SLONYC 2-Aussie Shiraz

SLONYC 1 was California Syrah, SLONYC 2 featured Australian Shiraz...SLONYC 3....who knows...

Dinner at Zoe last night featuring 8 wine enthusiasts (Brent had to bail).

Zoe provides great service for wine dinners. The steak I ordered was excellent and very flavorful. The scallops were like jelly, and needed to be seared more to enjoy. A shame. Cheryl, sitting next to me felt the same way. My vanilla panna cotta for dessert happened to be excellent.

Pobega did a great job driving the bus on this one, as usual. We were just missing a white wine starter and/or dessert wine. I should have contributed. Oh well...onto the wines that we did taste...

#1 1992 Penfold's Grange...Mike donated well. This garnered 5 first place votes and appeared on everyone's ballot. I am not sure how much, if any Cabernet, was in 1992 Grange, but it tasted a lot like one. This smooth, clean, and very youthful, given its age. Penfold's seems to have mastered the recipe on this one, and I loved it!

#2 2003 Mitolo Shiraz G.A.M...This was sweet and jammy. More than a mouthfeel, and not really for me.

#3 2000 Elderton Command...I think I was the dissenter on this wine, as I did enjoy it, at least more than the Mitolo. Even going to back to it at the end of the night, I liked it. Very minty nose, but the finish had a slight metallic edge initially. It did eventually blow off.

Blind wine: 2003 Cayuse Syrah en Cerise...I guessed 2003 Sonoma Syrah, so I was not too far off, I think. Like most Cayuse that I try, I did not care for this wine. Cherry syrup on the nose, a little lean on the finish...I do not think anyone really enjoyed this. Even Pobega poo pooed it.

#4 2002 Shirvington Shiraz...In a word...AWFUL...completely undrinkable crap...I cannot wait to see Parker retry this 99 pointer at the 10 year mark. What a joke!

#5 2002 De Lille Syrah Doyenne...wrong btl pulled from a cellar resulted in this wine at the tasting. Not nearly as good as 2001 Doyenne at SLONYC 1. A bit too much alcohol and quite uninteresting.

#6 2003 Ox Shiraz...my contribution...what an awesome wine. Dbl decanted 3 hours before serving, should have done it for 6 hours. A baby at the table, this wine had everything going for it. A touch of alcohol initially, that blows off with time. Definitely competed with the Grange, for me, for first place.

#7 2004 Dead Arm Shiraz...3 of us enjoyed this wine, the rest of thr group, not so much, it would appear. Jay Miller says to cellar this for 20 years. This wine tasted very good last night. 20 years will not do it any favors. It was very big and structured, but with gobs of fruit. Good pairing for my steak.

#8 2004 Amon Ra Shiraz...Initially I hated this wine, but over time, it got much better. Once the alcohol calmed, it became a decent wine. Miller says this will hold for 10 more years, but the 2006 should be held for 30 more years...interesting.

#9 2006 Mollydooker Velvet Glove...clearly the worst QPR in the group. I found this wine all over the place and completely out of balance. Lots of cough syrup in my mouth. Miller says hold it for 30 moe years. Maybe it will come together at that time, but at $200/btl, I am not finding out on my dime.

There seemed to be some divide in the group. Those that really enjoyed the Grange/Ox and those that enjoyed some other wines.

The Shirvington and Mollydooker, two Sparky Marquis wines, showed a particular style that is very polarizing. While I did not really enjoy the MD 20/20, if it becomes anything like the Shirvington 2002 in 5 years, I will not be surprised. These wines are not for the shy folk.

Interestingly enough, when I got home, my wife said I wreaked of alcohol and noted that it was the first time in 9 years, that she had every thought I wreaked of alcohol after going to a wine dinner. I told her that these were Aussie Shiraz, high octane stuff, and that explained it...maybe...

The voting was pretty straight forward, we awarded 4 points for first place, 2 points for second place, 1 point for third place. Number of first place votes in parentheses...

#1 1992 Grange 25 points (5)
#2 2003 Mitolo GAM 3 points
#3 2000 Elderton Command 0 points
#4 2002 Shirvington Shiraz 2 points
#5 2002 De Lille Doyenne 0 points
#6 2003 Ox Shiraz 10 points
#7 2004 Dead Arm 7 points (1)
#8 2004 Amon Ra 5 points (1)
#9 2006 Mollydooker Velvet Glove 4 points (1)