TN: 150 years of Tahbilk

[via collins]

I'm still a little bit awed by how lucky I was to attend this event.

Much as I enjoy visiting the CD in Nagambie, and this tasting will be held there next w/e I believe, it was great to hop on a tram into town where The Deanery hosted the Purbricks and team for a quartet of verticals across the reds, and of course, the marsannes.

We were greeted on entry with a 150th Anniversary marsanne, which is a 1999 model. Big hit of marmalade to open, some straw, a little honey, and a fine length. Heartily recommended, and it was served well chilled on what was a very warm arvo, giving me all kinds of thoughts about serving it as an aperitif.

Then the marsannes en masse:

2009 sharp, and tasting lovely right now. lemony sherbetty, pulls up a little short, and lacks for a definable colour. it struck me as more of a riesling taste at this stage of its life, which ties in with someone's reference last week to it accompanying fish well right now. I plan to get a bunch of these, cellar half,drink the other half through autumn.

2002 more vegetal on the nose than anything, and less fruit forward on the palate intially, but marmalade develops, as does a little citrus peel, and it's slightly oily. very good. and good length too.

1999 golden colour showing, balancing on the palate superbly, and marmalade and honey really on show. this was the popular favourite on the day, though the 2002 edged it out for me. you'd be rapt to have either out of the cellar at present.

1997 starting to glow by comparison with the noughties wines, toastiness to the fore, and a resiny feel as well. a little shorter than the 99/02s for my taste

1987 goldier gold, sharper, longer and....notes ran out there. i didn't score it as well as the 99/02.

Tahbilk 1860 vines shiraz

1986 red brick colouring, earthy nose, deep licorice and hints of charcoal on the palate, and intense red fruits

1992 cherry red, tobacco and leather on the nose, superbly balanced palate - good length, smoky bacon on back palate and intense berries. surprisingly thin body in the context, but that's no markdown - this is very, very good. my equal WOTD

1998 dark cherry colour, smoky nose, very silky palate - cherries and black berry fruits and again, the lovely balance found also in the 92 - and a touch of the blood and sweat note sthat i find incredibly appealing in the wines of bandol.

2000 a wine that felt in every way fine and graceful - balanced, but very fine - a predominant cherry taste, but a lighter body.

2004 blackcurrant pastille dark colouring, and a lollyish nose - a little short, but no lesser for it. all kinds of fruits leaping out - blackcurrant, sour cherries etc. i would happliy drink this wine now, but there's a feeling it will go along distance in cellar as well.

Tahbilk Bin/Reserve/ESP shiraz

1972 Bin 57 A regal and leathery body and nose, fruits in retreat. Browning tone in colour, hints of sultana and sherry now.

Reserve 1998 dark cherry colour, vanilla and licorice notes, and some star anise as well, cinnamon, sour cherry, and an extremely easy and long finish. This was my equal WOTD, and one that I reckon has lots and lots to tell - tremendously complex, and yet likeable.

Reserve 1999 Grippier than the 98, darker, and more pronounced oaky flavours, but not predominant by any means. i'd like to try this again.

ESP 2002 Lovely dark colour, lots of red berries and cinnamon, this is a tremendous wine. A little grippy and coiled perhaps, but bound to get better and better.

ESP 2004 Dark purple colour, fruits leaping out of the palate - very fresh, nice chewy tannins, and generous in the mouth.

Tahbilk Bin/Reserve/ESP Cabernet Sauvignon

1981 Bin 68 Cherry red colour with golden colours on the edge, smoky nose with some nice herbs on palate, followed by some cigar boxy thing. exceedingly generous mouthfeel. A very hot year, and a very delicious wine.

Reserve 1994 Cherries and cigar box/tea leaf on palate, lacks a little on follow through though.

Reserve 1999 Fantastic balance between the fruit, and the aging elements of the wine - cherry, oak, star anise, a little mint - slight grip on exit, enormously satisfying - equal WOTD

ESP 2002 Blackberries and vanilla on nose, quite an aggressive attack, but a long depth of flavour to follow, and a silky mouthfeel. Very, very good, just edged out by 1999.

ESP 2004 Voluble fruit and spice competing on palate, taking up all the attention. I'm assuming this is the relative youth of the wine, but also a sign of good years to come.

Hope the above is of some use.

It took place over three hours with some excellent food, and information shared. As evidenced above, I've not done this type of thing before, and was amazed at how knackered I was in the evening, and how little I've drunk since the event - I felt enormously full, and though I was spitting, there were some wines in there I just had to enjoy to the full. WOTD went three ways, and I hope one day to try those three with friends at home and pick a winner for real.


Cheers,

[jeremy]

Thanks for the run down Via Collins, greatly appreciated.

Were all the Marsannes standard or were some Old Vines material?

[Rawshack]

Great notes mate and I imagine it would have been a great event

I am planning to return to Tahbilk soon. I'm really into their Marsanne at the moment and think that it's something of a jewel that I've overlooked...

[via collins]

Jeremy, I've no doubt the 150th vintage marsanne 1999 was old vines, I'll need to check notes on the others.

[Sean O'Sullivan]

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[via collins]

Sean, that is indeed the order as presented.

And yes, lots of these wines are on show this weekend at Tahbilk.

And Jeremy, we were tasting the standard production line marsannes - which makes the results that much more impressive. I was discussing the 1927 vines editions with a feller at the tasting, and he reported that the 1998 model has knocked him out each time he's opened one, said they're glorious right now. The 99 didn't do the same for him, and from what I tasted, the 150 anniversary 2000 vintage of same is just grand.

Must pull some 98 out, a very autumnal drink is the marsanne, I'm sure you'll agree.

[daz]

Haven't had a marsanne from any winery for some years but I cruised through all of the young 2000s I bought pretty quickly, arguably one of Tahbilk's best.

Many thanks for the notes. I've a bottle each of the premium trio from 1998, 1999 and 2002. Also the second and last bottle of 1860s 1997 that I'm thinking of taking to Mackay this week to share with my b-i-l about a month before his 60th birthday. He doesn't want a big celebration so I'll combine it with my niece's, his daughter's, 40th birthday celebration.

Cheers

daz

[jeremy]

Jeremy, I've no doubt the 150th vintage marsanne 1999 was old vines, I'll need to check notes on the others.

Thanks!

[Sean O'Sullivan]

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[Sean O'Sullivan]

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[daz]

I did take the 1860s Vines to Mackay, had it the night before Ului blew through. I wasn't in full assessing mode but recall it being a lovely medium+bodied wine, dark berries, ripe plums and noticeable but well-integrated oak in the background adding to the lengthy finish.