The Auswine Forum

The inaugral gathering of the Annual Great Winter Wine Dinner was launched last Saturday night, trial members included myself and my wife, our illustrius forum dictator (Gavin) and his wife (Robyn) and our hosts, the infamous forum lurkers Gary and Chris. We all gathered around Chris and Gary's place to eat some of Chris's wonderful cooking and drink some great wines.

The night was just fantastic. Although it is winter we have been having some fantastic weather lately in Adelaide. It was just perfect, gathering on the front lawn, listening to the gentle lap of the lake, watching a wonderful sunset sink into the ocean and sipping champagne. (We were lucky, the atmosphere could have been spoiled by the neighbor as he is infamous for his racket but we were in luck as he is in the USA on some tour or other).

We started the evening with a bottle of 1996 Moet ET Chandon Dom Perignon Champagne. Simply marvellous, a creamy textured, zesty, full bodied wine that offered up intense but tightly wound fruit flavours, hints of nuts, dough and earth that lingered on the palate for minutes afterwards.. wow.

Next the boys moved indoors to start opening the wine for the evening. After much ceremony the reds were opened, checked for faults and decanted. Meanwhile we were informed that entree was on its way and a white wine needed to be selected for it.

Gary chose wisely and opened a bottle of 2001 Cullen chardonnay to have with the prawns and Moreton bay bugs. Wow, teriffic seafood from Chris and this is one fantastic chardonnay. A wonderful light amber color with a rich nose of pineapple, candied honey, butter, fruit salad and roasted nuts. On the palate it is medium to full bodied, with rich, concentrated fruits, apple, cucumber, melon, vanilla and roasted hazelnut. Excellent length and good structure.

The table was cleared and it was time to try the reds.

1986 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild
This was one of the anticipated highlights of the evening. With much ceremony going into the opening and much ooohing and aaahing over the careful decanting and some comments made about the long, soaked through cork. It had an absolutely gorgeous nose that leapt from the glass; sandalwood, cinnamon, light musk, blackcurrents and redcurrent. The palate was in direct contrast though with ultra fine and subtle blackcurrent flavours, furry tannins and rather a short finish. Maybye my palate requires a sledgehammer rather than a silver spoon but I must admit to being quite disappointed with the palate in general.

1991 Jasper Hill, Emilys Paddock, Shiraz Cabernet Franc
I thought this was a very interesting wine, a spicy nose of tobacco and leather that came through on the palate accompanied by massive tannins and nuances of freshly cut hay. Gavin wasn't quite sure he liked this wine or not, he thought the tannins overwhelmed the fruits, however, Gary and I thought the fruits would finally push through given enough time. We did come back to it a few hours later but the tannins were still too dominant.

1990 Wendouree Shiraz
Hmmm... A gorgeous, rich nose of black cherry, mushroom, nutmeg and creamy coconut. A big stiff backbone of tannins, excellent concentration and intensity of fruits, wonderful structure and a complex lingering finish of black pepper, licorice and coffee.

1991 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec
A nose of mushrooms, chocolate and licorice. A very tight palate with gripping tannins and flavours of rasberry, licorice and chocolate on the finish. The table was divided on this one. I wasn't quite sure if I liked it or not and Gary and Chris loved it.

1997 Greenock Creek Roennfeldt Road Shiraz
Absolutely outstanding... This wine is worth every single penny. I must admit that I was a bit wary of it at first thinking that it may be one of those thick and syrupy glug-fests so much like vintage port that a finer line could not be drawn. However, it was not port-like at all and had a complex nose of blackberry liquer, fine chocolate, mushroom, exotic spice and an underlying lift of blueberries that I couldn't get enough of. Massive intensity and concentration on the palate with layers and layers of pure fruits, cinnamon, cardamon and chocolates with an underlying elegance and finely structured tannins that were in contrast to such a powerhouse of a wine. I now have my sights set on aquiring a 1995 and a 1996, perhaps with the view of a vertical tasting sometime in the future.

The roennfeldt Road went absolutely speko with the main course, a saltbush lamb pie. Rich, dark meat and sauces that complimented the wine superbly.

Then it was on to the main highlight of the evening, the table cleared, the creme brule served and each of us nursing quite a large glass of 1976 Chateau D'Yquem, served from a bottle. A dark, golden honey color with a nose of oranges and marmalade that literally leapt from the glass. A magnificent, full bodied, richly flavoured dessert wine with layers of quince, orange marmalade, apricot, fruit salad and passionfruit that lingered and danced around the palate for an eternity. A masterpiece..

A wonderful time had by all... Thank you to Gary and Chris for hosting such a wonderful dinner, it was certainly one to remember.

Mark,

If you would'a swithched the Cullen c-through for a bottle of good Sparkling Red, you would have had an even better night.

TORB wrote:Mark,

If you would'a swithched the Cullen c-through for a bottle of good Sparkling Red, you would have had an even better night.

Maaate.. You need a token white for the ladies, although you could argue that they had the champagne and that should have been enough

What a fantastic report Mark. I've really enjoyed reading it, very well written and a picture is always a highlight.
The 1996 Dom Perignon must have been good, I'm looking forward to it sometime in the future.
I've never tasted the 1986 Lafite but I do know what it's like to be slightly disappointed by a Premier Grand Cru.
As for the 1990 Wendouree Shiraz....well, I'm currently working on my Shiraz tasting (held in Europe) report that featured this wine....so I know what you mean by Hmmm........(To be honest not everyone was thrilled by it)
Cheers,
Attila

Wow. Great dinner. Thanks for the notes. Wish I was there.

Out of interest (and I know this sounds like a stupid question), what words are in the "box" of the Roennfeldt Road. Does it say "Roennfeldt Road" above the "box" and Shiraz in the box? I can't quite see.

Also, your notes on the Wendourees were not that inspired, especially compared to the Greenock Creek. Do you think your notes would have been more inspired if you drank these 2 wines in another 10 years?

Thanks again,
Adair

Adair wrote:Wow. Great dinner. Thanks for the notes. Wish I was there.

Out of interest (and I know this sounds like a stupid question), what words are in the "box" of the Roennfeldt Road. Does it say "Roennfeldt Road" above the "box" and Shiraz in the box? I can't quite see.

Also, your notes on the Wendourees were not that inspired, especially compared to the Greenock Creek. Do you think your notes would have been more inspired if you drank these 2 wines in another 10 years?

Thanks again,
Adair

Adair

Wendouree are very individual. I was inspired by the Wends, especially the Cab Malbec, but then I've been a fan and drinker since the 80's.

The Roennfeldt, given my dislike for many super high alcohol Aussie Shiraz I was fully prepared not to like, but really did.

In 10 years I doubt the Roennfeldt would still be great, but now, at 6 or 7 years old, it was singing!

Adair wrote:Wow. Great dinner. Thanks for the notes. Wish I was there.

Out of interest (and I know this sounds like a stupid question), what words are in the "box" of the Roennfeldt Road. Does it say "Roennfeldt Road" above the "box" and Shiraz in the box? I can't quite see.

Also, your notes on the Wendourees were not that inspired, especially compared to the Greenock Creek. Do you think your notes would have been more inspired if you drank these 2 wines in another 10 years?

Thanks again,
Adair

There is no box in the picture - If you mean the cardboard box it comes in I still have it at home and will check it out if I remember. They sometiomes come in wooden boxes as well but the wine type is never identified on the outside on all the boxes I have seen.

I liked (not exactly loved) the Wendouree shiraz (I am sure it will improve even more over the next 5 years) but the cab malbec may have been too young for me and may need quite some more time as suggested. I am starting to suspect that my current tastes may not be Wendouree oriented.

markg wrote:

Adair wrote:Out of interest (and I know this sounds like a stupid question), what words are in the "box" of the Roennfeldt Road. Does it say "Roennfeldt Road" above the "box" and Shiraz in the box? I can't quite see.

There is no box in the picture - If you mean the cardboard box it comes in I still have it at home and will check it out if I remember. They sometiomes come in wooden boxes as well but the wine type is never identified on the outside on all the boxes I have seen.

Hello Mark,

Sorry about the confusion. Please see why artwork below for clarification.

Thanks,
Adair

Adair wrote:

markg wrote:

Adair wrote:Out of interest (and I know this sounds like a stupid question), what words are in the "box" of the Roennfeldt Road. Does it say "Roennfeldt Road" above the "box" and Shiraz in the box? I can't quite see.

There is no box in the picture - If you mean the cardboard box it comes in I still have it at home and will check it out if I remember. They sometiomes come in wooden boxes as well but the wine type is never identified on the outside on all the boxes I have seen.

Hello Mark,

Sorry about the confusion. Please see why artwork below for clarification.

Thanks,
Adair

Hey... Pretty impressive communications skills their Adair

From memory the answer to both questions is yes but I would have to check a bottle from the cellar unless Gary is reading this and can check his recycling.....

Formidable line up gentleman.

I thought Emily may have been more impressive. Interesting, as older TN's for this wine scarce.

Got to be impressed with the Wendouree QPR. $18 a bottle and going strong!