Advice on Seppelt Show Sparkling shiraz 1984

[Justin B.]

Tonight our wine club has an anniversary tasting and I was planning on putting on a Seppelt Show Sparkling shiraz 1984. I know its as good a night as any to try it but I had been keeping it aside (in a good cellar) in the hope that at 25+ years of age (19 years at the moment) it may be a really enjoyable wine. I have read reports from time to time about how someone tastes a 40-50 yr old sparkling Aussie red and its sublime. Am I going to be dissolussioned if I keep this wine much lomger?

Any thoughts?

justin

[DJ]

Justin

Seems to be a lot of bottle variation in the older Seppelts Show Spk Shiraz, regardless of how cellared. I bought a 6 pk of the 85, 4 gone - 2 fantastic, 2 huh? dull or too earthy. On the old site I posted a TV on some old ones tried on NYE (64, 72, 85 (one of the above dull ones) from memory) none as impressive as hoped but interesting old wines.
A few years ago there was debate on the forum as to whether you can decant or need good glasses or ... to get the best out of the old ones.

If you only have a single bottle I wouldn't hold on to it for much longer - I didn't buy any 84 so I don't know the vintage, I will probably drink my last 83 in the next 12 months.

That's probably no help at all but my rambling thoughts

David

[Guest]

I have not tried the 1984 but have lots in my daughters birthyear being 1987. I do have nots from Halliday on 1944, 46, 54, 57, 61, 63, 64, 65, 67, 72, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 90 & 91. Mostly tasted 1994 to 1997. Hallidays notes on th 1984, tasted in 1994 were "Medium to ful red; a distinctly peppery/spicy bouquet with claercut and spotless clean cool-grown varietal shiraz aroma. The palate is lively and fresh, again with pronounced peppery/spicy flavours and a crisp finish. Idiosyncratic, but I personally like the style. Retasted October 1995 showing slightly more aged, earthy/velvety aromas but similar sweet, spicy fruit on the palate. Eill live forever. Rated 94 points. Best 1995 to 2015." As an indicator, in 1995 Halliday rated the 54 and 63 as still only 4 out of 7 on a maturity scale and most of the other since the 1950s as 5/7. from 1987 on he ranks them all as immature 3 or less out of 7. In summary, it looks like they last a bloody long time.
Hope this helps a bit.
Regards
Mark Jones

[Justin B.]

Can you believe it. I know its in my cellar somewhere but when I went to find it today it simply could not be found. When there's a lot of bottles, these things can happen. It will turn up some day.

But I did find an early 90's disgorgement of Rockford Black shiraz. Stunning wine. Big and bold but great balance.

Justin

[Aussie John]

Over the winter I went thru 4 bottles of the Black Shiraz 1996 disgorge. All were magnificent, once I managed to get the cork out, and were even better if left to breathe for 2-3 hours after opening, having a glass, and leaving the bottle in the fridge. No doubt will still be singing in another decade. What a wine!! All bottles rated between 94-96 points.

[Justin B.]

Funnie you mention the cork thing. Couldn't get mine out without the help of a corkscrew.

Justin

[Mark K]

I have read reports from time to time about how someone tastes a 40-50 yr old sparkling Aussie red and its sublime. Am I going to be dissolussioned if I keep this wine much lomger?

Justin,

I was at a dinner on Saturday night and we opened a 53 Seppelts Show Sp Burg. It freaked me out because it still had some bead! It was very developed, with a dark earthiness, cloves and compost. The colour was close to a fortified, deep ochre to chocolate. The wine was showing it's age, but I don't think that it is in decline, still on it's plateau. A pleasure to taste a Colin Preece special.

So in essence, yes the wine will live a lot longer, but I believe that these wines are delicious at any stage of their development. The carbon dioxide is rumoured to preserve the wine, and impeed oxgen ingress through the cork. Essentially these wines a built to last forever, provided the corks hold.

Mark K