The Auswine Forum

G'day All,

I am waiting for foster's to post me a bottle of Mildara Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (white label, current vintage I assume? - I think this is what they are sending, the fellow on the phone was hard to hear due to a bad phone line, I am waiting on an email reply to confirm) to replace a corked bottle of 1988 Alexanders which I had.

What I would like to know is what are the two wines like? I would like to know if I am going to recieve something worth keeping or something to quaff and also would be great to see what I should have expected from the 88 Alexaders?

Any feedback would be great.

Cheers, Brett

http://www.winorama.com.au/tasting-notes/mildara-coonawarra-cabernet-sauvignon-2005/

GW liked it.

Interesting - Alexanders was Mildara's flagship and most expensive Coonawarra wine up until it was discontinued after the 1992 vintage.

If my memory is right the last vintage was about twice the price of the white label Cabernet it's being replaced with - I would have thought something like a Jamieson's Run Reserve (or an equivalent in the Fosters portfolio) would have been more appropriate. Does everyone else think this is a fair replacement?

Cheers,
Ian

Admittedly it's from a long time ago but I scratched my head a bit at that too.

Me three!

cheers

Carl

Twenty years ago Alexander's sold on the Adelaide Hyatt's wine list for $24 - nearly double the price of St Hugo ($13), and around the same price as Hill of Grace ($25).
I suppose in theory Foster's ought to be sending you their very best straight Coonawarra cabernet. I guess they've picked the white label because it shares the Mildara name. On prestige grounds you ought to demand Wynns Riddoch, I suppose, if the original 'brand name' has no comparable quality offering.
(Not that the white label is abad wine, of course.)
cheers,
Graeme

Very interesting reply folks.

So in fair honesty what should I be asking for in replacement?

Wynn's Riddoch?

As I can not seem to find any info on the Alexanders and have no previous history in the wine I need to get some feedback.

In the meantime I will ask my Father as he worked for Rothbury Estate in Cellar door for 18 years and should have a few words of wisdom on the situation.

Cheers....and keep bringing on the info.

Brett

I would have thought the Orlando Jacaranda Ridge would be the suitable replacement. Maybe they are retiring this label as well to replace with the Jacob's Creek juggernaut.

cheers

Carl

griff wrote:I would have thought the Orlando Jacaranda Ridge would be the suitable replacement. Maybe they are retiring this label as well to replace with the Jacob's Creek juggernaut.

cheers

Carl

Carl,

I think TORB tasted the Jacaranda Ridge 2005 (and rated it highly indeed) so I doubt it's being retired. But it is/was re-labelled as Jacobs Creek from memory although that is not an issue for me as long as the wine is as good.

Jay

Jay60A wrote:

griff wrote:I would have thought the Orlando Jacaranda Ridge would be the suitable replacement. Maybe they are retiring this label as well to replace with the Jacob's Creek juggernaut.

cheers

Carl

Carl,

I think TORB tasted the Jacaranda Ridge 2005 (and rated it highly indeed) so I doubt it's being retired. But it is/was re-labelled as Jacobs Creek from memory although that is not an issue for me as long as the wine is as good.

Jay

Thank Jay. I don't mind too much the changeover in name so long as the preserve the vineyard resources.

cheers

Carl

Jay60A wrote:

griff wrote:I would have thought the Orlando Jacaranda Ridge would be the suitable replacement. Maybe they are retiring this label as well to replace with the Jacob's Creek juggernaut.

cheers

Carl

Carl,

I think TORB tasted the Jacaranda Ridge 2005 (and rated it highly indeed) so I doubt it's being retired. But it is/was re-labelled as Jacobs Creek from memory although that is not an issue for me as long as the wine is as good.

Jay

Jacaranda Ridge is still around but it's from the wrong corporate guys - that's part of the Pernod Ricard juggernaut, not Fosters.

From the Fosters portfolio it would be something like the many premium Jamieson's Run labels that originally replaced the old Alexanders Cabernet blend (like the single vineyard series including an Alexanders Block, Reserve, Limited Release and Rothwell labels, although admittedly they're probably all history now too).

I seriously doubt they'd be generous enough to dish out a Wynns John Riddoch, or for that matter a Lindemans Pyrus either.

Cheers,
Ian

n4sir wrote:

Jay60A wrote:

griff wrote:I would have thought the Orlando Jacaranda Ridge would be the suitable replacement. Maybe they are retiring this label as well to replace with the Jacob's Creek juggernaut.

cheers

Carl

Carl,

I think TORB tasted the Jacaranda Ridge 2005 (and rated it highly indeed) so I doubt it's being retired. But it is/was re-labelled as Jacobs Creek from memory although that is not an issue for me as long as the wine is as good.

Jay

Jacaranda Ridge is still around but it's from the wrong corporate guys - that's part of the Pernod Ricard juggernaut, not Fosters.

From the Fosters portfolio it would be something like the many premium Jamieson's Run labels that originally replaced the old Alexanders Cabernet blend (like the single vineyard series including an Alexanders Block, Reserve, Limited Release and Rothwell labels, although admittedly they're probably all history now too).

I seriously doubt they'd be generous enough to dish out a Wynns John Riddoch, or for that matter a Lindemans Pyrus either.

Cheers,
Ian

Oops! Read Jameison's Run as Jacob's Creek and moved on from there

I agree. Getting a reasonable replacement out of Foster's is like getting blood out of a stone!

cheers

Carl

To get us back on topic I expect that Alexanders in it's day was double the price of the white label and I'd hope (and be happy with) a couple of bottles of Mildara CS white label 2005?

At least I've always heard very positive things about this wine.

THAT would be excellent customer service imo. Any FWE/Fosters dudes lurking out there who care?

Jay

Every time I had an Alexanders it was disappointing, and below a White Label cab of the same vintage. Just couldn't figure what about they were aiming at.

For me the white label would be a fine replacment.

This is the reply I received this morning:

Hi Brett,

I will be sending you 2 bottles of Mildara White Label Cabernet Sauvignon. However I
will have to wait for my order of wine comes in before sending it on to you.

Kind regards,

Ray Coan
Consumer Relations Representative
Mildara

So considering I was expecting Fosters to say "O well, thats life, Bye", I think I will just let them send me the 2 bottles and be done with it ..... Or should I jump up and down :p

Cheers, Brett

woodwardbrett wrote:This is the reply I received this morning:

Hi Brett,

I will be sending you 2 bottles of Mildara White Label Cabernet Sauvignon. However I
will have to wait for my order of wine comes in before sending it on to you.

Kind regards,

Ray Coan
Consumer Relations Representative
Mildara

So considering I was expecting Fosters to say "O well, thats life, Bye", I think I will just let them send me the 2 bottles and be done with it ..... Or should I jump up and down :p

Cheers, Brett

Thats a fair replacement I think. I have always found Fosters (Penfolds, Wynns) to be very responsive but not necessarily generous.

chillwrx wrote:

woodwardbrett wrote:This is the reply I received this morning:

Hi Brett,

I will be sending you 2 bottles of Mildara White Label Cabernet Sauvignon. However I
will have to wait for my order of wine comes in before sending it on to you.

Kind regards,

Ray Coan
Consumer Relations Representative
Mildara

So considering I was expecting Fosters to say "O well, thats life, Bye", I think I will just let them send me the 2 bottles and be done with it ..... Or should I jump up and down :p

Cheers, Brett

Thats a fair replacement I think. I have always found Fosters (Penfolds, Wynns) to be very responsive but not necessarily generous.

I agree - two bottles is a fair replacement considering the old Alexanders was about twice the price of the white label - well done Ray/Fosters.

FYI Brett, the Alexanders was a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Malbec blend with French oak which was probably closest in style to say the Jamieson's Run Reserve & Lindemans Pyrus - despite its flagship status I don't think it ever had the greatest reputation: a bottle of 1991 seven years ago was surprisingly light bodied & jammy, although a bottle of 1986 sourced from an impeccable cellar we tried at a T-Chow offline last year was stunning. Your bottle of 1988 would be a lottery case if it wasn't corked.

Cheers,
Ian

Nice one Ray at Mildara (+1). A classy and appropriate response ...

But who drank the Museum stocks of Alexanders then?

Jay

I received only yesterday from Fosters an 05 Seppelt St Peters for a corked 97 Seppelt Great western shiraz. They wanted the corked bottle back, and sent a styrofoam shipper and a Toll pickup note for the crook bottle, and the replacement arrived 2 days later.
Thanks Fosters.

Murray wrote:Every time I had an Alexanders it was disappointing, and below a White Label cab of the same vintage. Just couldn't figure what about they were aiming at.

For me the white label would be a fine replacment.

I'm with him but haven't tried anAlexander for about 15 years. That will change as by coincidence I picked up an '88 Alexander in an auction lucky dip. Wine looks in good condition with level well into neck and cork looks sound. Others in the lot look destined for the sink.

Chuck

Replacement wine arrived today

2 bottles of 2006 Mildara Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (White label).

Looking forward to trying this wine

How did the 2006 go?
I have a few bottles purchsed a few months ago. Had one the other day and found it very green, not really to my taste at all. GW loved the '05, but haven't seen anything re the 06 anywhere really.
Has anyone had the '06 and would care to comment?

From memory I have consumed one bottle of this and it was a nice wine....now to remember where the heck in the cellar I put the other bottle (*scrathes head*)

Had an '88 Alexander a few months ago. Nice wine but in the early 80's style where aussies were trying to emulate French Bordeaux. Under ripe fruit with old oak. 12% I think. A little thin. Have an '85 to try soon. Poor vintage so am not expecting much. White label was better. '98 was stunning.

BTW both were from auction for about $10.

Chuck

Shit it's good to find a thread that hasn't been initiated nor invaded by the pestilent poster.

Daryl Douglas wrote:Shit it's good to find a thread that hasn't been initiated nor invaded by the pestilent poster.

Talk about tempting fate!

Alrighty so I take it that I must have drank both bottles of the 2006 white label cab. I know for sure that we drank one but had a feeling there was still the other one left...O well must have consumed it after a number of other bottles...I searched high and low and just cant find it. O well

Will have to buy some more to check it out again

Any idea what its worth retail??

Cheers, Brett

From personal experience about 13 years ago, I would have to say that you got better VFM from 2 bottles of current vintage white label, than the 1988 Alexander. I was sadly disappointed, to say the least....