Wendouree 1998 vintage- a complete horizontal tasting

[JamieBahrain]

I think the following is a good way to have a look at the wines of Wendouree. They would be brutal and too idiosyncratic in an offline; I would even advise against a vertical.

Young Wendouree is nice to play around with- vicious decanting, further double decanting, matched with big regional food dishes and consuming at bottles end, after many days, a wine that still shows no signs of oxidisation.



Wendouree Shiraz Malbec 1998- I believe the malbec based wines take the longest to come together. Decanted for 24 hours, then repoured into bottle.

Overtones of confected lavendar, give way to thick, unyielding aromas of licorice-tar-plums. There is a nice, floral-violet edge to the wine that opens in time. The palate has a high level of density; fruit comes through initially in a spicey-licorice-aniseed spectrum. Completes with unyielding blackfruits, meaty undertones, faint florals ( lavendar ) before being flooded by a wave of ripe, very physical tannins.

24 hours later, with two thirds of the bottle remaining, the fruit wrestles the tannins. The nose has more of a floral, blackberry bud & earth. The palate is still unyielding with blackfruits on brass. The tannins now have the clamping minerally, iron edge- with the last glass not unlike having a second steak knife to cut through a side of Angas beef.

Of all the 98's, this is the one that may lose the battle of fruit vesus tannin. Then again, it may not! We won't know for a decade.

86++ points



Wendouree Cabernet Sauvignon 1998- Personally, I find straight Clare cabernet tough going. Here's a wine that's unashamably Wendouree with hints of Clare regionality. Some will love it, some won't.

Convincingly varietal on the nose- cassis with a violet edge and undertones of the confected lavendar ( prevailing winds must have swept past a lavendar farm on the way up to the Wendouree valley around vintage ). Palate is initially a touch unusual- seaweed and rusty oak. Very strong varietal notes prevail in time- cool berries & blackfruits, prior to the palate hole and big, puckering back palate tannins. Good length and a nice sweet ' Cool Mint' persistance of flavour.

Two days later, we finished the bottle over dinner. No signs of oxidisation on the nose- the wine had opened up with more florals & herbs. The cool cabernet blackfruits nicely in place; lavendar & thyme overtones with a hint of minerally terroir ( I suppose ). Earthy-minerals wrestle the cool blackfruits on the palate; and finally a faint hint of oxidisation which exaggerates palate austerity. The tannins are now iron like and outpour horizontally. A touch of menthol on the medium to long length- a flavour persistance of leaf and violet-blackfruits.

Intriguing wine, polarising in nature, superb with food and could be anything in a decade.

90++ points



Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 1998- Always have enjoyed this style from Clare. Wendouree is the 'Grange' of the blend IMHO.

Dense ( but not jammy ) blackcurrants, intermingled lavendar and rusty minerals; the nose completes with menthol. The palate is dark and unyielding; plenty of blackfruits, a dip on the mid-palate prior to a full frontal assault of fierce and gripping tannin. Very long finish of chewy tannins, inky malbec fruit and good supporting flavour persistance. A nice touch of eucalyptus jumps in at the very end.

One or two days later, the wine built more layered fruit intensity, and more florals appeared ( lavendar like again ) with the tannins softnening ( a touch ).

Superb wine. Needs another decade at least.

91 +++ points



Wendouree Shiraz Mataro 1998- This is the most approachable of wines from Wendouree's 98 stable. It still needs a bit of time, but certainly gives the most insight into the vintage potential. This, and the straight shiraz that followed, received relatively light 'airtime'- about 12 hours in the decanter and much vigorous to violent swirling.

When the wine came to room temp', it had it all on the nose- blackberry & blackcurrants ( with florals ), licorice like darkfruits and spicey, star anise. Earth and supporting oak complete the complex aromas. Over time, some rusty-mineral notes make their appearance.

At the core of the wine, are solid, concentrated blackfruits wrapped tightly to shield from the upcoming tannin Blitzkreig. The tannins are ripe and encircle the palate, dive bombing from the roof of the mouth aswell. Finally, the fruit breaks out onto the backpalate- to fight a valiant rearguard action. Only to come up against another wall of flour like tannins.

Fascinating tannin structure, with hints it will be the first of the 'tamed' 98's. No rush and five plus years will see a better showing.

92+++ points



Wendouree Shiraz 1998- A class above all the wines above. An absolute bargain off the mailer and in my opinion, a bargain at current auction prices. At times it seems Australian shiraz styles suffer from shizophrenia- in and out of fashion oak, monster levels of fruit ripeness and confusing marketing direction. Wendouree shiraz is pure and vibrant, and in the ever changing shiraz environment, rises from antiquity, offering personality, leadership and direction that will eventually be noted. You would be a mug not to have this in the cellar- for posterity at least!

The 98 shiraz is as super concentrated shiraz as you could think of- without obvious oak. Wonderful perfumed edges, to a melted aroma core of jammed packed blackberry, red and black cherry, licorice and a myriad of undiscernible darkfruits. There are pleasant sweet spices in the background which must amount to unobtrusive oak handling. Another swirl brings out rich, earthy edges to the above.

Dazzling fruit purity and vibrancy. The palate has super concentrated, smooth textured shiraz fruit, with a hint of appropriate sweetness and background fresh and damp earth. The fruit flavours build a linear tannin structure, that point toward the back palate like an arrow, before flooding it with coating ripe and grainy tannins. Finishes long and gratifying.

Over time the wine has more complex spice evolving- perhaps the oak is finally showing up. The fruit becomes multi-layered and the tannins powdery and approachable.

Shiraz of the year for me. Better in eight years plus.

94++ points[/b]

[BenK]

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