Nice wines I have drunk recently - Red or White

[DrSammyLee]

Some 2014 Hunter Shiraz's arrived

 

[Major]

We had the Mt Langi shiraz last night with a leg of lamb and roast veg.

Very smooth and well integrated, not a big nose but you could notice some sort of berry. It went really well with the meal

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

As the house becomes engulfed in fog I lured Mr Up in front of the fire with a 2013 Shiraz Ok.. It is very obvious that I am not a photographer but I was trying to show the deep red/purple colour. Very peppery Shiraz with a lot of fruit. Really opened up in the glass and is now stupidly tasty

 

[Delectable Blue]

For Beefarmer:

Thorn Clark 2004 Shotfire Barossa Quartage Cabernet Blend



And so it ends. A journey that started many years ago in the Barossa. Followed by a lengthy sleepover in Victoria, under the watchful care of Beefarmer. A quick journey to Sydney in January 2016, where it was to be shared at the inaugural AFF meet up, only to be snaffled by DB and smuggled back to the Blue Mountains. Returned to the scene of the crime for the May AFF meet up, only to be spurned, returning again to the Blue Mountains. Now finally finding itself exposed on a cold wet winter night.

Classic left-bank bordeaux in flavour. A real sensory delight. Fresh red plumb and spicy dark cherry on the front palate, with a dark savoury core of tobacco leaf, bay leaf, graphite and wet gravel. But it’s the back palate that really shines. The oak long forgotten, yielding to complex layers of smokey gamey goodness. The tannins fine and silky, the finish long. The wine still vibrant after 12 years. Tastes like it could easily go another decade. Delicious. A 93 on CT for me.

Here’s to fine wine and finer friendships. Thanks Beefarmer!

 

[beefarmer]

Amazing timing DB....I am sipping on a 2013 Shotfire Quartage this Saturday night, their latest incarnation, one that I have waited for 2 years to get. However, I am so impressed with the colour of that fine 2012. So much life, no sight of tan. That 2002 was their first ever vintage and they consistently put out nice product. I am glad you liked it.

Another coincidence is that after finishing about half a bot of the 2013, I stepped into the 2014 King Louis.

I will come back to all of this a bit later.

 

[Delectable Blue]

Amazing timing DB....I am sipping on a 2013 Shotfire Quartage this Saturday night.

Coincidence, spooky action at a distance, or kismet? The world is a wonderful place...

 

[QF WP]

Had one of these by myself a couple of weeks ago and liked it so much I took a bottle with me to our friends on the Gold Coast last Friday night. Apologies for the photo, very dark but we sat there and watched it decant for 45 mins whilst our wives became hunters and went out to secure dinner for our two tribes:



My friend Andrew was very impressed and will get some bottles for his cellar. Thanks EpiQure

 

[AnonymousCoward]

To end last week (or start this week), another Cab Shiraz blend to round out the Jim Barry PB. Yalumba Signature is one of my favourite blends, and moreso that Bin 389's becoming ridiculously over-priced (outside sales). Certainly the 2012's still a youngster, and needs more time to mature:



Mid week moved to a battle of the '05s - Jacob's Creek Ltd Release Padthaway vs. Mount Langi Ghiran "Langi Shiraz"



Whilst both were good drinking, the Jacob's Creek was more fruitier and bigger than the Langi Shiraz, but still not something like a blockbuster Barossa shiraz (aka RWT or Elderton Command). The Langi was more restrained yet, with medium+ body, and more complex fruits and delicate spices coming through. 92 and 93 on CT from me.

The end of the working week saw a bit of a contrast:



Orlando St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon 2000, courtesy of the AFF May meetup (apologies to whoever brought this, I've lost my list!) - Sweet and spice and all things nice - plumy fruit flavours, with subtle oak, a hint of something sweet, leather and delicate spices. Very smooth on the palate. Good drinking now. 92 on CT from me.

The 2009 Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert Syrah is something very different to Australian shiraz - the restrained Rhone style - with blueberries, blackberries, some spices, medium tannins all nicely integrated. 92 on CT, and hopefully with more to come in future years for my remaining bottles.

The weekend has a couple of Italians:



Elio Grasso Ginestra Casa Mate Barolo DOCG 2009 - brick/ruby red colour (lighter than I would have expected), medium tannins, refreshing acidity and fruity flavours at first, but a very long aftertaste which I found quite interesting - flavours lingering well after the tannins had grabbed your mouth. Apparently made in a more modern Barolo style (i.e. more approachable when young). Already has a sky-high 92.3 on CT - wavering on my score here.

The Farnese Edizione Cinque Autoctoni 2014 is defintely something different for me - a Montepulciano / Primitivo (Zinfandel) / Sangiovese / Malvasia Nera / Negroamaro it promised all sorts of things in the drinking notes I've read. However I found, whilst it was a refreshingly light bodied wine, there was also a huge vanillan oak overlay, which I can't find anything online that suggests that should be there. Perhaps a faulty bottle, but not enough to discard the bottle. Probably an 88 on CT, but I'll try another bottle to see if it's the same.

 

[beefarmer]

Well ,well, well, well droogs. I am very impressed by AC's efforts in the last week. So much variety and so much quality. Healthy drinking in moderation it seems. That's the key to wine enjoyment so this morning finds me a little worse for wear having had a manage a quartage with the King et al. The King is dead, long live the King I was chanting after enjoying two good reds last night. The better half had a little bit of a headache so kindly let me be the sole imbiber. I believe she transported that headache to me by osmosis through the mattress as I have woken up a little bit ordinary. Then again, that's a simple problem any medicine man should fix.

Started with the 2013 Shotfire Quartage, a wine that through the vintages definitely sits in my best 10 of all time. The 2006 version won my best of 2014 wines, after it came third in 2013. Excitement builds as the deep ruby with a crimson liped wine sits in the glass waiting for my devouring lips much like the entrance to Luna Park. There is obvious heat on the nose, a distraction for sure, before you get belted with strong wiffs of red berries and cherries. The fruit is ripe and lively as this baby is a youngster. Initially it seemed to be medium in body, but after airing for a bit, it's one of those wines that fills out nicely. So much so that by a third in, it has taken on board oxygen and rounded out a lot. Definitely full flavoured now. A wonderful thing that airing. I found the oak to be not overpowering. The tannins are present and give you a pucker, but they are not harsh. The wine has a lovely lingering finish as well, not dropping off at all which I like. This wine will last a while for sure, but drinking well now. At this stage, I wanted the fruit to come out a little more. This is a serious wine, and seriously good vale at $20 from Nicks. Looking at a few reviews, I found Campbell Mattinsons' not bad- can be consumed now as a hearty but muscular wine but time won't be unkind. I tend to agree with this. I did mark it hard at 7.3 as I personally wanted a bit more out of it. It is there, but not yet. Furthermore, a dude has become the new winemaker taking over from a lovely lady so that may have influenced the development potential of this bargain wine.

Intrigue got me as I did not plan to do it, but out came the king Louis 2014. Both Cabernets should show some consistency as a contrast. The King is much deeper in colour, with a shimmer to it. It feels lively and tastes so refined. Nose of distinct blue berries, that were not present in the Shotfire mixed with some deeper red berries. Great start. I don't get the graphites and other smells. It has a much heavier presence that the Shotty which as a flagship you would expect. It is really refined, has more oak to it and lovely fine tannins. It is hard to find a problem with it, such is the ease of drinking. The brothers and sisters is a much younger, more fruitier style but this is the big boy not the pauper. I found the lusciousness and fullness to be supurb with a slight tannin tap at the end. It's a fantastic wine that similarly has the fruit slightly too bound at this stage. They make the King Louis for keeping 15 to 20years and it should. No hint of alcohol on the nose either and once again, as the bottle was receding, the wine got better. I gave it about 8.2. Great value at $19 from the Fo.

 

[Sedimental]

Night fishing Fraser style
Beach-side pizza delivery

 

[Sedimental]

Another day, another wine

 

[Sedimental]

Last Tuesday of the month's Blind Wine Options (May)

Hungerford Hill Semillon 2006
Evans & Tate Semillon 2004
Grosset Watervale Riesling 2003
Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz 2004
Penfolds Bin 389 2002 (Magnum)
Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz 2002

Screwcaps for the whites and corks (all good) for the reds

 

[Daver6]

Theme for the night was straight Shiraz 5+ years of age. Really interesting, including a Shiraz from BC of all places! Sadly, the wine I took along was corked

 

[cove]

Daver6 which wine was corked?

 

[blackcat20]

A couple of the many wines drunk last night along with homemade pizzas done on the weber




The Napa cab was the definite highlight of the evening.

 

[Buzzard]

I found a box of these babies at the front door today. Goodness knows how long they have been there. Maybe I should enter the house more often by the front door instead of the tradesman entrance. So like a child with a gift I couldn't wait to open the package and get stuck into a bottle, I mean it was 4:00pm.
I think it's a beautiful wine but I'm going to let my Pinot educator post a review. Stay tuned.

 

[QF WP]

Theme for the night was straight Shiraz 5+ years of age. Really interesting, including a Shiraz from BC of all places! Sadly, the wine I took along was corked
View attachment 72271

Daver6 which wine was corked?

Not sure about which one was corked [I'd cry if it was the Basket Press ], but what happened to the Stonecroft?? Looks like it's missing some glass edge from its opening...

 

[Daver6]

Daver6 which wine was corked?

The 2002 Penfolds Bin 28.

Not sure about which one was corked [I'd cry if it was the Basket Press ], but what happened to the Stonecroft?? Looks like it's missing some glass edge from its opening...

To be honest, the Basket Press while alright, wasn't great. Clearly from a poorer vintage. Was great having it blind without any preconceptions.

Its actually just the foil at the top making it look like that. No glass damage

 

[drron]

Last Tuesday of the month's Blind Wine Options (May)

Hungerford Hill Semillon 2006
Evans & Tate Semillon 2004
Grosset Watervale Riesling 2003
Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz 2004
Penfolds Bin 389 2002 (Magnum)
Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz 2002

Screwcaps for the whites and corks (all good) for the reds

View attachment 72270

I like your style Sedimental.Good to see some aged whites amongst your picks.I do like the Hunter semillons and Clare reislings.
So when I can drive south for work in the cooler months I take some bottles from the cellar.Usually aged whites as few appreciate them and vintage ports which the QLD weather really isn't good for drinking.
So for the first white something a little different for aging but it did quite well-

.

And the first of the vintage ports.A Seppelts from 1963 and a Wine Club McLaren Vale from 1971.The seppelts was exceptional.

.

One of the benefits of age.I began buying wine seriously in 1969 and do like my ports.

 

[Sedimental]

The '98 Petaluma Chardonnay was travelling ok with its cork closure?