Our good friend from the US, Jonathan was over again on business so we arranged a mid-week tasting around his visit. The theme was iconicky/culty type Aussie classics, but like herding cats it was not easy to do with this lot 
We booked a private room at Rocket Restaurant in Chatswood. Ended up doing a 2 entrée, main, dessert, cheese ‘dego’ which over the 6 hours of imbibing worked really well. The staff at Rocket continue to shine, I keep forgetting to ask our server her name to give a special shout out for once again providing fantastic service. Looking after the 20+ bottles of fussy wine tragics and keeping everyone topped up with water, glasses, food, cutlery etc I think it is about the 4th time there now with a group of 12+ and it has been great every time. (http://www.rocketrestaurant.com.au/)
Here she is 
Thankyou!!
Didn’t take any formal notes, as it was more a drinking thing rather than a proper tasting.
We did have a few flawed bottles on the night which was a shame. Hopefully next time we’ll have better luck.
There were some very generous contributions as well.
2001 Arras Blanc de Blancs – powerful nose, mango/rockmelon, lacked a bit of zing and acidity on the backbone hence finished rather short. Very little beading, was akin to drinking a normal chardonnay.
1998 Tyrrells Vat 1 - This bottle was on the money, drinking really well. Lovely citrus on the nose and a nice follow through on the palate. Have had some bottle variation with these and this was one of the better bottles.
2003 Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling – Classic Aussie Riesling nose, with a real lemon pith aroma or citron as someone said. Great acid structure and lots of length. This will age gracefully for another 10-15 years.
2006 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling – a little sweeter on the nose compared to the Petaluma, was quite developed and approachable even at only 6 years of age. The acid structure was a bit over the place which didn’t help.
1996 Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay – was a bit past it, the nose was nice, lashings of oak and caramel, palate was ok but missing something. It was drinking ok but there was just something detracting from it which made enjoying it hard. The jury was out as to whether it was flawed or not. The 95 we had a few months back killed it.
2006 Bannockburn SRH Chardonnay – Was a big in your face nose, but a touch flabby on the palate. Bottle variation?
2010 Bannockburn Pinot Noir – Kalamata Olives, Cerignola Olives, Gaeta Olives, all mixed together and the resultant juice gives you an idea of how this tasted. I have no idea what happened here, green, stalky and olives. Massively overworked. And reading reviews of others it isn’t bottle variation.
2010 William Downie Mornington Pinot Noir – Bit disappointing after the 2012 we had on Saturday which was miles ahead of this. It seemed to me fairly simple, and tart/sour. The nose was pleasant and was expecting a bit more interest.
2010 Bass Phillip Premium Pinot Noir - this went some way in trying to rescue the image of Aussie Pinot Noir. Gamey, and restrained opulence, cherries, dark fruits with good length and structure.
1987 Henschke Hill Of Grace Shiraz – Was looking forward to this, was gone just a red coloured shell of a great wine. Not sure if closure related or a bacterial type spoilage (was fairly cloudy)
1989 Bests Bin 0 Shiraz – Great old school shiraz with lots of refinement and structure. Not overblown, I’d say it was drinking like a very nice old claret. Lots of leather and cedar.
1989 Cos D’Estournel, Bordeaux – This went well with the Bests, both showing an elegance of fruit without it being the main event, lovely balance.
Next two were very generous contributions by Len
1990 Penfolds Bin 90A, Cab/Shiraz - This was a Faaaark Wine, as in faaark this is good. I just sat on it with a big smile looking at Len, wanting to have his babies for bringing it. A complete wine. The fruit, layered and layered had me discovering something new each time, it was just so right. The tannins still quite prominent were in perfect balance with the fruit, huge length. The Shiraz and Cabernet components each contributing to the overall ‘sound’ of the wine like members of a band in perfect harmony. Up there with WOTY for me.
1990 Penfolds Bin 920, Cab/Shiraz - So I’ve just had breakup sex with Miranda Kerr, and now Kate Upton is banging on the door - who in any other given flight of wines would be the stand out but after Miranda…. This was all Coonawarra, the characteristics coming through from the first whiff of menthol and eucalypt. It was like smelling a freshly made cedar box, you see in the gift shops, filled with plums, blackcurrant. The Cabernet was more the star here, and seemed to lend more structure and tannins to the overall wine. If I was a betting man, I reckon this would outlive the 90A and become like the 55 Wynns
1996 Freemark Cabernet, Napa – This was in a very similar vein to the Bests. Very old school. Not overblown, and integrating nicely, with tannins nearly resolved into the wine which softened the wine on the palate to an almost creamy/ethereal feel.
1997 Cullen Diane Madeline Cabernet, WA - Corked, meh.
2001 Chateau de la Negly Clos des Truffiers, Languedoc, Syrah – This was huge and monolithic. It actually put me in the mind of a Durif. It was inky and black and impenetrable, with a tidal wave of dark fruits on the palate. It was hard to believe it already had 12 years on it. The fruit is definitely the star here and I think it will continue to age and hopefully soften up a bit and fix the balance up.
2001 Rockford SVS Pressings Shiraz – Corked, my bottle, was so disappointed, as the groups Rockford Evangelist I had high hopes for this. So that’s two visits for Jonathan and he still hasn’t had a Rockford. First visit we only had one bottle left in us by the end of the night and it was between the Wendouree Shiraz and Rockford BP and he went with the Wendouree.
2005 Lakes Folly Cabernets – Was still very primary, with bright and pure fruit. Nicely structured but I wonder if in a bit of a hole at the moment. Seemed to be missing something and felt somewhat closed, ticked all the boxes, I am starting to see some truth in Rod Kemps advice to either drink very young or wait 15 years. I vaguely remember it being a bit cooler than I would drink, (bit foggy at the stage of the night) I actually thought I’d mixed up the RWT prior to tasting the RWT.
2008 Penfolds RWT Shiraz – very young, very plush. Classic Penfolds. (in a nice way). They know how to make big fruited wine last for ages. Very approachable even this early in its life. Raspberry, blackcurrant, blackberry in abundance. Come back in 10-20 years.
2008 Horrocks Cordon Cut – I found this surprisingly good, I was expecting another anaemic Aussie dessert wine, which barely nods it’s head to the mandarin/orange/lemon end of the spectrum. This was really well developed, with marmalade, orange peel, and honeycomb, also an unctuousness on the palate which melded really well with its acidic backbone. Very good length. Right up there with Noble One in my opinion.
Bailey’s Rare Tokay – Lovely drop. Provided a good foil to the Merchant Prince. A little more caramel and toffee sweetness as opposed to the raisins end of the spectrum like the MP Muscat. It was also a bit more fluid than other Rare Tokays I’ve had, this didn’t detract from the drink at all I must add, a refreshing Rare Tokay if you will.
Campbells Merchant Prince Muscat – probably the closest thing we have readily available to compare with the 100y.o Seppelt Para Liquers. Still, not cheap at around $120 a half, but certainly cheaper than the $1300 for the 100yo. It’s the quintessential special occasion tipple that provides a great finish to proceedings. It’s black and viscous, with raisins, and burnt sugar on the nose and a mouth filling flavour that goes on and on and on and providing you skip the coffee you’ll no doubt be tasting it for an hour afterwards.
Great night all up, and felt quite sprightly on Friday all things considered. Next time he is out here, we’ve agreed to do a free for all with no theme. Looking forward to it.
Only took a couple of random photos, nearly forgot as we were having so much fun.
