The Auswine Forum

Only two choices locally to put Coonawarra on my Australian wine tour, the Penfolds Bin 128 and Wynn's basic bottling. It's been a long time since I've had the Penfolds and I have the Wynn's frequently so I'm biased toward thinking the Wynn's typifies the Coonawarra style. Adding to my opinion is the fine impression Wynn's made on me when I visited the Coonawarra back in 2000--I really liked their wines. Plus they're Coonawarra based, whereas Penfolds is Barossa, right? If correct, it would seem more right to me to have Wynn's represent the region. But I must choose--and I need help! Either would be the 2001 vintage, btw.

For me, the Wynns, its more consistent, and quite regional in a medium bodied style.

I don't have a big opinion between the 128 and the Wynn's (I haven't tasted a 128 more recent than 94) but if you can get hold of them, Bowen and Majella are excellent and in good form.

Kieran

Quinessential Coon's Shiraz

Top end of the town - Punter's Corner Spartacus(can't get any better than this)

Regular - Balnaves

Quinessential Coon's Shiraz

Top end of the town - Punter's Corner Spartacus(can't get any better than this)

Regular - Balnaves

Jenise,

I've seen some good press on the 128 of late. It gets my nod of approval over the Wynn's. Wynn's and Penfold's are both owned by Southcorp, so don't worry too much about where they are based. I'm fairly sure the pennies gets new and seasoned french oak. The wynn's would be predominantly old US barrels. Good luck with your tasting.

Jenise, the 128 never does it for me whereas I nearly always find the Wynns a good bargain end wine typifying Coonawarra.

If you have access and can afford a bit more then I'd try Majella from almost any vintage as being the goods. About AUS$25.

Phil

Hi Gorgeous,

Bin 128 is Coonawarra fruit, although I'd describe Penfolds as South Australian rather than just Barossa.

However I'd go the Wynns for Coonawarra Shiraz, to me it tends to she more typicity to the the Coonawarra region than the 128 does.

If it were me I'd forget Coonawarra and look at Great Western or Pyrenees and then regale your guests about watching the Cup at the Moonambal Pub.

Murray

Very helpful. And, wish I could find the Majella. Found one bottle, but couldn't locate two more which I need since I'm serving 30 tasters. It would have been my first choice, no problem. The Wynns and the 128 are the only other Coonawarra options I found in town.

Jenise,
Try Grateful Palate, they represent Majella.

Jenise,
What are you attempting to show your tasters?

Penfolds 128 was initially made to experiment with French oak; Bin 28 was Barossa fruit using American oak. Wynns used to use American.

What you have is a style change. This is valuable in itself, but is that what you are attempting to illustrate?

The 128, at 10 to 15 years is incredibly subtle, almost Côtes du Rhone (but definitely Australian). Wynns is always home-grown...or at least the white oak that we have come to asociate with Australian reds.

Hi Jenise

You have such limited choice of wines, I assume you're overseas. Recently tried two bottles of Wynn's 01; really enjoyed the first but the second could have been a different wine - didn't do much for me at all. Haven't tried the recently released Bin 128, but the 98 I had last year was coming along nicely. I'd go for the Penfolds.

Hope your event is a success

Cheers

daz

PS forgot to log in.

Martin--the event is tonight, no time to procure from outside my area.

Daz--yes, I'm overseas, in the U.S.'s Pacific Northest Westest a few miles from the Canadian border.

Ghost--what am I trying to show? Not as much as you might think--my 30 guests will be relatively naive about wine and probably not terribly experienced with Australian wine beyond the dreaded Yellowtail level. But I have to stand there and talk, and I needed a theme, so I have billed my tasting as a vinuous tour of Australia's major wine growing regions. So there won't be anyone in the room who could argue with my choices, but at the same time I want to be authentic and "get it right", putting wines on the table that demonstrate something about the place they're from. I'm somewhat hogtied by timing--late sign-ups shoved me from two bottles of each wine to three, which significantly hampers my ability to purchase since even though this town is amazingly well supplied with foreign wine, each seller gets about three bottles at a time from the distributor, not whole cases, so finding three bottles of any well-rated wine is rather difficult. I had to abandon my plan to serve the Penfolds RWT because of that--I had two bottles, and could not find a third.

What I have is: Vasse Felix for Margaret River, Wynn's for Coonawarra, Kilikanoon Oracle for Clare, Two Hands "Bad Impersonator" for Barossa, Bleasdale Bremerview for Langhorne Creek, and D'Arenberg Footbolt for McClaren Vale. I could find no higher end Coonawarra save a single bottle of Majella, and no Victoria shirazes at all. I can only serve six wines at the sit-down portion of the evening. I'll also serve a small array of inexpensive Hunter Valley whites as a cocktail wine while guests arrive and set-up. So, does it all fit into place now?

Jenise, given limited options I think you've done well. Let us know how it went.

Cheers - Steve

Jenise,

I imagine from your location you wouldn't be too far from Bothell and Seattle. There are some good Aussie wines available. I recall seeing Mt Langi Ghiran Shiraz (Victoria), Michael (Coonawarra) and a few other labels in some of the bottle shops in the area (can't remember the names). Next time I'm in the US to catch the Mariners I'll make a note of the best bottle shops and shoot you an email.

Regards

Mike

Hi Jenise,

My message is too late for your tasting but if you have to repeat the Australian theme it may be worth your while travelling North of the Border and hit a few Vancouver stores. The Vasse Felix 2001 vintage has been around for 3 months already and it is vastly superior to the 2000 vintage. Although our local government taxes the hell out of alcohol products, especially low end wines, it seems our importers take a lesser profit than their american counterparts. As a result, many mid range Aussie wines are more affordable here and, more importantly, the selection is usually substantially more diverse.

Cheers,

Francois[/code]

Jenise,
I am down in the Seattle area and sitting on some 98 RWT but probably am too late with the offer.
Ray

Ray--thanks for the offer on the RWT, but as you said it wasn't in time. While shopping for this tasting, I did buy the two bottles of the 2000 I saw for myself though.

Francois--I really thought about doing as you suggested, going to White Rock or even Vancouver to look for wine, but to be useful to this group I was cautioned against buying wines not available locally--even though at least half of the folks are Canadian. Where I live is their Riviera--in fact my home was built for the Canadian hockey player Bobby Hull.

And Mike, re Seattle--Seattle's a day trip, 120 miles away. It's a trip I happily make from time to time to get food I can't get locally or UNhappily make when my Jaguar needs repair, but see my note to Francois--procurement needed to be local, even though I cheated on the Vasse Felix (bought it in Seattle a month ago) since I love it so.

Jenise wrote:UNhappily make when my Jaguar needs repair,

So you get to Seattle quite a bit then