The Auswine Forum

No time for lengthy tasting notes

but currently sipping on

2006 Samuel's Gorge Grenache

Yum

Convincing Aussie Grenache

no candy, no confection

no over oaking, serious fruit, great structure, older oak (I think).

focus

double yum!!

Now, who else is enjoying something currently?

Great wine, Gavin. I'm on the remains of an 02 Steingarten, another fine drink.

How's the 02??

I have 03 and 05 cellared, great wines in good vintages?

2006 Hexamer Spatlese*

Seriously slurpable.

2003 Domaine du Colombier Crozes-Hermitage
corked Well just a little and I'm going to drink it anyway!

cheers

Carl

Finshed the Samuel's now.

Is there another bottle?

Damn that's good!

Saltram Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Ho hum, Ho hum...

Gavin Trott wrote:How's the 02??

I have 03 and 05 cellared, great wines in good vintages?

The 05 is in terrific shape on last try (I have a number of those cellared too) but not tried the 03. The 02 is still quite fresh with lemon and Bickfords lime and soda style spritz, but with some good petrolly characters coming on.

monghead wrote:Saltram Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Ho hum, Ho hum...

How long do you think you can keep this wine in good cellaring conditions

Gavin Trott wrote:Finshed the Samuel's now.

Is there another bottle?

Damn that's good!

I am jealous, no afternoon wine at work today for me

Just tried a new wine I had never seen before.

In the past I've had "Goats do Roam" an inexpensive red blend made by Charles Beck of Fairview Estates (South Africa) that is a play of words on Cotes du Rhone. No problems from the French there but when Fairview went on to make a more expensive syrah/shiraz called "Goat Roti" they objected.

I'm not sure what the result of all this was but on my return home to Edmonton I discovered that Fairview Estates didn't stop there. Recently, in a bottle shop (they call it a wine store here), I spotted a chardonnay called "Goat's Door" (Cotes d'Or) and "Bored Doe", (need I elaborate?).

The 2005 "Bored Doe" is made of a blend of Cab Sav, Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. The artwork on the label has a black and white line drawing in the style of Bordeaux.

A mix of old and new world styles, the wine is fruity but with a touch of earthy minerality. Very nice, something I would buy again at C$14.

Cheers.............Mahmoud

to maintain the spirit of this thread

Balgownie Estate Shiraz 04
Nice, like mint in compost, with some tart yet savoury and tannic cherries.

Petaluma Project Co Riesling 2006

This is the little sideline thingy Petaluma do, where the winemakers get cut loose to do something different. This, claims the label, is a spatlese style riesling.

In my view its close...sort of...:

The palest of straw colour. Nose of lemons, and fresh, morning dew on a meadow. Herbal, bright and lovely. The palate…I'm thinking more Kabinett than spatlese, but germainc it is. Slatey, floral, lemony. Searingly acidic, fruti pure and intense. Australian it is, but a decent tilt at a German style, a much better attempt than the Pewsey Vale Prima. My only issue is 12% Alcohol - lose 2% and everyone will be happy. This has some potential to age a little as well, perhaps give it two years.

Cheers

Andrew

Wizz wrote:Petaluma Project Co Riesling 2006

This is the little sideline thingy Petaluma do, where the winemakers get cut loose to do something different. This, claims the label, is a spatlese style riesling.

In my view its close...sort of...:

The palest of straw colour. Nose of lemons, and fresh, morning dew on a meadow. Herbal, bright and lovely. The palate…I'm thinking more Kabinett than spatlese, but germainc it is. Slatey, floral, lemony. Searingly acidic, fruti pure and intense. Australian it is, but a decent tilt at a German style, a much better attempt than the Pewsey Vale Prima. My only issue is 12% Alcohol - lose 2% and everyone will be happy. This has some potential to age a little as well, perhaps give it two years.

Cheers

Andrew

I haven't tried the Pewsey Prima yet - not the goods?

A magnum of 2003 Seppelts Victoria Shiraz


Getting in some late practice for tomorrow's offline.

De Bortoli Vat 9 cab sav, quite standard. quite drinkable and satisfying though considering its free... ho hum.

Currently glugging a 1998 d'Arenberg High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon before the footy starts. These entry level d'Arenbergs were just as good as the top end minus the oak - that's a key difference between then and now (as well as the 13.5% alc on the sticker). There's one hell of a skunk stripe all down the side of the bottle - they didn't filter much back then either...

Cheers,
Ian

n4sir wrote:These entry level d'Arenbergs were just as good as the top end minus the oak - that's a key difference between then and now.

i totally agree with you there. i think the base line d' Arenbergs are top wines for the price, and put up quite a fight to some of the more higher status (and higher priced) wines.

1988 John Riddoch - nice enough quaffer

dlo wrote:1988 John Riddoch - nice enough quaffer

you biotch.

hmmm wrote:

n4sir wrote:These entry level d'Arenbergs were just as good as the top end minus the oak - that's a key difference between then and now.

i totally agree with you there. i think the base line d' Arenbergs are top wines for the price, and put up quite a fight to some of the more higher status (and higher priced) wines.

I've had a theory for quite a while if that a 1998 Dead Arm & Footbolt were served up side by-side in a blind tasting, the cheapie would win. I've gotta try that out one day...

1996 Peter Lehmann Black Queen Sparkling Shiraz
Its like Rocky's baby brother. Same terroir, less complex but powerful!

cheers

Carl

McHenry Hohnen Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2005

Mid-weight, purple. Reasonably strong nose, and some mint and blackcurrant. A little lighter on the palate (13.5% alcohol), and has the acid and flavour more around the outside of the tongue (and the finish) than in the middle. A nice wine and a step up (well, on my bidget) from a good quaffer.

griff wrote:1996 Peter Lehmann Black Queen Sparkling Shiraz
Its like Rocky's baby brother. Same terroir, less complex but powerful!

cheers

Carl

Probably has a decent cork too!

n4sir wrote:

hmmm wrote:

n4sir wrote:These entry level d'Arenbergs were just as good as the top end minus the oak - that's a key difference between then and now.

i totally agree with you there. i think the base line d' Arenbergs are top wines for the price, and put up quite a fight to some of the more higher status (and higher priced) wines.

I've had a theory for quite a while if that a 1998 Dead Arm & Footbolt were served up side by-side in a blind tasting, the cheapie would win. I've gotta try that out one day...

thats n interesting proposition... why the 1998 though? do you have a stash?

(being very new to the game) i am yet to find a better shiraz for it's price than the footbolt, consistently solid.

hmmm wrote:

n4sir wrote:

hmmm wrote:

n4sir wrote:These entry level d'Arenbergs were just as good as the top end minus the oak - that's a key difference between then and now.

i totally agree with you there. i think the base line d' Arenbergs are top wines for the price, and put up quite a fight to some of the more higher status (and higher priced) wines.

I've had a theory for quite a while if that a 1998 Dead Arm & Footbolt were served up side by-side in a blind tasting, the cheapie would win. I've gotta try that out one day...

thats n interesting proposition... why the 1998 though? do you have a stash?

(being very new to the game) i am yet to find a better shiraz for it's price than the footbolt, consistently solid.

Yeah, I've got a few of each stashed aside.

The Footbolt continues to be solid, but 1998 was the last vintage I genuinely thought the fruit quality was up to Dead Arm standard - since then there has been a gradual drift, from "well take away the oak it's at least as good" to it being a definite step below, but still great value. A vertical of each side-by-side would be a very interesting exercise.

Cheers,
Ian

n4sir wrote:

griff wrote:1996 Peter Lehmann Black Queen Sparkling Shiraz
Its like Rocky's baby brother. Same terroir, less complex but powerful!

cheers

Carl

Probably has a decent cork too!

That's a given

cheers

Carl

Maximus wrote:

Wizz wrote:Petaluma Project Co Riesling 2006

This is the little sideline thingy Petaluma do, where the winemakers get cut loose to do something different. This, claims the label, is a spatlese style riesling.

In my view its close...sort of...:

The palest of straw colour. Nose of lemons, and fresh, morning dew on a meadow. Herbal, bright and lovely. The palate…I'm thinking more Kabinett than spatlese, but germainc it is. Slatey, floral, lemony. Searingly acidic, fruti pure and intense. Australian it is, but a decent tilt at a German style, a much better attempt than the Pewsey Vale Prima. My only issue is 12% Alcohol - lose 2% and everyone will be happy. This has some potential to age a little as well, perhaps give it two years.

Cheers

Andrew

I haven't tried the Pewsey Prima yet - not the goods?

Its been well hyped and highly pointed by some, perhaps deservedly so in an Aus context. But my benchmark isnt Aus riesling its Germany and NZ, where balance is everything. It comes across as a "barbell", where acid and sugar might be equal but they are miles apart. They don't work together. Picked very early and stopped ferment to leave some RS in an attempt to balance - acids are too green for me.

AB

Just came back from my cousin's place. Had a few wines.

2006 Deen de Bartoli Vat 1 Petit Sirah. Had this several times when in Australia where it is called Vat 1 Durif (same grape different name). Always enjoyed it as an inexpensive but refreshing alternative to the ubiquitous shiraz and cabernet symphony. Nice enough nose of black briary fruit but a little thin, not as extracted as I remember previous bottles.

2005 Los Rochas Garnacha, Spain. Made from old vine grenache this wine was a delight. It had been decanted and was therefore quite expressive. Sweet grenache nose and a soft expansive mouthfeel, perhaps just a touch too sweet. Will try it again.

2003 Chateau Potensac, Medoc, Bordeaux. Opened just after dinner it didn't get a chance to show itself properly but kept getting better in the glass. It had a tight, somewhat closed nose, the fruit somewhat hidden behind a firm tannic finish.

Cheers...............Mahmoud.

1998 Richmond Grove Watervale Riesling - cork - nice enough quaffer