The Auswine Forum

Continuing on from Hacker's fine post, let's change a little and ask the question,
what are your five favourite wines?
by this, I do not mean "what are the best five wines you have drunk?" but rather what are your five favourite wines year in and year out? Not necessarily the greatest wines you have ever seen, but the five favourites you drink most often. By saying that, please don't answer Penfolds or Wynns, but rather the particular wines from those producers if they are your favourites. Which wines have you found, almost regardless of the vintage, that you can purchase and absolutely KNOW they will be either really good, or great value for money.

For me, the list is:
1. La Conseillante
2. Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz
3. Domaine de Vieux Telegraphe
4. Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay
5. Amon Ra shiraz.

....looking forward to someone sticking Mike Press in here

1. Woodlands Reserve Cabernet - have purchased every vintage of this since 2001, and even the so called 'green' vintage of 2006 is still a very good wine.
2. Kalleske Greenock Shiraz - with more than 10 vintages under his belt, Troy's Greenock shiraz still delivers well above it's price point.
3. Woodlands Margaret Cabernet Merlot - another wine which is consistently very good. Even the entry level Cabernet Merlot nearly qualified for this list.
4. Leasingham Classic Clare Sparkling Shiraz - although many will not agree, I think this is Australia's most consistent red sparkler on the market.
5. NV Vilmart & Cie Champagne Grand Cellier Brut - my go to NV champagne that never lets you down.

Sorry no Mike Press for me ...

Have been lurking for a while and thought I should finally post something.

1.) Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon
2.) Clape Cornas/Guigal Chateau D'Ampuis/Raveneau Clos - my go to special occasion wines
3.) Wendouree Cabernet Malbec
4.) Woodlands Margaret Cabernet Blend
5.) Cape Mentelle Chardonnay

Slabs wrote:Have been lurking for a while and thought I should finally post something.

1.) Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon
2.) Clape Cornas/Guigal Chateau D'Ampuis/Raveneau Clos - my go to special occasion wines
3.) Wendouree Cabernet Malbec
4.) Woodlands Margaret Cabernet Blend
5.) Cape Mentelle Chardonnay

Welcome Slabs! Nice collection of 'go to' wines there. Keep posting

felixp wrote: what are your five favourite wines year in and year out?

So many....
But here goes, and not necessarily in any order,
Woodlands Cab Merlot or Cab Franc
Rockford BP
Old Chevillon (pre 2000) 1ers
Selosse Initial - not too often, but is always anticipated and rarely disappoints
Bin 389 with at least 12-15 years age.

Cheers,
David

Taittinger Comtes BdB
Henschke Mt Edelstone
Rockford Basket Press
Dom Perignon
Trimbach Frederic Emile

Hoddles Creek Estate Pinot Noir
Wynns Black Label Cab Sav
Juniper Estate Cab Sav
Kooyong Massale Pinot Noir
Ten Minutes by Tractor Estate Pinot Noir

In no particular order:

Yalumba Signature
Marius Symphony
Torbreck Steading
Woodlands Margaret
Bay of Fires Pinot Noir

As the OP states, this is more about my favourite wines rather than the best wines. These are ones I drink on a regular basis and in no particular order.

Greenock Creek Cornerstone Grenache
Gomersal Shiraz
Rockford Moppa Springs
Noon Eclipse
Rockford Rifle Range

I like all of these with a bit of age on them and I have bought plenty of them all over the years.

Cheers
Ian

In no particular order

Primo estate Joseph sparkling red
Majella cabernet
Moores hill Riesling (just edged out vinteloper Odeon Riesling)
Turkey flat rose' (summer drinking)
Tahbilk shiraz or cabernet (I had Gibson reserve shiraz and very close is turkey flat Shiraz, but i drink way more tahbilk)

Plenty of higher end (ideally aged) classics come to mind, like JJPrum WS, Taittinger CdC, La Chapelle, Ridge Monte Bello, John Riddoch or Vat 1 Sem..

But here's a lovely 'safe', slightly modest lineup that I buy regularly, which I would be very happy with year after year over a long dinner with friends....

Pol Roger NV
Crawford River Riesling
Kumeu River Mate's Chardonnay
Felton Road Calvert Pinot Noir
Mt Horrocks Cordon Cut

A warm "get stuffed" to slabs

No surprises from the point of view of my wines:

1. Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon - year in year out, but generally only drink it with at least a few years age
2. Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz - again with a bit of age, e.g. the 96's and 98's are drinking superbly atm

Bit of a toss up for other wines that I enjoy regularly:

3. Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon
4. Katnook Estate Cabernet/Bowen Estate Cabernet/Balnaves Cabernet/Lindemans LImestone Ridge Shiraz Cab
5. Romney Park Chardonnay

Boringly rusted on to cabernet

Hard to do these days as my drinking diversified - even within newly discovered regions.

1) Henschke Mt Edelstone though sadly I can't justify the pricing to replace the dozens o cases of 80's, 90's, 2000's I bought.

2) Rockford Basket Press as everyone I know in Oz seems to have it as their special wine.

3) Cappellano Barolos- Rupestris is a no brainer and Pie Franco is one of the greats of Piedmont. Comparing them to Australia, they are sort of a Rockford-Wendouree affair, staunch traditionalists and with one of the great slopes of Serralunga, they make beautiful, pure Barolo that will last 50 years. I buy them for the same price as Basket Press & Wendouree shiraz whereas simple quality regional peers easily double the price.

4) The Condrieus of Georges Vernay. Amazing wines in purity and complexity. They need just a few years ( say 5 to 8 ) to show their best and have stormed home in gratification over the bullshit of white burgundy and the failure to address premix.

5) Chateau Musar. Vale Serge and a special place in my cellar having flown to that crazy place dozens of times to buy the wine. I now source ex-UK and its all about the character of the wines and how time in the cellar brings youth and freshness in a bizarre Benjamin Button mystique.

That French trio are by no means consumed on a fortnightly or monthly basis- just once or twice a year when I want to indulge in some fantastic wine at my favourite BYO restaurant in Perth.

Cheers

mjs wrote:A warm "get stuffed" to slabs

No surprises from the point of view of my wines:

1. Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon - year in year out, but generally only drink it with at least a few years age
2. Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz - again with a bit of age, e.g. the 96's and 98's are drinking superbly atm

Bit of a toss up for other wines that I enjoy regularly:

3. Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon
4. Katnook Estate Cabernet/Bowen Estate Cabernet/Balnaves Cabernet/Lindemans LImestone Ridge Shiraz Cab
5. Romney Park Chardonnay

Boringly rusted on to cabernet

Although I've been drinking wine seriously since the early 2000's, I only began collecting in 2008. So while I've tried a lot of wines, I've only cellared a few particular wines (ie Wynns, Marius, Mount Pleasant) across vintages to be future go to wines. However in the main I've been patiently waiting for these to attain some (mystical?) desired maturity so they can migrate from the "most cellared wines" list to the "five favourites you drink most often" list.

That said I've also tucked into a few in the interim:

Blue Poles Allouran
Tahbilk Marsanne (with at least 14 years bottle age )
Cape Mentelle Shiraz
Hoddles Creek Chardonnay
Domaine Terres Dorres Beaujolais (mostly Brouilly, but also Morgon and Moulin au Vent)

Tricky, as I get more into wine I am trying to spread the drinking load around as it were. But if pushed as to fairly regular drinkers I would probably say

1. Best's Bin 1
2. Freycinet pinot
3. Pewsey vale riesling
4. Voyager Estate Chardonnay
5. Hoddles Creek 1er chardonnay

Woodlands Cab merlot is becoming a new favourite.

There's nothing exotic in my stable of 5. All 5 continually deliver for me (or more accurately my less than finely tuned palate).

1. Lake Breeze Bernoota Shiraz Cab
2. Wynns Black Label Cab
3. Metala White Label Shiraz Cab
4. Saltram Mamre Brook Shiraz
5. Yalumba The Signature Cab Shiraz

If this thread has drawn anything to my attention it's that I have to get out more.

Andrew Jordan wrote:4. Leasingham Classic Clare Sparkling Shiraz - although many will not agree, I think this is Australia's most consistent red sparkler on the market.

I love the Leasingham Classic Clare Sparkling Shiraz too. Such a pity it's no longer made.

These are the staples in my cellar that I dont need a special occasion for. Wynns Black Label Cab Sav would make this list, but thought it was boring to state it again here when many others have put it down.
1. Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesing - good young or old & just such good value for money.
2. Leeuwin Estate Prelude Chardonnay. Very consistent & a fraction of the price of LEAS.
3. Saddlers Creek Bluegrass Cab-Shiraz. Perfect with spag bog & binge watching the Sopranos.
4. St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz. Bought some of the 1998's at auction & they are amazing. Now cellaring the 2010 & 2012.
5. Rockford Rifle Range Cab Sav. Something about opening this distinctive bottle always fills me with anticipation.

Looking back at my purchases over recent years, these are my top staples:
- Best's Great Western Bin 1 & 0
- S.C. Pannell Syrah
- Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon
- Head Wines The Blond & The Brunette

Wynns John Riddoch, however after the 2012 vintage release this August that's it, $150+RRP can not justify this wine any more, but the 20 cases or so should see me out.
Wynns Michael, as above, although far more misses than the JR
Wynns BL, 30 vintages and think I have stopped buying this one...need to look at more diversity, but at around $20 for the best part of two decades hard to ignore.
Wendouree Shiraz, but interestingly have largely forgotten a dozen or so mixed cases of the blends over the last 20+ years...looking to the overlap so the lads can take it over.
Rockford BP, a wine I think (particularly for the price) has done more for the Barossa than any other.

Bit of a boring predictable SA list, but quite happy with the cabernet and shiraz balance here.

Bigtinnie, nothing wrong with Metala, in fact I reckon with a number of vintages you are out of your boat and on the top deck of the Queen Mary....cracking wine for the money
I am absolutely amazed that I purchased the 86 vintage for around $6 or perhaps even less (a few still kicking around the cellar I think) and last week picked up another dozen of the 2012 for $11:50c.
The 86 Metala was positively expensive compared with 1986 Wynns white label ($1:90 pb or $20 by the case).

That said, I am really struggling to find a wine, over 27 vintages that has had a massive price increase of $5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Felix, great thread, thanks for kicking it off.

Cheers
Craig

Great thread!

The Wanderer Upper Yarra Pinot Noir
Seppelt Drumborg Riesling
Marius (all)
Wendouree Cab Malbec
Tyrrells Vat1

I buy quite a bit of Pinot, but find it is from a pretty wide selection of producers. I tend to taste a lot, and buy off the back of this. I do buy multiple cases of Bellingham Estate Pinot Noir every year, but I'm not counting that as one of my 5, as nobody has ever heard of it! And I seem to often buy Petaluma and Pikes Rieslings a lot too...

Simon

Special occasion wines
1. John Riddoch Cab
2. Rockford Basket press Shiraz
3. Dom Perignon
4. Orlando Lawson Shiraz
5. Rockford Sparkling Black

Every Day wines
1. Laughing Jack Jack's Shiraz
2. Warrabilla Durif (Reserve and Parolas)
3. Teusner the Independant
4. Rockford Alicante Bouchet
5. Kalleske Moppa and Clarrys

phillisc wrote:Wynns John Riddoch, however after the 2012 vintage release this August that's it, $150+RRP can not justify this wine any more, but the 20 cases or so should see me out.
Wynns Michael, as above, although far more misses than the JR
Wynns BL, 30 vintages and think I have stopped buying this one...need to look at more diversity, but at around $20 for the best part of two decades hard to ignore.
Wendouree Shiraz, but interestingly have largely forgotten a dozen or so mixed cases of the blends over the last 20+ years...looking to the overlap so the lads can take it over.
Rockford BP, a wine I think (particularly for the price) has done more for the Barossa than any other.

Bit of a boring predictable SA list, but quite happy with the cabernet and shiraz balance here.

Bigtinnie, nothing wrong with Metala, in fact I reckon with a number of vintages you are out of your boat and on the top deck of the Queen Mary....cracking wine for the money
I am absolutely amazed that I purchased the 86 vintage for around $6 or perhaps even less (a few still kicking around the cellar I think) and last week picked up another dozen of the 2012 for $11:50c.
The 86 Metala was positively expensive compared with 1986 Wynns white label ($1:90 pb or $20 by the case).

That said, I am really struggling to find a wine, over 27 vintages that has had a massive price increase of $5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Felix, great thread, thanks for kicking it off.

Cheers
Craig

Craig,

Great wines. I remember the Wynns white label as well, very gluggable and bought heaps at that time IIRC

cheers, Malcolm

Bungawarra Festival Red - a cheap sweet red from Stanthorpe. It won't win awards but hands down it's the wine we drink the most. Half a case lasts the summer and the second half will go over the rest of the year. We've found it a fun, yummy afternoon wine
Henschke Keyneton Euphonium - this was the first wine that really opened our eyes and palettes to getting what you pay for (we've tried vintages since '07 and kept '08 and '10)
Rockford Rifle Range - we always look forward to the next vintage with good memories of the previous vintage (although I do put a few away)
Rockford P.S. Marion - we're yet to find a fortified that we like more than this
Fifth - still looking
context - we've only been drinking these wines for the last four or five years

Everyday Wines
Mt Langi Cliff Edge Shiraz
Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz
Rockford Rod and Spur
Collector Marked Tree Shiraz
WDC Alans Cabernets

Premium ($50 and above)
Rockford Basket Press
Wendouree Shiraz
Clonakilla SV
Lakes Folly Cabernets
Mt Langi Ghiran Shiraz

I needed to have quite a think about this

Balnaves Tally (with the standard cab Sauv not far behind)
Turkey Flat Shiraz
Stanton & Killeen Vintage Fortified (I've probably had more vintages of this than any other wine. Bottles of this were also the start of my cellar 20 odd years ago)
Crawford River Riesling
Grahams Port (Although this could have easily been Warres, Dow, Taylors or Noval)

Honorable mentions to Hanging Rock Heathcote Shiraz, Turkey Flat Rose and Christmont Arnies, Jim Barry Lodge Hill Riesling


I suspect that in another 5 years a pinot will make its way into this list. I'm drinking more of it in recent years but haven't settled on a particular producer yet.
The same could be said of Margaret River Cabernet

Most good Coonawarra cabs and shirazes eg Wynns Yalumba
Most good McLaren shirazes and blends
Most good Barossa shirazes
Most good Margaret River Cabernets
Most good Hunter Semillons
Most good Clare Rieslings
Most good Tassie sparklings
And in a cyclone anything really....

Luke W wrote:And in a cyclone anything really....

How did you get on Luke? Any damage? As long as the shipping container cellar didn't blow away I guess all is well......

I spoke to a friend there who said he got his power back on today and had to drink red all weekend (he prefers white) and he had no ice for his whisky!!

Hope you are okay

Michael

Hi Mick
The cyclone turned my little 10 acre farmlet into a war zone a bit like Hiroshima. Hundreds of trees down, shed flattened, Bali hut destroyed and swimming pool full of leaf litter. Despite this the house is intact and the wine cold room is undisturbed. I haven't opened it or the Kitchener as I figure the wine in the big one will take about a month to come to room temp and the kitchener a few more days yet. Hoping to get electricity back on today.

Cheers

Luke