The Auswine Forum

Anyone tried this one yet?
Interested to hear if it it worth buying.

Graham,
extracts from old forum:
http://www.auswine.com.au/forum/messages/11830.html
http://auswine.com.au/forum/messages/12341.html


"Tasted several weeks ago. If there is a consistent wine from year to year, Craiglee is it. This one is 14.5% from memory, although as usual it hides its alcohol well. All the usual perfumed spice and fruit characters we expect."

regards
Chris "

And my notes from tasting at the release at winery 20 July 2003


Chris is right re 14.5% alcohol. It is an intense and more aggressive wine than previous years. What I found characteristic of Craiglee is that the wine appears mute about the winemaking but suggests a seamless invisisible hand from grape to bottle with only vintage variation present. On the day among other wines, there were the 93,94 and 96 shiraz vintages. The 93 was tough and in a difficult phase, if not going nowhere; the 94 was ripe and vibrant;"wet", if you know what I mean. the 96 was fine textured, warmer, beautifully balanced, racy,velvety with white pepper spice. Wine of the day. the 2001 is not as good as 2000, but for those who like chunky or Barossa style shirazes, this is closer to that mark-albeit in a Craiglee fruit driven style. It is reminiscent of the 97: very concenrated and intense, losing a touch of elegance in the transition.
Whereas I did not buy any 99 upon release FWIW I bought a case and a magnum; i.e. I put my money where my mouth is.

Surprise, but then again it shouldn't be: Craiglee makes good chardonnay.The 93 Chardonnay was drinking beautifully and had time on its side. 2001 was not a good year for Pat's pinot.

Neville K

Neville in comparison to the 00, which is better?

"The 2001 is not as good as 2000, but for those who like chunky or Barossa style shirazes, this is closer to that mark-albeit in a Craiglee fruit driven style. It is reminiscent of the 97: very concenrated and intense, losing a touch of elegance in the transition."


Anthony, the answer is within. The 2000 was quite a special wine. The 97 was also a cracker and recently awarded the trophy for best red (open class) at the Melbourne show. The 2001 is not in that league. The balance is a bit topsy in favour of extraction; not beautifully poised. It's a good wine but at the atypical spectrum of largesse for Craiglee.
Neville K

My appologies, got a bit excited a skipped a paragraph!

Thankyou for the tasting notes. What do you think is the cellar potential of the 2001?

Given good cellaring the provenance suggests 10-15 years. I have no reason to doubt the mid to long term future. Check after 7 years.