AFF Wine Lovers Meet-Up 6 Jan 2016 in Sydney

[Delectable Blue]

Here are my tasting notes from the wines last night. My apologies to wines #9 to #11, my palate had given out by the time I got to these wines. No disrespect it intended.

Warm up

a) Tallarook 2008 Roussanne

Not a style I’m familiar with. Lightly oaked. A complex white wine with many layers of flavour. Some aged semillon characteristics are evident, but without the typical semillon honeyed background. Very enjoyable. Definitely a style I’d like to learn more about.

b) Escarpment 2013 Kupe Pinot Noir

A sublime Pinot Noir, certainly up there with the best I’ve ever tasted. The wine has a lovely heady bouquet, without being overpowering or too floral. Perfectly ripened fruit. Wonderful complexity and balance, with layer upon layer of flavour, black cherry, fruit cake, orange blossom, woody spices, the flavours just keep coming. Great length and finish. A Pinot masterpiece. I’d love to taste this with another 10 years of age on it.

Main Event

1) Mount View Estate 2009 Late Harvest Semillon

A very interesting semillon. Quite sweet as you would expect from a late harvest, but without the layered complexity I was expecting from a semillon. To me it tasted more like a good moscatto, but without the bubbles. A fine wine, but I think I’ll stick with my normal aged semillons.

2) Baron Amarillo 2010 Rioja Gran Reserva

Not a style I’m at all familiar with. A sweeter red wine. Intense mineral bouquet, medium complexity and a striking spiciness on the back palate. Interesting and intriguing.

3) d’Arenberg 2010 Shiraz Roussanne The Wild Pixie

So this is what wild pixies taste like. A real surprise. A nice balace between berry fruits and spice with a hint of aniseed. Great complexity and texture. Very long and dry finish. Yum.

4) James Irvine 2008 Grand Merlot

Wow. What an amazing bouquet! Stunning vintage port aromas - oriental spice, smoke & brandy. I’m lost for words. A very supple wine. Slightly sweet plumb and rosella jam flavours dance across that vintage port background. Great complexity, balance and smoky length of finish. A stunning wine.

5) Coriole 2008 Lloyd Reserve Shiraz

Another terrific wine. Black fruits with a savoury background. Another wine with strong vintage port overtones. Great complexity and a very long finish. Difficult to describe on a busy night but clearly shows great ageing potential. I’d love to sample this one on its own, it deserves some special attention.

6) Cape Mentelle 2009 ’Trinders’ Cabernet Merlot

Another long finishing wine. I’m sensing a theme here. A very smooth wine. Good structure and nice complexity, with some subtle floral highlights supporting the fruit. The oak is quite obvious, not too overpowering, but it does deliver a dry finish. Another wine that would benefit from some more bottle time. Nice.

7) Gapstead 2009 Limited Release Saperavi

Wow another very intriguing wine. Again not a style I’m familiar with but one that has me closely examining my palate and cursing my limited vocabulary. I’m getting an eclectic mix of flavours coming through, including tobacco leaf, leather and a range of savoury flavours. I do not understand this wine, but I do like it - a lot! More please…

8) St Hallett 2010 Barossa Single Vineyard Shiraz

A first of the long shiraz tail, and I fear the beginning of the end. The Saperavi has taxed the remainder of my palate and attention. Clearly a very competent shiraz, with a stunning bouquet and nice balance and complexity. Very fine and persistent tannins with a drying finish. A swear I can taste some honeycomb on the back of my palate, but that may just be Saperavi screwing with me.

9) Hemera 2008 Tier 1 Barossa Shiraz

It’s official, my palate is burnt out. Again another very nice wine, but I’ve lost my objectivity. Black plumb flavours on the palate with obvious oak support. More vintage port flavours are evident. Fine tannins, good balance, it’s ticking all the boxes. Obviously a wine looking for somewhere to go. Might be a great wine, but I can no longer tell.

10) Wirra Wirra 2010 Woodhenge Shiraz

More shiraz, blah blah blah. Nice wine, blah blah blah. Sorry #10, talk to #9. I’m out. These wines all taste the same now.

11) Wynns 2010 Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz Merlot

A striking wine. Real impact on a jaded palate at the end of a long night. Very refreshing. I’m still having trouble differentiating the flavours, but this is a very distinctive wine. Nice.

 

[Wozza]

Here are my tasting notes from the wines last night. My apologies to wines #9 to #11, my palate had given out by the time I got to these wines. No disrespect it intended.

Warm up

a) Tallarook 2008 Roussanne

Not a style I’m familiar with. Lightly oaked. A complex white wine with many layers of flavour. Some aged semillon characteristics are evident, but without the typical semillon honeyed background. Very enjoyable. Definitely a style I’d like to learn more about.

b) Escarpment 2013 Kupe Pinot Noir

A sublime Pinot Noir, certainly up there with the best I’ve ever tasted. The wine has a lovely heady bouquet, without being overpowering or too floral. Perfectly ripened fruit. Wonderful complexity and balance, with layer upon layer of flavour, black cherry, fruit cake, orange blossom, woody spices, the flavours just keep coming. Great length and finish. A Pinot masterpiece. I’d love to taste this with another 10 years of age on it.

Main Event

1) Mount View Estate 2009 Late Harvest Semillon

A very interesting semillon. Quite sweet as you would expect from a late harvest, but without the layered complexity I was expecting from a semillon. To me it tasted more like a good moscatto, but without the bubbles. A fine wine, but I think I’ll stick with my normal aged semillons.

2) Baron Amarillo 2010 Rioja Gran Reserva

Not a style I’m at all familiar with. A sweeter red wine. Intense mineral bouquet, medium complexity and a striking spiciness on the back palate. Interesting and intriguing.

3) d’Arenberg 2010 Shiraz Roussanne The Wild Pixie

So this is what wild pixies taste like. A real surprise. A nice balace between berry fruits and spice with a hint of aniseed. Great complexity and texture. Very long and dry finish. Yum.

4) James Irvine 2008 Grand Merlot

Wow. What an amazing bouquet! Stunning vintage port aromas - oriental spice, smoke & brandy. I’m lost for words. A very supple wine. Slightly sweet plumb and rosella jam flavours dance across that vintage port background. Great complexity, balance and smoky length of finish. A stunning wine.

5) Coriole 2008 Lloyd Reserve Shiraz

Another terrific wine. Black fruits with a savoury background. Another wine with strong vintage port overtones. Great complexity and a very long finish. Difficult to describe on a busy night but clearly shows great ageing potential. I’d love to sample this one on its own, it deserves some special attention.

6) Cape Mentelle 2009 ’Trinders’ Cabernet Merlot

Another long finishing wine. I’m sensing a theme here. A very smooth wine. Good structure and nice complexity, with some subtle floral highlights supporting the fruit. The oak is quite obvious, not too overpowering, but it does deliver a dry finish. Another wine that would benefit from some more bottle time. Nice.

7) Gapstead 2009 Limited Release Saperavi

Wow another very intriguing wine. Again not a style I’m familiar with but one that has me closely examining my palate and cursing my limited vocabulary. I’m getting an eclectic mix of flavours coming through, including tobacco leaf, leather and a range of savoury flavours. I do not understand this wine, but I do like it - a lot! More please…

8) St Hallett 2010 Barossa Single Vineyard Shiraz

A first of the long shiraz tail, and I fear the beginning of the end. The Saperavi has taxed the remainder of my palate and attention. Clearly a very competent shiraz, with a stunning bouquet and nice balance and complexity. Very fine and persistent tannins with a drying finish. A swear I can taste some honeycomb on the back of my palate, but that may just be Saperavi screwing with me.

9) Hemera 2008 Tier 1 Barossa Shiraz

It’s official, my palate is burnt out. Again another very nice wine, but I’ve lost my objectivity. Black plumb flavours on the palate with obvious oak support. More vintage port flavours are evident. Fine tannins, good balance, it’s ticking all the boxes. Obviously a wine looking for somewhere to go. Might be a great wine, but I can no longer tell.

10) Wirra Wirra 2010 Woodhenge Shiraz

More shiraz, blah blah blah. Nice wine, blah blah blah. Sorry #10, talk to #9. I’m out. These wines all taste the same now.

11) Wynns 2010 Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz Merlot

A stunning wine. Real impact on a jaded palate at the end of a long night. Very refreshing. I’m still having trouble differentiating the flavours, but this is a very distinctive wine. Nice.

What excellent tasting notes, DB. Greatly appreciated.

How did you score them? What were your top three?

 

[Delectable Blue]

What excellent tasting notes, DB. Greatly appreciated.

How did you score them? What were your top three?

For me, I had the following top 3:
1st - James Irvine 2008 Grand Merlot, which I scored at 9/10
2nd - Gapstead 2009 Limited Release Saperavi, which I scored at 8.5/10
3rd - Coriole 2008 Lloyd Reserve Shiraz, which I scored at 8/10

For me there was an x-factor that these three wines had that just pipped them over the rest of the field.

 

[Delectable Blue]

For those of you that enjoyed the James Irvine Grand Merlot last week, Grays have a half-dozen of the 2006 vintage up for grabs at the moment. The auction closes at around 9pm tonight:

Merlot 2006 Auction (0059-2436194) | GraysWine Australia

The James Halliday notes says that the wine has a drink-by date of 2016, however the cellar notes from James Irvine indicate that it will be drinking at its best from 2016. Based on my experience I would expect this wine to be at its peak for the next 2-3 years.

I picked up a case last week and the wine is in exceptional condition. Currently the price is sitting at $25 a bottle. Typically this wine closes out at between $40-$45 a bottle, which is a steal for a wine with such a pedigree, and an RRP around $130 a bottle.

 

[Wozza]

Thanks DB. It's drinking so well now. I thought the body has just peaked. It had such luxurious flavours, but those flavours dipped in comparison to a few of the other South Australian beasts. It's the only reason it came 4th on my list - a year or two earlier it would easily be my first choice. Probably not a fair comparison, given those other wines have such a different style. I reckon you are right though - they will drink well for another 2-3 yrs.

Now, the only problem - we are all going to be bidding against each other, driving the price up ...! Anybody fancy going halves? I can't bid tonight as I will be working, but happy to share a 6 pack with you good people.

 

[Delectable Blue]

Yes, I don't think it showed its best in the tasting conditions of last weeks meet-up. The wine really does need a long decant to bring out its best.

According to James Irvine the 2006 has a slightly better tannin structure, compared to the 2008 that we tasted, hence the slightly extended drinking estimates.

 

[TDC]

Thanks DB. It's drinking so well now. I thought the body has just peaked. It had such luxurious flavours, but those flavours dipped in comparison to a few of the other South Australian beasts. It's the only reason it came 4th on my list - a year or two earlier it would easily be my first choice. Probably not a fair comparison, given those other wines have such a different style. I reckon you are right though - they will drink well for another 2-3 yrs.

Now, the only problem - we are all going to be bidding against each other, driving the price up ...! Anybody fancy going halves? I can't bid tonight as I will be working, but happy to share a 6 pack with you good people.

Now that's smart thinking!

 

[Steady]

Now, the only problem - we are all going to be bidding against each other, driving the price up ...! Anybody fancy going halves? I can't bid tonight as I will be working, but happy to share a 6 pack with you good people.

I'd go 2 or 3 at $40-45 but am also unable to bid

Not sure how I would collect them but I'm sure something could be worked out - AP do a 2 bottle box if all else failed.

 

[Wozza]

I will catch up with Mhen about February, but in the meantime see Penegal was potentially keen to do another blind tasting meal.

Is there more appetite to do the blind tasting wine meal again? It wasn't too much work, so happy to organise another one in Sydney in the Autumn months. There was talk on the night of keeping it casual like Melbourne do, and catch up more frequently in a more casual setting.

Thoughts?

 

[penegal]

I will catch up with Mhen about February, but in the meantime see Penegal was potentially keen to do another blind tasting meal.

Is there more appetite to do the blind tasting wine meal again? It wasn't too much work, so happy to organise another one in Sydney in the Autumn months. There was talk on the night of keeping it casual like Melbourne do, and catch up more frequently in a more casual setting.

Thoughts?

I am happy with any format, as long as there is good company and good wine...

 

[Delectable Blue]

Is there more appetite to do the blind tasting wine meal again? It wasn't too much work, so happy to organise another one in Sydney in the Autumn months. There was talk on the night of keeping it casual like Melbourne do, and catch up more frequently in a more casual setting.

Thoughts?

Yes, I'm up for another (more casual?) get-together. My only complication is that I have to front back up to work on Monday, and that always complicates my life and availability in ways that are difficult to describe. A weekend event would be preferable to a mid-week event, and lunch is preferred over dinner. Having said that, I'll do my best to make it to the event whatever the arrangements.

 

[blackcat20]

It would need to be more structured than champagne night has been otherwise it's a mish mash of wines tasted in the wrong order and you miss out of half of them.

 

[Buzzard]

Thanks DB. It's drinking so well now. I thought the body has just peaked. It had such luxurious flavours, but those flavours dipped in comparison to a few of the other South Australian beasts. It's the only reason it came 4th on my list - a year or two earlier it would easily be my first choice. Probably not a fair comparison, given those other wines have such a different style. I reckon you are right though - they will drink well for another 2-3 yrs.

Now, the only problem - we are all going to be bidding against each other, driving the price up ...! Anybody fancy going halves? I can't bid tonight as I will be working, but happy to share a 6 pack with you good people.

If there is a spare bottle or 2 count me in.
I'll be in Sydney on 1st and 2nd February so can pick up in CBD.

 

[Delectable Blue]

For those of you that enjoyed the James Irvine Grand Merlot last week, Grays have a half-dozen of the 2006 vintage up for grabs at the moment. The auction closes at around 9pm tonight:

Merlot 2006 Auction (0059-2436194) | GraysWine Australia

$30 a bottle with 8 mins to go. I hope someone is bidding. I'd buy it at that price but I don't want to gazump anyone.

 

[Steady]

$30 a bottle with 8 mins to go. I hope someone is bidding. I'd buy it at that price but I don't want to gazump anyone.

Someone got a bargain then - I wish I was somewhere I could have been bidding

 

[Wozza]

Someone got a bargain then - I wish I was somewhere I could have been bidding ����

Me too. Just logged on, to see the auction has closed. It was not meant to be, Steady. If it follows form, this wine will be back online next week if they have more.

EDIT: And Steady, you get the prize for my 750th LIKE on AFF! That's 750 likes in less than 6 months - I must be a very liking kind of AFF member ... !

 

[Buzzard]

I didn't bid for the reason mentioned up thread.

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Me too. Just logged on, to see the auction has closed. It was not meant to be, Steady. If it follows form, this wine will be back online next week if they have more.

EDIT: And Steady, you get the prize for my 750th LIKE on AFF! That's 750 likes in less than 6 months - I must be a very liking kind of AFF member ... !

And you are also likeable Wozza

 

[beefarmer]

Me too. Just logged on, to see the auction has closed. It was not meant to be, Steady. If it follows form, this wine will be back online next week if they have more.

EDIT: And Steady, you get the prize for my 750th LIKE on AFF! That's 750 likes in less than 6 months - I must be a very liking kind of AFF member ... !

Wozza, got back safely to Melbourne from our twelve hour drive from Ettalong, all 13 of us. Had a fantastsic time boogy boarding at Terrigal Beach. If not the best beach in my life, certainly second. However, those beach experiences were usurped by two events. Coming in second was the Sydney Hotel Intercontinentals' Seafood buffet for the two of us. It was simply so spectacular, with the quality on offer so obvious. Just about everything you could want for was there, and prepared exquisitely. However, no need to do anything with the Sydney Rock Oysters. I stopped counting at about 42 of the little shuckers, my best all time effort. had to leave room for the salmon, lobster, mussels, prawns, some cured meats......it all makes me sound like I walked in very hungry. It was truly grand. But the next nights Wine lover meet up was in a class of its own. Great food, better wines, even better people. It felt like I was going to 10 blind dates.

As I mentioned, just back home, going thru many emails, but I have just glanced over the last few pages and I thank everyone who was so diligent with their writing skills to bring it back to life for me. Whatever Wozza called the third groupings I called the dessert, and like someone else mentioned about their exit, my own walking back down to Pitt st presented its' own humour. I was walking towards the Coathanger before I realized a while later. Then the walk back past a very empty Martin place after 1 o'clock in the morning. That's what can happen when top notch everything comes together. Tomorrow I will read the last few pages of here and smile. !

 

[Wozza]

Wozza, got back safely to Melbourne from our twelve hour drive from Ettalong, all 13 of us. Had a fantastsic time boogy boarding at Terrigal Beach. If not the best beach in my life, certainly second. However, those beach experiences were usurped by two events. Coming in second was the Sydney Hotel Intercontinentals' Seafood buffet for the two of us. It was simply so spectacular, with the quality on offer so obvious. Just about everything you could want for was there, and prepared exquisitely. However, no need to do anything with the Sydney Rock Oysters. I stopped counting at about 42 of the little shuckers, my best all time effort. had to leave room for the salmon, lobster, mussels, prawns, some cured meats......it all makes me sound like I walked in very hungry. It was truly grand. But the next nights Wine lover meet up was in a class of its own. Great food, better wines, even better people. It felt like I was going to 10 blind dates.

As I mentioned, just back home, going thru many emails, but I have just glanced over the last few pages and I thank everyone who was so diligent with their writing skills to bring it back to life for me. Whatever Wozza called the third groupings I called the dessert, and like someone else mentioned about their exit, my own walking back down to Pitt st presented its' own humour. I was walking towards the Coathanger before I realized a while later. Then the walk back past a very empty Martin place after 1 o'clock in the morning. That's what can happen when top notch everything comes together. Tomorrow I will read the last few pages of here and smile. !

Mate, totally agree. The company and fun we had together was the absolute winner on the night. Even though we also had 16 incredible wines in their prime too.

I am in Bali at one of those all inclusive resorts, so suspect there won't be much for me to enjoy on the wine front. So I'll kick back and enjoy some great Aussie wines vicariously through you good folk.

And - Mhen and I are working in the background now for the Sydney AFF Wine Lovers Feb event. Hosted by none other than Mhen herself. She promises some well cellared gems, and plenty of them. And we can all bring the good cheer to make it another great night. We are just trying to work on the date and some other details.

So watch this space (or thread to be more particular) ...