Wynns Black label 1998 and 1988

[Chris Judd]

Following the lead of Anthony and Graham B, I pulled a bottle of the 98 on Saturday arvo, decanted in a Zerruti Turn for 3 hours then back into the bottle and re-corked after a couple of small tester glasses over the hour or so until we had to go out to the magnum dinner.

Something not quite right here; heavy tomato leaf and green capsicum with a bit of cedary tobacco. The fruit is a bit lean. Oak tannins to the fore. Didn't get back to it until it accompanied me and a bottle of the 88 to the Monday Night Tasting Club.

Oxidised! Pongo! Down the sink with ya.

The 88 was OK, with full cigar box, browning at the edges, vegetative nuances and the fruit hangin' in there, only just. Martin E quite liked it so he got to take the rest of the bottle home, and the dregs of his excellent 98 Noons Reserve Shiraz. Yummmmm.

So drink up the 88 vintage and keep looking at your 98's. There's quite a bit of opinion diversity here.

Oh, my WOTN at the magnum dinner - Walsh's 00 Coldstream Hills Reserve Merlot. The options game had three of us left with district, winemaker and vintage all correct but we all flunked the variety. Damned if it wasn't a cabernet in a merlot labeled vessel.

Cheers
Chris

[Anthony]

Thanks Chris,
I think there may be a bit of bottle variation with the 98 Wynns Black Label Cab. My first bottle was pretty similar to yours except with a distinct cork taint in there as well.

My second bottle was a ripper, nearly matching the 96 for class. Will try another bottle down the track to see if this continues.

Cheers
Anthony