambinye Kerner…cant remember what vintage

Some visit notes:
Bought the Basket Press purely out of obligation, honestly didn’t really rate it (no offense Dave ), liked their Moppa and rifle range looked good though.
The standout wine would have to be the Sons of Eden Romulus, a real eye catcher in terms of balance and smooth long finish of typical Barossan characters. Highly recommended even at $60.
Best cellar door was Henschke, loads to try and museum releases available.
Best food was lunch at Star of Greece at Port Willunga, the most appropriate description would be those three letters…..OMG. It was one of the best meals we’ve had, and that’s saying nothing about the wonderful setting.
Ended up not leaving for hours and missed visting/tasting Samuels Gorge or SC Pannell, the 2 vineyards I was most interested in. Next time….

Arrived back to the Felton Road emailer,…. looks like an expensive finish to the month then.
Actually did anyone go to the Felton back vintage tasting at Easter? If so, any standouts?

Cheers
Michael

Magnum of 08 Puriri Hills Reserve
ouch

Also had a few days in the Barossa.
Couple of Gomersal Magnums 05 & 06 Shiraz
2004 Rockford Home Block Cabernet Magnum
2003 Rockford Hoffman's Shiraz
I also won these at the Black Magnum Golf Day
6 x 2006 Rockford Moppa Springs
6 x 2006 Rockford Local Growers Semillon
And a couple of back vintage bargains from MSV
12 2005 Murray Street Vineyards Grenache
12 2003 Murray Street Vineyards Shiraz

The optometrist and TWS telemarketers seem determined to keep a credit card at the limit. Couldn't resist the offer of Forest Hill Vineyard Great Southern Riesling 2010 for $15.99/btl so ordered three and (for the bigots amongst us) to fill out the 6pk, another three Saltram Barossa Shiraz Cabernet 2006 for $13.99/btl after having enjoyed a bottle of the three previously bought. If the Bird In Hand Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2009 had still been available I probably would've substituted it for a bottle or two of the Saltram -the BIH is really a very good+ chardonnay. The $7 freight is reasonable for a 6pk, pretty good for a doz.

Halliday's TN of the FH riesling reads better than his 94pts rating (drink to 2025) and the price is 20% lower than TWS' regular price of $19.99, also $10 less than rrp/cellar door. Great Southern rieslings can rival those from SA, even Polish Hill River. The first vines planted in the Mt Barker area were at Forest Hill Vineyard and its early reputation for high quality wine was built on its riesling. The best fruit of the original riesling vines comprise the Block 1 Riesling - just a bit of wine trivia for those who may be interested.

Halliday also rated the Saltram blend 94pts, again with a very complimentary tasting note. The one bottle I've tried certainly had enough compexity to make it interesting as well as enjoyable. As Halliday noted, it's a wine that displays the strength of the union of these two varieties which is a blend possibly unique to Australia. I have no idea how it faired in Mattinson's Great Australian Red evaluation/s but reckon Hallidays's rating is about right. It's drinking nicely now but has a window to 2015 according to Halliday. With six years age since vintage, I think it has the structure to easily cellar for another five, if not at least eight years.

6 * 2009 Wynns Coonawarra Shiraz
5 * 2005 ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^

While in Champagne...

2002 Vilmart Couer du Cuvee
1996 Henriot Enchanteleurs
NV Selosse Orginal
2004 Bereche L'Instant
2002 Philipponnat 1522

Jay60A wrote:Haven't had too much to report the last few months ... too much going on at work and at home. Summer is now here in the UK and hopefully a bit more time to enjoy some nice wine. I have been quaffing aussie rieslings but found a few gems based on my growing principles of looking for top wine with more age ...

Three gems to start off the month, first two I have drunk before, third I have been watching out for a while -

3 x Wynns Centenary Shiraz Cabernet 1991
1 x Mg Penfolds St. Henri 2004
2 x Saltram Winemaker's Selection Cabernet 2002 (Dorrien fruit I believe)

See how the rest of May progresses ...

Hi, would love to hear how the Centenary goes. Down to my last 6.
Am tempted to get some more via auction, as prices are quite reasonable.
A big call i know, but clearly the best cab/shiraz that i have ever had.
Cheers Craig.

Mike Hawkins wrote:While in Champagne...

2002 Vilmart Couer du Cuvee yes please ... visited, loved the place, loved the wines!
1996 Henriot Enchanteleurs not tried, but good maker, great vintage
NV Selosse Orginal .... yummmmmmmmm
2004 Bereche L'Instant Unknown, tell me about it
2002 Philipponnat 1522

As a Champagne lover Mike, tell me about these?

.

Yes, retailers buy wine too!!!

2010 Head Wines The Old Vine Grenache
2010 Head Wines The Contrarian

Cédric Bouchard Inflorescence Blanc de Noirs Val Vilaine NV
Vouette et Sorbée Fidele Blanc de Noir

.

Added to the month's purchases a mixed 6 pack of Puriri Hills at Sunday's forum visit (4 x '08 Reserve & 2 x '08 Pope), & then spotted the '06 Reserve in a Wgtn wine shop today for $37 (vs circa $70 ex winery) so picked up one of those as well ... seller knew the wine & said it was a good buy ...

Some cheapies on Graysonline

2001 Geoff Merrill Chardy (still an amazing drop for about $2 a bottle)
some Farmer's choice bubbly (12 botts for $78 delivered)
a dozen of the local Dan Murphy Wynns Coonawarra SHIRAZ AT $8 A POP

Ive got on the Wynns bandwagon as well... now have neat 6pks put away of '05, '07 and '09... dont know whats with the pattern of missing the even years

Luke W wrote:Some cheapies on Graysonline

2001 Geoff Merrill Chardy (still an amazing drop for about $2 a bottle)
some Farmer's choice bubbly (12 botts for $78 delivered)
a dozen of the local Dan Murphy Wynns Coonawarra SHIRAZ AT $8 A POP

Luke whats better the 2001 or 2002? cheers

12 x Wynns 2009 Shiraz - like everyone else has done this week
12 x Head Red 2010 Shiraz Viognier
6 x Head 2010 The Contrarian Shiraz
6 x 2006 Meerea Park Alexander Munro Shiraz Cleanskins @$16 a bottle
6 x 2010 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling
4 x 2010 Springvale Riesling

Added to the month's purchases a mixed 6 pack of Puriri Hills at Sunday's forum visit (4 x '08 Reserve & 2 x '08 Pope), & then spotted the '06 Reserve in a Wgtn wine shop today for $37 (vs circa $70 ex winery) so picked up one of those as well ... seller knew the wine & said it was a good buy ...

Nice. I picked up a 02 Reserve last year for $15