The Auswine Forum

Hello All,

I was not able to attend Wine Australia but I don’t feel too disappointed after attending the Organic Expo last weekend and tasting the wines now being produced from organic vineyards. I have always been a follower of organic principles but have rarely been impressed with the wines of such fruit, although Cullen and Jasper Hill have added credibility to the “movement” but also with a hefty pricetag.

My outlook has now changed since tasting the recent wines from Botobolar (Mudgee, Vic - Shiraz and Cabernet), Avonmore Estate (Bendigo, Vic - Shiraz and Cabernet), Macquariedale Estate (Hunter Valley, NSW - Shiraz and Merlot), and the most impressive of all the wineries on tasting, Thistle Hill (Mudgee, Vic). Here I met the thoroughly charming Lesley Robertson, owner and winemaker of Thistle Hill. The wine that truly amazed me was the 2003 Thistle Hill Basket Press Pinot Noir. I needed to take a bottle home to contemplate life over:

2003 Thistle Hill Basket Press Pinot Noir – Mudgee, NSW – 13%
Opens with a little varnish but this quickly blows away to reveal bright cherry and raspberry of excellent depth with leather, chicory, ash, and rainforest on a palate that is complex, harmonious, generous and not at all sweet. A powerful, fine, ripe and bony tannic structure provides supple sensations and great length. Far more Burgundy than New World, this wine is a remarkable achievement. 94/100 (18.5/20), at $22 per bottle I have never had a greater Pinot Noir.

The 2005 Thistle Hill Riesling at $16 was an austere, intense and well structured wine but needs time even for my palate to enjoy.

The 2001 Thistle Hill Chardonnay at $18 was deep, harmonious and still fresh, utilising its extended bottle age for excellent drinking pleasure.

The last Cabernet Sauvignon made by David Robertson needs to be acknowledged in more detail:

2001 Thistle Hill Premium Cabernet Sauvignon - Mudgee, NSW - 13.5%
Aromas of dark cherries, developed sweet rhubarb, plums, cigar, coffee, spearmint and sweet herbs lead into a medium bodied palate of elegance with good depth and no alcohol or glycerine presence. Sweet spices are revealed on the middle and back palate. Tannins are soft and fine with a chalkiness that creates harmonious and pleasurable tactile sensations with excellent length. Drink now after 30 minutes breathing to allow the sweet front and middle palate to open up. This wine is at its peak and will be for the next 3 years. 90/100 (17/20), this is a wonderful wine to compliment food, especially lamb.

Kind regards,
Adair

A big call Adair. 94 pts for a mudgee Peenoo. Watch out for the peenoo dogs of war as they will be let lose on you soon. I've bought the odd bottle of thistle Hill peenoo over the years & don't mind the style. I've even enjoyed the odd Pfeiffer peenoo over the years, but I'm reluctant to go public as you have.

Cheers
Parb

I know it is a big call from a reputation point of view and I did not take it lightly, but I tasted the bottle critically over the course of last Sunday night and could not come to any other conclusion than it was worthy of one of those little gold medals from a capital city wine show... and Burgundy (with Champagne) has been my passion for the past year.

This wine is the real deal.

Adair

I actually have two bottles of this wine in the cellar myself. It blew me away at the cellar door last year, especially for the price. The fruit is actually sourced from Orange, far cooler in climate than Mudgee itself.

Do you think I should be drinking the 03 pinot now Adair?

winetastic wrote:I actually have two bottles of this wine in the cellar myself. It blew me away at the cellar door last year, especially for the price. The fruit is actually sourced from Orange, far cooler in climate than Mudgee itself.

Do you think I should be drinking the 03 pinot now Adair?

Hello Murray,

This wine was definitely sourced from Mudgee fruit, not Orange. I just spoke to Lesley.

With regard to when to drink, although I am confident that it will not fall over any time soon, I recommend drinking now after 30 minutes of breathing as I can't possibility see it getting any better, with something like a shepherds pie like I did (with a hint of sweetness - my wife's recipe has chutney in it anyway!).

Adair

Adair

I had a bottle of the normal 2002 Thistle Hill Pinot earlier this week and loved it. I will have to look out for the Basket Press and give it a try.

Lesley is very nice. She taught me computer programming at university in the '80s.

Adair wrote:Hello Murray,

This wine was definitely sourced from Mudgee fruit, not Orange. I just spoke to Lesley.

With regard to when to drink, although I am confident that it will not fall over any time soon, I recommend drinking now after 30 minutes of breathing as I can't possibility see it getting any better, with something like a shepherds pie like I did (with a hint of sweetness - my wife's recipe has chutney in it anyway!).

Adair

Ahhh I was thinking of their Pinot Noir, not the Basket Press Pinot. I dont recall which vintage I have stashed away, perhaps the time is now.

FWIW, they have not released a "standard" 2003 Pinot Noir, just a 2003 "Basket Press" Pinot Noir. Maybe they are just giving it a name.
Adair