The Auswine Forum

Hi all

Last Wed and Thursday saw the WA Wine show visiting Brisbane. All the big names and some not so big were there.

A few thoughts (and I am no expert so feel free to disagree) were the whites from Ashbrook were excellent value for money...all @ $20-25

The Sav Blanc was a beauty and well away from some of the overdone styles floating around. Apparently made from riper fruit through use of a U trellis that requires hand picking. @ $20 a bottle and IMHO worth it.

Chardonnay...better than the current ART series that we also tried that PM.

Verdelloh was also worth it...only one other V there but it was another great example.

I was suprised that a WA wine maker was offering such great value for money.

Hi Craig, I was also there on Wednesday. I didnt go to Ashbrook, but I've enjoyed the Verdelho before.

Chardy better than the LEAS, thats a big call! What other Chardonnays did you like? I thought the LEAS and Voyager were excellent, the Picardy was a cracker, the Peos was good, and the Leeuwin Prelude pretty good too!

cheers

Andrew

We only did a few chards did the "other" whites....sav blancs et al. I was with 2 mates and we all reached the same conclusion that the LEAS on show was not up to the same level as the 99.
The Ashbrook was definitely up there and as has been commented before there are some lower priced talent around like Wood Park that show you don't need $60 to get high quality.

What reds did you like?
Moss Wood Cab Sav was definite quality as was the Houghton Jack Mann although price wise so they should be. Plantaganet 2001 Shiraz was also very good. I must say I like to know prices when I taste working on the basis that if it cost $100 you should expect more from it, whereas for $20 you can expect a little less or even find something that is a real bargain.

Shame you missed some of the other Chardy's, but I agree you dont need to spend $60 to get a good one, although I did enjoy the LEAS for its balance and power. I didnt taste many other whites, but I liked the Voyager and Pierro SSB's, and the Voyager Semillon was top class.

Of the Cabernets, agreed on the Moss Wood, WOTN by a big margin. I thought the Jack Mann and the 99 LEAS Cabernet were good too. The Houghton Gladstones was locked up pretty tight but showed potential. A hard wine to buy given it showed so little (I notice TORB has different notes on the Glastones Cabernet, perhaps the bottle I tried hadnt been open very long). In lower price brackets the 00 Voyager Cab Merlot was very good, as was the 01 Picardy Merlot Blend.

Picks of the shiraz for me were the 01 LEAS and the 02 Voyager, which was a little different this vintage with the spoonful of Viognier. The 00 Gladstones locked up too tight to tell.

At the value end the Forest Hill reds were excellent, as were the Peos reds. I know others who did different stands and were impressed in general with Sinclair and Higher Plane.

and tomorrow, back again for the Coonawarra tasting

cheers

Andrew

I was actually somewhat disappointed with the WA wines in Brisbane. In particular the reds, many of which I found to have varying levels of 'green' characters on the nose - typically picked too early. Suckfizzle Augusta was one of the worst, very pungent green (which really dissapointed me as I thought the 1999 was a very good effort), while Higher Plane was one of the best - no green characters at all. Agree the Moss Wood Cab/Mer was excellent and by far the best wine there. Unfortunately, I could not find much else that took my interest - tho I think Higher Plane is worth looking at in the future.

JohnP,

Agreed on the Sucklefizz (and what a crap name - can I say that). However the Higher Plane did not capture my interest. Thougth their pinot was quite ordinary for starters.

Maybe one too many samples prior to getting to Higher Plane.

Except for a noteable few exceptions I prefer the eastern state reds and of course the SA styles over WA which I guess are lighter and somehow to my tastes lack guts.

John, sounds like I'm way less sensitive to the green characters, I didnt find many at all. However, I agreed on the Suckfizzle, thought this was rubbish too, and very green.


cheers

Andrew

Craig H wrote:JohnP,

Agreed on the Sucklefizz (and what a crap name - can I say that). However the Higher Plane did not capture my interest. Thougth their pinot was quite ordinary for starters.

Maybe one too many samples prior to getting to Higher Plane.

Except for a noteable few exceptions I prefer the eastern state reds and of course the SA styles over WA which I guess are lighter and somehow to my tastes lack guts.

Craig,

Didn't try the Higher Plane P N, thought their Chard slightly better than average and the Merlot needed older vines. My comment related to the Cab/Mer which displayed no 'green' characters and to my thinking indicates good winemaking in a year when other picked too early - leading to those green, herbaceous, capsicum aromas on the nose of many other WA reds. If higher plane can continue to achieve then I believe they will make good wines.

By the way I don't like Sucklefizz as a name either, but I do like Suckfizzle

Wizz wrote:John, sounds like I'm way less sensitive to the green characters, I didnt find many at all. However, I agreed on the Suckfizzle, thought this was rubbish too, and very green.


cheers

Andrew

Andrew,

Yep, you got it. I am very aware of the 'green' characters, so much so that at times I can confuse the various peppery tones and call them green. At the WA show I had a friend along who confirmed my impression - he claims I spoiled the tasting for him!! - Maybe I just have a great power of auto-suggestion!! However, the 'green' bouquet does not necessarily detract from the taste of a wine, particularly if like you, you don't notice the aroma initially. My mistake was probably having tasted the Suckfizzle Augusta previously (and found it green) I wanted to confirm/deny that tasting (I really liked their 1999), however the bouquet really sealed the deal for me on the second tasting.

John

I think its important to stress the differences in green flavours at this point.

In a well made Cabernet (or Shiraz sometimes) its quite possible to find green flavours like mint, spearmint, capsicum, tomato leaf and even hints of capsicum that are perfectly acceptable. If these flavours are not to your like then thats fine but there may be nothing wrong with the wine, they are just not to your taste but that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them.

Where the problem lies is when the green taste or streak is caused by over cropping, young vines, excessive pressing, green tannins or unripe grapes. IMO opinion these wines are not well made (or enjoyable in most cases) and I rate them accordingly.

So not all greens are greens and the trick is to know your greens.

TORB wrote:I think its important to stress the differences in green flavours at this point.

In a well made Cabernet (or Shiraz sometimes) its quite possible to find green flavours like mint, spearmint, capsicum, tomato leaf and even hints of capsicum that are perfectly acceptable. If these flavours are not to your like then thats fine but there may be nothing wrong with the wine, they are just not to your taste but that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them.

Where the problem lies is when the green taste or streak is caused by over cropping, young vines, excessive pressing, green tannins or unripe grapes. IMO opinion these wines are not well made (or enjoyable in most cases) and I rate them accordingly.

So not all greens are greens and the trick is to know your greens.

I must admit I have no problem with minty aromas, but obvious capsicum and tomato leaf I find difficult to distinguish from the green / herbaceous tones and frankly do not like. Equally I have no issue at all with others not seeing the character or even liking the character. I guess we all have different palates for a reason!