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Wine thread

Bazal

Bazal

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103,647
Scott Gourley's Lovechild said:
Seppelt “Drumborg Vineyard” Pinot Meunièr 2016. Nowhere near as good as I remember when I had this wine about 8 or so years ago. Acidic and thin, I am genuinely not finding any redeeming features in this wine.
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This upsets me almost as much as drinking the Coldstream Pinot earlier...damn, man, I used to love that Seppelt.

I sampled two tonight at a dinner party. Provided by me, obvs. f**ken mooches.

2012 Delamere Sparkling Cuvee. Think peaches on buttered brioche toast, with a clean green apple finish. Great.

2013 Chapel Hill The Vicar. McLaren Vale in a glass. I love Chapel Hill. SC Pannell is my fave McLaren Vale vineyard but these guys are my fave old school producer. This was black and heavy, plum and cherry and spice with a big oak kick. Classic and totally rich.
 
Bazal

Bazal

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103,647
2015 De Bortoli Bella Riva Sangiovese. One of my VC clearance buys, $5.

I think it was roughly $25 full price and I'd pay it for sure. Heavy Chianti Classico vibes, a bit riper and more fruit driven but the structure and feel of is very Tuscan and if anything the finish is drier. Reminds me of one of the vineyards we went to in Chianti Classico actually, the riper of their three available vintages of estate fruit felt a lot like this. Very much like, will buy more if I see it.

They get sneered at by snobs but f**k, it's hard to go wrong with De Bortoli
 
Parra

Parra

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24,900
Bazal said:
2015 De Bortoli Bella Riva Sangiovese. One of my VC clearance buys, $5.

I think it was roughly $25 full price and I'd pay it for sure. Heavy Chianti Classico vibes, a bit riper and more fruit driven but the structure and feel of is very Tuscan and if anything the finish is drier. Reminds me of one of the vineyards we went to in Chianti Classico actually, the riper of their three available vintages of estate fruit felt a lot like this. Very much like, will buy more if I see it.

They get sneered at by snobs but f**k, it's hard to go wrong with De Bortoli
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I've been buying 2015 De Bortoli Family Selection Durif for as little as 6.60 per bottle direct from their website. $50 for 6 then a 20% discount and free delivery. It's a bargain at 50 for 6 anyway. Their Durif is always good. So is the Petite Verdot
 
Bazal

Bazal

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103,647
Weird experience tonight with a 2016 Coolhand Syrah from Lake George

Manages to taste simultaneously like overripe and underripe plums. I've never had a wine do that before and can't help but think it's either a fruit or a winemaking fault, it's very jarring.

Might open something else and see if this one sorts itself out with air
 
Bazal

Bazal

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103,647
Back up bottle was a random Metala 2010 White Label that I've hung on to because why not?

Question for any other wine drinkers, plus @Scott Gourley's Lovechild and @Drew-Sta (who thinks I'm a merkin but I still miss his derpy face...Dreeeeeeeeeeeew!)....

Is there a better value cellaring red on the market do you reckon? I saw the current vintage for $11 or $12 a bottle at Dans not long ago. Fully accept that it might not be the wine it was, even my beloved St Hallett Faith has slipped a little, but still.

I think I got this for $11. Ten years later and it's great. Still fruit on the nose, blackberry and fig with the age. There's even a slight lift on the end of the nose still, like a fig balsamic sharpness. It's probably the remnants of any ethanol lightness but it's still really nice.

The tannins have turned into the flavour of black tea and are almost dominant but not sharp or overly dry, which I really like. The fruit is still ripe and smooth, more black berries and fig and died cherry. A little chocolate.

If you want to age wine and get the experience of an old red without forking out big bucks this has to be the top option IMO
 
Scott Gourley's Lovechild

Scott Gourley's Lovechild

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Modern day Metala I’m not sure that you would be able to hang onto it as much as you did the 2010, but I’d be happy to be wrong. There just aren’t a lot of “big” reds in that sub-$15 category these days that you would be able to do that with.
 
Drew-Sta

Drew-Sta

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@Bazal - McLaren fruit was about $600-$800 tonne for low B grade, which is what that Metala was. It would have been pure McLaren fruit too. Same grade today is $1800 tonne.

It would be low C grade these days, substandard oak (or staves) and likely have 14.9% SEA blended into it.

Not to mention, ‘10 and ‘12 were vintages of exception.

Ten years ago, you could buy wines at that price to cellar. You can’t today.

I generally wouldn’t cellar anything less than $25 these days. There’s exceptions but not many. The price bracket for anything above ‘decent quaffer’ is roughly $25 due to the COG’s and margin the retailers need to make.

Speaking of decent quaffers, Aldi have a fair few. The Seppelt Vic Shiraz, Sicilian Nero, Piedemonte blend and own label Grenache (made by Serafino) are all amazing value for $12.99 or below. I think this nero was $6. I have no idea why you’d drink an equivalent Australian wine when that is available to you.
 
Bazal

Bazal

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Yeah for sure I should have mentioned originally that I wouldn't be looking at ten + years for any of the current equivalent wines. 2010 was celebrated for a reason.

Still, I always like to give a few a go. I'll be looking to try a newer vintage Metala and see what I reckon. Being out of the industry a while now I'm not across the specs at all, but I still used to find C fruit wines that would surprise. And it's also just fun looking :p

I've got plenty of good stuff in the cellar and I've just stocked up on more Clonakilla so I don't need to look to high priced stuff much, and I've never been upset at letting a stray cheapie go a year or two too long.

I definitely agree imports are still the way to go for bang for buck. Maybe even more so now. And I love Serafino wines so I'll also be going to Aldi....
 
Drew-Sta

Drew-Sta

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Bazal said:
I'm generally not a huge fan of their wines, but I think it's a must visit for any trip to the Barossa anyway. Really awesome historical place all round
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Stuffy old wines from a winery that is trapped by its own history.

Could be a Henschke equivalent for the Barossa if it had someone at the reigns who knew what they were doing.
 
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