A bunch of stuff with friends

Clonakilla Riesling 2014 - This is proof to me that most Australian riesling needs age on it...There are some that have some added complexity right away but to me this was basically dead.  Acid, some fruit, no depth....I know this will be better in 5 or so years....it just isn't very good right now.

Tyrrells Futures Semillon 1998
Slightly oxidized but still a very good wine underneath.  Good acidity, good depth and complexity... a lot of honey and toasty notes.  This doesn't hit the depths of their Vat 1 but no other semillon does.

Margan Semillon 1999
A bit of residual sugar on the nose and noticeably lighter in color than the Tyrrells.  Slightly less acid and less depth than the Tyrrells but still doing very well and can definitely age a bit more.  I don't mind some residual sugar in certain wines but this one is throwing me off a bit...It doesn't seem to go right with the toasty notes I get from aged Semillon but overall this is quite nice.

Wynns Centenary 1991
This is a freak of a wine.  They're generally all really good.  It doesn't have the depth or structure of some of the other Centenary's I've had but still, pretty good wine overall.  Started to fall off near the end of the evening but my initial gut was this could have gone longer in the cellar.  Brighter than most Connawarras, tannins were fine, overall depth was good.

Bowen Cabernet Sauvignon 1991
This was definitely a bit "older" than the Wynns...a lot more leathery characteristics...Tannins were fully resolved..the wine overall was drinking very nicely.  At first I would've put the Wynns over it..near the end of the evening the Bowen was getting better with sufficient acidity to carry it, ample grip and a lot of savory characteristics that just made it enjoyable to drink.  Definitely drink NOW though...

Wendouree 2014

I'm a big fan of Wendouree...I know they're divisive, I know they can sometimes be as hard as nails..but to me they're unique in Australia.  Big acid, big tannins, lowish oak and just ripe fruit makes for a wine that ages, a wine with complexity, but a wine that a lot of people are just not going to enjoy or that some people think they should enjoy but few that truly appreciate.

Someone said that the problem with a Wendouree tasting is that the wines don't really get to show how different they are, and I agree.  I tend to think they show best in contrast rather than getting a similar texture over and over.  I also think there are some blends that don't show well in this type of format.

But either way..On with the wine.

Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 1993

Great mouthfeel and complexity.  Acidity is in just the right spot.  The tannins have softened significantly but still lending itself to the structure of the wine.  Red Cherrys, a bit of nail polish, leather and earth...This is really quite a nice wine.  It hasn't made that complete evolution but it is drinking great now.  The Cabernet Malbecs are my favorite and this one shows why...92 points

Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 1996

Different than the previous ones I've had..had that familiar sugar smell but it also had a lot of soy...it also had a hole in the texture that was apparent in the last one I had.  The difference though is, this one was dying..Not sure why but the others I've had were young and needed 5-10 more years...this wine was going going gone...I don't know...Oxidized?  Low level TCA?  I don't know...not scored

Wendouree Shiraz 1991

A great year for Wendouree and it showed.  Wonderful complexity, red fruits, spices, earth, mocha, mint, nail polish, leather, great acid, great tannin structure that was still very obvious but soft enough to drink very well....A wine that will last 10+ years EASILY and drink fantastically well the whole time.  I wouldn't be surprised to see this go further and completely evolve, brick up and be an even better wine...93 points

We also had several Shiraz Mataros and Shiraz Malbecs but I won't go into detail.  One thing is obvious though...The Shiraz Mataros are generally better than the Shiraz Malbecs..I know some others don't agree but I see that at all turns.  The Shiraz Malbecs tend to be less Wendouree like and just overall less impressive and less structured.  Maybe I just haven't seen some really good ones.  That isn't to say they're not good wines, they are...I just put them near the bottom of the tree Wendouree wise.

Low Alcohol with Friends

Had a number of low alcohol wines with friends...Some of them were good, some were interesting...some were just ok..

Wynns John Riddoch 1988.  

Smells like a Coonawarra with green bell peppers on the nose...some spices..dark and red fruits...Palate is really nice...Lighter than what I normally associate w/ a Coonawarra Cabernet but still has great fine tannin structure..acidity is showing nicely as well.  Fruit is still there...I think some felt this was on its last legs..probably..but would be interesting to see if this changes a bit more in a few years.  I think this was showing better than the 91 JR awhile back...Either way, drinking very nicely right now... 92 points

Chambers Rosewood Gouais 2004.  

Gouais is apparently the parent grape of Chardonnay.  Nose reminded me a bit of an aged Semillon..but had some Chardonnay characters coming across too...Lemon pith, some honey, some peach....Palate was very Chardonnay like but with some of honey coming across as well...acidity and development of the fruit w/ the acid was very Semillon like..but this reminds me a lot of Chardonnay...Sensing a bit of oak as well...Overall these are quite nice..something different...and apparently these are also only around 15/bottle which makes it a great value.  90 points

Lakes Folly Cabernet Reserve 1994.

I didn't even know they made a reserve but apparently they did in 94 and 95.  The Hunter really comes across on the nose and palate..a bit of funk, leather, earth, sweaty saddle..but not a huge amount...Red fruits, spice, leather and earth on the palate..really very nice.  Great acidity, great texture...I can drink this type of wine all day....92 points

Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Spatlese 2006
I'm a fan of Donnhoff..I'm a fan of their Niederhauser Hermannshohle line.  2006 as a vintage is a bit fatter than what I would normally like from Riesling...and last time I had this it was a bit on the simpler side..but for me this was drinking quite nicely.  This really has come into its own with greater complexity, the acidity is showing a bit better as well...Fruit Salad on the nose...lemons, melons, rock dust...Palate has great acidity...star fruit, melon, lemon..nice minerality...Definitely a good amount of residual sugar but it balances so nicely in this wine...92 points

Main Divide Pinot Noir 2001
Some truffle and graphite on the nose...red fruits...Palate has nice acidity...Earth, minerality, red fruits...This is showing quite nicely really..and I think this is a lower tier from Pegasus Bay's normal line...Cellaring has helped this wine a lot...Actually reminds me a bit of Ata Rangi... 90 points

More wine with Friends

Plenty of wine to cover but I'll try to stick w/ the Aussies plus a few others...and for the first time I'll include scores!!

2011 Giaconda Chardonnay - I was a real fan of this when I first tried it..today it seemed a bit out of place...really quite awkward at first...really opening up with some air.  Acidity seemed really flat but it definitely started to show a bit more as it opened up.  Of the four or so times I've had this though, this was my least favorite time....Just seems to have shut down a tad and not showing as nicely....A lot of people actually don't prefer this vintage over other Giacondas but I definitely do... 89 points.

1986 Mount Mary Chardonnay - Didn't strike me as a nearly 30 year old Chardonnay...Good acidity, oak seems to have fully integrated..a bit of peach, lemon pith....An interesting find if you can get it... 90 points

1981 Henschke Hill of Grace - I had really high expectations of this..not sure they were met...Mint and earth on the nose...dark and red fruits...felt like it had more acid than younger HoGs but that is to be expected IMO...Tannins were fully integrated...Not quite the complexity I'm expecting though..something is missing for me...Good wine though.. 90 points

1991 Wynns John Riddoch - Coonawarra on the nose...Green Bell Peppers for days.  Dark fruits, pretty good acidity too which is probably the most surprising and most impressive thing here.  Tannins were there but integrated nicely into the wine.  This is actually drinking quite nicely...I actually had higher expectations for this wine complexity wise..but was pleased with the overall mouthfeel and texture.. 91 points

1996 Seppelts Great Western Shiraz - This is the wine that is now called St. Peters...Showing a lot younger than I would have thought for a 1996 St. Peters...Bright red fruit, herbs, some earthiness....Good acidity...Oak present but not overpowering..tannins there but well integrated.  My understanding is bottle variation on these is quite high but this one was a stunner and could easily go another 10 years... 92 points

1996 Peter Lehmann Stonewell - This was a bit on the ripe side..even seems to have some residual sugar as well..drinking nicely overall with well integrated tannins and oak...acidity is a bit on the low side....87 points

1992 Jim Barry Armagh - These seem to be in very high demand..but really not the style I like.  Big brash shiraz..Big dark fruits, felt rather viscous to me...I'm feeling a bit of heat but that said, overall the wine integrated quite nicely together...hard to believe this is a 92 and this will easily go another 10-15+ years...87 points

1996 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec - I had high expectations of this but had a feeling it would be too young..and it was.  Great texture and mouthfeel..the structure is there..the fruit will integrate nicely later on and the wine should be great..in another 10 years...  I actually enjoyed this because of the texture but definitely felt this was missing something..more so than other younger Wendourees I felt this needed a lot more time..but I think it'll be quite good...91 points

Others:

2003 Armand Rousseau CSJ - I really like Rousseau...I think the wines are fantastically balanced and always have that great power + finesse...This one was..well, not something I expected.  On the very overripe side for a red Burgundy...I would have guessed New World...a lot of graphite...felt really quite overworked.  Some people really love this but I don't.  It could be this will end up being fantastic in 10+ years....Acidity is there but there is something just not right with this....If someone told me it was an Aussie or CA Pinot, I would have believed them..89 points

2010 Foillard Cote du Py 3.14.  This might have been my favorite wine of the night..great mouthfeel and texture...like red fruits.  At first sip I thought this was Beaujolais (it was served blind) then I felt the tannins and thought, maybe Jura?  Once I found out it was Beaujolais I knew it was Morgon but the tannin structure really threw me off...A bit stalky (which I like), good acidity, lighter spicy red fruits...I really like this a lot...Might've been my favorite of the night...92 points

1999 Shafer Hillside Select - Creamy Dark Fruit...Definitely on the fruit bomb side of things...low acidity..big fruit..vanilla oak...It is very much a steak house wine...Was it enjoyable?  Yeah...but could I drink this often?  No...it wasn't a big brash red...but yeah...for me these feel flat but I can see why a lot of people like them..88 points

Cellar Favorites with Friends

I met up with some friends for a wonderful evening of food and wine....

2003 Keith Tulloch Semillon - Just starting to develop some toasty notes.  Good acid, good depth...This looks like it'll go quite awhile longer and I'd love to see this in five more years.

2006 De Iuliis Semillon - The acid is fading away on this...not a lot of development going on either...Maybe this will turn a bit but it isn't what I'm looking for in Semillon..

2012 Lethbridge Dr. Nadeson Riesling - I'm a big fan of these and still a big fan.  10g/L of RS and 13g/L of TA....Served a little cool which made the sugar stand out a bit more but once it got going the acidity and depth really showed..the sugar offset some of the searing acidity..I really enjoy this style...I wish more places made Riesling like this.

1996 Lakes Folly Chardonnay - I wasn't expecting much here because of the age but this had a wonderful nose and equally wonderful palate.  Reminded me a lot of an aged Champagne with some yeasty notes, lemon pith, nutty notes as well.  Acid still going strong.  Quite a revelation for everyone at the table as I think everyone expected this to be past it.

1991 Orlando Lawsons Padthaway Shiraz (Magnum) - Deep dark fruited Shiraz, big fruit, mocha notes, some secondary minty and herby characters as well...In quite a nice spot really.  Not quite the style I like but drinking fantastically well.  Really no complaints here, I'd be perfectly happy drinking this.

1998 Penfolds St. Henri - Some felt this was in a good spot, to me it was way too young.  Great structure, tannins were firm but not too aggressive but definitely there in force...Good acidity, fruit was still very young...some development but this will probably not be its best for 10+ years..at least...

1990 Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (Black) - A bit of funk on the nose but that blew off...Acidity was quite good, redder fruits but definitely a Coonawarra feel to it.  Tannins were fully resolved....Was probably a bit past it but still a very nice drop.  Considering this was probably 5 dollars on release and was probably near the bottom of their releases, this is looking very good.

2009 Yarra Yering Dry Red No 3 - A mix of different Tourigas...I've never been a fan of this...still not much of a fan of this.  Really young bright fruit....feels a bit awkward to me...

1996 Sallys Paddock - Nice mouthfeel to this...great little bordeaux blend.  Darker fruits with some herby characters to it...Good overall structure and mouthfeel.  I haven't had a Sallys Paddock and been blown away by it..but they're always consistently pretty good...

2013 Yellow Tail Merlot (this was a bit of a joke wine) - Most people have the same response...Yellow Tail?  And a MERLOT at that?  Haha.  To me, a lot of cheap wine or a lot of wine that the winemaker is new to making have this manufactured fake red candy smell to it...as well as on the palate.  I tend to see it in wines that are 5-15 dollars.  Not everyone seems to pick this up though as I've seen plenty of wines that have this and people don't sense that.  For me, even blind I'm picking this up.  I'm not sure what it is and obviously there are tons of cheap wines I DON'T pick this up in..but a lot of them I do.  I suspect some sort of winemaking flaw but I don't know what it is.  Either way, this has it in spades.  Palate is relatively sweet too so I suspect a good amount of residual sugar...If you don't mind the fake candy, I can see why people would drink this..easy to drink, a bit sweet (even though they don't know it is)...

2006 Glen Eldon Twisted Trunk Reserve Shiraz - A big bruising Shiraz...Huge oak on the nose and palate...This probably needs more time for the oak to integrate..not sure if that'll happen but it needs more time...I'm sure this is a crowd pleaser though...

1999 Yalumba Signature - Still a young pup...Big dark fruit, very viscous on the palate.  A lot of oak but it has integrated relatively well.  Tannins are there but not overpowering....This is in a pretty good spot right now if you like them a bit young but I can see this going another 5-10 years.  Again, not the style I prefer but this was still quite nice.

2005 Rockford Cabernet Sauvignon - This fell a bit flat for me..probably needed to be served earlier in the evening.  Light for a Cabernet...this seemed to be in a bit of an awkward spot...

2004 Buller Calliope Durif - VERY viscous...Almost port like in thickness...very dark dark fruit, big big fruit on the palate...To me this seems almost sweet...I'm not sure how much residual sugar is here but I've seen stuff that suggests it is relatively high for a red...and this is also labeled 16% alcohol but it is probably closer to 17%.  That said, I wouldn't guess 17% as it isn't finishing very hot..but definitely finishes a bit hot to my palate.  This would definitely be a crowd pleaser..I can see a lot of people loving this.  For me, just too big..

2004 Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz - I've not always been happy with their Hilltops..I think they tend to be a bit awkward...but this has integrated nicely...it has a dash of Viognier and the Shiraz has really started to develop some secondary characteristics.  Very Hilltops region on the nose and exhibits some of that on the palate.  Overall a pretty good wine.

Rockford in 2014

Had a gathering with some friends for a Rockford BP dinner...a lot of great fun but a lot of very good wine as well..

Now, to start off, I do enjoy Rockford Basket Press.  I do NOT enjoy it as much as most though.  They are consistently very good..very clean...always good fruit, solid structure...Overall a very good wine...I'm not sure I consider them very exciting though.  Again, don't get me wrong, I enjoy drinking them..I think the wines are very good...I just think they're very safe.

We had:

1996 Rockford Basket Press
1997 Rockford Basket Press
2004 Rockford Basket Press
2006 Rockford Basket Press
2008 Rockford Basket Press
2009 Rockford Basket Press
2010 Rockford Basket Press
1997 Rockford Cabernet Sauvignon
Rockford Black Sparkling Shiraz from 2001.

There were a few other wines that even but sticking with the Rockford theme...

1996 Rockford Basket Press - This has always been one of my favorite BPs and today was no different.  Redder fruits, solid structure, good acidity, great complexity to the wine.

1997 Rockford Basket Press - I've had this several times and they're always just...well..*shrug*.  I'm not even a fan of selling wine but I had several of these and I just ended up selling them because while they were good, they weren't worth what they were selling for.  I picked up quite a bit of oak from this...fruit was decent, not great..overall structure was decent but I didn't really pick up much from this.  This will sound bad but the wine was very non-offensive in the best possible way.  Solid wine but forgettable.

2004 Rockford Basket Press - Picking up a bit of sweetness on this.  I'm not sure what the residual sugar is on this but I'd imagine it is in the 3g+ range.  Nice bright fruit, probably one of the freshest of the night...Overall structure is good...solid tannins but nothing overly grippy..decent acidity...a combination of red and dark fruits, a hint of mint and herbs...Some earthy tones but what is really standing out is the fruit and solid structure.  A very enjoyable Basket Press and one of my favorites of the night...I think this one will age quite well...

2006 Rockford Basket Press.  I think this really suffered next to the 2004 which had been decanted.  Really quite tight..and very aggressive tannins.  Fruit was there but hiding a bit in the background.  Not sure what to think of this...I tried it several times over the evening and it was just too tight to really judge.

2008 Rockford Basket Press.  A lot of people liked this one...for me it was very ok.  Really soft, too soft really.  Low acidity, soft tannins...up front fruit..a very enjoyable drink for now and maybe a few more years.  Structure was not there to go the long haul.  I'd drink these now or very soon in the future.

2009 Rockford Basket Press.  Dark fruits, decent acid, but getting a lot of heat from this as well.  Not sure why but the alcohol is really noticeable.  Given this was the later part of the evening I didn't really nurse this one the way I should've but it was just showing ok.

2010 Rockford Basket Press.  Still one of the best young BP's I've tried...Great fruit, great overall structure.  Tannins are there but not aggressive...good acidity (although added I'm sure)...Good complexity..a bit tight but showing nicely for such a young BP.  I think this will end up being one of the better BPs.....

1997 Rockford Cabernet - I actually enjoyed this a LOT more than the 97 BP.  Reddish fruits, good acid....The Barossa produces rather atypical Cabernet and this is no different...lighter than its Shiraz brother...still very lively and looking quite good.

Rockford Black Shiraz NV (2001 Disgorgement).  These are always fun wines..I'm not quite sure I get them like a lot of my Australian friends...The dosage tends to be from a fortified which lends this some extra residual sugar...For a fun sparkling this quite complex and has some nice savory aspects but still, there is something lacking.  I look at it as it tastes nice, is a bit of fun but still has some geeky things about it too...

Langtons Sydney Classification VI 2014

Langtons has done three tastings of their Classifications and all three have been done very well..

I only attended the non Exceptional categories...

Highlights:

Maurice O'Shea Vertical.  I love when wineries do this because it really gives you the opportunity to try several different versions of their wine at once.  In this case they did 94, 98, 99, 2000, 2003, 2009.  My favorite of the bunch was the 1998...Great acid, good structure, a bit of leather and dirt, red fruits, a bit of tannin structure still there...great wine.  My least favorite was the 2000 which was overly tannic (a huge style change) and in a very awkward place.

Bests Thomson Family 2012 - Great wine.  Great structure, wonderful fruit.  Acid in the right spot, tannins in the right spot..fantastic complexity....A bit on the expensive side but a very good wine.

Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 2012.  My pick of the Shiraz/Malbec (which was almost sweet and VERY approachable), the Shiraz Mataro (Still very approachable) and straight Cabernet Sauvignon which is generally my least favorite Wendouree.  Great acidity and firm tannins, red fruit, mint, a bit of eucalyptus, herbs, spices..really great wine.  I'm really convinced the Cabernet Malbec is the best of the whole bunch (which includes the straight Shiraz).

Langmeil Freedom 2010.   Big fruit but at the same time, great acid, great overall structure.  Bigger wine than I'd generally like but the acidity really helped carry this through.  Dark fruits, spices, herbs, noticeable oak but the wine carries it well.  The tannins are there telling you it'll be around awhile but they're not so aggressive as to make this undrinkable.  The acid gives it great freshness.  I'm not sure if they added acid here given they're at 15% alcohol and 6.9g/L of acidity...but either way, the wine is looking quite good and while not my top 3 for the night, it was my biggest surprise of the night.  Apparently these vines used for this wine are well over 100 years old.  I'm not sure I'd buy it at 100/bottle but still, I'd be happy to drink it.

Yeringberg 2011.  A very elegant version of Yeringberg.  Red fruits, good acidity, softer tannins..no sign of being unripe though.  I was actually expecting something pretty bad but they did an excellent job of making this.  Not typical of what I think of Yeringberg but still a very good wine given the vintage conditions.

Kilikanoon Oracle 2010.
Another big wine that surprised me.  Coming through with mint, dark fruits but really good acidity to balance out this normally large large red.  I'm certain a lot of these places are starting to add acid but few will actually admit to it.  Either way, this is drinking quite nicely.  Great complexity, really nice wine...

Penfolds St. Henri 2010.
This has had so much press lately, I tried to approach this with as little bias as possible.  First thing - the structure.  Big tannins but not overly aggressive tannins.  Good acidity, surprising acidity.  Fruit is VERY VERY young.  Because they don't use new oak, just very large barrel old oak, I'm not picking up any oak at all and that is probably contributing to the mouthfeel and the freshness of the fruit.  The fruit itself is very complex, dark and red fruits, some spice, a hint of mocha, but still, very young.  To be quite honest, I don't feel like this is showing well right now...and given all other St. Henri's, that's probably right.  It isn't supposed to be drinking well right now..and it really isn't.  That said, I know this will age, Penfolds wine generally does age very well.  St. Henri in particular, has a long history of aging very well.  Some critics are calling this quite possibly the best St. Henri ever...is it?  I don't know.  I do know it has great structure, great fruit and given the pedigree, I'm sure this will end up being a fantastic wine..but it'll probably be 2030+ before you should drink it...

Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscat.
I've never had this but I know it is supposed to be great..and let me tell you, it is great.  Huge complexity, wonderful mouthfeel....In general I find there are a lot of very good rare muscats..this one is just a step above those.  At the same time, this is probably 4-5 times more expensive.  Worth trying if you get the opportunity, definitely worth trying.

Other honorable mentions:  Tyrrells Vat 1 2008- Young, maybe too young, but a great Semillon.  This will be great in another 10 years.
Lakes Folly Cabernet Blend 2011.  Great acidity, great Lakes Folly...Might be their best one in awhile.
Bowen Cabernet Sauvignon 2012.  A great comeback after a really poor 2011.  Probably one of the best values out there at 25/bottle.  Great acid but still very Coonawarra.

Fraser Gallop

Fraser Gallop Parterre Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
I've always been a fan of Fraser Gallop.  I think their stuff across the board is pretty good and priced quite nicely.  I think this normally retails for around 45AUD but Costco has been selling it for around 25..and I saw it today for 20...a real steal at that price.

Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a bit of Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cab Franc...so a Bordeaux type blend...Very good overall structure, firm but not overpowering tannins, dark fruits on the nose, a decent amount of acidity.  Picking up some herbs, chocolate and mulberry leaves....

For the price (at Costco) this is fantastic...

Australian and others

Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 1993
Great nose of red fruits, a bit of mint and menthol, some meaty characters...really very nice.  Great acidity on the palate, tannins are there but definitely resolved a bit.  This is a lot younger than the 90 I had last year and it has a LOT of life left.  Still has that Wendouree grip but not enough to put off people that aren't used to it.  Lovely mouthfeel.  Not a heralded vintage but a very good wine.

Mayer Doktor Pinot Noir 2012
Very Australian Pinot with deep dark fruit but at the same time, it didn't feel out of place or forced like many Australian Pinots do...This is much more Bass Phillip so in that sense, a really good example of Australian Pinot.  Reasonably good acidity, good fruit, good overall structure..maybe just a bit too big though.  I'd still be happy drinking this.

Noble One 2002
I'm generally not an Australian dessert wine fan.  The Botrytis Semillons they have lack some depth that I'm looking for.  Reasonably good acidity but not what I'm really looking for here.  Better depth and complexity than most Australian Botrytis Semillons but I'm just ok with this.  You can buy great Sauternes so not sure I'd bother.  If I compared this to the Botrytis Riesling from Lethbridge..the Lethbridge is a lot better..

Meerea Park Hell Hole Shiraz 2006
This is always really consistent for me..on this night it was a bit more tannic than I remember and seemed a bit more fuller in the mouth...Still very good though..medium bodied although this felt a bit bigger to me than I remember...Leather, red fruits, a reasonable amount of oak coming through...really quite a clean tasting Hunter Shiraz...good but less interesting than I remember...

Tahbilk Cabernet Sauvignon 1977
A big surprise here.  I really expected this to be dead but it definitely wasn't.  The fruit was still there and singing..this could've been 1997 easily...Structure was still good, some tannins, good acidity, nice mouthfeel...Red fruits, herbs, some five spice...Tahbilk apparently made some really ageworth wines in the 70s and this one is no joke...

Rockford Riesling 2008
This is just eh...Not enough acidity but it has aged a bit so at least the wine is showing some depth...for me this is just ok.  It isn't the style of Riesling I like so it feels really flat.

Baudry Le Clos Guillot 2009
A great example of why Chinon is so underrated.  Great red fruits, good structure and fantastic acidity.  A bit of green here coming through as bell peppers and herbs but the mouthfeel is fantastic.  This is going to age well but is drinking fine right now.  When younger this was a bit more tannic so it is good to see that it is coming around....Probably my favorite wine of this night...

Penfolds

Been a pretty crazy couple of months so my apologies for not posting here recently...

I've been pretty anti Penfolds lately...with their huge price hikes in the last few years, they've gone from being pretty good value in their bin series to really poor value in their bin series.  I can only assume they've been so popular in China that they have been able to get away with their ridiculous price hikes...more power to them if they can keep it up...

I've been rather unimpressed by most of the bin series lately at their price points...with maybe the exception being the 2010 Bin 389 which, while overpriced, was still a pretty good wine.

All that aside, I recently had two older Penfolds that were definitely shining...

Penfolds St. Henri 1993.  St. Henri has always been a favorite of mine...No new oak...High quality fruit...It used to be right there with the Grange but less understood and a bit more quirky....To be honest, I'm a bit surprised they still make this and seeing how recent ones have been, it is almost a shame what they've done with it..but that said, THIS St Henri was absolutely fantastic.  Because it was a lesser vintage, I think the expectations were pretty low but once I got a sniff I knew this would be good.  Strawberries, mocha, pepper and spice...on the palate this still had some bright red fruit, but layers of mocha and herbs..some meaty characters coming through.  One of the guys I was with commented this is what the Grange he opened for his birthday should have been.  Fully resolved tannins, good acidity, great complexity, fantastic mouthfeel.  I'm a bit of a fan of trying to get off vintages..I think they offer better value and the wines often really surprise people.  Maybe the structure isn't quite as good as it would be in a great year but sometimes that ends up being a really good thing.  This is a great example of that.  Fantastic wine, punching way above its weight but I'd probably drink up now if I had any left.

Penfolds Bin 389 1998.  A great year in South Australia so the wines all had great fruit..a lot were made with really good structure and were expected to hold up.  Bin 389s were always really great values...VERY VERY cellarable and not too long ago you were buying them in the 20s.  With fewer labels to split fruit with, the 389 still got some really high quality fruit, used barrels from the previous year's Grange and was made in a similar fashion.  This is a fantastic example of that.  Dark fruits, mocha, vanilla and herbs on the nose.  Great complexity on the palate.  Very similar to the St. Henri but most definitely younger.  Penfolds has a very "clean" profile to me..they're generally well made, no flaws and this is showing that very well.  To me the St. Henri was showing better (although only slightly) but the St. Henri was probably on its last few years...This 389 is going to outlast it and will easily go another 10+ years.  If I knew the 2010 bin 389 would end up like this, 60ish dollars wouldn't seem too bad and coming from someone that has pretty much bashed Penfolds the last 4 years, that is saying a lot about how good this wine was.  

Coonawarra

Coonawarra has a roadshow each year....and since I was in Melbourne at the time, it seemed like a pretty good opportunity to see what is happening in Coonawarra...

First off...They know their whites aren't great...I know their whites aren't great...there aren't a lot of them.  The riesling was quite disappointing overall...I actually felt like it went through Malo...a bit flat...flabby..I dunno, it was really odd...

Overall, I was actually slightly disappointed....Maybe it was the environment....or maybe I'm just getting annoyingly picky...Either way, a lot of good wines there...not a lot of great wines there.

Just a few highlights...

Reschke Bos 2004
Good overall balance.  Mulberry, blueberry, spices on the nose...Reasonably good acidity, some earthy notes, leather.  Felt a bit different than the typical Coonawarra Cab..I'm a bit surprised they haven't sold out of this and releasing their 2005....it is a pretty fair price..pretty decent wine...

Brand Laira Tall Vines shiraz 2010
Dark and red fruits, good acid, good texture...reasonably complex..pretty good Coonawarra Shiraz overall.

Brand Laira 171 Cabernet 2009
This is one of their flagship wines so I'm expecting something pretty big but at the same time, I've been pretty happy with how they do their wines with reasonably good acidity.  This one is no different...might've been my favorite wine of the night having struck a good balance between a dark brooding Coonawarra Cab and something a bit lighter on it's feet showing good acidity, reasonably good mid palate, good length, complexity and depth.

Brand Laira 171 Cabernet 2010
Not yet released and still a bit on the young side compared to the 2009 but still, very good...I think this might end up being better than the 2009 but hard to say...good acidity, dark and red fruits, earth, some herbs..bigger tannins but not ridiculously big..nice fine approachable tannins contrast with good acidity..

Highbank - They had a few wines there...A red blend, their Cabernet reserve...all were quite interesting...different than the typical Coonawarra Cab..well made...I'm a bit on the fence about them though.  I hadn't heard of them and thought they were a small producer...had a boutique wine that I could pick up for somewhere in the 20s...then I looked it up....nope.....50, 60 for the blends..80+ for the reserve...well made wines, fairly interesting...but a bit too expensive...

Yarra Yering 2011 vintage

I had the opportunity to try Yarra Yerings 2011 release...

I've always been a Yarra Yering fan...really nice wines..had their own style...well made..a bit on the pricey side but always good wines even though I thought some things were a bit odd (like their Pinot which I liked but would hardly have called it a Pinot). 

2011 was a cold and wet year...I think for large chunks of Australia (SA and Vic) it wasn't a great year..in some cases really bad..some places didn't even make their flagships and just declassified everything into their lower end wines...

My overall impression?   Declassification is what Yarra Yering SHOULD have done but didn't.  I actually like a bit of green in my wine but this was not just bordering on Ripe/Underripe..this was just underripe....

Yarra Yering Dry White No. 1 2011
A blend of Semillon with a tad bit of Chardonnay...18 months in old French oak...it has also undergone Malo....To me it feels really oaky...which I think it odd because they've used 10 year old oak barrels....But that said, pretty decent mouthfeel...it definitely needs some time to come down.  Decent acidity..interesting flavor profile.   Definitely far too expensive though for what you're getting at 84 RRP.  I'm not sure they realize this is a white wine (same price as their reds) and what 84 gets you out there. 

Yarra Yering Chardonnay 2011
Good acidity, a bit tight on the nose and on the palate.  This has gone through malo and oak for 19 months (40% new) but I'm not getting  a lot from it.  A lot of the fruit seems stripped out...well made wine..no flaws..but really not getting a whole lot..

Yarra Yering Chardonnay 2002
This was there to show what the wine will be like with some age...given similar vintage conditions...To me the 2002 seemed almost like it has been oxidized...but I don't think  it is because I'm getting something from the wine..but in the background there seems to me something really weird about the wine...I'm not sure...this isn't really a good example to be showing though..

Yarra Yering Carrodus Viognier 2011
One of their flagships but not one I've generally been impressed with.  Basically 4 times the price of a Clonakilla Viognier...and 8 times the price of nearly every other Viognier in Australia....Has a full bodied mouthfeel to it....woody notes....some yeasty notes to it....feels like it needs at least a few more years before drinking...it might be quite a bit better then..I've only tried this new so I don't know...

Yarra Yering Pinot Noir 2011
So I've had their Pinot several times..and while they tend to be made like a Shiraz...it is actually still quite enjoyable...Big fruit, vanilla, but pretty decent acidity as well....quite an unusual style of Pinot..but THIS year...I don't know what they've done.  Good acidity, far more medium bodied, much more Pinot like...but with that Aussie rubber flavor (so not really a good thing).  Very little fruit on this...so while the mouthfeel is more Pinot like...the wine itself is just not right.  Very green (which isn't always a bad thing).  Something is not right..  A failed attempt at trying to make a Burgundy is the best description.  Granted, vintages conditions didn't allow them to make the very ripe, shiraz like pinot they have been making before..but this was not a good attempt either....It tastes like a not so great 10 dollar village burg in a bad year except without the flaws...Maybe in 10 years I'll be proven wrong...

Yarra Yering Underhill 2011
On the nose I would have guess Shiraz Viognier..which I thought was interesting because I heard some other people comment on that as well.  Apparently it is 100% Shiraz.  Medium body, medium minus acidity (sorry, I just watched Somm (wine documentary)).  On the palate I still feel like this is a SV..red fruits but not a lot..some floral notes...but really quite green and herby.  Maybe that is where it is making me think of SV...but overall, the greenies is really making this quite disappointing.  What is odd about this and other wines is even though they're "green", the acidity doesn't seem to be as high as I'd expect..really quite odd..

Yarra Yering Underhill 2002
This seems far more fleshed out compared to the 2011...a bit more depth to this...some secondary characteristics but this wine is still pretty green..maybe not as much as the 2011 but I think this really hampers the wine.  The 2002 was more enjoyable than the 2011...but I don't think it is something to look forward to either...

Yarra Yering Dry Red No. 2 2011
I generally like this blend...this year it is a Shiraz, Mataro, Viognier, Marsanne.  Light red fruits, medium bodied...medium minus acidity....this is still a bit green as well....At this point I'm actually a bit annoyed at the whole thing...

Yarra Yering Carrodus Shiraz 2011
Definitely more fruit on this compared to the ones I've had so far at this tasting...medium bodied, medium acidity...good depth, clean fruit flavors...very nice mouthfeel...Far fewer green notes on this wine..and this wine is well made...but for 250...I'm expecting a LOT more.  To put it in perspective...this is the same price (more actually) than a Torbrek Run Rig...more than twice as expensive as a Mt Edelstone...4-5 times more expensive than Wendouree and Tyrrels Vat 9, Four Acres, etc...In good years this wine might be great...This year it isn't.  I have no idea why this isn't just used to make up for their underperforming lower end wines....there is no way this wine justifies the price...it is actually making me even more annoyed and it is actually borderline insulting...

Yarra Yering Agincourt Cabernet Malbec 2011
Good mouthfeel, still a bit green.  Not as apparent as some of the other wines but not quite ripe.  Far  lighter than I'd expect a Cab Malbec to be....this wine has turned out ok...but not for 84RRP.

Yarra Yering Dry Red No. 1 2011
Big fan of this wine normally....which is a Bordeaux blend....Cab Sav, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot....100% new French oak.. More fruit in this wine compared to previous ones..nice medium body...medium acidity.  Good depth to the wine, and good mouthfeel.  Some greenies coming out but not too bad..some herbs....This is one of the better reds today...but not quite where it should be...probably my least favorite Red No 1 ever.

Yarra Yering Carrodus Cabernet Merlot 2011
Fruit is showing a bit better here..good mouthfeel..medium bodied, medium/medium minus acidity....pretty good depth and complexity given the lack of fruit...some greenies and herbs coming out but not too bad.  A pretty decent wine...just nowhere near the 250 they're asking for it.  In all seriousness, it is stupidly priced.  250 still gets you a 2009 Pontet Canet which RP scored 100 pts (not that I care).  250 gets you into the different Bordeaux Growths....It gets you into GC Burgs easily (for some anyways)....Just as the Shiraz..this is actually insulting...Maybe some years this is utterly fantastic...but for a bad year like 2011...come on...

Yarra Yering Dry Red No. 3 2011
A blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cao, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela, Alvarelhao and Sousao.  I've always had mixed feelings on this...it is generally quite interesting although doesn't always seem to go.  Mediumish bodied..a bit fuller than most of the other reds....Mediumish acidity...red fruits but still a bit tight..some greenies and herbs...an interesting blend...seems to be working better together this year...although it could be because they're all so underripe they're not showing their true flavors..not sure.  Ok wine, not impressed..not as disappointed as I was with some of the others..

Yarra Yering Barbiolo 2011
A blend of Barbera and Nebbiolo.  I'd actually prefer this to be mainly Nebbiolo and some Barbera but it is the other way around.  Probably the most satisfactory wine of the night for the price....Red fruits..medium bodied..Medium plus acidity...good mouthfeel...overall a decent wine and I was the least disappointed with this (which is half expectations, half the wine).


I don't know if they're  hurting financially or what...but I seriously don't consider this a good choice by them to release their full set of wines even though the year was not a good one.  Coming from someone that actually enjoys cooler climate and even slightly green wine...for me to not really enjoy these really doesn't bode well for them.  I heard a good number of other comments as well that basically confirmed what I was thinking...the fruit is just terribly underripe and it is really showing in the wine.   I know bad vintages can really hurt some wineries but that isn't a reason to not seriously consider declassifying your fruit to release something (so get some money back) rather than hurt your brand.  To me their 2011 release has really hurt their brand. 

I rarely post anything really negative...and this isn't to say Yarra Yering, in almost every other year, is a bad buy..they're on the more expensive end but they do make good wine.  2011 though, was not a good year..and the wines aren't very good...all well made..but just not very good...

Wendouree Wendouree

I had a chance to meet up with some fellow wine geeks for a Wendouree night...

Wendouree is located in the Clare Valley and has been making wine in basically the same way since the 1893....An iconic Australian producer that is known for making very unyielding wines that eventually bloom some 20+ years later.  The only way to buy them is to be on their mailing list or buy them aftermarket either retail or auction. Amazingly enough, the people at Wendouree have kept their prices way down, especially for the quality...They don't have a website, they don't really have any presence other than their mailing list.  They are definitely a throwback and in my opinion, very much an Australian treasure. 

Although the last few vintages have been very approachable, previous ones generally have not been...the few I've tried in the past were quite the monsters so it was a great opportunity to try a nice spread of different vintages....

Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 1990
Unfortunately for me, this is the oldest Wendouree I've had a chance to try.  It is also the first Wendouree I've had that has hit its stride where everything was fully integrated....This was truly a great wine...menthol, red fruits, earth, herbs, and slight bell pepper on the nose.  The wine at this stage was truly quite balanced...smooth fine tannins but you can tell the structure was still there to give the wine much more life after this.  Acidity was there but it had definitely softened a bit.  A bit of mocha, some darker fruits coming in on the palate, a lot of earth but still some nice brightness to the fruit.  Layers and layers of complexity and depth from this wine...This was the first wine we tried (after a very good Champagne by Cedric Bouchard) and people were already saying this was going to be Wine of the Night....

Wendouree Shiraz 1994
This smacked me back to what I normally see with Wendouree..but still very very approachable and while it didn't get a lot of comments, to me this might've been my favorite wine or very close to.  Bright red fruits on the nose, some menthol and earth..it wasn't as open as the 90 Cab/Malbec but as the night went on, it really started to bloom.  Palate hits you with big acidity (Yay!), some harsh tannins but it is such a wonderful mix.  To me, these tannins aren't the rip your teeth out tannins, they're there giving it structure but still very drinkable....Bright red fruit with layers of complexity..this wine still feels very young but at the same time, has noticeable age on it.  Menthol wasn't as noticeable on this wine but was there...some really nice leather mixed with dirt mixed with some mint....With more time this was really building and building..I really do wish I had more of this on the night.  This really puts into perspective why the Shiraz is considered the one you must buy..with everything else being 2nd best although the Cab/Malbec seems to have gained some followers after this night. 

Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 2004
This was actually considerably more approachable than I was expecting...with nice menthol and relatively big fruit.  It had some aspects of a fruit bomb but without the mouth coating high alocholish feel...AND it had relatively good acidity.  This really helped build in my mind the approachability of Wendouree, even youngish..at least for me..

Wendouree Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
These are supposed to be the harshest of all their wines when young...and while this one was considerably tight, it was still very good although probably my least favorite on this night.  It seemed like it was missing something, maybe because the added Malbec was filling out the wine we had previously....Good tannin structure, not overly mouth drying (to me), good acidity, nice fruit....I'd like to see a straight Cab with 20+ years..that would be interesting indeed. 

Wendouree Shiraz 2002
Maybe a tad bit of VA on the  nose but not a lot.  To me this really gauged where Wendouree will be in 10 or so years..which is, it hasn't moved a bit.  I can see why people say it takes so long to age..because they do. Younger but similar enough to the 1994 and along w/ the 2008, really cemented in my mind what happens to Wendouree.  Regardless,  bright fruit, very good acidity, chalky tannins round out a very nice wine.  I'm not sure I'm seeing a huge difference in this and the 2008 but this was quite approachable and I'd be very happy to drink this and again, puts into my mind this is what I would like to seem more out of Australian wine wise. 

There were a number of others but I think around this point in the evening, it was becoming more difficult to distinguish between the wines so I won't comment on them.

It should suffice to say that Wendouree is unique in Australia...and I would consider it to be one of the best Australia has to offer.  It is, however, NOT for everyone....I doubt most people I know would enjoy these as I did...that doesn't make them wrong..it just means the style will be very polarizing....and not until these wines hit 20+ years does it look like it'll start appealing to a greater breadth of wine drinkers. 

Charles Melton

Charles Melton Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Brighter Reddish fruit that you tend to see from Barossa Cabs.  Strawberry and Cherries on the nose.  A bit of mocha and vanilla.  Palate has really softened from when I first  tried this.  Tannins have smooth out tremendously...Acidity is decent but not great.  Nice smooth reddish fruits on the palate, picking up some mocha...this is a very "clean" cab maybe even a tad bit of sweetness.  I think a vast majority of people would really like this at this stage...for me it wasn't that exciting...Definitely Barossa Cab....A bit much at like 43RRP...but if you like red fruited Barossa Cabs, this one is probably one of the better ones...

Barossa Vally 2013

Had the chance to go to the Barossa after spending some time in McLaren Vale...

Rockford

Hard to go back Rockford when you're looking for an iconic Barossa producer.  Consistent quality each year with a killer price.  Their Basket Press always sells out each year and basically immediately sells for more than retail on auction....

My personal opinion has always been, BP is always really good...but very clean?  It is made up of fruit from like 17 different regions of the Barossa which means it loses a bit of its personality...but makes up for it for having the strength of each of the regions.

I've also always tended to dislike some of their lineup which I think is odd but that is just how it is.

Rockford White Frontignac 2012
A much better wine than it is given credit for.  A lot of nice floral notes, very good acidity, nice citrusy flavors.  A tad bit of residual sugar to give it a little sweetness but it is far from a sickly sweet white.   This is one of their cheaper wines (17?) but probably one of their better ones overall.  It must be because Aussies tend to not like sweet wines or think they're not as good which is really far from reality.

Rockfod Rod and Spur 2010
A Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend, this is generally quite good.   A  bit fruit forward but done very much in Rockford style.  Very clean, well made.  Good middle range blend.

Rockford Rifle Range Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
One of the nicer Cabernet Sauvignons you'll find in the Barossa.  Clean fruit, reasonably good depth.  Doesn't have strong varietal characters of Cabernet Sauvignon but I don't think anything in the Barossa really does....Not quite the depth of the BP but still a pretty reasonably good buy.

Rockford Basket Press Shiraz 2010
One of Australia's iconic Shiraz.  Consistent year in and year out.  The 2010 is probably one of the most approachable and ready releases in a long time..if not ever according to many.  Big fruit but not too big.  Really nice complexity with a variety of red and dark fruits coming through.  A tad bit of mint, herbs and umami flavors.  Fruit is really shining through though.  These wines are definitely nice...I really do crave a bit more acidity and for me, the BP is too "clean" but it is hard to really complain about it..it is just really well made and looking very good.

Rockford Black Shiraz (Sparkling).
Made from different vintages of Basket Press and topped up with a bit of fortified, I really do enjoy a young Black Shiraz.  Really nice  depth, a tad bit of sweetness as well...Probably one of the nicest Sparkling Reds I've had, if not the nicest.  I've had ones with an older disgorgement date but I didn't really think it gained a lot in the bottle..although I've been told they do.  This one had  depth, freshness and really nice pop.  I think the only thing you have to look out for is historically, this wine tends to have a lot of dodgy corks...I'd drink it young..and with how this one is looking, why not?

Artisans of  Barossa
7 Different winemakers (brands) have joined forces to build a single Cellar door.  I really like this concept, I actually wish more places did it.  Not only is it convenient from a visiting standpoint, but you tend to get more resources, more wines, more enjoyment overall.  It consistently becomes a place to drop by to because you know you're going to get different styles and different stuff all the time.
John Duval
Hobbs
Messena
Spinifex
Sons of Eden
Teusner
Schwarz

I'm a big fan of John Duval stuff and have been for awhile...Great line up that keeps expanding.  I've also quite enjoyed stuff from Spinifex, Sons of Eden and Teusner in the past.  Hobbs to me has never been my style of wine and they're incredibly expensive.  I've had a few things from Schwarz and Messena but this was a good opportunity to try some other stuff for them.

They have one of the most impressive Cellar Doors in the Barossa and have a really 1st Class operation going.  I actually think the only thing I dislike is they definitely need more tasting room space or a bigger tasting bench...a lot of space is used up for other stuff which is nice..but I can see it getting crowded if there were a ton of people there...

John Duval Plexus White 2012.
Marsanne Rousanne Viognier.  Really nice balance and depth.  Reasonably good acidity, nice citrus and cream with a tad big of apricot and herbs on the palate.  Really nice white Rhone blend...Definitely one of the better ones in Australia....

John Duval Plexus Red 2011.
Consistently one of the best GSM (SGM in this case) blends in the Barossa and Australia in general. Excellent balance, plums, dark fruit, herbs, meat and leather on the palate.  Very clean fruit with a tad bit of confectionery sugar on the back of my throat..but it is actually quite nice.  Better acidity than some previous vintages.

John Duval Entity Shiraz 2011
Probably my favorite out of his entire lineup each year...For me it seems to be in a bit of an awkward  spot.  I like the style which is medium bodied compared to most of the Barossa...clean fruit...generally quite good depth...For me though, something was missing..Previous vintages I generally preferred by quite a margin...maybe this just needs more time..I'm not really sure...

Hobbs Gregor 2010
Hobbs wines to me have always been big fruit bombs...and the Gregor is even more so because it is made in an Amarone style...Huge fruit, good complexity, big mouth feel.  Reasonable decent acid but I'm not sure it is enough.  A bit crowd pleasing wine but really a bit much for what you're getting.  I haven't been overly impressed with how Hobbs wines cellar..they're not bad...but I actually think they seem to be best drunk very young...

Spinifex Taureau 2009.
Nice dark and red fruits..a bit of a fruit bomb but with good acidity and structure.  Good depth to this...a crowd pleaser but one for the wine geeks as well.  A blend of Tempranillo, Graciano, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon.  A pretty good buy IMO. 


Seppeltsfield
We came here mainly for the fortifieds...They do have some wine here but to be fair, I think the wine here is pretty ordinary...

I DID get to try a good number of really nice fortified wines...Including the 100 year....

All of the lower end fortifieds are rather simple in my opinion.  Alcohol, sugar, some flavor but no  depth...Probably not worth buying unless you just want sugary alcohol.

When you get to their Solero series..which is around 30-32 dollars, you start seeing real depth in flavor...real complexity.

Their Para series is what they're known for..specifically they have stuff that was in barrel for 100 years...I had the chance to try the 1913 100 year old...and let me just tell you, it is amazing...AMAZING.  Layers and layers and layers of complexity..you literally could sit there and sniff it all day and not get bored...I actually licked my tasting glass to get every last bit of it out.  How much does that cost?  Oh..about 1,000 a bottle....I also had a chance to try the 30 year old one which is also VERY good.  That'll run you about 100 dollars but it definitely gets somewhat close to the 100 year...they're both amazing.

If you have a chance to go to Seppeltsfield, there is a fee to try the 100 year old..but it is something you should definitely try.  It is on a lot of people's Wine bucket lists...it is really quite extraordinary. 

Peter Lehmann

They had everything for tasting...all the way up through their HV, District Line, Masters line, and the VSV Line and the Stonewell...They really do have a good lineup top to bottom.

Futures Shiraz 2010...A lot better than what it was selling for (23)...some of that is because it had higher acidity (which I preferred)....drinking very nicely now...I'm not sure it has the tannin structure to age but it does have good acidity so it would be interesting to see...nice red fruits on the palate, great mouthfeel.  This drink like like a 30+ dollar bottle easily...

Margaret Semillon 2008– Normally this is pretty good. It is still good but I don't think the current release will age all that well...The acid is just too soft at this stage IMO. I actually thought the H&V Semillon was far better..
H&V Semillon 2012 - Really nice acidity and good development for such a young semillon.  The fruit is definitely show more depth, a bit more like a slightly aged Hunter semillon.  It'll be interesting to see where this goes in 5+ years. 

Wigan Riesling  2008– This is always really good..and it continues to be very good..IMO, year in, year out one of the best Rieslings in Australia...Good development, great depth, great acidity...

The VSV and District Lines were all really interesting in their own way. A good way to taste the different regions and the winemakers interpretation of each one.

Stonewell is really nice for this release (2008).  Not what I think of when I think of a Barossa Shiraz..and nothing like it was a few vintages back...Fruit, complexity, balance...very nice...


Turkey Flat
I've always been a fan of their Grenache and Shiraz...where they have some of the oldest Shiraz vines in Australia (and the world).  

Turkey Flat Butcher's Block Red 2011 - Turkey Flat's GSM blend.  A pretty good GSM blend at a reasonable price (22.50).  Well made, solid, good fruit.  A good buy..but a tad simple.

Turkey Flat Mouvedre 2010
Another good Mouvedre out of the Barossa.  Nice medium body...good acidity...meaty but a bit of fruit.  These have all been quite nice and a nice change of pace in the Barossa.  This would be a good food wine.

Turkey Flat Grenache 2010
Nice deep dark fruit.  Good depth.  Nice overall balance.  Probably one of the nicer Grenaches in the Barossa and a great buy at 25 RRP.

Turkey Flat Shiraz 2011
I wasn't that impressed with this.  Reasonably good shiraz but missing some depth that I normally see from their shiraz.  Not a bad wine by any means and really I'm probably not giving it enough credit...I think my expectations were higher though.

Two  Hands
Two Hands has always made a lot of pretty good wine all with different regional flare.  To me they've always been on the very fruit bomb side of things..highish alcohol, big fruit.  Pretty good balance though..they're definitely all very well made.

Two Hands Angels Share 2011
I've always had mixed reactions to this.  Some years it is pretty good, some years not so good.   This was better than some previous vintages I've had.  Good fruit, very McLaren Vale...reasonably good acidity..very fruit forward but quite enjoyable.  A pretty good effort and reasonably good value.

Two Hands Max's Garden 2010
With fruit source from Heathcote.  Really nice fruit...some spice, earth but really nice balanced fruit.  Heathcote has some pretty good stuff and this is definitely pretty good.  A bit on the pricey side, I'm not sure it has the complexity I want for 60 RRP but it is very solid.

Coach House Block Shiraz 2010
Very big shiraz...really feels like a bit of a fruit bomb but does have some reasonably decent acidity.  Really nice depth and complexity with big dark fruit, spice, herbs and a bit of earthiness.  This really is a big fruity wine though.  Well made, really enjoyable but maybe not the style I want.  Not sure it is worth 100RRP...

Two Hands Ares Shiraz 2009
Big fruit, big oak, big fruit....Pretty good balance but this is a fruit bomb of a wine. The alcohol is definitely in check and this seems to have better acidity than I've seen in the past.  To me this one feels like it'll age better than some of the stuff we've seen before it.  Deep dark fruits with layers of more dark fruit.  Tannins are definitely nowhere near overpowering but you can tell they're there to provide structure.  At 165RRP I'm passing though....

McLaren Vale 2013

I had the opportunity to visit McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills with some friends over the long weekend here in Australia.  It was nice to be able to go back and see how the styles have changed a bit, just in the 4 or so years since I was last there...It isn't that I haven't had McLaren Vale stuff in the last 4 years..but it is more of what I've had and the lack of trying some of the new stuff that is out...


Wirra Wirra 

Makers of "Church Block" which makes up of about 60% of their production, we came here because my friends really wanted to come here.  Last time I was here most of the stuff was relatively unimpressive but this time there were a few surprises...

Church Block 2011 - This is generally a fairly decent drop for the money but the 2011 feels a bit disjointed.  I was pretty unimpressed overall..it could just be it needs more time in the bottle.

Esperanza Monastrell 2011 - This is the same thing as Mataro/Mouvedre.  Good acidity, medium bodied...some savory notes as well.  Quite a nice Mouvedre and a change from what I've seen from McLaren Vale..both in style and quality for this type of wine....

Catapult Shiraz 2011
Woodhenge Shiraz 2011  Both of these were very competent and well made.  I was actually surprised a bit because last time I hated the Catapult...both of these were a bit more medium bodied than I was expecting and overall pretty reasonable buys.

RSW Shiraz 2010 - Far more medium bodied than I've had in the past.  Reasonably good acidity and a well made wine.  I still think this is way overpriced though at 70RRP.

Angelus Cabernet Sauvginon 2010 - Biggish tannins, ok acidity, big fruit but a pretty decent Cab Sav....but woefully overpriced at 70RRP.


Maximus Wines

I'm not sure why they limit you to 6 tastes here..it seems pretty stupid and quite annoying...it could be you could pay to taste more but just the general idea seems stupid..just charge people or don't charge people....That said, the quality here overall was pretty good and the wines here are well priced and provide very good value with a majority being around 25 RRP (Grenache and Mataro is 30).

Maximus Old Vine Grenache 2011 - This has always been pretty consistent.  A good, solid well made Grenache with good depth and complexity.  I'm not sure it ages terribly well but it is drinking well right now.  I'm not sure why this is their most expensive wine, it must be more popular or cost them more to make but it is on the more expensive side for Grenache in McLaren Vale..but it is pretty good..

Maximus Premium GSM 2011.  A very well made GSM with loads of dark fruit, plums, and pretty good acidity too which is probably coming from the Mouvedre...this is drinking quite nicely right now as well..

Maximus Tempranillo 2010.  I'm generally underwhelmed by Australian Tempranillo...but this one is actually quite good.  Good acidity, really good structure with the tannins there but not overpowering.  Great food wine.  Loads of red fruits, herbs, earthy flavors all in a nice medium bodied wine that has really nice balance and great depth.  This was the best Tempranillo I had on this trip....which includes the Samuels Gorge Tempranillo which seems to get a lot more press.

Maximus Premium Shiraz 2011 - biggish fruit but ok acidity.  Not a complete fruit bomb of old McLaren Vale but you still see signs of it.  Good overall wine, very well made...Not sure this will age but it is going great now..no real reason to.

Maximus Mouvedre 2011 - Another nice Mouvedre out of McLaren Vale.  Good acidity, nice medium bodied earthy wine.  These really do surprise me because they're nothing like what I think of when I think of McLaren Vale...I suppose it being a completely different grape from the norm helps.

Maximus Max Out 2011 - This is their Shiraz Viognier where they're messing around with the name for fun.  No a co-fermented, probably one of the few Shiraz Viogniers where you can feel like there are two wines here.  The Viognier adds a distinct floral note (more so than normal) and a very unusual texture to the wine....It isn't bad..it is quite unusual...I'm not sure I enjoy this particular way of doing it..but it is different and something worth trying.

Maximus Cabernet Shiraz 2011 - A bit of a bright fruit bomb.  Dark fruit with notes of red fruits....To me this is lacking something..it almost feels like it is unoaked but it definitely has spent time in oak...My wife liked this and the Winemaker said this was his favorite...I thought it was ok.

Samuels Gorge
Stuff from here is always really solid..well made..good balance.  A lot of people in MV really like his stuff.  Really passionate winemaker and a lot of people at his Cellar Door...

They're set up a bit better now than when I was there last..easier access, more space...same building just better layout and more people to help serve the wine.

Overall the wines here were all good...I'm not sure any of them are really sticking out to me as far as what I want to buy.  The Tempranillo here is pretty good but I still preferred the one at Maximus...The Grenache was solid as were the Mouvedre and Shiraz...Everything to me was on the very ripe side but well made wines...I think a lot of people would enjoy them...

Tintara/Hardys/Reynella
Located right in the middle of the city...it is actually quite a convenient location which is probably why we ended up stopping by.

Tintara Shiraz 2010
A lot better acidity than I was expecting having had this in the past.  It isn't very good acidity but enough to help support the really supple dark McLaren Vale fruit. A pretty reasonable buy.

Hardys HRB D646
A combination of McLaren Vale and Clare Valley fruit, this was actually quite a bit better than I was expecting.  Full bodied but with pretty good acidity to help balance that out...a tad of mint and red fruits on the palate.  Very fruit forward but a good amount of other stuff going on to balance it out.  \



Shingleback

They have several different lines.  I used this opportunity to try their Red Knot and Haycutters line as well as the other higher end ones.

Red Knot is their 12.50 RRP line.  Most of these were just very ok to not very good at all....It was a good contrast to the rest of their stuff though.

Shingleback Haycutters Shiraz 2011.  Made with a touch of Viognier, this has a RRP of 15 but is definitely a much better wine than that and a HUGE jump over the Red Knot which was only 2.50 cheaper.  Good fruit but not overpowering.  Reasonably decent acidity and tannin structure which really made this wine feel like a much more expensive wine than it was.  It didn't have the depth to make it a great wine and you can see the difference between it and higher end wines..but a good drink now or over the new few years and killer value.

Shingleback Davey Estate 2010 Shiraz.  Another very well made shiraz with great value.  Quite a bit more depth and complexity over the Haycutters and really this is probably more like a 30+ dollar bottle of shiraz.  Dark fruit, good balance, very well crafted...

Shingleback "The Gate" Shiraz 2010.
Big dark fruit that is balanced out by the reasonably good acidity.  Good structure and mouthfeel to this one.  I think these are meant to cellar but it is looking good right now...Priced very well at 35RRP.

Shingleback D Block Shiraz 2010
This is much more McLaren Vale than the things before it..Biggish fruit..soft tannins...really full full bodied but with pretty decent acidity.  Very complex, very nice wine.  If you like Big Fruity Shiraz, this is a pretty good one..and not quite on that port like path..

Shingleback D Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
I'm not really much of a McLaren Vale Cab fan but this was still quite nice.  Bigger tannins, bell pepper notes, biggish fruit...Structure is good...wine is well made..not sure this is the way I'd go for 55 RRP though..

Singleback Unedited Shiraz 2011
Part of the "Scarce Earth" project in McLaren Vale..these wines are made by each winemakers using a special block in their vineyards that best represent what they have and the terroir of the McLaren Vale.
Big big wine, really nice complexity but this starts going into the fruit bomb territory for me...Really nice wine though...deep dark fruits, good structure, wonderful nose....Not sure it is worth the 80RRP but it is a good wine.

Margaret River Tasting 2013 - Sydney

This was an event held at Customs House in Circular Quay.  I think the last time I was here was two years ago and while I remember there being significantly more wineries present, on the plus side they weren't limited to the number of wines they could present so that was a nice plus.

I've always been a big fan of Margaret River wine...They have a fantastic climate for growing wine, they have a large range of different things they grow there (Counting the greater WA area) where they basically grow all of the major grapes in Australia...Shiraz, Cab Sav, Merlot, Riesling, Sav Blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay...even some Pinot Noir and Petit Verdot....

One of the things I've been less than impressed with as far as MR goes is, they love to make Semillon Sauvignon Blanc...I'm not sure why but they do but they do...but one trend I've seen happen is more and more places are starting to use oak barrels to give SSB a bit more depth and complexity and a much better texture than the watery mess I'm used to seeing from there.

Cowaraump Wines

Cowaramup Wines  Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Reserve 2011
Really nice mouthfeel to this, good depth and complexity...a bit of passion fruit, lemon, grass, herbs...Really good use of oak..it really does at a lot to this wine and for 25 AUD, it is a really good buy.  There is a significant difference between this and their Clownfish line of Sav Blanc Semillon and for only 5 dollars more, it is just a far superior wine.

Cowaramup Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2010
I huge step up from their normal Clownfish Cab, great mouthfeel, good acidity..really nice structure to this wine.  Dark fruits, herbs, a bit of a leather a bit of earth....At 30 AUD RRP, this is one of the better deals out there.

Fraser Gallop

Fraser Gallop Parterre Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2011.
58% Semillon, 42% Sauvignon Blanc, this wine really has great mouthfeel and texture.  The oak really pulls the right flavors out of the Semillon while the Sauvignon Blanc seems to add a bit of lift to it.  Some toasty notes, lemon, herbs...For a SSB this is really quite nice.  RRP is 36 which is definitely a bit much for a SSB but this IS a good one.  I'm also told they only make like 200 cases so this sells out quite quickly.

Fraser Gallop Parterre Chardonnay 2012
Really nice nose, a bit of citrus and nuts...Palate splashes grapefruit, cashews, a bit of honey and lemon.  Really nice minerality in this wine...nice restrained use of oak...has a little bit of creaminess but not from any Malo (unless some happened naturally)..Really nice acidity...This is a nice wine and at 32RRP, it is probably underpriced by a bit...Great value...Great Chardonnay from a consistent performer.

Fraser Gallop Parterre Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Another really nice wine from their Parterre line...wonderful dark fruit on the nose..some herbs, mint and a bit of earth.  Palate has nice acidity, good tannin structure, nice dark fruits coming through and maybe even a tad of eucalyptus and mint...At 42RRP, this is also a really good value.

Honorable mentions:
Xanadu Chardonnay  2010- Wish the Reserve was here but their normal Estate was still pretty good...

Howard Park Leston Cabernet 2010.  Really solid, tannins are big (I think every Leston I've tried has been like this) but good acidity, good fruit.  Solid wine.

New Zealand in a Glass 2013 part 4

I had no idea I'd have 4 parts to this and still have this much left :).  I think the approach of trying to talk about each wine is a bit much but let me know what you think.  I'm thinking of just sticking with highlights and adding bits more...

Matua

I don't remember being overly impressed with them last but this year they had a couple of interesting wines..

Matua Estate Paretai Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Very NZ SB but a different texture to it.  Quite enjoyable and priced right at 25RRP

Matua Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2011

Very nice acid, nice citrus peach, really good balance.  A bit pricey at 50RRP but a very good drop.  Will be looking out for them..

Northburn Station

www.northburn.co.nz

Northburn Station Bill's Blend Pinot Noir 2009.
Good acid, nice bright fruit, good balance...Not terribly complex but at 30RRP, a good buy. 

Tarras Vineyards
www.tarrasvineyards.com


Tarras Vineyards The Steppes Pinot Noir 2008
Good acid, great balance, darker fruit, good complexity.  Quite a nice Pinot...Maybe a bit of a stretch at 50RRP but a pretty reasonable buy.

Wooing Tree
www.wooingtree.co.nz

Wooing Tree Pinot Noir 2009
Usually pretty impressed by this but I just thought it was decent.  Same good acid, good complexity..but just overall not that impressed when RRP is 60.

Wooing Tree Sandstorm Reserve Pinot Noir 2009
Good acid, BIG tannins, you can get hints of the different layers of fruit but still relatively tight.  Not as tight as the last one I tried but still, VERY young.   Looks like it'll be fantastic in 10+ years but hard to say.  At 120RRP there are a lot of good Pinots...

William Murdoch Wines

www.murdochwines.co.nz

One of the more interesting winemakers here.  I hadn't heard of them but they make handcrafted organic wines that are made to age.  All of the wines were quite tannic,

Their Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon/France had big tannins...good complexity, nice fruit...and price nicely at sub 30RRP....

William Murdoch The Guardsman Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2010

BIG TANNINS.  Good acidy, deep dark fruit.  Layers of complexity on this wine and it is definitely made to age 20+ years.  I would love to see this with age.  53RRP

More Hunter Valley

Had the chance to visit the Hunter awhile back (again :)) but didn't have a chance to post about it..

On this trip we went to see a few different places plus some of the same..

Lakes Folly
Piggs Peake
Bimbadgen
Meerea Park
Pepper Tree

Lakes Folly Cabernet 2010
I remember this standing out to me because it was a very nice medium bodied, high acid Cabernet that didn't strike me as a Cabernet..it was quite nice.   I can see why some people might not like this but I thought it was quite good.  Nice wonderful red fruit with enough tannins for structure but just this really nice mouthfeel because of the fresh acid....This is very much a Cabernet made like a Hunter Shiraz...it's good.

Piggs Peake Cabernet 2009
Huge alcohol big brooding Cab that is almost borderline sweet.  Not overly tannic, relatively good acid...nice bright fruit..but I think what stands out is you can tell the wine is highish alcohol but it doesn't come across as hot....the alcohol does give it a fair bit of weight but you can see why this would be a crowd pleaser...They say it'll age, I'm not sure as I don't have enough experience with Piggs Peake to know...but really, the way it is right now I'm not sure you want it to age...

Meerea Park Terracotta Semillon 2006
I'm not sure why I didn't buy some of this..I always tell myself to buy some...maybe it is because I have a relatively good stash of Semillon and I have very few people to share it with (actually I know this is it).  Either way, my not buying it shouldn't reflect how good this is...it is very good.  Wonderful acid that is still going strong...Wonderful development with Honey and Toasty notes....close to the Stevens Vineyard is what I'm told...I'm glad this wine is getting the recent recognition it deserves as it has, to me, been the pick of their Semillon...And unlike the Alexander Munro, the acid is still right there...great buy...

Ferraris Shiraz 2010
I really do wish the Boutique Winemakers Centre was still there rather than just Meerea Park...They had Ferraris, Glenguin, Chateau Pato...a lot of good stuff...In any case, Ferraris is now being carried by the Pokolbin Winemakers Outlet.  The last vintage I had of this was 2007 and I thought back then it was very good value.  The 2010 is no different...Very nice Red fruits...medium bodied, good acid..very Hunterish but not too Hunterish..I can see this appealing to a much larger scope of people as it lacked the really strong leather and sweat but still, this was definitely a Hunter Shiraz...I forget how much I paid but it was either 20 or 22 or something like that..Great value...

Of course there were quite a few other wines I had on this trip but these are the only ones I've bothered to mention....I think the biggest disappointment for me was Pepper Tree...it didn't have anything to do w/ the quality of their wines but the selection available for tasting was basically nothing...All of the wines I would have loved to taste weren't available..and what was really wasn't a good representation of their winery...

Wine and a cake!

Had a few friends over to enjoy some wine and food...and a cake!

Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon 1998
I am fully convinced Tyrrells makes THE BEST Semillon in the world.  1998 and 1999, every single time I have them, are utterly fantastic.
I  pop this one open, cork is in great shape...pour a little, not getting too much but at least it isn't corked...so far so good.
The wine is really tight...I'm really not getting much from the nose.  The palate was really tight..not getting much from it either..the acid seems rather low at this point..I'm a bit disappointed.  My friend thinks it is over the hill...I don't see how though unless it is completely oxidized but I think it would taste differently...
Near the end of the first glass and a LOT of swirling, the wine starts to wake up a bit..acid is coming through..nose is coming through...My friend asks if I have a Vinturi..and what do you know, I do.  Give that a go and wow...I normally don't care if I use a Vinturi and it only makes a slight difference here or there...This time it made a HUGE difference.
Honey, grass, biscuits and toast on the nose...this is what I love about aged Semillon.  Still had a lot of very lively acid which is fantastic...This has at least another 5+ years....Honeysuckle, toast and a just a tad of lanolin on the palate....ever so slight.  I really love this stuff.  I have yet to be bored of good aged Semillon, maybe because I don't get enough opportunities to drink really good ones or maybe because it is just that good..either way, great way to start the evening.

Meerea Park Terracotta Shiraz 2002.  This is actually a Shiraz Viognier but it is labelled as a Shiraz.   I'm going to guess because every year it doesn't hit that 5% Viognier but who knows.
I've always had mixed feelings about this line from Meerea Park...At its best, you get very nice florals and aromatics combined with this added depth and softness to the shiraz....at its worst it is quite  harsh on the palate and the Viognier seems to stick out but only the bad parts...This was a combination of the two.  Wonderful aromatic nose...red fruits, some smokiness, some very savory notes coming from the nose..a bit of herbs...quite nice.  The palate still had great acidity, a wonderful array of red fruits, cherries even.  It didn't have that overly savory characteristic I tend to see from Australian SV's and I'm going to guess it is because of the bottle age...This is actually very Rhone like and while I hate using that term...it was actually very much like a Cote Rotie...BUT, at the end there was this slight spike of something...I'm going to guess Viognier..that didn't go down quite right with a few other people..but I thought was fine.

Yering Farm "John's Estate" Winemakers Selection Limited Release 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon. 
This was the first "Premium" type wine I bought in Australia while on a trip to Melbourne.  I actually think I bought it before moving to Australia and I think I even took it back to the US and then back here again.  I had somewhat low expectations for this wine for several reasons.  First off, it has gone through a lot of travel and probably more than a few less than ideal storing conditions.  Secondly, I felt this would be on the end of its life based on other things I read...  Third, my palate has changed quite a bit from when I bought this so I wasn't sure what to expect...
I cut off the wax capsule, popped the cork...so far it all looks ok.  The nose has some very nice herbal notes and a lot of red fruit.  It smells a lot  fresher than I would have expected it to and the color of the wine isn't showing its age nearly as much as I would have expected.  Still very bright, no signs of bricking at all...Interesting...
Palate had loads of very FRESH red fruits..bright fruit..I'm really really shocked...Maybe it is because this was the 4th wine of the evening...I'm not really sure but this is really standing out.  Some herbs on the palate, a very slight touch of mocha...The palate had great acidity...The tannins are very well integrated...From memory the tannins on this were very fine and silky when I bought it so this isn't a big surprise...This is actually very much in a style that I'd like today but really just odd ball luck.  I doubt I liked this before because of the acidity but the cool climate of the Yarra probably just pulled it out for me....I'm really sad to see this one go but it was a good time to open it...

Franciscan Estate Merlot 2008.
A wine a friend bought from their trip to the Napa.  Franciscan has always made a relatively good wine at a reasonable price and this is no exception.  Nice solid fruit, well made wine but maybe a bit simple compared to the others...Granted, the others had a bit of age as well...Overall a good wine, good QPR..

And lastly....A cake that my wife made for me....The best cake someone has ever made for me...Tops the bear cake my mom made for me when I was 3 which eventually fell over.  R2D2 in his Iron Man costume.