Wine thread

[Cutter]

Thanks again Lindo. Very valuable info.

 

[Thomond78]

Well, Thomo, according to the old "a third getting better, a third on the plateau and a third declining" rule a 2001 d'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz is probably getting near to the end of the first third and won't get much better. It SHOULD hold its peak for, say, the next ten or so years before going into a gentle decline but I don't think it's going to improve a lot. I tasted some (well, a lot of) old d'Arenbergs from their museum in late 2006 and thought they'd started to decline after about 20 years. Mind you, they were still bloody nice wines with no acid and gentle, soft tannins but the fruit had started to slip a bit by then. Chester Osborn's of the opinion the modern wines are better than older ones due to the work he's put into the vineyards to improve the soils by making them biodynamic and I think a tasting of the recent vintages bears that out.

Do you have more than one bottle?

Do you think I'd be asking such a bloody stupid question if I did?

 

[the gambler]

For anyone interested in South African wines I have a few spots available at a South African Wine Tasting at the Sydney Wine Centre on Thursday evening. Cost is only $20.

For details check out the website www.sydneywinecentre.com.au and you can book through there or send me a message.

Boucheron Wines, along with Rob Geddes MW are presenting a tasting of South African Wines.

Boucheron are bringing into Australia a unique selection of award winning wines for the cosmopolitan palate from South Africa's finest boutique wine farms.

Wines to be tasted include:Strawberry Fields Shiraz Cabernet, Nabygelegen 1712 Red Blend and the Diemersfontein Pinotage

 

[the gambler]

I am also throwing a Bledisloe Cup Challenge on the Friday evening before the Sydney Bledisloe. This one is almost booked out but for any scarfers wanting a nice little warm up for the big game and a chance to talk tactics for the next night let me know and Ill squeeze you in.

 

[Lindommer]

...a 2001 d'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz...won't get much better. Do you have more than one bottle?

Do you think I'd be asking such a bloody stupid question if I did?

I presume from your reply you've committed vinous infanticide on the other 11 bottles. Keep the last one for another three years.

What do you charge an hour, Thomo? THAT MUCH. Wine consultant's invoice winging its way to Cork.

 

[Scarfman]

Lindo - further to your message above, we are trying to cater for a party with local wines.

I realise this is lowering the tone a fair way, but I've been drinking a lot of wine from Printhie. I haven't got any tasting notes but I've tried a couple of reds and a couple of whites and at around $15 for their Mountain range and we're laughing.

While I'm here I also add that we love Lark Hill, from near Bungendore, which is near Canberra. Generous tastings from the cellar door, also has a restaurant, and we pick up a few cases when we're down there.

 

[Lindommer]

Last week yer man generously voluntered his time to act as Senior Steward for the 2009 Tri Nations Wine Challenge. It started off years ago as a bit of frothy fun and frivolity to show new world wines in tandem with us big, boofy bastards playing rugby. It's an unusual wine show as participation is by invitation only: the three captains each nominate ten entries in each of the 13 classes. They obviously want to win the challenge so only bloody good wines get invited; there's no rubbish in this event. The show and judging was on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday last week and the results will be announced at a gala evening at The Regent (the Four Seasons to those new to Sydney) on Friday, 11 September. Yer man will be attending, of course. At this stage I don't know the various class winners but I look forward to scoring at least SOMETHING over the Saffers and Kiwis.

A list of competitors is at http://www.boutiquewines.com.au/Web List.xls

A big week last week: the Coonawarra Road Show was on Tuesday night, finished up with one of my winery principals drinking too much Coopers Pale Ale at God knows what hour. And then The Gambler had his Tasman Challenge on Friday night. Hard and dirty work...

 

[PaarlBok]

Wines to be tasted include:Strawberry Fields Shiraz Cabernet, Nabygelegen 1712 Red Blend and the Diemersfontein Pinotage

Diemers fontein is just around the corner, been through their cellars and wine tasting and have met their wine maker. They have a classy set up from restaurant, acomodation to cellars.

 

[the gambler]

Very interesting wine that one. Didnt like it at first but once it opened up it actually became quite drinkable. By the time I took the final sip of it while having an Ice Cream Id have to say I almost enjoyed it with coffee and chocolate flavours really shining through.

 

[PaarlBok]

They really have some good reds but hell Gambler when I get tuck into the ox blood stuff I cant drink coffee with it. Mself will enjoy a big piece of steak with the ox blood but never some sweet stuff. Once I finish mymeal I stop drinking, got that habit after I have been through a Kots Watson stage when I still was a wild man.

 

[Thomond78]

Very interesting wine that one. Didnt like it at first but once it opened up it actually became quite drinkable. By the time I took the final sip of it while having an Ice Cream Id have to say I almost enjoyed it with coffee and chocolate flavours really shining through.

That's what it's deliberalely made to taste like. Fantastic stuff. General rule for Pinotage, I've found, is it needs warmth, air and age, more so that other reds - but if you give it those, it rewards you.

But if you see Diermersdal - buy it, whatever it is. Tasted their range back in June, and they were all marvellous; their SB is a work of art.

Opened a bottle of Oom Hempie's 2003 Annandale Shiraz recently. Five years in French and American oak. Incredible; like the most perfect, smooooooooth Rhone syrah. The man makes marvellous wine. :yay

 

[Lindommer]

The awards night and public tasting for the 2009 Tri Nations Wine Challenge was held on Friday evening and I regret to report South Africa and New Zealand did well, a bit too well. I was one of the designated photographers for the evening so didn't keep track of the number of class winners but I can report South Africa won the cabernet AND shiraz classes and New Zealand won the chardonnay. What's the world coming to? To add insult to inury the 2009 Haskell Shiraz from Stellenbosch won wine of the show. The principals of both the award-winning South African wineries flew over for the awards night (now THAT'S commitment) and used the occasion to explore trade opportunities in Sydney. But one of them, the cabernet winner, took a side tour to Hamilton over the weekend to watch the Boks triumph over the ABs. Lucky bastard. The two Saffers and five Australians (including yer man) finished up at Kable's with 30 wines from the show for dinner. This used to be a great restaurant and seems to be on its way back. Hard and dirty work...

Class winners will be posted on the Boutique Wines website some time today. http://www.boutiquewines.com.au/main.html

 

[Lindommer]

The results are at Tri Nations Wine Challenge, http://www.trinationswine.com/ They are seven trophies to New Zealand, four to Australia and two to South Africa.

 

[Thomond78]

2002 Alto last night, with a braai; steaks and wors.

Un-farking-believably good. Smooth as silk, perfectly balanced stewed stone fruit, small bit of spice still in there and a bit of smoke. With braaied boerewors, it was genuinely ecstasy-inducing. Still temperature critical with the pinotage in there (or at least, tastes like such; haven't checked the blend). Magnificent; just at the right moment too, as it was at its absolute peak.

Think it was the last one Oom Hempies made there. Were I not a married man, and were he not a recently divorced tight-head, I'd turn for anyone who can make wine like that... :huxley

 

[PaarlBok]

Thomo braaing wors and steak? No Boet when its steak its steak and only wors for boere worsrolle. :

So is Hempies leaving Alto?

 

[Thomond78]

Thomo braaing wors and steak? No Boet when its steak its steak and only wors for boere worsrolle. :

So is Hempies leaving Alto?

Hempies is long since gone from Alto. Think his son is involved there now. Hempies is at Annandale, boerbull and all, and is making magnificent wine; his CVP, Cavalier and Shiraz are all simply glorious.

http://annandale.co.za/framework/index.asp

Always braai some wors first; the fat drips down, seasons the grill and the coals and the steaks cook better. Mealies and soetpatats in tinfoil in the coals on the edge.

 

[PaarlBok]

Myself always braai steak on open flames (just before you would have krap your kole open, but their have to be flames), you have to seal them first. Secret is to eat them from the grill and no salt beforehand. They tend to be dry if you leave them on the side or do them to well. Myself prefer a steak underdone, a good veearts must be able to pull the ox through , if you know what I mean. TBones are made for the fire but must say I bought whole fillets the other day and the Mrs prepare them and she make them a Carpet Bagger (putting white mussles and a cheese sauce inside and tied them with tooth pricks. Also love rump from time to time but the secret is that it have to be thick cut and I mean thick like 4 to 5 cm, menere. Mrs make a mushroom sauce with cream and serve slap chips. Hell next time I have to braai you steaks. Roodeberg do the finishing trick.

 

[Thomond78]

2001 Tahblik Marsanne.

Amazing wine. Like a dessert wine initially, especially shortly after opening. Then like a perfect honeyed aged German Riesling. Had it with pot-roasted guinea fowl and chicory, and it was glorious. Cheap as chips here, €10. Bloody amazing, and for an 8, going on 9 year old white, a revelation.

2007 Delheim Chardonnay sur Lie.

Great stuff. Sur lie yeastiness, small bit of oak, but very, very small, balanced and delicious. Very, very long finish. Different to classic white Burgundy, but the sort of wine that makes you remember why Chardonnay is such a wonderful grape. Based on the Danie de Wet Bon Vallon original, and I must make an effort to taste the two together to compare. Definitely one to get again.

 

[PaarlBok]

Thomo after the SA anthem debacle, specially for you!

 

[Thomond78]

Thomo after the SA anthem debacle, specially for you!

Windhoek is South Africa, now?

Is it not enough to poach their players...? :