1996 Chateau Reynella Basket Press Shiraz

[Rory]

Why does Bacchus do this?

Every time I open the last one of a certain vintage of a wine..... it's the best it's ever been!!

Reynell Glass.JPG

Reynell Shiraz.JPG

Stunning complexity, drive and length. resolved tannins. Typical of the great vintage, the balance is impeccable.

Id you have cellared this from release in a good cellar, the youthfullness is amazing. It's not gong anywhere in a hurry.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Thanks for the note and pictures, another '96 doing well. I wonder if the lesson from Bacchus is to not worry about the drinking windows of well made wines from good vintages as they generally have long lives. My '96s are still slumbering though I am considering giving one or two of them a look sometime soon. Wish I had a '96 Basket Press. What was the alcohol level if I may ask?

Mahmoud.

[Rory]

Mahmoud, can't remember the alcohol level. I'd assume from '96, around the 13.5%.

[n4sir]

Mahmoud, can't remember the alcohol level. I'd assume from '96, around the 13.5%.

Just took a look at one of my bottles - it's 14.0% alc.

[Con J]

A couple of these popped up at a retailer during the week at $45 each.
I remember reading this post and couldn’t resist so I grabbed both.
Opened one yesterday with slow cooked lamb in the Weber
Agree it’s drinking well with plenty of life left it, lovely wine.

Cheers Con.

[Mahmoud Ali]

If a 21 year-old bottle "popped up" for only $45 I wouldn't hesitate either. That's what I call good fortune. Congratulations.

[Con J]

Opened another one of these a couple of weeks ago at a friend’s place.

Popped and pored, first word were dark berries and vanilla then a bit later got some liquorice and chocolate. It got better over the course of a couple hours so a half hour decant would have been beneficial.
The other comments were that we wouldn’t have been disappointed paying $100 for this wine.

Cheers Con.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Thanks for the update on the wine. Always good to hear about how older bottles of wine are faring.

Mahmoud.