Hail the Cab

I find myself in a Singapore back street, upstairs in an old shop-house, with 13 bottles wrapped in aluminium foil. It could only be Brown Bag Night! This irregular, generally monthly, meeting of wine minds is the brain child of Robert Rees from Wine Exchange Asia. The venue is Speakeasy, 54 Blair Rd near Outram Park. But shhhh...keep your voice down; this is the kind of place that you want to keep to yourself. As the website, proclaims, it is Singapore's 'best kept secret' and there is something mysterious about it. With no signage out front and just a smattering of tables and chairs spilling onto the narrow pavement, you have the feeling you've walked in on someone's private party. But no...they are smiling and not telling you to go away..they want you here! Tonight we are here for wine but my eyes wander momentarily around the drinks menu. " Prohibition-era cocktails" are advertised. Either these are potently alcoholic, made with red-neck moonshine or they're devoid of any booze at all. I decide to order a bottle of beer.

Not taken by me. And obviously not taken at night.

Introductions & pleasantries over, we are soon sniffing wines and scribbling notes about the 1st 3 wines of the evening. Robert makes the group feel very at ease as he is no wine snob. He is enthusiastic and amiable and really keen to pass on as much knowledge as possible. The main theme of the blind tasting is Australian Coonawarra Cabernet but apparently a couple of rogue bottles have crept in so we're to expect an odd Shiraz or something at some point. In my confusion, I haven't even brought a bottle (as is the rule) so I have to hastily purchase one from the bar near the end of the night to keep face. My turns out to be one of the rogue bottles as, although it does contain Cabernet it does also contain Merlot and Malbec. Plus it's from New Zealand. My wine is eventually numbered 14. This marks it out very obviously as my wine. Nevermind.

Blind tasting is really tough as you have no reference point except your own senses. At the same time, you have no preconceived ideas from the label, good or bad. The first thing that hits you when tasting Coonawarra Cabernet is the green pepper / capsicum aroma combined with mint and eucalyptus. These three do not disappoint, but on tasting Wine No.1 I start getting the overriding smell of Imperial Leather soap! It could be the black pepper spice and oak. Some might call it Sandalwood, but it is not something I've associated with wine before. It is this smell association that keeps popping back in my head of the course of the evening.

Anyway, here are the wines we tried with my thoughts attached. They are very loose tasting notes but are a true reflection of what I felt on the night. There was a lot of consensus on the night but also some serious disagreement. But that's wine; one man's meat is another man's poison. The wines were tasted in groups of 3 and the result was announced at the end of each round.

Wine No.1 
Zema Estate Coonawarra Cabernet 2004

This one had the Imperial Leather nose; peppery and spicy, but, well, a bit soapy.
Some licorice, waxy red apple and mint on the palate.
The finish was spoilt by some hot alcohol burn on the throat.

Wine No.2

Reynella McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004

A curve-ball! A Shiraz and not from Coonawarra.

Real depth of flavour here with raisin, cinnamon & clove.

Creamy vanilla oak complementing baked fruit crumble.

*My fave of the 3 - but not a Cab

Pic stolen from a random blogger

 

Wine No.3

Rymill Coonawarra Cabernet 1998

Powerful scent of green pepper and chilli.

Showing signs of aging - tomato ketchup and Worcester sauce.

Nice acidity balancing but creeping alcohol presence.

Time to drink up - but no.2 choice of the 3

 

Wine No.4

Rietine Tiziano, Tuscany 2004

Another one sent to throw us! Italian!

Really herby nose with some leather and cedar-spice.

Soft tannins, salty chocolate and bay.

A contender - but confusing until unmasked as non-Coonawarra

Wine No.5

 Kilikanoon Killerman's Run 2007

Cabernet, but not specified as Coonawarra (regional blend?)

The Imperial Leather has given way to washing powder: is it the waiter?

Cedar oak on the nose and tobacco leaf (more Marlboro that cigarbox)

Flavours of cranberry, blueberry and sloeberry

A touch of cocoa but grainy texture reminds of powder not chocolate block.

 

Wine No.6

Reschke  Empyrean Coonawarra Cabernet 2002

Straight away this is stand out: a powerhouse of a nose - pow!

The aromas of well made Bloody Mary and Gazpacho pack a real punch and 

keep you smiling.

Tomato & Worcester sauce flavours are smooth & attractive with hints of chocolate.

Good acidity, countering the richness of the wine, means this would be great with food.

Lovely wine - wine of the night so far?

Wine No.7

The Musician (Majella) Coonawarra Cab 2009

Afterwards we learn this a critically acclaimed wine, hailed by the Wine Advocate  - I thought it was odd! Each to their own I say

 It certainly has a lot going on, that's for sure;

Lavender, violets and creamy coconut (oak) on the nose.

Very herbal - coriander also on the nose combining with the coconut.

This is starting to smell like a Thai curry!

There's green pepper and creamy oak on the palate with some spicy bay and black pepper.

The finish is chocolatey, with a hint of violets.

*An odd one for sure

 

Wine No.8

Parker Terra Rossa First Growth, Coonawarra - Bordeaux Blend 1998

This does taste Bordeaux-like - Oak, smoke and tomato from the aging.

Dark chocolate flavours mingle with the mellow fruit.

Best of the 3

Wine No.9

Tapanappa Wrattonbully Cab Shiraz 2004

We discover after that this is made by Brian Croser, top winemaker. However, in 2 blind tastings i've done, I have not enjoyed his wines...oops

Port-like on the nose and palate - a little sweet.

Raisins and currants,violets, cloves and thyme with a touch of chocolate

Lighter in body than most tonight with a slightly bitter aftertaste.

Wine No.10
Majella Coonawarra Cab 2008 
Green pepper and white pepper on the nose
Juicy fruit shows well balanced acidity and tannin
A much more rounded experience than the other Majella wine here tonight (No.7)
*Best out of the 3











Wine No.11
Leconfield Coonawarra Cab 2008
Overriding aromas of stewed coffee and alcohol with very concentrated jammy fruit on the palate.
Maybe one to watch to see if it can bear fruit?

Distinctly un-Coonawarra

Wine No.12
Jacob's Creek Reserve
Coonawarra Cab 2009
I had my money on this not being from Coonawarra. And not being a Cab!
Almost Rhone-like with black pepper and a beef twang.
Interesting acidity and red apple fruit.
On re-tasting,  the red apple fruit was a little more like raw potato.
What is this?





 




Wine No.13
D'Arenberg Coppermine Rd McLaren Vale Cab 2001
Lovely menthol and cherry spice on the nose, continuing on the palate with almond and chocolate.
Delicious acidity and subtle integrated oak
This is still going strong!
Ah...This could be wine of the night!





Wine No.14
Stony Corner Newton Forrest, Gimblett Gravels NZ 2007
(A last minute purchase!)
After the Coppermine, the competition has been dynamited!
This just tastes too concentrated, too high in alcohol and strangely like Mackerel.
It has been blown out of the water!


So, to conclude, a great exercise. The overall winners were:

3rd -Parker Terra Rossa First Growth 1998
2nd - Reschke  Empyrean Coonawarra Cabernet 2002
1st - Coppermine Rd McLaren Vale Cab 2001

See Robert's report here via You Tube  

Brown Bag Night's can be arranged through  http://www.wineexchangeasia.com/