The Auswine Forum

Nice to know wineries read my comments here! Still, I presume those early HP wines were made (by John Wade) from purchased grapes in GS. If Leston in MR wasn't planted til 96, then clearly there's a hole somewhere... AI tells me the Burch family first partnered with Wade in 93. So they effectively ...

Hi again, Graeme In relation to the question of Howard Park's vineyard acquisitions and development, this came through to Wine Club members onFriday: Great wines begin long before the first grapes are harvested. They are shaped by the land on which they grow, the climate, the soils and the careful d...

G'day Decanted about 45 minutes before service. Very deep purple colour. A voluptuous nose, with considerable black and red berries and plums (both dark and red) . It's almost heady with spices (cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg), vanilla, a touch of leather polish. The palate is full without being overly...

Excellent write-up Graeme, as usual. Also not surprised that the reds were just coming around. Good timing.

Terrific write up and tasting. Those 90s wines - made by John Wade, as I recall? - were always pretty good. Odd to see the focus shift over the years from Great Southern & Mt Barker to Margaret River. Has that been for the better I wonder? Interesting question, Graeme. I suspect it is for the b...

G'day I purchased a couple of these a few years ago, and I have opened a couple of younger vintages since. I don't recall opening one of these, so here we are. I also don't drink enough Northern Rhone, and should investigate this region more. Deep purple in the glass,with plenty of depth. A fascinat...

Ist bracket 4th bracket

A Collaborative Cabernet Retrospective - Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon and Abercrombie 1986-2018 G’day I was privileged to attend this event, which was offered to Howard Park Wine Club members with the following: Join us at our Subiaco events space for a vertical tasting across sixteen vintages and...

G‘day I recently hosted a retrospective tasting of Australian cabernet sauvignons from the 2016 vintage. The event was held at Threecoins and Sons restaurant in Mount Lawley, and the Italian menu went perfectly with the range of wines tasted. Katia and her team looked after us very well indeed. As t...

G'day A couple of years on from the last bottle, this has hardly changed in colour. Still a moderate yellow. Not much has changed in the glass, either. There's cedar and vanilla on the nose, with peach and nectarine strongly in support. The palate maintains those fruit flavours (although showing sig...

G'day Purple black in colour. The nose has developing black and red cherries, dried rosemary, leather, oregano and a touch of mocha. The palate is quite juicy and soft, in contrast to the development of the fruits and the savoury, herbal notes. Tannins are fine and slightly drying, and the wine fini...

G'day I first discovered Valpolicella (and especially its Amarone) on my first trip to Verona in 2014. A return trip in 2023 reinforced the interest - however, in between these journeys I seem to have acquired a few more bottles. I found three bottles of this in my cellar, and this is the first one....

G'day I can't recall how I acquired this bottle, which surprisingly is sealed under screwcap. Deep yellow colour tending to gold. The nose initially had a strong apricot skin aroma, but this has blown off with a bit of air (and is perhaps a case for decanting white Burgundies,which I haven't done he...

G'day My last tasting of this was as part of a vertical I hosted nearly two years ago. This was the group note from that event: Tahbilk ‘Eric Stevens Purbrick’ Shiraz 2017: Purple colour. A nose of ripe red plums, vanilla, cloves, capsicum, nutmeg, five spice, white pepper and sour cherry. There’s m...

I'm in. Any back vintage rewards for shareholders?

G'day I don't drink a lot of straight Malbecs, and as a result I have accumulated quite a few without exploring the variety fully. Purple black in colour. Lots of red plums and berries, with some spicy oak and dark chocolate. The palate has a thickness of texture, which complements the juicy red fru...

My purchases this month?

None. Absolutely NONE.

This follows a substantial 2023 Burgundy purchase in August and some impending expenses. I've had to rein in the spending accordingly.

No wonder the wine industry is in decline.

Cheers
Allan

Excellent and thoroughly readable notes as always, Graeme - many thanks.

I have very modest experience with Elderton Command Shiraz, but, on the basis of this tasting (and your notes) then maybe I should become better acquainted. How would you compare the style to Rockford BP?

Cheers
Allan

G’day A bunch of the usual suspects collected at our favourite BYO restaurant – Lulu’s Little Bistro. The theme for the tasting was Barolo – that famed wine from Piemonte in northwest Italy, known for pale colour, high acid and even higher tannins. We were able to taste a range of wines across sever...

This from a vertical tasting of Ashbrook Chardonnays in mid-2025: This sits somewhere between the 2021 and the 2022 in terms of palate weight and intensity. There’s a blend of stone fruits and citrus, with vanilla and yoghurt on the nose. The palate shows more white peach, green pineapple and citrus...

G'day Regrettably, this post is not for me, but for a friend who be visiting these three wine regions shortly. He is well-educated in the wine sense (WSET Diploma) so knows his stuff and has more than the average level of interest. He is seeking recommendations for wineries to visit in each of these...

G'day I seem to taste this wine every 2 years or so. This from a vertical tasting I hosted in 2024: Purple colour. Red plummy fruit is prominent on the nose, with Italian herbs, cedary oak, soy and again some tasters noted brine. One taster noted “English library”. The palate is showing juicy red an...

Great tasting, great to see them all lined up. Pity about the cork issues, you seemed to have higher strike rate than what my experience has been. I think I've had most if not all vintages of JR (and BL) being a rusted on Coonawarra-phile with Wynns as my special subject. So, just a couple of point...

G’day I attended the Australian Chardonnay Retrospective at Lamonts in Cottesloe (Perth) last night. It was hosted by the inimitable Leigh Gerreyn, one of the more knowledgeable people about wine that I know, and a self-professed chardonnay fanatic. Leigh has hosted a number of these events now, and...

G’day A generous friend decided to present a vertical tasting of Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon as his birthday celebration. We all got the presents ….. Many of you will know that the Wynns John Riddoch was named after the founder of Wynns (in 1891) in Coonawarra, and the first JR was made in...

G'day Decanted immediately before service. First bottle was corked, unfortunately. Purple black in colour. A moderately complex nose, with dried herbs, red and dark cherry, fresh red plums, and a touch of leather and spice. The palate is medium bodied, with juicy red fruits, Chinotto, more herbs and...

G'day This wine was purchased from the winery in Radda in Chianti back in 2019. Decanted 3 hours before service. Deep purple colour. Complex and fragrant nose of dak cherry, blue and black berries, plums, rosemary, dried herbs, cedary oak and a touch of menthol. The palate is quite full without bein...

G'day Decanted 3 hours before service. Rich plummy and blackberry fruit was jumping out of the decanter. Purple black in colour. The nosehas settled a little after time in the decanter, but is still powerful, with ripe dark plums, blue and black berries, vanillan oak, mocha, and a slight eucalypt no...