The Auswine Forum

Very nice prior week or so of wines in Adelaide and the Barossa. Ian off the forum likes Hermitage so cracked few for his visit. Yann Chave Hermitage 2010- round, meaty plenty in the tank and excellent. Chave Hermitage 2013- Brilliant aromas and nervously at the start of a long window. Thierry Allem...

Oldies are so good worthy of an auction punt!

Boomer cellars auctioned off have been loaded with magnums I’ve snatched up.

This is a great initiative and I hope it encourages more adventurous dining and meticulous understanding of fresh local produce. I feel Adelaide will underwhelm. Regionally SA will do well. Any predictions? Three Hats. Two Hats. One Hat. Bib Gourmand - which I believe will be very prevalent ie: “ Bi...

I’m no expert as I’m drinking my Burgundy. Ashton Hills is good. Reserve especially. In a sophisticated bistro style . Generally I reckon SA Pinot should be pulled. By Farr not bad. Tassie Pinot emerging. I still find I’m drinking Aussie Pinot young and under stelvin which delivers a svelte,though s...

Cheers Graeme. I had a 96 Grange 18 months ago ( first of my six pack ) and found it a beautifully crafted wine without a rough edge nor error. After doing a 70’s Grange event the same year, I thought I’d leave the 96’s another decade hoping that extracts the complexity I would like to see. Not sure...

My Notes for an event back at the end of March Theme was Burgundy Varieties from anywhere I will predicate these notes by stating I was having a very off palate day, especially surrounding the reds. Most of the other members thought the wines were fine, so it was a ‘me’ issue. All wines served blin...

Wasn’t having a wine last night bit Free Kick Port Adelaide drove me to drink. $13 a can after paying $130 for a seat seemed a bit too much. So after the game I got home and had half a bottle of 2002 Dead Arm. It’s a better wine than in its youth. Opulent, a tad boring in pop and pour, hopefully ov...

phillisc wrote: ↑Fri May 08, 2026 5:51 pm 1994 Mt Ed, what was it...$20
Cheers Craig

I reckon it jumped in 94 and was $40 CD. But I got a bunch for $35 in local bottleo’s.

Wasn’t having a wine last night bit Free Kick Port Adelaide drove me to drink. $13 a can after paying $130 for a seat seemed a bit too much. So after the game I got home and had half a bottle of 2002 Dead Arm. It’s a better wine than in its youth. Opulent, a tad boring in pop and pour, hopefully ove...

It’s miserable, rainy week in ADL. So got a box full of Henschke’s from the cellar. I still drink them. I don’t buy them though. 2005 Abbott’s Prayer last night. Beautiful and even. Just a little stelvin-boring compared to previous vintages under cork. Next a 95 & 2005 Cyril 94 & 2004 Mt Ed

By your evidence, they’ve changed the style to fit the closure?

Miserable rainy weekend. Couple of bottles watching a few days of footy. 2002 Coche-Dury Volnay 1er Cru- silky, and love the fruit profile and the tannins has an infused minerally sparkle. Only bottle sadly. 2005 Poggio do Sotto Brunello- I like BdM at 20 plus for the serious gear. Round, even and p...

Interesting comments re modern iterations Graeme.

This was probably my first experience with stelvin and Noble One. A wine always better with a charcuterie board rather than pudding for mine.

I opened a 2013 for a guest at a dinner party we hosted last week. Nobody else interested such is the fate of stickies these days . I finished it over a week. De Bortili know what they are doing with screwcap. At 12 years colour was intense and the wine appropriately developed. Such a classical styl...

Thanks for the notes Allan. I’m interested in adding some of the Isolation Ridge Riesling to my cellar - a bit of a point of difference to what I’ve got. Will have to sample a bottle soon. Cheers Ed I’ve been meaning to do the same! Did a great vertical of oldies in Hong Kong years ago and was very...

I’ve a lot of Conterno Francia. I didn’t know they had issues. I guess he’s still a traditional producer with long-macerations and older barrels.

The poor bugger who pays $450!

Another idea for folks ( not necessarily for this possible event ) is private catering. Did it last year ( high end ) but the lass left for overseas. I’ve a new contact that can cater for as little as $70 a head. I’m finding Adelaide restaurants and pubs heading south in quality so a home event may ...

Yes like most folks I can’t believe the mess we are heading. Internal and external stupidity abound. But I guess better discussion if no politics. I read on winefront a $450 Barossa Shiraz being offered for $50 elsewhere. Although an extreme example, you would think that the wine buying public will ...

Just offered 2021 Caley for $395. Retail $450. I’d pay $395 at a fancy restaurant. But $395 when I can get a six pack of very fancy foreign wines when travelling though Hong Kong isn’t going to happen. Or a better option, dabble in a boomer’s cellar at auction for lesser Shiraz Cab or Cab Shiraz.

Just an incidental comment on the Taley, it’s a must do tasting in Barossa. Superb! I tried the lot and thecontrasts between vintages interesting. The best commercial vineyard tasting I’ve done in awhile .

Yeah they charm but just buy a bottle of Signature and you get the $ back.

Geez who doesn’t luv the Bont? :D My mistake Allan, thought it blew off. I don’t consider myself one of those technocrat, Aussie wine Nazis, elevating issues. But stelvin and reductive notes are a starting concern for someone who cellars wine for development. I’m not trying to be a contrarian and de...

Great event! One of the organisers was going to swap some GC Burgundy for Giacomda with me. Didn’t realise they in the industry. Cheeky bugger said they keen to swap a giaconda for a “couple of bottles” - so 3-4K of Burg’ for a Gia’. Came to my senses. I had another 2005 Leeuwin Estate Art Chardonna...

David Librandi wrote: ↑Mon Apr 13, 2026 7:48 pmMaybe you can influence a few others to join Jamie.

I’ll try. Have to make it a decent theme. I don’t mean to be rude, but Adelaide is awash with good-ordinary commercial wine events.

Be good to share amazing wines.

We can celebrate Craig’s return to health with a nice event.

Speedy recovery!

Drinking my 2009 Barolos now . Will hold on the Conternos.

Just pulled the cork on a 2011 Roagna Barbaresco Asili for tonight. An aromatic abyss.

David Librandi wrote: ↑Sat Apr 11, 2026 1:57 pm Seems like not much interest.

That’s Radelaide for you!

Too much good-ordinary wine about!

felixp21 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 09, 2026 1:54 pm haha, Jamie, you'd better get her off that stuff pronto!!!

Yeah she may cry inter-generational inequality!

Why can’t young people drink Grand Cru Burgundy?

I might pay her to go up the road to our local Green’s Senator and whine about it.

A very interesting quandary on wine prices escalating way beyond what we paid, and way beyond our thoughts on what they are worth. Pure logic says to sell them, and buy more wine to replace them. We ought to be confident that we have the insight to end up with more wine that's at least as good, if ...

I have a modest collection of Burgundy and despite outrageous prices I refuse to sell. Three bottle over the last week or so would amount to $4000 to replace via Aussie retail ( current vintages ). I wish I had invested all my capacity in Burgundy whilst living in Hong Kong. Tax free gains and expon...