Tasting Notes 34 found

Christmas at the Wedge (Wanaka Wedge House, Queensberry, Central Otago, New Zealand): (Crumbly cork) Drunk next to the Penfolds Bin 920, this felt more-evolved, and very much in the archetypal Grange style - the template for the classic American oak aged Barossa Shiraz. All coconut, and vanilla, with lovely developed shiraz fruit, this is a soft expression of the style, but feels as if it is still 5 - 10 years away from its ultimate apogee of maturity. My preference of the two wine, although many preferred the the Bin 920, for its intense clarity. While this is certainly mature, I do feel that there will be dividends to come, as the wine's tertiary aspects develop. Currently, this is excellent, but still a little obvious. (2769 views)

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Christmas at the Wedge (Wanaka Wedge House, Queensberry, Central Otago, New Zealand): Intense and herbal nose - very dark fruits, toasted oak character (lacks the clear expression of the American oak of the Grange '90). In the mouth, very tight, and a classic expression of Coonawarra fruit - tight, and lip-smakicking. Chocolatey notes, dense and intense fruit. While the wine's structure is informed by the Cabernet fruit, the varietal expression does not speak to classic flavours and aromas. Blackberry fruit, quite structured. While the wine has developed character, it does not yet feel totally resolved. The acid framework of the palate surprised me as well, but certainly is in line with the Coonawarra style and terroir. Top wine of the evening for some. (2387 views)

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Ad Hoc Christmas Celebration (Noble Rot Restaurant, Wellington, New Zealand): At the Ad Hoc Christmas dinner at Noble Rot. Tasted in a (too large) flight of four big reds, this (alongside the Yalumba Octavius 1996) were the wines that had achieved maturity, with the Grange achieving a beautiful sense of transformation. This is certainly a great Grange, with an almost claret-like sense of poise and elegance. The texture is very much that of the classic Aussie old-school American Oak softy, but with a touch of VA, and an impressive bottle age complexity. I would regard this wine as being open and ready for business, but there is clearly no rush, and I would bet that this wine (if stored well) will amply repay cellaring. 96+ (3574 views)

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Ad Hoc Christmas Celebration (Noble Rot Restaurant, Wellington, New Zealand): Tasted next to the 2011 McWilliams Tumbarumba Chardonnay, this came across as more cool climate in startle, with very little reliance on surface manipulation (unlike the McWilliams). Beautiful clean fruit, lovely purity, supple texture, nice balance. Very fine wine, that was a step down from the Vidals/Corton Charlemagne in the flight before. (1910 views)

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This is good, but very oaky and feels a little too open, in terms of palate delivery - especially considering its age... It's tasty, but not memorable. (1629 views)

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Outstanding wine that features moderate alcohol, plenty of malolactic ferment character, well-judged oak and peachy and ripe chardonnay fruit. Outstanding presence and a consistent palate profile that extends to the long finish. Classy wine that should improve over the next 5 years. (1126 views)

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Library Tasting with Geoff Kelly - 1990s - in memory of Ken Kirkpatrick (Regional Wines and Spirits, Wellington, New Zealand): First vintage for 407. Like its big brother, this features a very dense hue. The nose is minty and oaky - although not as raw in oak as the 707 - and lots of cassis notes. The American oak feels less obvious here and the fat structure of the wine is reminiscent of a big year Bordeaux. This is a good wine with plenty of flesh that is just let down by an oaky and slightly rough finish. In a way, this is better balanced and more enjoyable as a drink than the 707 - it certainly is more mature. One excellent taster spoke of this wine suggesting the theorem that "less can be more". (4068 views)

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Library Tasting with Geoff Kelly - 1990s - in memory of Ken Kirkpatrick (Regional Wines and Spirits, Wellington, New Zealand): Very dense colour. Creamy and cedary American oak. Spicy and mature palate with a soft finish. Tasted blind, this stuck out as classic Penfolds. The acid and rawness of the oak handling stick out on the end of the finish. This is massive, but for my tastes, currently unbalanced. Perhaps in 10 years the oak will marry with the fruit in a subtle manner, but currently, this is not the case. Still, this is impressive for its power of fruit expression, If not its subtlety of harmony. (3659 views)

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Boozy Lunch at S and B's Apartment (Auckland, New Zealand): Voluptuous and sweet nose with considerable creamy coconut laden American oak. Silky and creamy in the mouth - this is a softy with considerable tannic structure lurking behind the fruit. Wonderful length and a refined quality add up to a popular wine at the dinner. Certainly outstanding and a wine that will age as long as anyone would want. It is an old fashioned style that is great to drink from time to time. The wine is in a good place at the moment - in early to mid maturity. (opened due to a corked 1995 Mouton Rothschild). (3928 views)

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New Year's Day Long Italian Lunch (Eketahuna, New Zealand): Milky nose. Sour American oak. Beautiful tannic structure. Lively acid and vibrant and long in the mouth. Just a baby. I think this is great wine. Spicy brilliant nose and palate that keeps offering complexities. Slightly rough in the mouth after the las cases 1986 tasted at the same time. Typical Australian eucalyptus nose. Needs time - still young. Slightly coarse in the finish. (4432 views)

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Dinner on the deck with the in-laws (Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand): After the experience of a slightly maderized bottle four years ago, I opened this last bottle from my cellar with some trepidation. I was relieved when it turned out to be a perfectly aged example of this cheap (NZ$13.50 in the day) shiraz from both Australia's greatest producer and a great, great vintage. It looks amazing in the glass - textbook fully mature appearance. The nose is all strawberry jam and raspberry liqueur with heaps of American oak. Top notes of cinnamon and clove brighten the aroma. The palate is like a sweet strawberry oak fest with plenty of vibrancy in the form of bright acid and generous tannic structure. Really focused in the mouth with a slight hazelnut tannic finish. The jam and ripeness are a particular feature of the wine and the bottle age nuance and structure certainly adds counterbalance. A great example of what can happen to Australian wine with age. As good as the Harlan Maiden 1995 drunk last night. A brilliant style and ultimately an extraordinary value. I'm certainly looking forward to the Grange 1986 in a few years... 18 bottles bought and pleased to say the final bottle was the best. Less pleased to say I used a lot of them as cooking wine in the beginning. (4270 views)

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John Commerford's 67th birthday dinner (Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand): This bottle was in impeccable condition. Looked like a 10 year old and tasted fresh as a daisy. Fat, structured and very Australian. The toasted coconut and sweet American oak still fairly scream off this wine. I love the thick tannic grip of this wine. The food match was not ideal, but this wine still showed itself as an archetypal example of Aussie shiraz. It has endured and it certainly has developed, but I question if this wine will ever develop the complexoity of a great Hermitage...Last bottle at 40... (7737 views)

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Excellent - classic Aussie fortified wine with wonderful aged quality and very sweet profile. Multi-dimensional and complete. An outstanding wine. (10414 views)

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with Graeme, Toni, Jake, Matt R. and Isolbel.

Meal: Vegetarian Brandade, Pasta with Clams and Mirpoix vegetables, Roast Pork with Cauliflower puree, Pear souffle/Boysenberry sorbet and apricot sauce

Other wines tassted: Shingle Peak SB 1995, Corbans Fume Marlboroough 1989, Ata Rangi Reserve PN 1990

Note: Soft rich structured red with heaps of American oak - excellent wine and well priced. Quintessential Aussie wine. This was the best of the Penfolds 1992 that I have had thus far. (2832 views)

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A wonderful mature Aussie Shiraz. This wine is holding steady and displays copious amounts of rich and ripe blackberry fruit and huge US oak - massive amounts of coconut and vanilla. I could be a bit stingy with the score - but this is an example of an Aussie or New World wine that has endured but not transformed. I know it can be done as the Dunn Napa CS 1990 proved a couple of nights ago.

The nose is all top notes - verging on volatile. A hint of tawny notes as well - leather and masses of Oz. In the mouth - warm rich and smooth - not an edge to be found. Excellent presence and length.

A wine that is close to outstanding and is a wonder considering its 24 years. This wine will keep for a while. (5008 views)

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