Nice wines I have drunk recently - Red or White

[sagittariusdrake]

Please excuse the rudimentary notes - I've never been good at descriptors. But gosh this is good! So smooth, luscious & complex. Huge @ 17.5% ABV, but balanced.

Winery notes say more than I can: 2015 Parola’s Limited Release Durif | Warrabilla Wines

Cracked one last Thursday, initially got some alcohol heat, but it calmed down after 5 - 10 mins. We managed to stretch it out until Sunday night, when it started to show port-ish oxidised characters. But there was far more air than wine left in the bottle by then, so probably being a bit harsh.

I realise that most of this forum favour BIG REDS - I don't any more, (heavy oak is evil) & this is big but it really is beautifully put together. I don't think you'll find a classier wine for less than the $34.99 you can get it for.
Highly recommended as a very fine wine & an exemplary rendition of Durif. They also make highly regarded Zinfandel (Will demolish one this week end), Shiraz & CS. I'd like to sample their Marsanne too, being a long-time fan of Tahbilk.

There's more than Shiraz, CS & Merlow you know ...

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

We just had a tolpuddle 2013 Chardonnay as the good folk at AFF spoke highly of the pinot.. Took a little time to calm down but then it was a good Chardonnay

 

[QF WP]

I just wish this was my wine cellar and I had enough time to drink them all:



I had a light dinner tonight - James Squire Pale Ale to clear the palate then a chefs choice tapas plate



married with a Marlborough Pinot Noir (Bar Managers choice as he comes from Christchurch). Wish I'd got the name as the nose was full bodied and more what I'd expect from a Shiraz blend but was soft across the palate like a Pinot. I lingered over the red for a good 20-30 mins but my work beckoned and here I am tapping away at a keyboard

 

[QF WP]

Jury's out on this one! I actually enjoyed drinking this because it was so different, and I guess that's all that matters. On the other hand you could purchase a serious bottle of shiraz and a serious bottle of pinot noir for the $100 RRP. Cult wine or marketing mischief? Love to hear your thoughts.View attachment 69564

Is that Thousand Candles? Saw a 2011 tonight and recognised it from your post

 

[Sedimental]

Yes, Thousand Candles. Quite a divisive wine and not that magical IMHO.

 

[beefarmer]

I am having a Fo wine, a Kakaba 2013 shiraz. Never heard of them, put the feelers out, Redbigot ( one of his punters said it was nice so I hit the buy button)...........................it's really nice. An Adelaide Hills Shiraz that is coated with chocolate..amazing really...full flavoured, rich fruit, bloody good..thanks RB !!..I think there is a kakaba tempranillo from my best of black market 19 in my garage somewhere.

Anyway, thanks again RB....this is a .seriously good wine.I am a little like Wozza here with what I can taste....mint, menthol, bloody bizarre really, ..I thought he had the monopoly of wine characters.

This is a seriously good wine people !! Lovely - as I sip, the chocolate flavours are so intense, the most chocoately ever, so amazing, that you could be indulging in a shake.

 

[sigmadelta]

Hmm talking of chocolate....
I went large on mataro last year, Turkey flat and Massena both very good but the latter was the standout. I got them from winedirect who often have some great deals for their mailing list customers. Nice people too. They have the occasional gem or two and their stock changes frequently.

 

[vmile]

TheRealTMA can't have all the good Tuscan wines to himself- The Boss cooked lunch for us yesterday here in the Valdarno.




He produced this from the cellar 1999 Torrione Petrolo in magnum.The Torrione vinyard is 15 minutes away from here, and is 'downslope' from the famous 'Caberlot' vineyards of Carnasciale.





Decanted for an hour and a half prior to serving- fine dull violet in colour, complex broad palate, possibly just past it's best, but drinking very well.





My contribution to the meal, a fresh Black Truffle from Lazio (Truffle season has not started here yet




)

Main course, Fresh Truffle shaved over veal chops, Tuscan style, with boiled baby potatoes, and green french beans, with olive oil produced on the property.





Monopole Champagne to start(consistantly good I find, at a silly price here,18 euros), the 1999 Petrolo, and a 2006 Chateau Callou sauternes (2nd growth Barsac)to finish-bright yellow, floral nose, good length.

O, the best of all is the view behind the empty bottles is the view from 'my office' for the rest of this month.

 

[TheRealTMA]

TheRealTMA can't have all the good Tuscan wines to himself- The Boss cooked lunch for us yesterday here in the Valdarno.




He produced this from the cellar 1999 Torrione Petrolo in magnum.The Torrione vinyard is 15 minutes away from here, and is 'downslope' from the famous 'Caberlot' vineyards of Carnasciale.





Decanted for an hour and a half prior to serving- fine dull violet in colour, complex broad palate, possibly just past it's best, but drinking very well.





My contribution to the meal, a fresh Black Truffle from Lazio (Truffle season has not started here yet




)

Main course, Fresh Truffle shaved over veal chops, Tuscan style, with boiled baby potatoes, and green french beans, with olive oil produced on the property.



.

Bah! Only an IGT. So Sangiovese mainly topped up with Merlot and Cabernet?

looks lovely especially with the tartufo!

 

[vmile]

Bah! Only an IGT. So Sangiovese mainly topped up with Merlot and Cabernet?

looks lovely especially with the tartufo!

As I understand it, 90% Sangiovese. It's not their top wine they do a 100% merlot, a 100% Cab Sav, and also an upmarket 100% Sangiovese. But it was very smooth, lots of glycerine in the glass.

I am going to try and find a bottle of another lowly rated IGT the Carnasciale Caberlot to see what the fuss is about, but I suspect I will not find it in the local Coop supermarket.

 

[sietes]

Celebrating the end of two decent projects at work with a couple of knock off drinks.

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Celebrating the end of two decent projects at work with a couple of knock off drinks. View attachment 70403View attachment 70404

You're in Melbourne, I'm in Melbourne.. What happened??

 

[blackcat20]

Haven't tried it yet but I'm hoping for good things

 

[AnonymousCoward]

There's more than Shiraz, CS & Merlow you know ...

Yes, indeed Leaving aside Friday's AFF dinner, the following non-shiraz/CS/merlots were consumed at the AC's household this week:

2004 Ciabot Berton Barolo Roggeri DOCG - seemed well advanced in the aging process. Fruit had receded, with earthiness and some spices - similar to a 20YO cabernet. Maybe needed more breathing time.



Vazart-Coquart Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Reserve Brut - seemed nice enough. Not a champagne drinker much - they all kinda taste the same to me



2010 Giorgio Pelissero Barbaresco Nubiola DOCG - much fruiter Nebbiolo than the Ciabot Berton. This was quite nice, with decent structure and a long-ish fruity finish. Good pairing with Italian pasta.



2012 Jean-Louis Chavy Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Perrières - this was "wine of the week" (leaving aside the AFF cabernet dinner). I'm not a huge chardonnay drinker, but this was just awesome. Straw colour, with honey notes, some lemon peel (or some other citrus flavour) and nice minerality. Acid in good balance. Extremely refreshing whilst still having good flavour on the palate.



And then, couldn't resist going back to syrah: 2011 Victor Berard Crozes-Hermitage - light/medium bodied, with red fruits, light tannins, and some smokey/ashy sort of flavour. Nice with eye-fillet tonight.

 

[Daver6]

With lunch today which was scotch fillet on the bbq with manchego butter and a rocket, pear and blue cheese salad. Sunday fun day.

 

[blackcat20]

Something different for us tonight.

The Wolf Blass Riesling was a perfect crisp match with the chicken, olive and lemon pie with sour cream pastry.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

The Wolf Blass Riesling was a perfect crisp match with the chicken, olive and lemon pie with sour cream pastry.

How did the Blass Noir go?

 

[blackcat20]

How did the Blass Noir go?

I really enjoyed it. 'Quaffable' is the best way for me to describe it.

 

[penegal]

But it's a white wine... Who are you and what have you done with the not white cat?

 

[TomVexille]

But it's a white wine... Who are you and what have you done with the not white cat?

I'm not sure, but the Riesling went well with the pre dinner cheese and the chicken dinner.