We had heaps of issues finding somewhere that would have us, considering it was a Wednesday night in the middle of winter still no-one wants to take on the group booking with byo, and the ones that would (Bistrode, Steel Bar & Grill had single whole restaurant bookings on the night, even Studio Neon and it’s Guestaurant idea was not available). In the end The Larder at Woolloomooloo came to our rescue (http://ottoristorante.com.au/#/the-larder), ironically walking down the pier to the restaurant every other restaurant had maybe 5-10% occupancy and yet none want to even entertain the idea of having 12 people eating with byo on a quiet night.
Was a great night, heaps of laughs and good discussion. Also thanks to the very generous contributions from all attending, still boggles my mind (in a good way mind you
)Anyway the final line-up was as follows
1998 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut
2011 Giaconda Chardonnay Estate Vineyard
1986 Mount Mary Chardonnay
1983 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
2003 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques
2010 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py Cuvée 3.14
1981 Henschke Shiraz Hill of Grace
1982 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
2002 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino
2006 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia
1991 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon John Riddoch
1999 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select
1996 Seppelt Shiraz Great Western Vineyard
1996 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Stonewell
2007 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Centenaire
1992 Jim Barry Shiraz The Armagh
1996 Wendouree Cabernet-Malbec
2005 Sine Qua Non Grenache Atlantis Fe2O3~2a, b & c
1971 St Auntoniusbaum Welschriesling
Notes? There are no notes really, I’m still getting over the flu and didn’t take any notes on the night. I will give a few impressions and put Cam Wheelers notes below.
The Giaconda was nice, bit of fire and brimstone, oak and good power in the fruit. Cam had been worried prior that his Mount Mary would be overwhelmed by it, so we split them up (good idea in hindsight). The Mount Mary was just hanging in there, it was like it had aged beyond its potential in perfect conditions so we were left with an almost Semillon like wine of grace and poise, hints of tropical fruit played over the palate very surprising showing.
The Rousseau was Len’s idea of a ‘cheeky pinot’ blind options wine, which had really deep cherry flavours which was offset by a sense of heat and leafiness. I had an inkling it would be a Rousseau (playing the man) and wasn’t disappointed.
I wasn’t expecting much of the HoG with the mid high shoulder fill and the cork basically just pushed in and signs of weeping. So I splashed a bit in the tasting glass to check at the workbench we had there before bothering to take it back to the table. Wow! It was superb. Lovely and soft and supple, dark fruits, sous bois, hints of spices still lingering, some cedar (with sap) I think I said on the night, a beguiling wine. What made it even more special for me was that it was Cam’s birth year wine, and I said I’d only bring it if he was coming and it was the one I think Jonathan was most looking forward to, so for it to hit the heights for both of them was fantastic.
The Biondi-Santi, I wasn’t sure about, there was a mustiness I couldn’t get past that seemed to be interwoven with all the graphite, pencil shavings, blackcurrant. Maybe I need more exposure to Brunello to compare and contrast, although when someone starts out in Merlot they don’t normally start off with Massetto, so I’ve probably got to start at the bottom and work up with Brunello. Mark and Shannon have helped me along in finally ‘getting’ Barolo so maybe Brunello is next.
The Monfortino (my first) was a bit exciting for me, and on first inhale it didn’t disappoint. The power of the fruit was amazing, almost unyielding at first. There was an almost hedonistic nature about it, which put me in the mind of the Bryant I had a month back, it just seemed so right and perfectly balanced. The Cascina was a bit more lively and approachable with an inherent freshness about it.
The Wynns and Shafer side by side was almost comical (in a good way) if you gave these to someone who wasn’t into wine and said they were made with the same grape they’d look at you as if you were mad! The Wynns was green, leafy, with lots of eucalypt and grainy tannins whereas the Shafer was all blackcurrant, richness, Xmas cake and velvet like tannins. The power on the Shafer was amazing, it just went on and on, I was just sitting there working it through my mouth, savouring it’s nuances for some good minutes at a time – 3 course dinner in a glass.
The Jim Barry was a massive wine, not sure what Arnie was on about at the last tasting when he said he found the Armagh a bit thin. It had nothing on the SQN in terms of grunt but in anyone’s language it is a big wine.
The CdP was another surprise for me, I was expecting yet another poo-ey number but was pleasantly proven wrong. It had a nice blackberry jamminess about it which didn’t detract from the wine.
All in all a great night, I hoped Jonathan enjoyed it as much as we did and is looking forward to the October one as much as we are. Also thanks to Greg and Michelle for putting me up for the night.
Here are Cam's Notes, he is a very rigorous scorer, we have started to refer his points as Wheelers
If you get a 95 it's means it's a pretty special wine, no Halliday style 96, 97 for every second wine here. (http://www.camwheeler.com/wine/)
- 1998 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut - France, Champagne
Very floral right from the start on the nose, there is musk, sea spray, lemon and earthy notes - it seems rich but there is plenty underneath that initial impression. The power shows through on the palate as well, but there is also finesse thanks to focussed acidity. This is a wine of serious substance and provides great enjoyment but I'm not sure how long term it is, perhaps a more medium term proposition based on this bottle. 94/100
- 2011 Giaconda Chardonnay Estate Vineyard - Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth
Mealy with pear and straw plus smoky and toasty oak. I like the body of the wine, the oak is still a feature but the richness of the fruit plays along nicely. Doesn't have a heap of depth but I did like it a little more than the last time I tasted it so maybe it is settling down and finding its feet. 90/100- 1986 Mount Mary Chardonnay - Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
Fantastic colour, served blind I certainly wouldn't pick it for an '86. The nose is appealing, though I wouldn't describe it as complex - there is slate, peach and very light nuttiness. The palate also shows more of that slate character and to me feels very youthful aside from a light bitterness to finish that I think is the result of the fruit starting to fade. Medium length, I really enjoyed this and thought it showed as well as could be hoped. 91/100- 1983 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
7.2% alcohol. There is a light note of kerosene to start things off, along with some pungent floral notes, orange peel and peach. It is perhaps slightly more sweet than I expected but it isn't at all a problem as the balance is excellent. Fantastic carry and it leaves a sensation of both finesse and outright pure fruited deliciousness. Showing really well now but will continue to change and should be a fascinating wine over the next 10 years I think. 94/100
- 2003 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Served blind. Very high toned floral nose, there is graphite, raspberry, rhubarb and some oak showing as well. The palate is a little bit more held back than the sweet profile on the nose, but it feels quite astringent, which seems to mask the fruit. One dimensional at the moment, to be honest it didn't win me over and this is one of my most favourite producers and wines. 89/100- 2010 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py Cuvée 3.14 - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon
Served blind. Stalky, briar, white pepper, cranberry and a light touch of barnyard. The palate has vibrancy and good grip that work well together, though the tart acidity does intrude towards the mid-palate. I appreciate the rarity and chance to taste, but it was a struggle to find much pleasure in this tonight for me and I wasn't as keen on it as the same wine from 2009. 89/100
- 1981 Henschke Shiraz Hill of Grace - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
Superb complexity on the nose - spice, bacon, cherries, earth and violets with some background mint. The palate is all about elegance, the fantastically integrated acidity drives and stretches the gentle fruit out. Awesome wine, this was very much one of the high points of the evening for me. 12.5% alcohol. 95/100- 1982 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Spent a couple of hours in the decanter prior to serving and it possibly could have done with a couple more. A very distinct mossy and autumn leaf character is the upfront aroma, it also shows old cedar, smoky meats and some licorice. The palate really showed the class of this wine, it is full and deep with great flow and silky tannins providing needed grip - the sweet and sour cherry fruit is compelling and there is great length. Considering the improvement that it showed from when the bottle was opened, this still has plenty of life left in it. 93/100
- 2002 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Tobacco, florals, spice and cedar aromas - this took a lot of coaxing from the glass, but it continued to reveal more as time went on. The palate shows off the immense power behind this wine, the way it balances between purity and density is amazing really. It isn't exactly open now but nor is it totally ungiving. Not as good a showing as 3 years ago where it was my wine of the year, but still very classy and assuredly promising. 94/100- 2006 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Whereas the 2002 Monfortino felt like 75% potential and 25% appeal for now, this may have well been the opposite. Lots of roses, cherry, inky blackberry fruit and some iron - there is a lot of aromatic interest! The palate gives off a similar vibe, it's super easy to drink but when you look at it more closely there is a great deal of structure and I think given 10 years this will be really hitting its highest notes. 92/100
- 1991 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon John Riddoch - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Capsicum, pepper, tomato leaf and tobacco on the nose. The palate is more along the lines of what I like - there is real freshness to the fruit and the tannins are still framing things really well. Finishes quite lithe and refined. Not sure if this was a top condition bottle. 90/100- 1999 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
Tobacco, blueberry, kirsch and blackcurrant aromas form the nose. Based on the aromas I thought this would be all about richness on the palate, but it has a great sense of compact density rather than mouth coating fruit. There is a great spark of minerality that gives it drive and brightness. Great now but I think it will improve further over the medium term. 93/100
- 1996 Seppelt Shiraz Great Western Vineyard - Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians
Spice, red cherry, tobacco, plum and graphite on the nose. There is a good reason that I love these wines and a big part of that is the palate, it has superb balance with vervacious energy from bright red fruits and spice to give it another dimension. Still has great structure and the persistence is also very good. Love it. 93/100- 1996 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Stonewell - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Expressive nose - redcurrant, roses, cherry, vanilla oak and chocolate aromas, this is extremely youthful and is not showing all that much development at the moment. The palate is lovely, it has good fruit power but it's tempered by the impressive oak driven structure. This is a great wine in waiting, but it's not ready yet! 92/100
- 2007 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Centenaire - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Garrigue, candied orange peel, strawberry and licorice - it actually makes me think of Rayas in its aromatic profile. Excellent grip and backbone with just slightly plush fruit overlaid. Wines like this make me wonder why I don't drink more Grenache. First time I've tried a Cuvée Centenaire and I'm definitely keen for more. 94/100
- 1992 Jim Barry Shiraz The Armagh - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
Chocolate, kirsch, blueberry, a little bit of raisin and licorice - it is hard to believe this is over 20 years old at this point! Great viscosity and drive - the power and richness seems to come from the fruit rather than alcohol. Will probably live another 15-20 years from here. This is a high intensity wine and while I liked it, my one glass on the night was enough before I was ready to try something else. 92/100- 1996 Wendouree Cabernet-Malbec - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
Graphite, cranberry, raspberry and spice. Shows serious structure, as I expect from these 1996 Wendouree wines but there is an undercurrent of very high quality red fruits that gives it a sense of balance. This wine keeps getting better each time I've tried it (on three occasions now) which is a good sign for the future but it feels like it still needs 5+ years. 91/100
- 2005 Sine Qua Non Grenache Atlantis Fe2O3~2c - USA, California
A burst of florals plus vanilla and chocolate right away on pouring, further inspection reveals white pepper, charcoal and licorice. We see the power and intensity of the fruit show through on the palate, but there is precision through great acidity. Has barely budged from this time last year, it's still a great experience to drink and still has life ahead of it. 94/100
- 1971 St Auntoniusbaum Welschriesling - Hungary, Balaton-felvidék, Balatonfüred
Brown sugar heading toward caramel, some super ripe orange and musk. Delivers really fresh acidity still, and a lovely clean finish. It isn't overly sweet or deep, but it's quite refreshing to drink really. This was exactly what we needed at this stage of the evening after so many intense red wines. 89/100
I was so caught up in the whole drinking/talking thing I forgot to take photos for most of the night
