The Auswine Forum

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 6:47 am**

OK lets try this again.

What opinions do you have that are unpopular in the wine world?

Lets see if we can do this without all the shitposting. And if you agree or disagree with someone, just type "agree" or "disagree" and leave it at that.

Me:
Australian Riesling (as a whole, there are exceptions) is nowhere near as good as Australians think it is. Germany Austria France and New Zealand have it all over us.

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 7:22 am**

For all the Coonawarra fanatics out there, Margaret River is so much better at producing Cabernet.

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 9:33 am**

Most Shiraz/Syrah is a bit boring.

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 9:46 am**

I rarely enjoy Brunello di Montalcino, typically preferring the bonier profile of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, to the richer profile of Brunello

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 11:03 am**

Hacker wrote:For all the Coonawarra fanatics out there, Margaret River is so much better at producing Cabernet.

+1

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 11:04 am**

Ozzie W wrote:Most Shiraz/Syrah is a bit boring.

Agree but it's good in blends.

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 12:53 pm**

Margaret River shiraz is crap.

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 12:58 pm**

If you like it bone dry, Australian Riesling is enormously better value than German GG wines, and mostly as or more enjoyable, each should stick to what they do best.

NZ Riesling is too sugary feeling most of the time and lacks proper acid balance. (Framingham and Rippon aside)

Once you've had wonderful well-aged reds, enjoying young New World red wine is difficult most of the time, just too boring and fruity. And more whole bunch and stalks often make wine worse!
(Luckily there is a new wave of more experimental producers providing exceptions to this opinion)

Margaret River Cabernet is very rarely complex or interesting, at any age.

Varietally quite correct perhaps, but mostly meh, the occasional old Moss Wood the only exceptions. Coonawarra at least has its eucalyptus terroir character giving it some extra regional personality.

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 3:05 pm**

Ian S wrote:I rarely enjoy Brunello di Montalcino, typically preferring the bonier profile of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, to the richer profile of Brunello

Agree

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 3:06 pm**

TiggerK wrote:If you like it bone dry, Australian Riesling is enormously better value than German GG wines, and mostly as or more enjoyable, each should stick to what they do best.

Agree, but only for bone dry styles.

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 3:10 pm**

Waiters Friend wrote:
TiggerK wrote:If you like it bone dry, Australian Riesling is enormously better value than German GG wines, and mostly as or more enjoyable, each should stick to what they do best.
Agree, but only for bone dry styles.

Yes, Germany is unbeatable for off-dry Riesling.

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 6:19 pm**

AndrewCowley wrote:Margaret River shiraz is crap.

Not crap IMO but boring. No wow factor.

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 6:23 pm**

TiggerK wrote:
Margaret River Cabernet is very rarely complex or interesting, at any age. Varietally quite correct perhaps, but mostly meh, the occasional old Moss Wood the only exceptions. Coonawarra at least has its eucalyptus terroir character giving it some extra regional personality.

Interesting you say that as I'm finding MR cabs can taste similar (flavour profile) which can get boring. It gets better with blending. My problem with Coonawarra is I dislike eucalyptus and mint that the district is known for. Opened a Majella 2012 Cabernet for tonight's meal and thankfully these 2 components are not significant.

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 6:35 pm**

TiggerK wrote:If you like it bone dry, Australian Riesling is enormously better value than German GG wines, and mostly as or more enjoyable, each should stick to what they do best.

The best of the GG's Iv'e tasted are streets ahead of anything I've ever encountered from Australia - Keller, Robert Wiel, Donnhoff, Schaefer Frohlich. Same territory as the Montrachet slopes.

Did a tasting in NZ in the run up to the 2013 vintage to help us decide what that year's Auburn Dry would be. Clemens Busch Marienberg won the day, but Grossett Polish Hill was a close second for me.

Agree completely on VFM, Australian Riesling remains (in Australia anyway) one of the worlds great bargains.

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 6:50 pm**

I find Margaret River Cabs too green and stalky, athlough I’ll put up with it for a well aged high quality example such as an old Jack Mann.

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 6:58 pm**

Red Burgundy drinking is an ostentatious cult. They actually don't age that well.

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 7:08 pm**

Shiraz/Syrah doesn't improve in the cellar. It only changes

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 7:15 pm**

Craig(NZ) wrote:Shiraz/Syrah doesn't improve in the cellar. It only changes

I concur Craig

Buddha said Shiraz is
Let’s leave it at that

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 7:18 pm**

JamieBahrain wrote:Red Burgundy drinking is an ostentatious cult. They actually don't age that well.

I agree big time
1978 Rousseau Chambertin looks like robbish
Slurp sip

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 9:01 pm**

Wizz wrote:OK lets try this again.

just type "agree" or "disagree" and leave it at that.

Simple rules folks...

Wizz wrote: Me:
Australian Riesling (as a whole, there are exceptions) is nowhere near as good as Australians think it is ( AGREE ) Germany( AGREE ) Austria( AGREE ) France ( AGREE ) and New Zealand ( DISAGREE ) have it all over us.

Posted: **Sat Mar 02, 2019 11:22 pm**

JamieBahrain wrote:Red Burgundy drinking is an ostentatious cult. AGREE. They actually don't age that well. STRONGLY DISAGREE - are you serious?

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 2:44 am**

Wizz wrote:What opinions do you have that are unpopular in the wine world?

That many more wines age better than often thought.

And more recently, that almost all pinot noir, including non-Burgundy ones, need considerably more age.

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 3:05 am**

TiggerK wrote:If you like it bone dry, Australian Riesling is enormously better value than German GG wines, and mostly as or more enjoyable, each should stick to what they do best.

Can't really disagree with that. Many fine Australian rieslings on display at a Riesling show in Sydney last year.

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 1:20 pm**

Coonawarra makes far more and better age worthy cabernet than MR, possible exception being Moss Wood

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 1:27 pm**

I recall someone saying - The Hunter Valley makes 5% of OZ wine but 95% of the noise.

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 2:48 pm**

OK here goes...

Wendouree make the most interesting,long lived and complex red wines in Australia.

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 4:38 pm**

I think most responses here have focussed on particular wine styles/regions. The unpopular opinions that I hold are probably more to do with winemaking/viticultural approach and stylistic appreciation in general. Some examples might be:

Brett can add interest and its character can make a wine beautiful
The mantras of wine quality being due to low yields, deep rooted vines (in bedrock), grape homogeneity at harvest... aren't necessarily true
Australian wine imports have a tendancy to be biased by an Australian-wine-palate that seeks bigger/richer/fruitier/oakier wines
Lighter-bodied, fresh, grippy styles of red have a deliciousness and "smashability" that warants special value being placed on them (alongside more complex and ageable wines)
Fruit/oak-dominant wines can tend towards boredom (I have to qualify this as more tenuous, because it is a big generalisation and it really depends on the style)

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 5:04 pm**

AndrewCowley wrote:Margaret River shiraz is crap.

+1

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 5:26 pm**

brodie wrote:OK here goes...

Wendouree make the most interesting,long lived and complex red wines in Australia.

Disagree

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 5:27 pm**

Cullen DM and most Wendouree are immensely over rated. This is based on drinking many dozens over 30 years at different stages of their lives.

The Auswine Forum

What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?

Re: What unpopular (wine) opinions do you have?