Barossa day out
Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2005 9:06 pm
Six lucky Blacktongues without wwwwwwork committments enjoyed an unexpectedly fine and warm day cruising around a few of the Barossa high points. Here's a few thoughts of the day.
Started at Torbreck, worked our way from Semillon, through reds and finally to desert whites. I of course only did the reds!
These guys sure know how to make wine. The 2004 Woodcutters Red is a juicy and slippery number that is great value at under $20. It's a frequently used house wine at my place and a few of the other Blacktongues too.
I loved the 2002 Struie and reckon the 2003 version whilst showing some vintage variation is in no way a lesser wine. That's off to the cellar too.
Next stop was Two Hands that newish full glitz cellar door. $5 to taste here refundable on purchase. The spiel from behind the counter is professional and slick matching the CD and the wine packaging. Tried our way from base wines through the garden series (mainly 2004s now) up to a new $120 flagship Barossa Cabernet. I know these guys have had some good press but whilst we all liked various wines, generally the feeling was they were well overpriced compared to what they deliver. Nothing caught enough attention on this occasion to buy for a Blacktongues tasting.
Hamilton Ewell was pedestrian although I did buy a couple of unreleased 2002 Shiraz, Railway & Fuller's Barn for a run soon at Blacktongues.
Pizza lunch at Salters Restaurant at Saltram CD was very good and filling.
Kaesler was the next stop, another producer right on the money. The new 2004 Stonehorse Shiraz is rich and powerful, another bottle for a Blacktongues line up soon. The 2003 Old Vine Shiraz is again different to the 2002 but high quality stuff. The wine I loved here was the 2004 Avignon GSM, alot going on in the glass, serious wine indeed for a GSM.
Last stop was Rockford Stonewall where we finished the day with a good sized draught of 1998 Vintage Port, great stuff. I already bought about eight of these but will I live to see them fully mature? Doesn't matter, drinkable now in an heroic sort of way.
Glad I wasn't driving home! We've already pencilled in another wwwwwwork free day in August to see a few more Barossa CDs.
Started at Torbreck, worked our way from Semillon, through reds and finally to desert whites. I of course only did the reds!
These guys sure know how to make wine. The 2004 Woodcutters Red is a juicy and slippery number that is great value at under $20. It's a frequently used house wine at my place and a few of the other Blacktongues too.
I loved the 2002 Struie and reckon the 2003 version whilst showing some vintage variation is in no way a lesser wine. That's off to the cellar too.
Next stop was Two Hands that newish full glitz cellar door. $5 to taste here refundable on purchase. The spiel from behind the counter is professional and slick matching the CD and the wine packaging. Tried our way from base wines through the garden series (mainly 2004s now) up to a new $120 flagship Barossa Cabernet. I know these guys have had some good press but whilst we all liked various wines, generally the feeling was they were well overpriced compared to what they deliver. Nothing caught enough attention on this occasion to buy for a Blacktongues tasting.
Hamilton Ewell was pedestrian although I did buy a couple of unreleased 2002 Shiraz, Railway & Fuller's Barn for a run soon at Blacktongues.
Pizza lunch at Salters Restaurant at Saltram CD was very good and filling.
Kaesler was the next stop, another producer right on the money. The new 2004 Stonehorse Shiraz is rich and powerful, another bottle for a Blacktongues line up soon. The 2003 Old Vine Shiraz is again different to the 2002 but high quality stuff. The wine I loved here was the 2004 Avignon GSM, alot going on in the glass, serious wine indeed for a GSM.
Last stop was Rockford Stonewall where we finished the day with a good sized draught of 1998 Vintage Port, great stuff. I already bought about eight of these but will I live to see them fully mature? Doesn't matter, drinkable now in an heroic sort of way.
Glad I wasn't driving home! We've already pencilled in another wwwwwwork free day in August to see a few more Barossa CDs.