The Auswine Forum

OK
This elegance thing is starting to get up my snoot.

Too often elegance is a synonym for thin weak and pissy (especially when used to describe wines that are). Come to think of it , I've never seen a winemaker's tasting note to describe their own wine saying such things.

(Apart from my own notes..but those wines don't reach the public!)

As such I'm starting to think about the concept of a Dirty Big Wine Show, eligible to all table wines over 15.5% alc (I am thinking red here)

I know theres a few contenders locally..Bullers Watchbox and ourselves
plus some Barossa and McLaren Vale makers. Plus some Zins (WA Mudgee etc) Oh OK and some Heatcotes..Actually theres quite a few out there.
Possibly happy to buy the wines ourselves .

Rules are simple
Only reds >15.5% alc
Nothing is too big if its balanced
Brown is bad
Sweetness OK so long as adds to the wine not porty or obtrusive
Wines commercially available.


What do people think?. Anybody got any suggestions on who we could invite....either as exhibitors or judges.
Campbell you in?
Bigots?

Cheers
Smithy

Sounds deadly.
Can you do an over 15.5% sparkling in the morning to get us tuned at least

This sounds like the kind of tasting you should have held mid July

Would be interesting (to me anyway) to throw some international blockbusters into the mix Smithy. Just to see how our high alcohol styles compare to theirs.

In the words of Austin Powers - Yeah Baby Yeah

I just think we make the best big red in the country.
I don't have delusions of grandeur that its the best in the world!!!!!

As a proud patriotic Aussie.....Lets keep it Aussie.
Smithy

That's a cracking idea Smithy.

Sounds good to me, you might have to make it > or = 15.5% though, there are not that many readily available wines that list a/v at more than 15.5%, at least as far as I have seen.

Those that I do know have made or do make a red labelled as 15.5% or over are:
Andersons
Bullers
Ben Potts
Cape Mentelle (Zin)
Hentley Farm
Tatiarra
Fireblock (Clare)
Jim Barry
Kaesler
Kays
Noon
Peel
Setanta
Tscharke/Glaymond
Water Wheel

but I'm sure there are quite a few others at 15.5% and a few others at higher levels, particularly Zins and maybe the odd grenache as wll as Shiraz and Durif

=15.5% is OK.
Test winners to make sure they meet the bill.
Otherwise you could defeat the purpose.

Few others
Watchbox
Booths Taminick
Warrabilla has the odd wine as well!
Need more suggestions guys

You keen RB? Might be better as a winter tasting?

Cheers

Smithy

Gotham 04 Shiraz
I think the 03 Clayfield Shiraz is around that range if you want a Grampians wine for some difference.
Heathcote Winery Slaughterhouse
Smidge '04 Zinfandel

Kangarilla Road Zin
Kalleske Johann George 03 (04 is wonderful but I don't know the alcohol % on it)
Jim Barry McRae Wood 02 and Armagh 02

smithy wrote:8) =15.5% is OK.
Test winners to make sure they meet the bill.
Otherwise you could defeat the purpose.

Few others
Watchbox
Booths Taminick
Warrabilla has the odd wine as well!
Need more suggestions guys

You keen RB? Might be better as a winter tasting?

Cheers

Smithy

Yeah, I'm keen. Sounds better than a bunch of "elegant" cabernets in November.

Certainly not looking like a warm weather gig, how long do you think it will take to organise?

Tatiarra
Longhop Old Vine Grenache 05
Shaw & Smith Elixir 02
Some d'Arenberg Dead Arms must be up there

We would want stuff that people could go out and buy.

might be the go for after vintage 07.

cheers
Smithy

Just called into a local wine merchant, saw Peel Estate Zinfandel 2000 18.0%, they've beaten you to it smithy!

Sounds like a good idea to me, but can I have some ice blocks thrown into each sample please?

18% Zin
Had it.

Little sweet for me. Might put a SG less than or equal to 1000
Hate them too porty. Don't forget that wines can be labelled 14.0 and labelled 15.5 so you would need to check.
Might have found a venue, glasses, white coats a glass washer, support staff and even have a thought re judges.

Might not be such a silly idea.

Smithy

Doesnt it defeat your whole argument that we should not be looking at these wines in terms of alcohol level but rather in terms of balance and fruit etc??

Its an odd suggestion to me to want to catergorise yourself into a high alcohol class.

What about Veritas Hanisch, is that up there?
MM.

smithy wrote: even have a thought re judges.

Lemme guess...you, Red Bigot and TORB??!!

smithy wrote:Might be better as a winter tasting?

Cheers

Smithy

No, so what are you saying mate, you have a 3 month window on +15's?


(Trying real hard not to knock +15% mate)
But there are not many beating the drum.

If you really wanted this to be serious you wouldn't have posted it and made it look like a tasting to forumites rather than a judging. Which it should be. Surely you have enough contacts.
And that being said, with the numbers of wines being low,(unlike other shows), the T/N's could probably be posted.

Good luck with it, I hope you have enough admin staff to pull it off.

danclarke wrote:

smithy wrote:Might be better as a winter tasting?

Cheers

Smithy

No, so what are you saying mate, you have a 3 month window on +15's?


(Trying real hard not to knock +15% mate)
But there are not many beating the drum.

If you really wanted this to be serious you wouldn't have posted it and made it look like a tasting to forumites rather than a judging. Which it should be. Surely you have enough contacts.
And that being said, with the numbers of wines being low,(unlike other shows), the T/N's could probably be posted.

Good luck with it, I hope you have enough admin staff to pull it off.

Dan, there have been two big red tastings at Warrabilla so far, Durif and Shiraz, with Campbell Mattinson at one, Ric and I and another friend of smithy at both. There were under 50 wines at each, the TN and results are on www.torbwine.com.

Here is the Durif tasting: http://www.torbwine.com/tn/SA2005/The%2 ... eb05.shtml

and the Shiraz tasting: http://torbwine.com/pf/Vic051.htm

Adam wrote:

smithy wrote: even have a thought re judges.

Lemme guess...you, Red Bigot and TORB??!!

Despite 35+ years experience in drinking and often enjoying big reds I don't hold any aspirations as a judge, I'll be happy to be a steward with tasting privileges on this one.

That being said, in the two previous big red tastings at Warrabilla, I'm happy with my scores/ratings in comparison to the others present, including Campbell Mattinson at one of them.

Guys
Theres heaps of people we could ask to be judges
Courtesy says ask them ask them first and see who agrees.

RB love to have you on board.
For those that say there isn't that many wines: when you start to look the list gets bigger.

Think this is a GO.
Like I say trying to work out what wines we need and who would be decent judges.
keep the suggestions flowing.
Smithy

smithy wrote:8) Guys
Theres heaps of people we could ask to be judges
Courtesy says ask them ask them first and see who agrees.

RB love to have you on board.
For those that say there isn't that many wines: when you start to look the list gets bigger.

Think this is a GO.
Like I say trying to work out what wines we need and who would be decent judges.
keep the suggestions flowing.
Smithy

Smithy,

I'd love to give a hand in the same spirit as RB if you need a nimble, young whipper snapper in the trenches for this event

Don't know about more recent vintages but Jasper Hill Georgia's 99 is labelled 15.5%

daz

Concept is a Go!
Looking at a May 07 date (after vintage).

The amount of negative feedback (and interest!!!) says that its needed to combat this "big is Bad!!!" tripe.

Will keep you posted.
Cheers
Smithy

Sounds good, but May will be the SA Tour Month. Now about June instead.

smithy wrote:8) 18% Zin
Had it.

Little sweet for me.

You reckon they left some residual sugar in there? Could have got it out to 19.5% ?

ANyway, didn't I post a TN on this wine last year some time?

Why don't you drop a line to the Lord of Monkton? He might be interested in something like this, especially if you gild the lily by getting everyone else to lay on a bunch of stickies as a bonus the day after the show.

cheers,
Graeme

TORB wrote:Sounds good, but May will be the SA Tour Month. Now about June instead.

C'mon Ric, it's only a small detour for a day or two on the way back.