The Auswine Forum

Hi Good Peoples,

Its that day of the week again. Drinking reports are now due. Tasting Notes, vibes or lists welcome.

My! 6:54 am posting, were you just getting up, or did you just come home.....

We finished these after midnight, ie very early Sunday.

2004 Seppelts Victoria Shiraz
Under $10 a bottle now, and just fabulous at this price. Lovely elegant cool climate shiraz, just now starting to show some early aging characteristics. Decant well. Excellent

2002 Peter Lehmann Eight Songs Shiraz
Pure delight, and as Lincoln said on another site, "singing".
Very Barossan, but not a fruit bomb, splendid French oak, fruit and oak and tannins well integrated giving perfect balance. Exceptional

2005 Steingarten Riesling
Loved the 03, just had to drink this for comparison, and guess what, just as nice. Crisp acidity, lovely citrus and lime flavours, and just enough minerality. Very food friendly. Exceptional

Went to the bi-annual Norwood Small Winemakers Show yesterday - I didn't take any notes but the following stood out for various reasons. Surprisingly there weren't many real standouts with the reds despite having a good representation from the Barossa & McLaren Vale this time.

Leabook Estate - all of their wines on show were bottled in the last week! The 07 Pinot Gris & Gewurztraminer were standouts, the 07 Sauvignon Blanc & 05 Pinot Noir looked a bit unsettled right now but I'm pretty sure will come around, and the 04 Cabernet Franc was very good too.

Longview - The expensive 04 Block 11 Cabernet was my WOTD, although the big oak treatment doesn't suit everyone. Gorgeous smoky complexity, its length and depth left the 06 & 05 Devils Elbow for dead, although I could see some lineage.

Robert Johnson Vineyards - this guy made two damn good Merlots in 04, and his 04 Shiraz Viognier has evolved in the last year with some peach now starting to appear, although mercifully none of the 8% Viognier shows on the palate. Made the rest of the SVs there look like rubbish.

Pertaringa - while I wasn't really wowed by their base wines, the 05 Over The Top Shiraz and 04 Rifle & Hunt Cabernet were really good, both having gorgeous noses and excellently structured palates. Great drinking now, but also good cellar prospects.

Coates - again I preferred his 05 VP to the Kalleske JMK head-to-head, with the surprising Liebich 05 Ruby Grenache VP not too far behind. The 04 organically grown Shiraz still needs more time to settle to really hit its straps, but the goods are there for someone very patient. Beware of The Gimp!

Mitolo - the 05 Serpico was disappointing & controversial: a few people there including myself found multiple bottles had TCA-like damp characters despite being sealed under screwcap. I thought the 05 GAM was a bit stinky but others liked it a lot, the 05 Jester Cabernet was good but the equivalent Shiraz was very ordinary.

Paracombe - normally one of my favourite Adelaide Hills producers they were a big disappointment this year, many wines being either too green or too hot & alcoholic. The 07 Riesling was very good though in a group I really struggled with - maybe it's worth seeing if they settle down in a few months.

Cheers,
Ian

had a bottle of 04 wynns bl cab last night. pretty impressive esp considering the price. nz cant compete at 2x the price with 100% cab.
excellent and good for another 10-15

Dinner with friends in Melbourne we had:

1999 Raveneau Chablis Montee de Tonnerre
Definitely not as tight as other vintages, but very good example of Chablis and drinking beautifully now.

1987 Hubert de Montille Volnay Champans
Off vintage from a very good producer. Lovely sous-bois, light cherry and strawberry notes. Very good

1990 Pavillon Rouge de Chateau Margaux
Great wine.

n4sir wrote:Paracombe - normally one of my favourite Adelaide Hills producers they were a big disappointment this year, many wines being either too green or too hot & alcoholic. The 07 Riesling was very good though in a group I really struggled with - maybe it's worth seeing if they settle down in a few months.

Have to agree with you Ian, I am not a great fan as to where the reds seem to be going. There is no need for them to go down the increasingly ripe road that they seem to be travelling. They used to have so much more elegance, balance and poise previously.

PENFOLDS CELLAR RELEASE GEWERTZTRAMINER 2005...SC...The best Australian Gewertztraminer I've had had. Everthing in balance and lovely complexity. I wonder when the next release is?

WOLFBLASS GOLD LABEL SHIRAZ 2002... SC...Was a nice suprise. Opened up beutufully in the glass then got better and better. No excessive oak that I found in the Grey Label from 02. On how well it was drinking I left half a bottle for the next day which was a mistake. It was oxidised and oaky, and undrinkable.

GIACONDA WARNER SHIRAZ 2005..Cork... Not even serious breathing will do this wine justice at the moment. It needs time to come together and time for the slightly raw tannins but not to be fooled it will be something very special in 5-10 years.

2000 Veritas Bulls Blood Yum! Rich and full palate with loads of ripe, lifted fruit and silky tannins. Still suprisingly youthful so has years left in it.

1991 Rockford Cabernet Sauvignon Looking great for such an oldie - bright colour, firm palate with good fruit weight, good acid and a long tight finish. Decanted for an hour and the wine opened even more over the course of the bottle - impressive!

2005 Lloyd Brothers Late Picked Verdelho (Adelaide Hills) Very light, pale colour, very sweet on the palate with very obvious acid. Lean and young without any oily, rich textures.

Hmm didn't post last week's so 2 weeks worth - what can I remember of the wines? Database tells me what was drunk but notes?

2004 Seppelt Orignal Sparkling Shiraz
Two bottles in a fortnight - first with a roast duck red curry, Half a duck between 2 Was great on the night - largely due to the best curry I have ever made. Second bottle with roast pork was good but not outstanding.

2002 Leo Buring Clare Valley Riesling
A good wine mid week was better on second night

2002 Happs Shiraz
I really like Margaret River wines - I now just have to work out how to get more in the cellar.

1998 Penfolds Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz
I very rarely buy 128 but this is pretty good - I think it could do with 3 or 4 more years

01 Portet Heathcote Shiraz - corked

1997 Turkey Flat Cabernet Sauvignon
I really enjoy the C/S, Shiraz and Grenache but didn't get the Butcher's Block last l tried it. Consistent wines which age well. This probably won't get any better but will hold for a while.

2001 Turkey Flat Grenache
Database says we drank it but no particular memories of it

2000 Tyrrells Vat 6 Pinot Noir
They say Pinot shouldn't work in the Hunter but when Vat 6 is on the mark it is excellent. This was great - good varietal character, nicely age and decent mouth weight. Probably at its peak - but my last Vat 6

1998 Wynns Cabernet Sauvignon
After some of the questions over this wine I thought I really should try the first of the 6 I bought. I was uncertain tasting it on release but bought on how earlier vintages had gone. Perhaps a touch muted but that can be an issue with trying to get wine warm enough in winter. Not as up front as we are getting used to but fine great length and should improve further.

2006 T'Gallant Juliet Pinot Noir
Another $10 bottle
This time from Mornington Peninsula (better than Yarra Valley IMO)
Lovely Pinot aromas of dark cherries, strawberries, plums, gamey undergrowth and spice. The palate is again cherries, strawberries, raspberries and gamey notes, with plenty of spice. Well balanced, lean but elegant. Excellent value.

Majella Musician 2004 This one's ready to go, drinking very nicely, more medium than full-bodied, balanced. Muted nose with a bit of cedary oak, menthol, black cherries. It opens after time in the glass to reveal some plums at the front moving to red cherry, dips a bit on the mid then finishes with ripe but greenish, dusty Coonawarra tannins, soft acid and a bit of aniseed. Very good, easy drinking wine in a lighter, savoury style. I'll drink the last bottle before 2010 - it's not built for the long term.

Peter Lehmann Shiraz 2004 Plums, chocolate and savoury oak with a bit of char. Pretty good quaff for $14.

Peter Lehmann Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Charry oak, violets, berries, dusty tannins. Not as good as the 02. Not bad at the discounted price as above.

Windy Peak Chardonnay 2005 I've had plenty of bottles of this but the latest was a bit lacking. Nice white peach on the front palate with a touch of sweet oak - then it turned to lolly-water.

Shotfire Ridge Shiraz 2004 2nd last of a few bottles. Very Barossan with stewed plums, charry oak but really fine tannins, acid a bit spikey on the finish. Drink up before the acid takes over,

Yes, I can copy and paste too, edit etc just like the rest of us Oz wine forum trawlers

But I'll post my TNs of the aged wines from Tahbilk's Chairman's Selection #28 here first - the 1981 cab and 1986 shiraz will be particularly interesting, never having had a wine more than 15yo due to my uncontrollable urges to drink good wine

Also looking foward to tasting Mike Press' cab 05 and shiraz 06 - the shiraz 05 just disappeared down the gullet with gusto and relish (no, not Italian food and preserves)

1999 Baileys of Glenrowan 1920's block Shiraz

I haven't purchased anything from Baileys in some years despite enjoying this several vintages of this wine on previous occasions. Still a bit restrained. Decanted and tended to open up a bit over 1.5 - 2 hours, but not as much as I had hoped after previous tastes.

Nice mouthfeel and nose however, the fruit found on the nose did not transfer to the palate in similar quantities. I think this is the last of 4 that I had (unless I come across a rogue in the collection some time).

This should benefit from another 5 years at least on last nights tight showing.

One wine blew me away this week.
It is an 04 Koltz "The Pagan" shiraz from McLaren Vale.
The grapes were left on racks for 6 weeks prior to crushing.(apassimento)
The wine is super rich, unbelievably balanced, and a joy to drink.
Bruce

Big weekend down in Aldinga drinking largely McLaren Vale wines

Wirra Wirra RSW 2003 Shiraz
Big but elegant, pretty focussed and rich. Good but not great.

Veritas Heinrich 2002
Lovely wine, fruit dropped off a bit but lovely developing savoury characters. Some leather. Nice.

Arakoon 2003 Sellicks Beach Shiraz
Rich, concentrated, tannic as hell, needs time. OK.

Maxwell Ellens Garden ? Shiraz 2003
Rustic style, big, rich, long and concentrated. Better the next day. Nice wine.

Kangarilla Road Shiraz 2003
Ok, a bit hot on the finish and not as enjoyable as the 02 from memory. A bit lost in the end.

Darenberg Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier 2000
A bit dull and bland, like a good fresh SV gone all musty and dusty. Deserves to be drunk younger for best impact.

From last weekend and week of note:

NV Louis Roederer 'Brut Premier', Reims France Jeroboam A great way to celebrate a 40th. Lovely stuff.

1967 Hardy's Vintage Port Another good way to celebrate a 40th. Had to do some serious negotiations to be able to bring this one along though. Lovely rancio characters, sultanas, toffee. Very rich and viscous and in great shape.

NV Moet et Chandon Brut Did I mention there was a 40th?

And later in the week:

01 Noons Cab Sav cleanskin Deep red colour. Juicey red fruits, chocolate and anise. Can still taste the alcohol, as usual with these wines. Very good drinking.

Hi Kris,

Was it Lisa's?

I agreed with you about the Noon's Clean Skin Cab; I really enjoyed that wine.

2000 Penfolds Magill Estate - very, very nice. Drank over 2 days. First and only one in the cellar Magill Estate, must be unfiltered as it had a large sediment slug at the end. I would buy more, but now out of my price range.
2004 Rockford Basket Press - nice, but waiting for the excitement to happen. Drank over 2 days.
2006 Noon Twelve Bells (Cleanskins) - OK for weekdays. Opened bottle tonight, not sure whether it will last 2 days...noted it has 16%alc.
1998 Taylors St Andrews Shiraz - very nice, but not hugely memorable.
Bottles drank in past 10 days.

Was mostly a beer week last week. Opened a

Scarpantoni Vintage Port 1991 that was drunk over two days. THis was the most primary one yet. Impenetrable dark red colour slightly murky from sediment that I couldn't remove. Threw a big crust. Big McLaren vale shiraz bruiser filling the mouth and didn't move. Alcohol completely swallowed up by the fruit at this stage

Did a mini-tour of Swan Valley yesterday. Went to

Houghtons (Gladstones Shiraz 2001 looking great - very savoury with overtones of thyme, 2001 Jack Mann very nice but opened for a few days already I suspect as more VA than I remember, Old sweet white was the wine of the day perhaps with 1957 base wine - sweet, rancio and acid finish, great balance)

Talijancich (bought the liqueur verdelho, the 1997 verdehlo was really nice as well as the graciano)

Lamonts (the reserve sherry- oloroso style was really nice and we bought a couple but one bottle broke on the way home Most of the other wines were average)

John Kosovich (really nice cellar door, the 2001 VP was nice but quite filtered, almost like a LBVP. The white were good but no reds on tasting, the reserve liqueur verdelho was also very good. Bought the sparkling red for sparkling red day )

The Houghton's pipped in with the Old sweet white and the 2001 Gladstones shiraz running a close second.

cheers

Carl

2004 Kaesler The Bogan - vanilla and blueberry, overripe and not my go.

2004 Penfolds Bin 389 - more austere than previous bottles. This remains the best of this label since the 96 IMO.

1998 Langmeil The Freedom - still youthful, enjoyable enough, but no excitement.

1996 Pichon Lalande - still very young. A little more masculine than I expected.

1998 Dom Perignon - opened this in anticipation of Badds doing something at the US Open. At least the wine performed ! Lots of cirtusy notes and nice length. I dont see the point in extended cellaring of this vintage - its drinking so nicely now.

Kirrihill Clare Valley Shiraz 04
Nice fruit, good value quaffer but no for the oakaphobes.

Brookland Valley Cab Merlot 01
Nice Cab with a few years ahead of it.

Longhop Boomerang 04
Seems to have settled down since the first bottle some months bake. Very enjoyable fruity peppery shiraz. Must track down a bottle of the current Longhop shiraz to try.

Glen

rooview wrote:99 is a ripper now and Raveneau's 'Monty' is better than it should be. Where did you end up eating in Melb?

We went to a Bistro called Paris Go on Rathdowne Street. Raucous atmosphere, very French waiters and a great Steak with Bearnaise. The staff have very good wine knowledge, and decanted the wines and gave us the correct glassware without being prompted.

My only criticism about the place was that the mixed plate of cold entrees was decidedly ordinary.

Besides the Wynns Johnson Block 2004 which i wrote a note on earlier I enjoyed two inexpensive but very good Cabernets.

Saltram Mamre Brook Cab Sav 2002: excellent balance and length. Good depth of dusty blackcurrant with touches of chocolate, coffee and licorice. Good structure. Still showing youth but settling down.

Galah Cabernet Malbec 2002: this was quite elegant and restrained. Some minty and herbaceous characters lay beneath the subtly weighted fruit. Savoury finish with fine tannin. Very good

We shared my '07 Magill Estate at Auge recently.

that was an excellent dinner/wine night!

Hey Ric, yes it was Lisa's birthday and she still doesn't look a day over 39!

Had some nice '67 wines lined up for the do but we ended up going to non BYO restaurants and it all became too difficult. So we've yet to have the '67 Cheval Blanc and a 67 Penfolds something or other hidden (It's a special bin but I can't remember which one) at the bottom of the cellar.

And I made a mistake, it wasn't a Hardys vintage port we had but a Yalumba. Doh!

Scanlon wrote:We shared my '07 Magill Estate at Auge recently.

that was an excellent dinner/wine night!

Jeez, those Pennies wines are getting released earlier and earlier these days...

bacchaebabe wrote:Hey Ric, yes it was Lisa's birthday and she still doesn't look a day over 39!

Had some nice '67 wines lined up for the do but we ended up going to non BYO restaurants and it all became too difficult. So we've yet to have the '67 Cheval Blanc and a 67 Penfolds something or other hidden (It's a special bin but I can't remember which one) at the bottom of the cellar.

And I made a mistake, it wasn't a Hardys vintage port we had but a Yalumba. Doh!

Likely Penfolds Special Bin 7. Nice wines btw, shame you couldn't drink them.

Nayan wrote:

Scanlon wrote:We shared my '07 Magill Estate at Auge recently.

that was an excellent dinner/wine night!

Jeez, those Pennies wines are getting released earlier and earlier these days...

Nayan your wine lingo is way over my head!? what the?!

Scanlon wrote:

Nayan wrote:

Scanlon wrote:We shared my '07 Magill Estate at Auge recently.

that was an excellent dinner/wine night!

Jeez, those Pennies wines are getting released earlier and earlier these days...

Nayan your wine lingo is way over my head!? what the?!

Sarah,

For Pennies, read Penfolds...

And as far as the 07 vintage is concerned, I'm pretty sure they would have only just gone through Malo. Nothing quite like a Magill Estate Nouveau...

N.

michaelw wrote:1999 Baileys of Glenrowan 1920's block Shiraz

... I think this is the last of 4 that I had (unless I come across a rogue in the collection some time)...

I've managed to hold off from opening either of the two bottles I have, so your note is much appreciated. I promise not to post a gushing note on them in 5 years time