Nice wines I have drunk recently - Red or White

[Dragzworthy]

I found the 1997 Petaluma to be in great shape, though the 1998 is slightly better IMHO.

Thanks for this - any idea on the 2012? Early days yet but I bought a case without tasting oops: silly I know!) and it seems like Petaluma has gone out of fashion (?) in the last decade.

I'll be drinking a Rauzan Segla 2006 tonight, it's double decanted and ready to go to the restaurant with me. Updating coming later, timing dependent on consumption volume !

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Thanks for this - any idea on the 2012? Early days yet but I bought a case without tasting oops: silly I know!) and it seems like Petaluma has gone out of fashion (?) in the last decade.

I opened a 2012, 2006 and 1998 a few months ago to do a mini-vertical, basically trying a 5yo, 10yo and 20yo version of the Coonawarra. I think I posted notes here. If not, will look them up.

2012 was still a baby. 2006 starting to hit its straps. Thought the 1998 was fantastic.

 

[drron]

I think some gave up on Petaluma when it was taken over by Lion.I was a Petaluma shareholder and Lion Continued my discounts.However they have now sold their wines to Accolade wines.Not sure if the discount will survive.
But Brian Croser is back and making wines from his original Piccadilly valley vineyard but It is now Tapanappa wines which he formed in 2002 after he lost Petaluma.The family partners with Bollinger and the Cazes family from France.The Brian Croser Pinot noir I like.Stocked at Dans.

 

[Dragzworthy]

Many thanks to both, this makes a lot of sense. It's an awkward price point as ultimately it's competing with say Wynns which many will regard as the best value Cabernet in the country (well at least I subscribe to that opinion!) and above say Katnook as well. Generally speaking, I think Margaret River are pulling out the best Cabernet and blend product in the country (Woodlands, Moss Wood, Voyager spring to mind)

 

[Steady]

'03 Tassie Cab Sauv tonight- I love these Domaine A's

 

[burmans]

A leg of lamb last night so I decided to try the Heirloom. Wow

This is a big wine. Lovely nose with a hint of liquorice. Everything works with this wine, it is great now but will live for many years to come.

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Nice wine and can be had for a very decent price.

 

[Major]

'03 Tassie Cab Sauv tonight- I love these Domaine A's
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I seem to remember enjoying something similar with you at Rooflyer's joint a couple of years ago

 

[Steady]

I seem to remember enjoying something similar with you at Rooflyer's joint a couple of years ago

Yes you are correct- but it was an '00

 

[TheRealTMA]

DOP in Porto. Excellent food.

Wanted the '88 (1888 that is) or the '10, but MrsTMA doesn't like port. Had to settle for a very nice Vallado white.

 

[baiden]

Drinking these tonight (really excited ). The Petaluma is a recent purchase from Cellar One.
Anyone have any advice on how long in advance I should air out the Petaluma?
(I was thinking 30 mins for both should be OK).

 

[boomy]

Drinking these tonight (really excited ). The Petaluma is a recent purchase from Cellar One.
Anyone have any advice on how long in advance I should air out the Petaluma?
(I was thinking 30 mins for both should be OK).

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I usually decant for 60-90 minutes.

Had the Petaluma 2004 few weeks ago and the 1997 last night. Thought the former was in perfect drinking condition while the latter, still very good drop, not as impressive.

 

[JohnM]

The Egyptian exploration continues. All the wine list said was 'Grand Marqis' red. Two orders yielded two different wines. The aged nature of them suggests that they sell very little wine...

They were OK and only cost the equivalent of less than $12/bottle.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Douro valley, wines over last 2 days. All very nicely nice.

 

[tielec]

Gday all,

Been awhile since I posted so I thought I better keep in touch. This was Friday night's get together.

The Triolet was a strange beast, extremely light, fantastic mouthfeel, light fruit and aromatics. The Riesling tasted like lemonade next to it, and at the time I thought the Triolet was over-the-hill (I have a few more). However, in retrospect I find myself wanting to go back to the Triolet - perhaps subtlety and elegance have their place (or perhaps I've been spending too much time around Frenchmen). I'd still drink the Triolet soon, and make sure to drink it early in the night before the palate is swamped.

The Leeuwin Cabernet (magnum) was mother's milk, still herbaceous but developing chocolate, leather and secondary fruit characteristics. Over here in WA this is a crowd-pleaser but we all take it for granted that Cabernet can be this good, so it rarely rates more than an appreciative smack of the lips.

The Torbreck was hard to like; extremely earthy, overly wooded, dark primary fruit, a brooding wine that may improve with age, but IMO more likely to descend into a mucky, unbalanced mess of stewed fruit. Opinions differed on the table, but to paraphrase the late Christopher Hitchens "Whose else's opinion could I give?"

 

[boomy]

Enjoying this fantastic drop tonight.
Surprisingly doesn't show it's age, maybe need to keep it longer. Luckily I have one more bottle left to compare in a few years.

 

[qaz]

I'm not normally one to post photos of bottles or labels, but hopefully these from a couple of events at Dan Murphy's Cellars - an evening with Olivier Krug and a tasting/blending session of Torbreck RunRig components - may encourage an AFF meetup in Melbourne sometime

 

[Daver6]

With dinner at Madam Wu in BNE last night.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Winery visit to Quinta do Vallado, Douro valley.


Vineyards in the smoke haze


Slate winery gravity fed.


Tank for manual stomping and crushing of the red grapes. Only small portion these days.



The field blend from 50 old varieties growing in the older highest vineyards from 80-100 yo vines is wonderful.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Visited Ribera Sacra area in Galicia today along the wonderful scenery of the Sil river valley and gorges. Visited Ronsel do Sil - organic vineyard producing excellent whites and reds. A passion for the ex-architect who is the driving force, grower, enologist and winemaker. She uses only natural fertilisers, no irrigation (by DOC rules), natural yeasts and ferments in small mix of stainless, oak and concrete with minimal intervention of tartaric to control acidity, some sulphur at times. Malolactic fermentation for most.

 

[Major]

I tried an earlier vintage of this wine in Strahan a couple of years ago and thought it was an outstanding Pinot Noir

Bought 6 bottles of the current vintage from Dans and cracked one the other night. It's still a great wine

A little slow to open up but after an hour it was everything a good Australian Pinot should be. It went really well with the pasta.