Tisdall Wines

[Waiters Friend]

G'day

I'm curious about Tisdall Wines in Echuca, Victoria. I visited the shopfront cellar door 20 years ago, and I am currently drinking a 1999 Reserve Shiraz. However, I infer from the limited information on the internet that ownership changed some time after 1999, and it now provides service to other producers as well.

The questions I have, however, are:

1. Does anyone recall if some Heathcote or nearby grapes ever made it into the Tisdall wines? I have a vague recollection of Mount Ida and Mount Helen wines being on offer at the time.
2. What are the wines like now? 'Value for money' was my relatively uneducated opinion 20 years ago.

Any information appreciated - please satisfy my curiosity!

Cheers
Allan

[phillisc]

Allan you are on the money. I have a couple of cases comprising 92,96 98 and 02. A few places in Adelaide stocked them at the time. Very good wines and part of my Victorian experiment. I think they were part of Southcorp but not sure whether twe are still in possession, or where the fruit ends up.
Cheers
Craig

[Waiters Friend]

Thanks Craig

I wonder about the Southcorp / TWE connection as well, especially as Seppelts (also part of TWE) have made their Mt Ida Shiraz for a dozen or so years. Coincidence?

Hopefully Sparky will pick up on this thread and set us straight.

Cheer
Allan

[sparky]

Not far off!

Tisdall was in the Mildara Blass portfolio many moons ago with Mt Ida Shiraz and the Mount Helen Chardonnay and Cab Merlot as the flagship wines. Toni Stockhausen was the winemaker before she re-located to the US during the Foster's years. The Mt Helen wines were from Strathbogie from memory, and I was a big fan of the Chardonnay. I think the vineyard may have gone to the Plunkett/Fowles stable at some point but sadly I believe it got ripped out due to disease.

I can't remember when the brand was sold but it was a few years ago now. Mt Ida Shiraz stood alone for a number of years and now sits within the Seppelt vineyard range alongside Benno, St Peters etc which I think is a pretty good fit for to get a bit of love and attention. Heathcote fruit and a glorious wine in a good vintage.It would be largely unchanged in terms of heritage and from many bottles experience I think hits it's best around the 10 year mark.

The more commercial ranges were Echuca and Riverland fruit. I couldn't tell you if the current label wines are sourced from the same vineyards as the '90s wines, but Craig, I'd start drinking if I were you, regardless of which labels you've got there.

I opened a magnum of single barrel Mt Helen Merlot for a significant birthday recently and it was fairly rewarding. I think it was a '95 according to the scribble on the label:-) Think I've still got a magnum of Mt Ida Cabernet stashed somewhere too..

[felixp]

Tisdall Mt Helen was a label in the 70's as I recall, going into the 80's. Used to make a pinot noir which I quite liked as a youngster.

[Waiters Friend]

Think I've still got a magnum of Mt Ida Cabernet stashed somewhere too..

My next Melbourne offline? I've still got a bottle or two with your name on it.

[n4sir]

Think I've still got a magnum of Mt Ida Cabernet stashed somewhere too..

Snap. I have one of these magnums of 1995 Mt Ida Single Barrel Cabernet handy, was planning to open it in a few months time. It was the only one I had ever heard, of until now.

[Waiters Friend]

Think I've still got a magnum of Mt Ida Cabernet stashed somewhere too..

Snap. I have one of these magnums of 1995 Mt Ida Single Barrel Cabernet handy, was planning to open it in a few months time. It was the only one I had ever heard, of until now.

So, Ian, will you be in Melbourne this year? Moira, Adelaide? Who gets in first and wins? As long as I am there .......

[phillisc]

Thanks Moira, I will go down to the cellar and grab one of the early 90s Mount Ida this weekend and report back.

Cheers
Craig