Wine thread

[_Johnsy]

Missus bought me a magnum of the '13 for my 30th. Hiding it away until my 50th

Now that will be a night & a 1/2.

 

[Spanner in the works]

2014 Pooley Pinot Grigio. Pale - almost water like in its clarity - I'd describe it as 'sheer' strangely enough. Peach, straw, honeysuckle, a little spice and a touch of guava on the nose. Acidity hits you like a young Riesling - its very clean - with definite lime notes and some green apple. Lacks a bit of depth of flavour, or maybe the structure isn't quite there, but very drinkable.

 

[Bazal]

I liked their stuff when I was at the cellar door in Jan. I brought back a couple of assorted pinot noirs and some riesling....wicked wines.

 

[Spanner in the works]

Yeah, I think they are improving too. First visited in 08/09, have been back intermittently since then, and was there last year I think. Maybe they are producing stuff closer to my taste, but I certainly have had no trouble lately buying their wines - just ask my bank.

 

[Bazal]

2016 Glaetzer Dixon uberblanc Riesling. Off dry, very german. Citrus, some stonefruit, impeccable acid line throughout it all and finishes dry. Great balance and length, like I said you could tell me it was a German wine blind and I wouldn't doubt it. Very, very pure.

 

[Spanner in the works]

Found a lost bottle of 2007 Henschke Henry's Seven in my cellar.

Deep crimson red and just - maybe just - getting a touch of brick in it. Huge amounts of plum, cherries and red fruits, like Jesus had a basket of them and smacked me in the mouth with it. Also pepper, tobacco, and vanilla. Palate is juicy, lush, rich which is lovely with the fine, soft tannins. But...

Biggest issue is that it's a little hot for me (15 per cent). It's dominating and I think it's hurt the ageing process. I've only just opened it, so I'm hoping it will open up overnight, but thinking I might have left this one a year or two too long.

 

[Mong]

I have a 2012 Henschke Henry's Seven I'm looking forward to trying at some stage in the nearish future. I'm sure I read drink up until 2027, I was more thinking In about 2-4 years.

I have a bunch of 2012 St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz that I was hoping to keep for a number of years as well but they are way too good and we keep drinking them.

On a side note, been trying some of the wines through naked wines just to see what they are like, have come across a couple of interesting ones, a few not so interesting as well I should add but it's been worth trying so far.

 

[Bazal]

Found a lost bottle of 2007 Henschke Henry's Seven in my cellar.

Deep crimson red and just - maybe just - getting a touch of brick in it. Huge amounts of plum, cherries and red fruits, like Jesus had a basket of them and smacked me in the mouth with it. Also pepper, tobacco, and vanilla. Palate is juicy, lush, rich which is lovely with the fine, soft tannins. But...

Biggest issue is that it's a little hot for me (15 per cent). It's dominating and I think it's hurt the ageing process. I've only just opened it, so I'm hoping it will open up overnight, but thinking I might have left this one a year or two too long.

Did it improve with air, out of interest? I wouldn't have thought it would very much....2007 was a pretty ordinary vintage. Hot and dry as a bone, then too much rain before harvest. Not surprised the fruit they saved made a pretty hot wine.

 

[Mong]

I got it at Liquorland!

I just picked one up too, I rarely buy wine at liquor land, $20 for this one at the moment

 

[Bazal]

I just picked one up too, I rarely buy wine at liquor land, $20 for this one at the moment

I think it's a really nice drinking wine. Nothing overly complicated, beautifully balanced and both grapes contribute something of themselves.

Anyway, Mount Pleasant 2011 Mount Henry Shiraz Pinot Noir. I bought it as a young wine because it interested me, and it's nice. Sweet red fruit, a bit of that Hunter shiraz leather, foresty brambly pinot, pepper, bugger all oak. It's quite round for a medium bodied wine. The front is shiraz and the back is all pinot, and that's the issue I think I have with it. It's just not properly balanced IMO, the two elements are quite jarring in a way after a few glasses. The pinot more than holds its own against the shiraz, which is good and creates a more elegant wine, but it feels like two wines rather than a nicely integrated blend.

 

[Bazal]

Costco have some wicked deals at the moment for those near one....picked up some Chemin de Moscou 2013 for $15.95 a bottle rather than $30+, a couple of bottles of a random Gigondas for $14, Portuguese red and white blends for $6 and had to be physically restrained from the Perrier Jouet NV at $45

 

[Spanner in the works]

Did it improve with air, out of interest? I wouldn't have thought it would very much....2007 was a pretty ordinary vintage. Hot and dry as a bone, then too much rain before harvest. Not surprised the fruit they saved made a pretty hot wine.

Barely noticeable. A shame.

On another note...

2014 Bleasdale Bremerview Shiraz. This is a stonking good wine. For $17, i feel like I'm drinking something that costs $50. Medium bodied, plummy, black cherry, a bit of Christmas spice, fine tannins - this has got it all. I never buy wine by the case, but I might just be willing to make an exception.

 

[_Johnsy]

Barely noticeable. A shame.

On another note...

2014 Bleasdale Bremerview Shiraz. This is a stonking good wine. For $17, i feel like I'm drinking something that costs $50. Medium bodied, plummy, black cherry, a bit of Christmas spice, fine tannins - this has got it all. I never buy wine by the case, but I might just be willing to make an exception.

Try their sparkling shiraz, yumma yumma

 

[Bazal]

So Wine Estate Magazine awarded a Coles cleanskin "Big and Bold Shiraz" 2015 their best value wine in the galaxy award, or some such nonsense, and has sold over 10 pallets in the ACT alone the past week. Being a skint student again and not wanting to crack a good bottle I thought why not, I'll give it a shot. 5 bucks, if it's shit I'll just throw it in the cooking tomorrow. It's Victorian fruit I think, probably Zilzie, Idyll Wine Co or the wannabe Casella-type family who made some of the private labels we used to sell at FC, I'll remember their name in a week out of the blue....anyway

Really dark colour with a bright red rim. Massive red fruit nose, really surprising. Medium bodied and really bright and fresh, sweet dark red fruits, a little pepper, lovely acid with bugger all oak or tannin so it goes down ridiculously easy. With how bright it is it tastes like a Zilzie wine to me but that's entirely speculation.

Is it good value? Absolutely, you could easily trick most people into thinking it's a $12-15 wine. No problems whatsoever. Is it the "best value wine in Australia"? In a world where you can get a $28 Langmeil Valley Floor shiraz that challenges many $50 wines, or a $40 Clonakilla shiraz that beats quite a few $100 wines (as two random examples), I'm gonna say no.

 

[_Johnsy]

So Wine Estate Magazine awarded a Coles cleanskin "Big and Bold Shiraz" 2015 their best value wine in the galaxy award, or some such nonsense, and has sold over 10 pallets in the ACT alone the past week. Being a skint student again and not wanting to crack a good bottle I thought why not, I'll give it a shot. 5 bucks, if it's shit I'll just throw it in the cooking tomorrow. It's Victorian fruit I think, probably Zilzie, Idyll Wine Co or the wannabe Casella-type family who made some of the private labels we used to sell at FC, I'll remember their name in a week out of the blue....anyway

Really dark colour with a bright red rim. Massive red fruit nose, really surprising. Medium bodied and really bright and fresh, sweet dark red fruits, a little pepper, lovely acid with bugger all oak or tannin so it goes down ridiculously easy. With how bright it is it tastes like a Zilzie wine to me but that's entirely speculation.

Is it good value? Absolutely, you could easily trick most people into thinking it's a $12-15 wine. No problems whatsoever. Is it the "best value wine in Australia"? In a world where you can get a $28 Langmeil Valley Floor shiraz that challenges many $50 wines, or a $40 Clonakilla shiraz that beats quite a few $100 wines (as two random examples), I'm gonna say no.

Tried the O'Riada last week, a thoroughly enjoyable drop.

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

Bellarmine 2010 Petit Verdot. From Pemberton, it drinks almost like a blend of Cab Sauv & Sangiovese. Quite a big sour cherry hit, but with a good lick of dark chocolate and leather. Quite smokey as well, perhaps some bush fires in the area during vintage? Good solid table red.

 

[Bazal]

Was going to crack a 2010 Hart & Hunter Ablington Shiraz, but brother pointed out it would be a good wine to take for Xmas.

So 2013 Centennial Vineyards Reserve Shiraz Viognier. Southern Highlands winery, 100% Orange fruit. Great colour, really deep and warm nose, lots of spice and the Viognier isn't overpowering. Smooth, inky dark fruit, a good whack of apricot, very fine tannins. Really moreish wine that won't last very long

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

Was going to crack a 2010 Hart & Hunter Ablington Shiraz, but brother pointed out it would be a good wine to take for Xmas.

So 2013 Centennial Vineyards Reserve Shiraz Viognier. Southern Highlands winery, 100% Orange fruit. Great colour, really deep and warm nose, lots of spice and the Viognier isn't overpowering. Smooth, inky dark fruit, a good whack of apricot, very fine tannins. Really moreish wine that won't last very long

Loosely translated: your brother wants a glass or two...

 

[Bazal]

Loosely translated: your brother wants a glass or two...

Nah he's drinking this with me too!

He's right, dad's side of the family is from the Hunter but not very adventurous so I always like to show off with a quality Hunter wine that isn't Tyrrells

 

[Bazal]

2016 Tscharke Savagnin. Pale, snappy dry white. Some stonefruit, pear, citrus acid. Really nice clean wine and 11% alcohol makes it very drinkable