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Wine thread

Bazal

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103,474
For my second bottle (brother pinched half the first :fist:) I have cracked a 2009 Henry Fessy Beaujolais. Been looking forward to trying this, after Georges DuBouef said that 09 was the best vintage he had seen in Beaujolais. I think it's excellent, very soft, almost sweet cherry fruit, very fine tannins. Well worth the 50% staff discount :p
 

Bazal

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103,474
Hehehe...to be fair, the 50% is only off our own products...everything else is 30% :p
 
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23,967
Get ready to write it down, it's a toughie:

Palm Beach Cellars

At the moment I'm only there on Mondays (had surgery recently so I'm on light duties), but after the 6th December I should be there more often.
 
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23,967
Nah, didn't play last season either. At the end of the day, getting toweled week in - week out just wasn't that appealing. We won 2 games in 09-10, and both were against Cudgen White.
 

Bazal

Post Whore
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103,474
Back to the wine....celebrating my promotion with a 2009 Te Mata Awatea from Hawkes Bay in NZ. 45% Cab sav, 40% merlot, 15% cab franc. I mentioned earlier I picked up a dozen mispriced bottles, and it was well worth it. It's a cracker, really. Very elegant, very long, cherry, earthy dried herbs beautiful tannins and structure.
 

Bazal

Post Whore
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103,474
I'm a bit the same...in general there are only a handful of Cab Merlots I will buy (stuff like the Brands Laira). But add some cabernet franc and I am there, like lightning. It changes the blend from soft and insipid to elegant and tightly structured if done right. I think the cool climate merlot from Hawkes Bay helps as well, no watery soft stuff there
 

Bazal

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103,474
Cool climate merlot hasn't got that issue...the problem is, we grow shit merlot :p It's a cool climate grape (Bordeaux, especially Pomerol, is not a particularly warm place) so it gets fat and flabby in Australia. Done properly, merlot is a tannic, structured, peppery thing completely removed from the flabby shit we get from the Barossa or Riverina.

If you ever have a chance, try the Giant Steps Yarra Valley Merlot. I highly recommend it; it's a real medium bodied, very tannic, very peppery and spicy wine that most people wouldn't even pick as a merlot.

Plus, I love cabernet franc no matter what it's blended with :p
 

Bazal

Post Whore
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103,474
I was once a merlot hater...the wine that converted me was a Bird in Hand Adelaide Hills job, and then the Giant Steps was brought in by a rep and blew my mind.

Also, a Pomerol at the Negociants Import tasting helped change my mind...especially when they let me take a bottle home :p
 

Bazal

Post Whore
Messages
103,474
On a slightly unrelated note...I am finally heading out to Clonakilla this weekend, with a fistful of cash. I plan to come back with lots of Shiraz-Viognier for my Vintec
 

Twizzle

Administrator
Staff member
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153,621
I agree Merlot is a bit bland but I do like some of the blends its used in.
 

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