Aussie Whites to Age.

[TravisW]

Hello all.
What are your favourite Aussie whites to lay down? Especially ones to go long term.
Cheers, Travis

[Mike Hawkins]

I regularly drink Grosset PH, LEAS Chardonnay and Tyrrells Vat 1 at 15+ years of age, and these generally provide outstanding drinking. Must choose the better years IMO...

I have had mixed experiences with older Lovedales and Giacondas. Also, Pikes The Merle strikes me as one that will be great at15 years.

[Rossco]

Just had a 2001 Crawford River Riesling that was absolutely singing. Stunning wine with another 5+ left for sure.

Grosset has a great reputation for ageing

I have a few magnums of Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling i have stored away as birth years for my kids, as well as Clos Clare Riesling.
Jim Barry Florita is sensational with age.

Moores Hill i have had a few aged ones, but not 10+ years, so not sure, but the 6+ years i have are glorious.

Mount Mary Triolet has the runs on the board, as does LEAS as mike mentioned.
Never tried a giaconda, but 100% agree with Vat 1. That is seriously good with age.

*edit*
Add leo buring leonay. Drinking an 09 at the moment, and jesus this is still so young, fresh & vibrant. Will live a very long time.

[sjw_11]

I regularly drink Grosset PH, LEAS Chardonnay and Tyrrells Vat 1 at 15+ years of age, and these generally provide outstanding drinking. Must choose the better years IMO...

I have had mixed experiences with older Lovedales and Giacondas. Also, Pikes The Merle strikes me as one that will be great at15 years.

+1 to everything Mike said.

I find the Vat 47 is also nice with a few years on it, same with the Grosset Chardonnay.
In my cellar I also have Petaluma, Jacobs Creek Steingarten, Mt Horrocks...

In the cellar but I am yet to drink an aged example so hoping: Oleary Walker, Helm, Lakes Folly Chard and assorted odds and ends (some random Leo Buring, Pooley, McLeish Sem, Gundog Sem, Capercaillie Sem, Allandale Sem).

I probably don't have enough white in my cellar, but living the other side of the world its harder to buy things you want to open in 3-5yrs rather than 10!

[Hunter]

Leo buring kicks ass.
The 15 leonay is of very high class.

[Ian S]

I'm rather hoping the Tahbilk 1927 vines Marsanne will age. Early CT indications suggest there's a good chance.

[via collins]

Odd that Tahbilks have missed mention thus far, my mind noted them, but assumed 4 or 5 people would mention them before I typed it.

YES.

Tahbilk marsanne in the top echelons of aging whites in the country.

At a celebratory tasting some years back at Tahbilk, they line dup an enormous vertical, and you could see the colours develop year by year in real time. What a joy that was.

WRT the 1927 Vines, I am yet to be convinced that the quality is any better than the standard version. Yes, they should be, but my palate hasn't registered it to date. But like all things with Tahbilk marsanne, it's early days!

[Wayno]

I’ve had success with, amongst others:

Steingarten Riesling
Curly Flat Chardonnay
Richmond Grove Riesling
Hoddles Creek Chardonnay
Grosset Rieslings

[jeff]

I wouldn't disagree with any of the wines mentioned, and I've had many superb examples of many at 15+ years of age.
While the Grosset PH always gets a mention in these discussions, don't overlook the Watervale. At a 15 year retrospective tasting (about 20 tasters), there was a 50/50 split on the preferred wine.
One to add is the Pewsey Vale Contours. !995 was not a good year to find good birth year wines. And this was my somewhat guarded recommendation. The following is part of an email from 2016 (obviously!)
"*** is 21 today and we've opened a couple of bottles of this wine.Yes, the wine was great. Thanks so much for your advice 21 years ago!"

[rooman]

I wouldn't disagree with any of the wines mentioned, and I've had many superb examples of many at 15+ years of age.
While the Grosset PH always gets a mention in these discussions, don't overlook the Watervale. At a 15 year retrospective tasting (about 20 tasters), there was a 50/50 split on the preferred wine.
One to add is the Pewsey Vale Contours. !995 was not a good year to find good birth year wines. And this was my somewhat guarded recommendation. The following is part of an email from 2016 (obviously!)
"*** is 21 today and we've opened a couple of bottles of this wine.Yes, the wine was great. Thanks so much for your advice 21 years ago!"

Personally I much prefer the Grosset Watervale/Springvale over the Polish Hill and as such Springvale probably outnumbers PH in my cellar 5:1. I find it has a lighter touch and can go with a much wider range of food. PH on the other hand is more a roast chicken/game type of riesling and a wine I wouldn't consider trying at less than 13/14 of of age min.

[winetastic]

Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon

Job done.

[JamieBahrain]

One I'm drinking at the moment is 15 + year old Rockford Eden Valley rieslings. They were $15 -ish and are lovely wines. The Vine Vale at double the price is more a historical curio- not ageing as well being from the Valley floor.

I've also cellared the Tahbilk Marsannes which are $8 wines on release though become $20-$40 wines at maturity.

There must be so many undiscovered Aussie white gems that will age amazingly under SC.

[TravisW]

Thanks for your notes everyone.

Yep, we have had great fun drinking old Grossets both PH and Watervale. Had a few cracking Tahbilk Marsannes. LEAS Chard is a classic. Vat 1 and Lovedale also hitting the high notes.

[Matt@5453]

The only one producer that I would add is O'Leary Walker, in particular the Watervale Riesling. I've trying some stunning back vintages over the years. Goes under the radar in my view and surprises me every time.

[Scotty vino]

had some early 00's crabtree rizzas that were great. Mitchells often have some back vintage McNicol Rieslings
for tasting and purchase and I've always walked away with some. more recently I grabbed some 09's.
some 05's before that and they were drinking very well.
I cant imagine how good some of the recent grosset PH's are going to be in 10-15.

[sjw_11]

One I'm drinking at the moment is 15 + year old Rockford Eden Valley rieslings. They were $15 -ish and are lovely wines. The Vine Vale at double the price is more a historical curio- not ageing as well being from the Valley floor.

I do really like their EV Riesling as well, and concur much better than the valley floor. Only issue is this has historically been under cork ... although I think they are now going to bottle under s/c or are at least toying with that idea.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Hello all.
What are your favourite Aussie whites to lay down? Especially ones to go long term.
Cheers, Travis

When it comes to Aussie whites I will happily age rieslings, semillons, chardonnay, and the magically ageworthy Tahbilk Marsanne and Houghton White Burgundy. I have been limited with what is available in my hometown in Canada but most of my early experiments have been successful. Most memorable have been a '90 Balgownie Chardonnay at 18 years of age, a '92 Tahbilk Marsanne virtually two decades old, a '98 Best's riesling with over a decade under its belt, a '00 HWB and a Tyrrell's Lost Block semilon only last year. And these aren't the classic colllector wines!

Australian whites fly under the radar I reckon.

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

PS: And if you're lucky enough to own an old bottle of Australian sherry from Lindeman's, Yalumba, or some of the rare bottlings by McWilliams in Griffith, you are onto a winner.

[Polymer]

The only one producer that I would add is O'Leary Walker, in particular the Watervale Riesling. I've trying some stunning back vintages over the years. Goes under the radar in my view and surprises me every time.

I agree..O'Leary Walker really does fly under the radar and they produce some really good wines that are very ageworthy....although Australia is blessed with many many good ageworthy rieslings in the $20-35 range...

[kaos]

Riesling. I started buying Seppelt Drumborg from 2003 with a case. I've still got most of those and they have a ways to go yet. I reckon Howard Park and some others from the west age well (eg Bellarmine). Knight's Granite Hills ages beautifully.

[Willard]

Riesling. I started buying Seppelt Drumborg from 2003 with a case. I've still got most of those and they have a ways to go yet. I reckon Howard Park and some others from the west age well (eg Bellarmine). Knight's Granite Hills ages beautifully.

I agree Drumborg long-lived. 2003 is my oldest vintage too. I've never had a bottle of Drumborg that is anywhere near proper maturity.

Will

[rooman]

Riesling. I started buying Seppelt Drumborg from 2003 with a case. I've still got most of those and they have a ways to go yet. I reckon Howard Park and some others from the west age well (eg Bellarmine). Knight's Granite Hills ages beautifully.

I agree Drumborg long-lived. 2003 is my oldest vintage too. I've never had a bottle of Drumborg that is anywhere near proper maturity.

Will

The case of 2006 which is my oldest case tastes like it was bottled yesterday. Its just starting to take on a yellowish hue and move out of the apple green phase.

[Redav]

One I'm drinking at the moment is 15 + year old Rockford Eden Valley rieslings. They were $15 -ish and are lovely wines. The Vine Vale at double the price is more a historical curio- not ageing as well being from the Valley floor.

I do really like their EV Riesling as well, and concur much better than the valley floor. Only issue is this has historically been under cork ... although I think they are now going to bottle under s/c or are at least toying with that idea.

As a new stonewaller, I find this interesting. We finally tried some VV Riesling and we quite liked it so we thought we might start ageing some to see how it develops. We hadn't considered trying that with the Eden Valley which as you say, costs quite a bit less.

[Mahmoud Ali]

I'm not sure which riesling I tried at Rockford's cellar door back in 2001 but in deciding which white to take back to Canada I preferred their 1998 Grower's Semillon to the riesling. Of course without the riesling I'll never know if I made the right decision.

Mahmoud.

[Dang]

There are two more age worthy Aussie Whites to be added to the list I have found.
(1) Hunter valley Verdelho. Hard to find here in Canada but my 05 Linderman Reserve still shows a bit of gold. The other brand available here is Cockfighter's Ghost. The 09 tasted a year ago among friends showed lemon/mineral at the start and smoothness + rosewater at the finish. The ones still available here are the 13. Some winestores are still bringing here.
Should be some fun 5 yrs from now.
(2) Alpine Valley Cortese. Hard to find but quick to go with pickerel and trout dinners. I only have the 05 and 06 Lost Valley left. Gentle lime/lemon with almond. Should try them with black cod/sable next chance.
Cheers....Dac.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Where did you find the Lost Valley Cortese? I once saw it many, many years ago on the shelf of a local Vintage Cellars, but none since. You are right about cortese being able to age, but I suspect only serious examples. I've had some 10 year-old Gavi from Italy that were still in good condition and rather characterful.

Mahmoud.

[GraemeG]

It might be heretical to say, but - on average, picking blind - you've got better odds of improvement cellaring an Oz white than red, I reckon.
And if you go back in time, there are some real surprises:

[url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=1140372]1985 Mount Horrocks Chardonnay[/url] - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Watervale (1/08/2005)
[url=https://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=8291]NobleRottersSydney - Oz wines mid-80s (Lucio's, Paddington)[/url]: {cork, 12%} You’d expect a glass of brake fluid. You’d be wrong. It’s golden yellow, yes, but there’s barely a hint of oxidation on the nose. Instead, some faintly stoney, gently cedary aromas emerge, with honey overtones. Minimal nuttiness. Inititally feels soft on the palate, yet the acid is still there, providing a freshness that’s somehow lasted 20 years. Persistent finish, in some ways sweet – I wonder if there’s just a dash of botrytis helping to lift things? Remarkably good wine by any standard. A different era – the back label confidently states “cellaring recommended”. Long time gone since that’s appeared on a bottle of chardonnay costing so little...

[url=https://www.cellartracker.com/note.asp?iWine ... te=5312801]1995 Houghton Verdelho Late Picked[/url] - Australia, Western Australia (14/10/2015)
{cork} (Paul) Also amber, and not all that dissimilar to the Mudgee Riesling in many ways, but quite subdued. Syrupy and honeyed in texture; clearly started out as off-dry; still has some sweetness but it’s all tertiary characters now. Rich and velvety; still manages a medium-length finish and actually coats the tongue very evenly with its aging fruit. Despite the age, this still has plenty of heft to the point of being medium/full-bodied; probably helped by somehow retaining some acidity. Really lovely to drink, and a major surprise.

Some chardonnay - Vat 47 - ages very well too. Riesling is more of a crap-shoot than it's made out to be; not that it won't 'age', but it doesn't actually improve or develop all that much, just gets more lemony...
cheers,
Graeme

[Dang]

Hi Mahmoud:
The Cortese seems to disappear after I bought the 06 at a Calgary winestore. At that time there was a Swiss Cortese as well, but alas I was too dumb to lay out the bucks for it.
Cheers.