TNR - Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot 1997

Jon Bubb · Post by **Jon Bubb** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 12:14 am

Hi all,

Have just rejoined after an absence of a few years which seems to have caused me to be scrubbed from the database.

I'm looking for recent tasting notes/impressions/thoughts on the Voyager Estate Cab Merlot 1997 please. I am putting together wines for a ten year anniversary dinner in the UK and the Voyager is available at a good price so I am considering it as a red option. Menu still tbc unfortunately, which doesn't help.

Any thoughts anyone? Is it getting a bit long in the tooth?

Many thanks,

JonB

Jon Bubb · Post by **Jon Bubb** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 7:06 pm

Clearly not a widely consumed vintage. As a matter of interest, does anyone know what JH and JO said about it? I've lent my JH guide which I would expect to have the 97 review to a friend and my JO 2002 guide only goes up to 1996!!

wiggum · Post by **wiggum** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:24 am

JO gives a score of 17.5 and drinking window of 2005 -2010. So a reasonable wine but not as good as all the other vintages around it.

Jon Bubb · Post by **Jon Bubb** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:08 am

Thanks wiggum - very useful information.

Ian S · Post by **Ian S** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:18 am

Jon
Welcome back.
If it's any use Hooke/Kyte-Powell had it down as peaking 4 years from their 2001-02 guide, so at or just beyond peak for them. They weren't too complimentary on the tasting notes, with underripeness, gamy, minty and vegetal mentioned.

Halliday seemed to miss this vintage between his 2001 and 2002 editions, but oddly had 1997 listed in the previous good vintages for the wine

I dare say it will be interesting and there's no reason to delay cracking a bottle. Hope it's a good one.

regards

Ian

grahamg · Post by **grahamg** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:19 am

Hi Jon,
I don't post very often but thought I should reply since I recently bought 12 of these and have had 2 in the last couple of weeks. JO gave it 91 back in 2001 saying it had a green streak but should develop well, drink 2005 -2009. Many of the vintages around it have scores like 95, 96, 97, so this is a lesser vintage of a very good label.
Out of the two bottles I've had I personally didn't find them too green but about what I'm used to for a cool climate shiraz. The first bottle had years ahead of it and the second was drinking well now with a good balance between primary and secondary flavours. They don't have the richness or depth of the 2003, but at the price I'm really happy with my purchase.
If you really want to showcase this label, perhaps something like a comparison between a bottle of 1996 and 2003 would be the way to go.
Regards,
Graham

Jon Bubb · Post by **Jon Bubb** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:36 pm

grahamg, Ian,

Thankyou for the info - very useful. grahamg - do you mean shiraz or cabernet/merlot?

I am thinking of buying some of this for a tenth anniversary dinner - however, comments so far make me feel like erring on the side of choosing something else. However, finding reasonably priced 1997 wines on a tight budget for the dinner isn't straightforward!

Thanks again,

JonB

Handy · Post by **Handy** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:01 pm

wiggum wrote:JO gives a score of 17.5 and drinking window of 2005 -2010. So a reasonable wine but not as good as all the other vintages around it.

His 2007 wine annual gives it 91 points and a drinking window of 2005-2009. I think that Cliff Royle wasn't the winemaker there in 2007 so not sure how similar the 97 would be to current Voyager wines.

Could you buy a single bottle and give it a try to see what you think before purchasing more for your dinner?

grahamg · Post by **grahamg** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 11:01 am

Sorry, I was thinking Cab /Merlot when I typed shiraz

Jon Bubb · Post by **Jon Bubb** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:57 pm

Thanks everyone. I bought six bottles of the Voyager for the dinner (it wasn't possible to buy a single bottle, taste it and then get more if necessary in time for the dinner) - hedging my bets with a Southern French red (Prieure St Jean de Bebian 1997).

I'll report back on what it was like. Just need a 1997 fizz now?!! Hunters Miru Miru is an option - will this still be drinkable? If not, I might go for the Peter Lehmann Black Queen Sparkling Shiraz 1997.

Thanks again,

JonB