1991 Houghton White Burgundy, Museum Release (bottled 1998)

[Mahmoud Ali]

1991 Houghton White Burgundy, Museum Release (bottled 1998).

Brought two of these back from Australia. The first one was opened several years ago but was nowhere near as memorable as this bottle. Yellow gold in colour, it was honeyed, with a waxy nose and a silky texture, it was a beautifully aged white. Wish I had more.

I drank the bottle with dinner at a friend’s place. Unless something better comes along (which I doubt) this bottle of White Burgundy will be my white wine of the year.

In addition to the White Burgundy we drank and tasted:

Tio Pepe Extra Dry Fino Sherry
2004 Marques de Gelida, Cava, Spain
1990 Villa Masetto, Vina Rosso di Toscano, IGT Rufina, Italy
1983 Chateau Gruad Larose, St Julien, Bordeaux
1990 Pesquera, Crianza, Ribera del Douro, Spain
1996 Peter Lehman ‘The King’, AD 2017
Taylor’s 10 year Old Tawny Port.


The Fino was a delightful way to start the evening the Tio Pepe being ever so reliable. The Cava was a surprise, the first vintage Cava I've ever seen let alone tasted. The fine mousse and toastiness had me thinking Champagne but the fruitiness led me to Alsace. I was wrong.

The '90 Tuscan was something I found recently for C$16 and while it was faded and a bit dry it offered nice aged Italianate flavours, enough so that we decided to get a bottle each. The '83 Bordeaux shined, a lovely mature claret that was almost perfect in every way and a fine match with roast lamb. The '90 Pesquera was delicious but it still had firm tannins and some way to go, very surprising for an 18 year old Tempranillo.

The Peter Lehmann VP was too young and probably needed a longer decant while the Taylor 10 year old was very tasty, though by the end of evening I wasn't in the best form considering there were only four of us drinking and one person sipping only the whites.

Cheers.........Mahmoud

[Waiters Friend]

Hi Mahmoud

Many people underestimate the ageing ability of this WA institution (I think the first vintage was 1937). Although the composition of the blend has changed over time, I've had examples of the standard wine (not museum release) up to 12 years old and they age like old Hunter semillons.

Interesting indeed for an $8 bottle of wine.

Cheers

Allan

[Mahmoud Ali]

Allan,

For me this is another example of taking experienced wine critics' opinions seriously. I'd read many Australian wine critics talking about the ability of standard Houghton White Burgundy to cellar.

Although this was a Museum Release for which I paid about A$20, it is still the standard bottling, the exact same wine. The only difference is that it is cellared at the winery and there is a different label. Anyone having bought the wine at release could have cellared it with the same results. Indeed, an excellent cellaring wine at a bargain.

Taking my own advice to heart I have a few bottles of the 2000 White Burgundy cellared away. Don't know if the 2000 vintage will be as good as the '91 but only time will tell.

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

PS: The success I've had with some of these older Australian whites makes me think that perhaps I should extend the cellaring time of the reds.

[griff]

Allan,

For me this is another example of taking experienced wine critics' opinions seriously. I'd read many Australian wine critics talking about the ability of standard Houghton White Burgundy to cellar.

Although this was a Museum Release for which I paid about A$20, it is still the standard bottling, the exact same wine. The only difference is that it is cellared at the winery and there is a different label. Anyone having bought the wine at release could have cellared it with the same results. Indeed, an excellent cellaring wine at a bargain.

Taking my own advice to heart I have a few bottles of the 2000 White Burgundy cellared away. Don't know if the 2000 vintage will be as good as the '91 but only time will tell.

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

PS: The success I've had with some of these older Australian whites makes me think that perhaps I should extend the cellaring time of the reds.

I wouldn't use a white wine with a lot of chenin in the mix as your yardstick for the reds. Chenin is very ageworthy i.e. vouvray living up to a century.

cheers

Carl

[Mahmoud Ali]

Carl,

Point taken, you are right about the importance of the grape variety. I had in mind cellaring style wines, the cabs and the cab/shiraz blends.

Cheers.......Mahmoud

[Tucker Wine Studios]

Hi Mahmoud,

I happily join you to declare the 1991 Houghton WB Museum Release also as my white wine of the year. I bought a dusty bottle a couple of years ago in Adelaide (Vardon Lane) for $30 in the hope it might be something special. However, I then didn't dare to open it for a long time because I feared it could be oxidized or turned sour. Eventually in mid 2008 I opened this bottle shortly before I moved to Perth and the wine left me speechless. What a wonderful golden colour and waxy-lanolin-honey aroma. For me certainly one of the best matured dry white wines I ever had.

As Carl pointed out Chenin Blanc is the crucial ingredient. Now I remember that there was a thread some time ago here that HWB's composition changed over time. So is chenin blanc not anymore the major component? Couldn't find information on Houghton's webpage. Anybody know more about it?

In August 2008 I also bought at Houghton's cellar door the 1995 HWB Museum release, which is also a very good wine but has not yet reached the tremendous flavor profile of the 1991 (if it ever gets there).

Cheers,
Mario

[Davo]

Hi Mahmoud,

I happily join you to declare the 1991 Houghton WB Museum Release also as my white wine of the year. I bought a dusty bottle a couple of years ago in Adelaide (Vardon Lane) for $30 in the hope it might be something special. However, I then didn't dare to open it for a long time because I feared it could be oxidized or turned sour. Eventually in mid 2008 I opened this bottle shortly before I moved to Perth and the wine left me speechless. What a wonderful golden colour and waxy-lanolin-honey aroma. For me certainly one of the best matured dry white wines I ever had.

As Carl pointed out Chenin Blanc is the crucial ingredient. Now I remember that there was a thread some time ago here that HWB's composition changed over time. So is chenin blanc not anymore the major component? Couldn't find information on Houghton's webpage. Anybody know more about it?

In August 2008 I also bought at Houghton's cellar door the 1995 HWB Museum release, which is also a very good wine but has not yet reached the tremendous flavor profile of the 1991 (if it ever gets there).

Cheers,
Mario

Chenin Blanc is still the main component. Has some verdelho and more recently chardonnay in the blend.

[bob parsons]

PS: The success I've had with some of these older Australian whites makes me think that perhaps I should extend the cellaring time of the reds.

That does not seem to make a lot of sense. What is the justification for this thought?

[Mahmoud Ali]

Bob,

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if these old Australian whites manage to live so long (and be enjoyable) past their "best before" dates then why shouldn't the sturdier reds.

Generally speaking most red wines cellar better than whites. So the recent performance of these old whites had me thinking that some of the Australian reds from the same period that I thought might be ready may well have a longer life ahead.

I had in mind opening some bottles from 1988 to 1992 that might be at or past their best. Now, I'm not sure there is a need to hurry.

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

[Duncan]

In his 2001 wine companion, James Halliday wrote "... White Burgundy ... superlative with seven or so years bottle age." So I bought a case, as it was only about $12/bottle. The first thing that I noticed on opening the case a few months ago is huge variation in colour between bottles - this is under cork, professionally cellared. I haven't tried opening two bottles against each other (but I should I suppose). Unfortunately the wine doesn't ring my bell, OK for a $20 white, but I'd rather drink a good riesling at that price.

In December 2008 JH recommended the Alkoomi SSB, and he was bang on the money there. But don't cellar it.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Last week I was rooting through a few boxes and came across my 2000 HWB. I have four bottles and in the non-coloured glass they all look clear as a bell, pale, and showing no signs of age. All are cork stoppered.

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