Looking back at the trials and tribulations that are Yattarna Chardonnay, it is an interesting story.
One where trials for the "White Grange" where done with Riesling, Chardonnay and Semillon (144 trials in all). Understandably, due to varietal recognition in the marketplace, Penfolds went with Chardonnay. And it has taken years, well decades, for Yattarna to really hit its stuff.
What's this got to do with a tasting note for Vat 1?
Well, Tyrells (amongst others) was left to show just how good this varietal can be.
Whilst the '98 is not the highest of the pinnacle like the '99, at 15 years of age, in a blind line up, there is no way you'd pick it for over 5 - 8 years old. A stunningly beautifull white wine, that had power, length and still a great line of refreshing acid. Lovely lemon and lanolin flavours that only got more pronounced with the hour or so breathing. Colour was youthfull.
Iconic Australian white.... bad luck Penfolds.
1998 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
Re: 1998 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
I think the 98 is right up there with the 99...although the 99 will keep longer....Fantastic stuff...
Re: 1998 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
98 has shown very well over the last few years whereas 99 is still closed. Although I am starting to feel my age I still don't have the experience to know which is better.
Bartenders are supposed to have people skills. Or was it people are supposed to have bartending skills?
Re: 1998 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
I've had some very open 99s..but there seems to be a lot of bottle variation...
Both are great...The two best Hunter Semillons I've had...I'm sure there are some that were just as good but with so many poor corks, just haven't had them personally...and the ones that might be as good are under screwcap and 10+ years from being in a good place....
Both are great...The two best Hunter Semillons I've had...I'm sure there are some that were just as good but with so many poor corks, just haven't had them personally...and the ones that might be as good are under screwcap and 10+ years from being in a good place....
Re: 1998 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
For me it was 1995. The HVD.
Bartenders are supposed to have people skills. Or was it people are supposed to have bartending skills?
Re: 1998 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
Heard so many good things about the 98 and 99 Vat 1.
I love aged semillon but now they're under screwcap, I'll have to wait a lot longer to try one at an advanced level of maturity.
Over the last few years, I've been chasing the old Tyrrell's semillon dragon, and been disappointed time and time again by either oxidation or more commonly, TCA. I've almost been hurt too many times to keep trying! It's been at least half a dozen bottles, mostly from the 98 vintage, 2 from 99 and one from 02. All fucked, all down the drain. Heartbreaking. Maybe one day!
I love aged semillon but now they're under screwcap, I'll have to wait a lot longer to try one at an advanced level of maturity.
Over the last few years, I've been chasing the old Tyrrell's semillon dragon, and been disappointed time and time again by either oxidation or more commonly, TCA. I've almost been hurt too many times to keep trying! It's been at least half a dozen bottles, mostly from the 98 vintage, 2 from 99 and one from 02. All fucked, all down the drain. Heartbreaking. Maybe one day!
Re: 1998 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
A couple of weeks ago I opened a 99 Vat 1 with quite pronounced TCA. The glad-wrap trick worked to some extent but took away a fair bit of the volatiles. The bottle ended up going down the sink 
Re: 1998 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
Glad wrap trick???
Re: 1998 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
redstuff wrote:A couple of weeks ago I opened a 99 Vat 1 with quite pronounced TCA. The glad-wrap trick worked to some extent but took away a fair bit of the volatiles. The bottle ended up going down the sink
Why wouldn't you send the bottle back to Tyrrells? At least call them. You would get another bottle of Vat 1. Their fault - faulty product.
Imugene, cure for cancer.
Re: 1998 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
Rory wrote:Glad wrap trick???
The idea is to use a chemistry trick to remove TCA molecules from the wine. It involves soaking the TCA tainted wine with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is what Glad Wrap is made of. In theory, the polyvinyl chemical composition of plastic wrap attracts the 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) molecules that cause the stench.
I've never tried this trick on a tainted wine, but from what I remember reading its not particularly successful. I think the best you can hope for with this treatment is to make an undrinkable wine more drinkable, but it's not going to turn a bad wine into a good one.
Re: 1998 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
Hacker wrote:redstuff wrote:A couple of weeks ago I opened a 99 Vat 1 with quite pronounced TCA. The glad-wrap trick worked to some extent but took away a fair bit of the volatiles. The bottle ended up going down the sink
Why wouldn't you send the bottle back to Tyrrells? At least call them. You would get another bottle of Vat 1. Their fault - faulty product.
effort.
Re: 1998 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
redstuff wrote:Hacker wrote:redstuff wrote:A couple of weeks ago I opened a 99 Vat 1 with quite pronounced TCA. The glad-wrap trick worked to some extent but took away a fair bit of the volatiles. The bottle ended up going down the sink
Why wouldn't you send the bottle back to Tyrrells? At least call them. You would get another bottle of Vat 1. Their fault - faulty product.
effort.
In my case, some bottles were bought at auction, and while I did contact Tyrrell's, they were only willing to replace with a current vintage, and if I sent the dud bottle to them (at my expense). So yes, effort.
The bottles I bought from retail were returned to the store for a full refund.