your favourite red wine

[richard4u2]

have just finished sipping on a bottle of evans and tate of margaret river cabernet merlot $18 a bottle , very nice ;) so just wondering what is your favourite red wine :) ps mods not sure if to put this in general chat, bio fuels or good oil ;)

[CraigE]

Howling Wolf Cab Sav (if you can get it try it)
Anything Red Penfolds
Most genuine Coonawarra Reds
Evans & Tate Cab Sav or Cab Merlot

[incisor]

Stanton & Killeen Classic Rutherglen Muscat

[Pedro_The_Swift]

I can honestly say its an '84 Grange.


and it was yummy!

[Celtoid]

Lake's Folly Cabernets, with a few runs on the board, never fails to please.

Can be a bit hard to get and can be a but expensive though.

[vnx205]

have just finished sipping on a bottle of evans and tate of margaret river cabernet merlot $18 a bottle , very nice ;) so just wondering what is your favourite red wine :) ps mods not sure if to put this in general chat, bio fuels or good oil ;)

I have taken to drinking mine from a glass rather than directly from the bottle. :p

However one of the nicest reds I have ever drunk was from a pretty unlikely source.

When I lived in Narrabri from 1969 to 1976, a vineyard called Cubaroo explored growing wine on irrigated black soil. In 1975 or 1976 I thought I would do the right thing and support the local industry, so i bought a couple of bottles of the 1973 and 1974 vintage.

When I tried one that year, i was horrified at the taste and thought it was probably more suitable as paint stripper. I put the bottles aside and tried to forget that I had bought them. When I opened one fifteen years later, it was transformed into the nicest red I have ever tasted. Another one a further five years later was still really great, but probably just past its peak.

[CraigE]

I can honestly say its an '84 Grange.


and it was yummy!

Yeah, just rub it in/:nazilock:

[abaddonxi]

I have taken to drinking mine from a glass rather than directly from the bottle. :p

However one of the nicest reds I have ever drunk was from a pretty unlikely source.

When I lived in Narrabri from 1969 to 1976, a vineyard called Cubaroo explored growing wine on irrigated black soil. In 1975 or 1976 I thought I would do the right thing and support the local industry, so i bought a couple of bottles of the 1973 and 1974 vintage.

When I tried one that year, i was horrified at the taste and thought it was probably more suitable as paint stripper. I put the bottles aside and tried to forget that I had bought them. When I opened one fifteen years later, it was transformed into the nicest red I have ever tasted. Another one a further five years later was still really great, but probably just past its peak.



Still there, apparently -
VisitVineyards.com - Cubbaroo Wines (http://www.visitvineyards.com/new-south-wales/northern-slopes/wine/vineyards-wineries/info/cubbaroo-wines)

[JamesH]

The nicest wine I can afford to drink reasonably frequently is Vasse Felix Cab Sav. I put a case a year under the spare bed and am now drinking 2004&5.

The nicest wine I ever had was, sorry for the cliche, a Grange Hermitage 1973 back in the mid 90's. I also had a 1984 vintage.

[big guy]

Rockford Basket Press 96 fav, rest all good though.
Rockford Black sparkling shiraz--Liquid gold.
Haan Merlot--Any vintage
The Old Bastard--By Kaesler--Barossa--Yum

Mr Riggs Shiraz Viogner --Yeah Baby

Thats just local but some great from Chile, california and Bordeaux.

Sad part is, I have them at my disposal all too much but hey I won't die complaining I never had a good drop.:p:p:p

[D mac]

N E Vic
Devil's Creek Merlot
$10.00
Smooth

[Drover]

Yellow Tail - Merlot

All good....

[numpty]

I can vouch for the '73 Grange as well. A truly splendid drink.

There are actually "bad" reds? :o

[VladTepes]

Obikwa Merlot

$10 / bottle always 2 for 1 so $5 per bottle

As far as cheap drinkable reds from South Africa are concerned.. it's the only one I;ve come across.

[mns488]

A topic i like:D

Favorite aussie i have had recently: 2007 Dalwhinne Shiraz and 2008 Dandelion Shiraz.

Best ever aussie wine i've had: 2004 Coriol lloyd reserve or 2004 Henschke hill of grace shiraz (although certainly not worth the money in my book).

Best wine ever: 1990 Chateau Leoville Barton 2me cru classe, St-Julien

[land864]

In my stomach :D

[Scallops]

A really good Shiraz - available at Murphs for $17.99 is Tim Knapstein 1996 (Clare Valley) - can be cellared for 8 years but mine don't last 8 hours! :D

[isuzurover]

Hmm so many great wines to choose from...

Haven't yet tried Grange...

My favourites would have to be:
St Hallet - Old Block Shiraz
Brown Hill - Bill Bailey
Teusner - The Reibke

I also have a couple of cases of turkey flat Shiraz that I am expecting good things from in a few years...


Obikwa Merlot

$10 / bottle always 2 for 1 so $5 per bottle

As far as cheap drinkable reds from South Africa are concerned.. it's the only one I;ve come across.

OMG - that has to be one of the worst bottled reds I have tried!!! Each to their own I suppose...

[VladTepes]

wine snob !

[ezyrama]

Ah! a subject close to my heart. Thistle Hill Merlot from the Mudgee region is great, Capel Vale Merlot from Margaret River is almost as good, got a 93 bin 63 and bin 407 and a couple of great reds Grant Burge, Corryton Park,2004 old vine Granache from S.A. trip last year cellaring in a humidity and temp controlled fridge at home (lucky I'm a fridgie) which I am looking at cracking for my 23rd anniversary in a couple of months. My problem is, once I buy a case or bottle, I can't look at it for too long before I gotta try it.;)

[isuzurover]

wine snob !


:D Maybe... but I think life is to short not to enjoy good food/wine...
(Just like you would hate it if you were forced to use a cheap chinese made firearm???)

A guy I know once said the real skill is not to be able to appreciate a really good wine, but to always still be able to drink Chateu l'cardboard.

[WhiteD3]

It's got to be pretty bad for me not to like it :angel: At the cheap end, any Wolf Blass red labels or Yellow tail. Dearer would be Church block but there's so many good reds out there I couldn't pick a favourite.

[isuzutoo-eh]

After the first glass, I love them all :wub:

[richard4u2]

Rockford Basket Press 96 fav, rest all good though.
Rockford Black sparkling shiraz--Liquid gold.
Haan Merlot--Any vintage
The Old Bastard--By Kaesler--Barossa--Yum

Mr Riggs Shiraz Viogner --Yeah Baby

Thats just local but some great from Chile, california and Bordeaux.

Sad part is, I have them at my disposal all too much but hey I won't die complaining I never had a good drop.:p:p:p
judgeing by the interest in red wines, a christmas in july party at your place could go down as a christmas that would be remembered forever ;)

[woody]

but to always still be able to drink Chateu l'cardboard.

Now we're talking my language ;)

[MEANZ06]

i dont drink wine or hard alcohol for that matter, but we have the Napa Valley here thats supposed to have some good wine... :p


real men drink beer! a good IPA for sure! :D

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p275/meanz06/1305487321.jpg

[rick130]

Mmmm, Shiraz.....

The best I've drunk is St Henry otherwise known as the poor man's Grange.

I was given a bottle of Grange (can't recall the vintage, early seventies ?) Hardy's Show Port (1956) and Grandfather Port (1948) on my 21'st b/day.

Never got to sample a drop of any of them :(

Locally, James Estate at Denman make a nice Shiraz, I like their '07 ATM as I can get it at a friends café and it isn't too exxy :D

[alexi]

Anything by Happs or his upper market range Three Hills, out of Augusta SW part of WA, best wine ever. The port is bloody good, the Three Hills Shiraz at $55 a bottle is way too cheap for how good it is.

Happs (http://www.happs.com.au/)

[adm333]

I'm afraid I'm only going to come across as a wine snob if I start listing my favourite Reds.

Online auction sites are a good place to get high quality reds at a fraction of their retail value.

Right now I'm sipping a 2004 Coonawarra Cab Sav which is a fantastic drop by any standards for less than $10 a bottle ...... madness !!

I acquired a Vinturi (http://vinturi.com/) wine aerator some time ago, which is a great way of quickly softening a young wine. Get one, they work !!

( ..... Range Rover drivers ..... pffft )

Dave

[Mick_Marsh]

Fox Creek wines:

Vixen, a sparkling shiraz/cabernet sauvignon/cabernet franc, served chilled
Short Row Shiraz
Duet, cabernet merlot
Sauvignon Blanc

and other wines from

Pirramimma (love the reds and port)
d'Arenburg (love the whites)
Wirra Wirra (selected wines)

[PhillH]

FREE. Can there be any nicer?

Lindermans Bin 45 cab Sav or Squid Ink merlot or cab sav.

[LandyAndy]

I love Monkey Blood in winter.My favorite comes in a cardboard box.
Renmano Premium Shiraz Cabernet Merlot.
Andrew

[dromader driver]

Brown Brothers Cab Sav. Year doesn't matter. :)

[rick130]

Actually, the best recent wine I've drunk was a Tempranillo, grown and bottled locally by a wine buff.

Bloody fantastic drop, only twelve months old it was part payment for the time it took me to dial in the temps on his new fermenting vat for him.

[richard4u2]

Actually, the best recent wine I've drunk was a Tempranillo, grown and bottled locally by a wine buff.


Bloody fantastic drop, only twelve months old it was part payment for the time it took me to dial in the temps on his new fermenting vat for him.
perhaps a call out on "AULRO" for volunteers to help with such a task next time you are called upon ;)

[harro]

The nicest wine I can afford to drink reasonably frequently is Vasse Felix Cab Sav. I put a case a year under the spare bed and am now drinking 2004&5.

The nicest wine I ever had was, sorry for the cliche, a Grange Hermitage 1973 back in the mid 90's. I also had a 1984 vintage.


Couldn't agree more, imho probably the best mid range red out there.

Cheers,
Paul.

[Chucaro]

Napa Angel Aurelio´s Selection is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Montes winery
The Montes Sauvignon Blanc now in Andy Murphy for less than $10 pwer bottele is a fantastic drop and equal to any Australian wine of $ 40 a bottle or more.

Cheers

[jacknz]

You Aussies can sure make a good Merlot or Shiraz, (Taylors is my current favourite), but over here in NZ there is a place called Martinbourgh about an hour north of Wellington, they make incredible Pinot Noir, I would recommend 'Alana Estate' who supply the 'House Pinot' for 'Fortnum and Mason' in London. Their '08 is just about chewable, the flavour is incredible to my untrained palate, and the owners are Land Rover fans aswell.

Jack

[Awest]

Sorry not much of a wine drinker, $2.99 Clean skins from Murphy's, though the headache in the morning was amazing!

[Ean Austral]

I love Monkey Blood in winter.My favorite comes in a cardboard box.
Renmano Premium Shiraz Cabernet Merlot.
Andrew

The remano was known as Wiluna top shelf on our CSR trip last year, picked up a cask in Wiluna, went down just fine..

Being the tightarse I am, Debortali 4ltr cask cab merlot...mmm


We have a bottle of grange at home, have to get around to drinking it 1 day.


Cheers Ean

[Hoges]

for years, I have exercised what I call "Adventure Drinking". I NEVER pay more than $15 for a bottle...and that has to pretty spec. I generally haunt the clean skins and go by the year and where it was grown.

Say a case of cab sav, some merlot, perhaps grenache.

I buy a case or two of each and then open a couple of bottles and blend my own:twisted: Screw caps make this an easy exercise. I leave it for two days then pour and drink.
Results: had some ..spectacular successes...and a couple of "plonk" results, but not many.

If I think it's a good result I'll put some into a selection of snob bottles I keep for the occasion and try it out on "discerning" friends... the results are sometimes amazing...;):p:angel::angel::wasntme:

There's lots of quality to be found in clean skins... try the blending racket.. it's a lot of fun..I guarantee the 'discerning' friend/acquaintance will be caught out every time!!.

"Secretly" pouring and blending beers and serving them in a cold glass is also good for a chuckle...

[rick130]

perhaps a call out on "AULRO" for volunteers to help with such a task next time you are called upon ;)

:lol2:

He actually has a great little cellar.

He picked the fermenting vat and refrigeration/heating unit up for a song from a bloke down in Victoria somewhere last year (Bendigo or Ballarat ?) and picked up a heap of lab stuff (pipettes, burettes, sugar and acidity analysers, etc) when Arrowfield at Jerrys Plains closed down 8 months or so ago but he's been playing with wine for quite a few years now.
He worked for a few vineyards further down the valley for several years on the vines and picked the winemakers brains as often as he could.

He has a tiny little vineyard here with a number of wine and table grapes.
The table grapes are Black Muscats, Red Flame, a fairly common white grape and an amazing old white variety that he hasn't been able to identify yet.
It's off a trial block from an old estate near Broke that was planted over sixty years ago and the records have been lost.
The closest he can find (so far) is some sort of American variety but it has the most amazing flavour, sort of like a cross between a Lychee and Monsterio Deliciosa.
It's such a shock to the tastebuds at first as we are conditioned to relatively tasteless modern table grapes, and then you start hoeing into more bunches as your head gets around that it is a grape as it has such a superb flavour.

I can't recall the rest of his wine grapes ATM, but I have to drop in and see him over the next few days.
He went back to NZ to visit his Mum a couple of months back and I had run of his orchard/garden/vineyard while he was away, so we cleaned up the remains of the Muscats and un-named white grapes, got stuck into the Raspberries (yum !), heritage strawberries, (tiny little suckers with amazing flavour) and persimmons (yum)

I'm definitely going to grab some more bottles of the Tempranillo off him.
A mate of mine here is Italian with a very good palate and we had a BBQ/campfire at a mates place up the road one weekend recently which is where I cracked the Tempranillo.

First corked I went "err" so I let it air for a few minutes and my first sip was "wow". "Luigi, you have to try some of this" and his reaction was "Oh my God....this is really good"

[richard4u2]

just had a try of de bortoli "shriaz" and renmano premium "merlot" and i swear they both came out of the same barrel , both 2ltr cask . compaired to evan & tate i would give them both a 7.5

[tastrax]

I am a regular wine drinker and have many favourites but one of the best I have ever tasted was a Rockfords Basket Press Shiraz - alas you can seldom find it anywhere and their mailing list is closed (I think). If you are ever in the Barossa - check 'em out.

Rockford Wines ~ Committed to keeping the best of the traditional wine trade alive ~ Barossa Valley (http://www.rockfordwines.com.au/)

If you ever see one anywhere I would grab it, but it may set you back a few bucks!

I still have a couple of Grange Hermitage in the rack but I gave up buying them when they hit $50 a bottle!

If you find something YOU like - buy a few - that's all that counts regardless of price.

[rick130]

just had a try of de bortoli "shriaz" and renmano premium "merlot" and i swear they both came out of the same barrel , both 2ltr cask . compaired to evan & tate i would give them both a 7.5

Out of 100 ?

That's harsh :lol2:

[big guy]

judgeing by the interest in red wines, a christmas in july party at your place could go down as a christmas that would be remembered forever ;)

Sounds like a plan. Quite a few members have come to my bar now. We are actually currently selling 03 Dom by the glass.$60. Nector of the gods if u like sparkling that is.

[mick88]

Usually drink whites (chard, chard/semillon, chard/sem/columbard) but Banrock Station sparkling shiraz or any sparkling shiraz really in a red.
Also Pepperjack shiraz in a good drop too!


Cheers, Mick :)

[richard4u2]

Out of 100 ?

That's harsh :lol2:
nah 10

[Sleepy]

Chaperon Grenache

(Shamless plug for an old mate, he makes a nice drop though!):D

[boger]

Hi I get a couple of cases from wirra wirra every year have not been let down so far:) good cellar door prices and always goes down well;) Think global drink local:p

[jonesfam]

Banrock Station White Shiraz!
Not quite RED, not quite WHITE.
But very nice.:D
Jonesfam

[markus_80]

Hmmm a difficult yet thoroughly enjoyable topic.

I guess firstly I'd have to go through the red grape variety's then the blends, then are we drinking it by itself or with food???

I'd have to start by saying my favourite variety (desert island situation) is Pinot Noir. So versatile, much more then most people realise. NZ Pinot's tend to be fuller of colour and flavour, Aussie Pinots a bit lighter.

I purchased a Aurum Madeleine Central Otago NZ Pinot Noir 2007 from the cellar door in Sep '10 which was spectacular then but won't get opened for another 10 years (god bless a proper wine fridge:D)

Mark

[richard4u2]

just trying a 2 ltr of banrock merlot at the moment, i would give it about an 8/10 . anyone do a visit to a winery this weekend ?