With so much clarity, you must be using the spittoon!


(The evening of my original post, I did meet up with a few fellows and we had a tasting of five Shiraz wines from a few winemakers, including comparing the standard vs. single vineyard shiraz of the same vintage (all 2005). The Barossa shiraz varieties were the pick.)

As well they should be. Fond memories (I'm not the guy at the table, just took the picture).

I tried a quick Penfolds tasting across three 2003 shiraz varieties yestersday.
Penfolds Kalimna 2003
Penfolds Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz 2003
Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz 2003

The first was surprisingly good drinking. The second is always a lighter style, best not to leave this much longer before opening. The third was the pick. A great example of a Barossa shiraz, with great tannins and structure, smooth berry and typical shiraz notes and enough acidity and a good taste lingering on the palate, with just enough 'pepper' to please.

One day I'd like to be at that table. :)

Will be at a tasting tomorrow where there will be not a single NZ wine which is ok by me. The closest will be a 1986 Grange which is also ok by me. I shall think of you BiziBB

Jeff

Please do more than think of me Jeff, have a taste for me. Is this your contribution to the CHC Do? I really wish I could be there... :p :rolleyes::eek:

I have heard of your excellent tasting/collecting adventures and hope that you can update this thread if you bring back any thoughts from that tasting.

As the most qualified person I know has the answer, would you mind keeping an eye on my 'what was the first SB in NZ? When?' trivia question?
i cruelly asked Kiwis to not answer and give everyone else a go, but some hints might be required to prompt newbie SB lovers. ;)
('ll just check if it has been answered and whether my poor guess is anywhere close to the mark).

I hope your tasting is as good as can be and nothing that is supposed to be good is corked. ^

More 2003 Penfolds reds today on another tasting:

• Penfolds Bin 389 (Cab/Shiraz) 2003 - what I expected; mostly typical Cabernet characteristics but no great aftertaste, either Cab or Shiraz.
  
• Penfolds Bin 389 (Cabernet Sauvignon) 2003 - excellent! Extremely velvety smooth, lots of berries and lots of oomph in the mouth. An excellent wine for drinking now, yet not overdone. My absolute favourite variety at the moment; just waiting for an excellent shiraz to win that crown again.

How did the '86 Grange measure up, jswong?

(Such is the NZ SB glut (^^ :p ^^) I can find okay labels for $99/12 with a 'free' dozen local cleanskins. :confused:)

Has this last might as part of a larger tasting and it proved to be very interesting

Previously Grange had been my favourite ever Syrah/Shiraz when I opened my first ever bottle around the early 90's and it was an '82

At the tasting I attended we were all to contribute a bottle and my contribution was an '89 La Turque so, naturally, these were presented together. I was particularly pleased to see this pairing as I have an '86 Grange in my cellar

The La Turque was simply amazing with marginal browning on the edges with a stunningly complex bouquet which I simply don't have the vocabulary to describe. There was masses of ripe fruit and this had great concentration and complexity all in good balance. The wine was clearly ready

The Grange had a deeper Colour and much more restrained bouquet. The wine itself was huge but, to me, somewhat impenetrable although it did open up somewhat over time. There was no hint of it's age despite being 22 years old. I have limited ability to predict the future of wines but I suspect given time, this will be amazing

So I now have a new "best ever" Syrah in the wonderfully hedonistic La Turque and even though I have difficulty imagining better I will keep an open mind an hope to tast even better in the future

Jeff

I try to go to a wine tasting at least 2x a month. There are many opportunities in DC to do stuff like this...and I even organize my own each month.

If anyone in this forum is interested in joining the next tasting, please PM me and I'll pass the details along.

Nice offer for DC. Thanks. :) Enjoy the pinot.

I'll try to post a Sydney equivalent, once the location and date are finalised. It will be at Hornsby, so probably not convenient unless you are already northside and can get transport home. The next one would be early October.

I'd love to be in CHC if Jeff gets out a good bottle from the cellar. :p