The Auswine Forum

My order arrived at the cellar during the week and with all the recent hype over the Greenock creeks I couldn't wait to crack one on Saturday arvo. I have had each vintage of the Alice - the 2000 was my favourite, the 2001 was good but not as good as the 2000 (at least that was my opinion it seems RPJ and my mum have different ones .

Well, I almost put it back in the cellar when I looked at the back label - Yikes, 16% alcohol ! I opened it anyway after some deliberation.

The color was a deep, glass staining purple/black color that sunlight had trouble penetrating. The nose jumped from the glass with lifted scents of plum, mulberries and black pepper. The palate had massive fruit concentration and a good stiff backbone of chalky tannins and flavors that lingered for about 5 minutes. The fruit intensity was incredible, it was like cramming your mouth full of fruit pastilles and juicy fruits and then chewing and chewing (Hmmm... I came up with that description after consuming about 75% of the bottle to myself, I may have been under the influence slightly when I made that note) - An excellent wine, the best Alice shiraz sofar.

96/100 pnts

I only got my mailer today-wonder if there is any left!

JamieBahrain wrote:I only got my mailer today-wonder if there is any left!

I rang them today.

Creek Block and RR Cabernet are sold out. The rest are in stock, for the moment.


Cheers

Jamie

Thanks R'man

Have placed a modest order, so here's hoping.

Mark

I baulked at the Alice -still a little shy of 16% table wines.

markg wrote:My order arrived at the cellar during the week and with all the recent hype over the Greenock creeks I couldn't wait to crack one on Saturday arvo. I have had each vintage of the Alice - the 2000 was my favourite, the 2001 was good but not as good as the 2000 (at least that was my opinion it seems RPJ and my mum have different ones .

Well, I almost put it back in the cellar when I looked at the back label - Yikes, 16% alcohol ! I opened it anyway after some deliberation.

JamieBahrain wrote:Mark

I baulked at the Alice -still a little shy of 16% table wines.

Guys: 16% is a baby! This thing is 17% and if he could get more in there I think he probably would.

My TN was "Garretson Hoage Vineyard “The Bulladoir” 2002 (Paso Robles, California) Deep, dense black cherry red with red edge. Very open with predominant blackberry and almost every other jam. On the palate this wine, well the WMD have been discovered! Too big, too powerful. Astringent beyond belief. And there is sweetness there as well. To give it some credit the flavors do linger on retronasal for an awfully long time. Maybe it will settle down, but it probably should not be released so soon. Oh, one other detail, it has 17% alcohol. You can’t taste it!"

Mike

Warrabilla Parola's Reserve Durif 02 clocks in at 17.5% and I haven't read a bad review (even Halliday liked it). Noon Solaire has gone higher than this, I believe.

Kieran

I am thinking about buying a mixed dozen after reading these positive notes. Alice and Apricot shirazes sounded good. How about the cab sauv and the Seven Acre shiraz? Would really appreciate any help. Thanks.

Thought the VII Acre was the pick of them at a tasting I did.

Are the Alices and Apricot available to us plebs who aren't on the mailing list?

Annabelle Waugh advised me today that all wines, except Alice and Creek Block and RR Cab, available.

As much as I should have bought, I baulked at the RRoad shiraz.

Doh on the Alices but woohoo on the Apricot Silly question then, what's the generally most polite and accepted way to contact the winery so that I may procure some of the good stuff?

Jakob

If Gavin's out of stock give the winery a bell on 08-85628103.

They are a friendly cellar door, if you know what I mean?

The hype is interesting. The local store received about 20 calls. I was in there last night and they have two bottles of the 2000 Alice's that no one wants!! At $44USD/bt they are way cheaper than anything reviewed in TWA#155, but then the 2000 is only a 90+ wine!

Mike

Thanks for the info Jamie As to the hype, it's truly bizarre and really very sad, as in crying tears sad, because I've really enjoyed the Alices and Apricot Block before at ~$30, and I'd hate to have to pay $100 for the privilage just because Parker also likes them

Jakob

Wouldn't worry about it.

High Parker scores, a dime a dozen these days.

Personally, I was relieved, to see the likes of Kay Bros spared this year ( 95 pts Hillside & B6 ).

Spreading the attention around a bit, will keep prices at honourable levels!