The best Australian wines of all time

[Blake]

A non-wine geek friend of mine asked me over the weekend, what I considered to be the best money no object aussie wines of each of the main grape varieties. Fair enough question I thought, not an easy one to answer, as I have not drunk many of the wines I would expect to make the list, but going on both personal and respected other's experiences, this is what I came up with :

1. Cabernet - 1996 Penfolds Block 42 Kalimna - an early call on a youngish wine I know, but surely this wine has to be the favourite for this title.

2. Shiraz - no surprises here. It has to be Grange (i know it has a little cabernet in it, but forget that). I have never tried anything from pre-1976. I have had the 76, 80, 83, 86, 88, 90, 91, 94, 96, 97 and 98. From my own experience alone the 1976 Grange wins hands down, but keep an eye on the 1996, I think it may eventually outshine all of them. I assume others may plumb for the 1971 or earlier vintages, but I have no experience in that.

3. Chardonnay - a close run race between most vintages of the Art Series and the best vintages of Tyrrells Vat 47.

4. Riesling - Early Leo Burings (I think the '71 was the standout wasn't it ?)

5. Semillon - 1989 Tyrrells Vat 1 and a perhaps the 1996 Lovedale in time - a lovely, lovely, almost certainly, long-lived wine.

[Anthony]

Hi Blake,
in true red bigot fashion, I put on a 96 Penfolds Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon at an offline dinner a few us from auswine went to (Chris H, Sanjat, Peter P, Neville K, Rory and Pau) and it was an awesome wine, ableight way too young. I triple decanted this wine at 10am to try and open it up and think it probably needed 24-48 hours in the decanter to really show it's best.

Interestingly, it was not WOTN, that went to a 82 Les Cases brought along by Neville. Wow what a wine!!!



cheers
anthony

[TORB]

Ant,

Comparing two great wines, one a 96 and the other an 82 with a mear 14 years between them and you expect the younger one to be WOTN

[Rory]

Torb,

Can't dissagree on the choices of the shiraz & semillon, but having tried both the Block 42 and the Howard Park '94 Cab/Merlot last year, I'd put the Howard Park well above it.
On recent tastings, I'd also put the Giaconda Chardonnay in place of the Tyrells Vat 47.
Regards,

Rory

[GraemeG]

A non-wine geek friend of mine asked me over the weekend, what I considered to be the best money no object aussie wines of each of the main grape varieties. Fair enough question I thought, not an easy one to answer, as I have not drunk many of the wines I would expect to make the list, but going on both personal and respected other's experiences, this is what I came up with :

Not sure if you mean to drink now, or just an all-time best-ever (like the cricket teams with Trumper, Bradman, and Warne in them). Assuming the latter, I 'd offer the following for consideration as well...

1. Cabernet - 1996 Penfolds Block 42 Kalimna - an early call on a youngish wine I know, but surely this wine has to be the favourite for this title.

Also the famous 1963 Mildara Peppermint Patty, the first white label Coonawarra wine. Perhaps 1982 Wynns John Riddoch has a show here as well?

2. Shiraz - no surprises here. It has to be Grange (i know it has a little cabernet in it, but forget that). I have never tried anything from pre-1976. I have had the 76, 80, 83, 86, 88, 90, 91, 94, 96, 97 and 98. From my own experience alone the 1976 Grange wins hands down, but keep an eye on the 1996, I think it may eventually outshine all of them. I assume others may plumb for the 1971 or earlier vintages, but I have no experience in that.

I wouldn't argue with Grange on a year-in, year-out basis. Other one-offs to consider are the 1955 Wynns Michael shiraz, Lindemans Bin 1590 HR Bungundy of 1959, together with the Bin 3110 and Bin 3100 wines of 1965. Other Schubert blend wines - 1962 Bin 60A - need to be considered. And there's a whole slew of Preece and O'Shea wines (plus those old Woodley Treasure Chest wines made by Redman) to weigh up too.

4. Riesling - Early Leo Burings (I think the '71 was the standout wasn't it ?)

Hallidays 3rd edition of 'Classic Wines' had quite a number of these back even to the late 60s as well.

5. Semillon - 1989 Tyrrells Vat 1 and a perhaps the 1996 Lovedale in time - a lovely, lovely, almost certainly, long-lived wine.

I've never tasted it, but the Lindemans 1970 Chablis (Bin ?) is pretty famous too - probably entitled to the crown here, certainly by reputation.

I'm sure there are a few of these covered somewhere on the Langtons site with commentary under 'cult wines'.

cheers,
Graeme

[Gary W]

Ant,

Comparing two great wines, one a 96 and the other an 82 with a mear 14 years between them and you expect the younger one to be WOTN

erm yes actually. I would. Some people who don't appreciate subtlety and nuance may like the BIG fruit style much more and rate it WOTN. Seen it happen time and time again. Wine shows are a good example too
GW

[DJ]

Cabernet - I haven't had the Block 42 or Peppermint Pattie but the 55 Hardy's Tintara Cabinet (sic) would have to be up there. The 53 Grange Cabernet (off Block 42) was meant to be pretty good.

Shiraz - probably too many to mention - not that I've tried any - Woodleys treasure chest, Colin Preece's Great Westerns, Maurice O'Shea's Hunters, etc, etc, etc

Chardonnay - rumour has it that Giaconda always comes up trumps in a certain other premium chardonnay producer's winemakers' tasings

1973 is the legendary year for Leo Buring - all the premium wines from that year seem to have been magic

1970 Lindemans Hunter River Chablis & White Burgundy are very hard to beat in the semillon stakes - all other pretenders will have to prove their worth at 30 years of age before they can claim to be the best

[TORB]

Ant,

Comparing two great wines, one a 96 and the other an 82 with a mear 14 years between them and you expect the younger one to be WOTN

erm yes actually. I would. Some people who don't appreciate subtlety and nuance may like the BIG fruit style much more and rate it WOTN. Seen it happen time and time again. Wine shows are a good example too
GW

Gary,

And there I was trying not to be rude for once in my life and you go and blow it! Agree totally with your conclusions.

[Wizz]

3. Chardonnay - a close run race between most vintages of the Art Series and the best vintages of Tyrrells Vat 47.

While LEAS and Vat 47 have long track records, I would rank Giaconda (and Cullen) ahead of the Tyrrells, and on a par with the LEAS.

4. Riesling - Early Leo Burings (I think the '71 was the standout wasn't it ?)

As other have said, 73 was a classic, and the 79 was also amazing.

5. Semillon - 1989 Tyrrells Vat 1 and a perhaps the 1996 Lovedale in time - a lovely, lovely, almost certainly, long-lived wine.

84 Lovedale and any number of Vat 1's could contend, but the 1970 Lindemans is very strong. is this dry wines only? Noble One would have to get a look in if stickies are allowed,

my 2c

cheers

Andrew

[Wizz]

No one has mentioned any Moss Wood cabernets yet...

[michael]

it's a bit disturbing that so many 'recent' wines are referenced amongst the best ever. if they do deserve that accolade, it's too soon to tell.

Cabernet:
1963 peppermint patty
Lindemanns 1976 limestone ridge cab
1962 Kalimna bin 60 a

Chardonnay
a relatively new variety, but I would vote for 1982 Leuwinn

Riesling:
1968 Leo Buring Eden Valley

Shiraz
1995 wynns Michael.

Sparkling:
1944 great western sparkling shiraz

[MartinC]

Wizz,

The most memorable Cab I've ever had was a MossWood 1995, probrably the best Cabernet Southern Hemisphere ever aspired to...Power, varietal defination and complete. Sadly, the Mugfords don't make another like this anymore even their highly rated 1999 were more precocious.

Shiraz - The Grange 1998 - A perfect wine in every respect. For the purists perfection in wine is like perfection in anything, it can never be obtained but to the beholder this IS my Holy Grail!

[Anthony]

Point taken boys.
maybe I am just a true red bigot at heart.

[Guest]

1. Cabernet - 1996 Penfolds Block 42 Kalimna - an early call on a youngish wine I know, but surely this wine has to be the favourite for this title.

2. Shiraz - no surprises here. It has to be Grange (i know it has a little cabernet in it, but forget that). I have never tried anything from pre-1976. I have had the 76, 80, 83, 86, 88, 90, 91, 94, 96, 97 and 98. From my own experience alone the 1976 Grange wins hands down, but keep an eye on the 1996, I think it may eventually outshine all of them. I assume others may plumb for the 1971 or earlier vintages, but I have no experience in that.

3. Chardonnay - a close run race between most vintages of the Art Series and the best vintages of Tyrrells Vat 47.

4. Riesling - Early Leo Burings (I think the '71 was the standout wasn't it ?)

5. Semillon - 1989 Tyrrells Vat 1 and a perhaps the 1996 Lovedale in time - a lovely, lovely, almost certainly, long-lived wine.

Cabernet (including blends?):

1962 bin 60A as my single nomination for the best ever Oz wine if bottle found & drunk at peak

1966 bin 620 was not far behind

1976 Limestone Ridge an alltime great nomination

1985, 1991 & 1995 Cullens (the last still to prove itself as still very young)

1987, 1995 Moss Wood (the first drinking superbly and the second likely to be superior in thelong haul)

With due respect the block 42 has potential but to rate it OZ's best -ever cabernet is an overstatement (certainly at this stage) - and even then I have a gut feeling that the blend in the 90A will prove more to my liking(and be the better wine for the blend - no matter what the Penfolds treatment of straight CS is....more Penfolds than CS!)

Oh, yes and another wine that proved itself - the 1963 Peppermint Patty (Mildara)

Shiraz

1963 Grange at its peak

1971 Grange

1965 Lindemans HR bin 3110 (with the bin 3100 close in pursuit and the 1959 reserve bin following it up)

1955 Michael



Chardonnay

1985 LEAS & 1987 close with it

1991 Giaconda

and the 1985 & 91 Mt Mary are not too far behind (although both only started to show their worth post-10 years, and certainly were not good young chardonnay)

Riesling

Pick a Jon Vickery Leo Buring from the 70's but the 1973 vintage was the best followed by the 75 - the specific DWB codes evade me


Semillon

While Vat 1 rules supreme today, back in 1970 the Lindemans "Hunter River Riesling" , chablis and White Burgundy - all of which were semillon were - and are today - just fantastic.
Maybe, one day, one of the Tyrells will be recognised in the same class -but as a huge supporter of vat 1 - don't hold your breath!!

In one sense it doesn't matter - and personal preferences will always hold sway, but voting a wine on potential agains a measured level of greatness as "the best" degrades that title. THe newcomer has to actuallly produce to knock off the champion (or should do).

fred

[Gavin Trott]

Hello

I must say I've not had many of the wines mentioned here, but have, and can verify, that two of the fineest wine experiences I've had in Oz wines were

1963 Peppermint Patty, fantastic in the early 90's,

and

1970 Lindemans Hunter River White Burgundy, the best bottles were superb, the others only great!

[PaulSheldon]

I am surprised no one has offered a Hill of Grace as a shiraz contender, I thought it would have been a fairly obvious choice. The 92 I had the other night was fantastic, albeit still a youngster.

[Michael]

I am surprised no one has offered a Hill of Grace as a shiraz contender, I thought it would have been a fairly obvious choice. The 92 I had the other night was fantastic, albeit still a youngster.

Paul,

HOG has not always been the best it could be, and it recent time perhaps only the 1990 & 1986 could be considered truly great.

[Kieran]

Wine is a pretty broad category. I don't know if a good vintage of 100-yo Para would make the list, or Chambers Rare Tokay. Surely they're worthy of consideration.

Kieran

[Mike Hawkins]

Michael,

I assume you meant the 1955 Michael Shiraz. My grandfather raved above it, and that was the closest I'll ever come to haviung it !