Offline with Mike Opdahl

. Here I am, 11.30pm on a Monday night, just arrived home from a massively indulgent wine dinner, and I am trying to write up notes from the massively indulgent wine dinner I had two nights previously! Saturday August 4, and the few remaining Sydney folk who are not financially destitute from the last offline (a scant 4 weeks ago) have gathered in East Sydney at an Italian-style bistro-restaurant to make welcome Mike Opdahl, fresh from a few weeks spitting in a vinous arc from Clare Valley to the Riverland. Ric “TORB” Einstein, “Muscat” Mike Collins and your good scribe were those dedicated few, ready to sacfirice their livers at a moments notice, little dreaming that Mike O “Shiraz Addict” had planned to ask our opinion on ‘just a few’ wines he had picked up on his travels!

• 1992 Morris Durif

  Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen

  So, we began with a decanted mystery wine. Deep red, with a hint of brick tinge. A strongly oaky nose of chocolatey wood led to a palate soft in tannin, yet with plenty of acid carrying hard-to-identify fruit. Medium-plus weight, this is quite front palate, which doesn’t quite live up to the spectacular promises made by the nose. An interesting wine with still plenty of life, and turns out to be 1992 Morris Durif. A further tasting about 3 hours later at the end of the night showed some development, with sweet fruit characters coming through, and a very strong suggestion that this is a very long-living wine indeed. Clearly needs to be kept, or opened many hours before consumption.

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• 2000 Kymorphen Estate Vineyard Shiraz

  Australia, South Eastern

  Now, as Oz wine snobs (!) we turn our noses up at anything from the Riverland area of South Australia, being the bulk wine sink that it is. Staggering to think that a visitor all the way from the West Coast would even traipse through such a lowly region, when he could be poking around McLaren Vale for the most recent 20% alcohol, 130% new oak barrel 103-point mega-Shiraz. Apparently Mike got lost in a RHD car - that explains it. Anyway, the wine is quite presentable. Crimson red, with a jumble of eucalypt fruit & oak on the nose. Quite rich on the palate, with good length, although I could be picky and say its a little mean in fruit flavours and could use a little more ripeness. Still, reasonably impressive for a wine with no great pretension. Reasonable weight, and quite acceptable for a quaffer.

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• 1999 Sandalford Cabernet Sauvignon

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Mount Barker

  The note I took on this said - “glowing red. Some cherries & blackcurrant. Lots of acid lifting the perfumed fruit. Actually lots of acid, and quite a bite on the front palate” At this point Mike expained the the bottle had been opened eight days prior, and only had minimal time an a refrigerator. On that basis, and on a tasting I had earlier this year of the 98 Sandalford range, I can say they are super wines, and great VFM at around A$20.

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• 1997 Silo Cabernet Sauvignon Silo Flawed

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Apparently constructed from the declassified rejects of the better known Californian cult favourites, and evidently normally quite drinkable. Unfortunately, on this occasion it was anything but, suffering some kind of bacterial spoilage/travel disaster/infection, prompting Mike to reflect on his particularly lousy recent record with transported wines. A pity, as we see very few non-jug American wines in Australia, and I was looking forward to trying this.

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• 1991 Tyrrell's Shiraz Vat 9

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Known to be a great Hunter vintage, and Tyrrells best shiraz, it presented as a mid brick red colour, showing gentle burnished red berry fruit, a little earthiness, and a soft, gentle mouthfeel, but a generally short and uninspiring finish. Yes it was older, but I expected better. Ric was assailed by VA, yet it was still drinkable. Disappointing. I can add here that the remaining half bottle I took home and consumed with cheese and biscuit the following night (after fridge storage) and by the end of the bottle, a very distinct wet TCA-type aroma had emerged. I don’t think this is just ‘Hunter pong’, and I remain convinced this bottle was not typical. Never mind, I will try another in a few years.

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• 1999 Kay Brothers Shiraz Block 6 Amery Vineyards

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Dark red, with massive tar, blackcurrant and spice aromas bursting from the glass. I would cheerfully have picked it as Grange. An unco-ordinated attacked of fruit and ultra-fine tannins on the palate, it’s very full-bodied and overwhelming.Tastes like staring into a coal mine. Awesome wine, but needs at least 10 years to meld properly.

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• 1995 Cranswick Wines Sémillon Autumn Gold Zirilli Vineyard

  Australia, New South Wales

  glowing mid gold, it presented a strong apricot & passionfruit nose. Certainly a luscious quality on the palate, but now softening and even cloying a little. The acid is doing its best to hang in there, but the wine has clearly reached its peak, although there are a few more years left before it decays.

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