Nice wines I have drunk recently - Red or White

[UpInTheAir:)]

PJM and I had this tonight with a nice little half roast leg of pork fully meeting the JohnM Total Skin Crackled To Perfection[SUP]Pat. Pend.[/SUP] standard .

Was the Pinot good? I haven't seen it before..
Still waiting for my dinner invitation (Hoping QF WP doesn't empty the cellar before I get there )

 

[JohnM]

Was the Pinot good? I haven't seen it before..
Still waiting for my dinner invitation (Hoping QF WP doesn't empty the cellar before I get there )

B* good on the JohnM Highly Technical Wine Evaluation Scale[SUP]TM[/SUP]. Lighter-bodied style but classic Pinot nose and flavour and good acidity. It is a limited production wine with a specific pedigree. That's why I put in a pic of the back label as well. Produced and available from De Bortoli in the Yarra Valley.

 

[boomy]

Shared a bottle of Romanian wine with friends on my recent visit to Bucharest.

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

After inspiration from JohnM's Pinot story, Mr Up popped into Dan's and picked this up...
Very delicious (although young) and went well with the spicy salami, asparagus, and tomato risoni (also delicious if I may say so myself!)

 

[JohnM]

After inspiration from JohnM's Pinot story, Mr Up popped into Dan's and picked this up...
Very delicious (although young) and went well with the spicy salami, asparagus, and tomato risoni (also delicious if I may say so myself!)

I particularly like Pinots from around Geelong. I've got a 2008 of that I'll make a note to drink soon.

Farr (the dad) Sangreal is very good Pinot if you're looking for something special.

Bannockburn (nearby and where Gary Farr (the dad) was once winemaker) also produces very good Pinot.

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

I particularly like Pinots from around Geelong. I've got a 2008 of that I'll make a note to drink soon.

Farr (the dad) Sangreal is very good Pinot if you're looking for something special.

Bannockburn (nearby and where Gary Farr (the dad) was once winemaker) also produces very good Pinot.

Thanks JohnM... yes we are fans of the Farr Pinots... Sangreal, Farrside and Tout Pres... yum++
Love good Pinots (probably why there aren't any in our cellar at the moment) and in Victoria we are very spoilt! MP has some great Pinots also - we love the Yabby Lake as a fruity favourite and of course Bass Philip as a more earthy option..
Looks like we will need to have a "business meeting" at DeBortoli and sample some of that Phi... Thanks for the tip

 

[QF WP]

Produced and available from De Bortoli in the Yarra Valley.

Friends with whom we are holidaying brought along these reds - the De Bortoli was a present and he didn't realise the vintage was so good. So I suggested he open it tonight. Cheese and vegetable pasta bake was demolished with a couple of sips, so I could savour the next 3 glasses. Forest earthy nose with dry fruit flavour and livened up the more we drank, smooth with little astringency.

 

[JohnM]

Back to the Argentinian Malbecs.

Over the last week I have scoured around PER for more examples.

The trouble with the big chains like Dans and Vintage Cellars is that they are very mainstream. That doesn't mean to say that they don't have good wines (eg. Burgundys, Bordeauxs), but they stick to the conventional mainstream varieties IMO.

It's very hard to get good non-mainstream varietals in Australia. And, of course, that is exacerbated in isolated PER - despite it being God's Own Country .

I found a couple of Argentinian Malbecs at an independent retailer. Both were just under $35.




While both wines were enjoyable, the Lunta was far better than the Mairena IMO as an example of Argentinian Malbec. The Mairena was fruity and juicy, a taste sensation very familiar to the Australian palate - but it did not represent the textural finesse, against a backdrop of sensuous body and subtle fruit flavour that really defines Argentinian Malbec.

In the vein of what someone once said about coughography: "It's hard to describe, but you'll know it when you see it.", with good Argentinian Malbec it's a case of: "It's hard to describe, but f*, you'll know its uniqueness once you taste it!" - but it has to be good to get the f* awesome wow factor. Once that is experienced with a great steak off the asador/parrilla, it's a sensation that will not be forgotten.

As a result of a bit of rummaging around to see what's available in Australia, I stumbled over this: Malbec Mixed Case - Exclusive Vines.

At $140 for 6 bottles, I don't have high hopes but I figure I don't have much to lose, so I ordered the 6-pack. There may be a gem in there. I will report back as time goes on.

 

[QF WP]

Looks like we need to buy Kersbrook Hill Wines to help them, as they have lost lots of their vines in the SA fires...thankfully their cellar was spared.

 

[JohnM]

***Breaking news***

Disruptive technology redefined. Wine sophistication reaches new highs. Complete re-coding for 2015. Apple shares dive. Microsoft seeks Chapter 11 protection. QF takes over EK and AA. QF PB finally works. Greek bourse soars. World-record IPO in the offing. Argentina throws off shackles of socialist government and massive IMF default on back of wine sales to mysterious cult of strangely-named people in Australia.

JohnM announces a new version of the JohnM Highly Technical Wine Evaluation Scale[SUP]TM[/SUP]:

The JohnM Simpler and Fairer* Highly Technical Wine Evaluation Scale[SUP]Pat. Pend. TM[/SUP].

(*An unabashed plagiarist, JohnM recalls reading this gem of an expression in recent times at a source that now eludes him but it so impressed his sense of a deep Madison Ave Back Alley Work Experience Student class act that he unashamedly stole it. Like the source, he freely admits to having no shame…)

Now that I have the hard-to-gain attention of QF WP, Princess Fiona, UpInTheAir, blackcat20, Daver6, Rooflyer and various other usual short-attention-span suspects , it has become apparent that we have a bit of a swing towards reviews of non-mainstream wines on this thread.

Some people are taking big punishment on behalf of the team – and some of those may be big, bad hits (anyone want to see what a bruised palate looks like?)

So, as we now need to include a bad wine score into the scale, here is (drum roll…) the new JohnM Simpler and Fairer Highly Technical Wine Evaluation Scale[SUP]Pat. Pend. TM[/SUP]:

1. Cr@p.
2. Not bad.
3. Good
4. B* good
5. F* awesome

Now, what could be Simpler and Fairer[SUP]TM[/SUP] than that! :mrgreen:

 

[liparj]

Agree wholeheartedly JohnM, well done…


I often struggle to discern between my front and my middle palate let alone pick whether a wine’s overpowered by French or American oak… Your rating scale suits me just fine…hopefully with the option of a narrative to accompany..


I figured out after 30 odd years of imbibing that I like what I like, preferring reds over whites (to put it simply it’s a bit like eating steak over fish) but I try to remember the good ones I’ve sampled along the way.. However, providing a description is often where I come unstuck (perhaps one too many?)


Apologies for the waffle…I probably should have posted before opening a 2008 Howard Park Scotsdale Shiraz earlier this evening…a nice drop from a great region of WA.. Not quite F* awesome but I gave it a solid 4. B* good.



Now that I’m back on topic, I wonder if there will be cries for the inclusion of an ‘Unctuous’ rating in the new JohnM Simpler and Fairer Highly Technical Wine Evaluation Scale[SUP]Pat. Pend. TM [/SUP]?

 

[TomVexille]

Now that I’m back on topic, I wonder if there will be cries for the inclusion of an ‘Unctuous’ rating in the new JohnM Simpler and Fairer Highly Technical Wine Evaluation Scale[SUP]Pat. Pend. TM [/SUP]?

That would be an "enhancement"

 

[TomVexille]

JohnM, back on the Mendoza Malbec, just noticed this one advertised at Dan's:
https://m.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_916170/zuccardi-q-malbec

Know anything about it?

 

[JohnM]

JohnM, back on the Mendoza Malbec, just noticed this one advertised at Dan's:
https://m.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_916170/zuccardi-q-malbec

Know anything about it?

I have seen it regularly in Dan's and I can't recall whether I've tried it. If I have, it underwhelmed (not to say it was Cr@p, but probably not a good representation of Arg Malbec). Generally, my view has been that sub-$30 is not likely to give a true indication of the character of Arg Malbec.

It would be easy to say: "At that price, give it a crack." However, the problem with that for anyone who hasn't experienced good Arg Malbec is that they will very likely be underwhelmed and dismiss as demented those who are saying how great they can be - with the result that they may never be inclined to try any from then on. Alternatively, they may enjoy the juicy, fruity wine and not realise that it does not have the unique characters that epitomise better examples. A conundrum.

I think it's better for the uninitiated to set the introductory bar a bit higher. Also, Australian Malbecs, while often good wines, just don't have the dusty tannins and plush mouthfeel that is the hallmark of the better Arg Malbecs.

I'm annoyed that Vintage Cellars no longer stock the Norton Privada as I thought it was a pretty good expression of the style and worth the $30. It really is hard to get good Arg Malbec retail in Aus.

I do notice that VC has 'limited stock' of the Lunta that I posted about last night at $35 single price. As I noted, I felt the Lunta did give a reasonable example of the style - certainly not in the fruity, juicy realm but with the soft mouthfeel.

 

[TomVexille]

I have seen it regularly in Dan's and I can't recall whether I've tried it. If I have, it underwhelmed (not to say it was Cr@p, but probably not a good representation of Arg Malbec). Generally, my view has been that sub-$30 is not likely to give a true indication of the character of Arg Malbec.

It would be easy to say: "At that price, give it a crack." However, the problem with that for anyone who hasn't experienced good Arg Malbec is that they will very likely be underwhelmed and dismiss as demented those who are saying how great they can be - with the result that they may never be inclined to try any from then on. Alternatively, they may enjoy the juicy, fruity wine and not realise that it does not have the unique characters that epitomise better examples. A conundrum.

I think it's better for the uninitiated to set the introductory bar a bit higher. Also, Australian Malbecs, while often good wines, just don't have the dusty tannins and plush mouthfeel that is the hallmark of the better Arg Malbecs.

I'm annoyed that Vintage Cellars no longer stock the Norton Privada as I thought it was a pretty good expression of the style and worth the $30. It really is hard to get good Arg Malbec retail in Aus.

I do notice that VC has 'limited stock' of the Lunta that I posted about last night at $35 single price. As I noted, I felt the Lunta did give a reasonable example of the style - certainly not in the fruity, juicy realm but with the soft mouthfeel.

Thanks. So I should take it back?

 

[JohnM]

Thanks. So I should take it back?

Not at all! I'm sure that it will be a good wine. The only real question is whether it has that truly unique character of good Arg Malbec.

Let us know what you think about it!

 

[TomVexille]

Not at all! I'm sure that it will be a good wine. The only real question is whether it has that truly unique character of good Arg Malbec.

Let us know what you think about it!

That's fair enough.

And you can bet that I will report back once it's been drunk

 

[QF WP]

Tonight's and Thursdays wines are these two:



I chose to open the Tintara, I recently bought some from EpiQure and haven't tasted yet.

Much younger than last nights Shiraz, but matched to a spaghetti bolognese. Acidic to start but settled a bit on the second mouthful but didn't get any better on the second glass.

On the JohnM Simpler and Fairer Highly Technical Wine Evaluation Scale, I rate it a 2.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Tonight's and Thursdays wines are these two:

View attachment 40243

I chose to open the Tintara...

Much younger than last nights Shiraz, but matched to a spaghetti bolognese. Acidic to start but settled a bit on the second mouthful but didn't get any better on the second glass.

On the JohnM Simpler and Fairer Highly Technical Wine Evaluation Scale, I rate it a 2.

That's very disappointing to hear. I had a bottle of the 2010 Tintara last week and it was very good.

 

[JohnM]

Breaking news - revision.

I had the second half of the Mairena tonight (it had gone straight into a 375mL bottle when I opened the main bottle about a week ago) with a very chilli-spiced Bolognaise-style sauce over pasta (I'm still sweating!).

Well, what a cracker! Textural smoothness, not evident originally, came through and its fruit-forward original nature had taken second place. Worked a treat. On reflection, the Lunto was better first-up and had lost a little by the second half a few days later; the Mairena was the reverse.

Wine is very strange stuff...

Back to the Argentinian Malbecs.

Over the last week I have scoured around PER for more examples.

The trouble with the big chains like Dans and Vintage Cellars is that they are very mainstream. That doesn't mean to say that they don't have good wines (eg. Burgundys, Bordeauxs), but they stick to the conventional mainstream varieties IMO.

It's very hard to get good non-mainstream varietals in Australia. And, of course, that is exacerbated in isolated PER - despite it being God's Own Country .

I found a couple of Argentinian Malbecs at an independent retailer. Both were just under $35.

View attachment 40206
View attachment 40207

While both wines were enjoyable, the Lunta was far better than the Mairena IMO as an example of Argentinian Malbec. The Mairena was fruity and juicy, a taste sensation very familiar to the Australian palate - but it did not represent the textural finesse, against a backdrop of sensuous body and subtle fruit flavour that really defines Argentinian Malbec.

In the vein of what someone once said about coughography: "It's hard to describe, but you'll know it when you see it.", with good Argentinian Malbec it's a case of: "It's hard to describe, but f*, you'll know its uniqueness once you taste it!" - but it has to be good to get the f* awesome wow factor. Once that is experienced with a great steak off the asador/parrilla, it's a sensation that will not be forgotten.

As a result of a bit of rummaging around to see what's available in Australia, I stumbled over this: Malbec Mixed Case - Exclusive Vines.

At $140 for 6 bottles, I don't have high hopes but I figure I don't have much to lose, so I ordered the 6-pack. There may be a gem in there. I will report back as time goes on.