The Aussie Fortified Thread…

[scribbler]

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1994 Gehrig Family Estate Vintage Port 17.5%
Barnawatha, on the outskirts of Rutherglen (Victoria). A recent very smart $25 auction buy. Although the cork failed to survive the corkscrew and ah-so, all was OK after the usual filtration. “low-yielding old Shiraz vines”, It’s still a deep ruby colour with blackberry, bramble and sweet brandy vanilla. The palate is mellow and cuddly. There is fruity plum, blackberry and fig to satisfy the most fastidious weight and enough tannin to maintain interest throughout. Absolutely at its peak with cork gods indulgence. Terrific, and insanely delicious from a less-well known producer.

1991 Seppeltsfield Para (21 year old) 21%
A single vintage tawny style, purchased last year at auction for $70. Around 40 y/o seems to be my preference in tawny styles; older wines can show extremes, meaning they are impressive but not entirely pleasurable; younger wines don’t achieve all the complexities the style is capable of. But 21 years is enough! Seppelts (and Seppeltsfield) have unparalleled experience in this style with Para appearing in many guises. Mainly made from Grenache, there is the typical Seppelt khaki colour with a green tint. Beautifully assembled; there are all sorts of nut - almond and brazil with whispers of olive. Toffee, caramel, mocha, hints of malt, salinity; clean spirit integrated and the end result in is a lush triumph. Rich with depth and acidy preventing any cloying. From a terrific red year in the Barossa.

NV Orlando Commemoration Port
Another speculative auction purchase for just over $30, again from Barossa Shiraz, Carignan and Mataro, matured in small French oak with an average age of 15 years. So this “old liqueur port” is somewhat more than a generic commercial release, and probably hit the market in 1981 or 1982. Made in a deliberately oxidative style, any improvement in the bottle is marginal, and runs the usual risks of improper storage, cork failure, and potential loss of freshness. Decanting not only avoids sediment, but can alleviate initial aromatic oddities.
The contents have rested in a bottle for 40 years, and the cork broke when I tried to remove it. The art of blending this style is trying to ensure the blend is better than its components, getting depth and flavour complexity from older material, gaining the vibrancy from more youthful material.
I admire the squat bottle, black wax remnants and the charmingly retro label. The colour is a amber, khaki and a lighter amber-tinted rim. Fresh and strong. The palate is a rich, smooth amalgam of mocha and light caramel, with vanilla present but not obtrusive, dried and stewed fruits, citrus peel, mixed spices- an assembly of passion. Everything sits smoothly, Drink now.

1975 Yalumba Vintage Port 18%
Plenty of colour here- quink ink; then comes dark fruits, violet, mocha, almond notes and clean spirit. The palate is deep and voluptuous, relatively dry with an array of mixed fruit; blueberry, fresh plum, red cherry, spice notes and light coffee. Fine chalky tannins, and a persistent aftertaste filled out the picture – delicious! This wine presented a conundrum – the colour was un-Portuguese, as was the mocha and faint liquorice- yet the complexity of flavour components and dryness pulled me in that direction. My first guess on its age was 1985, but I revised this to 1994 based on fruit vibrancy, Wrong on all counts, but this is a triumph for Barossa Shiraz from Australia. Two bottles were opened, the second was very slightly better, and fresher than the bottle I just described!

NV Wynns Pedro Ximenez 17%
Coonawarra, South Australia. Bottle # 9053
Light gold in colour, with exotic floral scents of spices and Cointreau, with vanilla and marzipan. The palate is sweet with the cardamon, dried green herbs and raisin notes powering through. Very smooth with vibrant clean spirit – unctuous and just a little cloying, but altogether satisfying with its honeyed richness. The raisin and light malt notes pointed me to the variety, despite this being different to the air-dried Spanish PX.
It’s a blend across vintages, with an average age of five years – one surprise to see a young fresh example, and another to find the wine is available (albeit with some hunting) for around $60 for the 500ml bottle. Drink now.

[scribbler]

now up-to-date

1976 Penfolds Vintage Port
Bottle #5637 (Barossa Shiraz). I've never seen or tasted this wine before- the Penfolds “rewards of Patience” book only mentions the tawny styles. Sweet but supple; red liquorice, aniseed, salted almonds, clean spirit, and this was easily consumed. Traditional, and enjoyable.
Drink to 2026,

1987 Seppelt Vintage Fortified (Touriga) 20%
Barossa Valley, GR 124 “fortified with grape spirit” with lots of bling up to 2002 – and released around that time, based on back label comments. It was a recent auction purchase for $25. I didn’t realise much Touriga was available in Australia then, destined for vintage fortifieds; although Lindemans released some Portuguese-varietal fortifieds around the late 1970s. Probably winemakers aspired to the drier and more “classical” in style, necessitating a move away from reliance solely on Shiraz.

I was conflicted between “too old” vs “mellow for age”. It’s a light ruby colour. Roses, and rose-hip, red liquorice with a touch of mocha, even some earl grey. I’ve settled on “OK, but better previously, Sweet fruit, immaculate sprit and there is still tannin. But as a pointer to the style, this would have thrilled ten years ago.

1990 Stanton and Killeen Jacks block (vintage) Port 18.5%
Rutherglen, Victoria 100% Shiraz. A recent – bargain - $33 auction purchase; rated 9.5/10 by the producer, it has assorted trophies and gold medals while the back label proclaims, “optimum drinking around the year 2010”. This wine ius slightly better than its Moodemere twin.
Cork broke. The colour is developed ruby with bricking on the meniscus, mocha, camphor, floral, blackberry and sweet well-integrated spirit. Dark and dense, blackberry and red liquorice, mixed nuts, lavender, fine chalky tannins and light coffee. Mature, but still vibrant and utterly delicious.

2010 Baileys VP 140 (vintage fortified) 19%
Another corporate insult: this “140” range was meant to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the founding of Baileys of Glenrowan. Yet the wine is apparently sourced from the Riverland and Barossa- a long way from Glenrowan! Some web sleuthing reveals- Touriga, Tinta Barocca, Tinta Cao and Shiraz, fortified with “specially selected spirit” but despite this strange regional and varietal mix, it deservingly carted off trophies at the Rutherglen wine show two years in a row, a fantastic achievement.

Screwcap, and opened at a whim after paying a meagre $20 at auction a few months ago. It’s a deep ruby colour, and flaunts youthful perfumed sour red cherry, blueberry, blackberry and a cascade of spices with lavender as an aside. Savoury, it’s immaculately, exquisitely balanced, the spirit entirely supporting the fruit. It’s soft enough to approach now (just) but has the architecture to ensure a long and enjoyable life.
This is a terrific wine, but nothing like the ferruginous, concentrated (Shiraz) Baileys VPs of the past, and a travesty to the memory of wines, particularly those made by Harry Tinson…. but such is life.

[mychurch]

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Still testing out the Durand Trudi bought me. This came out wonderfully well.

High shoulder fill and a cork that had been exposed and had a few lumps out of it. It’s Port though so the wine is fine after decanting. Warm, spirit well integrated, dried fruit, some Xmas cake, in a good place. Worth the wait ? Who knows. I do know a few people from this vintage though and if you are looking for a reasonably priced 50th birthday wine, then it’s worth buying.

[WineRick]

See that a couple of bottles of 1997 Stanton & Killeen VP are in MW's latest sale.

[mychurch]

And a whole bunch of stuff for sale tonight. I picked up a McWilliams Port, a Hardys Tawny and a few bottles of Orlando Tawny and Amontillado. Anybody tried the 39 Rhine Castle Dolcetto ? Was tempted to bid, but I really did wonder about the maker and the grape.

[sjw_11]

Anybody tried the 39 Rhine Castle Dolcetto ?

I just googled this, and having read the back story of the producer (John Walker) I would have loved to have bid for this...

These links make wonderful reading about the early days of modern Australian food and wine:

https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/walker-john ... nnie-15883
https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/286 ... wn-bubbly/
https://wfsnsw.org.au/colors/our-story.html

[phillisc]

80 Crays and and 140 bottles of bubbly on the beach...what's not to love!!

Cheers Craig

[kenzo]

Is this on the Wickman site?

[mychurch]

No, it was for sale at the last MW auction. Hammer price was $72 and I really should have taken more notice. Worth it just for the old bottle and lable.

[kenzo]

I keep snoozing and losing on Seppelt spurgles. Birth year at that.

[Con J]

And a whole bunch of stuff for sale tonight. I picked up a McWilliams Port, a Hardys Tawny and a few bottles of Orlando Tawny and Amontillado. Anybody tried the 39 Rhine Castle Dolcetto ? Was tempted to bid, but I really did wonder about the maker and the grape.

I've had a few old tawny's from Orlando and Hardy's and can be very good.
There's been a 1963 Orlando tawny standing up in my wine fridge for about 3 months ready to open.

Cheers Con.

[mychurch]

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I notice that there are a lot of centenary, commemorative or anniversary ports out there. I presume the majority of them are just standard releases under a new badge, but who knows.

This one commemorates the appearance of Halleys Comet, so was released around 86. Not sure how much of the blend was 80years old, but it seems to be pretty old.

Lots of walnuts and some VA on the nose. It’s tight and tastes a bit off to begin with, but by the end of the evening it was opening up. Quite complex in the mouth, with treacle, clove, raisins, and more walnuts. Long and viscous. Very nice sipping port and it will improve for a while I’m the fridge.

[mychurch]

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Well I finally finished the Edmond Halley last night and it ended being a brilliant Tawny. It took 2 weeks to really hit its stride and I think the last 2 glasses were the best, even with all that sediment.

Up next is the Benjamin, which I think was part of the same mixed lot as the Edmond. This is much younger - it’s the first Auction Tawny I have had where the stopper does not break - and I guess it’s a release from the last 10 years. Nothing wrong with the nose or the initial taste, but it also has none of the interesting tastes of the older ports. Presume this was a cheapy even when it was released. Will be interested to see how it develops.

[phillisc]

Gee that's a blast from the past!!
Cheers Craig

[scribbler]

2012 Petaluma fortified Shiraz 19.5%
Adelaide Hills, 375ml screwcap and another recent auction purchase. Petaluma appears on the back label in a tiny font; the only other concession a reference to the “B&V vineyard”.” Ridiculously youthful colour; purples and crimsons still.

Supple, engaging. Dark chocolate and liquorice, dark cherry, cocoa, blueberry, just a smidge of purple fruits too. Super quality spirit (“old wood-aged brandy”). Ripe fruit, and will guarantee converts to the style. What more can a wine do? Mingled regrets and happiness; regret that the bottle is too small and has been consumed; happiness both at the meagre price for the pleasure delivered, plus satisfaction that I have a few more of these beautiful half bottles lurking. Astutely judged. Crisp, luscious, memorable. Ten more years easily in prospect.

[mychurch]

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Eventually finished my bottle of the 1980 tonight and this became the follow up bottle. Base of neck fill, but it’s fine and seems to better condition than the younger wine. Lots of coffee and red fruit. Needs time to open up - these always seem to be better after a week in the fridge.

[scribbler]

2000 Pfeiffer Christopher’s VP 18%
Rutherglen, 100% Touriga
Pfeiffer is making one of – and arguably- the best Australian VP style with the amazing 2015 carting away numerous gold medals on the Australian wine circuit, and available on their web-site for a surreal bargain price $30.

This was a recent auction purchase. The back label advises “will continue to improve for at least 21 years”, so it was expected to be ready (or near enough with the conservative winemaker predictions that allow for imperfect cellaring).
Good cork, and sediment was easily removed with decanting.

Deep ruby colour with some harmless bricking on the meniscus. There’s plentiful cinnamon spices, dark roses, cherry, and red liquorice with a faint touch pf prune. The palate is bright and fresh, and drier than most Oz VP efforts. High quality brandy spirit makes more of an impression here, overall; it’s succulent with mixed red and black fruits. There’s fine tannin and this is another wine that provides complete satisfaction for a meagre price.

[mychurch]

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It’s nice tasting the old Tawnys, but this blows them all away. Such a lovely wine. Silky smooth, glycerin, dark sugar, figs, red fruits, very long finish. This has the energy and vigour that the older examples I have tried just don’t have. Really nice. I only recently became aware of the WA fortified wines and this sets a very high opening bar. Yum.

[phillisc]

Indeed, many of these in the Swan River district.
Cheers Craig

[dave vino]

I went to buy my usual 5L flagon of Seppeltsfield 10-15yo Muscat for my barrel, to be informed they no longer do it as they have lost access to the grapes. (I assuming this was 10 years ago and they have finally caught up?). Shame as I love the Muscat and none of the other Rutherglen places seem to do them with that base age on them.

So I went with a Tokay 5L, not as good so meh.

[Matt@5453]

I went to buy my usual 5L flagon of Seppeltsfield 10-15yo Muscat for my barrel, to be informed they no longer do it as they have lost access to the grapes. (I assuming this was 10 years ago and they have finally caught up?). Shame as I love the Muscat and none of the other Rutherglen places seem to do them with that base age on them.

So I went with a Tokay 5L, not as good so meh.

bugger - I am due for a top up for my barrel too.

[phillisc]

Suspect the new owner has something to do with it. I think the whole experience at Seppeltsfield has dropped off. Yes have eaten at Fino 3-4 times and nice. The CD has lost its charm, feels like check in desk at a cheap motel, very sterile and like a production line and the ability to source a bargain long gone.
Cheers Craig

[scribbler]

Now catching up on a long backlog...

1971 All Saints Vintage Port
All Saints (established in the 1860s) is an old winery near Rutherglen that went through complex ownership, marketing and labelling upheavals (it’s now owned independently by members of the Brown family. Visiting as a youngster, I prowled through the enormous hall where barrels of fortified matured (since mostly sold off), the castle-style main building, and the vast estate grounds full of numerous buildings.

This wine was served blind, and my impressions ran “mocha/toffee/coffee, cherry, then very dense, obviously old, sweet blackberry, traditional in style, but still fresh, lively and delicious”. My conclusions- “Australian vintage Port, likely early 1980’s, and unable to guess origin – if pushed, South Australia”. Time ahead too...

Regardless, it’s special occasion when I taste a wine over fifty years old.

1971 Metala Vintage Port
Langhorne Creek, South Australia, likely Shiraz.
Langhorne Creek is not a “renowned” area for VP styles in Australia, but it’s full of surprises. Its longstanding contributions to the red wines of Wolf Blass cannot be ignored. Bleasdale makes an array of excellent Malbecs - and much more- Lake Breeze deserves greater recognition as does Bremerton.

The label of this wine had effectively disintegrated, but it’s understood to have been recorked (and possibly tweaked) in 2015. But it was another knockout to drink -Liquorice, dark fruits, cream and pie crumble, dark berry dried fruits and the most startling feature was its freshness – a lovely piece of history here.

1976 Orlando Vintage Port 18.3%
“Limited Special release” with “potential for further cellaring”. Shiraz and Carignan, and possibly a better wine than the “unlimited regular release”. A wizened cork, but no drama after 46 years.
An auction purchase last year for $20, this proved insane buying, and a seriously better bottle than the previous one. Very dense garnet colour with some bricking on the rim; there’s sweet dark fruit, sweet spices and superior brandy spirit; the palate is plush and engaging, blueberry, blackberry and plum with a bit of mocha and red liquorice, all still fresh and crisp. A winner that looks good for another twenty years – cork permitting. Classic Oz. Exciting

1990 Buller Vintage Port 20.8%
Rutherglen Shiraz, but possibly with some Swan Hill fruit and perhaps some Portuguese varieties too! Who would know? Magnum #310, and ten people certainly put a dent in the contents.
It’s a bit advanced for its age, but all is forgiven for its deliciousness factor. Ultra-clean, likely neutral (SVR) spirit, its very sweet and soft and packed with mocha and blackberry. Just the wine to soothe over a winter fire with witty conversation or a sparkling comedy. Holding, but not improving.

2000 Morris Vintage Port
Rutherglen Victoria
Served blind, no trouble nailing this as Australian, albeit drier than most. Blackcurrant, chalk fine cocoa, abundant spices and quality spirit. With a significant proportion of Portuguese grape varieties, I settled on the mid-late 1990s, with Rutherglen as the likely origin…. except the unveiling showed 100% Shiraz. Puzzling indeed, and its label was adorned with credible Australian wine show gold and trophy bling. Delicious, persistent, and no hurry here.

1976 Seppelt Para Liqueur 22%
Barossa, predominantly grenache with some Shiraz and Mataro.
Most of these Seppelt tawny styles have a lovely amber/khaki colour with an olive green rim – the handbell/lantern shaped bottle is distinctive, but a minor storage hazard- though most will be kept on their original cardboard boxes. This is not a 46 year old wine! This 1976 vintage wine was released in 2004, (aged in oak perhaps 28 years) and has been resting in bottle - and not improving- for nearly 20 years.

It smells ripe with citrus peel, mixed roasted nuts, fine caramel, fruitcake spices and quality brandy spirit. It’s lush on the palate, with some mocha creaminess, and a warm and decadent finish. The style is under-rated, and the quality is exemplary.

De Bortoli 20 years old Black Noble 18.5%
Bottle #585. Released in mid-2018 ($90) to celebrate 90 years of de Bortoli winemaking. Average age 20 years, and made from incredibly ripe botrytised Semillon, fortified and barrel -aged. Botrytis is often accompanied by volatile acidity, which makes its presence felt strongly here.

It’s a very dark treacly/espresso colour (indicating barrel age), with citrus and espresso, dried fruits and dusty fruitcake spices. The palate has the nuttiness, an extra mocha shot and abundant spices, It’s turbo-charged with sweetness, acidy and power. It’s a monster step up from the widely available 10 y/o black noble. There is no getting away from the VA, but when there is so much intensity, flavour, pleaure and lusciousness, that I become a convert.

1992 Stanton and Killeen Jacks block Vintage Port 19%
Rutherglen; 90% Shiraz, 5% Durif, 5% Touriga
From a special year in North-east Victoria, the back label shows 3 trophies and 12 Gold medals from credible wine shows. The (late) winemaker Chris Killeen rated this wine as 10/10.

This wine is thrillingly fresh for its age, and beautifully balanced. Cork and level in terrific form. Very floral - dark cherry and some blackberry, red berry, toffee apple, lavender, mocha, fruitcake nut and spices are all present. The palate is dry (for Australia) and the persistence is exemplary. An absolute treasure, drinking amazingly well, but with power in reserve.

NV Campbells Merchant Prince Muscat
Rutherglen. An old bottling, suspected late 1970s.
Deep dense khaki colour with an olive rim. Rum ‘n raisins and the pungency of age. Served blind, then revealed. Very viscous, very ripe, and very sweet. Muscat certainly, Rutherglen probably. There is no doubt the material was old, but I kept thinking that a tweak of freshening would have raised enjoyment to another level. But that’s what happens when the wine has been busy resting in bottle for forty years,

1951 Hardy’s reserve bin show port bin M127
McLaren Vale, Shiraz.
Rancio, vanilla, superior brandy spirit. Mellow, lingering. Obvious tawny style.
Served blind, and revealed after discussion and options questions. Label states aged in oak for over twenty years. Curiously bottled under screwcap, likely in the mid-late 1970s, so this is another curio that has been resting in bottle for nearly fifty years.

2002 d’arenberg Vintage fortified Shiraz 18.5%
McLaren Vale.
This bottle was purchased a few months ago at auction for a meagre $23, so another bargain (and bonus points for being a cool vintage).

Battered cork, but the wine has survived 21 years. Loads of sediment.
Deep black colour, bricking but Ok; Dark fruits, red liquorice, fine brandy, plentiful spices. The palate has ripe, sweet dark fruits, fruit-peel characters and very refined “milk chocolate” tannins - altogether a memorable little package. Time ahead too, cork permitting.

1972 Seppelt Barossa Vintage Port GR72 20%
Shiraz, Barossa Valley
Served blind. Ruby with some bricking and evidently significant age.
Ripe, sweet, old-fashioned, cuddly. Australian, Brandy spirit (although one winemaker thought neutral SVR). Very fine and lingering. Creamy and just some fleeting complexing hints of oloroso sherry.
A different bottle showed as slightly more youthful. I guessed mid-1970s, and from North-east Victoria, but when unveiled it proved a terrific treat as a 50 y/o with great wine show results on its label. But drink up if you have any!

[phillisc]

Lovely range of wines there. Yes TWE before Metala was sold off back to the Adams at LC, did a recorking program and then flogged wines spanning 50 years, though Langton's, plus the VP you had.
Cheers Craig

[paulf]

1993 Stanton & Killeen Vintage Port
Holding up very well. Slight bricking round the edges but still a deep colour. On the first day there was quite a lot of menthol on the nose, even after an 8 hr decant, but after a day spent in an open decanter that had mostly dissipated.
On the palate is pretty delicious and better on day 2. Sweet with some black tea and raspberry coming through. The tannin is fine but persistent and there is a savoury element, I'm thinking sage here, underneath what is a fairly sweet wine. There was more pepper evident on the first day and less black tea, but overall this has provided excellent drinking across both days. Also, despite being 30 years old there doesn't feel like there is any hurry to drink these as there seems to be both the tannic structure and acidity to support further aging

[scribbler]

2010 Stanton & Killeen Vintage fortified (port) 18.9%
Rutherglen, Victoria
Varietal composition not known, but includes a significant amount of Portuguese port varieties.

Served masked - Ruby colour; camphor, fruitcake, lavender, spice, cherry, clove, cough syrup – full of interest! Palate is sweet(ish), with dominant dark fruits, and not chocolate/mocha! Complex bouquet but somewhat disappointing thereafter. Very decent spirit, and my guess on age was circa fifteen to twenty years, so 2005-2010. Didn’t look structural enough to be Portuguese (although a LBVP crossed my mind), yet lacked the honest, brutal power of most Australian vintage fortifieds. A noted winemaker present stated with logic “Portuguese, LBVP”. Not for me! Just not enough structural “stuffing” here to be worth keeping. Drink soon with pleasure,

[mychurch]

Talijancich 30 YO Tawny tonight. Lucky dip from one of the Fortified cases from the move. This was not on tasting when I visited last year, so first taste. Just a great wine. Aged tawny nose, incredible silky texture, a taste of an old 60’s offfice full of mahogany desks and chesterfields. The finish is intense, with barely sugar, orange and some ranchio. Gorgeous

[Con J]

A few pics.

Cheers Con.

[Con J]

A few more.

Cheers Con.

[Con J]

Few more.