TN: 1988-1998 Coonawarra Cabernets & blends 7/6/10

[n4sir]

Last week I went to a tasting with the theme of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (and its blends) featuring some very tasty wines – as usual all of the following were served blind, and all were sealed under natural cork:


FLIGHT 1:

1998 Mildara (“White Label”) Cabernet Sauvignon: Medium to very dark blood red colour. Sweet nose at first of cassis and earth, a hint of chocolate and barnyard, some popcorn with breathing; the medium-weight palate is very earthy and chocolaty, sous bois and sweet berries, grippy but soft tannins and a minty finish. A great start to the tasting.

1998 Jamieson’s Run Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: Medium to dark red/brick. The nose of this wine seemed immediately “off”, damp socks, leathery/vegemite and molten solder characters; the palate's better, there’s still some fruit and mocha chocolate, and a tangy but rather thin finish. I suspected early on this was possibly an oxidised bottle, confirmed when its identity was revealed; the bottle we had last year at the AFWAC Coonawarra/Margaret River tasting was much better.

1998 Jamieson’s Run Limited Release Cabernet Sauvignon: Medium to very dark blood red. Tangy cassis, a hint of clove and tomato skin, leafy and cool and a little medicinal at times; medium-weight, tangy palate with more clove/sweet cherry characters, a minty mid-palate and a long, chalky finish. This had a few fans, but I preferred the humble white label in this trio.


FLIGHT 2:

1998 Bowen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: Medium to dark red. Cool, chalky, tarry nose with blackcurrants, buttery herbs and some ash/cigar box; a powdery/chalky entry leads to medium to full weight palate with chewy blackcurrants/cherries, black olive and a little vanilla in the background, finishing long and chalky. A cool, elegant style that’s aging very well.

1998 Highbank Basket Pressed Cabernets: Medium to very dark garnet. Weird nose full of banana/vanillin and gluey oak, a hint of black liquorice and some mint in the background; the palate opens with a big bang of chalk, cherry cola and banana, a hint of sour mash bourbon too, finishing peppery. In comparison to the Bowen this was oaky and un-Cabernet like (it is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, the balance Merlot & Cabernet Franc), and I would have sworn it was American and not French oak used (100% French barriques).


FLIGHT 3:

1990 Lindemans St George Cabernet Sauvignon: Medium red/garnet with a hint of brick on the rim. A beautifully perfumed and dusty bouquet, very chocolaty with dark berries, a hint of barnyard, truffle and cigar box; the palate’s medium-weight and soft, very sweet and chocolaty with a long, powdery texture. I thought this was a cracker, reminiscent of the 1998 Mildara that kicked off the night, only older, softer and much more complex, but it should also be noted some others thought this bottle was a little advanced and not a good example.

1992 Lindemans St George Cabernet Sauvignon: Medium brick/red. Very earthy and leathery nose with some tobacco, slightly horsy too; the palate’s marginally better with a little tangy sweetness, but it’s thin and really lacks the fruit of the previous wine.

1993 Thomas Hardy Cabernet Sauvignon: Medium to very dark red with an orange rim. An excellent nose full of sweet blackcurrants backed by some charred oak, some pepper, truffle and coffee too; the palate’s very sweet and round, powerful, fleshy and inky, the lashings of juicy fruit and charry oak almost bordering on being too much. This was fresher and more impressive than a bottle a couple of years ago, but I wonder how long it can hold this form?

1994 Thomas Hardy Cabernet Sauvignon: Medium to dark red. Dusty and slightly stocky/leathery, very inky/tarry and heavy char characters dominate the nose; the palate is also dominated by bourbon/timber like oak, the fruit pushed well and truly into the background. Possibly in an awkward phase, but to be honest I’m not sure if this one will ever come together.


FLIGHT 4:

1990 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: Medium, blood red. Stunning bouquet of peppermint, sweet blackcurrants, chalk and just a hint of charry oak well in the background; the palate’s even better, full weight and chewy with loads of grip, fleshy blackcurrants/cherries and soft tannins, finishing extremely long with a lick of black olive. A multi-layered wine that’s an absolute joy to drink now, but also has years in reserve; only one wine topped it and one other equalled it on my scoresheet tonight.

1992 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon: Medium to very dark red. Brilliant bouquet that’s marginally better than the previous wine, inky blackcurrants and peppermint backed by sweet cedar and lovely spices; a sweet and spicy entry leads to a medium to full weight palate of tangy blackcurrants, cedar and liquorice, finishing grippy and very long. Overall I’d give this the edge with the nose, and the 1990 Black Label the edge with the palate: the final result - a dead heat. What a brilliant pair of wines.

1988 Parker Coonawarra Estate First Growth Cabernet Sauvignon: Medium, brick red. At first this didn’t seem out of place in this flight, opening with attractive peppermint, leather, coffee and truffle characters, but it degenerated quickly in the glass; the palate’s older and lighter weight, and slightly mousy on the end. Nice at first, but fading fast.


FLIGHT 5:

1991 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Centenary Shiraz Cabernet: Medium to very dark red. Absolutely stunning, a beautiful nose full of peppermint, blackcurrants, a hint of cedary oak and green capsicum in the background; the balance and length of the palate are outstanding, incredibly sweet and juicy blackberry cordial-like fruit with fine tannins and a bare touch of vanillin oak in the background. WOTN in an extremely strong group (again).

1991 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon: Medium to dark red. Inky/dusty nose with just a touch of dampness, some leafy/green characters appearing with breathing but little else surfaces after a lot of work; the structure and length seem to be there but the palate also seems to be scalped of fruit, particularly on the finish. A frustrating bottle with hints of what it could have possibly been.

1991 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon: Medium to very dark red. Huge, tarry bouquet of inky/tart blackcurrant/mulberry fruit and toasty/coffee oak; the palate is just as full-throttle, choc-full of cassis, buttery herbs and toast, some coffee & choc-mint with breathing. It needs time to show its best or a good chunk of brontosaurus to match; while this (Coonawarra/Kalimna/Eden Valley) and the Wynns Centenary Shiraz-dominant blend may bend the theme a little, who cares when they’re this good?


Cheers
Ian

[Jay60A]

Awesome notes, I love reading about wines when they are hitting their peak.

I'm feeling particularly lucky I still have four of each of the Wynns BL 1990 and Centenary 1991 tucked away. I think I'd have paid 10nzd on the BL.

[monghead]

Thanks once again for the excellent notes Ian.

Kinda kicking myself at present. Was offerred a 6 pack of the Wynns Centenary a few years ago for an even $300, and I passed. Why? Well, I had never tasted it, and kinda wanted to taste one before buying that volume. In hindsight, should have bought it, tasted one, and if didn't like it, sold off the other 5...

Monghead.

[Gianna]

Ian

Really good notes and a great line up overall. Cabernet is still King for me.

I've tried most of these wines and rate the following:

1998 HIghbank - very underated and a classic cab blend, you may have had a dud bottle

1990 / 92 St George - Agree they can be thin and uninspiring at times, but a good bottle can be really enjoyable.

1990 Wynns BL - bargain buying long living cabernets, - rate highly the 1994 and 1996 as well

1991 / 92 Wynns JR - I've had nearly every vintage of JR going back to mid 80's and they can be stunning. The 1986 is still one of the best Oz cabs I have ever had. They are best after 20 years in the right vintage.

1991 Wynns Centenary - this is still an unsung hero cab blend, in fact, I rate it as one of the best

1988 Parker TR 1st growth - Awesome wine in early 90's, but 88 is past it. The 96 is at its peak and drinking as good as it will get. - drink up

1991 707 - A fabulous vintage - 707 can and often is the top of the pops in Oz cabs if the oak has integrated with the fruit and doesn't over power the wine. 1986 and 1996 are the best vintages for me. 96 will go for another 10 years.

I tried the 1996 Howard Park Cab Merl and the 2001 Moss Wood over the weekend. The HP blew me away. It took 3 hrs in the decanter to open up, but when it did, the Moss Wood was not a shadow of the HP.

[monghead]

Ian

Really good notes and a great line up overall. Cabernet is still King for me.

I've tried most of these wines and rate the following:

1991 / 92 Wynns JR - I've had nearly every vintage of JR going back to mid 80's and they can be stunning. The 1986 is still one of the best Oz cabs I have ever had. They are best after 20 years in the right vintage.

1991 707 - A fabulous vintage - 707 can and often is the top of the pops in Oz cabs if the oak has integrated with the fruit and doesn't over power the wine. 1986 and 1996 are the best vintages for me. 96 will go for another 10 years.

I tried the 1996 Howard Park Cab Merl and the 2001 Moss Wood over the weekend. The HP blew me away. It took 3 hrs in the decanter to open up, but when it did, the Moss Wood was not a shadow of the HP.

How's the 94 Riddoch?
Good to hear about the 96 707.
Had the HP 96 a couple of times, but found them uninspiring... Both were from questionable provenance though... Perhaps should seek out another.
About the Moss Wood, I remember on and shortly after release, this was a monumental wine! However, when tasted recently, it was still very primary, though muted and slightly hollow through the middle. Wondering if it will emerge from this...

Cheers,

Monghead.

[Gianna]

I wouldn't say that the 94 JR is one of the better vintages, although still a quality cabernet.
The best I've had are the 86 ( a standout ) the 90, 88 and 92 were all outstanding and I can't wait to crack open my
case of 96 in a few more years. I've had a 96 at a restaurant, it was too closed as was the 98, but I think they both
will become great vintages in time. - JR is still a terrific aging cab.

The 96 HP I had was superb, you may have had a dud bottle or two.
The 94 HP I've had over the years was one of the best cabernet in the oz market, especially at the price point.

Monghead, I absolutely agree with your note about the Moss Wood, it did not thrill me given the hype.
I still have 6 left and will not touch another for about 3 years ( well, I'll try not to )

BTW, I still rate early 90 vintages of Cyril H, the 90 in particular is fabulous and up there for awesome value cabs that
have the ability to last 20 yrs +.

I did have a 98 Domaine A cab recently that was stunning. Smooth and lush, and I still have 6 left, woohoo.

[rooman]

1991 707 - A fabulous vintage - 707 can and often is the top of the pops in Oz cabs if the oak has integrated with the fruit and doesn't over power the wine. 1986 and 1996 are the best vintages for me. 96 will go for another 10 years.

A group of us did a vertical 96 cab sav tasting last year and one of the wines was a 96 707. Personally I would not touch it for another 5-7 years. Compared to a ch beychevelle (which was my wine of the day) the 707 tasted as though it had just been bottled. It was still a deep purple with bruising oak levels. The same friend who brought the 96 707 also brought a mid 80s 707 to dinner six months earlier and that was a fantastic wine, so I have no doubt in another decade (assuming you can wait) that the 96 will be a stunning wine but it still needs a ton of time.

Mark

[monghead]

I wouldn't say that the 94 JR is one of the better vintages, although still a quality cabernet.
The best I've had are the 86 ( a standout ) the 90, 88 and 92 were all outstanding and I can't wait to crack open my
case of 96 in a few more years. I've had a 96 at a restaurant, it was too closed as was the 98, but I think they both
will become great vintages in time. - JR is still a terrific aging cab.

The 96 HP I had was superb, you may have had a dud bottle or two.
The 94 HP I've had over the years was one of the best cabernet in the oz market, especially at the price point.

Monghead, I absolutely agree with your note about the Moss Wood, it did not thrill me given the hype.
I still have 6 left and will not touch another for about 3 years ( well, I'll try not to )

BTW, I still rate early 90 vintages of Cyril H, the 90 in particular is fabulous and up there for awesome value cabs that
have the ability to last 20 yrs +.

I did have a 98 Domaine A cab recently that was stunning. Smooth and lush, and I still have 6 left, woohoo.

Thanks for that Gianna. I will drink up the 94 Riddoch soon.
As to the HPs- Have a 96 magnum signed by winemaker, and am still trying to find a '94.

Cheers.

[monghead]

1991 707 - A fabulous vintage - 707 can and often is the top of the pops in Oz cabs if the oak has integrated with the fruit and doesn't over power the wine. 1986 and 1996 are the best vintages for me. 96 will go for another 10 years.

A group of us did a vertical 96 cab sav tasting last year and one of the wines was a 96 707. Personally I would not touch it for another 5-7 years. Compared to a ch beychevelle (which was my wine of the day) the 707 tasted as though it had just been bottled. It was still a deep purple with bruising oak levels. The same friend who brought the 96 707 also brought a mid 80s 707 to dinner six months earlier and that was a fantastic wine, so I have no doubt in another decade (assuming you can wait) that the 96 will be a stunning wine but it still needs a ton of time.

Mark

Mark, sorry to be pedantic...

I think you mean a horizontal of 96 cab sav...

Cheers,

Monghead.

[n4sir]

Mark, sorry to be pedantic...

I think you mean a horizontal of 96 cab sav...

Cheers,

Monghead.

Well, at least you're not being a pendant.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10158&p=77080&hilit=pendant#p77080

(sorry DJ, but that was so funny I automatically thought of it when I saw this reply)

[rooman]

1991 707 - A fabulous vintage - 707 can and often is the top of the pops in Oz cabs if the oak has integrated with the fruit and doesn't over power the wine. 1986 and 1996 are the best vintages for me. 96 will go for another 10 years.

A group of us did a vertical 96 cab sav tasting last year and one of the wines was a 96 707. Personally I would not touch it for another 5-7 years. Compared to a ch beychevelle (which was my wine of the day) the 707 tasted as though it had just been bottled. It was still a deep purple with bruising oak levels. The same friend who brought the 96 707 also brought a mid 80s 707 to dinner six months earlier and that was a fantastic wine, so I have no doubt in another decade (assuming you can wait) that the 96 will be a stunning wine but it still needs a ton of time.

Mark

Mark, sorry to be pedantic...

I think you mean a horizontal of 96 cab sav...

Cheers,

Monghead.

As I recall the day, I started vertical and ended up horizontal

[monghead]

A group of us did a vertical 96 cab sav tasting last year and one of the wines was a 96 707. Personally I would not touch it for another 5-7 years. Compared to a ch beychevelle (which was my wine of the day) the 707 tasted as though it had just been bottled. It was still a deep purple with bruising oak levels. The same friend who brought the 96 707 also brought a mid 80s 707 to dinner six months earlier and that was a fantastic wine, so I have no doubt in another decade (assuming you can wait) that the 96 will be a stunning wine but it still needs a ton of time.

Mark

Mark, sorry to be pedantic...

I think you mean a horizontal of 96 cab sav...

Cheers,

Monghead.

As I recall the day, I started vertical and ended up horizontal

Mate, I knew that was coming...

[dazza1968]

Fantastic reading ,

I am a lucky fellow who just pulled out an unopened dozen of 1990 Wynns Black label to open up and start consuming

I must say at the last wynns tasting and the last 91 tasting the wynns 91 JR was the best red (Apart from the rockford 91 bp) . A mate was so impressed he bought the shop out of all the 91 Michael as well. He has brought a couple along to wine club and boy they are awsome really.

i really must get the chance to try some 707 as it seems to pack punch's time and time again (what i am really saying is out of all the wines i have had the privelige to sonsume this has not been one of them ) So i must set this as my new goal

Regards Dazza