Salut/Hi Ron Lel,

le/on Sun, 18 Jan 2004 00:57:44 GMT, tu disais/you said:-

>
>"Bill Spohn" > wrote in message
...
>> My turn to host a dinner tasting last night, theme: Australia.
>
>As an Aussie, I find your comments most interesting.

As an expat Englishman living in France, I found them fascinating! But then
I always do.

>Try the '98 - this was a great year in Oz, and this is an excellent wine.
>Pity I am here and you are there - I have all the vintages from 90 - 98. I
>actually prefer these to Grange, (heresy!!)

I tasted the Bin 389 when at Penfolds, and, although very impressed indeed,
I can't say I _prefer_ it to Grange, for me that's a little like comparing
Blue Stilton and Gorgonzola. De gustibus non disputandum est. They'be both
world class. IMO. However, for MY taste, the amazing Old Block Shiraz from
St Hallets and the top (sorry, forget the name) Shiraz from Ch Tahbilk were
more to my taste.

>snipped
>
>> 1980 Offley Boa Vista -
>lol - I wish we made this style here!

Hmm, don't know that I agree, I prefer my ports to be all delicacy and
subtlety - like the Warre 63 we had at Christmas.

However, (not suggesting that the good doctor would emulate Offley's) you
could perhaps try to get Yarra Yering "Portsorts". Tasting in Barrel
reminded me VERY much of the (very) young top ports I was lucky enough to
get to know in the late seventies/early eighties, when I was a regular at
the Christies and Sothebys weekly pre-auction tastings.

>style and it does not have that horrible cloying character that a lot of
>Riverland Oz desert wines get.

Yeah they can be a bit sticky! That's why I was so taken with the Chambers
botrytised muscadelle I tasted at the vineyard. Mind you, some of the top
liqueur muscats are pretty extraordinary too, for all their gooeyness.

--
All the Best
Ian Hoare

Sometimes oi just sits and thinks
Sometimes oi just sits.