Clearing out some old whites I just discovered in my cellar

wine.hcg · Post by **wine.hcg** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 11:25 am

Hi, I just discovered in the very back of my cellar several dozen bottles of older white wine and need help to understand if any are likely to be still drinkable or good ?? They have been cellared since purchase in a 14 degree cellar

Some of what I found (so far) :

Rothbury Estate :
95, 96 and 97 Chard Semillon
95, 96 and 97 Hunter Valley Chardonnay
96 Hunter Valley Semillon
96 Hunter Valley Verdelho

Rosemount Estate
96 Hunter Valley Sauv Blanc

99 Thomas Chardonnay

There looks to be more there -- I hope all this doesn;t end up down the drain !!

Thanx

Mike Hawkins · Post by **Mike Hawkins** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 11:50 am

The semillon might be ok, but I wouldn't be expecting much from the others

DJ · Post by DJ » Wed Nov 23, 2005 12:26 pm

It is going to be pot luck but especially given they have been well cellar you might be pleasantly surprised.

Verdelho can age very well - Houghton have released aged examples in the past.

Aged Sauv Blanc tends to be a curio - Hunter Sauv Blanc doubly so.

The Sems should be fine

The Chardonnays and Sem Chards will depend on oak levels and how good they were to begin.

I suspect they won't get much at auction so I'de be openning to drink over the coming warmer months.

You might be pleasnatly surprised how well some white age especially if you don't mind a toast and honey overlay. Most years I'm leaving 6 bottles of Houghtons White Burgundy for 9 years after vintage - 1995s were excellent, the 1996s I'm drinking now are very good (yes I know HWB is a WA not a Hunter but I think it is good example of what a white can do)

Cheers

markg · Post by **markg** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 1:20 pm

Maybye the 96 Rothbury Estate Hunter Valley Chardonnay and the 96 Hunter Valley Semillon, but the rest may be good paint thinners by now.

bazza50172000 · Post by **bazza50172000** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 1:43 pm

mmmm dosent sound good. down the drain or off to auction.

markg · Post by **markg** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 1:50 pm

Hullo there Barry ! Welcome to the forum !

Adair · Post by **Adair** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 3:20 pm

If stored in 14 degree conditions, I reckon they will be alright... not down the sink material. I agree with DJ that as long as you expect some honey and toast, these wines could be enjoyable... although I reckon the cork will get at least one of them!

I even had a 1995 Brokenwood Cricketpitch SSB a few weeks ago that was of interest.

Adair

wine.hcg · Post by **wine.hcg** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 2:06 pm

Thanx guys,

I guess I'll just try them out ... suck and see -- so as to speak !

Not worth the auction route ..and if I'm not sure, I certainly wouldn't dump them on someone else buying from auction. I buy tens of thousands dollars of wines at auctions each year (for myself and a colleague in Bangkok with fine taste) and would not want that bad karma.

Will let you know how they turn out. Looks like there may be a few more dozen Rothbury Estate regionals in there as well

wine.hcg · Post by **wine.hcg** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:07 pm

First cab off the rank : the 1999 Thomas Chardonnay -- was off... down the sink !! oh well, will keep trying