TN: 1990-1991 Cabernet Sauvignon (Blacktongues 16-March-05)

[markg]

An anticipated, very popular tasting with strict numbers enforced so I was very happy that someone dropped out at the last moment and I was asked to come along to fill the space. A full house with 9 bottles to get through, 40ml pours of either a 1990 or 1991 Australian Cabernet Sauvignon, served blind with an hour to dwell over each wine. At the end of the hour each person is asked to vote on their favourite, least favourite and two others that would come in at equal second place.

My personal tasting notes and the voting results of the panel are listed below. As a comparison I thought it would be interesting to see how respected wine critic Jeremy Oliver's scores matched up with the panels view on the wine and it is interesting to note that most of the wines tasted were within JO's drinking window and the only wine he scored below 90 points happened to be the one the tasting panel voted as their least preferred wine. I have also included the current price these wines fetch at auction (before commission) as this can also be a good (but not accurate as other factors influence demand besides quality) indicator on how the market views these wines.

Jeremy Oliver Scores and drinking windows obtained via the Onwine website at http://www.onwine.com.au/

1. 1991 Lindemans Pyrus Cabernets, Coonawarra
A garnet color, lightnening at the edges with an aging nose of cedarbox, leather and black cherry.The palate is medium bodied with subtle berry flavours, some greeny characteristics, a bit light on the middle palate and falling a bit short on the finish. Personally I thought this was a nice wine but nothing special.
Personal rating: 5/10
Blacktongues panel: (5/18 best, 1/18 Least, 2.5/18 - Equal second/Third)
Jeremy Oliver: 95 1999 - 2003+
Current Auction price: $45


2. 1991 Seppelt Dorrien Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley
A bright ruby color with some bricking at the edge. A wonderful, sweet, somewhat youthful nose with huge amounts of coffee-sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Good body and fruit intensity with integrated tannins, blackberry, black olives and hints of sweet chocolate on a good finish. A very good wine with a nose I kept coming back to, this was one of my equal second choices of the evening.
Personal rating: 6/10
Blacktongues panel: (5/18 best, 0/18 Least, 4.5/18 - Equal second/Third)
Jeremy Oliver: 94 2003 - 2011
Current Auction price: $40


3. 1991 Lindemans Snt. George Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
A purple color with some lightening at the edges, a perfumed, complex nose of blackfruits, violets and some chocolate. A good, medium bodied palate with good intensity and balance and a medium finish.
Personal rating: 5/10
Blacktongues panel: (0/18 best, 2/18 Least, 1/18 - Equal second/Third)
Jeremy Oliver: 95 2003 - 2011
Current Auction price: $40


4. 1991 Hollick Ravenswood Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
A nice garnet color with a complex, perfumed nose of sandalwood, cedar, violets, sweet berry, earth and after 30 minutes, gusts of rich, sweet chocolate. Medium bodied palate with good fruit intensity and a very nice, lingering finish of plums, fine berries and chocolate. A very nice wine with a compelling nose. This was one of my picks for equal second place.
Personal rating: 6/10
Blacktongues panel: (0/18 best, 3/18 Least, 3.5/18 - Equal second/Third)
Jeremy Oliver: 95 2003 - 2011+
Current Auction price: $45


5. 1990 Balnaves Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
A sharp garnet color with a very nice nose of sweet leather, berries and after about 30 minutes truffle aromas started to dominate. A medium bodied wine lacking palate complexity but tasting of nice, sweet black fruits that lingered for a pleasant amount of time.
Personal rating: 5/10
Blacktongues panel: (2/18 best, 1/18 Least, 1/18 - Equal second/Third)
Jeremy Oliver: ??
Current Auction price: $30


6. 1990 Lindemans Pyrus Cabernets, Coonawarra
Some chocolate and mint were quite obvious on the nose but with an underlying greeness that I didn't much care for. Medium to full bodied palate with with good fruit intensity although somewhat lacking in the complexity department.
Personal rating: 4/10
Blacktongues panel: (2/18 best, 1/18 Least, 1/18 - Equal second/Third)
Jeremy Oliver: 90 1998 - 2002+
Current Auction price: $40



7. 1990 Wynns Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra (Also commonly referred to as their Black Label Cabernet)
An opaque purple with a nose of black fruits and some menthol. A youthful, somewhat sloppy palate with intense savoury fruits and malty oak lacking in complexity. I thought this might have been a ring-in younger wine to throw us off. This was my least preferred for the evening.
Personal rating: 3/10
Blacktongues panel: (1/18 best, 2/18 Least, 1.5/18 - Equal second/Third)
Jeremy Oliver: 94 2010 - 2020
Current Auction price: $40


8. 1990 Seppelt Dorrien Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley
A clear ruby color with a gorgeous savory/sweet nose of soy, berries, pure, sweet licorice and new leather. A medium bodied palate with good fruit intensity and complexity, integrated, silky tannins and excellent length. This was my preferred wine of the evening.
Personal rating: 7/10
Blacktongues panel: (2/18 best, 2/18 Least, 0.5/18 - Equal second/Third)
Jeremy Oliver: 91 2002 - 2010
Current Auction price: $45



9. 1991 Rosemount Show Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
A nice ruby/garnet color with a slightly pongy nose but with intense fruits, licorice and some clove. The palate was mainly savoury with some black fruits but it didn't linger on the palate for long, drifting away in slight bitterness on the back palate. It was actually a toss up for me between this one and number 7 (Wynns Black Label) as to which I least preferred.
Personal rating: 4/10
Blacktongues panel: (1/18 best, 6/18 Least, 1/18 - Equal second/Third)
Jeremy Oliver: 87 2003 - 2011
Current Auction price: $18

[Christo]

Thanks Mark, good notes. I get confused though with the least/most preferred rankings. Also per your notes...

7. 1990 Wynns Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra (Also commonly referred to as their Black Label Cabernet)
An opaque purple with a nose of black fruits and some menthol. A youthful, somewhat sloppy palate with intense savoury fruits and malty oak lacking in complexity. I thought this might have been a ring-in younger wine to throw us off. This was my least preferred for the evening.

Youthful?!.. still?. Ive got an unopen case somewhere i'll have to pull one out & try.

Thanks again for sharing. I still have not managed the courage to post a TN... err... Still training my palate!!

[markg]

Jeez... When I returned to this page your picture faiirly leaped out of the screen at me, made me jump

I get confused though with the least/most preferred rankings

Yeah, me too a bit, but its quick and gives a rough indication of how the lineup was received.

[Christo]

Jeez... When I returned to this page your picture faiirly leaped out of the screen at me, made me jump

Alright... just to clear it up... the avatar is of my little girl when she was 6 mnths, & she really isnt that scary... until she needs to be fed or have a nappy changed.

She came along to the tasting of WDC Wines with Dave Anderson last december, & came on a Hunter wine tasting buying trip at 5weeks of age. Start them young & form good habits, i say!!.... no Passion pop for her!!

Christo

[markg]

Jeez... When I returned to this page your picture faiirly leaped out of the screen at me, made me jump

Alright... just to clear it up... the avatar is of my little girl when she was 6 mnths, & she really isnt that scary... until she needs to be fed or have a nappy changed.

She came along to the tasting of WDC Wines with Dave Anderson last december, & came on a Hunter wine tasting buying trip at 5weeks of age. Start them young & form good habits, i say!!.... no Passion pop for her!!

Christo

Sorry, didn't mean to imply your kid was scary, just that the picture is large and I wasn't expecting it.

[Christo]

not a prob. She has got Gavin to thank, he fixed the avatar for me.

Christo

[707]

This really was a great tasting and a very even lineup. Even though we all voted for a Least Preferred, many people commented how they would have been very pleased to drink that wine with a meal such was the overall standard.

A class lineup that showed just what good aged Cabernet has to offer as a change from the ubiquitous Shiraz currently flooding our cellars.

I had five or six wines in contention for my top three until forced by time to make a decision.

I finally thought the 1991 Seppelt Dorrien was the best in this lineup and a great example of how good Barossa Cabernet can get.

The 1990 & 1991 Pyrus and the 1990 Wynns Black were right there for honours too.

[Johnny B]

Christo

You look too young to drink

Johnny

[Christo]

I finally thought the 1991 Seppelt Dorrien was the best in this lineup and a great example of how good Barossa Cabernet can get.

The 1990 & 1991 Pyrus and the 1990 Wynns Black were right there for honours too.

Dorrien has always been consistent in my books.

707 what were your impressions of the 90' wynns cab sav... i will be cracking a couple out soon.

thanks n advance

Christo

[707]

Christo, 90 Wynns still looking youthful although developing. A good drink now with ripe fruit and cigarbox that will last a good time yet.

As always Mr Cork will play a part and some bottles will be better than others.

I've actually found the 91 Wynns even better than the 90 on a couple of head to head occasions in recent times. 91 is an underrated vintage in Coonawarra.

[PaulV]

707 what were your impressions of the 90' wynns cab sav... i will be cracking a couple out soon.

thanks n advance

Christo

Christo

I opened a couple of bottles of '90 wynns black label cab sav last week and thought they were excellent particularly given their commercial pedigree. Still some primary fruit but also lots of secondary leather and cigar box on a mid weight palate (think I actually put up a recent TN under TORB's weekend drinking summary).

I thought they had reached they tasting plateau and would prefer to drink down the rest of the case over the next 4-5 years. Crack one soon to see for yourself.

Cheers

Paul

[Christo]

Tks 707 & Paul, will have to dig out these bottles, they are hiding away with the various J Riddoch.

will attaempt to post impressions when i open one.

Christo