We were sat at tables and had a placemat with the names of the wines and the wines over the name. The Granges had been double decanted several hours before and were in the glass for two+ hours.
1) Reserve Bin Eden valley Riesling 2003. (In screwcap)
I found this very enjoyable. Pale green/straw. On the nose fresh citrus and apple. Taste again citrus with a rush of acid. Plenty of others for less than $23 asking price. (Grapes were hand picked.)
2) Reserve Bin 00A Chardonnay 2000. (Tumbarumba grapes.)
Almost straw colour. I loved this with its melon and stone fruit coming through on the nose and beautiful stone fruit on the palate.
3) Yattarna Chardonnay 2001. (Tumbarumba and Adelaide Hills grapes.)
Found this hard to grasp. Did not have the forward flavours of the previous wines. We were told that Yattarna takes time to evolve and after 3-4 years often shuts down. I feel this had closed up shop for me.
4) Cellar Reserve Pinot Noir 2001. (Adelaide Hills and Eden valley grapes.)
I must state that I am no PN aficionado, but I found this enjoyable. Probaby because,as others have said, it is not a typical PN.
To me it was quite advanced with quite brown edges. Maybe a Shiraz lovers PN?
5) Cellar Reserve Grenache 2002. (Barossa grapes.)
A red/purple colour and quite lifted fruit smell. Dark and light berries plus maybe a stone fruit. Very pleasant on the nose and easy on the palate. Probably one of the lighter Grenaches I have tasted and all the better for it. At $40-50 low on QPR.
6) Bin 707 C/S 2001.(Coonawarra,Padthaway,McLaren Vale and Kalimna grapes.)
Deep purple/black in colour and a nose to die for. Blackcurrant and a slight mint plus cigar box. The palate was even better. The fruit shines through with very little oak taste plus stacks of tannins. A very long finish. Excellent with very low QPR.
7) RWT Barossa Valley Shiraz 2001. (Over 40% from Kalimna Vineyard.)
(14 months in 65% new and 35% one year old French oak.)
Deep red/purple with berry and plum plus light oak. The palate was beautifully balanced with dark berries and juicy tannins and a long finish.
A most enjoyable wine.
When it came to the Granges I went forward and backward to try and get a fair comparison.
Grange 1997.(Mainly Barossa plus some Mclaren Vale grapes. 4% C/S.) (20 months in new American oak.)
A good but not great wine, for Grange. A deadset wimp alongside the 98 and nowhere near the complexity of the 99. Very bad QPR.
9) Grange 1998. (Grapes mainly from Kalimna vineyard and other Barossa vineyards,plus some Padthaway and Magill Estate.) (3% C/S.) (18 months in new American oak.)
I can only agree with previous comments on the 98. It is huge but somehow balanced. Many,many years before it is really drinkable.
10) Grange 1999. (The first 100% Shiraz since 1963.) (Grape source virtually same as 98.)
The nose and taste of the 99 I find superb. Plenty of berry flavours and great tannins. All is in balance much better than the 98 at the moment. This is eminently drinkable now, with plenty of decanting, but will get better with time.
Overall a great experience, one I would recommend should you get the chance.
Mike.