Brucer wrote:Red Bigot wrote: Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz 1998, singing loudly and proudly, softened but not fading, lovely balance, will hold for 3-4 years yet for my tastes, but I'll probably drink the remaining 3 of mine over the next year or so.
Wow Brian, seems we like our wines at enormously different ages. I drank my 98 RSWs years ago, and have currently drank/tipped out many bottles of 02 RSW due to oxidisation/premature ageing problems that I have encountered. I am finding many 02 shiraz from McLaren Vale simply not ageing well, and going past the point of being enjoyable IMO.
I am currently getting into 04 RSWs, and I think they are just perfect right now.
I suppose it would not be much fun if everybody liked the same wine at the same age!
cheers Bruce
Bruce, if you don't mind me asking, how are you storing your wine?
I had similar issues storing in the wardrobe of my parent's place in Liverpool, where summer temps frequently hit 40 degrees. Not many wines withstand that for more than a few years.
Now that I'm in a purpose built facility, I almost have the opposite problem. I'm drinking far too many wines before they reach their peak. I guess that is better than the alternative.
Steve wrote:1999 Houghton White Burgundy... absolutely delicious, and one of the better older wines I've had lately...
If you get a good bottle...!
I guess I'm unusual in that I prefer to age white wine rather than red wine... even though red is my preferred poison
I have to admit to cellaring HWB up to about the 1999 vintage, and not being disappointed, including some magnums (bought for single bottle prices) of their 1996 (60th vintage of HWB?). It would surprise a lot of people that such a relatively cheap bottle of wine made from innocuos white grapes would have the cellaring potential it used to have. I'm not at all convinced that the cellaring potential still exists, however, and would be interested in other peoples' experience with more recent vintages (i.e. this century).
The older ones cellar so well because they're basically just chenin blanc with a few other bits and pieces thrown in. I think that from about the time the name was changed to "Classic White" the chenin blanc disappeared and it's now made from grapes that don't belong anywhere near a cellar...
It originated in 1937 as Chenin Blanc with a little Verdelho and Muscadelle. Chardonnay was added to the blend around the mid 70's and it has remained unchanged since. But Chenin Blanc is still the major variety in the blend and the blend has not changed with the change of label.
Brucer wrote:Red Bigot wrote: Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz 1998, singing loudly and proudly, softened but not fading, lovely balance, will hold for 3-4 years yet for my tastes, but I'll probably drink the remaining 3 of mine over the next year or so.
Wow Brian, seems we like our wines at enormously different ages. I drank my 98 RSWs years ago, and have currently drank/tipped out many bottles of 02 RSW due to oxidisation/premature ageing problems that I have encountered. I am finding many 02 shiraz from McLaren Vale simply not ageing well, and going past the point of being enjoyable IMO.
I am currently getting into 04 RSWs, and I think they are just perfect right now.
I suppose it would not be much fun if everybody liked the same wine at the same age!
cheers Bruce
Bruce, I don't like my wines old and leathery, this 98 RSW was not "old-tasting", there were still memories of primary fruit, although it was mostly integrated and the tannins still firmly there but all in balance.
You've got me worried about the 2002 now, I've only just started on the 2001, I'll try a 2002 soon, that was the last RSW I bought.
Cheers Brian Life's too short to drink white wine and red wine is better for you too! :-)
Brucer wrote: I am finding many 02 shiraz from McLaren Vale simply not ageing well, and going past the point of being enjoyable IMO.
cheers Bruce
More examples?
It's interesting that a lot of people reckon 98 SA reds are "falling over early", I've still got a lot left that are not, having drunk those that needed to be. Certainly 98 reds from SA were never going to be as long-lived as some other vintages, but that's the reason to taste wines, read the critics and keep good cellar records, they won't get away from you.
This is the first suggestion I've seen that "2002 McLaren Vale reds are not ageing well", I'm curious to see which ones you bought that you think are not. The only one I've been disappointed in so far is Scarpantoni Block 3.
Cheers Brian Life's too short to drink white wine and red wine is better for you too! :-)
