The Auswine Forum

and its less painful than the dentist. .... so please let us know what you ahve been drinking this week.

Speri Amarone (Monte Urbano? or was it Monte Olmi?) 1998
Impressive not least for retaining a savoury touch and the control in the 14.8% alcohol. Not something I'd like to drink too often, but impressive. We've got a bottle of the 97 as well, so will open that in the next couple of years.

2006 Tim Adams Pinot Gris Interesting, slightly brown-tinged straw colour was surprising, but beautiful perfumed honey, apple and a touch of cinnamon coming through. Surprising and very tasty.

2002 Gibson Shiraz Big Barossan Shiraz. Nice smooth mouthfeel, good length of flavour. Some deep spicy plum and dark chocolate. Good length on the palate. All of it walloped by a whole lot of American oak, just thought varnish everytime my nose got near the glass. Moderately enjoyable once you get your head around the oak, but not as balanced as the 04 I tried recently.

2006 Two Hands Moscato My last of these & I'll have to get some more. Not at all serious, light & spritzy. Apple & citrus, nice mouthfeel. Most importantly, a very sensible way to finish an evening at 6% alcohol.

2004 Marius Simpatico was great as always, 2002 Fox Creek JSM Shiraz Cab struggled with a bit of alcohol heat on the 1st night, settled down the following night to be pretty tasty. Didn't take any detailed notes mid-week!

Cheers
Nick

Couple of nice pinots last night.

2005 Bindi Original vineyard - thought I'd try one young. Wonderful concentration and balance. Top notch pinot.

2000 Yarra Yarra - From St Andrew's vineyard. Was drinking well last night- again nice concentration, fine tannins and good length. Although their cabernets are more often talked about, I've been surprised recently by the quality of their pinots.

Earlier in the week - 2006 Turkey Flat Rose - been trying a few rose styles with the warmer weather here. This one ain't too bad. Almost fluorescent pink, fresh aromas of strawberries/rasberries, good intensity and dry finish. Worth the asking price.

The highlight of the week was getting an invite to the Penfolds Magill Estate Club Christmas dinner & drinks (and had to miss out on the Blacktongues Sparkling Shiraz tasting - Steve (aka 707) is back in town so he should post some impressions/scores for once ). In the middle of a stinking big heatwave week we got a perfect 27 degree day and a refreshing southerly breeze, so everying was set for a great night.

The new 2006 Cellar Reserve Sauvignon Blanc was surprisingly impressive and perfectly matched the fresh oysters with lime. Grassy at first, then a veritable fruit salad (banana, kiwi fruit, apple, pineapple) & vanilla ice cream on the nose, contrasted by a lime/mineral palate more in common with a good riesling than SB. Just when I was thinking "great, all we need is another overblown SB on the market" it turns out to be very good indeed.

The best wine though was with the dinner - the 1999 St. Henri was just as good as ever. Smoky/exotic chocolate/raspberry fruit laced with mint, pepper, leather and star anise, just as layered and classical as before - this is a great St. Henri, loose-knit and approachable now, but still with many good years ahead.

Cheers,
Ian

Going from memory, so don't quote me..

Voyager SSB 2000 - This was a little past it, although the last one I had 4 months ago was still going strong, and very good.

Grosset Watervale Riesling 1999 - Very satisfying aged riesling, yet not as developed as I might have expected. Certainly plenty of honey, toasty characters, but not much kero. Very good.

Chapel Hill Shiraz 1997 - I really enjoyed this wine, lots of ripe fruit, with smooth integrated tannin, good structure, and everything in balance. Don't think it will last for too much longer, but such a great drink now, why wait? And all this from the unheralded 1997 vintage. Not sure this winery is still making them like they used to.....

Charles Melton Nine Popes 1996 - To be honest this was a little disappointing. Perhaps a reflection of high expectations, as the last one I had 6 months ago was stunning. This one seemed to lack a bit of fruit, with somewhat prominent acid, although underlying structure was still good. I wondered about a mild dose of TCA, but couldn't identify any of the usual mustiness / wet cardboard / etc. To be fair, after 30 mins in the glass, it did open up more, and we drank the whole bottle quite happily. And yet, I feel this was far from the wine's best showing.

Freycinet Chardonnay 2003 - Wanted to try this as some tasting notes suggested its an early drinking proposition. Seemed to me though that it has plenty of life in it. Colour was still light, palate fresh, with crisp acidity and even a slight spritz! A more restrained style of Chardonnay (thankfully).

Cheers.

Seppelt Salinger Rose NV
Bought on a whim when putting a case together recently. For $20 great stuff - I think a touch more richness and red fruit flavour and it would be really great stuff. Clean refreshing with nice hints of strawberry.

1997 Mitchell Watervale Riesling
My last bottle and a good one plenty too it citrus and florals with good toast and honey.

1988 Wynns John Riddoch
It is about 3 years since we last opened one of these - much more together than the last showing. The wood has finally integrated and it was showing classic aged Cabernet. Yum.

1999 Charles Melton Laura Shiraz
I don't have alot of Melton in the cellar but every time I open one I wonder why I don't cut down on other Barossa and go Melton (yes I know the Laura fruit isn't Barossa). Rich soft fruit great length.

1997 De Bortoli Noble One
Why the hell aren't there more Noble One in the Cellar
Fabulous stuff great length and complexity - candied fruit marmalade. We just had it with strawberries, blueberries and cherries. Double yum.

Seem to be very slack about posting notes lately. The other most recent highlight
1998 Rockford Basket Press Shira
First of the 6 pack - oh goody 5 to go. This has years ahead of it. Rich fruit beginning to mellow.

Nick wrote:2006 Two Hands Moscato My last of these & I'll have to get some more. Not at all serious, light & spritzy. Apple & citrus, nice mouthfeel. Most importantly, a very sensible way to finish an evening at 6% alcohol.

Or a frivolous way to start the day...

The best wine this week, and one of the best for a while, was my last bottle of the Leasingham Classic Clare Sparkling Shiraz (1995). I've had a bad run with corks recently (had two send the first 2 of 3 bottles of an amarone back at a Canberra restaurant, and had some Riojans from auction fall over), but the Classic Clare was on song. Still some vibrancy in the purple-red, a medium amount of mousse for its age but persisted well. The palate certainly had more secondary characters than primary fruit, as to be expected, but the acid and tannins bracketed a long finish that (to my tastes) was close to off-dry. Lovely mushroom notes throughout. Mad me happy to have good aged sparkling reds to share.

Tried something different this week. Barossa Valley 2003 SGS (Seriously Good Shiraz) marketed by the Barossa Vintage Festival committee. Fruit is from the Hoffmann's Ebenezer vineyard and wine is made by Ben Glaetzer. Aged in American oak and 14.5% alcohol, this is a rich warm shiraz with intense berry fruit flavours and lovely chocolate overtones. Seems to have developed quickly and is very drinkable right now. Apparently it is available from the Barossa Vintage Festival committee which can be contacted through the Barossa Tourist Centre. Tanunda. Price: unsure $35 - $40?

2002 Pegasus Bay Riesling
Attractive nose of lime marmalade & quince. Well weightes, slippery mouthfeel with plenty of RS, but enough soft acids to keep it clean and moreish. Perfect foil for the three cheese twice baked souffle we enjoyed it with.

1998 Anderson Sparkling Shiraz
An up and down style - plenty of earthy leesy complexity, but just tips the barnyard scale for me. Probably better with food rather than an aperitif.

1998 E&C Section 353 Cabernet Sauvignon
Have enjoyed a number of these over the past couple of years, but unfortunately a mild dose of TCA.

1991 Wynns Cabernet Sauvignon
Fully integrated - a rich Cabernet nose of tobacco leaf, with clean leafy mulberry fruit. Tannins fully integrated, sofy & supple. Not likely to improve further, but not falling over in a hurry either.

1996 Penfolds 389[b]
Showed beautifully. Powerful nose of blackberry, dusty cocoa, and sweet vanillin oak. Well weighted, big tannins softening, and rich liqorice riddled finish.

[b]1998 Buller's Mondeuse Shiraz
The last soldier. A big solid wine. Prune and beefstock on the nose, perhaps pushing the VA limit but pleasant nonetheless. A rich relatively simple palate of milk chocolate, sweet earth, and walnutty oak tannins. Still has plenty of character, but I would drink up.

1998 Les Cailloux CdP
An intriguing nose of strawberries and pigshit. A biggish, somewhat developed CdP, ripe black peppercorn, new leather, dried herbs and a pleasant earthy clay like character. If I was to fault acid is still relatively prominent, and not in keeping witht he rest of the wine's development. Chalky tannins softening. Pipped the 389 for wine of the night on interest, and how well it paired with my duck breast with braised lentils.

Cheers,

LL

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Red Hill Estate Cabernet Merlot 2000

When I tipped this into the decanter there was a huge wave of strong blackberry that filled the room. Very strong blackberry and black current flavours which over the course of a couple of hours toned down a bit to reveal plum and vanilla but not much else. Soft well integrated tannins and a rather long finish.

2002 Pegasus Bay Riesling
Attractive nose of lime marmalade & quince. Well weightes, slippery mouthfeel with plenty of RS, but enough soft acids to keep it clean and moreish. Perfect foil for the three cheese twice baked souffle we enjoyed it with.

cult vintage of peg bay over here. still have a handful left, very integrated now. lovely drink

1998 Rockford Basket Press Shira
First of the 6 pack - oh goody 5 to go. This has years ahead of it. Rich fruit beginning to mellow.

Its good stuff. Rockford seems to have something about it, the layered flavours and a bit exotic.

1996 Penfolds 389
Showed beautifully. Powerful nose of blackberry, dusty cocoa, and sweet vanillin oak. Well weighted, big tannins softening, and rich liqorice riddled finish.

One of the buys of the decade

Charles Melton Nine Popes 1996 - To be honest this was a little disappointing. Perhaps a reflection of high expectations, as the last one I had 6 months ago was stunning. This one seemed to lack a bit of fruit, with somewhat prominent acid, although underlying structure was still good. I wondered about a mild dose of TCA, but couldn't identify any of the usual mustiness / wet cardboard / etc. To be fair, after 30 mins in the glass, it did open up more, and we drank the whole bottle quite happily. And yet, I feel this was far from the wine's best showing.

Loved the 95 and 96 of this wine. seemsed to go off the boil after that. Any good recent vintages? I havent actually tried this for a couple of years

1999 Trevor Jones Dry Grown Shiraz
One of the Kellermeister range of wines. The nose and palate were dancing to the same music in this wine. Everything in balance and drinking beautifully somewhere in the middle of it's drinking window. Excellent.


1997 Saltrams No1 Shiraz
A very good wine from an otherwise poorer vintage. It goes to show that good wines can be made by good winemakers under difficult circumstances. Drinking beautifully and rated as Excellent.

Craig(NZ) wrote:

Charles Melton Nine Popes 1996 - To be honest this was a little disappointing. Perhaps a reflection of high expectations, as the last one I had 6 months ago was stunning. This one seemed to lack a bit of fruit, with somewhat prominent acid, although underlying structure was still good. I wondered about a mild dose of TCA, but couldn't identify any of the usual mustiness / wet cardboard / etc. To be fair, after 30 mins in the glass, it did open up more, and we drank the whole bottle quite happily. And yet, I feel this was far from the wine's best showing.

Loved the 95 and 96 of this wine. seemsed to go off the boil after that. Any good recent vintages? I havent actually tried this for a couple of years

Funnily enough I liked the warmer 2001 & 2003 vintages of this, and wasn't impressed with the 2002. All of these were tried blind, and I remember thinking afterwards the 2003 had some vague resemblence to the 1994 magnum we had around the same time. It turned out to be one of the very few 2003 wines I thought was good enough to buy (and I did).

Cheers,
Ian

Kingston Estate Empiric Tempranillo 02 -nah - yuk
Peter Lehman Shiraz 04 - very good buying this again
Yering Station Shiraz/Viogner 05 - OMG - fanbloodytastic
McWilliams Mt Pleasant Phillip 03 - is this a Hunter red great
Woodlands Cabernet Merlot 05 - luverly will buy more
Bremerton Selkirk Shiraz 04 - yummoooo

regards
Richard