A little help: grange is too obvious

[rowan]

I was wondering if I could get a little advice.

I'm looking to buy some wine to lay down for 10 and 20 years. The wines would need to be from the 2000 and 2003 vintages. The bottles are to be cracked open in 2010, 2013, 2020 and 2023 as major anniversaries.

Temperature and humidity control will be no problem.

Penfolds Grange is the obvious choice. Since I've never tasted it, I don't know if it's a good choice.

Price range: roughly $100 and up. Although, of course, value for price is everybody's concern.

Australian wines are a preference. I don't mind which state.

For the 2003 vintage, I wouldn't mind some advice on Italian wines. (Why? I married in Florence and that would be a great surprise for my wife in 2013 - if I can manage to keep a secret from my missus for six years. Yeah, THAT'S real likely!!)

Thanks in advance.

Rowan

[Ratcatcher]

2000 wasn't a great year in SA. The 2000 Grange in particular was one of the least outstanding Grange's but ironically over-priced because of it's rarity. Might be best looking outside SA for the types of wines you want.

McWilliams Mt Pleasant Maurice O'Shea Shiraz 2000 got big wraps and long cellaring recommendations. I've got a couple stashed away based on the reports but haven't actually tasted it myself. The same company's Rosehill Shiraz is good too with a 10-15 year drinking window. The 2003 O'Shea has good reviews too and potential to age well.

I'm sure you'll get lots of other suggestions. One that might not be obvious is Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 from Tas. Jeremy Oliver says it will go till 2020 + .

[rowan]

Thanks.

The local nationwide wine merchant recommended the 2000 Cullen Cab Sav Merlot. He also put a word in for Moss Wood 2003 Cab Sav.

Stay away from 2000 South Australia. Thank you for the advice.

Any other recommendations??

[Alex F]

Vintage Port from Portugal

[Ian S]

2003 in Italy - IMO very slim pickings as they also had a heatwave vintage and there are plenty of unbalanced wines. There will I'm sure be some good Barolo's when they get released, but I found Barbaresco's a very mixed bunch when I tasted some 2003's up against 2002's and 2001's. Still 10 years is not long enough for all but the hideously unbalanced wines to fall over, so maybe look out for Brunello, or a super Tuscan (Ornellaia, Sassicaia, Tignanello etc) for something from the same region as you stayed in. Alternatives would be Barolo or Barbaresco (Prunotto and Varaldo produced Barbaresco wines in 2003 that I felt retained balance). Another option is Amarone, which generally works ok with extreme heat and has obvious romantic punning potential Finally, look to some of the Northern Regions which would normally struggle for ripeness: Alto Adige, Fruili, etc. though I suspect availabilty may be an issue.

Personally I'd go for Vintage Port. 2000 was a declared vintage and I suspect 2003 as well.

regards

Ian

[Craig(NZ)]

shame, poor me, i have only 1994 and 1998 vintages to fill as anniversary vintages and me mate poor old bacchus has to choose from riches among 2005

If you went NZ id definitely say 2000 coleraine

[Wizz]

Thanks.

The local nationwide wine merchant recommended the 2000 Cullen Cab Sav Merlot. He also put a word in for Moss Wood 2003 Cab Sav.

Stay away from 2000 South Australia. Thank you for the advice.

Any other recommendations??

I dont think a universal "Stay away from 2000 SA" is quite fair - Coonawarra did very nicely in 2000 when Barossa, McLaren and Clare didnt fare so well. Tasted the 2000 Katnook Cabernet week before last and it was pretty smart. Depending on where yo are and what you can get, 2000 Majella Malleea could be good.

Someone will also chime in shortly and say how good 2000 was in the Hunter Valley.

2003 - where was vintage good and ageworthy in 2003 in Australia?

cheers

Andrew

[Jay60A]

2003 was pretty good in Victoria. Seppelt St Peters will certainly go 20 years and be great.

If you can track it down and don't mind paying 2003 Kalleske Johann Georg might be worth a look. Not sure on aging it 20 years though others might have thoughts.

Meerea Park made great 03's - Alexander Munro and Hell Hole. Alexander Munro had a bit more structure and stuffing I thought. If Adair is around he'd know more but I think the Alexander Munro would go 20 years.

2000 ... top Yarra or Margaret River cabs? Or Bordeaux.

Cheers -- Jay

[Julio]

I assume whites are allowed?

2003 Leeuwin Art series Chardonnay is an absolute cracker and built to go the distance.

[platinum]

Seppelt St Peters 2003
Mount Mary Quintet 2000 and 2003 will go 20 years no Problem but you may have to pay a premium over release price now.
Yarra Yarra--The Yarra Yarra 2000 and 2003 should both go 20 years
Grosset Polish Hill Riesling 2003 might go the 20
Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz 2003 might go 20 under Stelvin
Wendouree Shiraz 2003
Brokenwood Graveyard Shiraz 2000 and 2003
Gaja Sperss Barolo 2000 will do 20 years without a worry.

[707]

Bad luck, 2000 & 2003 are not great vintages in much of Australia and even the normally mighty Grange is very much a lesser wine from these years.

Agree that the 2003 Seppelt St.Peters Shiraz is excellent with the weight and structure to go the distance. I'm still occasionally pulling the cork on the legendary 1985, wonderful wine with plenty of life.

Noticed there's three bottles of the 2003 St.Peters at this months Wickman's auction http://www.wickman.net/wineauction/auct ... asp?ID=102

Good luck with your search

[Mahmoud Ali]

I understand that 2000 was a very good year for Barolo, Barbaresco and Amarone. They would certainly last till 2020. The 2003 vintage wasn't so good for these wines but there are good examples of them. If you can find a good Chianti Reserva, even from a middling vintage like 2003, it will likely to be good for the 2013 anniversary.

Cheers................Mahmoud.

[Partagas]

00 Maurice O'Shea Shiraz
03 MossWood Cab Sav

Only two in those vintages I have tried and can recommend.

[bacchaebabe]

The 2003 Fonseca Vintage Port is a ripper and will be fine for your golden wedding anniversary (or great to pull out for your kid's 50th). Wouldn't open it in less than 20 years though. Should be in the price range. The 2000s were also pretty good and will be fine for the very long haul.

[holy grail]

Seppelt 03 Benno - I think will be a better wine than the 03 St Peters down the track.
Voyager 03 Cab Merlot
Meerea Park 03 Alexander Munroe
Moss Wood 03
Frankland Estate 03 Olmo's Reward (Bordeaux blend) a cracker.

All wines are screwcaps

There were some sensational 03 Rieslings as well
Seppelt Drumborg
Mitchell
Leo Buring Leonay
Leasingham Bin 7

[markov]

Morris Durif will have a good cellar life. Also Wynns Michael. Jasper Hill make some good keepers

[Mike]

Try and get hold of the 2003 Sono Montenidoli, the flagship estate grown chianti from Montenidoli. That is near to Florence.

This is an excellent Chianti that will cellar well.

google Montenidoli, not sure if it is exported to Australia.

[Mike Hawkins]

I know you would prefer to buy Oz wines, but both 2000 (all regions) and 2003 (Northern Medoc) were outstanding years in Bordeaux. Plenty of the lower classed growths would see out 20 years, and the super seconds / firsts would easily go more if well cellared.

The super Tuscans from 03 were disappointing. They just did not respond to the heat of the vintage IMO.

[Minotaur]

I would go for

2000 Brokenwood Graveyard
2000 Mount Mary Quintet
2000 Domaine A Cab Sauv
2000 Bannockburn Shiraz
2000 Mt Pleasant O'Shea
2000 Te Mata Coleraine
2000 Stonyridge Larose

2003 Seppelt St Peters
2003 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier
2003 Yarra Yarra Vineyard The Yarra Yarra
2003 Meerea Park Alexander Munro
2003 Petersons Back Block Shiraz

Also good years in France - Bordeaux, S Rhone (2000) and N Medoc, N Rhone (2003).