Chris, on Wine
Welcome to my wine cellar, where I tell you about the wines I’m thinking, drinking, and sometimes cellaring.
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I’m passionate about wine! I’ve been enjoying and collecting it for over 50 years and I’ve built several home wine cellars during that time.
I started this blog to share my thoughts on the wine that I’ve been drinking. I’d welcome your comments … Chris Miley
2003 Mt Pleasant Maurice O’Shea Shiraz Hunter Valley, 14.5%
Here are some notes from an earlier tasting in September 2006. ‘Legendary winemaker, the late Maurice O’Shea founded the Hunter Valley’s Mount Pleasant winery in 1921. This wine is a tribute to Maurice O’Shea, a true visionary, who is acclaimed as...
2004 Woodlands ‘Margaret’ Reserve Cabernet Merlot Malbec Margaret River, 14.2%
Last blog on this wine was from a tasting in 2009, so it will be interesting to see how it looks in October 2014. The wine is a blend of 68% cabernet sauvignon, 18% merlot, 14% malbec and alcohol level is 14.2% . The wine is matured in French oak...
2010 Gembrook Hill Pinot Noir 13.5%
Colour is pale and transparent, tinged with pink, a little unusual to say the least. Nose shows strawberry, forest floor and savoury characters. Palate belies the colour and nose somewhat; light to medium bodied with strawberry, savoury spice, a...
2005 Teusner Avatar GSM, 14.5%, Barossa Valley
A blend of 55% Grenache, 25% Shiraz and 20% Mataro (Mourvedre), the 2005 was one of the last to be finished with a cork closure, but it is high quality cork and in perfect condition. Colour is deep dark brick red and showing some of its age. Nose...
2007 Forest Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Great Southern WA, 14.5%
These have been hiding in the Cabernet section of the cellar for a few years now, so an excuse had to be found to try one, and so it was; we were still breathing, and thirst was approaching.I bought these years ago after the following review by...
2012 Graillot Syrah, Heathcote Victoria, 13.5%
Graillot Syrah is making waves on the Australian wine scene. A collaboration between Rhône Valley superstar Alain Graillot and importer Robert Walters, this remarkable Syrah is already pressing for entry to the very top ranks of Australian wine,...
2007 Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz, Pyrenees Victoria, 13.5%
Tasted 14 May 2014 These had been purchased some time ago from my favourite online retailer, Winestar, and we had previously tasted one but taken no notes. So here they are. sometimes I have to say it is a privilege to drink a particular wine, this...
2012 Teusner Avatar – Grenache, Mataro, Shiraz, Barossa Valley 14.5%
I have been an enthusiastic fan of Kim Teusner ever since I met him at a Teusner tasting about 10 years ago and discovered the wines that he crafts – and, yes, crafting is the way to describe how the wines are made. He continues to surprise me in...
2000 Wendouree Shiraz Mataro, Clare Valley 13.7%
It was Anzac Day, and the traditional dinner was sorted; roast lamb in the Weber with four veg and lots of rosemary, and just a hint of hickory to add another touch – ok not quite trad. The really tough job however fell to me; search the cellar for...
2007 Mt Pleasant Cellar Aged Elizabeth Semillon, Hunter Valley 11%
Huon Hooke’s Wine of the Week in this week’s Sydney Morning Herald is this great bargain aged Semillon from McWilliams. Huon writes: ‘Hunter Semillon is one of the world’s greatest ageing white wines. Elizabeth is always released after some ageing...
2008 Voyager Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
I tried one of these last month but took no notes; it was a special dinner with my son and our daughter-in-law. We all went ooh! aahh! and it was gone in a flash. All I can say here is that it is a glorious wine, and I have some more in the cellar...
2011 Puligny-Montrachet, Louis Latour 13.5%
First a few notes on Puligny-Montrachet and Louis Latour. Home to some of the world's most extraordinary Chardonnays including the famous Montrachet, Chevalier-Monrachet and Batard-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet is the 216 hectare geographical...