Nice wines I have drunk recently - Red or White

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

A prize of a bottle of Diana Madeline to the first person who can identify the restaurant where we enjoyed this bottle tonight:

View attachment 68207

Yeah yeah I know it's a very hard quiz - I am happy to give a hint - fabulous large servings quality paste dished up here:

View attachment 68209

What's that you ask? What the coughk is a prawn sitting atop your Tortellini Matriciana? Funny thing - I asked the very same question. Their answer - 'Oh we have been saving that huge delicious prawn since MELCAN I - we stole it off that Goodonya dudes plate and have been saving it for another nice AFFer to come along and enjoy it!' - go figure!

Um... Topolinos?

 

[Steady]

A prize of a bottle of Diana Madeline to the first person who can identify the restaurant where we enjoyed this bottle tonight:

View attachment 68207

Yeah yeah I know it's a very hard quiz - I am happy to give a hint - fabulous large servings quality paste dished up here:

View attachment 68209

What's that you ask? What the coughk is a prawn sitting atop your Tortellini Matriciana? Funny thing - I asked the very same question. Their answer - 'Oh we have been saving that huge delicious prawn since MELCAN I - we stole it off that Goodonya dudes plate and have been saving it for another nice AFFer to come along and enjoy it!' - go figure!

Topolinos?

 

[penegal]

A prize of a bottle of Diana Madeline to the first person who can identify the restaurant where we enjoyed this bottle tonight:

...

Yeah yeah I know it's a very hard quiz - I am happy to give a hint - fabulous large servings quality paste dished up here:

...

What's that you ask? What the coughk is a prawn sitting atop your Tortellini Matriciana? Funny thing - I asked the very same question. Their answer - 'Oh we have been saving that huge delicious prawn since MELCAN I - we stole it off that Goodonya dudes plate and have been saving it for another nice AFFer to come along and enjoy it!' - go figure!

haha, Topolinos of course.

Good drop the Balnaves.

 

[cove]

OK I will go Topolinos.
When you go to California CE do try the Silver Oak as it reminds me of Diana Madeline. I still remember Mrscove receiving a Diana for making P1 with Qantas.

 

[Wozza]

I've got that guilty feeling again! You know the one? When you read all the efforts the winery employed to produce such a wonderful wine, and yet you pick it up for under $12:

the Penny's Hill McLaren Vale Skeleton Key Shiraz 2012



I've just posted the following tasting note:

http://www.cellartracker.com/w?1904149

http://www.vivino.com/users/8818052/activities/100561447

"A lovingly focussed 94+/100 (4.1/5.0) from me. This McLaren Shiraz hails from the elevated Penny's Hill Vineyard where it's made up of separately harvested and vinified blocks that were matured in new and used French oak for 20 months before blending. The result is a fine and intensely focussed Shiraz that Halliday gave 96, saying "plush and deep with superb concentration, this is a superb Skeleton Key that could easily command a much higher price".

The nose and elegant full-bodied palate reveal rich, sweeping, sweet dark cherries, blackberries, mocha, dried herbs, vanilla, black olives and spice.

At under $12 a bottle (with online tricks) I feel bad - it's such a lovely wine that punches well above its pay station. The only negative is the high 15% ABV that does result in some alcohol heat. But the rich, intense black fruits balance this out well. In 2/3 years this will be even better."

It came in the Wine Market 95+ Point Halliday Pack, which with all the discount codes and cash back meant it was a veritable bargain. If it wasn't for the 15% ABV, I would be seriously hunting out more of this fine wine. Highly recommended from me.

 

[Jef6050]

My first photo. Hope this works.
Quite a nice red.a bit too much tannin (I think it was that?) on opening but it was better after a few hours open.

 

[TheRealTMA]

View attachment 68363

My first photo. Hope this works.
Quite a nice red.a bit too much tannin (I think it was that?) on opening but it was better after a few hours open.

And a nice photo it is/was! We look fwd to more! ( Ditch the distraction of the background vase and flowers.)

ps: good to see proper glass, unlike some.:

 

[Jef6050]

And a nice photo it is/was! We look fwd to more! ( Ditch the distraction of the background vase and flowers.)

ps: good to see proper glass, unlike some.:

Thank you, Wozza had a nice tulip in his photo so thought I would follow suit!

 

[TheRealTMA]

Thank you, Wozza had a nice tulip in his photo so thought I would follow suit!

That's not a tulip!

This is a tulip! https://riedelglass.com.au/spiegelau/adina-prestige

 

[CJEMNMAC]

Inhaled a bottle of Katnook Odessey 2006 Cab Sav

Fantastic wine

 

[JohnM]

Last night's blind Coonawarra & Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon tasting:

 

[Wozza]

Garçon, garçon. He says, clicking his fingers as he sips the super premium James Irvine Eden Valley Grand Merlot 2006 in his [make-believe] French Chateaux!



I wish! But this wine certainly conjures up images of French Aristocracy. I've just posted the following tasting note on Cellar Tracker and Vivino:

http://www.cellartracker.com/w?972717

http://www.vivino.com/users/8818052/activities/100775806

"A very Grand 96/100 (4.4/5.0) from me. This is Australia's pinnacle Merlot from the Eden Valley. Probably the only Aussie Merlot to compete on the world stage with St-Emilion and Pomerol. After careful picking to ensure full ripeness, the wine spent 27 mths in French (Allier) oak.

This wine transports you to the aristocratic realms of France. The old-world nose is spellbinding as sweet plums, black olives, hot white pepper and worn leather fill the senses. The palate is rich, powerful and smooth as canyons of concentrated plum, blackberries and sweet prune lift with a strong lingering wave of prunes, black olives, warm tingling pepper, salted caramel and cigar box. This feels right in the drinking zone at 10 yrs. What a wine."

 

[Steady]

I've seen Domaine A Merlot called Australia's top offering - anyone here tried both?

 

[QF WP]

After reading the last couple of pages without contributing, it's been sad to think that I've been drinking down my EpiQure purchases since the advent of my new office affords me to space to accumulate for clients. Two wines of note that warrant a mention were these last week:



Have to think of cracking a good one from my cellar to toast my uncle who has been diagnosed with metastatic terminal cancer. Have to go up to Noosa to drink it with him - and see his cellar!

 

[Delectable Blue]

A very Grand 96/100 (4.4/5.0) from me. This is Australia's pinnacle Merlot from the Eden Valley. Probably the only Aussie Merlot to compete on the world stage with St-Emilion and Pomerol. After careful picking to ensure full ripeness, the wine spent 27 mths in French (Allier) oak.

I'm glad you enjoyed it Wozza. I was hoping that my recent disappointing bottle of the '06 was an aberration. I'll have to line up another bottle soon and try again.

Did you decant it? If so, how long?

 

[Wozza]

I'm glad you enjoyed it Wozza. I was hoping that my recent disappointing bottle of the '06 was an aberration. I'll have to line up another bottle soon and try again.

Did you decant it? If so, how long?

It was good, DB. I didn't decant it as I am hoping to drink it over 3 nights. But I did air it for the recommended 3 hours and take the odd sip along the way to see how it was going. It's a big temperamental wine! That 15% ABV is very noticeable at the beginning. As is the oak. And it has a fair amount of sediment at this ten year point. The bottle says it needs at least a 3 hour decant, which should be well heeded based on this experience. Your 08 we had in January wasn't decanted (as time didn't allow for it), but it tasted fantastic. This 06 would have been awful if we tried it under similar conditions.

Thanks for getting me into the Grant Merlot thing. They are great wines.

 

[Wozza]

I've seen Domaine A Merlot called Australia's top offering - anyone here tried both?

I've now had two Grand Merlots and loved both of them. I haven't tried the Domaine A Merlot. But if it's anything like the Domaine Cab Sauv I have had, then I wouldn't be surprised if it has that accolade. Should I amend my 'pinnacle' note, do you think?

 

[Katy]

I'm glad you enjoyed it Wozza. I was hoping that my recent disappointing bottle of the '06 was an aberration. I'll have to line up another bottle soon and try again.

Did you decant it? If so, how long?

Alas I've had the same recent disappointing experience as you, DB, two bottles - one decanted for the full time, one not - and both lacking the depth I remember from your 08

 

[Delectable Blue]

Alas I've had the same recent disappointing experience as you, db, two bottles one decanted for the full time one not and both lacking the depth I remember from your 08

That's not good news. I wonder if they haven't been cellared correctly.

 

[Katy]

That's not good news. I wonder if they haven't been cellared correctly.

I purchased directly from Langton's when they had the latest offer at $35/btl, so I would have expected pristine storage. I tried two in case of bottle variance and because I'd not decanted the first bottle but, alas, it was not to be. Wozza's post is tempting me to give it a 3rd chance but I've already spoken to Langton's about collecting the rest for a refund.