A Gift of Assorted Red Wines

[Mahmoud Ali]

A brother-in-law has developed a digestive problem with red wines. He avoids reds and usually drinks white wines. The other day when visiting his place he asked my advice on the older red wines that are stored in his kitchen and pantry. He was aware that the storage conditions weren't the best and wanted to know which of the older bottles were any good. I separated the wines into two categories, the everyday drinkers that he could serve to casual guests and the better ones for special occasions. I explained that anybody who appreciates wine would be pleased to be served one of the better bottles. In the end he insisted that I take a handful of bottles to drink.

This is what I got:

1997 Russet Ridge Cab/Shiraz//Merlot, Coonawarra (13%)
1999 Sandalford Cabernet, Margaret River/Mt Barker, (14.5%)
1999 Kingston Estate Petit Verdot (14%)
1999 De Bartoli 'Windy Peak' Cab/Shiraz/Merlot, Victoria (13.5%)
2004 Jacob's Creek Shiraz/Cabernet (13.5%)
2005 Mountadam Shiraz, Barossa (14.5%)
2007 Meerea Park Shiraz, Hilltops/Hunter (14%)

Given that they were stored in a vertical, square, pigeon hole wine shelf adjacent to the refrigerator (yes, heat and vibration), I reckon all of them should be broached in the coming weeks.

I'm going to bet that the youngest two, the Mountadam and the Meerea Park, will be the freshest and hope that the Sandalford has held up. About the Jacob's Creek, I do recall reading a newspaper review of the 2004 vintage some time ago that extolled past vintages of this blend and the suggestion that the '04 vintage might be up to a few hears in the cellar.

I would be only to happy to hear other people's experiences or opinions on any of the wines.

Cheers .................... Mahmoud.

[paulf]

I wouldn't expect too much from that list, although the younger 2 might be ok. Having said that, back in the 90s I remember opening a bottle of twenty year old Long Flat red that I was fully expecting to be vinegar but turned out to be fantastic. So you never know!

[sjw_11]

Meerea Park and the Mountadam should be fine... if the JC is under screw cap I would expect it to be drinkable.

I apparently had a 1999 Kingston Estate Petit Verdot in 2006, but I apologise I don't have anything further to add on it! I wouldn't hold out high hopes

[Mahmoud Ali]

I've opened the De Bartoli 'Windy Peak' Cab/Shiraz/Merlot. Judging by the colour, and that I believe it to be an entry-level wine, I expected it to be light-bodied so had it with baked chicken - and it came off rather well, a medium-bodied wine with mature elements and a whiff of what I presume (because I knew where it was stored) was heat affectation. However, not a failure in the strict sense of the word.

The 1997 Russet Ridge Cab/Shiraz/Merlot was an entirely different affair. On opening the nose from the bottle seemed promising but it went downhill from there. After about a half hour in the decanter the nose and palate showed cooked elements, a rather stewy broth of sweetish prunes and baked flavours. Barely drinkable.

Oh, the Jacob's Creek is not screwcapped.

Mahmoud.

[Redav]

Given that they were stored in a vertical, square, pigeon hole wine shelf adjacent to the refrigerator (yes, heat and vibration), I reckon all of them should be broached in the coming weeks.

You never know. My father maintains that the nicest wine he's had was a ten year old Wyndham Estate BIN 555 which had sat in the top of an upstairs wardrobe in Brisbane in a typical 70's brick and weatherboard house. He was going to sink it but thought he'd try it first.

I'm not convinced that it could be that good but everyone's palette is different. It might have been factors around the bottle that made it nice and not the wine itself