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29/02/2012

A good idea!

A fine wine is the perfect collateral

24/02/2012

Grab yourself a bottle of the Dandelion 30yr old Pedro Ximinez, absolutely marvelous drop!

11/02/2012

The 2004 Relic by Dan Standish ticks so many boxes but unfortunately fails to bring satisfaction. Brilliantly smooth and delicate like a ballerina dancing across the tongue this wine is long with exceptionally fine tannins. Unlike a ballerina this wine is no sissy, delivering strong concentrated plum and black fruit flavours with great youth and virility. The fruit is supported with a dash of white pepper and minerality adding complexity.

Unfortunately Mr Standish was a tad heavy handed with the viognier, adding 7% to the blend. The viognier dominates the nose and palate, adding a scent of flowers and citrus. While a couple of hours decanting does reduce the intensity of the citrus it continues to persist from beginning to end. It overshadows the rich black fruit and plum flavours with an irritating acidity and zing.

If the viognier was better integrated this wine would be an easy 96-97pointer. Unfortunately I have to leave it with 92 points and a view that it is over-priced.

10/02/2012

WOW!!! At 28 years of age the Wolf Blass Black Label 1984 couldn’t taste better. I drank this bottle over an 8 hour period and every sip tasted different from the last. Constantly evolving this wine is remarkable to drink, elegant and refined with plenty of life left. It still has some upfront fruit sweetness. With great length this wine takes you on a slow journey of flavours, from plum to butterscotch, toffee, coffee, leather, dark chocolate, roasted nuts and eventually vanishes with such a clean finish you could swear it was water. The tannins are very fine and the blend of cabernet, shiraz and merlot are perfectly integrated resulting in this harmonious red wine.

The Wolf Blass Black Label 1984 won the:
- Bill Jamieson Trophy (Perth 1986) for most outstanding wine of show.
- Herbert Leslie Penfold-Hyland Memorial Trophy (Perth 1986) best red wine classes 21, 22, 40-44.
- Webster Wines & Spirit Trophy (Hobart 1985) best red of show.
- As well as 6 gold medals from Sydney, Hobart and Perth wine shows.

Highly regarded upon release, the Wolf Blass Black Label 1984 is phenomenal value for money, if you can find it.