A quick rip through Margaret River
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2003 9:16 pm
Dropped the wife off at a conference in Bunbury at 9:00am Saturday morning and headed further south for a reds of interest only quick taster in MR. No real notes, only impressions as I wanted to be back in time to watch the rugby. The 2 standouts of the morning were the Brown Hill Estate reseve Cab Sauv and the Woodlands PN.
Cape Mentelle. No Zin left. Sangiovese not out till next month. Fontys Pool PN not on tasting. Tried the 2001 Shiraz = Very bloody good.
Rosabrook. To see what was happening post Palandri. Wines now made by Bill Crappsley, ex Sandalford. 2002 Shiraz quite nice, a bit on the thin side but nice lingering fruit in the mouth with good acid and tannins. 2002 Cab Merlot. Lovely if you like capsicum. I don't. 2002 Cabernet similar but not as bad.
Brown Hill Estate. 2002 "Hannans" Cabernet good fruit but again too green for my tastes. 2002 "Chaffers" Shiraz excellent for the price, $16pb by the doz. 2001 "Ivanhoe" Reserve Cabernet. Most intense fruit I have tasted in a MR cab this year and a steal at the price. A mixed carton of Shiraz and Reserve Cab hit the boot and I moved on.
Xanadu. 2002 Cab Merlot, OK. 2001 Cab Sauv, OK but green. 2000 Shiraz contains a swag of Frankland fruit and shows lovely cold climate notes, bloody yummo and only $23 a bottle. 2001 Frankland River Shiraz not up to the 200 Shiraz and twice the price. 1999 Lagan Estate Cab Sauv is not in the same league as the 1998 and still $70 a bottle. Way overpriced and probably a reasonable $20 - $25 Cab.
Leeuwin, full of touristas so left.
Voyager, car park full as I passed by to Leeuwin and still full as I drove back. Jaysus but that smell of money don't half drag em in.
Cullens, chockers with chardonnay swillers having a day in. Not my thing.
Vasse Felix As full as Leeuwin but at least they staff their CD adequately. 2000 Shiraz still going strong, give it another 5 years at least. 2000 Cabernet, OK. Heytsbury not on tasting.
Woodlands 2002 Cab Merlot possibly the best of that blend I tasted on the day, 2000 Reserve Cab Merlot "St Peter" not up to the glorious 1998, 2001 Cab Merlot "Margaret" too green for me. 2001 Pinot Noir, sensational PN but at a price ($50pb). Nice clean nose without a hint of VA, nice weight in the mouth, soft tannins, plenty of sweet cherry fruit with earthy truffles and solid acid backbone. I could still taste it as I bit into my burger 1 hour later.
Cape Mentelle. No Zin left. Sangiovese not out till next month. Fontys Pool PN not on tasting. Tried the 2001 Shiraz = Very bloody good.
Rosabrook. To see what was happening post Palandri. Wines now made by Bill Crappsley, ex Sandalford. 2002 Shiraz quite nice, a bit on the thin side but nice lingering fruit in the mouth with good acid and tannins. 2002 Cab Merlot. Lovely if you like capsicum. I don't. 2002 Cabernet similar but not as bad.
Brown Hill Estate. 2002 "Hannans" Cabernet good fruit but again too green for my tastes. 2002 "Chaffers" Shiraz excellent for the price, $16pb by the doz. 2001 "Ivanhoe" Reserve Cabernet. Most intense fruit I have tasted in a MR cab this year and a steal at the price. A mixed carton of Shiraz and Reserve Cab hit the boot and I moved on.
Xanadu. 2002 Cab Merlot, OK. 2001 Cab Sauv, OK but green. 2000 Shiraz contains a swag of Frankland fruit and shows lovely cold climate notes, bloody yummo and only $23 a bottle. 2001 Frankland River Shiraz not up to the 200 Shiraz and twice the price. 1999 Lagan Estate Cab Sauv is not in the same league as the 1998 and still $70 a bottle. Way overpriced and probably a reasonable $20 - $25 Cab.
Leeuwin, full of touristas so left.
Voyager, car park full as I passed by to Leeuwin and still full as I drove back. Jaysus but that smell of money don't half drag em in.
Cullens, chockers with chardonnay swillers having a day in. Not my thing.
Vasse Felix As full as Leeuwin but at least they staff their CD adequately. 2000 Shiraz still going strong, give it another 5 years at least. 2000 Cabernet, OK. Heytsbury not on tasting.
Woodlands 2002 Cab Merlot possibly the best of that blend I tasted on the day, 2000 Reserve Cab Merlot "St Peter" not up to the glorious 1998, 2001 Cab Merlot "Margaret" too green for me. 2001 Pinot Noir, sensational PN but at a price ($50pb). Nice clean nose without a hint of VA, nice weight in the mouth, soft tannins, plenty of sweet cherry fruit with earthy truffles and solid acid backbone. I could still taste it as I bit into my burger 1 hour later.