Kind of blue

The nature of the record business (at least the way it was) is that they put out a lot of crap, but every once in awhile that crap tended to sell a lot of discs and that paid for some really good stuff to be released that wouldn't otherwise meet the expectations of the accounting department. Columbia has certainly made a butt-load of money off of "Kind of Blue", but I reckon that we've got Michael Jackson and/or Barbra Streisand to thank for the series of Miles Davis reissue sets that have come out over the past 5-8 years. Clive Davis has had his way paved into heaven based on the decisions he made vis-a-vis letting Miles record what he wanted, when he wanted, and for making sure that nothing was thrown out. I suspect that we'll be hearing new Miles Davis outtakes for the next couple of centuries.

I've bought all of the Miles box sets semi-religiously, reckoning that even if I wasn't in the mood right NOW to slog through five hours of "Jack Johnson" or "Bitches Brew", someday I probably would be (although Bennie Maupin's bass clarinet still bugs the hell outta me so it may be awhile before I really get into thatparticular set).

I'm kind of stuck on the "In A Quiet Way" box right now, bouncing between that and a vinyl copy of Bill Laswell's "Panthalasa" remix. The "Complete Miles Davis At Montreux" set has also rocked my world lately, but really, how many versions of "Time After Time" or "Human Nature" does one really need to hear to get at least a pretty good idea of what Miles was trying to accomplish by covering them? I'll probably shift back into a more acoustic mode in another couple of months, but for now, I'm happy with the mellower electronic stuff. Given the present state of the economy and the general tenor of wariness and rage (and no, I'm not talking 'bout Bill Evans or Azar Lawrence) afoot in the air these days, I won't be surprised to find myself heading away from the copasetic acoustic recordings and faceplanting myself into a "Dark Magus" phase, so like, get the fuck outta my way, okay?

-Eden (listening to Dionne Warwick's Golden Hits, Part Two right now)
 
Eden's summing-up of the Oz scene was pretty good, I thought. Seppelt's Para is a majority of grenache with some shiraz added, I believe - I mean, people make tawny port out of some other kind of grapes? Sheesh...
There's something about Wendouree's seriously old-world approach to things that is rather endearing. In about 2005 they replaced for me a corked 1998 Cabernet-Malbec with an identical bottle; same vintage - the bottle arrived with a hand-written note on their letterhead. Address, phone number. No fax, no e-mail, don't even ask about internet. And in reality, don't bother phoning either, because they don't generally answer. There's a perfectly good postal service in the Clare Valley - use that!
I've never had their wines with age, but James Halliday seems to suggest they're a waste of time to broach before 20 years have passed. So I'll hang onto my '96s and 98s a while longer. I also was shocked by the bottle shared with Thor - it didn't seem that far from a barrel sample!
And for what it's worth, I thought the Edelstone performed a bit below par; at 15, good vintages of Edelstone ought to be incandescent with flavours, and I found this a little flat.
It's a pity that the range of Australian wines exported to the US (and easily available)is such a lopsided representation of the nation's better output. With the volumes produced, though, and the myriad of alternatives available (at sensible prices) in the US, it's probably only a small disapointment in the world of wine. I could imagine some seriously enthusiastic US importer bringing in a few things that the Wine Aardvark dismisses to sell to enthusiasts, but let's face it, it'd be a hand-sell job "on the side", and no way to make a living by itself. So i understand FJim's attitude to a degree, but I'd note that if he ever gets to this country, he won't want for drinkable local wines at sensible prices.
Anyway, if it's any consolation, the reverse situation is even worse. It's a rare shop that carries US wine in Oz, and when they do it tends to be some Gallo brand + Columbia Crest on the shelves, and a Mondavi reserve cabernet and Dominus behind the glass case at multi-$x00 prices. That's pretty much it...!
cheers,
Graeme
 
How to get one out of the woodwork-I thought you were going to comment on the 50th ans. edition of Kind of Blue Thor. I can't remember the shiraz I poured-just the Gruner.

Some ramblings on Oz wine. I was on Wendouree mailing list when one only had to call up and ask-no waiting for a death-but dropped off ages ago. I haven't opened one of the wines I bot-mainly 94's-so Dan next time passing thru Sydney and if I am in Oz at the time we can crack one. Stephen George is a great old hippie making great wine. As for the Sparkling Red the only one I can drink is Rockford's-I plan on opening a 8-9 yr old from disgorging on Sun. Will see how it has aged.

Was in the Morington a few weekends ago and there is some good pinot being made and mainly average chard. I liked Kooyong, Port Phillip and Moorooduc.

No one has mentioned Yeringberg as a long aged cab or Macedon Ranges for pinot.

Agree with Dan's comments on Oz wine but he failed to mention those dead fruit wines that garner points are generally not aging very well-which is why no one gives a shit how many points they have-plus what the hell do you eat it with them. We have a Sun lunch with some locals who like Oz reds so going to see how some cellar orphans have aged-St Hallett 90 Old Block, Henschke 94 Mt Edelstone, Turkey Flat 94 Shiraz and Melton 98 9Popes-plus some French for Nicole and me. If anyone has any interest in those.....

originally posted by Thor:
So what.
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And now I'll have that in my head all night. Not that this is a bad thing.

Maybe if I worked someplace where we sat down and tasted often. Or maybe if I moved there.
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I'm not sure I foresee Graeme coming to the States anytime soon -- there's a young'un -- but making the acquaintance of international jet-setter and old-time-WLDG-refugee Mark Meyer might prove rewarding. (Actually, I haven't heard from Mark in eons. Anyone?) He poured me another quite impressive Aussie shiraz the following evening. And then there was the crew at the offline a few nights later, with more.

I was pissed that I wasn't famous enough for someone to open a Para for me when I visited Australia in 2003.
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And better yet, I didn't have to jeeb with Mark Dignam.
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Salil,

Was at Hanging Rock in Sept 07 and I believe there was a Frenchman either as the winemaker or helping make the wine in a secondary role. Overall tho didn't feel any of the wines warranted purchasing.

mark

originally posted by Salil Benegal:
originally posted by Eden Mylunsch:
Interesting (and tasty) pinots are coming from the Mornington Pennisula that are more than credible (yet not to the point of being incredible) and regions such as Orange and Heathcote are producing wines that are quite interesting, but aren't exactly reminiscent of things we've tasted from the Old World. Which brings us back to Wendouree (you knew I'd get here eventually, didn't you)!
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What's happening in Orange? I've only tried a couple of Rosemount Estate Shirazes from there that were pleasant but not much more.
Really excited about some of the things being produced in Heathcote. Some of the Shiraz being made by Carlei and Hanging Rock is absolutely stunning, and I can't wait to see what some of those will turn into with some age.

Re. Mount Mary, Giaconda and such receiving such little attention in the States, the pricing probably plays a part in it here. I've heard lots about both producers and would love to try their wines at some point - but I very rarely buy any wine at that price point (and if I did, there'd be some other producers that I'm more familiar with like Henschke or Donnhoff I'd turn to first, depending on what I was looking for). The amount of other wine options we have in the US at those price points (and much lower ones) makes those pretty hard to justify buying. In Australia the situation isn't the same as most of the other wine options either aren't on shelves, or are marked up far higher thanks to the ridiculous duty rates on imported wines.

- Salil
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Graeme,

Personally I can't see how any of the cool climate wines-that most Aussies tout as the style not making it to the US-could be successfully marketed in the US-even with the A$ at .68. Now if Oz would allow the European-and even US-wines to come into OZ without the 50% import duty, I think Oz producers would finally realize what they are up against in the rest of the world. The bottomline is Oz wine is generally overpriced and poor value in the US. Hell even here in OZ the locals are drinking much more French wine every yr while local wine consumption declines-so even with the 50% import duty the locals are seeing the light on what wines go best with food. Note I am not even commenting on the crazy craze for the NZ swill that goes as SB that the local females in Sydney seem to be substituing for their weekly sex. For those out of the loop NZ SB is now the best selling white wine in Oz.

mark

originally posted by Graeme Gee:
Eden's summing-up of the Oz scene was pretty good, I thought. Seppelt's Para is a majority of grenache with some shiraz added, I believe - I mean, people make tawny port out of some other kind of grapes? Sheesh...
There's something about Wendouree's seriously old-world approach to things that is rather endearing. In about 2005 they replaced for me a corked 1998 Cabernet-Malbec with an identical bottle; same vintage - the bottle arrived with a hand-written note on their letterhead. Address, phone number. No fax, no e-mail, don't even ask about internet. And in reality, don't bother phoning either, because they don't generally answer. There's a perfectly good postal service in the Clare Valley - use that!
I've never had their wines with age, but James Halliday seems to suggest they're a waste of time to broach before 20 years have passed. So I'll hang onto my '96s and 98s a while longer. I also was shocked by the bottle shared with Thor - it didn't seem that far from a barrel sample!
And for what it's worth, I thought the Edelstone performed a bit below par; at 15, good vintages of Edelstone ought to be incandescent with flavours, and I found this a little flat.
It's a pity that the range of Australian wines exported to the US (and easily available)is such a lopsided representation of the nation's better output. With the volumes produced, though, and the myriad of alternatives available (at sensible prices) in the US, it's probably only a small disapointment in the world of wine. I could imagine some seriously enthusiastic US importer bringing in a few things that the Wine Aardvark dismisses to sell to enthusiasts, but let's face it, it'd be a hand-sell job "on the side", and no way to make a living by itself. So i understand FJim's attitude to a degree, but I'd note that if he ever gets to this country, he won't want for drinkable local wines at sensible prices.
Anyway, if it's any consolation, the reverse situation is even worse. It's a rare shop that carries US wine in Oz, and when they do it tends to be some Gallo brand + Columbia Crest on the shelves, and a Mondavi reserve cabernet and Dominus behind the glass case at multi-$x00 prices. That's pretty much it...!
cheers,
Graeme
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Mark, I agree with a lot of what you say - and there's no doubt the pendulum of fashion has swung to the point (parker-driven or otherwise) where far too many wines - especially the more mainstream, commercial labels - are not very drinkable at all any more. There are upsides to fashion - Oz chardonnay is, on the whole, more drinkable and a far better wine than it's ever been.
Shiraz, on the other hand, has not fared well. Even once-dependable commercial labels are mere... I was going to write 'shells', but in fact it's the opposite - 'caricatures' of what they once were. Things like Leasingham's Bin 61, d'Arry's Original, gawd, even Wynns Shiraz, have all gone off the rails in a big way.
In fact, the decline in drinkablity at the lower end of the market has been really catastrophic - you know local makers have dropped the ball when people are buying Guigal's Cotes du Rhone is large volumes. In this country!
The pricing issue is universal, I think; in wine-producing countries, wines from elsewhere always suffer by comparison.
cheers,
Graeme
 
originally posted by Graeme Gee:

The pricing issue is universal, I think; in wine-producing countries, wines from elsewhere always suffer by comparison.
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Well, except in good ol' California.
 
originally posted by mark meyer:

Was at Hanging Rock in Sept 07 and I believe there was a Frenchman either as the winemaker or helping make the wine in a secondary role. Overall tho didn't feel any of the wines warranted purchasing.
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My last visit to Hanging Rock was during my first visit to Oz around 1988 and John Ellis tasted through the lineup. I wasn't as impressed as I thought I was going to be, given the writeups the winery was receiving. Nice scenery though...unfortunately, I've not been back to the Macedon Ranges since then, although I've been as far as Heathcote a couple of times.

Last night, instead of opening the 1990 Altesino Brunello I'd brought with me, I waded through the whingeing and derision hurled in my direction by my dining companions and persisted in opening a bottle of 1970 Orlando Cabernet Sauvignon.

70_Orlando_CS.jpg
It shut them up really quickly, as it had evolved into a beautiful Bordeaux-analogue that puts to shame any 1970 Bordeaux any of us had tasted lately. Brownish and throwing some sediment, it had lots of forest floor composted leaf and rose petals on the nose, but showing pencil lead and a little tar along with a sweetish finish. There were likely more than a few drops of "Hermitage" (as described on the label) in the blend, but it was a delightful wine, perfectly resolved and unlikely to improve. No indication of the wine's alcohol level but most of the other Barossa reds I've tasted from that era have tasted as if they'd fall in the 13.5 -14.5% range. I'll be in the Barossa late next week and will be seeing some people who worked at Orlando in the 1980s and I'll ask if they might have any specific recollections of this wine on its release.

Balanced and elegant wines can be made in Australia yet, but it takes a winemaker comfortable enough with their own palate and aesthetic to be able to avoid blending toward what they think the critics are seeking. Perhaps with the economic redirection and the precipitous drop in exports to the US, the Aussie critics will become more important and the wines will go back to tasting a more natural. After James Halliday, the field is pretty open in terms of who the next big influencer is going to be. I'd bet on it being Campbell Mattinson, but he may be harmed by his lack of agenda. Huon Hooke and Max Allen are the other writers with whom I agree with more often than not, but I don't see any of them as having quite the podium that Halliday enjoys (and Len Evans before him) in the country. Just my 2 though.

-Eden (I just wish that there was a lot more properly stored pre-Parkerization Australian wines around to drink)
 
Another issue with good Aussie wine-makers is lack of distribution. The one time that I visited the Hunter Valley, I had some very nice cab franc from Jackson's Hill, but they have no distro outside of Australia.
 
Opened a St Hallet 1990 Old Block on Sunday after the Yquem and foie gras-I was very surprised by how young and tight it was-so decanted it and looked at the alc. on the label-13.5% and as you know this is a Barossa Shirz. It was the Aussie wine of the day. So as you mentioned the balanced, age worthy wines from the warmer areas were made in those days before the Grange wannabes and Parker stirred everyone into making the dead fruit style wines.

originally posted by Eden Mylunsch:
originally posted by mark meyer:

Was at Hanging Rock in Sept 07 and I believe there was a Frenchman either as the winemaker or helping make the wine in a secondary role. Overall tho didn't feel any of the wines warranted purchasing.
Click to expand...

My last visit to Hanging Rock was during my first visit to Oz around 1988 and John Ellis tasted through the lineup. I wasn't as impressed as I thought I was going to be, given the writeups the winery was receiving. Nice scenery though...unfortunately, I've not been back to the Macedon Ranges since then, although I've been as far as Heathcote a couple of times.

Last night, instead of opening the 1990 Altesino Brunello I'd brought with me, I waded through the whingeing and derision hurled in my direction by my dining companions and persisted in opening a bottle of 1970 Orlando Cabernet Sauvignon.

70_Orlando_CS.jpg
It shut them up really quickly, as it had evolved into a beautiful Bordeaux-analogue that puts to shame any 1970 Bordeaux any of us had tasted lately. Brownish and throwing some sediment, it had lots of forest floor composted leaf and rose petals on the nose, but showing pencil lead and a little tar along with a sweetish finish. There were likely more than a few drops of "Hermitage" (as described on the label) in the blend, but it was a delightful wine, perfectly resolved and unlikely to improve. No indication of the wine's alcohol level but most of the other Barossa reds I've tasted from that era have tasted as if they'd fall in the 13.5 -14.5% range. I'll be in the Barossa late next week and will be seeing some people who worked at Orlando in the 1980s and I'll ask if they might have any specific recollections of this wine on its release.

Balanced and elegant wines can be made in Australia yet, but it takes a winemaker comfortable enough with their own palate and aesthetic to be able to avoid blending toward what they think the critics are seeking. Perhaps with the economic redirection and the precipitous drop in exports to the US, the Aussie critics will become more important and the wines will go back to tasting a more natural. After James Halliday, the field is pretty open in terms of who the next big influencer is going to be. I'd bet on it being Campbell Mattinson, but he may be harmed by his lack of agenda. Huon Hooke and Max Allen are the other writers with whom I agree with more often than not, but I don't see any of them as having quite the podium that Halliday enjoys (and Len Evans before him) in the country. Just my 2 though.

-Eden (I just wish that there was a lot more properly stored pre-Parkerization Australian wines around to drink)
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Graeme,

Forgot to reply yesterday. On Guigal CdR it is $7-9 in the US vs around A$20-so my point is if French wines were able to enter Oz at similiar price levels to what we pay in the US-well there would be hell of a storm from the Oz wine makers. Just saw Baudry's 07 Les Grange for $35 at Dan Murphy's-this is $15-17 in the US. As you point out even tho the Oz import duties make overseas wines much more expensive than what the rest of the world pays-the Oz public is still increasing purchases of them-so shouldn't the Oz winemakers ask why this is happening?-perhaps because they are generally lower in alc and better balanced- so go better with food?

mark

originally posted by Graeme Gee:
Mark, I agree with a lot of what you say - and there's no doubt the pendulum of fashion has swung to the point (parker-driven or otherwise) where far too many wines - especially the more mainstream, commercial labels - are not very drinkable at all any more. There are upsides to fashion - Oz chardonnay is, on the whole, more drinkable and a far better wine than it's ever been.
Shiraz, on the other hand, has not fared well. Even once-dependable commercial labels are mere... I was going to write 'shells', but in fact it's the opposite - 'caricatures' of what they once were. Things like Leasingham's Bin 61, d'Arry's Original, gawd, even Wynns Shiraz, have all gone off the rails in a big way.
In fact, the decline in drinkablity at the lower end of the market has been really catastrophic - you know local makers have dropped the ball when people are buying Guigal's Cotes du Rhone is large volumes. In this country!
The pricing issue is universal, I think; in wine-producing countries, wines from elsewhere always suffer by comparison.
cheers,
Graeme
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What's going on with the reply function in this thread? Everything seems upside-down, it's almost impossible to follow. Politburo?

Browser? Safari 3.2.1 on OS 10.4.11.
 
originally posted by Chris Coad:
What's going on with the reply function in this thread? Everything seems upside-down, it's almost impossible to follow. Politburo?

Browser? Safari 3.2.1 on OS 10.4.11.
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Hmm... Looks like some of the respondents here are Australian. Probably didn't realize that this is a northern hemisphere site and adjust their browser settings accordingly.
 
originally posted by mark meyer:
this american down under is lazy so just hits the quote reply button-sorry for all the excess space taken.
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Not that you have to, but should you chose, there is an edit function.
 
originally posted by mark meyer:
this american down under is lazy so just hits the quote reply button-sorry for all the excess space taken.
Click to expand...

No, we use that too, but when we do it the reply comes out under the thing being replied to (as in Joe's reply to you). Very strange, guess it's a Southern Hemisphere browser setting.
 
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