Ulaa

Tasting Notes

• 2018 Bress Pinot Noir Le Grand Coq Noir

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  4/21/2024 - Ulaa Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Double decanted, Aroma gives primary, secondary and tertiary. Mouth is all about the sour red fruits, with a touch of spice, long lasting in the mouth and very light on acid. Drunk with Bondi Pizza on a cool Autumn Saturday afternoon in Sydney.
  When pairing this with food, go on the heavier side of the Pinot Spectrum. This is not your light, friendly Pinot, this is your more robust, darker Pinot. Think the great, age worthy examples of Martinborough or Otago.
  
  Adam Marks (wine maker) withdrawal from wine making was a great loss to the region and to Wine Drinking everywhere. His Pinot and Shiraz were both going in the right direction, developing, finesse, delicacy and conversely, power and depth. I believe he would have ultimately been one of the greats.
  
  Bress, Le Coq Noir
  2018, Bendigo, Australia
  Pinot Noir,
  
  Grapes are sourced from Yara Valley, Macedon Ranges, Bendigo and Heathcote.
  
  Appearance.
  Clarity : Clear
  Intensity : Medium
  
  Colour
  Red : Ruby
  
  Nose
  Condition : clean
  Intensity : Medium,
  Aroma Characteristics :
  Primary: Red Fruit (Red currant, Red Cherry, , Black fruit, Herbaceous, Herbal, Spice, Ripeness
  Other (Wet stones, Candy)
  Secondary: Oak, (Cedar, Cloves)
  Tertiary: Earth
  
  Development : fully developed
  
  Palate
  Sweetness : Dry
  Acidity : Low
  Tannin : Medium(-)
  Alcohol : Medium
  Body : Medium(+)
  
  Flavour
  Intensity : Medium(+)
  Primary: Red Fruit (Red Currant, Red Cherry)Spice
  Secondary: Oak (Coffee)
  
  Finish : Medium(+)
  
  Quality Level : very good
  Readiness for drinking : drink now not suitable for aging
  
  Score
  Appearance Clear 2
  Colour Appropriate 2
  Aroma Perfect 4
  Sugar, Dryness Appropriate 2
  Flavour Balanced, rich 2
  Astringency (reds) Balanced Tannins 2
  Overall
  Top Rank 2
  
  Great Classic 19-20
  outstanding 17-18.5
  Average to Good 15-16.5
  Below Average 9-14.5
  Poor 0-8.5

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• 2005 Chateau Pâto Shiraz D. J. P.

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  4/21/2024 - Ulaa Likes this wine: 90 Points

  This is like when your mum puts her hand on your cheek and gazes into your eye, you know how powerful she used to be, now its just ... nice. The wine is fading and really would have been a cracker 5-10 years ago. I think if I had drunk this in 2019 it would have had a couple of points more.
  
  Having said that it is still a great example of where a really well made Hunter Valley Shiraz can end up. On the nose its soft black plums, a hint of the old black pepper and a waft of old well used leather.
  
  The mouth feel is sneaky, its longer than you think it will be, with black doris plums, game, coffee, soft white pepper (its so soft! I keep using that word!, its like clouds in your mouth!) and a sour black cherry which hangs in there and holds on to the edges of your tongue.
  
  With a very pleasant, lingering slightly spicy/cherrysour aftertaste. I have the 07 in my cellar and its still got a lot more Go than this, but a great wine to share with friends on a summers evening over a BBQ.
  
  Chateau Pato
  2005, Hunter Valley, Australia
  Shiraz
  
  Appearance.
  Clarity : Clear
  Intensity : Deep
  
  Colour
  Red : Garnet
  Other Observations : slight legs
  
  Nose
  Condition : clean
  Intensity : Light
  Aroma Characteristics :
  Primary: Red Fruit, Black fruit (Blackberry, Black plum) Spice - (Black Pepper)
  Secondary: Oak - (Cloves, Spices)
  Tertiary: Leather
  
  Development : tired/past its best
  
  Palate
  Sweetness : Dry
  Acidity : Low
  Tannin : Low
  Alcohol : Medium
  Body : Medium(-)
  
  Flavour
  Intensity : Medium(-)
  Primary: Red Fruit, Black fruit (Black Cherry, Black Plum), Herbaceous, Herbal, Spice (White Pepper), Ripeness
  Other (Wet stones, Candy)
  Secondary: Oak (Cedar)
  Tertiary: smoke, coffee, game
  
  Finish : Medium(+)
  
  Quality Level : Very Good
  Readiness for drinking : drink now not suitable for aging,
  
  Score
  Appearance Clear 2
  Colour Appropriate 2
  Aroma Excellent 3
  Sugar, Dryness Appropriate 2
  Flavour Balanced, rich 2
  Astringency (reds) Balanced Tannins 2
  Overall
  Top Rank 2
  
  Great Classic 19-20
  outstanding 17-18.5
  Average to Good 15-16.5
  Below Average 9-14.5
  Poor 0-8.5

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• 1994 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet

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  4/18/2024 - Ulaa Likes this wine: 85 Points

  It is rare I get my hands on something this old. The score is very subjective from me. 10 years ago I think I would have given this a mid 90.
  The cork wasn't flawed, however it did disintegrate when opening. Most of the cork was still in the neck and I had to filter out the bits. Even with the filtering there was a LOT of sediment in this wine. The wine is very much past its best, but the fruit was hanging in there and still had distinct flavor. I desperately wanted to love this. Gamey, meaty, mushrooms, leather, all the characteristics of a great, aged, rich, red even if they were beginning to overtake the fruit flavors.
  
  Do not hold on, pair this now with something rich and meaty, enjoy with friends and imagine what this was like 10 years ago.
  
  Penfolds, Koonunga Hill
  1994, South Australia, Australia
  Shiraz/Cabernet
  
  Appearance.
  Clarity : Clear
  Intensity : Deep
  
  Colour
  Red : Tawny
  
  Nose
  Condition : clean
  Intensity : Medium
  
  Aroma Characteristics :
  Primary: Black fruit (Black Plum), Herbaceous (Tomato leaf), Spice (White Pepper) Ripeness (Jamminess)
  Secondary: Oak (Smoke, Coffee)
  Tertiary: Leather, forest floor, earth, mushroom, tobacco, meaty
  
  Development : tired/past its best
  Notes
  Although this is marked as tired past its best, it was still delicious
  
  Palate
  Sweetness : Dry
  Acidity : Medium(-)
  Tannin : Medium(-)
  Alcohol : Medium
  Body : Full
  
  Flavour
  Intensity : Medium(+)
  Primary: Red Fruit (Red Plum), Black fruit (Black Plum, Bramble), Herbaceous (Green bell pepper), Spice (White Pepper)
  Other (cooked fruit/Jammy)
  Secondary: Yeast (Biscuit, pastry, bread, toast, dough, cheese, yoghurt), Malolactic Conversion (Butter, Cream, Cheese)
  Tertiary: Leather, forest floor, earth, mushroom, tobacco, meaty
  
  Finish : Long
  
  Quality Level : acceptable
  Readiness for drinking : To old
  
  Score 16
  Appearance Not Sharp 1
  Colour A bit faded 1
  Aroma Average 2
  Sugar, Dryness Appropriate 2
  Flavour Balanced, rich 2
  Astringency (reds) Balanced Tannins 2
  Overall
  Top Rank 2 Average 1 Rot Gut 0

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