The Auswine Forum

Had the good fortune to have a day and a night and a day oogling the opulence of multi million dollar properties spread around the ocean side of Waiheke Island in me old mate Capn Petes dear old launch Lucinda again. Fishing was crap most of the time, with several "karati"(not sure if my maori is correct here!) i:e undersized snapper going back in the drink after being handled carefully with a wet towel. I took two bottles out, but the first, a 98 Jim Barry McRae Wood, had a bloody cork crumble going on, and couldnt be opened...I fear it might have been ruined, but I managed to open it today, and its fine...will drink tomorrow at yet another social function. Next, a 98 Wynns Black Label Cabernet...WOW!!! just fantastic..intense, intense and intense..so flavoursome and balanced, this was the nicest Cabernet Ive had since I was last at Craigs drinking that Cyril that so many of you dont like!! . It was the only 98 i had for some stupid reason!! I guess i was so hung up on shiraz, I rarely bought cabernets..silly boy..I reckon it would go for a fair few years yet, but its drinking so well now, i implore any owners to drink one now to keep me honest.. Anyway, the rest of the time was spent drinking ice cold Coronas and ripe limes, and then..holla..we decided to head back to the other side of Waiheke and fish the rest of our bait and berley away..still a couple of littlies, then, a change in tide and a wierd thing happened..the fish got bigger and bigger and very hungry!! My best was a 7 pound snapper and the rest(10), of which I caught 7, were about 4 pounders, which on very light fishing gear, was a hoot to try the skills out on!! I actually have bruises on my tum from the rod..
Great fun, and I also scored many brownie points with the wife and teens, cause at around $30 a kilo, snapper is NEVER on the menu!!
Cheers,
Rossi..
p.s I missed that score from the last one dayer in Cape Town..can anyone fill me in on the details???

Im still waiting for my invite to eat that snapper and drink that Neudorf

You lucky bugger!!

At the end of the day, although it sometimes seems a boring label, wynns delivers with their cabernet often. It seems so out of fashion that it is on special here and there quite a bit. The 98 John Riddoch is a bloody mean wine to!

And Caronas with limes can hardly be beaten on a hot day. We are doing a blind beer tasting next saturday at Marks if you are keen, give me a buzz. 2 dozen different beers.

C

Hiya Craig..
Least I can rely on your feedback..seems I have the bone pointed at me since i started the odd post again Will get round to that invite..seem to have a swag of things going down lately!
Just come back from Marijas cousins place after a nice late lunch..The ones with the identical twin boys..he just came back from a trip to Samoa with his Dad and brothers(he is half Samoan), it was his first trip there.
He bought back some amazing pulasami that was cooked in an umu, which is young taro leaves with fresh coconut cream inside..it was amazing! I had that bottle of 98 Jim Barry McRae Wood Shiraz, which was very nice, smooth dark berry with a long finish and intergrated tannins and complimented bbq chicken and another lovely Samo dish, chop suey(Sapasui) which is pork in vermicilli noodles, ginger root,garlic and onion. The shiraz went surprisingly well with this food.. I thought of giving you a ring as we had plenty of room on the boat, but it leaked in to Monday, which wouldnt have suited you. Cheers,Rossi.

That's what I like about you Ross. Wine is just a part of the full package for you, friends, family, events, fishing, holidays, sport, music, travel.

One million times better than a formal tasting with a bunch of pretentious gits.

Rossi, interesting note on the 98 Wynns Cab Sav. This has had such a wide variety of notes posted on it over the years. I bought three dozen as it got down quite cheap and there was loads of it around for quite a while. Most of the ones I've had to date have been a bit lame but I am of good faith and am quietly waiting for them to turn into the butterfly they often become. From the sounds of things, they may now be approaching their drinking window (it's been a long wait).

Might try one again soon. What sort of cellaring conditions do you have?

Hi Kris.

Thanks for the query. You lucky bugger, still having that amount of the 98 Wynns. Honestly, it was drinking really well..try one soon!
I have very very humble cellar conditions..most of the time the aforementioned wine was just in my cupboard at the other house we lived at, and for the last two or so years, under my new house. So not ideal conditions, but funnily enough, I have only had about one corked bottle in the 7-8 years I have been collecting!
All the best.
Rossi.

Well, that might actually explain why yours was drinking so well. If it was a bit warmer, it may have advanced the aging a little. All bodes well for things to come though and that is the main thing.

Will have to try one soon though.

Thanks.

Rossi wrote:Great fun, and I also scored many brownie points with the wife and teens, cause at around $30 a kilo, snapper is NEVER on the menu!!
Cheers,
Rossi..
p.s I missed that score from the last one dayer in Cape Town..can anyone fill me in on the details???

Just watching the last one dayer now. You should tune in, it's an interesting game.

Missed it!!bugger..sounded like a bit of history going down tho!! 400 and something runs!! god blimey!

Cheers.

Who wone that game in the end??

Does anyone know???

Imagine being overhauled after putting 400+ on the board!!

Craig(NZ) wrote:One million times better than a formal tasting with a bunch of pretentious gits.

I have had dinner with you twice now and I thought you enjoyed both evenings.

Your pretentious git,
Adair

Craig(NZ) wrote:Who wone that game in the end??

Does anyone know???

Imagine being overhauled after putting 400+ on the board!!

Sorry Australians don't care about one-day games that we lose. I have no idea who won.

Interesting though, no McGrath and Warne and we get 438 runs against us with a ball to spare!

Adair

I have had dinner with you twice now and I thought you enjoyed both evenings.

Yeah Ditto, those were good nights!! I was meaning 'Formal' sniff swirl and spit tastings. Yes a necessity sometimes more for education than anything, but the best nights are with mates at a restaurant or home.

Interesting though, no McGrath and Warne and we get 438 runs against us with a ball to spare!

No Don Bradman either Adair!! [/quote]