TN: Auswine Offline in Bacchus Marsh 06/03
Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2021 2:03 pm
So 5 of us got together on Sat 6th at Softies place for a relaxed afternoon. The theme for the afternoon was Riesling and Shiraz, with the Rieslings dominating. The dry Rieslings and the 2 reds were served blind. My Notes in order of tasting are
2016 Renaissance VRM, Rutherglen Estates
The palate warmer. Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne, so pretty much a white Rhone Blend. Lovely wine, drinking at its peak. The secret of this blend is to get the components to work together and that’s on show here with none of the 3 components dominating or poking their head out. Nice yeasty sur lees tones on the nose, stone fruit, good purity, touch of spice on the finish. Good wine, which would probably have rated higher with a meal (3*)
2019 Riesling, Express Winemakers
My back up wine, but as is usual, we drank it. I would not have brought this to someones house as a dinner wine, but amongst wine friends I thought I’d give it a go. Young colour of course, but this was fermented under flor for 10 months and the nose is as funky as you can imagine with hints of fino and tequila (Sour beer was another call) . Its dry, lots of citrus and there is an interesting mid palate weight – not sure if that’s the flor or not. Experimental wine and I think it passed – will happily drink the rest of a half case, but not sure I’d purchase another vintage. 2.5 *
2004 Wigan Riesling, Peter Lehman
This looked a lot older than the Express Winemakers it was served with. Nose is back in familiar territory with plenty of petroleum and stone fruit on the nose. I think a lot of people would have preferred this 4 or 5 years ago, but for me its at its peak. Its richer than expected in the mouth, carreses the tounge and has the expected acidity and citrus fruit. Very nice example. I guessed Pewsly Vale 2002, so I was in the right area. 3.5*
2005 Blackwood Park Riesling, Mitchelton
In my somewhat limited experience, its hard to find gripping aged Auz Riesling, but this is great. It again looks like mature and is probably of a similar age to the Wigan. The nose has a lot of petrol to start off with and it smells a bit lean. In the glass though this takes off, the petrol disappears and a warm, creamy well endowed Riesling sprouts. More peach and appricots in the mouth, good texture. Apparently it was a warm year and the sunshine does come through. No need to hurry if you have any of this. Yum. 4*
2016 Quomodo, Ruggabellus
This was my main wine and I had double decanted it off a lot of sediment 24 hours beforehand. Probably should have been 48 hours. Michael had noted in earlier conversation that he really was not a fan of Orange wines, so I was surprised to see he was so taken with this. 95% Riesling with a splash each of Semillon and Muscat. Orange colour, tangerine spectrum fruit and immense power. Nothing really in common with the other Rieslings, but there is something noble about this wine. Its still young and I found it just a bit disjoined – a quick tasting as I type confirm that its better today. Think Oude Gouze Lambic beer meets Vouvray. Yum, but not for everyone. 3.5*
2000 Maurice O’Shea Shiraz, Mount Pleasant
This was a troubling wine. You could immediately tell that it was old, but it was hard to say where it came from due to the almonds, nail varnish and VA on the nose. Very angular and austere. At this point my mind is heading towards Italy, but then that friend of old wine wine kicks in: air. After 20 mins the VA had gone and some lovely delicate berry fruit appeared. Quality and terroir did kick in and we ended up with a lovely old hunter Shiraz. If you have this then I’d recommend opening at lunch time and letting it Audouze for the rest of the day. Reminded of an aged La Peyre Rose, so more Syrah than Shiraz. Thanks to Tom for bring this. 3* (2* to start, 4* by the finish)
2016 Fallen Giants Vineyard Shiraz
Obviously a lot younger than the Maurice. Raspberry liqueur on the nose. Round, voluptuous, Moorish. Easy drinking Bistro style wine with bags of savoury fruit. Would be great with a big stew, but it gets a bit lost here after the older wines. 3*
Served with Sherri’s lovely lemon tart
2006 Noble Riesling, John Forrest Collection
BA style Riesling. Dark and rich, with burnt sugar and ripe stone fruit. Just enough acidity to keep it fresh. Yum – I could have skulled the half bottle all by myself. 3.5*
2009 Botrytis Riesling, Joseph Chromey
Another sweetie. More in a late harvest style, so a lighter colour. Less sweet than the 06, this is fruitier with plenty of baked pineapple and peach. Good streak of acidity to keep it fresh. Again its gorgeous, but if I had to choose it would have been for the 06 (sugar always wins). 3.5*
At the end of the day, the general favourite was the Maurice O’Shea, although for me it was clearly the Mitchelton. Thanks to John and Sherri for the hospitality and for Tom and Micheal for bring such lovely old wines. Lets hope we can have a few editions for the next tasting, due to be held in Fairfield on 22nd May.
2016 Renaissance VRM, Rutherglen Estates
The palate warmer. Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne, so pretty much a white Rhone Blend. Lovely wine, drinking at its peak. The secret of this blend is to get the components to work together and that’s on show here with none of the 3 components dominating or poking their head out. Nice yeasty sur lees tones on the nose, stone fruit, good purity, touch of spice on the finish. Good wine, which would probably have rated higher with a meal (3*)
2019 Riesling, Express Winemakers
My back up wine, but as is usual, we drank it. I would not have brought this to someones house as a dinner wine, but amongst wine friends I thought I’d give it a go. Young colour of course, but this was fermented under flor for 10 months and the nose is as funky as you can imagine with hints of fino and tequila (Sour beer was another call) . Its dry, lots of citrus and there is an interesting mid palate weight – not sure if that’s the flor or not. Experimental wine and I think it passed – will happily drink the rest of a half case, but not sure I’d purchase another vintage. 2.5 *
2004 Wigan Riesling, Peter Lehman
This looked a lot older than the Express Winemakers it was served with. Nose is back in familiar territory with plenty of petroleum and stone fruit on the nose. I think a lot of people would have preferred this 4 or 5 years ago, but for me its at its peak. Its richer than expected in the mouth, carreses the tounge and has the expected acidity and citrus fruit. Very nice example. I guessed Pewsly Vale 2002, so I was in the right area. 3.5*
2005 Blackwood Park Riesling, Mitchelton
In my somewhat limited experience, its hard to find gripping aged Auz Riesling, but this is great. It again looks like mature and is probably of a similar age to the Wigan. The nose has a lot of petrol to start off with and it smells a bit lean. In the glass though this takes off, the petrol disappears and a warm, creamy well endowed Riesling sprouts. More peach and appricots in the mouth, good texture. Apparently it was a warm year and the sunshine does come through. No need to hurry if you have any of this. Yum. 4*
2016 Quomodo, Ruggabellus
This was my main wine and I had double decanted it off a lot of sediment 24 hours beforehand. Probably should have been 48 hours. Michael had noted in earlier conversation that he really was not a fan of Orange wines, so I was surprised to see he was so taken with this. 95% Riesling with a splash each of Semillon and Muscat. Orange colour, tangerine spectrum fruit and immense power. Nothing really in common with the other Rieslings, but there is something noble about this wine. Its still young and I found it just a bit disjoined – a quick tasting as I type confirm that its better today. Think Oude Gouze Lambic beer meets Vouvray. Yum, but not for everyone. 3.5*
2000 Maurice O’Shea Shiraz, Mount Pleasant
This was a troubling wine. You could immediately tell that it was old, but it was hard to say where it came from due to the almonds, nail varnish and VA on the nose. Very angular and austere. At this point my mind is heading towards Italy, but then that friend of old wine wine kicks in: air. After 20 mins the VA had gone and some lovely delicate berry fruit appeared. Quality and terroir did kick in and we ended up with a lovely old hunter Shiraz. If you have this then I’d recommend opening at lunch time and letting it Audouze for the rest of the day. Reminded of an aged La Peyre Rose, so more Syrah than Shiraz. Thanks to Tom for bring this. 3* (2* to start, 4* by the finish)
2016 Fallen Giants Vineyard Shiraz
Obviously a lot younger than the Maurice. Raspberry liqueur on the nose. Round, voluptuous, Moorish. Easy drinking Bistro style wine with bags of savoury fruit. Would be great with a big stew, but it gets a bit lost here after the older wines. 3*
Served with Sherri’s lovely lemon tart
2006 Noble Riesling, John Forrest Collection
BA style Riesling. Dark and rich, with burnt sugar and ripe stone fruit. Just enough acidity to keep it fresh. Yum – I could have skulled the half bottle all by myself. 3.5*
2009 Botrytis Riesling, Joseph Chromey
Another sweetie. More in a late harvest style, so a lighter colour. Less sweet than the 06, this is fruitier with plenty of baked pineapple and peach. Good streak of acidity to keep it fresh. Again its gorgeous, but if I had to choose it would have been for the 06 (sugar always wins). 3.5*
At the end of the day, the general favourite was the Maurice O’Shea, although for me it was clearly the Mitchelton. Thanks to John and Sherri for the hospitality and for Tom and Micheal for bring such lovely old wines. Lets hope we can have a few editions for the next tasting, due to be held in Fairfield on 22nd May.
