S.E. Melbourne Offline Wine Dinner...

[Rory]

...held at Asiana in Albert Park, had the 7 course degustation which was enjoyed by all (and only $45!).

We decided to deviate from our usual open format, to try once every second meeting one of us would host the night, bringing wines from the hosts own cellar, along whatever theme that host wanted to follow.
So to kick of the first one, it was Nevilles turn (it was his idea in the first place).
A great selection of wines following a "burgundian" theme.

'95 Leeuwin Estate Art Chardonnay.
Unmistakenly Australian, but just as unmistakenly, a very good one. Drinking very well with a luscious rich nose and the palate not far off that with a little acidity still there. Drinking superbly now, will continue to develop positively for another year or two yet.
'96 Chassagne-Montrachet, Blain Gagnau Premier Cru.
If you couldn't pick this as French, there was something wrong with your senses. Stinky, shitty, minerally austere, and, for it's age, still very young. Most at the table felt it had quite a way to go before it hit it's best as the quality of the fruit was evident.
'96 Giaconda Chardonnay
For most of us, including myself, this was the wine of the night, and a firm reminder of why this wine has the status it does. So very different from the Leewuin or any other Australian Chardonnay, yet so very, very good.
I had one of these ago, and I recon it's got better with time.
Very old world nose and palate yet with some new world sweet fruit to match the cashew and mineral. Great persistance and length, great mouthfeel.
'97 Diamond Valley Pinot Noir White Label.
Very ripe Pinot from a hot year, displaying almost boiled or cooked plum fruit, good length, ripe tanins, drinking well.
'97 Vosne Rommanee Premier Cru.
Unfortunately I can't read my own notes as to the maker, but just as unfortunately, it was corked! Could have been the wine of the nigth otherwise.
'97 Paringa Estate Pinot Noir.
I don't want to go down the path of the fine line between some over-ripe Peninsula Pinots and their Shiraz brothers, but this was a classic example.
A pleasing wine to taste and drink, evidently we;ll made from a hot year that saw many foreward Pinots and Chardonnays on ther Peninsula. Big ripe plum nose and palate with some forest floor nuances and well handled oak.
'97 Marinborough Vineyards Pinot Noir.
From memory a good wine, seemed evident by most as a N.Z. pinot, yet I found the touch of stalkiness on the finish a bit off putting. Not all agreed with me.
'94 Bass Phillip Premium 375ml.
This should have been way more developed than it was, so the full bottles maust be holding well. Showing some signs of the honeyed age, but quite complex and with good mouthfeel and length.
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Finished with a 375ml Grosett Noble Reisling, I think a '97, that confirmed with most of us that Australian "Stickies" are too cloyong and don't age to our liking.

Thanks to Neville for a great adventure and the chance to taste arguabley one of the best Chardonnays Australia has ever produced.

Oh, and if anyone gets to Asiana, a trip to the toilets is a must! You will understand why I say that when you do!

Rory

[Red Bigot]

...held at Asiana in Albert Park, had the 7 course degustation which was enjoyed by all (and only $45!).

Oh, and if anyone gets to Asiana, a trip to the toilets is a must! You will understand why I say that when you do!
Rory

Hi Rory, Asiana is a fine restaurant indeed, from the ease of a tram stop outside the door, through excellent food and service and an amazing wine list if you don't byo. I was there a couple of weeks a go and enjoyed watching through the glass cellar wall as the staff were trying to retrieve a a bottle from the double layer mesh racks. I think they need a decent cellar database though.

For an Asian style restaurant, the availablility of some decent cheeses instead of dessert was a pleasant surprise, even if they couldn't tell us what the cheeses were, a nice blue and lovely matured cheddar, possibly Pyengana.

It was a slightly expensive dinner though, we tried the Castagna Genesis Syrah and I just had to oder a case after that.

[Grant Dodd]

Neville can come to my place anytime. Pity for those that have to follow in his footsteps,that was a pretty decent line up of wines. A hard act to follow.

Interested to hear some other opinions on the development of the 97 Paringa. Where is it going?

Cheers

[Anthony]

Hi Grant,
was a great offline with some real diveristy in wine styles. For me the WOTN was a toss-up between the '96 Chassagne-Montrachet, Blain Gagnau Premier Cru and Giaconda Chard. Rory found the Chassagne a touch 'reductive', I thought it was 'sublime'. Thats wine. Overall the consensus was the Giaconda was the top wine.

Thr 97 Paringa will hold for quite some time but what I didn't like about it was that it had developed a 'dry red' or as the english put it 'claret' characteristic that to me, is not Pinot.

I don't mind big pinot's but they still have to have pinot characteristics. Give me a subtle, feminine and structured Pinot anyday of the week.

The 97 DV White Label Pinot was an odd bottle with Chris H saying it was completely different to previous bottles he had recently.

cheers
anthony

[Josephine]

Rory found the Chassagne a touch 'reductive', I thought it was 'sublime'. Thats wine.

Laughed out loud and couldn't agree more.

Sounds like a great night with great wines. Keep meaning to check out Asiana when I'm in melb - next time I think it will be a must.

Thanks for the notes.

JP

[Neville K]

1995 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay
1996 Blain-Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet Les Morgeots Ier Cru
1996 Giaconda Chardonnay
1997 Diamond Valley Pinot Noir
1997 Domaine D'Arlot Vosne Romanee Les Suchots Ier Cru
1997 Martinborough Pinot Noir (NZ)
1997 Paringa Estate Pinot Noir
1994 Bass Phillip Premium
1997 Grosset Polish Hill Noble Riesling

The theme was to consider Burgundian varieties with a degree of bottle age development. Many Masterclasses eg. Stonier's International Pinot Noir Tasting invariably look at young wines which may skew tasting preferences.

I thought it would be wothwhile to consider well reputed marques under the spotlight.
Our tasting group tends, like many forumites, towards a red wine bias, some may even shy at pinot. So I thought it was worth a Summer detour to consider white + red, you know like country and western.

Curiously the sometimes maligned Chardonnays were the wines of the night and they had considerable maturity and yet had many years of development ahead of them.

Leeuwin 95 had much appeal to those who appreciate Australian typicity,
whilst the 96 Giaconda was superb but hinted of Burgundian provenance.
The Blain Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeots was but a pup, minerally and limey suggestive of Chablis. It may well overhaul the Giaconda for longevity, but lacked a little length whereas the Giaconda had seemless intensity with great persistence and length.
Lesson: Great chardonnay is great wine. Full Stop.

97 pinot noir was widely rated both in Burgundy, Dress Circle Melbourne and NZ. However, what was attractive warmth and generosity upon release in the Victorian wines showed confected and slightly bitter tastes down the track. Unfortunately the Vosne Romanee Les Suchots was tainted by TCA so it is difficult to comment across the board.
Perhaps drink warm years very early.

Whilst the 97 Grosset Polish Hill Noble is not in the league of the great Austrian and German Ausleses, it was nonetheless a commendable wine which showed well the next night.For me Riesling is a preference for less cloying strength than the overt power of semillon.

Asiana, or Asian, eh? if you are a Queenslander is a restaurant also worth a detour.

Neville K

[Michael]

97 pinot noir was widely rated both in Burgundy, Dress Circle Melbourne and NZ. However, what was attractive warmth and generosity upon release in the Victorian wines showed confected and slightly bitter tastes down the track. Unfortunately the Vosne Romanee Les Suchots was tainted by TCA so it is difficult to comment across the board.
Perhaps drink warm years very early.

Hi Neville,
whilst not a bad year, 1997 was never regarded very highly in burgundy. The wines were too ripe and warm, losing an edge of finesse and typicity.

Certain americans loved them!