davidandrose 
Aurora, CO
Barrel Racker
Posts: 1686
 | | 04-20-2004 12:58 PM |
| Incredible Notes. Kudos on the detail. | | | |
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Eric LeVine
Grape Sorter
Posts: 384
| | 04-20-2004 05:40 PM |
| Quote:
Incredible Notes. Kudos on the detail.
Thanks! It's somewhat easier to write detailed notes on such impressive and expressive wines. | | | |
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Eric White
San Ramon, CA
Advanced Sommelier
Posts: 9546
| | 05-07-2004 01:04 AM |
| Deep dense purple in color, with a boisterous nose of sweet black cherries, spice, meat and black pepper. Rich and full bodied, with prominent, brawny tannins, dense structure, finishing a tad hot. 92 points. | | | 2008: the end of an error | |
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Bradley Molzen
VinoCellar.com Admin
Bayonne, NJ
Wine Connoisseur
Posts: 5069
| | 12-12-2005 12:05 AM |
| The complexities of this wine have definitely begun to develop. This is much more enjoyable this time (1.75 yrs later) and I'm happy I've waited a little bit longer than intended to drink this next bottle. It still remains a powerful aussie shiraz, but for me is very balanced and well structured. It's 14.1% alcohol is believable. The dark cherry, blueberry, blackberry fruits are complimented by the light mint, sweet oak, and whole pepper kernals with a little bit of minerality finishing off the aftertaste. Tannins are still strong but well integrated and the acidity is lively and fresh... This wine will still benefit from additional aging, but is certainly very drinkable right now with 1/2 hour decant.
Rev rates it: 93
I have four more.. hopefully I can wait another year for the next one. | | | If you drink wine, you get smarter.... | |
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ChangeMe
Grape Picker
Posts: 15
| | 12-24-2005 04:00 AM |
| Brad,
Thanks for the TN. I have some of this wine myself and was curious when I should try it again. I think I will give a go.... and see if I agree. | | | |
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Wine Nightly
Grape Stomper
Posts: 124
| | 12-24-2005 04:05 AM |
| I agree it could use a little more time, but a very nice bottle. - 2001 Kay Brothers Shiraz Hillside Amery Vineyard - Australia, South Australia, McLaren Vale (12/22/2005)
Big dark purple fruit and spice with a great finish. Very tight. Over several hours, it improved and gained weight but then turned a little bitter on the finish. I felt like she never really opened up properly, so give it another 6 months. (93 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker | | | |
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Bradley Molzen
VinoCellar.com Admin
Bayonne, NJ
Wine Connoisseur
Posts: 5069
| | 02-24-2007 11:43 PM |
| I'm starting to drink through some of these as they are just drinking so incredibly well at the moment. Perhaps not peaked as the tannins are just a little bit dry, but it's getting closer... and if it is at it's peak, it'll most likely stay there for awhile. This is showing no signs of age, but it's so silky and delicious right now I won't be saying to wait on these. No decanting needed.... I'm pushing this to 94 pts. Drink this with some stinky cheese or a steak and you'll have a good time. :-) | | | If you drink wine, you get smarter.... | |
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TORB
Berrima NSW Australia
Grape Fermenter
Posts: 547
| | 02-25-2007 03:12 AM |
| .... and at $45 Australian (US$35) its damn good value. Shame you guys have to pay so much.  | | Cheers Ric
www.torbwine.com | |
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Bradley Molzen
VinoCellar.com Admin
Bayonne, NJ
Wine Connoisseur
Posts: 5069
| | 02-25-2007 04:44 AM |
| True that..... any room in Australia for one more?  | | | If you drink wine, you get smarter.... | |
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Winoman
Herndon VA
Grape Puncher
Posts: 778
| | 03-16-2007 11:19 PM |
| Posted By Ric Einstein on 02/25/2007 3:12 AM .... and at $45 Australian (US$35) its damn good value. Shame you guys have to pay so much. Actually I managed to snag some of these (2001 & then some 02) for $32-34 (US) here in the states (Zaks Z-club if I'm not mistaken)...and I agree with all of the positves posted (for the two 01s I have had to date...the most recent being earlier this winter) - really a scrumptious wine - dark, rich, full bodied, almost chocolatly! Anyway does anyone have any guess on the longevity of these? I think this is an issue with Aussie reds in general (I don't see most of them as having very long shelf lifes - though I could see this one lasting a good 10+ years - but not 20)...I recently opened a 99 Dead Arm and it was already on the way down IMO (just a bit)...but I'm wondering if my passive cellar may be partially to blame... | | | |
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TORB
Berrima NSW Australia
Grape Fermenter
Posts: 547
| | 03-17-2007 04:25 PM |
| Why do wines have to last 20 years? Over
95% of all wine sold is consumed within a few hours, or days. Stuff all % is
actually cellared and even then, most people don't want to cellar the stuff for
20 years. Only a very small percentage of wine made is designed to last for 20
years.
As to having concerns about Oz wines ageing, I certainly don't have a problem
with them. I still have hundreds of bottles in my cellar that are over 10 years
old. The trick is to buy the right wines and cellar them properly.
As far as the 99 Dead Arm going over the hill; bovine manure. The bottle you
had may have had a fault or dodgy cork, but the 95 is drinking at its peak, I
am in no huurt to drink my remaining 96's, the 97 is at its peak (but it was
not a good vintage), and I haven't started my 98 and 99's yet.
I had a 98 Hillside last night and the tannins still need a bit of time to resolve.
2001 was an incredibly hot vintage so I will be drinking mine over the next 2-3
years. | | Cheers Ric
www.torbwine.com | |
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Lakersguy
Orange County, CA
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1025
| | 03-17-2007 08:38 PM |
| The 98 Hillside is really good. I'm all out. About ready to start the 01's | | | |
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Winoman
Herndon VA
Grape Puncher
Posts: 778
| | 03-18-2007 11:03 PM |
| Ric - well I'm in the 5% who do cellar wine and I rarely drink a wine I've just purchased (unless I'm out of town with no wine from my own cellar or when at a restaraunt)...anyway so I do care about longevity...and I was asking the question because I don't know the answer...and yeah I certainly might be keeping some wines 20 years. As for the 99 Dead Arm - I was underwhelmed...and I had very much hoped to be impressed. It seemed just past peak to me...maybe it was a damaged bottle...didn't seemed obviously corked...anyway certainly could have been better...shame...and it got me wondering if I'd waited to long and if the same held true for other Aussies.... | | | |
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TORB
Berrima NSW Australia
Grape Fermenter
Posts: 547
| | 03-19-2007 01:15 AM |
| Posted By Winoman . on 03/18/2007 11:03 PM
Ric - well I'm in the 5% who do cellar wine and I rarely drink a wine I've just purchased (unless I'm out of town with no wine from my own cellar or when at a restaraunt)...anyway so I do care about longevity...and I was asking the question because I don't know the answer...and yeah I certainly might be keeping some wines 20 years. As for the 99 Dead Arm - I was underwhelmed...and I had very much hoped to be impressed. It seemed just past peak to me...maybe it was a damaged bottle...didn't seemed obviously corked...anyway certainly could have been better...shame...and it got me wondering if I'd waited to long and if the same held true for other Aussies....
WM, I know what you mean; when I go out of town I take wine with me. As for keeping the stuff for 20 years, a few Oz labels will go that far but not a whole lot of them. The problem with very low level taint is that it is often extremely difficult to detect and just makes the wine appear to be ordinary. The same with low level random oxidation. That's exactly why cork problems are so insidious. Now, when ever I open a bottle and think its not as good as I would have thought, I open a second, and that normally proves the first was dodgy. Luckily in Oz, getting them replaced is generally very easy. (Sorry if my previous post sounded a bit agressive; it was posted when I was suffering from a back ache and had not had my first hit of caffine.  ) | | Cheers Ric
www.torbwine.com | |
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Winoman
Herndon VA
Grape Puncher
Posts: 778
| | 03-19-2007 06:03 PM |
| Ric - apology accepted - no worries...unfortunatly that was the only 99 Dead Arm I owned  ...and I followed it up with an 01 Ladera Howell Mountain (that I also had high hopes for) and it too was rather ordinary IMO...sigh...oh well we all have those days. As for travelling with wine - well I have my 12 bottle rolling suitcase, my 6 bottle rolling case and two 3 bottle bags and such. Until this recent airline ban on liquids I always brought (my own) wine along on nearly any trip I made...in fact a few years back I brought a mixed case of wine (including some nice bottles of Vintage Port!) for a 3 week trip to Turkey and hauled it all around the country with me. I made sure to bring really sturdy wines that could stand a little heat as they often were in the trunk of the car for extended drives or parked (in shade were possible...) while we hiked for a few hours in remote areas. Often I return with wine I buy on my trip (in this case I picked up some really nice Eisewine on the way back through Germany and I did pick up a few bottles of Turkish wine (but mostly brought back Raki & honey!)...this liquid ban is really cramping my style... | | | |
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