You’re a lucky man. Is it still in prime condition or getting over the hill. I’ve left top class wine for too long and regretted it.
Ah, so you got married I see.
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It’s over the hill but still well balanced with soft round tannins. I was drinking it with my father in law who always drinks young reds and really wanted him to experience an old tertiary flavoured wine with a lower alcohol level. Very easy drinking
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When I was a young sales rep in Sydney in about 1978, my territory included the Hunter. I was in the office in Lane Cove one afternoon and called to reception as a Customer from the Hunter Valley arrived looking to buy some lab gear. That is how I met Max Lake, who made me put together a glassware apparatus to do sulphur tests on wine. I assembled it in the showroom and once he was satisfied, we took it apart and wrapped it in a blanket in the boot of his old Mercedes. I visited the region often after that and Max helped me with intros to all those other famous winemakers like Tulloch, Tyrell, Halliday, O’Shea and McGuigan. Max would have wine tastings and all these great wine people would bring wines along and share them with each other. I was often invited and forced to be the wine judge, though everyone knew I drank red wine copiously but knew fark all about it. It was great fun.
Every year until Max retired and his son took over, we would get sent a case of his Lakes Folly Cabernets, we drank the last of them a few years ago and it still was good though it had run out of legs.
If I remember 1991 was a good year, but it would have been well past its best. Max was a great bloke and my best memories were us in his small laboratory at the winery drinking XXXX beer, which was his preferred beverage.
Do you have any more of this vintage ? The new wines are still very good, but a bit expensive for me.
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I restart all good things
Next will be the TRUTH THREAD MK3 when we are 0-7 next season
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Would be a fitness plan organised by sam mitchell
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Wow that is very cool 
I’ve got lots of the 2010 to 2020 vintages. I started getting them after seeing an auction for a deceased estate where some important businessman had passed away and his family were selling his collection of folly’s and there were many many boxes of over the hill wine. Thy went for a bit more than I thought made sense at the time. I rarely drink them it’s just occasional with family who might appreciate it. They sold th business a little while ago to Fogarty wines and it looks like Fogarty has actually been good for them.
For me it was just being in the right place at the right time.
As I recall, Lake Folly was sold to its current owners in early 2000s and probably 2010 vintages would be their products, not the Lake family. Not sure if the style of wine has changed, same grapes I suspect. Max Lake was first Australian winemaker to actually laboratory test wine, while O’Shea, Tulloch etc did it all by taste and their acute senses, which Max joked he never had.
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Welcome back, WOB. You were missed.
Yes! He’s back with a vengeance!
Always, forever investing in ways to be better prepared physically, mentally… despite the basket case of a club he got recruited to… legend
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I’m currently in WA for the first time in years and seeing you posting again has made the whole trip worthwhile. Never change WOB.
We don’t get enough Hunter wines in Victoria. There used to be lots of them in the bottle shops, but you have to search for them now.
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Very true and they are really worth having
Essendon star Zach Merrett weds partner Alexandra in lavish Melbourne wedding
Zach Merrett has tied the knot with his partner, Alexandra, at an intimate celebration at Melbourne hotspot Maison Batard, surrounded by Essendon teammates.
less than 2 min read
January 7, 2026 - 3:00PM
Zach Merrett is back at Bombers training, getting stuck into pre-season after the tumultuous trade period.
After the hardest year for their family, Zach Merrett has wed his partner, Alexandra, in a joyful start to 2026.
The couple who share an almost one year-old son, Jude, married with an intimate celebration at Melbourne CBD venue Maison Batard.
Alexandra and Zach Merrett prepare to tie the knot. Picture: Instagram
Among those in attendance were Merrett’s current and former Bombers teammates Andrew McGrath, Darcy Parish, Sam Durham, Jayden Laverde and Jake Stringer.
Alexandra, who changed her name last year, captioned a picture of the bride and groom with “My forever”.
Merrett’s Bombers teammate Sam Durham with Paris Bishop. Picture: Instagram
She said 2025 had been tough with Merrett’s failed bid to join Hawthorn and his subsequent decision to step down from the captaincy.
“Last year was the hardest year for our family,’’ she said on TikTok.
“We made sure we stayed present for Jude, and stuck strong in our little bubble.
“So grateful for our little family. My boys are everything.”
The Essendon players have had an off-season of celebration with a number of players getting married — McGrath, Kyle Langford, Mason Redman and Peter Wright.
Taylor McVeigh, Abbey Laverde, Paris Bishop and Simone Hickmann. Picture: Instagram
Merrett said he wasn’t the right person to continue leading the club.
“It’s been weighing on my mind around who is the best person to lead this club and group moving forward,” he said in a club statement.
“I feel like I’ve come to the decision that I’m not the right person.
“(Being Essendon captain) is an honour that was a childhood dream of mine running around the backyard in Cobden.
“It’s certainly been an opportunity that myself and my family are very proud of.”
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Apparently Sam Mitchell was the best man
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And Mrs Mitchell did the flowers
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Fixed
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