Shiraz blend, just acquired today, $16.

Dark rich purple color, almost completely opaque. This has a spicy jazzy nose, and a full burst of fruit on the tongue. It's blueberry pie and spices, with some earth tones. Tart acidity and lots of tannin.

This is a beauty, mate. I think this earns 90 pts and is drink now or within 5 yrs, maybe longer. There is more complexity than the Marquis Phillips shiraz and more earthy spicy notes. It also comes in at a cool 14.5%. Buy, buy, buy.

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Big brother is watching.

Cool. I've enjoyed previous efforts of this wine, much more that the Marquis Philips offerings. I'll be on the lookout.

Thanks RD.

Joe

Don't forget the November TAA. ZIN IS IN! Details here.

RD?

Have you forgotten your name?

Joe

Don't forget the November TAA. ZIN IS IN! Details here.

No. Just wondering why you want to give me credit. I know I'm a sexy young dude and it's difficult to get me out of your head, but ...

FYI - I lifted your chili recipe from VC and I'll be making it tommorrow night. We northerners like the beans, do you think black beans would be a good addition to your recipe? or is that sacrilege?

Oops! I was reading your post about the Quinta Das Heredias NV Special Reserve Ruby Port right before that (which grossie was commenting on in the second post in that thread) and muddled everything up in my head. Not that you aren't dead sexy, for a guy that is.

Concerning the chili: I would NEVER put beans in chili because I am a anal rententive purist at heart. However, if I was going to put beans into that particular recipe I'd put pinto beans in it. They have the right flavor and texture to mesh well with the ingredients. Black beans theoretically should work well but I've never tried them in that recipe before.

Joe

Don't forget the November TAA. ZIN IS IN! Details here.

Hi, Grossie!

Do you believe in the supposedly health benefits of red wine? I have been reading a great deal about this recently, especially about the 'red wine compound.' I would like to know what you think.

Also, I am looking forward to attending a Tasting later this week of french wine.I am hoping to be induced in purchasing a couple of fine bordeauxs for Thanksgiving.

Take care.

Who knows what to believe. It doesn't seem to hurt. Spectator mentions every posssible reference to benefits.

I got a kick out of a blurb in the new wine spectator today that says, "women who drink wine get pregnant faster."

I always thought if the men drank more wine, women got pregnant faster.

This is one of the more bizarre threads I've ever read. I'm pround to have started it.

Concerning the wine- IMO, a goodie, and a QPR goodie.

Concerning Misnaming RD- He's younger than me but not particularly sexy IMO. Now, ME, on the other hand.....

Concerning Chili- I like WIML's comment about no beans and being anal retentive. It would seem to me that if one wants to be truly retentive of things through one's anus then beans should be avoided in all circumstances. If one does not desire that retention then beans are probably a good idea.

Concerning Health Benefits- DebAnne, I know we've comunicated before through these boards, but I don't think this topic has been discussed by us before. Did you ask me that topic for any particular reason, or do you know more than I've let on?
FWIW I do believe in the health benefits of wine in moderation, but much of the evidence is anecdotal. It probably raises your HDL (the good cholesterol), but certainly can have negative effects on the liver and probably the brain. Like most drugs alcohol is a cure and a poison, it's just a matter of degrees.

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Big brother is watching.

Grossie,
#1 - I am way sexier than you.
#2 - Beans in chili is the only way to go.
#3 - What? You don't reccommend the lifestyle of Nicholas Cage's character in Leaving Las Vegas?

hate to highjack this thread back to the torbreck, but...

i recently tasted the '99 and '01 vintages of this, and got to meet the winemaker, david powell. great guy, good wines. the '99 has aged well, is bricking and has to be pretty darn close to peaking. shows a lot of black pepper on the nose and tongue, with cherry liqeur on the finish. tasted very much like a CDP to me. my retailer was charging $27 for this. good wine, but not at that price. the '01 was younger and juicier, darker in color and not nearly as much pepper. a good buy at $16, but would make sure i first had at least 2 cases of the marquis-philips in my wine locker before i bought this. for my tastes, the MP blows away the woodcutter's. sorry david, but sparky wins this battle.

drank this recently at morell's wine bar--fairly impressive with dark fruits and peppery spice and fair amount of tannins---would need more time to really develop--half year?
i recently acquired the 2002 torbreck juveniles but have yet to taste it--based on the woodcutter ,i reckon it will take even more time to be truly enjoyed--any tasting notes on this wine?

I opened a 2001 last night of the woodcutters. I didn't make a formal note, but my impression was that there's less density/concentration in this vs the 02, and a jammier flavor profile (more grenache?). Solid, but IMO not worth the $18 (it was more expensive than the 02- different store).

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Big brother is watching.

2002 Torbreck Woodcutter’s Red

Rich blackberry aromas and flavors. Didn't go with TJ's Chicken and tomatoes "pot pie" super well. But into 3/4 of the bottle it got super good. It's good, a bit of acidity, will that stay after it ages? For the blackberry richness and slightly acidic finish I rated in 88, expect it to improve, maybe 91-92, especially if the short acidic finish gets better.

Note: Just bought it today, the store just got it this week. If after a month or so this is much better it would prove that bottles should rest.
88 points

From Australia
Drank the bottle on 1/31/04
Paid $17.99

Nancy

Had this last night with BBQ chicken breasts, sweet sausage and rare sirloin. CAD$26.

Jam is the operative term for this wine, strawberry to be precise. Others at the table thought blackberry, but for me this was strawberry jam, pure and simple. The tannins were too much for a couple of people, and I too admit that it will be better in a couple of years, maybe more, but meanwhile I score this an easy 90 points.

If you like your fruit upfront, this wine is for you!

snow sucks, cold is worse.......

1 great bottle, 2 bad (corked) bottles, another great bottle. Could these have spent time on the LA docks last year? One more bottle left, but I don't want to buy anymore....

Welcome to Massachusetts - Be Fabulous and Say "I Do"

Drank a bottle of this on two separate nights. Strange but I thought the tannins were just right the first night but had lost everything the second. The bottle was vacuum pumped between nights.

I enjoyed the wine very much the first night and have to agree with the majority on the blackberry jam taste. Sorry bman but I didn't get any strawberry in my bottle.

I think I have at least one bottle left.

I agree with bman

It was very jammy. Reminded me right away of a Marquis Philips wine.

I found it to be a very good wine that needs time. It was very spicy and had a good structure. Also lots of cherries.

I found that it had quite a bit of strange (almost sandy) sediment which is odd for such a young wine.

I had this wine twice. I don't see the comparison with Marquis Philips, other than price. This has more acidity and less vanilla than marquis Philips. It stays Australian but has some of the qualities of a northern Rhone. I don't see the jam mentionned earlier but there is definitely some red berries in the nose. I like it a lot and think it is a great buy.

Tried this for the first time last night and it was great! Excellent value and certainly worth 89 or 90 points.