2015 Ashley Horner Little Jack Organic Orange Riesling

Purchase: Naked Wines

Notes: Beautiful fruit freshness profiling the Orange region

Out of 10: 8

Value: Excellent

2014 Lodestar Wines Shiraz

Purchase: Naked Wines

Nose: Initially vanilla caramel moving to plum

Palate: Chocolatey spice, good bight but softens to clean and dry finish

Out of 10: 8

Value: Good

2011 Alkoomi Shiraz

Purchase: $12.99 from Winestar

Nose: Generous fruity nose and subdued classic shiraz spiciness.

Palate: Theme continues with mouthfeel - big and well rounded, generous and smooth.

Out of 10: 8

Value: Excellent

2005 Karatta 12 Mile Vineyard Shiraz

Purchase: $6.50 from Crackawines

Nose: A touch of barnyard (bret) but manageable. Due to age its starting to show slight browning.

Palate: Full-bodied Shiraz that has aged well. Powerful Shiraz spice. Drink now.

Out of 10: 7

Value: Excellent

2009 Geoff Merrill Sangiovese Merlot Shiraz SMS

Purchase: $9.99 from Crackawines

Nose: Musky earthiness followed by delightful cherry and anise sweetness.

Palate: Luscious mouthfeel with a medium body. Nice balance of black cherry / mulberry fruit and light oak. A textural wine with a bit of Shiraz bight upfront and soft Merlot to lengthen the finish. The Sangiovese is the hero here for pulling it all together.

Out of 10: 9

Value: Excellent

2006 Stoney Broke Hunter Valley Chardonnay

Purchase: $11.50 from Crackawines

Nose: Fruit salad and light oak

Palate: Good balance of acid and sweetness with long finish

Out of 10: 8

Value: Excellent

2009 The Derek Victorian Grampians Shiraz

Purchase: $4.99 (2-4-1) from GetWinesDirect

Nose: Dark fruits and hint of spice

Palate: Good fruit, medium unassuming body and easy lingering finish

Out of 10: 7

Value: Excellent

 

This wine and Block 51 are to blame for the start of much on-line wine purchasing, tasting gatherings and general enjoyment. The Derek of 2009 was the go to BBQ Red.

 
Update: I've found the tasting notes from the gathering pictured.

Wine Tasting by the boys - 20 Dec 2012
Tasters:
Larcombe, Grant
Liebig, Peter
Rositano, Joe           

Wines for the tasting:
1) Bin 63 Triton Shiraz 2009
2) The Derek Shiraz 2009
3) Limb Single Vinyard Shiraz 2009
4) Block 51 Basket Press Shiraz 2010

Preliminary Notes by Liebig as he pours, "Ah,  All smelling good", "Far out" , "Cheese, Hell Yeah", "Check this out, Block 51 is very different to the other 3, Very Purple."

LET THE FUN BEGIN 6pm - Round 1
GL:
Triton.. trusty Triton
Derek.. ah the Derek. Yes I can see that this is one to savour.
Limb..  Sharper than the Derek initially. Not drinking as well as I remember my first bottle... Which was orgasmic.
Block 51.. Softer than the Limb. Fruitier than the Derek. Could still be the champion.
"That's my early impressions done. Now a pause in typing while I enjoy. 

PL:
Triton.. Underrated
Derek..  Mmmmm - still rates above Triton
Limb..  Noice. Not sure why at this stage. More body than D and T. Smooth.
Block 51..  Still the one. Dammit. Head and shoulders above the others. Solid. Fruity. Smooth.

JR:
Block 51.. Say no more Soft, fruit classic shiraz - best
Derek.. Like a brillant tune - gets better with every tasting - slight pepppery tastes - fantastic
Limb.. Not bad - has potential - totally f###ing confused as a discussion b/w Derek and Limb has numbed more thought processes
Triton.. Very watery compared with others but very nice to drink in any season .. even with "white wine" food
 

6:30 pm
GL:
To finish up...  

A most excellent tasting session.
The clear winner, Block 51. You just can't beat basket press fruit juice=iness. How will we replace you.
Some indecision on second position. The lean is towards the Derek. The smoothness and back pallet opulence shows through.
Meanwhile, the Limb. My orgasmic sensation, comes on a little spicy when switching between wines. In a years time, and some mellowing this will likely outrate the Derek easily. Much enjoyment to be had from both of these wines. Some fun competition to be had in taste offs. Unfortunately, the Derek is now unavailable from Tony. Buy up and cellar the Limb peeps.
and that leaves us last, but not least, well least today but not unworthy. the Triton. You can drink it at a BBQ and share it with your friends, you can drink it a restaurant, you can drink it any old how. It is very drinkable, but in the leagues of these other three, it is only slightly better than my water :)

Final comments Pete?
I can't believe how the Block 51 compares to the others. "The others" are definitely not bad wines. You could pour a glass of any of them in any company - and receive a nod of approval. The Block 51 is special. So smooth. So fruity. So wonderful.
And so begins the quest to de-throne the Block 51.
 

7:30pm
Mr Rositano...
 has been 'encouraged' to drink the Limb THEN the Derek. In an effort to compare them, one their own. Sorry about the water dude...
Once you try The Limb on its own for a moment and gain a little "momentum" it really does start to shine.

  
 

2009 Bodega Dos Andes Chalten Malbec Coleccion

Purchase: $14.99 from GetWinesDirect

Nose: Sweet fruit and oak

Palate: Dark fruit and dry tannic finish

Out of 10: 8

Value: Excellent

2010 Block 51 Basket Pressed Shiraz

Purchase: $9.99 from GetWinesDirect

Nose: Dark fruits and oak

Palate: Big rich and fresh fruit driven wine. Chocolate and soft tannins. The wine by which all other young Shiraz must compete. My favourite.

Out of 10: 10

Value: Excellent

NV Banrock Station Sparkling White Shiraz

Purchase: $5.60 from Dan Murphy's

Nose: Strawberry

Palate: Nice bead, light-style just off-dry and not pretending to be a Shiraz. Easy summer drinking!

Out of 10: 7

Value: Excellent

2013 Normans Holbrooks Road Sauvignon Blanc

Purchase: $4.99 (2-4-1) from GetWinesDirect

Nose: TBA

Palate: TBA

Out of 10: 8

Value: Excellent 

2013 Normans Holbrooks Road Pinot Gris

Purchase: $4.99 (2-4-1) from GetWinesDirect

Nose: Tropical Fruits

Palate: Easy drinking, inoffensive Summer white

Out of 10: 8

Value: Excellent 

2012 Normans Holbrooks Road Pinot Gris

Purchase: $4.99 (2-4-1) from GetWinesDirect

Nose: Tropical fruits

Palate: Easy drinking, inoffensive Summer white

Out of 10: 8

Value: Excellent

2013 Moppity Lock & Key Shiraz

Purchase: $13.99 from Cloudwine

Nose: Spicy!

Palate: Silky smooth and savoury style. Big Fruit.

Out of 10: 8

Value: Excellent

2013 Pure Clare Cabernet Sauvignon

Purchase: $6.75 from Crackawines

Nose: Blackcurrant fruits

Palate: Generous ripe blackcurrant fruit, smooth tannins

Out of 10: 8

Value: Excellent

2012 Dr John's Willunga Shiraz

Purchase: $10.90 from Skye Cellars

Nose: Faint plum and pepper spice perfume.

Palate: The Shiraz spicy bite is there but seems watered down to a medium body only. Some chocolatey notes with tannins that will likely see it cellar a few more years.

Out of 10: 7

Value: Excellent

2012 Chasing Clouds Merlot

Purchase: $6.75 from Crackawines

Nose: TBA

Palate: TBA

Out of 10: 7

Value: Excellent

2010 Taparoo Valley Shiraz

Purchase: $11 from Crackawines

Nose: Savoury and sour, like salami and olives.

Palate: What a backflip! Sweet cherry prevails. Gritty tannins with the sweetness of American oak in the middle palate and finish. An intensely flavoured wine that strikes me as gamey.

Out of 10: 7

Value: Excellent

2013 Grant Burge Hayburner Merlot

Purchase: $8.85 from Crackawines

Nose: TBA

Palate: TBA

Out of 10: TBA

Value: Excellent