Tasting notes from the last week.
Leo Buring 1991 Leonay Watervale Riesling
From the first time I ever tasted this wine the result has never been short of
Outstanding. Having drunk almost 2 dozen over the last many years, this weekend's offering was again
Outstanding and holding extremely well for its' age. No "black holes" or "dormant periods" with this beauty; just an amazingly well balanced Riesling tracking beautifully over the years before its' ultimate demise. When this will be is anybody's guess, provenance excepted, of course.
Bright, light burnished gold in colour, the nose exudes gorgeous lime toast aromas followed by a most complex mouthful of honeyed citrus fruit that glides across the tongue before the crisp acid seamlessly cuts in and leaves you guessing as to what the ....?
Quintessential juice.
The
2001 Mt Horrocks Riesling drinks superbly presently and has a great future in front of it. Far superior to the broad 2003 and up there with the otherwordly 2002. Rated
Excellent.
Pam Dunsford's
1992 Reserve Cabernet Shiraz is an
Outstanding, complex wine displaying intense cigar box, leather and sweet berried fruit with fine tannins and a heavenly departure.
Mildara 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon
The back label opens with "Mildara has produced many superb Coonawarra Cabernets since its first famous 1963 vintage". Without fear or favour, the '98 smells and tastes like a Peppermint Pattie! There's traces of menthol, spearmint, spicy plums, licorice, cedar and vanilla too, but that telltale chocolate-coated peppermint cannot be overlooked, even after considerable airing and vigorous swirling. So do we have a similar rendition to the the famous '63? I have NFI!
Rounding out the other components of this fine wine:-
Reveals a saturated dark ruby colour with enormous viscosity drizzling down the side of the glass (disclosed A/V of 13%) Only the slightest of ligtening to dep red brick in the outer edges.
There's an amazing 'old-vine' creaminess providing a thickness of texture rarely seen in wines at this pricepoint.
The wine is finely balanced displaying wonderful soft acidity, an outstanding fine-grained tannin regime and the chocolate/spicy oak is just so laidback and well-integrated you'd hardly know it's there.
Finishes ohso long with the tannins persisting alongside the spice and peppermint flavour. I timed the finish out at almost 60 seconds, I kid you not!
Big call, especially, after some of the recent posts on this wine on the local boards, but I can't help rating this little number
Excellent .
I don't think it has peaked, as has been recently suggested, and as this is the first bottle from the case I purchased, I'm feeling very comfortable about drinking this wine for many years to come.
Not having tried the '63, I hope this one turns out to drink as well for every lucky soul out there as it did for me tonight.
I'll bung the cork and have another look at it tomorrow night and report back for anyone who's interested in how it holds up to some extended air.
Postscript (7.50 am Sat) - a quick check of this wine revealed a severe degradation on both nose and palate. The lovely peppermint (and other descriptors) have been replaced by savoury oak over plum jam fruit. Not a patch on last night's performance. I generally regard such a transformation as reflecting limited cellaring potential. Major Bummer
Would downgrade this to agreeable at best on this morning's showing. What a difference half a day makes.
(Sat night) Oxidising badly. Quite soupy, virtually no palate length and finish. The wine is now totally stuffed! 180 degree turn on the longevity comment above. Total recant.
Richmond Grove 1999 Watervale Riesling
Screwcap. 12% A/V
Pale lemon. Surprisingly developed and complex on the nose showing intense honey, toast, lime and a touch of petrol, mineral and smoke. More primary fruit evident on the palate; mostly lemon and lime with a tinge of honeyed, toasty development peeping through. Lovely acid integrated throughout a crisp, lengthy, citric finish. No world-beater here, just a relatively mature, well crafted Riesling with 4-8 year life expectancy.
Highly Recommended.
so its time for you weekly drinking reports please.
Life's too short etc.
)
) bit feral on the nose on opening but pretty good overall