Langtons Classification VII

[Ozzie W]

Langtons have recently released the 7th edition of their classification of Australian wines. Great to see some newcomers to the list that are very worthy such as Hoddles Creek 1er Pinot and Standish Shriaz. The full list is as follows:

Exceptional
Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz
Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz
Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay
Mount Mary Quintet Cabernet Blend
Wendouree Shiraz
Bass Phillip Reserve Pinot Noir
Best's Great Western Thomson Family Shiraz
Brokenwood Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz
Chris Ringland Dry Grown Barossa Ranges Shiraz
Clarendon Hills Astralis Syrah
Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier
Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot
Giaconda Estate Vineyard Chardonnay
Grosset Polish Hill Riesling
Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz
Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz
Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon
Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon
Rockford Basket Press Shiraz
Seppeltsfield 100 Year Old Para Vintage Tawny
Torbreck RunRig Shiraz
Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon

Outstanding
Balnaves Of Coonawarra The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Barossa Valley Estate E & E Black Shiraz
Bass Phillip Premium Pinot Noir
Best's Great Western Bin 0 Shiraz
Bindi Block 5 Pinot Noir
Bindi Original Vineyard Pinot Noir
By Farr Sangreal Pinot Noir
Charles Melton Nine Popes Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre
d'Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz
Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon
Fox Creek Reserve Shiraz
Grant Burge Meshach Shiraz
Greenock Creek Roennfeldt Road Shiraz
Henschke Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
Henschke Keyneton Euphonium Shiraz Cabernet Merlot Blend
Houghton Jack Mann Cabernet Sauvignon
Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon
Jasper Hill Emily's Paddock Shiraz Cabernet Franc
Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock Shiraz
Kaesler Old Bastard Shiraz
Katnook Estate Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon
Kay Brothers Amery Block 6 Old Vine Shiraz
Langmeil The 1843 Freedom Shiraz
Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon
Main Ridge Estate Half Acre Pinot Noir
Mount Mary Pinot Noir
Noon Reserve Shiraz
Penfolds Bin 144 Yattarna Chardonnay
Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz
Penfolds RWT Shiraz
Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz
Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz
Pierro Chardonnay
Rockford Black Sparkling Shiraz
Seppeltsfield Para Liqueur Tawny (Vintage)
Tahbilk 1860 Vines Shiraz
Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec
Wendouree Cabernet Sauvignon
Wendouree Cabernet Malbec
Wendouree Shiraz Malbec
Wendouree Shiraz Mataro
Woodlands Family Series Cabernet Sauvignon
Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Shiraz
Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No.1 Cabernet
Yeringberg Cabernet Blend

Excellent
Bowen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
By Farr Tout Pres Pinot Noir
Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon
Castagna Genesis Syrah
Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscadelle
Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscat
Coriole Lloyd Reserve Shiraz
Craiglee Shiraz
Crawford River Riesling
Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay
d'Arenberg The Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon
Dalwhinnie Eagle Shiraz
Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz
De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon
Deep Woods Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Elderton Command Single Vineyard Shiraz
Freycinet Vineyards Pinot Noir
Giaconda Warner Vineyard Shiraz
Glaetzer AMON-Ra Shiraz
Grosset Gaia Cabernet Blend
Grosset Springvale Riesling
Hardys Eileen Hardy Shiraz
Hentley Farm Clos Otto Shiraz
Hoddles Creek 1er Pinot Noir
John Duval Plexus Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre
Kalleske Johann Georg Old Vine Shiraz
Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Kilikanoon Oracle Shiraz
Kooyong Haven Pinot Noir
Lake's Folly Cabernet Blend
Leo Buring Leonay DW Riesling
Majella Cabernet Sauvignon
Majella The Malleea Cabernet Shiraz
Mount Langi Ghiran Langi Shiraz
Mount Mary Chardonnay
Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon
Mount Pleasant Maurice O'Shea Shiraz
Noon Reserve Cabernet
Oakridge 864 Chardonnay
Oliver's Taranga Vineyards HJ Reserve Shiraz
Paringa Estate The Paringa Pinot Noir
Parker Coonawarra Estate First Growth Cabernet Blend
Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz
Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz
Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon
Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz
Petaluma Coonawarra Cabernet Blend
Pewsey Vale The Contours Riesling
Seppelt St Peters Shiraz
St Hallett Old Block Shiraz
St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon
The Standish Wine Company The Standish Single Vineyard Shiraz
Tim Adams The Aberfeldy Shiraz
Torbreck Descendant Shiraz Viognier
Turkey Flat Shiraz
Tyrrell's Vat 47 Chardonnay
Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon
Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay
Voyager Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz
Wolf Blass Black Label Cabernet Shiraz Blend
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Michael Shiraz
Xanadu Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Pinot Noir
Yalumba The Octavius Old Vine Shiraz
Yarra Yarra Vineyard The Yarra Yarra Cabernet Sauvignon
Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No.2 Shiraz

[TiggerK]

Not that I really care to be honest, but has anything changed in the top 2 categories? i see a few newcomers to the Excellent section, Hoddles, Standish, Oakridge?

[felixp21]

Truly, honestly, seriously, .... why would anyone gives the slightest notice to a company putting out a self-serving list/ranking of Australian wines? The whole notion that a commercial venture is doing this is simply laughable.

[Ozzie W]

Very commercial indeed. But enough people are interested. Langtons has tasting events on over the next 2 weeks in all states (except NT). $330 a ticket to taste all the wines. Already sold out in Sydney and Melbourne.

[swirler]

There are so many wines the equal of many of these wine that aren't on this list. For example, if they have kooyong Haven, why not Ferrous? Why not Stonier Reserve? And so many more.

I see Oakridge, Kooyong, etc., have sold many wines on Langton's. Are they on the list just because they've been on Langton's? Or are they great wines that deserve their place regardless? It's a bit incestuous if it's the former and, as has be said above, makes it a bit of a joke.

I guess they would say that they can only base it on data they gather, butit leaves a gaping hole for wines that don't get dumped (maybe a bit strongly worded) or flipped on Langton's.

Like JH, this is a useful resource for novices, but eventually you can find your own path and they become obsolete to a large degree.

I better stop here lest I encroach on Sean's turf

[Sean]

deleted

[swirler]

[Rocky]

Noticed prices have been massively jacked since the last Langton road show.

[Waiters Friend]

From the Langtion's website"The two basic requirements for inclusion in the Classification are that a wine has been made for a minimum of 10 vintages and that it has a track record in the secondary market."

How did the Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec make it in on that basis? Unless they are assuming it is a re-labelling of the Heytesbury.

[Cactus]

I'm going to the classification event today and I am excited. It's a great opportunity to try a bunch of wines, some I have never tried before. I also get a chance to try some wines I have bought on reputation like Standish. Yes it is commercial, but so what? I am a consumer and I am happy a business has put this on.

[dave vino]

Not that I really care to be honest, but has anything changed in the top 2 categories? i see a few newcomers to the Excellent section, Hoddles, Standish, Oakridge?

Bests is the new Exceptional entry.

There were 55 in Outstanding in the last one and now there are 46.

[mjs]

I don’t get my knickers in a knot over it. I’ve been a “member” at Langtons since they started in the late 80’s and have seen this thing grow over the years, Yes, it’s a commercial thing established by an auction house, somewhat reflecting sustained performance on the secondary market. Is is a reasonable snapshot of Australia’s better wines? Probably yes. Are there some omissions? Probably yes. Are there some that don’t deserve to be in their relative position? Probably yes. Is it something that is useful in the Australian wine market? Probably yes. Is it a marketing tool? Yes. Is it getting a bit big and unwieldy to be meaningful? Maybe. Do I use it for anything? Not really. (Apart from gratuitous posts on Auswine )

[Ian S]

The list certainly does remind me that my tastes in Australian wine don't tally with critical (and secondary market) opinion. Plenty there that I have no interest in, plus a lesser number that I do. Faced with the offer of one each of the excellent, or one each of the Exceptional, I'd choose the former (though of course I'd not turn down the para port).

[Cactus]

What a great event. So I am posting as both tired and emotional, so take care. Sorry dont have vintages.

Highlights,
- Yeringberg Cab
- Penfolds Magill
- Balnaves Tally
- Tyrrells Vat 1 2013
- Tyrrells Vat 47
- by Farr Sangreal
- Mount Mary Pinot
- Kay Brothers Amery
- Standish Standish

[felixp21]

What a great event. So I am posting as both tired and emotional, so take care. Sorry dont have vintages.

Highlights,
- Yeringberg Cab
- Penfolds Magill
- Balnaves Tally
- Tyrrells Vat 1 2013
- Tyrrells Vat 47
- by Farr Sangreal
- Mount Mary Pinot
- Kay Brothers Amery
- Standish Standish

glad you liked the MM pinot, a wine that never gets the credit it should (as consistently Australia's best PN)
the very old versions of these, from the 70's, were the best wines Middelton ever made, and certainly amongst Victoria's greatest-ever.

[michel]

What a great event. So I am posting as both tired and emotional, so take care. Sorry dont have vintages.

Highlights,
- Yeringberg Cab
- Penfolds Magill
- Balnaves Tally
- Tyrrells Vat 1 2013
- Tyrrells Vat 47
- by Farr Sangreal
- Mount Mary Pinot
- Kay Brothers Amery
- Standish Standish

glad you liked the MM pinot, a wine that never gets the credit it should (as consistently Australia's best PN)
the very old versions of these, from the 70's, were the best wines Middelton ever made, and certainly amongst Victoria's greatest-ever.

From memory I thought they planted in 72
And first commercial release was the 77 Cabernet which was a Unicorn
First pinot I recall tasting was 83 and it was glorious 5 years ago.
What 70s pinot can you recall Felix?

[phillisc]

Noticed prices have been massively jacked since the last Langton road show.

And a $30 dollar booking fee
What the hell for?
Cheers Craig

[cleanskinlover]

What a great event. So I am posting as both tired and emotional, so take care. Sorry dont have vintages.

Highlights,
- Yeringberg Cab
- Penfolds Magill
- Balnaves Tally
- Tyrrells Vat 1 2013
- Tyrrells Vat 47
- by Farr Sangreal
- Mount Mary Pinot
- Kay Brothers Amery
- Standish Standish

glad you liked the MM pinot, a wine that never gets the credit it should (as consistently Australia's best PN)
the very old versions of these, from the 70's, were the best wines Middelton ever made, and certainly amongst Victoria's greatest-ever.

Yes, great event. I spoke with a number who have been 4 years ago and this one nailed it! Standish was awesome.

[Tucker Wine Studios]

Noticed prices have been massively jacked since the last Langton road show.

And a $30 dollar booking fee
What the hell for?
Cheers Craig

30 cent, Craig. Not dollars.
I'm going to the poor mans tasting, so AU$150.30.
Cheers, Mario

[phillisc]

Noticed prices have been massively jacked since the last Langton road show.

And a $30 dollar booking fee
What the hell for?
Cheers Craig

30 cent, Craig. Not dollars.
I'm going to the poor mans tasting, so AU$150.30.
Cheers, Mario

Are you sure Mario, I wanted to go to the top level one and it said $330...or perhaps because the price was so high it blinded me!!??
Anyway have fun

Cheers
Craig

[Tucker Wine Studios]

And a $30 dollar booking fee
What the hell for?
Cheers Craig

30 cent, Craig. Not dollars.
I'm going to the poor mans tasting, so AU$150.30.
Cheers, Mario

Are you sure Mario, I wanted to go to the top level one and it said $330...or perhaps because the price was so high it blinded me!!??
Anyway have fun

Cheers
Craig

Hi Craig,
Yes, the ticket price for the Exceptional level is AU$330, plus a booking fee of 30 cent, so AU$330.30.
With my Outstanding level ticket I will miss out on 22 Exceptional wines but still have 46 & 68 Outstanding and Excellent wines to go through
So the price difference between these two ticket levels is $180, for 22 more (but Exceptional) wines. That is a bit more than $8 per tasting of the Exceptional wines...doesn't sound too bad. The problem is that I certainly would not have the time and stamina to go through the entire 136 wines.
I think they also should offer an Exceptional wines only ticket.
Cheers, Mario

[dave vino]

What are the size of pours in the Exceptional? 30ml ?

[michel]

What a great event. So I am posting as both tired and emotional, so take care. Sorry dont have vintages.

Highlights,
- Yeringberg Cab
- Penfolds Magill
- Balnaves Tally
- Tyrrells Vat 1 2013
- Tyrrells Vat 47
- by Farr Sangreal
- Mount Mary Pinot
- Kay Brothers Amery
- Standish Standish

glad you liked the MM pinot, a wine that never gets the credit it should (as consistently Australia's best PN)
the very old versions of these, from the 70's, were the best wines Middelton ever made, and certainly amongst Victoria's greatest-ever.

[url=https://ibb.co/bT7qxz][img]https://preview.ibb.co/m7p3Hz/3_A77_CEDE_56_ ... 5605_F.jpg[/img][/url]

[phillisc]

What are the size of pours in the Exceptional? 30ml ?

Ha ha Dave, very good
Cheers
Craig

[GraemeG]

Truly, honestly, seriously, .... why would anyone gives the slightest notice to a company putting out a self-serving list/ranking of Australian wines? The whole notion that a commercial venture is doing this is simply laughable.

Yes.
At one point (Classification IV, or V?) they capped it at 100 or 101 wines.
Clearly, with the list at nearly 140, commercial imperatives trump everything else.
So, something to talk about, but of no inherent value.
Graeme

[phillisc]

30 cent, Craig. Not dollars.
I'm going to the poor mans tasting, so AU$150.30.
Cheers, Mario

Are you sure Mario, I wanted to go to the top level one and it said $330...or perhaps because the price was so high it blinded me!!??
Anyway have fun

Cheers
Craig

Hi Craig,
Yes, the ticket price for the Exceptional level is AU$330, plus a booking fee of 30 cent, so AU$330.30.
With my Outstanding level ticket I will miss out on 22 Exceptional wines but still have 46 & 68 Outstanding and Excellent wines to go through
So the price difference between these two ticket levels is $180, for 22 more (but Exceptional) wines. That is a bit more than $8 per tasting of the Exceptional wines...doesn't sound too bad. The problem is that I certainly would not have the time and stamina to go through the entire 136 wines.
I think they also should offer an Exceptional wines only ticket.
Cheers, Mario

Thanks Mario, will give it a miss...seems like an exercise now in commercial over indulgence. Would be interesting if langtons slug the winemakers as well, just like the Show Societies do. At the L6 tasting many of the exceptional wines were bloody thin on the ground, with just a couple of bottles on offer for over 300 attendees at the wine centre, and lesser vintages offered in an attempt to appease. Still, I got through 110 wines, don't bother with Pinot or Chardy...so pretty well did the rest.

The outstanding/excellent section is a much better spot to be in, full glasses of four different Wendouree's, a heap of top line VIC and SA Shiraz and get in early on Noble One and Morris...when I got to the fortifieds I was the only one at the table, so they just poured away....almost feeling sorry that no one else was interested.

I've just spent the $330 on a few purchases.
Cheers Craig

[mjs]

Craig,
Did the L7 tasting at the G on Wed. Just the outstanding/excellent as you suggest (exceptional was sold out before I booked ). It is the best value, plenty on offer, little bit of a bun fight at some tables, but generally pretty good. The venue was good, I suggest there should be more tastings in this space at the G. I probably focussed on the WA wines and they were generally very good. Woodlands outstanding with a four year vertical. However, a few predictable favourites were good as well, was really impressed by Katnook (standard cab and Odyssey) and cab and Malleea at Majella. Might post some more notes later.
I’d go again.
Cheers, Malcolm

[phillisc]

Malcolm, thinking of pulling the trigger on Katnook. I have had the opportunity to look at the '12 Prodigy Shiraz a year apart...think it might be a future belter...its beautiful now, the fruit profile is amazing. I tried the 12 Odyssey last year, very good wine, but unfortunately was not impressed with the 13...its not in the same ball park. Standard offerings were very good too.
Cheers
Craig

[Tucker Wine Studios]

Ok, so I went on Wednesday evening to the Langtons Tasting in Adelaide. Here some brief notes and impressions.

First impression was good with a spacious venue that didn’t get too crowded during the evening. Access to the tables wasn’t really an issue. And the provided food was actually quite nice and was available throughout the evening.

I started with a lovely Crawford River Riesling and then moved on to my Chardonnay flight. First the elegant Oakridge with 2016 and 2013, then Mt Mary with a bit more body. The following 2015 Yattarna did impress me mightily before I went on to Margaret River. Started with the nice Vasse Felix 2016, followed by the fantastic Pierro 2017 and then Cullen 2016. My favourite: Pierro. Buy!

Then my Pinot flight. Started with Tassie, Freycinet 2017, a light ethereal fairy-like dreamy and gentle lovely wine. Good choice for a start. Then Hoddles Creek 1er 2017, shocking pungent smell of burnt rubber and smouldering plastic, really struggled with this. Mt Mary 2012 ok-ish, my spirit’s a bit dampened. Ok, lets change regions, Main Ridge Have Acre 2017...just bottled and kaboom, here we go, flavour explosion, a wildish young wine, racy, so exciting, feeling ecstatic. I need a bottle of this. Bass Phillip Premium 16, ordinary, no magic, I’m on the Pinot rollercoaster. Then Bindi Block 5 2016, aaahhh...so aromatic, denser, rounder, lovely. By Farr Sangreal, great stuff, as expected. But wait, BF Tout Pres 2015, 100% whole bunch, wow, hallelujah, what a wine, herbaceous and black current-ish, super intense, high impact, a mind boggling wine, I’m instantly addicted. I must have a bottle of this!!! Damn, I need a break.

The Cabernet flight. Domaine A 2008, whoohoo, another revelation, black currents galore, what a cracker. Buy! Lakes Folly 2017, 15 & 11, all nice but not getting too excited here. Yarra Yering No1 Blend 16, ok this is better, lovely currenty flavour, great. Yeringberg 2016, hmm, softer and milder, less fruity-currenty, reserved, aristocratic, needs time. And then Yarra Yarra 2015, hilarious folks, oh boy, this is good, a bit sweeter fruited, less herbaceous-woody-currenty, but very seductive and such a joy to drink. YY 2005 lovely, too. And a YY 2015 secret-special(???), very dense, concentrated, bit of liquorice. Happily jumping on the mailing list. Quickly a Houghton Jack Mann 2015, very rich and ripe, dense, bit monster-ish, a wine for the future. Xanadu Reserve 2014…yep, good stuff. All right, what about South Australia? Grosset Gaia 2015, OMG, such intense black current flavours, maybe a little bit sweeter-fruitier than expected, but certainly a delightful wine. Henschke Cyril vintage?, broader, riper, good wine but no sparks flying here.

Mt Pleasant Maurice O’Shea 2014, oh yeah, this is good. Standish, rich and sexy, Greenock Creek RR 2003, porty, sweet, liked it but not the most lively wine, has quite a bit of maturity. Running a bit out of time and steam…Hentley Farm Clos Otto and more other icon shirazes, all good stuff at very high quality level, but nothing that really stands out or takes me by surprise.

Time for dessert. De Bortoli Noble One 2015, yep, fantastic, lovely botrytis characters, for me good level of sweetness, I like a bit of a sugar oomph and density of flavours in botrytis wines. Chambers Rare Muscadelle, very rich and oily, lots of caramel. The Muscat even denser with stronger burnt sugar notes but also more prominent acidity. Great way to finish.

All in all a very enjoyable evening, I learned a lot and encountered quite a few eye opening wines I have never tasted before. I only wished I had a bit more time for the tasting.

Cheers, Mario

[trufflequeen]

Thanks for your notes Mario. The Adelaide tasting was indeed a very enjoyable evening! Standouts for me were the Majella cab - what an exceptional wine for the price point (also enjoyed the Mallea), Woodlands vertical, Noon Reserve Cab and Standish (which isn't to the taste of some others who frequent this board - but my guilty pleasure is alcohol driven fruit bombs). Was about to pounce on the muscat, when time was called - oh well.
Majella on tasting thu / sat at a local retailer, so might pop in tomorrow for a tasting.