I am a confirmed (some might say "demented") lover of all manner of Oz Shiraz.
While I have numerous vintages of the usual suspects, I most intrigued about the appropriate drinking window for Wendouree.
I have several - '91, '92, '94, '95, '97 and '98.
Since my limited tasting experience with them suggests that the tannins take a long time to soften, are the '91s or '92s anywhere near approachable yet?
I suspect the '98 won't be ready until my retirement party in 13 years.
Any advice is most greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Steve
"Don't let the past remind us of what we are not now."
I was lucky enough to have a tour of the winery last week while in the Clare. Tony is a unique guy to say the least. The place is full of fantastic history and he was a wealth of information. Among other things we tried the 04 (?) Cab straight from tank.
Anyway, he gave us a bottle of 95 Cabernet from their cellar and stated that it should be drunk in 2014!!!
I think that 20 years is a good guide. I recently had a 96 shiraz mataro and it had so long left in it it was almost vinfanticide.
I agree with the previous post. These are wines that are made for the very long haul. They do not bend to the contemporary trend of being "big but approachable" when young. They are truly special wines so give them the time they need to show it. 20 years is a minimum for all but the weakest vintages.
20 years is fine if you have ideal cellaring conditions, AND if you like wine that has mellowed. I tried the 1991 last year and whilst i thought it would happily drink for another decade i could not imagine it improving. It had plenty of fruit still and great balance and length. Whilst the 1985 was just starting to show some more 'dead fruit' characters, all cedary. There is no doubt these are genuine 'vin de garde' styles, but not everyone likes really mature wine. If you are intrigued-pop the cork! No wine starts off bad and becomes good-as i always say it's degrees of goodness
While twenty years is a good time to cellar these wines(and I have even heard forty being suggested!), I personally have never managed to age them past 15 years without succumbing to their irresistable lure! Oh, how people cringe as their glassware is stained bright purple!
For me, the Malbec is a particular delight, and I will welcome the arrival of 2008 with particular relief and great pleasure!
May I suggest that openning one of these wines too early is nowhere near as severe a crime as passing away before every one of them has been personally consumed?
And much as Wine has play'd the Infidel,
And robbed me of my Robe of Honour â€â€Well,
I often wonder what the Vintners buy
One half so precious as the ware they sell.
(Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam)
I have had a few Wendourees over the years, and some vintages need much more ageing than others.
I recently (6 months ago) opened both a 90 Cabernet and a 90 Shiraz, and they were both drinking well. The cabernet blew me away. They had been aged in a 15 degree cellar all their life. They will go further, but it just depends on how aged you like your wines.
Its the tannins that need taming. The vines are not irrigated.
