The Auswine Forum

Haven't seen one of these threads floating around, so I thought I might get the ball rolling...

Has been a massive year for me in terms of the development of my understanding and appreciation of wine.

This year I've managed to get along to a couple of off-lines, visit some diverse and incredible wine regions locally and abroad, meet some great Auswine drinking partners, grow my cellar exponentially and spend way more on wine than I ever could have thought possible.

Here's to more in 2015!

My wine highlights of the year in terms of taste and experience would include:-

- 1999 Grant Burge Meshach
- 2001 Mount Mary Quintet
- 2010 Shafer Hillside Select
- 2011 Ridge Monte Bello

Love the Shafer wines especially the Hillside and the Relentless. Plus John Shafer is a cracking host if you ever get the chance to meet him!

Highlights this year for me were:

Red: Penfold's Grange 1975
White: Tahbilk Marsanne 1997
Budget red: Wynns The Siding Cabernet 2012
Rosé: Noon McClaren Vale Grenache Rose 2014
Sparkling: Paul Bara Comtesse Marie de France 2000
Fortified: Seppelt Single Vintage Para Liqueur Port 1939

However, we have a couple of Special Club champagnes and a 1995 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia scheduled for tomorrow so the above list could/may change!

Best overall wine and best champers - 1996 Dom Perignon
Best Red - Rockford SVS Hoffman 1996
Best White - Pepper Tree Reserve Semillon 2000
Best Fortified - Yalumba Vintage Port Dulcify
Best Sparkling - Rockford Black Sparkling (disg 2001)

1990 Guigal La Mouline
1995 Harlan Estate

And the same thing I tell myself every year...I neither bought, cellared or drank enough Champagne this year....

Great thread Diddy!

Highlights for me this year were:
- 1992 Best's Bin 0
- 2001 Voyager Estate Cab Merlot
- 2010 Moorooduc Estate McIntyre Pinot
- 2012 Standish The Standish

Wine highlight for me:

Best wine I tasted was definitely the 2012 Grange. Reeks of rockstar status and will quite possibly become the best wine I've ever tasted. There, I said it..

Wines I enjoyed most were at a backyard pizza party to celebrate a significant birthday and a testament to cellaring patience and my years in the industry - all mid to late '90's and they were all singing:
Balgownie Cabernet,
Saltram No 1 Shiraz,
Wolf Blass Black Label,
Mt Helen Single Barrel Merlot

Highlight wine experience was the 3 month whirlwind of Penfolds Re-corking clinics around the country, as it always is. It's one thing to hang out with the entire Penfolds winemaking team and another again to talk to and meet so many Penfolds people and their collections in person. Do I have one of the best jobs in the industry? Quite probably...

Pinpointing a WOTY is difficult but the highlights were:
- 2001 Courabyra 805 Late Disgorged Sparkling (Big thanks to pstarr)
- 2005 Domaine Gallety Côtes du Vivarais La Syrare d'Alain Gallety
- 2009 Alluviale Cabernet-Merlot Gimblett Road
- 2008 Marius Endplay (Big thanks to Matt)
- 2002 Petaluma Hanlin's Hill Riesling
- 1996 Tahbilk Marsanne
- 2014 Unico Zelo Fiano (had five bottles mid year and wish I had more... a lot more)

a watershed year for me in terms of the quality of wines i got to try and enjoy. 2 standouts without question being a perfect bottle of 1982 John Riddoch and just pipping it for my top wine of the year, the 2007 Colgin Cariad
here's to topping that in 2015!

I had a pretty great year of drinking. If I had to single out a few, I would say that 2002 Pol Rodger opened my mind to what Champagne could be. 1985 Graham's vintage port was an affirmation of why I love it (also why I wish I had more). The biggest surprise for me was a 2004 McIvor estate Nebbiolo which was just sublime.

Having been a year with a very significant birthday I am pleased to say that there have been many many good and great wines in the glass in 2014.

I was fortunate to drink on two occasions with friends, a bottle and a magnum of Penfolds 1996 Block 42 Kalimna Cabernet. This is just a stunning wine, still youthful, with structure, tannins, fruit, flavours, all there and will continue to improve over decades. My WOTY and one to watch for many more (and accumulate if possible).

Kudos to Wynns 1991 Centenary Shiraz Cabernet for several bottles during the year which were all in great shape. This has been a go-to wine for an aged red and is a great example of a shiraz cab blend.

One surprise at my 60th was a bottle of 1972 St Henri. Absolutley stunning and WOTN on that occasion (up against some very very stiff competition btw). Just blown away by the complexity and other characteristics, in perfect nick.

Maralinga Wine Society had several region trips this year and a fortifieds tasting in November at Seppeltsfield was highlight. Had the 1914 tawny, engine oil, complexity, flavours, aroma, had to tongue the glass to get the whole lot out. The 1954 tawny (birth year) was a also a highlight. Tasting of the premiums at Grant Burge in the new Mesach Cellar was also fantastic, both Mesach shiraz and Shadrach cabernet of various vintages.

Of the new releases, enjoyed the 2010 JR and the 2010 Bin707. Also enjoyed the St Henri and RWT releases this year. Lots of other good stuff at the Langtons Classification tastings. The Coonawarra Cabernet Celebration in October was also a highlight with some great wines for tasting.

Honourable mentions to the usual staples, Bin90A, various JR's, had a wonderful 98 Michael the other day, Bowen Ampelon, Katnook Cabs. Gee we are lucky to be able to have access to such great wines in this country of ours. You will probably be able to pick my red bias and more particularly my passion for Coonawarra wines!!

Best wishes to all forumites for 2015 and good drinking!!

Cheers, Malcolm

sparky wrote:Wine highlight for me:

Best wine I tasted was definitely the 2012 Grange. Reeks of rockstar status and will quite possibly become the best wine I've ever tasted. There, I said it..

Nice one Moira! I don't think many outside of the brethren of Penfolds Winemakers would have tried the 2012 vintage, which must have either been straight out of the barrel or just bottled. Only two more years for us mere mortals to wait for it to be officially available to try...

Cheers,
Ian

n4sir wrote:

sparky wrote:Wine highlight for me:

Best wine I tasted was definitely the 2012 Grange. Reeks of rockstar status and will quite possibly become the best wine I've ever tasted. There, I said it..

Nice one Moira! I don't think many outside of the brethren of Penfolds Winemakers would have tried the 2012 vintage, which must have either been straight out of the barrel or just bottled. Only two more years for us mere mortals to wait for it to be officially available to try...

Cheers,
Ian

so, where do we go on the 100 pt scale? Craig NZ? 105pts.

damn, just broke my first new years resolution, "sarcasm to be toned down".

cheers

My top dozen of the year (in no particular order)

2012 Penfolds Yattarna
2010 Penfolds Grange
2007 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon
2005 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
2005 Penfolds Cellar Reserve Gewurztraminer
2004 Tenuta San Guido Bolgheri Sassicaia
1999 Rockford SVS Helbig
1996 Penfolds Bin 707
1990 Penfolds Special Bin 90A
1989 Peter Lehmann Stonewell
1988 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch magnum
1983 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Valbuena 3°


Final closure count for the last 12 months (for those interested):

360 cork seals with 52 failures (14.4%)
339 screwcap seals with 12 failures (3.5%)
14x DIAM, 6x crown seals, 3x vinolock glass stoppers and 3x plastic corks with no failures.


Cheers,
Ian

n4sir wrote:
Final closure count for the last 12 months (for those interested):

360 cork seals with 52 failures (14.4%)
339 screwcap seals with 12 failures (3.5%)
14x DIAM, 6x crown seals, 3x vinolock glass stoppers and 3x plastic corks with no failures.

Now I found that pretty cool.

1996 John Riddoch Cab Sav- a class act and has many many years ahead of it. Shame I only have another 2....

n4sir wrote:Final closure count for the last 12 months (for those interested):

360 cork seals with 52 failures (14.4%)
339 screwcap seals with 12 failures (3.5%)
14x DIAM, 6x crown seals, 3x vinolock glass stoppers and 3x plastic corks with no failures.

Ian,

What constitutes a failure? Just TCA? Or any type of oxidation? Or any type of major wine flaw?

1986 Chateau Gruaud Larose - Never tried anything quite like it, maybe technically not the best wine I tried but certainly the one that stands out for me the most.

Polymer wrote:

n4sir wrote:Final closure count for the last 12 months (for those interested):

360 cork seals with 52 failures (14.4%)
339 screwcap seals with 12 failures (3.5%)
14x DIAM, 6x crown seals, 3x vinolock glass stoppers and 3x plastic corks with no failures.

Ian,

What constitutes a failure? Just TCA? Or any type of oxidation? Or any type of major wine flaw?

Basically a production failure somehow related to the seal, TCA/cork taint, premature oxidation, reduction that doesn't blow off with breathing/age - it would be something I would send back for replacement/refund.

If a wine was extremely old, in bad condition (leaking/low fill level) or of unknown provenance, I would not consider this premature oxidation and not include it as part of the tally.

Cheers,
Ian

Ian,

Thanks! Great info!

What a very very difficult question to answer. I've been blessed to taste some 'out there' wines and varieties, some courtesy of the Grand Cru tasting group here in Perth, and some through my European holiday. So, in no particular order:

1984 Grange. At its peak.
Several vintages from 1998 to 2011 of Poliziano Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano. I fell in love with the town of the same name, and sampled quite a few producers.
2011 Dr Loosen Kabinett Riesling. Over the past two years, I had developed an appreciation for the Kabinett style, from Germany and Austria.
1991 Mitchelton Print Series Shiraz
2011 Robert Bowen Chardonnay


I hope 2015 is full of the quality and variety of wines I have been privileged to try in 2014.

Cheers
Allan

In all respects, including wine, 2014 was a great year for me, may 2015 be half as good!!!!

So many great wines, narrowed down to one, to be consistent with the thread

1991 Wynns Centenary Cabernet Shiraz

honourable mentions to:
2005 Henri Boillot Corton Charlemagne
1971 Penfold's Grange Hermitage
1982 Lafleur
1975 L'Evangile
1996 Jean Louis Trapet Chambertin

Best wine night of the year: September 27th, when a host of deliriously happy Hawks supporters quaffed a bottle of red from every premiership year dating back to 1961. I already got the wines lined yup for next year's celebration

Tough call because I think the quality of wine I have been drinking has risen exponentially this year, with a bit more time, effort and $ thrown at the equation.

I would probably lean towards the 1991 Centenary very generously brought to an offline by Hacker. It was a truly lovely wine, thoug I also think wines shared in good company get an advantage in that the occasion is generally more memorable and enjoyable.

Honourable mentions...2004 Standish Relic, 2004 Moss Wood Cab Sav and 2006 Giaconda Chardonnay.

Looking forward to topping those this year

There hasn't been one singular (absolute blow my socks off, life changing) WOTY for me unfortunately, but lots of great ones.

1998 Peter Lehmann Stonewell
(2013 disgorge) Primo Joseph sparkling red
2005 Gibson Australian Old Vine Barossa Shiraz
1999 langi ghiran langi shiraz
2004 David franz Georgie's Walk cab sav.
2010 By Farr sangreal pinot.
2009 Dog Point Section 94 fume' Blanc
2010 Petaluma Hanlin hill Riesling

felixp wrote:In all respects, including wine, 2014 was a great year for me, may 2015 be half as good!!!!

So many great wines, narrowed down to one, to be consistent with the thread

1991 Wynns Centenary Cabernet Shiraz

I can't argue with that, the Centenary was right up there for me as well, fortunate to have a few bottles and a magnum and they were all in great nick and the wine is drinking superbly. As I said above, my go to aged wine. However, in my world last year it was just pipped by the Penfolds 96 Block 42 Kalimna Cabernet, which I look forward to trying over many years to come

1990 & 1989 Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Monprivato.

If Barolo is the King of wines and the wine of Kings, these wines delivered a regal experience unlike any with a consistency over a number of bottles.

Funny, I spent time in a winery a few months back unearthing fake Brovia Monprivato 1990's. The winemaker had last drunk these wines with Rudy.

Australian wines? Can't remeber specifics but magnums of BP weren't bad but Henschke continues to deliver incredible wines from the 80's and 90's.

[quote]Basically a production failure somehow related to the seal, TCA/cork taint, premature oxidation, reduction that doesn't blow off with breathing/age - it would be something I would send back for replacement/refund.

Ian, with respect, I'm wondering whether reduced characters in a wine can be put down to a closure failure. To me, it would be more a case of the wine not being in the right condition for bottling.
With the many, recent 'natural' / orange / low preservative wines being promoted, I wonder whether the closure will be blamed for the risks involved with these wines, especially if they're not looked after in the time between purchase and consumption.

Also, to save money, I think too many short-term corks were used on wines that were expected to cellar. Penfolds reds of the early '80's had pretty shit corks used - 38mm length when at least 44mm or even 50mm should have been used. They were owned by a brewery then - Sydney-based, not the subsequent S A or Vic breweries - and I think the bean-counters prevailed. The cork becomes saturated/gives way and then gets blamed for the resulting poor wine. (Bin 820 springs to mind - a daughters birth year - I've opened a few!). At least their re-corking clinic is a bold and generous bid to remove these poor corks from circulation and keep their auction prices (collectibility) up.

WineRick wrote:

n4sir wrote:Basically a production failure somehow related to the seal, TCA/cork taint, premature oxidation, reduction that doesn't blow off with breathing/age - it would be something I would send back for replacement/refund.

Ian, with respect, I'm wondering whether reduced characters in a wine can be put down to a closure failure. To me, it would be more a case of the wine not being in the right condition for bottling. With the many, recent 'natural' / orange / low preservative wines being promoted, I wonder whether the closure will be blamed for the risks involved with these wines, especially if they're not looked after in the time between purchase and consumption.

Also, to save money, I think too many short-term corks were used on wines that were expected to cellar. Penfolds reds of the early '80's had pretty shit corks used - 38mm length when at least 44mm or even 50mm should have been used. They were owned by a brewery then - Sydney-based, not the subsequent S A or Vic breweries - and I think the bean-counters prevailed. The cork becomes saturated/gives way and then gets blamed for the resulting poor wine. (Bin 820 springs to mind - a daughters birth year - I've opened a few!). At least their re-corking clinic is a bold and generous bid to remove these poor corks from circulation and keep their auction prices (collectibility) up.

Yeah it is a tough call sometimes, but as I mentioned my rule of thumb is would I send something back for replacement because it is so bad? Is it something that was there before it was sold, was it something the buyer definitely had absolutely no part in causing?

Reduction I regard as basically winemaking fault that is related to the closure, not getting the sulphur levels or dissolved oxygen right - it is something that I am noticing mercifully less than I used to. There is a widespread reputation that such wines under natural cork will clean up in time due to the permeability of the seal, but not under screwcap - that said, I have also faulted some wines under cork as being so reductive that I sense that they will never clean up.

To call something premoxed I take into account the condition of the cork and bottle, provenance and cellaring history (if known). A classic example would be a bottle I have had since release with a perfect fill level, spinning capsule, perfect looking cork, but the wine is oxidised or far more advanced than it should be. It is far more subjective and I admit I am quite ruthless in some cases, where I notice significant age differences in what are two quite drinkable bottles - to me, for the purposes of this tally, that shows unacceptable variation and is counted as a fault. On the other hand, where a wine is just too old, in extremely poor shape, or I don't know its provenance or cellar history, it is excluded - I am tough, but I try to be fair. There was an interesting comment about random oxidation by John Casey a few months ago that I brought up in another thread, that the fault was due to bottling operations - this would tie in with what I said for reduction faults above, while it may not be the closure itself, it is a winemaking fault related to it that was there before the bottle was sold. Like reduction under screwcap, is it technically a closure fault? Maybe not, but this is my tally and my rules.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=14230&p=119624&hilit=oxidation#p119624

Brett is a much more tricky subject - yes it is a winemaking fault, yet the right strain in small doses can be quite tolerable to some people. It is also something that can potentially be influenced by the closure, the more oxygen allowed in the worse it can be, but exposure to heat alone can be just as bad if not much worse in this regard - just the age of the wine itself has to be considered too. In this case I find it is just too difficult to say a better closure/another closure/process would definitely make the difference between a good bottle and an undrinkable one, which is why I don't count brett faults in the tally.

Cheers,
Ian

Best Australian Red: 2006 Clonakilla Syrah
Best Imported Red: 2002 Louis Jadot Bonnes Mares (honorable mention to the 11 Anne Gros Richebourg - wow).
Best White: 99 JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese
Best Sparkling: 02 Ployez Jacquemart Blanc de Blancs
Best Bargain: Benevelli Piero Langhe Rosso No 3 2011 at twenty bucks - not sure this is the real price, but at these $ this is a screaming bargain.

Best Gin: Four Pillars Gunpowder Strength

Wizz wrote:(honorable mention to the 11 Anne Gros Richebourg - wow).

Yours, or a tasting somewhere? I have a few stashed away and am reluctant to touch them for a decade or more.

Oops, forgot to nominate WOTY.
Toss-up between a few that were opened to celebrate my 60th and recently, first grandchild.
1963 Quinta do Noval VP - stunning. Collected, mature and a great example of a 50 y.o. port
1982 Seppelt Show Sp. Burgundy. Just enough gas - great, mature Shiraz fruit. An Aussie classic.
1977 Warres VP. Ditto to the '63. Sometimes think we should drink these before the meal, with cheese perhaps, to fully appreciate them.
But the one that really got me, and a present from a dear friend, was the 2007 Heggies Reserve 242 Botrytis Riesling. Very special for its intensity, complexity, lusciousness and overall class.
Happy new year to everyone.