Finding Bottles in the Cellar

[Mahmoud Ali]

Has anyone ever found a bottle in their collection that they either forgot or overlooked?

In my case I just went rummaging through some cases and found a few surprises. There were a couple of oldies that may be well past their prime and one that should be good for a while more.

A 1998 Pepper Tree Grande Reserve Coonawarra Merlot was a gift by a generous wine agent and it should be good for a while longer. The others were:

1990 Grant Burge Shiraz
1990 Yalumba Galway Hermitage
1987 Chateau Reynella Cabernet
1990 Basedow White Burgundy
1992 Mountadam Chardonnay

I reckon that the Burge shiraz and the Basedow Semillon might be good. Any thoughts?

Mahmoud.

[PaulG]

I've actually found a few things in my father's cellar, and have no idea as to their quality, or if they'll still be alright to drink. He's now given up alcohol entirely, so I've inherited them all!

I've so far discovered:
1993 Alto Estate 'Alto Rouge' (which is a merlot, cab sauv, cab franc, shiraz blend)
1981 KWV Roodeberg
2000 Padthaway Estate Cab

[Luke W]

Dear Mahmoud

I dragged out the Bradley Gold books to check on these and found the following as a guide (however my experience would indicate that you can get lucky and find the most interesting wines sometimes from little treasures like these:


1990 Grant Burge Shiraz - 3 stars rating 6 drink 2000
1990 Yalumba Galway Hermitage - 3 stars #7 drink 1996
1987 Chateau Reynella Cabernet - 4 stars #6 drink 1998
1990 Basedow White Burgundy - 4 stars #6 drink 1995
1992 Mountadam Chardonnay - 5 stars #6 drink 2002

Cheers

Luke

[orpheus]

My thoughts are "Who knows? Open them and let us know..."

[Mike Hawkins]

I found a few 2nd growths and a handful of bottles of 88 Rockford BP about 5 years ago. They had been stashed in a Wynns BL box, and I just assumed it was an unopened case of the latter (there were 4 of them). Suffice to say, I was pretty happy with that find.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Thanks Luke, much appreciated.

You are very right about the odd bottles tuning into something special. Wine literature often make references to older bottles of "simple" or inexpensive wines that were unexpectedly good.

Interesting to me is that the whites were so highly rated but at the same time surprised that the Basedow, which I think is Semillon, would have such a short drinking window.

I will post notes on them when I drink them, and that will be soon.

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

[Bick]

I found a few 2nd growths...

Cripes - you mislaid a bunch of 2nd growths? How forgetful was that?!
If I had any 2nd growths, I'd be checking up on them on about a weekly basis

[dazza1968]

Hello all now while looking thru some hidden pockets in the cellar i found a Seppelts 91 Sparkling reserve Who knows as the bottle was still in its presentation box ................Regards Dazza

[dazza1968]

Hello all

now while looking thru some hidden pockets in the cellar i found a Seppelts 91 Sparkling reserve Who knows as the bottle was still in its presentation box ................Regards Dazza

[Mahmoud Ali]

Seventeen year old sparkling shiraz. Lucky you, should be delicious.

Let's see, my 1998 Black Queen + seventeen years = 2015. A long wait, if it lasts that long.

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

[Mahmoud Ali]

Seventeen year old sparkling shiraz. Lucky you, should be delicious.

Let's see, my 1998 Black Queen + seventeen years = 2015. A long wait, if it lasts that long.

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

[bob parsons]

Thanks Luke, much appreciated.

You are very right about the odd bottles tuning into something special. Wine literature often make references to older bottles of "simple" or inexpensive wines that were unexpectedly good.

Interesting to me is that the whites were so highly rated but at the same time surprised that the Basedow, which I think is Semillon, would have such a short drinking window.

I will post notes on them when I drink them, and that will be soon.

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

Still keeping some old wines in that cellar, Mahmoud!! Drink them up mate.

[ken gillman]

[quote="Mahmoud Ali"]Has anyone ever found a bottle in their collection that they either forgot or overlooked?

definitely, great isnt it. One of the advantages of getting older, and of forgetting to enter wines in the database when they arrive in the cellar. 'Computer says no' is a comedy line that resonnates!

1992 Mountadam Chardonnay

Flabby and flat is my guess, v few Aus Ch last the distance w any distinction.

[ken gillman]

M- what temperature is your cellar in Ed'ton, is it U/G?

[John #11]

Hello all now while looking thru some hidden pockets in the cellar i found a Seppelts 91 Sparkling reserve Who knows as the bottle was still in its presentation box ................Regards Dazza

I've taken a couple of bottles of this to recent offlines in Adelaide.

If it's in good condition, it should still be drinking reasonably well, perhaps just on the downhill slide.

It is <<almost>> feral, has gobs of Brett, but still fresh fruit, some oak, plenty of leathery secondary characteristics, very enjoyable I thought.

Cheers.
John

[Mike Hawkins]

Bick - let's just say the cellar list is now infinitely more accurate than it used to be ! On the other hand, there's bottles I was sure I owned and couldn't find. Funnily enough, a few of those were 2nd Growths too !

[dazza1968]

Hello all now while looking thru some hidden pockets in the cellar i found a Seppelts 91 Sparkling reserve Who knows as the bottle was still in its presentation box ................Regards Dazza

I've taken a couple of bottles of this to recent offlines in Adelaide.

If it's in good condition, it should still be drinking reasonably well, perhaps just on the downhill slide.

It is <<almost>> feral, has gobs of Brett, but still fresh fruit, some oak, plenty of leathery secondary characteristics, very enjoyable I thought.

Cheers.
John

Hey John I will let you know how it has come up!!!! I can not wait to try Regards Dazza

[Mahmoud Ali]

Ken,

The wiines are underground in a house basement but not at what I would call "ideal" temperatures. Winters temperatures are around 10-11 degrees while the summer high is about 15-16 degrees. However, five years ago they were in another basement where the summer and winter temperatures were lower.

You may be right about the '92 Mountadam, and the fact that few Australian Chardonnays last. However I have had a few older wines from the past and they were quite alright even with 10-15 years under the belt.

I remember a few early purchases doing quite well, the '85 Rosemount Show Reserve, an '85 Arrowfield and an old Krondorf most likely made by Grant Burge and Ian Wilson (the Krondorf premium Chardonnay was called the 'Burge and Wilson'). A 1995 Vat 47 tasted in 2003 was very nice and I reckon had some years left.

Perhaps, like some of the wayward Shiraz wines of recent years, the new Chardonnays needs to go back to a more traditional winemaking style.

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

PS: Bob, interested in drinking some of the old Riojas, Bordeaux and California Cabs?