The Auswine Forum

In time honoured (cliched?) fashion I am putting together some wines from 2010 to hand over (maybe) to my little boy in 18 years time. Most of the whites will be riesling with a few semillon from the Hunter but I would like to include some chardonnay as well. Does anyone have any suggestions for Australian chardonnay likely to last the distance?

Thanks in advance. Adrian.

I've never had a chardy that old, and I dont think any of the ones Im going to suggest would necessarily benefit from sitting that long but maybe try

Shaw and Smith M3 (2010 not out yet)
Hellens Hill Yarra Valley
Chandon Yarra Valley

Or for a bit more $ maybe a

Coldstream Hills Reserve Chardonnay
Penfolds Reserve Bin (wont be out for a year or two)
Wolf Blass White Label (not sure if there will be a 2010 or not)

I couldn't recommend any Aussie Chardies that would last 20 years. Yattarna? Vat 47? Petaluma Tiers? Giaconda? By Farr?

I'd have to agree with Dave Vino. I've thrown some expensive chardonnays down the sink at less than 10 years, let alone 20. Those that can go the distance will be anomalies, and I can't think of an Australian one.

Agree with the above. Don't waste your money.

Thanks for the input. At least now I don't feel so bad about not being able to come up with anything.

Adrian.

Agreed .... stick to unoaked Hunter Semillon (e.g. McWilliams Lovedale or Tyrell's Vat 1) and cool climate Riesling with proven track records.

On the subject of putting down wine for children, I have put down a magnum of Lakes Folly red for each of my three kids, and have gotten all of the elder family members to sign the label - luckily it is white! It is a treasured memory of loved grandparents when opened in the future. I appreciate this isn't always achievable, but when circumstances allow, it is nice to do.

I have put down other birthyear bottles for them in addition to the magnums, but at the moment they don't seem too interested in the concept. I have a 22yo son, 20yo and 14yo daughters. Mainly Wendouree Shiraz and Wynns JR and some 1996 Champagne for the 14yo daughter. It will get drunk one way or another, with or without their help!

dlo wrote:Agreed .... stick to unoaked Hunter Semillon (e.g. McWilliams Lovedale or Tyrell's Vat 1) and cool climate Riesling with proven track records.

Or Tahbilk Marsanne in Magnums. I had a '92 Magnum last year for an 18th birthday and it was pretty good. You can buy these now for about $40.

Or a nice Vouvray they last for decades.

I'll second Sharkey's advice about Tahbilk Marsanne.

On the main topic, the cellaring of 2010 Chardonnay, it's a bit difficult to make any suggestions. I have had a number of Australian Chardonnays that have cellared quite well but am not confident that they are made in the same way. Some of them are no longer made.

I recall the Krondorf 'Burge & Wilson' Chardonnay and an Arrowfield Chardonnay being very nice after more than a decade. More recently I had a 1990 Balgownie Chardonnay that was delightful in 2008 or 2009; it had only 11% alcohol. Like I said, I'm not sure anyone is making wines like this any more.

In my cellar are a mixed bag of bottles, the oldest being a '92 Mountadam which I might as well push to it's 20th birthday but I am planning to open a '98 Eileen Hardy pretty soon.

However, in the main I guess I'd agree with most of those replying. No point spending money on an iffy proposition for somebody else; better to stick the tried and tested.

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

Yeah, I was going to suggest the Tyrrells Vat 47. I've had some quite old vintages of that a couple of years ago that were drinking quite well. I just don't know if they make them the same way nowadays.

Apparantly the 07 Eileen Hardy Chardannay is rated up to 18 years cellaring potential so maybe when the 2010 gets released its possibly as good, though that was an exceptional year and given all the wet weather in 2010 I doubt it will be as good.

cuttlefish wrote:Yeah, I was going to suggest the Tyrrells Vat 47. I've had some quite old vintages of that a couple of years ago that were drinking quite well. I just don't know if they make them the same way nowadays.

Not sure about 18 for Vat 47, but certainly up to 10 and perhaps a little beyond. The 1986, 1992 (in particular) and 1994 ( almost went the distance), 1996, 2000 (just about senile now), 2002 (still going strong) and now that Tyrrell's appalling track record with corks is not a problem, it could be one of the best bets around. Over the decades Chards that went some considerable distance for me include Bannockburn, Lakes Folly, Leeuwin Estate Art Series and Mount Mary (amongst a lot of others). The more recent style changes are more suited to longer cellaring, I just think Adrian's proposed drinking window makes recommendations all the more difficult.

BlaCkAdDa wrote:Apparantly the 07 Eileen Hardy Chardannay is rated up to 18 years cellaring potential so maybe when the 2010 gets released its possibly as good, though that was an exceptional year and given all the wet weather in 2010 I doubt it will be as good.

Another moot point.

Tahbilk's Marsanne magnums are still under cork, as far as I'm aware, and the reference 2 corks they used to shove in the 750ml bottles (up to vintage 2002, f'instance - my very last regular release bottle of 02 was thoroughly oxidised) were rubbish.
The 1927 Old Vine Marsanne is under screwcap from 2003 at least; so the 2010 vintage of that might be a candidate.

I think Vat 47 might be back in the hunt under its modern seal - as David mentioned, the 92 was a cracker, and good bottles of that made it close to 18. They've cut back on oak in recent years - I reckon that'll prolong the longevity, if anything.
cheers,
GG

Thanks for the suggestions. I had not thought of the Tahbilk.

Perhaps the solution is to purchase 3 or 4 and sample at regular interavls. The only problem is that it might be a bit too easy to convinve myself that they won't last and need to be consumed immediately.

Adrian.