The Auswine Forum

Aged Whites Night, its got a ring to it.

Momentums a good thing, following the very memorable Cullen Vertical an aged white’s night was suggested as the “next one”.

Now Cuttlefish has the wheels in motion for a formal tasting group and perhaps this may be combined, however I want to garnish interest etc.

Obviously Semms and Rieslings, Chennin blanc, Marsanne and I spouse we’d have to allow a few chardys. .....
Bonus points for anyone producing an Australian pinot gris aged 10+ and worthy of drinking, second thoughts, only if its going to be a additional throw in, though I recall Len Evans describing an old bottle of gris he found lost in his cellar, maybe even a coldstream hills wine that he was loath to describe as great interesting drinking, or something to this effect.

Format suggestions, Dates, Venue and wines all open. Sometime in October/November??????

Count me in Pensman.

Love your mention of aged Marsanne ... did I hear someone say Tahbilk?

John

Blends? Don't some verdelhos age well too? Not that I'm into aged whites but it does sound like an interesting evening full of possibilities - wish I could attend but would have to go searching for some "museum" wine/s.

Age is relative too. A good 5-8yo viognier or roussanne could be as interesting as a 20yo sem or riesling? How long is a piece of string?

Cheers

daz

24cm.

http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2008 ... s-a-1.html

John

Softie wrote:24cm.

http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2008 ... s-a-1.html

John

OR.......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Spool_of_string.jpg

daz

I am very interested. Have some aged Marsanne, Semillon straight or stickies and Chardies.
Mike.

I assume "Aged Whites" refers to the wine.......

I'm interested in this also... Have some museum Semillons and Chardonnays at hand.

Michael McNally wrote:I assume "Aged Whites" refers to the wine.......

or the attendees?

Gavin Trott wrote:

Michael McNally wrote:I assume "Aged Whites" refers to the wine.......

or the attendees?

Gavin,
you are a naughty little boy. Go sit in the corner and learn respect for your elders.
Mike.

Yes i too am interested, certainly have some older whites in the cellar, Riesling, Sems, stickies and Chards

Sorry Shannon, under the Gavin rule you're just not aged enough yet. Why not organise a young whites night?

(Pensioner) John

Softie wrote:Sorry Shannon, under the Gavin rule you're just not aged enough yet. Why not organise a young whites night?

(Pensioner) John

Or aged Vs young?

Actually I was wondering whether "aged" was acting to exclude too many forumites: if we refrain from over-doing the aged bit more people would have relevant bottles in their cellar.

Given that most whites age quicker, is there overall advantage in comparing "thirty something" whites with "middle aged and mature" whites.

eg 6-9 year old Semillons compared with 11+ yo, etc.

John

Daryl Douglas wrote:
Age is relative too. A good 5-8yo viognier or roussanne could be as interesting as a 20yo sem or riesling? How long is a piece of string?

I tried to find any world record for string but Guinness didn’t have much.

So does viognier and roussanne have a shorter "half life" then riesling and Semm?????

It seems the point I attempted to make was lost in the effluvia of me, my, this, that or the other. Forget about the string analogly - unless your prized aged white is cork-sealed and smells like wet hessian after a horse has pissed on it.

In terms or development, is the aim to find the oldest white wine that is (just) drinkable? Obviously not! Drinkabiklity and enjoyment are what matter. That's why I mostly prefer fresh, youngish whites whilst having also enjoyed some with a faIr bit of age. A Wilsons Vineyard Polish Hill River riesling aged about 8yo or so comes to mind.

How long is a piece of string? Depends whether a horse has pissed on the bit you're sucking on

daz

Softie wrote:Actually I was wondering whether "aged" was acting to exclude too many forumites: if we refrain from over-doing the aged bit more people would have relevant bottles in their cellar.

John

We could do various ages ???? Stuff at 5 and then 10 and older ?

I would also be happy to swap something of age for something younger if I could accommodate. Take my top shelf ten year old Marlborough savy for a Leo or like.

Daryl Douglas wrote:How long is a piece of string? Depends whether a horse has pissed on the bit you're sucking on

daz

Very true. I typically prefer reisling at 5 to 8 years, and one reason is the the higher strike rate.

I also have fond memories of the first time I opened a 10+ Vat 1 and compared it with a similiar aged Wirra Wirra and a younger Vat 1. It certainly helped me establish my personal drinkability........

9redpens wrote:I would also be happy to swap something of age for something younger if I could accommodate. Take my top shelf ten year old Marlborough savy for a Leo or like.

You have tasted and enjoyed a 10Y.O. SB? Interesting.
Mike.

I think 9redpens comment was tongue in cheek, hence the Although I would be interested to hear the opinions of anybody who had actually had tried 10 year old sav blanc.

Cheers,

Benno

I think 9redpens comment was tongue in cheek, hence the Although I would be interested to hear the opinions of anybody who had actually had tried 10 year old sav blanc.

very few SB would go 3 years in good shape let alone 10. However there are exceptions. Unfortunately its pretty difficult to pick them in advance. Not too much rhyme or reason sometimes. Examples I thought would age well have fallen over and visa versa

some from the great 1996 vintage lasted longer than even our experimental patience. 1996 Wither Hills, 1996 Delegats Proprietors Reserve and 1996 Cloudy Bay seemed almost immortal and I was drinking them fresh as a daisy 5-8 years on from vintage and when the last bottle was emptied they were showing no sign of decline

Other great sauvignons which looked the goods such as the 2007 St Clair Wairau Reserve crashed and burnt within 12 months

A risky business, though I think your chances improve with those examples that have some sort of flirtation with oak. I have no real recent examples of ones that have gone the distance as I have dispensed with the practice of cellaring Sauvignon for long. Generally I drink them in the sun in the summer of their release

I'm getting mental images of buttered asparagus.... if you like that kind of thing (not really my favorite vegetable)

I'm getting mental images of buttered asparagus.... if you like that kind of thing (not really my favorite vegetable)

mmm fresh asparagus is yum!! even my kids love it...

but agree it isnt great in a wine. i don't like it. However a few sauvignons sometimes once in a blue moon do age forever without developing those canned characters at all..in fact they seem to hardly change. I dont know why, i am not able to predict which wines will do what in that regard but it does happen. best examples are 96 wither hills (which was very acidic, pure and zany) and 96 cloudy bay which seemed to live forever with its fine searching acid and clarity

Craig(NZ) wrote:a few sauvignons sometimes once in a blue moon do age forever without developing those canned characters at all..in fact they seem to hardly change. I dont know why, i am not able to predict which wines will do what in that regard but it does happen. best examples are 96 wither hills (which was very acidic, pure and zany) and 96 cloudy bay which seemed to live forever with its fine searching acid and clarity

Yes, it seems a touch random to me too. I've had some stuff thats gone rather deep in colour and lost the plot quite rapidly, but have had good experiences with Palliser as much as 5-6 years of age. I've actually been drinking 3-4 year old Palliser recently - its as fresh as you like, and no canned peas in sight.