All time greatest Australian wines

[cuttlefish]

So here it is, lads and ladettes. I want to know what you think are the greatest Australian wines you know of, or have perhaps been fortunate enough to enjoy. What I mean here is not just "Grange", but the greatest vintage of Grange. Was it the '71, or the '51, or something like that ?
We're going to create the definitive list here. This list will contain the legendary wines of the past, the mythical wines we might have heard of but never tried...let's be open-minded here about what we're putting together. They might be rare, they might just be the first ever release of a marque wine. A Riesling, a shiraz, a Pinot noir...It's not important what the price. We just want the list of the greatest, from anywhere in Australia.

I'll edit this first post as regularly as I can with the up-to-date list of people's suggestions. APologies in advance if I miss anyone's suggestions. Please do put forward your arguments if you think I've overlooked anything !

I'll start the ball rolling with an obvious one, and one that I haven't tried:

'63 Mildara Cabernet Sauvignon otherwise known as "Peppermint Patty". I've heard a number of times that this is an epic drinking experience.

The must have list so far: (in no particular order)
1. Mildara Cabernet Sauvignon 1963 (aka Peppermint Patty)
2. Wynns Michael 1955
3. Lindemans Hunter Chablis 1970 (Bin 3875)
4. Seppelt 100 Year Old Para Port
5. Maurice O'Shea's wines from 1940's and early 1950's (Is there a standout ?)
6. Woodleys Treasure Chest wines from 1949-1956 (Is there a standout ?)


Maybe's:
Let's allow two vintages of Grange in the list, but which two ? '71 ? '55 ?
Wynns John Riddoch - 1986 has been suggested, but I couldn't go past the inaugural 1982 vintage, which I have tasted. What are people's thoughts, and does any vintage of this wine belong in this list ? Would the '91 Centenary blend from Wynn's get voted in here ?
Barossa Pearl for historical reasons, but do people think it belongs here ?
I suspect a Leo Buring Riesling will be in this list. 1973, 1975, and 1991 have been suggested. Can we narrow it down to one vintage ?
Does De Bortoli Noble One 1982 get a guernsey ? I haven't tried it, though I have just procured a bottle. Was it a groundbreaking wine ? I'm thinking as far as Australian sweet wines are concerned it's a modern day classic, and 1982 was the first and arguably the best made so far...?
Hill Of Grace ? Which vintage ?
Lindemans Hunter Valley Burgundy - Which vintage of this is the most revered ?




The Post 1980 list :
1. 1990 Grange
2. 1990 Petaluma Riesling
3. 1990 Mount Mary Quintet
4. 1996 Bin 389 ??
5.

[Cloth Ears]

"Barossa Pearl launched many Australians into wine drinking - a fact for which the whole industry ought to be grateful."
Author Michael Muschamp
So, while you might not want to actually drink some now (or then, for that matter), I'd estimate that many of us here are enjoying wine instead of beer is because of the 1956 release of this particular wine.

1982 De Bortoli Noble One - an excellent first attempt at the Sauterne style, which moved Australian 'stickies' from awful to sublime. OK, they're not d'Yquem, but they're quite good.

[Gavin Trott]

'63 Mildara Cabernet Sauvignon otherwise known as "Peppermint Patty". I've heard a number of times that this is an epic drinking experience.

It is, or at least, when I had a near perfect bottle (over a decade ago) it most certianly was.

Sensational, ethereal, ever changing, ever developing ... simply sensational and difficult to do justice in words, in fact!

Context, enjoyed the same night as 1970 Chateau Latour and a Chambertin Clos du Beze and held its own, more than held its own.

Greatest Australian wine I have had.

.

[TiggerK]

Great topic cf, but of course the huge issue is "heard of" vs "actually tasted". And if the latter, bottle variation obviously a huge factor.

Heard of... so my top "I'd pay good money to try a good bottle of....."

Bin 60A 1962, Grange 55/71/76, Peppermint Pattie 1963, Various O'Shea's, Graveyards.


Actually Tasted... top 8 (might add 2 more as they come to mind!). My 'Most memorable' sums it up really, it's the wines that you think back and can really taste, as well as put yourself back in the moment, with the company, the food, the fun. Still so many that I've never tried, but I'm SO grateful to all those who have supplied these life changing and amazing bottles, you know who you are!

Penfolds Grange 1967, Lindemans Bin 4810 Hunter River 'Burgundy' 1973, Petaluma 1990 Riesling, Leo Buring Leonay Riesling 1991, Mt Mary Quintets 2000, Torbreck RunRig 1998, John Riddoch Cab Sav 1982, Campbells Merchant Prince Rare Muscat.

Cheers
Tim

[cuttlefish]

Thank you for your input so far everyone.

I'm considering making edits of my first post to put the definitive list. Regarding Grange, and maybe other marques, I may limit them to one or two specific vintages.

Barossa Pearl is an interesting one. Was that the wine Ian Higginbotham was involved with ?

[Luke W]

My favourite wines have been as follows (at least as far as my senility lets me remember):
1955 Grange -
1986/04 Mt Mary Cabernets
1986 Wynns John Riddoch
1998 Brewery Hill Shiraz
1995 Grange, 1996 Grange
1976 Bin 707
1978/86 HoG
1976/90 Wynns Black Label Cabernet, closely followed by the 62,65 and 66
1975 DWT? Leonay Riesling
1994 Cape Mentelle Cabernet
1995 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay
a port that Mick Morris bought along to a B&B nite that he said was at least 100 years old
01/03/05/07 Cullen DM's
03/05 Moss Wood Cabernets
98/99/00/01 Classic McLaren La Testa Shiraz's
96 Bin 389, 96 Bin 28


Great thread!

Cheers

Luke

[WineRick]

Toss up between 1998 Giaconda Chardonnay, 1973 DWC Leo Buring Riesling, 1980 Balgownie Cabernet,
(opened in 2010 - mind-numbingly good), 1997 S & K vintage port / Chambers Old Tokay / Morris Show Muscat, 1991 Hill of Grace, 2004 (or was it 1998?) Seppelt Show Sparkling Burgundy.
What fantastic memories!
Then there is the 1978 Seppelt Drumborg Riesling, Apsley Gorge Pinot, '08 I think, 2007 Cullen Cab-Merlot DM,
any of the 1970's Lindeman bin number Semillons ...... now my head is hurting!

[cuttlefish]

Toss up between 1998 Giaconda Chardonnay, 1973 DWC Leo Buring Riesling, 1980 Balgownie Cabernet,
(opened in 2010 - mind-numbingly good), 1997 S & K vintage port / Chambers Old Tokay / Morris Show Muscat, 1991 Hill of Grace, 2004 (or was it 1998?) Seppelt Show Sparkling Burgundy.
What fantastic memories!
Then there is the 1978 Seppelt Drumborg Riesling, Apsley Gorge Pinot, '08 I think, 2007 Cullen Cab-Merlot DM,
any of the 1970's Lindeman bin number Semillons ...... now my head is hurting!

Regarding the Seppelt Riesling...was it not the 1984 that was supposed to be the freak wine ? Is the '78 legendary for some reason ?

Also what is the Lindemans Hunter Chablis vintage that is legendary? Is it the 1965 ?

[cuttlefish]

Maurice O'Shea's name has been mentioned, and Colin Preece could probably feature in this list as well. What would be the best wine from each of these gentlemen of the past ?

[Waiters Friend]

Does someone take on the job to edit / compile the final 'definitive' list?

I would not want to be that person

[Jay60A]

Some good suggestions, is Fred still around?
Also the following might all be nominees ...
Wynns Michael Shiraz 1955
Classics like ...
Lindemans Hunter Valley 1965 Bin 3100 and 3110
Penfolds 90a 1990, Bin 7 1967
Penfolds Block 42 1996 or 2004 could both be up there for top Cabernet although a bit young.
Graveyard 1986 or 2000?
Old Woodleys?
Mt Mary Quintet 1990?

A few other wines come to mind ... Lindemans made a one-off Limestone Ridge Cabernet, old Saltrams Dry Reds.

[GraemeG]

Here you go:

48 Penfolds Kalimna Cabernet
55 Wynns Michael
55 Grange
59 Lindemans Bin 1590 Hunter Burg
62 Penfolds Bin 60A
63 Mildara Cab-Sauv (Patty)
65 Lindemans Bin 3100/10 Hunter Burg
70 Lindemans Bin 3875 Chablis
71 Grange

10th spot is reserved for whichever O’Shea red or Woodley’s Treasure Chest that James Halliday cares to nominate.
There has been no great wine made since 1971, of course, and besides, that’s getting into the realm of wines I’ve drunk, and is impossible to decide. (Actually, I have drunk the 71 Grange)
cheers,
GG

[markg]

* Penfolds 1962 Bin 60a was named by Decanter magazine (August 2004) as the number 8 wine in the world to try before you die (out of 100). Ranked up alongside 1945 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, 1921 D'yquem, 61 Latour etc. you get the picture. I have not tried this myself but am in contact with many people who have tried it recently and nearly all are floored by how fantastic it is - still.

* Penfolds 1996 Block 42 - Awesome wine but too young for this list ?

* Is Penfolds Grange 1990 too young for the list ? - A fantastic Grange that was the vintage that made the rest of the world sit up and take notice, wine spectator (then quite influential) named it Wine of the year.

* Can seppelts 100 year old para ports make the list ?

[sjw_11]

I would second a vote for the Seppelts 100yr old Paras ... an unbelievable heritage.

Other "greatest" i.e. my most memorable wines I have actually drunk (when tried):

Moss Wood 1996 Cabernet (2011), Wolf Blass Black Label 1984 (2011) and 1981 (2010), Penfolds Bin 707 1998 (2009, still way too young), Wynns Hermitage Shiraz 1986 (2010), Wolf Blass Grey Label Cabernet 1986 (2010), Wynns Black Label Cabernet 1990 (2006), Tyrrell's Vat 1 1994 (2005), and Tyrrell's Vat 47 1996 (2004). Brown Brothers Milawa Cabernet 1981 (2004).

For oddest long lived riesling: two Bowen Estate's 1991 and 1992 (2010) - amazingly fresh.

[dlo]

Toss up between 1998 Giaconda Chardonnay, 1973 DWC Leo Buring Riesling, 1980 Balgownie Cabernet,
(opened in 2010 - mind-numbingly good), 1997 S & K vintage port / Chambers Old Tokay / Morris Show Muscat, 1991 Hill of Grace, 2004 (or was it 1998?) Seppelt Show Sparkling Burgundy.
What fantastic memories!
Then there is the 1978 Seppelt Drumborg Riesling, Apsley Gorge Pinot, '08 I think, 2007 Cullen Cab-Merlot DM,
any of the 1970's Lindeman bin number Semillons ...... now my head is hurting!

Regarding the Seppelt Riesling...was it not the 1984 that was supposed to be the freak wine ? Is the '78 legendary for some reason ?

Also what is the Lindemans Hunter Chablis vintage that is legendary? Is it the 1965 ?

1970 Bin 3875.

[Sean]

deleted

[cuttlefish]

I could split it to pre-1980, and post-1980 and have two lists...maybe down the track. Let's see how we go...

Would like to include a Hill of Grace, so will let that run for a while to see which vintage tops out
Same applies for Grange
Will add the 1962 Penfolds Bin 60A - do we really go for both the on- and off- blend ?
I may make an exception to the rule in listing "Woodley Treasure Chest" 1949-1956. I doubt anyone here will be able to differentiate for us.
May possibly do same for O'Shea's wines from 1940's and 50's unless someone can provide specific details about particular wines.
Seppelt 100 year old Para will likely be included.
I've heard about Mick Morris rocking up with VERY old wines before. What a dude !

[phillisc]

CF, a cracka of a post which has got me thinking:
We all probably have dream wines which for me I will never get to taste, but here are a few that have passed the lips, and a few oddballs which remain as sheer joys

55 Michael, brought for 180 dollars in 1984 and consumed the next day.......head and shoulders over anything since.....period.
a few Coonawarras and showing my obvious bias, 80 St George, 82 JR ( 10 bottles down, amazing not one corked, and 14 to go) 82 BL, amazingly and i have said it before, a richer fuller wine than the 82 JR, 66, 86 and 90 BL.
How could anyone not have 91 Centenary as the best C/S to come out of the Coonawarra, and short of the special Pennies wines the best blend of these two varieties.
86 Wynns oven valley, still outstanding and thinking about a previous post, down to 10c a vintage now.
85 Pyrus, 86 Alexanders, why do they not make this anymore!!??, A modern day classic 98 Bowen Ampelon...beautifully balanced but so rich, suspect that's how the 55 Michael started.
78 Rouge Homme cab...stunning and if you like tinned asparagus the RH 80 Claret
83 Linderman's, Hunter Shiraz, beautiful earthy, leathery characters.
90 Quinet, this started the "addiction"
91 YY 1, 2 and Underhill, these two wineries for me, head and shoulders above all others.
90 seppelts great western shiraz...simply ageless
91 Mitchelton print shiraz, beautiful depth and concentration of fruit
76 wendouree claret, monumental, 88 Pressings, 90 Shiraz, all brilliant
Pennies, 1990 707 and 86 28, ridiculous, but have not tried any of the older special bins, but these two...wow!
86 rockford BP, before it was known anywhere really a case at auction in NSW...11 dollars pb
86 keyneton, probably the best value for money Henschke ever, 86 Cryil and HOG right up there.
86 Kaiser Sthul red ribbon Barossa shiraz, where the fruit from this now goes who knows, should have been a pallet buy!! Along with Tollana 86 TR16s and TR 222s, great wines for the money.
late 1980s Krondorf Burge and wilson white label Coonawarra, Barossa and McLaren vale reds
90 Orlando Lawsons and 88 white label coonawarra cab
90 Eileen hardy
1987 Joseph Modra Amarone...a truly great experience
1967 or could have been 71 Chateau reynella dry red
86 David wynn Mt adam Cab...stunning cool climate
86 Howard park...serious coonawarra challenger
84 Drumborg c/s...again what happened here?

93 PL reserve riesling, every second bottle oxidised, but those in good shape are an absolute treat.
74, 76 Leonays
80 petaluma



Lindermans white lablel muscat and tokays from the 1970s
86 woodstock botrytis...amazing beautiful rich a 7am job!

Cheers Craig

[Mark Jappe]

Off the top of my head, from the wines that I have tried:

91 Wynns Centenary
96 Orlando Lawsons
97 Pikes Reserve Riesling

Good thread idea.

Mark

[phillisc]

Wished we had never started this....but its so much fun.
86 Metala
74 Wolf Blass BL
Cheers C

[Jay60A]

How could anyone not have 91 Centenary as the best C/S to come out of the Coonawarra, and short of the special Pennies wines the best blend of these two varieties.

Good call, best Coonawarra wine I have ever tasted (I'm lacking in cases of 1982 JR alas!).

Agree on the Yarra Yarras. Massively undervalued ... Grange aside, probably my favourite Shiraz would be 1990 Underhill or 1991 Seppelt Great Western Shiraz.
Howard Park Cabernet Merlot (now the Abercrombie) from 1994 is the best aussie cab I have drunk.

[odyssey]

On the subject of O'Shea, this article has been one of my all time favorite wine-reads, written by Campbell Mattinson about the '44 Mt Henry

http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/a20090831.html

If you wanted to know the greatest O'Shea, Halliday would be the only man to ask.

[dlo]

My top ten "actuals" ....

Lindemans Classic Release Vintage Port Bin 3740 1968
Penfolds Bin 60A 1962
Hardy's Museum Release Vintage Port 1956
Penfolds Grange 1963
Penfolds Bin 7 1967
Hardy's Museum Release Vintage Port 1975
Lindemas Classic Release Vintage Port Bin 3642 1967
Penfolds Bin 61 1963
Lindemans Classic Release Hunter River Chablis Bin 3875 1970
Penfolds Grange 1962


I have a real problem with nominating "best ever" ratings to something I have never tried, but I do acknowledge the general consensus of what is being been proposed above. I'm relatively confident I read in Huon Hooke's book, Max Schubert recalled the 1962 Bin 60 from the market very soon after it was released - for some reason, he was not happy with the wine - and tweaked it, re-releasing it as the Bin 60A. Why then, would you want to include the Bin 60?

If anyone has a copy of Halliday's book "Classic Wine's of Australia" 2nd Edition (circa 2004) handy, you'll be able to drag out heaps of info on the Woodley's, O'Shea's, Grange's, Hill of Grace's and many more going way back.

[cuttlefish]

My top ten "actuals" ....

Lindemans Classic Release Vintage Port Bin 3740 1968
Penfolds Bin 60A 1962
Hardy's Museum Release Vintage Port 1956
Penfolds Grange 1963
Penfolds Bin 7 1967
Hardy's Museum Release Vintage Port 1975
Lindemas Classic Release Vintage Port Bin 3642 1967
Penfolds Bin 61 1963
Lindemans Classic Release Hunter River Chablis Bin 3875 1970
Penfolds Grange 1962


I have a real problem with nominating "best ever" ratings to something I have never tried, but I do acknowledge the general consensus of what is being been proposed above. I'm relatively confident I read in Huon Hooke's book, Max Schubert recalled the 1962 Bin 60 from the market very soon after it was released - for some reason, he was not happy with the wine - and tweaked it, re-releasing it as the Bin 60A. Why then, would you want to include the Bin 60?

If anyone has a copy of Halliday's book "Classic Wine's of Australia" 2nd Edition (circa 2004) handy, you'll be able to drag out heaps of info on the Woodley's, O'Shea's, Grange's, Hill of Grace's and many more going way back.

I think I may own this book....might have to go searching for it...

[Gavin Trott]

'63 Mildara Cabernet Sauvignon otherwise known as "Peppermint Patty". I've heard a number of times that this is an epic drinking experience.

1963 Mildara Cabernet Sauvignon otherwise known as "Peppermint Patty"

It is, or at least, when I had a near perfect bottle (over a decade ago) it most certianly was.

Sensational, ethereal, ever changing, ever developing ... simply sensational and difficult to do justice in words, in fact!

Context, enjoyed the same night as 1970 Chateau Latour and a Chambertin Clos du Beze and held its own, more than held its own.

Greatest Australian wine I have had.

.

I should add to this list I think.

Lindemans Classic Release Hunter River Chablis Bin 3875 1970 (got a dozen, free of charge, well, swapped actually with a friend who worked for Lindemans, from staff only 'low fills'). Very mixed, some no good, some very good, a few, absolutely extrordinary ... the combination of corks, and low fills causing the variation.

Seppelt 100 yr old Tawny .. specifically the 1911 ... absolutely mind blowing in intensity, in power, in balance, and in thinking about the 100 years it had sat aging!

Chambers 100 year old Muscat ... direct from the 100 year old barrel, so not bottled, balanced etc, just as it is/was. What can I say, I can (almost) still taste it, even put the Seppelt in the shade, quite simply the most amazing liquid ever to have passed my lips!

.

[dlo]

'63 Mildara Cabernet Sauvignon otherwise known as "Peppermint Patty". I've heard a number of times that this is an epic drinking experience.

1963 Mildara Cabernet Sauvignon otherwise known as "Peppermint Patty"

It is, or at least, when I had a near perfect bottle (over a decade ago) it most certianly was.

Sensational, ethereal, ever changing, ever developing ... simply sensational and difficult to do justice in words, in fact!

Context, enjoyed the same night as 1970 Chateau Latour and a Chambertin Clos du Beze and held its own, more than held its own.

Greatest Australian wine I have had.

.

I should add to this list I think.

Lindemans Classic Release Hunter River Chablis Bin 3875 1970 (got a dozen, free of charge, well, swapped actually with a friend who worked for Lindemans, from staff only 'low fills'). Very mixed, some no good, some very good, a few, absolutely extrordinary ... the combination of corks, and low fills causing the variation.

Seppelt 100 yr old Tawny .. specifically the 1911 ... absolutely mind blowing in intensity, in power, in balance, and in thinking about the 100 years it had sat aging!

Chambers 100 year old Muscat ... direct from the 100 year old barrel, so not bottled, balanced etc, just as it is/was. What can I say, I can (almost) still taste it, even put the Seppelt in the shade, quite simply the most amazing liquid ever to have passed my lips!

.

I had very few bad bottles of the 1970 Lindemans, Gavin, but it was only when Lindemans started to run out of stock, did the lower fills start appearing on the market. One bottle I bought for quite a low price was just 2/3'rds full, but the contents were just sensational.

The Seppelt 100 yr Para Tawny Port should be on everyone's all time greatest list.

I, too, was lucky enough to get a taste from that same barrel at Chambers. Bill wouldn't talk to me at the time as he didn't like "journo's", so I was looked after by a very obliging, young Andrew Sutherland-Smith, now of Warrabilla fame, who showed me around the place with a tutelage of the upbringing of their muscats and tokays. I agree, amazingly stunning wine.

Another Semillon that could be included was McWilliams Mount Pleasant Lovedale from 1984. The first case I bought of this was simply the closest thing I have ever had to perfection in an unoaked Semillon - riddled with the most gorgeous lemon butter on toast on the nose and in the mouth.

[markg]

Aw what the hell:

1986 Koonunga Hill
1996 Saltram Metala Original Plantings black label shiraz

[Craig(NZ)]

Is there room for Coolabah Fruity Lexia?
Surely according to the majority, Australia's greatest wine?

[WineRick]

Toss up between 1998 Giaconda Chardonnay, 1973 DWC Leo Buring Riesling, 1980 Balgownie Cabernet,
(opened in 2010 - mind-numbingly good), 1997 S & K vintage port / Chambers Old Tokay / Morris Show Muscat, 1991 Hill of Grace, 2004 (or was it 1998?) Seppelt Show Sparkling Burgundy.
What fantastic memories!
Then there is the 1978 Seppelt Drumborg Riesling, Apsley Gorge Pinot, '08 I think, 2007 Cullen Cab-Merlot DM,
any of the 1970's Lindeman bin number Semillons ...... now my head is hurting!

Regarding the Seppelt Riesling...was it not the 1984 that was supposed to be the freak wine ? Is the '78 legendary for some reason ?

Also what is the Lindemans Hunter Chablis vintage that is legendary? Is it the 1965 ?

1970 Bin 3875.

Regarding the '78 Drumborg Riesling, I may be 2 years out! I've tried to contact Howard Anderson who made a pair of whites that, like the trio
of Lindemans 1970 Semillons, won everything at shows for about 6 years, namely a Riesling and a Gewurz. which I realize were probably
from 1976. They would have won probably 30 - 40 golds and close to 20 trophies between them, and Howard kindly gave me a case of each in the early '80's - I can still taste them now!
And what about the 1963 Quelltaler Wyatt Earp VP, and someone mentioned Colin Preece's wines - the 1958 Great Western Cabernet was pretty handy, and like Maurice O'Shea, tossed so much ice into ferments that at the end, their alc's looked respectable. But the potential alc's would have been monstrous without the ice. M O' SH I believe had a key to the local ice-works, so he could get ice whenever he needed.
( Ask Campbell M. - his book was great. )

Guenter Prass and Colin Gramp were responsible for Barossa Pearl, but not before making the 1953 Orlando Barossa Rhine (sic) Riesling which
heralded a new era in pressure/temperature controlled ferments.

What great memories from a good post.
WineRick

[odyssey]

Is there room for Coolabah Fruity Lexia?
Surely according to the majority, Australia's greatest wine?

Not any more. These days they go for the modern day equivalent - NZ Sauv Blanc