The Auswine Forum

Interesting to see that the latest newsletter by Brian Lynn claims that winetasters that have already tasted the yet to be released {July} 2002 Malleea claim that its the best yet. Every winery makes claims of the best to date but it is a good sign if its wine tasters making the claim. Torb have you?

Dont know about the best ever but they were bloody good and worth buying. The Tour Diary will give complete details.

The Majella Musician is absolutely a knockout wine for the price. Tasted last Monday with a goodly number of people it was a wine that impressed all with its undoubted quality.

JohnP wrote:The Majella Musician is absolutely a knockout wine for the price. Tasted last Monday with a goodly number of people it was a wine that impressed all with its undoubted quality.

John, I agree on this one, it certainly over-delivers at the $15-$17 price-point. The Majella 2003 Shiraz and cabernet are a definite buy too when released in July (I think), superb fruit, good structure, small quantities due to drought year. Full TN in Ric's tour diary soon.

Had a bottle of The Musician over the weekend, bloody good booze as the Prof is known to say! It has all the hallmarks of Majella, just no oak and for some that's not a bad thing.

At the price it will be a regular on the House Wine list at my place.

Less (not none) oak is definately a good thing.
Bring it on!

I am getting overwhelming capsicum with this one on both nose and palate.

Did anyone else have this ?

Anonymous wrote:I am getting overwhelming capsicum with this one on both nose and palate.

Did anyone else have this ?

No.

Stuart wrote:Less (not none) oak is definately a good thing.
Bring it on!

The Malleea 01 is oaked but is a wine and a half which just shows good quility used. CLASSIC COONAWARRA

Anonymous wrote:

Stuart wrote:Less (not none) oak is definately a good thing.
Bring it on!

The Malleea 01 is oaked but is a wine and a half which just shows good quility used. CLASSIC COONAWARRA

Is the 01 that good? I avoided this wine so far due to reports that its not so good. Has anyone tried the 01?

Drank the 00 & 01. OK for a <$40 wine but not @ its RRP$.

If u wanted the best Cab/Shz or a Shz/Cab combo, I'ld recommend "Kaesler Weapon of Mass Seduction" gurantee to seduce

Love Shiraz Cabs. Might have to try that one is it the 02? Do you have a TN on it or can basically explain what to expect?

Barry

Barry, big undeveloped style, IMO will be fabulous in another 5-8 years. I tucked away a six pack not to be tried until 2010.

I dont buy too many of one wine so I might get 2 or 3 as I love a big red.

Slightly off topic is John Riddoch 99 a good buy at $49.60?

Thanks 4 your help
Barry

Chow Chow wrote:Drank the 00 & 01. OK for a <$40 wine but not @ its RRP$.

If u wanted the best Cab/Shz or a Shz/Cab combo, I'ld recommend "Kaesler Weapon of Mass Seduction" gurantee to seduce

Have you tried the 2002 and the 2003? Which is better?

Anonymous wrote:
Have you tried the 2002 and the 2003? Which is better?

The 03 WOMS has not been released yet.

Well this is what I thought untill I punched in Kaesler on Gavins wine page and up came 2003. Could be a missprint?

See its now been changed to 02

TORB wrote:Dont know about the best ever but they were bloody good and worth buying. The Tour Diary will give complete details.

I see your tour diary says you had a barrel sample of the 03 but didnt see the 02 Malleea listed? I am blind at the best of times I might add.

Nope, you glasses are working this time Guest. I wondered why the Prof didn't show me the 02 Malleea, but it didn't hit me till later. The 04 FRS wasn't finished so that was a reasonable omission.

Mmm this time round I am waiting to see some reviews on Malleea before I am buying. I bought the 01 after big claims then heard negative reviews so cracked one for myself to try and was very dissapointed.Not in the class of previous vintages. Should not have worn the Malleea label and might end up costing them future buisiness as a result.

You mentioned you tried 02 and 03 vintages of Shiraz and Cabernet. How did the two Cabs compare?

What is FRS?

Your site is a great read.

Drank the Malllea '02 with Prof during a winemaker dinner. Very seldom I left with unfinish wines

Anonymous wrote: You mentioned you tried 02 and 03 vintages of Shiraz and Cabernet. How did the two Cabs compare?

What is FRS?

Hi Guest,

The 02 Majella Shiraz and Cab were certainly very drinkable but it was a difficult vintage; they were a good result for the vintage and as expected they were not as good as the 01's. I really liked the 03's and will absolutly be buying them.

Both of them were rated Highly Recommended, the Shiraz with **** for value and the Cabernet with *****. Of the Cabernet I said "A classy wine, this is the best Cabernet at this price point that I can remember. " When I made that statement, I said to Brian, "can you think of a single Cab at this price point in recent times that's better?" He couldn't.

Speaking of value; Penley has adjusted a number of their priced down and most of their wines are now great value. 5 of the 7 I tasted got **** or above for value; I am am pretty mean with those stars.

Brian and I will be splitting a case of their 02 Reserve Cab at $49.99.

FRS is a phrase coined by The Prof for Sparking Shiraz. It stands for Fizzy Red S**t.

Anonymous wrote:I dont buy too many of one wine so I might get 2 or 3 as I love a big red.

Slightly off topic is John Riddoch 99 a good buy at $49.60?

Thanks 4 your help
Barry

I think so, but not for drinking for 10 years...
I can't remember if I tasted it or not - Gary W was pretty positive, and I think I got some at $46-odd. Fifty bucks is pretty fiar I reckon.

cheers,
Graeme

TORB wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Both of them were rated Highly Recommended, the Shiraz with **** for value and the Cabernet with *****. Of the Cabernet I said "A classy wine, this is the best Cabernet at this price point that I can remember. " When I made that statement, I said to Brian, "can you think of a single Cab at this price point in recent times that's better?" He couldn't.

Yeah Plantagenet would be better based on my past experiences?

Hi Ric

I have a question regarding your "latest tour diary", in particualar Kaesler. You mentioned you tried barrel samples, which you may or may not want to go into? Is there not going to be an 03 WOMS given all of their other wines are either 03 or 04 and 02 WOMS is sold out? Will there be an 04 either instead or aswell? I just love the 02 in this wine.

Cheers Trent

Anonymous wrote:no weapon of mass seduction after 2002 trent its a 1 off

As the other guest said, it's not true. I just recieved a response from Reid and he said the structure of the available wine in 2003 did not lend itself to making a WOMS.

He also said "We have done a roughy on the 2004 and it looks great, so far we are at about the same proportions as last time but the cab is very strong. I anticpate a release date around next June."

So there you have it; there will be one in 2004, and hopefully 2005 as well.

Thank you for the reply Ric.

I really admire wineries that see through short term profits and not produce a wine under its usual label when it's not up to it's usual standard/style

Cheers Trent

TORB wrote:The 02 Majella Shiraz and Cab were certainly very drinkable but it was a difficult vintage; they were a good result for the vintage and as expected they were not as good as the 01's. I really liked the 03's and will absolutly be buying them.

Hi TORB,

So the 03 Cab is better than the 02, but how do you think it compares to the 01 or 00?


thanks,
Bill

Hi Bill,

If you had read the TN on Torbwine, you would know the answer to your question.

Majella 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon will sell for about $28 at cellar door and will be released around July. The bouquet is attractive, showing dusty oak, but it is tight and closed. Supremely-focused, pure fruit fills the mouth with minty but ripe chocolate, blackcurrant, cigar box and leafy flavours that are perfectly interwoven with finely-grained, long tannins that finish with excellent persistence. Ample-weight with a solid, tight, almost seamless structure, the complexity is harmonious and well-developed. A classy wine, this is the best Cabernet at this price point that I can remember. Rated as Highly Recommended with ***** for value, the rating should improve as the wine matures around 2010 and beyond.

I have ordered mine already, both the Cab and the Shiraz.