Nice wines I have drunk recently - Red or White

[AnonymousCoward]

Tonight's pan fried salmon with Asian greens paired with Coldstream Hills Reserve Pinot Noir 2012. This is a pinot with a lot more guts/flavour than what I'm used to - and a great match with the stronger soy etc. flavours with dinner. Cherry fruit and spice flavours with smooth, smooth tannins. Having drunk my one and only bottle, I wish I had more of this. 93/100 on CT from me.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Tonight's wine with fettuccine al ragù and tennis final. Took an hour it more to open up. Strong long finish, 'bittery' tannins, slighty burnt characteristics, cinnamon, spicy, some vanilla on the initial taste. Yum. (DM $130ish)

 

[blackcat20]

Clare valley Sangiovese with chicken chorizo paella.

 

[amaroo]

Clare valley Sangiovese with chicken chorizo paella.

Very similar up here.

Fox Creek - Fox and Hounds with prawn, chicken and chorizo paella. Knocked up in our newly acquired E.Dehillerin cooper paella pan

 

[drross]

still finishing lunch here and had a delightful Italian Pinot grigio - when i work out this photo thing I'll try and post some photos

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Tonight Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon 2004. Opened thinking it'd go well with beef sausages, but wasn't such a great pair. However it did go well with some Japanese champagne infused dark chocolate we had later. Blackberry/cherry flavours, medium bodied, smooth tannins. Drinking well now IMHO, and will probably be good for another ~5 years. 91-92 on CT from me.

 

[Delectable Blue]

Hunter Estate 1993 Cellar Reserve Semillon (Hunter Valley)



Okay, I admit it, I have a problem. If it’s a Hunter Valley Semillon and it’s older than 20 years, I just can’t help myself. This is another Gray’s bargain at $7 a bottle. From a winery I have never heard of, but what do I care. Thankfully this delivery was not heat damaged in transit, and the cork was still in good condition. I suspect it may originally have been a museum release.

The wine is deep golden in colour. Very subtle aromas on the nose, but the palate is a knockout. Not as complex as the Lindemans 1996 I recently reviewed, but the flavours are exquisitely balanced. Intense honey set against a subtle toasty background. Not much of the original fruit flavour remains intact, but there is a hint of stewed peach floating in the background. The wine has nice acidity, giving the wine a powerful, punchy but bright mouthfeel. A long and very refreshing finish. An unbelievable wine and insane value for money…

This is one of the prime example of why I refuse to drink Hunter Valley Semillon before it is at least 20 years old. What a crime it would be to rob a wine of this potential by drinking it too young. It’s also the reason I consider these wines to be some of the best in the world.

 

[Daver6]

Tonight Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon 2004. Opened thinking it'd go well with beef sausages, but wasn't such a great pair. However it did go well with some Japanese champagne infused dark chocolate we had later. Blackberry/cherry flavours, medium bodied, smooth tannins. Drinking well now IMHO, and will probably be good for another ~5 years. 91-92 on CT from me.

View attachment 64249

Someone brought along this to a tasting last year. I thought it was brilliant. Really surprised me.

 

[Daver6]

Hunter Estate 1993 Cellar Reserve Semillon (Hunter Valley)

View attachment 64250

Okay, I admit it, I have a problem. If it’s a Hunter Valley Semillon and it’s older than 20 years, I just can’t help myself. This is another Gray’s bargain at $7 a bottle. From a winery I have never heard of, but what do I care. Thankfully this delivery was not heat damaged in transit, and the cork was still in good condition. I suspect it may originally have been a museum release.

The wine is deep golden in colour. Very subtle aromas on the nose, but the palate is a knockout. Not as complex as the Lindemans 1996 I recently reviewed, but the flavours are exquisitely balanced. Intense honey set against a subtle toasty background. Not much of the original fruit flavour remains intact, but there is a hint of stewed peach floating in the background. The wine has nice acidity, giving the wine a powerful, punchy but bright mouthfeel. A long and very refreshing finish. An unbelievable wine and insane value for money…

This is one of the prime example of why I refuse to drink Hunter Valley Semillon before it is at least 20 years old. What a crime it would be to rob a wine of this potential by drinking it too young. It’s also the reason I consider these wines to be some of the best in the world.

Geez, the colour looks pretty bad for a 20 year old wine in that pic. Perhaps its a reflection of the table/bricks. Looks more brown than golden. Yikes!

 

[Delectable Blue]

Geez, the colour looks pretty bad for a 20 year old wine in that pic. Perhaps its a reflection of the table/bricks. Looks more brown than golden. Yikes!

It's not an unusual colour for a heavily aged Semillon, they frequently turn a dark golden colour. The colour of the wine was almost a glowing deep golden colour. Unfortunately the colour just didn't photograph well. I don't think the phones camera caught the iridescence in the colour properly. I tried using a flash, but that just made it look darker brown.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Geez, the colour looks pretty bad for a 20 year old wine in that pic. Perhaps its a reflection of the table/bricks. Looks more brown than golden. Yikes!

Most aged white grapes will develop a deeper colour (yellow/orange) as they age. Red grapes on the other hand tend to lighter hues (purple -> deep red -> brick red -> light red). I'd be more worried about a 20+ year reisling/semillon that was still straw yellow

 

[Daver6]

Most aged white grapes will develop a deeper colour (yellow/orange) as they age. Red grapes on the other hand tend to lighter hues (purple -> deep red -> brick red -> light red). I'd be more worried about a 20+ year reisling/semillon that was still straw yellow

I know I've consumed my fare share of 30 to 60 year old whites.

Looks like it was just the picture that made it look brown (camera phone and most likely incorrect white balance).

 

[AnonymousCoward]

I know I've consumed my fare share of 30 to 60 year old whites.

Looks like it was just the picture that made it look brown (camera phone and most likely incorrect white balance).

Cool - I guess I just assumed it was shot with a phone camera or similar, so likely chance that the colours would be out...

 

[TheRealTMA]

Geez, the colour looks pretty bad for a 20 year old wine in that pic. Perhaps its a reflection of the table/bricks. Looks more brown than golden. Yikes!

I must agree that it does look like something 'OP' ( not me) would buy for $7 a bottle. Very surprised it's drinkable!

 

[Daver6]

All this posting made me thirsty...



Great quaffer from Dan's at about $13! Not too shabby for a Riserva.

 

[beefarmer]

It's not an unusual colour for a heavily aged Semillon, they frequently turn a dark golden colour. The colour of the wine was almost a glowing deep golden colour. Unfortunately the colour just didn't photograph well. I don't think the phones camera caught the iridescence in the colour properly. I tried using a flash, but that just made it look darker brown.

If you are ever at Tahbilk in Nagambie, they have some of their Marsannes lying in wait, ranging from babies to thirty-plus year olds, and the colour transformation as they get on a bit is such an impressive vision. Had a 1994 last year and it was not as caramelly as the Semillons, but still had a toasty golden brown colour.And how did it taste...stunning.

By the way, the Grays spring valley or spring mountain something Semillon that goes for a cheapy is actually owned by AGL, and considering the potential gas fracking issues, is an interesting exercise. Happy buying.

Saturday night passed had a wonderful Grays purchase,a 2008 Smithbrook Merlot. Such a fantastic cherried wine with still ages in it, lots of earthy character, nice subtle oak and a lovely lingering aftertaste. One of those ones that overdelivers and a little less than six dollars a bottle. I couldn't fault it.

 

[Duffa]

Geez, the colour looks pretty bad for a 20 year old wine in that pic. Perhaps its a reflection of the table/bricks. Looks more brown than golden. Yikes!

I read somewhere that 100 yr old reds go brownish and 100 yr old whites go brownish. In essence,they both look the same after a century
Sorry if this has been said before but I'm new to this thread.

p.s. My reds never develop further than red and my whites never get beyond white. Am I doing something wrong by DRINKING them?

 

[JohnM]

I read somewhere that 100 yr old reds go brownish and 100 yr old whites go brownish. In essence,they both look the same after a century
Sorry if this has been said before but I'm new to this thread.

p.s. My reds never develop further than red and my whites never get beyond white. Am I doing something wrong by DRINKING them?

Errr - no .

 

[Duffa]

I wonder if anyone has bought from the wine people at Sydney domestic?
I was there last week, still on holiday and stopped to try. I did buy (just one case) but am really pleased.
The Margan (Hunter) shiraz is a steal at $20.

My question is this:
You're in a good mood. On holiday, even. Or it's the weekend.... You taste a wine at a tasting or wherever.
You are persuaded to buy a case to drink at home.

Two weeks later.................?

Mostly, I can't find those rose-tinted spectacles. But occasionally, just occasionally I just get a little gem like the one above.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I read somewhere that 100 yr old reds go brownish and 100 yr old whites go brownish. In essence,they both look the same after a century
Sorry if this has been said before but I'm new to this thread.

p.s. My reds never develop further than red and my whites never get beyond white. Am I doing something wrong by DRINKING them?

Just how many reds and whites are you planning to keep for 100 years? Can I send you the names of my nephews so you can leave the wines in your will to their children?