The Auswine Forum

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2006 De Lisio Grenache. McLaren Vale. 16%. Cork. Made for the American market and was supposedly given 95pts by Robert Parker Junior. I don't see that rating myself but I can see why it appealed to him. The alcohol was quite evident and it was a real fruit bomb. Amongst the biggest of Grenache's that I've had and was more akin to a Barossa example, but without the confection. Was slightly better the next night. This is normally my style but this just didn't come together that well and maybe lacked a little something. 3/5

2009 Forrest Hill Chardonnay. Great Southern. 13.5%. Screwcap. This was enjoyed with a chicken dish. Had a good dose of acidity. Plenty of fruit and the oak was only a minor player. To me, this is more the new style of Australian Chardonnay and not what I expect from the west. Came together OK and was also better the next evening. 3.5/5

Cheers
Ian

Palandri The Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 This is produced using fruit selected from three Palandri estates in WA. About 2/3 of the bottle was recapped and spent about 24 hours in the fridge. Not quite full-bodied, there's red and black cherry with just a little blackberry. Oak is almost imperceptible, acid soft and tannins like the oak. Finishes a bit short. Pleasant enough drinking now, I doubt it'll benefit from further cellaring.

Thomas Wines Braemore Semillon 2012 - A little more rounded than both the 10 and 11. Acid not quite as piercing. Too early to drink, and doesn't have the immediate appeal of the 10 and 11. Will be a classic with 10 years on it though. 92

Thomas Wines Kiss Shiraz 2010 - Beautiful wine. Elegant, yet earthy. Tannins so fine and oak perfectly integrated. Just a delicious mix of sour cherry and vanilla - the most moreish 2010 Hunter shiraz I have tasted. 95

Capital Wines The Ambassador Tempranillo 2010 - A bit thin and easy going for my liking. Little influence from oak and tannin, just a nice drink without the complexity I had expected. Still perfectly nice, just more akin to a quaffer than a special bottle, and for $30 I expected a bit more. 89

Elderton Botrytis Semillon 2008 - Restrained sweetness, which is a good thing here as the fruit itself is forward, straddling the crispness of fresh apples and the density of stewed fruit. Nice hit of apricot, and a subtle, but noticeable acid component. 91

Wolf Blass Brown Label Classic Shiraz 1994... Stuffed cork, crumbled up. Light/mid red, showing age not suprisingly. A little bit of pongy undergrowth/mulch on the nose, but supported by some "generic red berry" characters. Actually not bad on the palate - a little bit sweet, still some vanillan US oak characters. Not bad actually, might have been really good 5-yrs ago.

Bay of Fires NV Pinot Chardonnay... Decent Tassie sparkling for ~$25/bttl, clean, crisp and refreshing but for my mind lacking real character or complexity.

Rockford Moppa Springs GSM 2008... Only mid-red in the glass, this lifts off with classic Grenache driven aromas of red lolly confection, cinnamon and all spice, with some liquer chocolates in the background. Grows more plush with air. The palate is soft, supple and juicy with lingering notes of crushed raspberries and spice. Delicious. Will come up a treat with 2-3yrs cellaring.

Very little consumed this week. Best wine was a 1998 St Hubert's Cabernet Sauvignon - been in my cellar since release - no brett blooms - excellent sweet plummy/curranty fruit mixed with cedar, an autumnal leafiness, hints of classic French herbs and a touch of earth and chocolate. Pretty well ready to go with the structural elements in a definitively good place just at the moment. About excellent. 90 points.

2008 Wolf Blass Grey Label Cab Sav brought this on special last year. Lovely soft and full bodied drop, lovely depth flavours of berries and mild spicy background with mild chocolate-like smoothness. Already had some little crust developed. Worth check out again in 2-3 years. Ate Tasmanian Eye Fillet cooked rare with it matched prefectly.

2008 Sorrento McLaren Vale Cab Sav, Merlot and Cab Franc Blend Interesting quaffer wine. Friend gave me this. Fermented each parcel seperately in open, then matured each parcel seperately as well before the blend. Mix of cherry, blackberry and lubricious soft fruits and tannins guessing from the Merlot. Enjoyable easy wine.

2012 Jim Barry Watervale Riesling Worth grab a few to watch it develop over next 10 years, good vintage. It's acidity and juicy citrus like of limes properties seem to band together nicely. Bit young for my liking, worth a keeper in cellar to mature bit further. Good price. $15-$17 a pop.

2010 Head Old Vines grenache - a lot to live up to after the joys of 2009, and on initial opening didn't look like getting close. But patience, as often noted here, provided the usual silky tones that this wine can offer. Real complexity across the palate - cranberry, raspberry, and a just a hint of the bandages of youth. Quite light bodied, but deep in texture and depth.

2005 Wigan Eden Valley riesling - nice golden tone in the glass, and a mighty hit of the lemon and lime that settles quickly into a wonderfully balanced vintage riesling palate. There's a little spice in there, there's a real sense of grace and balance, and it gets drier as it goes too. Always a winner, and proving consistent under screwcap.

2010 Lark Hill Pinot Noir
The nicest Canberra pinot I have tasted (must give Mapenrai a go when I can get hold of some). Earthy, savoury, with gently unfolding fruit. A food friendly wine that would be a shame not to sit and comtemplate. A wine I will definitely buy again.

2008 Torbreck The Steading GSM
Took a while for me to warm to this. Improved over 4 days or so. Not a big wine, but quite complex and one that took some discovering. A darker-fruited GSM, well-balanced. Enjoyable, but I don't think I'd buy another at the price.

via collins wrote:

[b]2005 Wigan Eden Valley riesling - nice golden tone in the glass, and a mighty hit of the lemon and lime that settles quickly into a wonderfully balanced vintage riesling palate. There's a little spice in there, there's a real sense of grace and balance, and it gets drier as it goes too. Always a winner, and proving consistent under screwcap.

Brought 6 pack few years back, last tasted one bottle last year, fantastic drop. Got two left in cellar, worth keep little longer?

via collins wrote:2005 Wigan Eden Valley riesling - nice golden tone in the glass, and a mighty hit of the lemon and lime that settles quickly into a wonderfully balanced vintage riesling palate. There's a little spice in there, there's a real sense of grace and balance, and it gets drier as it goes too. Always a winner, and proving consistent under screwcap.

Snap. Had this yesterday. The last of the summer wine I suspect. Thought it had turned the corner and showing tertiary character as well.

cheers

Carl

2006 Hatton Estate Tahi Cabernet Merlot. A very dark fruited wine with sweet baking spice influence. Lovely line and length and rich deep ripeness. Highly impressie and a way more classy wine than the 2005 version. Drinking really well now with still piles of primary fruit, but no doubt will travel well for another 5 years+. Shame these guys have stopped producing

2008 Julicher Pinot Noir 13.5%Alc Martinborough. Dark red, typical Martinborough nose which carries nicely onto the palate.
Warm, rich wine, plummy, hint of cherry, and a touch of herb (in a good way) and a sparkle of Christmas spices. Very good, good.
Maybe even out to excellent.

cheers jafa

Wilunga 100 McLaren Vale Cabernet Shiraz 2010 Full-bodied with mouthfilling sweet black cherry and plum balanced by black olive and dark chocolate, a touch of cabernet green character with background spicy oak. The finish has some red cherry with softly-drying, ripe tannins helping to provide satisfying length. Last of six bought for less than $11 delivered after application of a discount voucher. I've ordered another six for $14/btl delivered because it's a very good quaffer with a touch of complexity and, obviously, I like it.

Cheers

daz

A couple of new releases.....

2004 Moet et Chandon Grand Vintage - a little more forward and a touch riper than I recall the 2002. Pretty good and should provide enjoyment for the next 8 years or so.

2002 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne - I've had really high expectations for this wine, and as it turned out, my expectations weren't high enough. It was truly magnificent and will provide enjoyment for those who like elegant champagnes for at least 20 more years. One of the best young champagnes I've ever had. The nose changes every 10 minutes, and the palate is simply mellifluous. Apparently only made in small quantities, unlikely previous releases.

2002 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne - I've had really high expectations for this wine, and as it turned out, my expectations weren't high enough. It was truly magnificent and will provide enjoyment for those who like elegant champagnes for at least 20 more years. One of the best young champagnes I've ever had. The nose changes every 10 minutes, and the palate is simply mellifluous. Apparently only made in small quantities, unlikely previous releases.

Thanks for the report on this Mike.
I've been hearing all the hype but was waiting for your opinion. Glad it was a stunner and I'll be grabbing some now for sure.

Cheers
Smurf