Auswine Farewell Seamus Offline
Barmuda, Newtown
Tasted August 30, 2002 by graemeg with 526 views
Introduction
An intimate Auswine crowd gathered at the usual haunt (Barmuda in Newtown) to farewell "Seamus" as he prepared to relocate to the depravities of Brisvegas. A small establishment, Barmuda has an upstairs, a downstairs, and, in the kind of location that Kermit the frog might appreciate, a landing half down the stairs that isn’t up and isn’t down. There just room for one table, and it was here we were secreted. Raucous eightsomes should always be quarantined from other diners, and no doubt the staff found the wisdom of their decision confirmed when PLCB asked the waiter for something to spit into. “Or pour.., for the wine”, she hastily added, as if this would somehow assuage the vision of Camelot-ian bacchanalia no doubt dancing alarmingly in the waiter’s mind. Celia & Pete, Kris & Lisa, Andrew (ACG), Judith & myself made the full role-call, just for the record.
Flight 1 (8 notes)
White
1991 Leo Buring Riesling Leonay Eden Valley
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
Marked DWU17. Only showing a hint of development, this wine displays initially understated, but then persistent acid, with some gentle stone and mineral fruits. Certainly satisfying to drink now, but you are aware there is much still to be revealed in this wine, and only time will do the job. A wonderful wine. (I drank an 88 last year that was only just ready, so I think this wine has many years in front of it still.)
White
1996 Penfolds Chardonnay Yattarna
Australia, South Australia
Ah, the white Grange. Well, it certainly appears to receive the same oak treatment as Grange. I find the nose overwhelmingly oaky, although I’d concede that on the palate there appears to be just enough balance to hold it all together. It’s certainly very rich, with butterscotch-style malolactic characters. “It tastes constructed” was a comment made at the table, and I find that appropriate. Too woody for me – will it age as Penfolds presumably intended?
White
1997 Bannockburn Chardonnay
Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Geelong
The pale-mid straw was lighter in colour than the Yattarna, and although the nose was less woody, the wine was very intense & powerful on the palate. Some nuts & figs on the nose, with a dash of smoky vanilla oak, this was also rich and full on the palate, but seemed to have the necessary acid backbone to tie it all together harmoniously. A lovely wine, and at half the price of the Yattarna a clear winner between the two.
Red
2000 Isabel Pinot Noir
New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough
It will be interesting in the years to come to watch the battle for NZ pinot supremacy between the old stager Marlborough and the upstart Otago. This wine is a glowing pale red, and positively assaults with clean pinot-style cherries and strawberries. There’s a fullness about the fruit (no hint of any development yet) which indicates absolute ripeness, and this is confirmed on the palate. Oak is subtle, flavours are fresh. It’s probably a bit simple now, but for me the absence of ‘protruding’ structural elements suggests it will be worth a revisit in 4-5 years. I’ve no experience with Isabel, but I can’t imagine this wine is going to fall apart quickly. Very nice wine indeed, and a style contrast to the next pinot.
Red
1996 Louis Jadot Vosne-Romanée
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée
Mid red, this presents a much more meaty nose than the red fruits of the NZ wine. There’s a bit of spiciness on the palate as well, with lovely balance and length. Seems to perform that trick of burgundy of growing progressively sweeter as it sits in the glass. Less obviously fruity, this has a velvety quality that I like very much. Medium body & length, it’s a very attractive match with the main courses.
Red
1971 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Still red, although presenting that very aged, tarry, faintly volatile nose, this wine is soft & gentle on the palate, with tannins faded away and acidity just starting to become prominent. Someone called it ‘seaweed’, a reflecting of the slightly rotting-vegetable quality that is apparent. This is certainly a wine on the downward slope, was not particularly popular at the table, and was probably destined for Sunday night’s casserole!
Red
1998 Plantagenet Shiraz
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Mount Barker
Broadening the offline further, to its eighth region and sixth variety, is this deep red, savoury, spicy, almost peppery wine. Obviously young and needing time to meld together properly, it is, despite some pretence to elegance, a little short on the finish, and certainly way different to anything else we’ve drunk tonight! This late in the night it’s getting hard to be objective…
White - Off-dry
1997 Montana Late Harvest Riesling
New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough
Quite a deep gold, this wine carries some distinct botyrtis characters, although isn’t nearly as over-the-top as many Oz-type wines. There’s still a decent dose of acid holding up the apricot-marmalade fruit, although it is starting to soften, and the wine finishes quite cleanly. It tastes mega-sweet beside the Moulin Touchais, but otherwise is pretty enjoyable. Certainly at it’s peak – it’s difficult to see it developing any further (in the complex sense).
Closing
Two wines not otherwise noted due to missing vintage information:
Moulin Touchais (Anjou) Sadly, the ravages of someone else’s storage had conspired to remove the vintage label, but judging by my other bottle, early to mid 1960’s was the likely era. Sadly, the cork was not able to shed any light on the [Irecolté, so we enjoyed this glowing gold, honeyed, faintly raisiny, still acidic & not at all oxidised wine on it’s own merits. This style of antique Chenin Blanc is unique to the Loire, and what a treasure it is.
Domaine Vincent Cirardin ‘Maranges 1er Cru’ Clos des Loyeres. I know nothing about it. I suspect it’s entitled to the appellation ‘bourgogne’ and nothing else. Celia says it’s a cheap new world pinot from Burgundy. Hmmm. It smells like a Hunter shiraz – all dirt and earth and fungus. A wine of no great pedigree, it’s a bit thin and acidic with a shortish finish. Not particularly memorable.
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