Nice wines I have drunk recently - Red or White

[beefarmer]

Buzz, what was the wine?

For those with good short term memories and poor long term ones, in January we had the d'arenberg wild pixie which was another unusual blend as official wine numero 3. This not so little pixie had shiraz and roussanne and I gave it an 8.0. I thought it was lovely. Anyone else remember?

 

[Steady]

For those with good short term memories and poor long term ones, in January we had the d'arenberg wild pixie which was another unusual blend as official wine numero 3. This not so little pixie had shiraz and roussanne and I gave it an 8.0. I thought it was lovely. Anyone else remember?

yes, it was lovely but I cannot remember what score I gave it

 

[Steady]

Something special on a special day for me and my family

Smooth, balanced, silky tannins, a refined divine wine

I wish everyone a happy and safe Easter

 

[Whodoesthat]

Damn, Steady doing it tough....

Popped by a mates for a quick sparkling Shiraz, Seppelt Show Sparkling shiraz 1985.....wow....travelling so well...garnet in colour..almost translucent....lovely... I opened a same bottle a couple of months ago....acute Brett and totally nasty....so a pleasant surprise.

I'm loving the lucky dip...sent alien 2 to rack No.3 ....Kalleske Greenock Basket pressed Shiraz 2007..Black as..stewed fruit on the nose and slight floral lift..vanilla from the oak, very smooth finish......happy holiday.

 

[Delectable Blue]

For those with good short term memories and poor long term ones, in January we had the d'arenberg wild pixie which was another unusual blend as official wine numero 3. This not so little pixie had shiraz and roussanne and I gave it an 8.0. I thought it was lovely. Anyone else remember?

Yes, I rated it an 8.8, and snaffled a bottle to bring home with me. I'm still looking for an excuse to open it.

 

[Steady]

After throwing this down the sink
View attachment 66709

I opened my second bottle of 3 tonight expecting to tip it down the sink but I have been pleasantly surprised to find it a different beast and something to savour. Earthy, cloves, fine tannins, stewed plumbs and a little warmth followed by a long lingering finish.

I will be stoked if the 3rd bottle is like this one

(2000 Fox Creek Reserve Merlot)

 

[Wozza]

Alzoam and I have become friends. First, virtually through the AFF Wine Lovers thread. And more lately in person. If you see two guys and a lovely lady (Katy) carrying backpacks clinking with fine wine around Sydney CBD at lunchtime. Chances are, it will be us three!

Alzoam has got to know my tastes well. So it was very generous of him to gift me the following wine, which he was confident I would like:

Best's Great Western White Gravels Hill Shiraz 2012

{insert picture}

And he wasn't wrong. On Cellar Tracker (with a shortened version on Vivino), I posted the following tasting note:

2012 Best's Great Western Shiraz White Gravels Hill, Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western - CellarTracker

http://www.vivino.com/users/8818052/activities/93886920

"A distinctive 3.8 (C.T. 93) from me. This Cool Climate Shiraz hails from an elevated block in the Concongella Vineyard, Victoria where the geology is dominated by white gravels, including reef quartz, on granite. And you can taste it. Unsurprisingly, this wine picked up a Gold at the prestigious Sydney Royal Wine Show 2014.

On the palate, there's juicy plums, mulberries, dried cranberries, cured meats, dried herbs, black pepper and sweet cedar oak. On the medium to light bodied palate these flavours quickly lift, leaving a fine, sweet, meaty, spicy and slightly drying aftertaste that includes a touch of the Concongella Vineyard quartz. It's a very nice, nuanced, easy drinking Shiraz.

It's mostly sold Cellar Door for $35. But a few places sell it in the $20s, including Sixty Darling Street through their private mail order emails."

Thanks Alzoam. Lovely wine.

And if others want to join our little wine sharing gaggle. Just PM me, Katy or Alzoam. The more the merrier. We meet around Martin Place a few times a month.

 

[Daver6]

This beauty from Nahe. Planning on cooking some chilli mussels which should go well. I just love German Rieslings. Such balance and these things age forever! Would not pick this as an 11 year old. Great value too and only 8% abv.

 

[blackcat20]

Tried this unusual blend yesterday at the Eldorado Road cellar door and grabbed some to bring home. A very drinkable red.

 

[JessicaTam]

Thanks Bill.

 

[penegal]

Thanks Bill.

Now, I think I may have been with him on the very same wine tour when that bottle was purchased.

Small world.

 

[beefarmer]

The Ironscraper 2013 came with high praise from Wozza and after re-reading his tasting notes, I fully concur with his summations. This was a beautifully crafted, medium to full bodied wine with many things going on. Complexity is probably my most appropriate word for it, with an inviting nose, hints of young berries, a very smooth and fulfilling mouth feel, nice French oak not overpowering but integrating very nicely. Not as sweet as you might expect from the Barossa, but that's what the makers have designed. As you can tell, I liked it a lot due to its sophistication. I would give it a score of about 8.4, and I think that score should increase with a bit of age and cellaring. Great recommendation Wozza.....

 

[Alzoam]

Yesterday's family lunch called for something special so I opened my 1 and only bottle of Lake's Folly 2002 Cabernets. I probably should have invited Wozza over to do the wine justice with some tasting notes. Conclusion was that the wine was drinking beautifully. It had that wonderful aged character that still retained some lovely berry flavours. The wine was smooth and danced across the tongue, there was still some acidity but like the remaining tannin was integrated well and on song. To me the wine retained some of the older hunter flavours that I love like leather and a little bit of sweat. Neither of which were overpowering. Such a wonderful wine which I feel was opened at the right time.

 

[Major]

Yesterday's family lunch called for something special so I opened my 1 and only bottle of Lake's Folly 2002 Cabernets. I probably should have invited Wozza over to do the wine justice with some tasting notes. Conclusion was that the wine was drinking beautifully. It had that wonderful aged character that still retained some lovely berry flavours. The wine was smooth and danced across the tongue, there was still some acidity but like the remaining tannin was integrated well and on song. To me the wine retained some of the older hunter flavours that I love like leather and a little bit of sweat. Neither of which were overpowering. Such a wonderful wine which I feel was opened at the right time.

if anyone is heading to the hunter soon and resides in Sydney I would love you to get me a couple of bottles of the current vintage as it appears they only do dozens mail order which I could not justify.

Perhaps someone could help you out here

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ine-lovers/the-share-a-case-thread-68753.html

 

[Whodoesthat]

An over indulgent Easter Sunday......
The standout was the 1999 E&E Black Pepper sparkling.....superb...big ..bold..lovely bead and drinking beautifully..shame it's the last..



later...the Majella Malleea 2001....more Cabernet at the front..atypical Coonawarra.......medium bodied with a Shiraz pepper finish..was expecting a bit more from it..

 

[blackcat20]

We enjoyed more of the King Valleys offerings for lunch yesterday.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Last night's plonk:



Cabernet / Merlot blend. Dark red/ruby colouring. Unfortunately due to having contracted a lurgy, I have no idea what it smelt like, or tasted like, beyond the dominant flavours - some fruits and earthiness. Tannins were fine and overall it seemed quite smooth. This is bottle 3 of 6, so will have a chance to sample properly next year.

 

[Daver6]

We started with some Perrier Jouet NV followed by these two at Must for a lengthy lunch yesterday.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Don't know if it's been reviewed or not but we think the Homeless grapes wine from the 'Fo is very likable


Won't be too many gifted

 

[Wozza]

I love the quote on the back label describing how the winemakers named this wine:



I was almost left stunned, like a Deer In The Headlights, when I removed the wax seal to see the giant cork had split right down the middle, leaving a 3mm crevice. Luckily, the final few millimetres of the cork were still intact. So there was no damage to the wine.



Like Steady, Easter is a special time in our house. So, we invited some of our nearest and dearest over - all 10 adults and 12 children (no broken noses this time!). It was only fitting that we opened the giant:

Two Hands Wines Shiraz Deer In The Headlights 2002 3lt



The wine turned out to be even bigger than the bottle:

2002 Two Hands Shiraz Deer in the Headlights, Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley - CellarTracker

http://www.vivino.com/users/8818052/activities/95045483

"The monster Two Hands tasting continues, with a huge and luscious 4.2 (C.T. 94) from me. I wasn't sure how this 3 lt 14 yr old Double Magnum was going to hold up. The cork had split, but the final 10% was still intact. 10 adults at Easter dinner all cooed over it. So it's no surprise that Robert Parker Jnr had given it 95. It was sweet, deep and super intense as rich concentrated blackberries and plums swirled through the senses and the thick but velvety palate, topping out with an intense but smooth blackberry, plum, pencil, vanilla bean and earthy long (slightly drying) finish. Stunning."

I can see why the Two Hands team had looked stunned when they first tried this wine. Such a lovely little story behind this Barossa Beast.