The Auswine Forum

[url=https://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=43973]NOBLEROTTERSSYDNEY - 2005 OZ REDS - 360 Bar & Dining, Sydney (3/02/2020)[/url]

The final dinner at 360 prior to a refurbishment (of the restaurant, not the Rotters). A wide range of stuff from 2005 around the nation.

• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8187311]2008 Laurent-Perrier Champagne Brut Millésimé[/url] - France, Champagne
  {cork, 12.5%} [Aaron] Seductive developing nose of yeast and cheese. A touch nutty, with melon and even a hint of tropical fruit. The flavours turn to the yellow spectrum on the medium-weight palate, rich and seemingly chardonnay-dominated. Quite large but creamy bubbles fill out the mid-palate; it has plenty of presence and a medium/long dry, crisp finish. Seems less yeasty on the palate than the nose. Soft back-palate. I thought this very impressive.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8187313]2005 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1[/url] - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
  {screwcap, 11.2%} [Andrew - guest!] Still a pale yellow colour. Smoky, slightly reductive nose of gently aging straw. Rich palate, medium weight, perhaps a touch oily in character. Acidity seemed reticent to me. Browning straw flavours. Was similar to the bottle I tasted at the very end of last year. This was popular at the table, but it has a dumb character to the structure somehow that gives it a monochrome sort of character I find. Not entirely convincing, but further aging may well help the cause. It’s certainly not on a downslope. Puzzling.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8187316]2005 Virgin Hills[/url] - Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Macedon Ranges
  {screwcap, 13%} [Graeme] Looks its age, with a hint of brick at the rim. Floral blackberry and leather nose, sweet-tinged. An acid-driven wine, with composting red fruit flavours with spice at full maturity, little oak, low/medium chalky tannins, resolving to an even palate and a medium length finish which showcases the sweetness of age as it sits. Lovely and pretty to drink, but just a little bit on the simple side. Might hold a while too.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8187319]2005 Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
  {screwcap, 14%} [Stephen] Varietal Aussie cabernet in a bit of an old-school guise, which is to say it blends eucalypt and currants with plenty of vanilla-tinged oak. The palate offers fading rather than evolving black fruit flavours, with medium gritty tannins, medium weight, and a straightforward, just-medium length finish. A little underwhelming, perhaps, although can easily be held longer with crossed fingers.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8187320]2005 Mount Mary Quintet[/url] - Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
  {diam, 13%} [Gordon + DavidH] Two bottles; varying cellaring provenance. One double-decanted three hours prior, the other with a swift decant at table. Even serving temperatures were slightly different. This is a dilemma; it’s so easy to get caught up in the differences between them that the wine itself gets lost in the comparison. And which one is the “true wine”? From the confusion I take a refined, subtle cigar-box nose, with a spice character you might attribute to a lot of cab franc. The palate is seamless with a mirror-smooth character, despite powdery tannins being quite present. Uneven degree of expressiveness between the bottles, but both built on acid, with a longish finish showing some development in a savoury cabernet style. Medium weight, nodding to Bdx in style, but with a new world accent and fruit purity. Archetypal Quintet. No rush to drink.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8187322]2005 Rockford Shiraz Basket Press[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  {cork, 14.5%} [DavidM] Not decanted. Developing nose; black and blue berry fruits, with a choc-vanilla character. Polished. A medium/full-bodied palate of classic Barossa old sweet fruit, not over-oaked, with low/medium powdery tannins and medium/high acidity, a bit of dark chocolate aspect to the flavours too. Generous mid-palate, medium/long finish; it does tend a bit on the warm side and suffers a little from soft tannins. Pretty good, and easily the pick of the Shirazes tonight; probably vies with the Mount Mary as red-of-the-night. Shows no sign of falling over; might show better with a decant too.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8187323]2005 Leasingham Shiraz Classic Clare[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
  {cork, 13.5%} [Glenn] An old-fashioned after-dinner mint dressed up as wine. With a hint of vanilla too. Plenty of oak on the palate, but it’s decent stuff. Medium weight. Mint and coconut flavours. Soft acid, not much back-palate presence. OK wine if you like the old-fashioned style, although it does finish a bit short of medium length. Drink up.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8187324]2005 Wirra Wirra Shiraz RSW[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
  {screwcap, 14.5%} [Kim] Not decanted – that might have helped tone down the oak on this, which is everywhere; vanilla and coconut dominate everything. Monolithic nose and palate; the jammy fruit tends towards the porty, but the vanilla oak trumps everything. Full-bodied in that sense, although it’s not so balanced; has medium dusty tannins and low/medium acid. The oak is more flavour than texture and seems to have kept the lid on the alcohol so the wine doesn’t seem especially fumey. Medium length finish; but I’d almost recommend leaving this longer (and decanting) to see if something a bit more interesting emerges with more time.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8187326]2005 Shirvington Shiraz[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
  {cork, 16%} [Geoffrey] The wines got more extreme as the night wore on; this smells as much port as table wine. Blackberry essence with hot dragon’s breath of alcohol. There are raisins and prunes on the palate amongst the rest; this is what I imagine embalming fluid tastes like. The palate is full-bodied yet hollow at the same time, with some acidity, or at least ethanol, medium length finish, all heat. Something of a freak-show; probably earned a bunch of Parker points. Would have been better on release I reckon.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8187327]2004 Geoff Merrill Shiraz Reserve[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
  {cork, 15%} [Paul - guest] Plums, coconut and a whiff of port here too. Somewhat developed. Over-ripe prunes on the palate, low acidity, full-bodied weight of extracted fruit and alcohol, but little tannin to support it. Jam-fruit finish, sort-of dry I guess, but hollow and dependent on US oak flavours. I see no future here.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8187328]2003 Stanton & Killeen Vintage Fortified Rutherglen[/url] - Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen
  {cork, 18.5%} [Aaron] Fumey brandy and cherry liqueur nose, oak not apparent. Sweet caramel twist. Roses and black jam on the palate Medium/high acidity, medium/full weight; fairly well balanced. Not especially sweet, but aiming for a porto style. Finishes a touch short, but fairly even. Judging by the 98 tasted afterwards, needs more time.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8187329]1998 Stanton & Killeen Vintage Port[/url] - Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen
  {cork, 18%} [Aaron] More evolved and richer than the ’03. Chocolate/plum aromas, even smells sweet. Palate is about medium-dry, fullish-bodied, with a more brandied but also richer palate than the younger wine. It has a luscious fruit-cake quality to it, medium/high acidity, and an even, medium length finish. Very nice. Labelled ‘port’; times change, because the 03 was labelled ‘Fortified’.
• [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=8187330]2005 Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon[/url] - Australia, Tasmania, Coal River
  {cork, 13%} [Graeme] A back-up, and with time on our side and other wines drunk, this was broached urgently, so no decant. Perfect cork. Maturing nose of currants and soft oak, but also with an asparagus twist in the usual Domaine A manner. This isn’t so pronounced on the palate, which has more of a dark chocolate quality to it, with currant flavours yet with always a savoury cabernet truth underpinning it all. Medium weight, with medium chalky tannins; this might have been the most purely tannic red of the night. Medium/long finish thanks to an even balance along the palate, but also shows every sign of aging another fifteen years easily.

The 2005 heading caught my attention. 2005 is my daughter's birth year so I went long in 2005.
The only 2 I have from that list are the Vat 1 and the Rockford.
Thanks for the notes
Cheers
David

Thanks for the notes, very interesting. The only 2005s in my cellar are Wynns Black Label, Tyrrell's Vat 9, and maybe d'Arenberg's Dead Arm (they could be '04s).

DJ wrote:The 2005 heading caught my attention. 2005 is my daughter's birth year so I went long in 2005.
The only 2 I have from that list are the Vat 1 and the Rockford.

Doubt you'll have a problem with those, then.

Graeme, as a few would know I am a bit of a Virgin Hills fan...that is until Hope Estate completely bastardised it. I recall a retailer in NSW doing vertical six packs of 03, 05, 06, 08 10 and 12 (not completely sure of exact vintage)...but unfortunately I didn't get one....they sold out quickly.
I am not aware of it being made in the last decade (or close to).
I had a recent bottle of 02 which was showing really well.
Thanks for the note, will have to keep an eye out if there are later vintages available. I have not looked at the website for some time...but that like what has happen to the brand is equally poor, and very overpriced...$80!! at the CD, when I have purchased 6 vintages between $20-30.

Cheers Craig

Was it true that Virgin Hills did not add any Sulphur to their wines ? Remember reading something about it. It true, then I would be very wary of any aged bottle.

mychurch wrote:Was it true that Virgin Hills did not add any Sulphur to their wines ? Remember reading something about it. It true, then I would be very wary of any aged bottle.

Have drunk 90, 94, 97, 98, 00, 02 in the last 2-3 years, no issues re low sulphur, bacterial spoilage or whatever. All graceful old cab blends some in their twilight, some with years to go.
Interestingly, just looked at the website which has finally been updated, but $80+ for the 2010, 12 and 13 is a joke when the street price (when available) is 1/3 of that.
Cheers Craig

Good post Graeme. Made me look at what 2005s I have.
Not much, they are all single bottles..
St Henri, Rockford BP, St Peters and a Charlie Melton sparkling shiraz.
Whites are all Tyrrells HV sems..Belford, HVD and Vat 1.

Bruce,

Looks like you have a nice crop of 2005s, and nothing to fear in my opinion and should age very well.

The note on the 2005 Katnook cabernet made think of my single bottle of 1998 and prompted me to look up cellar tracker. Somebody had a bottle of it in 2016 and posted a very evocative tasting note. Here it is:

When I first had a smell and taste of this wine an image immediately popped into my head... I found myself in a wooden old cottage somewhere north California in an ancient sequoia forest at sunset... looking through the glass you can see lovely crimson colour of wine... Some sediment in the bottle. The image I had in my mind must have been triggered by the wonderful forest floor, oaky, cedar, toast aromas with a hint of red currant and cherry. On the palate I could catch some cherry, plum, and chocolate. Medium body with wonderful smooth texture and very long exciting finish. It must have a been a good year. I know it was for me.

Mahmoud.

2005 a superb year in the Barossa, maybe the best in modern times. Hard to make a bad shiraz that vintage.
Glad you had a good 2005 Quintet, I have had no luck with that wine.
Thanks for the notes, interesting read.

phillisc wrote:

mychurch wrote:Was it true that Virgin Hills did not add any Sulphur to their wines ? Remember reading something about it. It true, then I would be very wary of any aged bottle.

Have drunk 90, 94, 97, 98, 00, 02 in the last 2-3 years, no issues re low sulphur, bacterial spoilage or whatever. All graceful old cab blends some in their twilight, some with years to go.
Interestingly, just looked at the website which has finally been updated, but $80+ for the 2010, 12 and 13 is a joke when the street price (when available) is 1/3 of that.
Cheers Craig

Website seems to be gone
My memory tells me they had salinity issues
Terrific style of wine

michel wrote:

phillisc wrote:

mychurch wrote:Was it true that Virgin Hills did not add any Sulphur to their wines ? Remember reading something about it. It true, then I would be very wary of any aged bottle.

Have drunk 90, 94, 97, 98, 00, 02 in the last 2-3 years, no issues re low sulphur, bacterial spoilage or whatever. All graceful old cab blends some in their twilight, some with years to go.
Interestingly, just looked at the website which has finally been updated, but $80+ for the 2010, 12 and 13 is a joke when the street price (when available) is 1/3 of that.
Cheers Craig

Website seems to be gone
My memory tells me they had salinity issues
Terrific style of wine

Michael, just checked the Hope Estate website, seems to be a little bit of activity, last VH vintage was the '13. Might give them a call, prices range from $48-75 youngest to oldest...or keep looking to see if it can be sourced elsewhere.
Cheers Craig

phillisc wrote:

michel wrote:

phillisc wrote:
Have drunk 90, 94, 97, 98, 00, 02 in the last 2-3 years, no issues re low sulphur, bacterial spoilage or whatever. All graceful old cab blends some in their twilight, some with years to go.
Interestingly, just looked at the website which has finally been updated, but $80+ for the 2010, 12 and 13 is a joke when the street price (when available) is 1/3 of that.
Cheers Craig

Website seems to be gone
My memory tells me they had salinity issues
Terrific style of wine

Michael, just checked the Hope Estate website, seems to be a little bit of activity, last VH vintage was the '13. Might give them a call, prices range from $48-75 youngest to oldest...or keep looking to see if it can be sourced elsewhere.
Cheers Craig

Will look
A mate was telling me a restraunter from Melbourne was involved...

felixp21 wrote:2005 a superb year in the Barossa, maybe the best in modern times. Hard to make a bad shiraz that vintage.
Glad you had a good 2005 Quintet, I have had no luck with that wine.
Thanks for the notes, interesting read.

While I like some of the 05s, I’d put 2012 and 2004 in front

I see that the Virgin Hills property has recently been listed for sale $2.3 million.

BHCC1 wrote:I see that the Virgin Hills property has recently been listed for sale $2.3 million.

Can you post a link...
TIA

Virgin Hills
https://www.realestate.com.au/property/292-s ... n-vic-3444
Glenhope Vineyard
https://www.realestate.com.au/property-mixed ... -700112674

Yeah Michael and I can buy it...only 1.2M each

Cheers Craig

phillisc wrote:Yeah Michael and I can buy it...only 1.2M each

Cheers Craig

In our current groovy world
Cab shiraz is doomed

Shame as VH had some of our greatest wines...

Just sayin.....