Estella's 50th Birthday

Happy birthday Estella - lots of lovely food company and, of course, wine. I took random notes as time permitted between socialising.

• 1998 Grant Burge Shiraz Meshach

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Double decanted. Blackberry, vanilla, coconut, spice, leather…almost off-dry but not porty. Nicely done in that massive ripe spectrum.

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• 2010 Battle of Bosworth Best of Vintage

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Double decanted. Black fruits especially plums and berries with touches of violet on the nose. Bit's a bit hot on the palate and a touch reductive. Time required. Hmm.

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• 2011 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Ripe apple, slight spritzy, off-dry pleasant but simple.

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• 2011 Cantina Valpantena Amarone della Valpolicella ROCK

  Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella

  Crushed rock, cherry, sweet spice, tight, bit warm, quite savoury. Innocuous but very nice with pork

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• 2006 Curly Flat Pinot Noir

  Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Macedon Ranges

  wild ferment, slight unripe strawberries, subtle. Pleasant.

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• 2013 Lake's Folly Chardonnay

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Zesty, fresh, juicy, citrus, balanced but youthful, rather splendid.

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• 2015 Stonier Chardonnay

  Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Mornington Peninsula

  Peach tending to tropical fruit, butter and toast and sweet spice. Quite rich. Hmm.

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• 2012 Rocland Estate Chocolate Box

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Ripe red berry fruit backed by meaty notes. Rather nice.

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• 2012 Albert Mann Gewurztraminer

  France, Alsace

  Lychee, rose petal, ginger…more of the same on the palate - no bitterness and it's not too flabby…actually this is just plain lovely

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• 2012 Bodegas Borsao Garnacha Campo de Borja Tres Picos

  Spain, Aragón, Campo de Borja

  Red berry, slight confected strawberry and cherry, sweet spice. Bit warm and more cherry chocolate on the palate. Kind of nice.

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• 2013 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra

  Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra

  Black over red currant and eucalyptus and mint, blackberry. Touches of sweet spice, pleasant and quaffable.

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• 2011 Murphy-Goode Zinfandel Liar's Dice

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  Ripe black cherry and plum, cream, vanilla but ostensibly enjoyable. Nice but no world shaker.

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• 1994 Orlando Shiraz Lawsons

  Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Padthaway

  Vanilla & cream over blackberry. Oxidative notes, earthy and leathery notes as well…all translates to the palate the tannins are muted and, well, pretty much resolved but this is a very nice wine.

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Wow, plenty of great wine here. Quite difficult to choose a WotN sooooo...I'm not going to. Anyway, got a tipsy so probably best not to.