Vinomofo Wine Deals

[Whining&dining]

The Giant Steps Merlot arrived this afternoon...very nice drop

That's reassuring, I've got a dozen on the way to replace the Lagrein, looking forward to a taste test not having had the Giant Steps before....cheers, W&D

 

[AdMEL]

That's reassuring, I've got a dozen on the way to replace the Lagrein, looking forward to a taste test not having had the Giant Steps before....cheers, W&D

Hopefully my Giant Steps Merlot will arrive today (supposed to be yesterday, but ordered the Pudding Stone separately prior and for some reason it has been delayed, so expecting NexDay driver to deliver both today). Also expecting the Mule Gateway Shiraz. Hopefully they're all good!

I've never had a bad Giant Steps wine and have had many very good ones - price just a bit high for every day drinking!

 

[Alphie]

AdMEL
let us know how the '14 GS Merlot goes. There is some of the '13 and '15 for sale around the place, but none of the '14. Wondered if that (and the ($13.90 price tag) meant the '14 was a duff vintage.

 

[Delectable Blue]

AdMEL
let us know how the '14 GS Merlot goes. There is some of the '13 and '15 for sale around the place, but none of the '14. Wondered if that (and the ($13.90 price tag) meant the '14 was a duff vintage.

Mine arrived yesterday, so I thought I'd crack a bottle tonight. It's a nice enough drop, without being exceptional. It is clearly still very young, and probably needs another year to two to start coming together. However Mrs Merlot, absolutely loves it, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. Here are my tasting notes.

This is quite a nice merlot. Deep purple/crimson in colour and very mouthfilling. The plum fruit are fresh and bright, with slightly tart blackcurrant in support. The wine has a dark mineral core, with cedar notes from the oak. The mid palate is awash with soft spice, with the slightest hint of glacè ginger showing through. The tannins are very fine, and the balance slightly acidic. There are bitter dark chocolate notes on the finish. Initially a little closed, but opening nicely with sufficient air time. Nice.

An 89/100 on CT from me.

 

[kevviek]

AdMEL
let us know how the '14 GS Merlot goes. There is some of the '13 and '15 for sale around the place, but none of the '14. Wondered if that (and the ($13.90 price tag) meant the '14 was a duff vintage.

The first bottle went pretty quickly. Someone who knows gave the '14 95 points and said something along the lines of good colour, excellent bouquet, a-grade tannins and plum fruit. I can certainly taste the oak...

 

[Alphie]

The first bottle went pretty quickly. Someone who knows gave the '14 95 points and said something along the lines of good colour, excellent bouquet, a-grade tannins and plum fruit. I can certainly taste the oak...

thank you for the quick update kevviek and AdMEL! I've got a case heading my way and am looking forward to trying it.

 

[Whining&dining]

Hopefully my Giant Steps Merlot will arrive today (supposed to be yesterday, but ordered the Pudding Stone separately prior and for some reason it has been delayed, so expecting NexDay driver to deliver both today). Also expecting the Mule Gateway Shiraz. Hopefully they're all good!

I've never had a bad Giant Steps wine and have had many very good ones - price just a bit high for every day drinking!

The broker at VM certainly talked up the Merlot so fingers crossed, would like to hear finally what the Pudding Stone is like and for that matter the Gateway having pondered both wines earlier....

AdMEL
let us know how the '14 GS Merlot goes. There is some of the '13 and '15 for sale around the place, but none of the '14. Wondered if that (and the ($13.90 price tag) meant the '14 was a duff vintage.

I wondered about the paucity of info on the '14 too, I think we'll have to do a blow-by-blow account of all of our impressions once the wine hits.

Mine arrived yesterday, so I thought I'd crack a bottle tonight. It's a nice enough drop, without being exceptional. It is clearly still very young, and probably needs another year to two to start coming together. However Mrs Merlot, absolutely loves it, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. Here are my tasting notes.

This is quite a nice merlot. Deep purple/crimson in colour and very mouthfilling. The plum fruit are fresh and bright, with slightly tart blackcurrant in support. The wine has a dark mineral core, with cedar notes from the oak. The mid palate is awash with soft spice, with the slightest hint of glacè ginger showing through. The tannins are very fine, and the balance slightly acidic. There are bitter dark chocolate notes on the finish. Initially a little closed, but opening nicely with sufficient air time. Nice.

An 89/100 on CT from me.

Thanks for your appraisal of the Merlot DB, it certainly doesn't sound too shabby methinks! At least having a dozen to play with allows for a later "aged cellar release"!

 

[tgh]

Btw ,w&d..

Cracked my third Lagrein last night and my thoughts were :

1 Why did I buy this s… ?

and

2 Why did I actually say it was ok ?


and

3 I must be ……...

 

[Whining&dining]

Btw ,w&d..

Cracked my third Lagrein last night and my thoughts were :

1 Why did I buy this s… ?

and

2 Why did I actually say it was ok ?


and

3 I must be ……...

Well tgh we've all had our own "crisis of confidence" when it comes to tasting wines, I know I have! I believe that your description epitomises the on-line wine buying experience, committing to a dozen bottles of an unknown and untasted product that in some cases isn't available in the bricks and mortar establishments is a huge leap of faith. It's unfortunate that you cracked that third and final bottle because you could have returned ten of the original twelve and still be reimbursed fully. As things stand now I would cut your losses and STILL do a return on the remaining nine bottles and plough the credit into something that has been given a seal of approval by the majority of bods on this forum, I've chosen to grab a case of the Giant Steps Merlot and only had to make up the $13 difference and (some credit here to VM) they process the return immediately which is a different matter to requesting a refund where it can takes weeks before the money is dropped back into your bank a/c..... As the saying goes "life is too short to drink bad wine" the Lagrein isn't a wine I want to relegate to Coq au vin or endless gifting I simply traded up

 

[tgh]

Well tgh we've all had our own "crisis of confidence" when it comes to tasting wines, I know I have! I believe that your description epitomises the on-line wine buying experience, committing to a dozen bottles of an unknown and untasted product that in some cases isn't available in the bricks and mortar establishments is a huge leap of faith. It's unfortunate that you cracked that third and final bottle because you could have returned ten of the original twelve and still be reimbursed fully. As things stand now I would cut your losses and STILL do a return on the remaining nine bottles and plough the credit into something that has been given a seal of approval by the majority of bods on this forum, I've chosen to grab a case of the Giant Steps Merlot and only had to make up the $13 difference and (some credit here to VM) they process the return immediately which is a different matter to requesting a refund where it can takes weeks before the money is dropped back into your bank a/c..... As the saying goes "life is too short to drink bad wine" the Lagrein isn't a wine I want to relegate to Coq au vin or endless gifting I simply traded up

Naaah… no lack of confidence here… and I will live with my choice and quaff my way through it.
I plenty of high quality mainstream plonk to drink, but enjoy chasing rainbows.

 

[AdMEL]

The broker at VM certainly talked up the Merlot so fingers crossed, would like to hear finally what the Pudding Stone is like and for that matter the Gateway having pondered both wines earlier....

I wondered about the paucity of info on the '14 too, I think we'll have to do a blow-by-blow account of all of our impressions once the wine hits.



Thanks for your appraisal of the Merlot DB, it certainly doesn't sound too shabby methinks! At least having a dozen to play with allows for a later "aged cellar release"!

I bought my Giant Steps online, without reference to my broker, following comments on here about what it was and my past experience with Giant Steps wine, including having visited the cellar door many times. My broker talked up the Pudding Stone - I was looking to buy the Mule Gateway, which I ended up buying online together with the Giant Steps. Broker did say the Mule Gateway needed some time (at least until near the end of winter), so will be interesting. Looking forward to trying all three over the coming week or so and will post my thoughts.

 

[Whining&dining]

I bought my Giant Steps online, without reference to my broker, following comments on here about what it was and my past experience with Giant Steps wine, including having visited the cellar door many times. My broker talked up the Pudding Stone - I was looking to buy the Mule Gateway, which I ended up buying online together with the Giant Steps. Broker did say the Mule Gateway needed some time (at least until near the end of winter), so will be interesting. Looking forward to trying all three over the coming week or so and will post my thoughts.

I probably clouded the issue by mentioning a "broker" I don't really have one (anywhere) but was passed over to the lovely Sarah to finish the return of GH Lagrein and credit my account to buy the Giant Steps, she simply mentioned that she had just finished a glass (not a bad effort at 11.00 am!) and thought it was very pleasant indeed. They were angling to line me up with a broker at VM but I'm quite happy to stumble my way through, I don't really get off on someone ringing me about the latest hot deal half way through say, a parent teacher interview! As it is she will drop me an email which I can respond to or not and was very nice to deal with I've got to say... Certainly dead curious to hear more reports on the Giant Steps but quite confident it will be a decent drop.

 

[AdMEL]

I probably clouded the issue by mentioning a "broker" I don't really have one (anywhere) but was passed over to the lovely Sarah to finish the return of GH Lagrein and credit my account to buy the Giant Steps, she simply mentioned that she had just finished a glass (not a bad effort at 11.00 am!) and thought is was very pleasant indeed. They were angling to line me up with a broker at VM but I'm quite happy to stumble my way through, I don't really get off on someone ringing me about the latest hot deal half way through say, a parent teacher interview! As it is she will drop me an email which I can respond to or not and was very nice to deal with I've got to say... Certainly dead curious to hear more reports on the Giant Steps but quite confident it will be a decent drop.

Sounds like she is effectively your broker!

Tried the Pudding Stone last night - wasn't impressed. Not necessarily a bad wine, just has a funny taste I don't like - possibly the Viognier, though I've enjoyed straight viognier and younger Shiraz viognier in the past and not come across this funny taste.

 

[Whining&dining]

Sounds like she is effectively your broker!

Tried the Pudding Stone last night - wasn't impressed. Not necessarily a bad wine, just has a funny taste I don't like - possibly the Viognier, though I've enjoyed straight viognier and younger Shiraz viognier in the past and not come across this funny taste.

I prefer to think of her as my "Claytons" broker Shame about the Madeleine's, it doesn't sound dissimilar to my experience with the Lagrein, couldn't put my finger on why it wasn't to my taste but equally couldn't say it was faulty per se...

 

[baiden]

Looks like https://vinomofo.com/wines/red-wine/black-market-deal-cabernet-sauvignon-2014-24432
is the Penley Estate Black Bull.

 

[jrod]

I thought the last lot of Mule shiraz ended up in salvation cases.

 

[ManikThor]

The 2010 Penley Estate Reserve Cab Sav which was offerred up last year/year before (can't quite recall) was a lovely wine. Any insights on the Black Bull?

 

[blackcat20]

Ordered the GS Merlot as mum was keen so I'll keep a few bottles for ourselves.

 

[Rug]

I thought the last lot of Mule shiraz ended up in salvation cases.

The last of the 2014 did end up in salvation cases. Not a bad wine; Pryenees was better than McLaren Vale but needed time or an aerator to bring it along. I dont think that all the info on them being removed from the Innocent Bystander web page when Brown Brothers took over helped. Cheers

 

[wine-muller]

Looks like https://vinomofo.com/wines/red-wine/black-market-deal-cabernet-sauvignon-2014-24432
is the Penley Estate Black Bull.

Now that the Black Bull has magically appeared on their website, I'd agree that it's likely this. Otherwise it's worth noting that their latest vintages of Steyning (from 2013) are essentially their Reserve Cab Savs now. So considering the love the previous Reserves have gotten by VM, there's always the chance it's a 2014 Steyning, for what it's worth.