I'm not a wine drinker, but do appreciate the occasional drop. I come here for help.
I have a 6000ml bottle of 1979 Redman's Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. I want to find out if it'll be fit to drink. From the Redman website I guess not, as they say:
A classic Coonawarra Cabernet with great depth and complexity of flavour, to be enjoyed new or cellared for 6-8 years.
Do any of you have an idea if I can drink it or know who I approach to deem if it is drinkable and where/who would I go to assess the dollar worth of the bottle?
I realise it'll be good to drink, but I want to know if I should drink now - or wait a bit. Also - it's still in it's box as well and has been looked after.
The recommendation of 6-8 years would be for a standard 750ml bottle, not one that is about 8 times the size. The bigger the bottle the longer the maturation period, so it is quite possible the wine will be eminently drinkable. The only way to tell is to pop the cork. ... and make sure you have a few friends over to help you drink it, consuming that one by yourself will result in one hell of a hangover.
In addition, it's possible that the 6-8 years is the estimated drinking window for a current specimen. 25 years ago, the style might have been more rustic and ageworthy.
I think it'll be fine to drink, assuming cellaring has been acceptable. Even magnums of 70s Redman cabernets have been drinkable (far from mindblowing though) in recent years - I recall a '76 at a Christmas before last that was perfectly alright. Not sure that '79 was a particularly good vintage in Coonawarra - and at 25 years I'd say the wine's unlikely to improve any further.
Langtons value an imperial of the '79 at $132. At the live auctions Caillard always used to ask if anyone needed a doorstop...
Thanks for the prompt response! Guess I'll be drinking it with friends over dinner like my father originally had planned to for my 21st a few years ago. Will keep you posted.
GraemeG wrote:Not sure that '79 was a particularly good vintage in Coonawarra - and at 25 years I'd say the wine's unlikely to improve any further.
cheers, Graeme
79 Petaluma Coonawarra's STILL a very good drink (cab-shiraz, not cab-merlot), and while clearly not in the Coonawarra, a couple of hundred k's up the road in the Pyrenees, the 79 Taltarni Cabernet (which I had a couple of months ago) is an absolute cracker and will hold for a period yet.
I'm not sure whether this is a comment on the style of winemaking at the time or the vintage, but 79 definitely DID produce some excellent to outstanding wines that are still well and truly alive. Add to that the obscenely large bottle size and longevity probably (guessing here) wouldn't be a factor with your imperial of Redman. Good luck, happy to help you drink it ...
Note: The two wines above are the only 2 79's I've drunk ... 2/2 = 100%
The 1979 Mildara "White Label" Cabernet Sauvignon is an absolute cracker... the best vintage ever for this Coonawarra wine. I had it from magnum in late 2000 and it was Excellent/Outstanding.
... and make sure you have a few friends over to help you drink it, consuming that one by yourself will result in one hell of a hangover. 
