pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts:1313
 | | 11/01/2005 10:56 PM |
| Wow, what a delicious stickie and great QPR! The typical array of aromas and flavors -- brown sugar, maple syrup, toffee, caramel, raisins, prunes, figs, molasses -- are present in abundance. This is a very rich, satisfying Aussie dessert wine. Perhaps not the most subtle or refined I've experienced (the Chambers Grand Muscat is currently my favorite) but at $12.95/half-bottle this is a knock-out!! Highly recommended.
[Edit -- oops, maybe this should have been posted under "dessert wines." Fine by me if someone wants to move it.] | | | |
|
love_cab_chard
Master of Wine
Posts:12501
| | 11/02/2005 1:55 AM |
| | Thanks, pizinah! Always looking for a nice after dinner drink. I will try to find this. | | | |
|
pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts:1313
| | 11/02/2005 6:38 AM |
| Day two, sipping a bit more tonight. Much the same as last night, still delicious. Mind you this is not a profound life-altering experience, just a rich, satisfying, very enjoyable stickie for a ridiculously low price. I don't like it quite as much as the Chambers Grand Muscat, but that's six times the cost of the Yalumba. I'm going to pick up a dozen or so more of the Yalumba in the next few days. Definitely worth checking out.
[Edit: FWIW, Parker just gave this 98 pts in WA issue 161 which was released today electronically. I probably wouldn't go quite that high, but this is a really terrific wine if you like the style.] | | | |
|
pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts:1313
| | 12/05/2005 6:53 AM |
| | We had most of another bottle of this tonight. Yowza! This is a seriously delicious wine. Maybe not quite Parker's 98 points, but a serious 95-96 and @ $12-15 a major QPR. | | | |
|
ChangeMe
Grape Destemmer
Posts:77
| | 12/09/2005 1:37 AM |
| I had this on Thanksgiving day with the family. Everyone liked it very much.
TN: 18%. Caramel, creme brulle, hint of menthol / eucaplyptus, dried sweet figs, sweet plums. Thick and viscous. Very sweet with low acidity. Long finish. I don't see that it deserves the RP98 pts. I would give this around 92-94 pts. Very highly recommended for the reasonable pricing! | | | |
|
pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts:1313
| | 12/09/2005 7:03 AM |
| Phyll,
Glad you enjoyed it. I agree it's not a 98-pointer. I'd give it a mid-nineties score though. Really tasty wine at an incredible price. I've bought almost two cases. Delicious stuff! | | | |
|
ChangeMe
Grape Destemmer
Posts:77
| | 12/10/2005 1:26 AM |
| | Pizinah, where did you get them from for $12.95? I bought these at Woodland Hills Wine Co. for $18 each. I'd buy more at your $13 price! | | | |
|
pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts:1313
| | 12/10/2005 1:55 AM |
| | LA Wine Co. had it for $12.95 though I think it's gone. I bought more from Winex @ $13.99 and I think it's still in stock there. | | | |
|
ChangeMe
Grape Destemmer
Posts:77
| | 12/10/2005 4:54 AM |
| I see you wiped their entire inventory of this Yalumba Muscat.
I've been wanting to check out LA Wine Co. but haven't found myself in Marina Del Rey/LAX area lately. Thanks for the pointer, Pizinah. | | | |
|
pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts:1313
| | 12/10/2005 6:33 AM |
| | They often have great prices. Aesthetically it's kind of a dump, but who cares? The real clincher in terms of getting motivated to go down there in person is that in the same ugly little out-of-the-way cross between a strip mall and an industrial park is another discount wine place, called Beverage Warehouse or something like that, and between the two places 50 yards apart you're bound to find a few attractive bargains. I live nearby so it's easy, but I go there in person at least once every month or two. | | | |
|
Dave
Wine Thief
Posts:2899
| | 12/10/2005 7:29 PM |
| | For me this is in-between the Chambers Muscat (better) and Special Muscat (not as good) quality-wise. I like it better than the regular Buller as well. I am looking forward to trying this next to the 50 year old Museum muscat (Parker gave both a 98). I think that it makes sense to buy this in quantity. I am still smarting over Chambers doubling the price ($150 to $300) of their Rare muscat after a couple of Parker 100pt reviews. | | | |
|
ChangeMe
Grape Destemmer
Posts:77
| | 12/10/2005 11:20 PM |
| Quote:
I am still smarting over Chambers doubling the price ($150 to $300) of their Rare muscat after a couple of Parker 100pt reviews.
Dave, is Chambers rare muscat that much better than the other Chambers muscat that is selling for about $15? The emperor of taste in Baltimore bestowed the latter 95pts. | | | |
|
Dave
Wine Thief
Posts:2899
| | 12/11/2005 12:23 AM |
| | Phyll, I'll probably never know! I bought 2 bottles of the Rare for $100 per 1/2 bottle. Now that the price has shot up to $300, I am not sure when I'll ever drink them. I can say that the Special ($60?) is head and shoulders better than the regular Chambers Muscat. The Campbell's Muscat is another good one. | | | |
|
pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts:1313
| | 12/11/2005 2:31 AM |
| | I haven't tried the "Rare," and at its now rarified price I probably never will. The Chambers "Grand" Muscat, though rated a measly 98 pts by his eminence, is phenomenal and, though expensive ($60-100 for a half bottle), a lot less than the Rare. | | | |
|
ChangeMe
Grape Destemmer
Posts:77
| | 12/12/2005 12:18 AM |
| Quote:
Now that the price has shot up to $300, ...
This sounds more and more like irresponsible pricing scheme. Especially considering that these muscats don't improve in the bottles (but can keep for a long long time), right? | | | |
|
Dave
Wine Thief
Posts:2899
| | 12/12/2005 2:49 AM |
| | In some ways I can't blame them. The soleras dates back to 1890. No one can really match that so I can't begrudge them for pricing it dearly. Still, there is no way that I am going to pay $300 for this. I looks like they have phased out the Special ($50; RP 98) and have replaced it with the Grand ($100; RP 98). That hurts! | | | |
|
love_cab_chard
Master of Wine
Posts:12501
| | 03/04/2006 4:11 AM |
| $18.00, Retail.
I agree with every one above. I bought this wine after reading pizinah's TN/thread. Thanks for the post, pizinah. An excellent bottle of wine. Tasted figs, chocolaty, velvety, caramel, syrupy, thick & concentrated. A really nice & delish bottle of wine.
The only criticism, not a criticism but … is a lack of mid palate. It drops off on the mid palate in the mouth, & then picks up again on the finish with a silky thick, long finish. A wonderful, captivating aroma to match.
This bottle gives the N/V Buller Victoria Fine Muscat a run for its money.
I don't know about the 98 points that Parker gave it, but an excellent bottle of wine nonetheless. And, for the money ... forgetaboutit … a real winner!
I appreciate the original TN, pizinah. I would never have bought/enjoyed the bottle otherwise.
Rating: 93 points (94 if not for the mid palate drop off). Drink or hold.
P.S.: I left some for leftovers tomorrow. And, I have 3 more of these babies. | | | |
|
pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts:1313
| | 03/04/2006 5:31 PM |
| | Glad everyone else is enjoying this. Seems like no one (me included) agrees wtih Parker's 98 points, but it's clearly in the 92-96 range from everyone (I'm toward the upper end of that range). I just picked up another 12 bottles. I love drinking it, but have also discovered it's a great inexpensive wine gift to bring to dinner parties. True wine geeks will check Parker's score after you've left and discover you've given them a 98 pointer, while non-wine geeks will simply discover that it's delicious. And not too large a hit on my wallet. | | | |
|
Dave
Wine Thief
Posts:2899
| | 03/04/2006 11:07 PM |
| | Wow, that's a neat idea. I'll have to try that. | | | |
|
kramer
Grape Stomper
Posts:109
| | 03/05/2006 10:59 AM |
| | The NV tawny is also very good. Parker 96. I was not very impressed when I first opened the bottle it was very bright and lacked depth. I wrote it off put the cork stopper in and left on business for about two weeks upon returning I gave it another try.............. Wow it had totally changed.... nuts, carmel, fig, etc....and a long finish to boot. It change my mind from a no buy to a buy | | | |
|