Mt Mary ?

[JamieBahrain]

Hi all

I've only a little experience with Mt Mary. I'm hosting a dinner in Hong Kong next year with international drinkers and have a few queries to help get the most out of the wines.

How approachable is Mt Mary? After a vertical from 1990 onward I need a dinner wine- I have 4 bottles of 2000 offered at a silly price or what about 2008 which I can get cheap from a country wine store in Oz. Is 2008 too young?

Decanting? For the 90's I'd be looking at popping and decanting a serving over the next 30 minutes- or do they need more aeration?

Food pairing? Any miracle match ups ?

Pinot any good? $100 a bottle seems steep.

Triolet is great what about their chardonnay?

[felixp]

Jamie,
as I have mentioned before, I am not a MM quintet fan, so I will leave all that for you. Had a 2005 a month ago, for goodness sake do not serve that as your dinner wine, it is very very average!!! I was on their mailing list for more than 15 years, and the early stuff is quite remarkable, the 70's cabernets were, and probably still are, stunning. But from mid-80's on, pretty ordinary stuff IMO, and there is a story behind that, best not discussed.
for me, the triolet is the best of that type outside WA, and can be fantastic. The chardonnay is good, but not worth the money (again, plenty of WA chards much much better at a much cheaper price)
the 70's pinots were/are absolutely incredible, and for old bloke like me, that is where the "mystique" of MM came from, no doubt. I still kick myself that I drunk them all years ago, would absolutely love to see what they look like now. Never seen them at auction, but if you do, snap them up, whatever the cost. For me, far and away the best pinots I have ever seen from the southern hemisphere (and yes, I have drunk plenty of Bass Phillip reserve). But, IMO, the new team at MM have little idea how to make serious pinot, and it is no better than the dross from Tarra Warra, Coldstream Hills and the like.

[michel]

1977 cab good bottles are awesome
1988 cab have been magnificent

they are well crafted not blockbusters
i did a big retrospective of the well rated years last year and decided not to buy them anymore
just dont get the real enjoyment out of them
and I really want to like them



the pinot has never excited me

[dave vino]

My thoughts on some fwiw viewtopic.php?f=1&t=13393&p=108857

[n4sir]

Not sure if this helps Jamie - four years ago I went to a vertical of Quintet, all of the bottles had been double decanted three hours prior to serving:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=12344

I would have thought (corks/provenance withstanding) the 2000 would be an ideal dinner wine, although I admit there's also a fair chance it may have changed since then.

Probably worth a PM to crusty2 (Phill), he arranged the above vertical and is very familiar with MM.

Cheers,
Ian

[Bobthebuilder]

tried their 94 chard a week or two ago and it was the first of their wines I'd ever tried.
OK, but nowhere near as good as a vat 47 around the same age that I'd tried a few months ago for about half the price (auction)

[JamieBahrain]

Thanks all,

There's good deal to digest.

Great report Ian, I may come after you next year and see if you're OK with me reproducing your report as an intro' to the vertical. Be a nice change from our regular introductions using well known wine critics.

[swirler]

They are pretty good wines, the quintet being the obvious stand out. 2011 wasn't a good year for quintet, but it is an approachable, early drinking wine. Not sure if that helps.

Yarra cabs are generally much more Bordeauxesque. WA wines are certainly more powerful, but that's partly due to the warmer climate.

[Chris H]

Jamie

2000 should be a good dinner wine if the provenance is good (you mentioned a silly price).

They tend to be a medium bodied claret style with more fruit and less oak than left bank Bordeaux. But for food matching, Bordeaux woould be a guide.

The 2000 vintage was warm and good, so that has more mid palate fruit wine than normal.

Generally they are approachable and don't need decanting unless young (like 2008). I don't think 2008 is that good though.

The Pinot and Chardonnay can be very good but seem to vary in quality and style from vintage to vintage more widely than the Triolet or Quintet. Most people would say the Pinot is over-priced. I have had some Chardies than were quite Burgundian for example, and others not so much (more new world in style).

[Luke W]

GPK bought a 2004 Quintet along to an offline a couple of years ago and it was stunning. The 1986 Cabernets is still one of the top 5 wines I've had. Neither 2000 or 2008 were memorable vintages for MM. I paid a quick $80 at DM for an 08 the other day and regretted it after reading the reviews. The 86 I drank in 04 so they go the distance in good years with good provenance.

[michel]

just tried a 2004 Mt Mary cab last night 13%
quite herbaceous
possibly could have been a bit riper
a pretty wine without a great length of palate

[JamieBahrain]

Anyone tried the 2006? I saw Dave's note - others?

I've put a nice vertical together for a dinner next year. I've found a good source abroad and the 2006 is available in magnums at the price I'm being asked to pay for single bottles in Oz. It's a great opportunity for the dinner wines following the vertical beforehand.

cheers,

Jamie

[felixp]

I had the 2006 amongst several 2006 Bordeaux three weeks ago. Unfortunately, I didn't pay a lot of attention, but remember it as pretty good and certainly well-balanced. Got lost a bit amongst several real brutes, but I would imaging it would make a good choice as a dinner wine.
Certainly, my impressions were far more positive than the 2005.

[JamieBahrain]

Thanks Felix.

Ok, I grabbed them for the dinner wines. Nice vertical now for next year. Just need the whites- I know a little place in country Vic that was selling the Triolets for $30-ish from the mid 90's and my friend bought them all on my advice. Hopefully he'll sell a few back to me as they are very good wines.

[JamieBahrain]

Hi all.

I've put together the below vertical and one for the MM drinkers. What Bordeaux is it's best comparison? May sneak a curve-ball into by MM dinner mid-month.


Vertical Tasting-

Mt Mary Quintets 1990

Mt Mary Quintets 1991

Mt Mary Quintets 1992

Mt Mary Quintets 1993

Mt Mary Quintets 1994

Mt Mary Quintets 1995

Mt Mary Quintets 1996

Mt Mary Quintets 1997

Mt Mary Quintets 1998

Mt Mary Quintets 1999

Mt Mary Quintets 2000



Dinner Wines-


2 x Mt Mary Chardonnay 2006

2 x Mt Mary Quintets 2004

2 x Mt Mary Quintets 2005

2 x Mt Mary Quintets 2006 en magnum

[dave vino]

My only suggestion would be to try an 06 Mt Mary Chardy before dinner...

Re the Bdx ring-in, maybe one of the more tending to modern styles? (as much as 90s bdx can be). LIke a 1996 Ch. Pichon-Longueville-Lalande?

If you're looking to catch an elegant, text book Pauillac in the perfect place, pop a cork on this beauty if you have a bottle or two stashed away and be prepared for a beautiful nose of tobacco, forest floor, cassis, green olive tapenade, (but in a good way) and spicy cherries. Plush, polished and sensuous, the silky, fresh, sweet fruits and black cherry liqueur in the end notes feel great while they linger on your palate. Decanted 30 minutes before serving brought it right where it needed to be. Additional time in the glass did not add much.
96 points - Tasted Jan 24, 2016

This is the right time to be popping corks on this beauty. With a short decant , tobacco, cassis, forest floor and cedar chest notes were all over the place. The texture is silky, slinky and the finish, leaves you with flavor, freshness and silk. The wine was produced from a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot.
95 points - Tasted Jan 19, 2015

[JamieBahrain]

Thanks Dave

The chardonnay is just a dinner wine and won't be assessed other than matching Boston lobster.

So you reckon Pauillac matches best?

[dave vino]

Looking at the blend breakdown, of say the 2013 Mt Mary, maybe find a Pichon close to it? Not sure what the breakdowns were for the older vintages.

2013 Mt Mary
49% Cabernet sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 15% Canbernet franc, 4% Malbec, 6% Petit verdot

2000 PLL
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot,10% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot

What other would you suggest? Paulliac = Pontet Canet, Lafite, Lynch Bages.

Margaux would be my second one, '99 Ch. Palmer being a good candidate?

[JamieBahrain]

OK Dave thanks for the breakdown. On me, without going HKG retail, I have 2000 Pichon and magnums of 2003 Pichon. Both a bit young.


Have a 95 Palmer? Good ring-in which I like to do with blind Aussie tastings as the old world bias can be shunned. Talbot 96 would be economical but how contrasting?

[Chris H]

Palmer could work as it is softer and perhaps fruitier than most left banks, which would match better to Mt Mary.

[dave vino]

OK Dave thanks for the breakdown. On me, without going HKG retail, I have 2000 Pichon and magnums of 2003 Pichon. Both a bit young.


Have a 95 Palmer? Good ring which I like to do with blind Aussie tastings as the old world bias can be shunned. Talbot 96 would be economical but how contrasting?

Wasn't 95 a fairly lean and green year?

[Chris H]

No the opposite. Nicely ripe.

[JamieBahrain]

I checked some notes which mentioned a green streak but generally pretty regarded wine.

[Chris H]

Latest review from RP website in 2010 :

Deep garnet with a brick rim. Very pure aromas of warm cassis, kirsch and dried lavender over a touch of truffles and game. The power of the palate is in the taut structure of medium +, fine grained tannins and medium to high acidity, fleshed-out by generous rich fruit. Very long finish. Beautiful balance.

[Chris H]

Never heard of green 95's -where did that come from ?

[dave vino]

Wine Cellar Insider...
"With time, 1995 Bordeaux wine has become a disappointment. Similar to 1975, far too many wines lack charm. The tannins are hard. The wines have an austere character. 1995 Bordeaux wine fails to offer elegance and flattering textures. As 1995 Bordeaux wine ages, there are less successful wines all the time. I admit, I gave up hope and sold most of my 1995’s."

Cellartracker
https://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=1590

Maybe lean and mean might be a better term? I've got a 1995 Bdx tasting in a couple of weeks with about 10 different wines from that year, so will be able to report back with some better impressions.

[Chris H]

One person's view perhaps. Latest note from Jancis in 2011 :

51% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc. Bottle deposit. Brownish ruby. Much broader and more seductive than the 1996. Much more life and suppleness and concentration. This is good stuff. Real stuffing here and richness. Lovely breadth and this seems to have quite a future even if it is capable of giving huge pleasure already. Proves how important Merlot is to Palmer.

I had a 1995 Leoville Barton just this week and it was the ripest vintage I have had of it from the nineties.

[JamieBahrain]

I've some very smart tasters at my dinner so perhaps Palmer a giveaway. I'd like something to mimic Mt Mary a little to flush out Old World snobbery in a blind line up.

1996- Talbot, Cos, Leoville Barton.....

[Chris H]

Something with more Merlot. Maybe Pichon Lalande.

[Red Smurf]

I think you are aiming way too high for a comparison to Mt Mary. To me they are more Haut Medoc like.