1992 Hanging Rock Heathcote Shiraz

[brodie]

This was the last vintage of this wine due to "dry land salinity" issues. Bottled only in magnum. Bottle 941 out of 2200. Bought in 1997 for the grand sum of $54 and cellared in temp controlled storage since. Cork was dry almost to the base and came out in one piece thanks to the durand. Fill level was perfect. Ok after all this drivel, how did is taste?

Dark red, bright dark red fruits on the nose. Palate was clean and fresh and lovely with lots of dark red fruits in the plum range. Tannins were silky and fine grained but clearly present. The most surprising aspect with moderately high acidity with framed the wine and made it taste remarkablely youthful. I was struck by how refined and almost Cote Rotie like it was. There was a little bit of oak spice which added complexity as well. This is drinking beautifully right now. Yummy.
I have one more magnum which I may hold a bit longer.

Brodie

[paulf]

They still make them. I started buying them from about the 2000 vintage and I still have quite a few ranging from 2002 to 2012 but haven't bought the last few vintages

[n4sir]

A wine that I have a great interest in, and eight vintages between the first one in 1987 up to 2013 including a magnum of the 1992.

The original wine was made solely from the Mt Camel vineyard (near Mt Ida), which had salinity issues leading it to become non-productive. The 1992 magnums were the last vintage purely from this vineyard, and it was not made again until 1997 when John Ellis went into an arrangement with Athol Guy (of The Seekers) to source from a new vineyard Athol's Paddock - vintages between 1997-1999 are solely from this vineyard. From 2000 onwards it became a multi-vineyard blend between Athol's Paddock, the original Mt Camel Vineyard, and a few more vineyards around Heathcote they were able to source from.

Thank you Brodie for the note on the 1992 magnum, I had a check of mine from the cellar the other day and put it back in the dungeon. Sometime I got to get around to opening that vertical, plus a few of the Macedon sparkling I have collected over the years. It should make for an interesting tasting...

[img]https://i.imgur.com/QbL838P.jpg[/img]

Cheers,
Ian

[brodie]

A wine that I have a great interest in, and eight vintages between the first one in 1987 up to 2013 including a magnum of the 1992.

The original wine was made solely from the Mt Camel vineyard (near Mt Isa), which had salinity issues leading it to become non-productive. The 1992 magnums were the last vintage purely from this vineyard, and it was not made again until 1997 when John Ellis went into an arrangement with Athol Guy (of The Seekers) to source from a new vineyard Athol's Paddock - vintages between 1997-1999 are solely from this vineyard. From 2000 onwards it became a multi-vineyard blend between Athol's Paddock, the original Mt Camel Vineyard, and a few more vineyards around Heathcote they were able to source from.

Thank you Brodie for the note on the 1992 magnum, I had a check of mine from the cellar the other day and put it back in the dungeon. Sometime I got to get around to opening that vertical, plus a few of the Macedon sparkling I have collected over the years. It should make for an interesting tasting...

[img]https://i.imgur.com/QbL838P.jpg[/img]

Cheers,
Ian

Hi Ian, thanks for the details on what happened since the 1992 was released. The two magnums of the 1992 are the only wines from Hanging Rock in my cellar.

I forgot to mention it says 12.5% alcohol on the label and it certainly tasted fresh and lively.

Brodie

[n4sir]

A wine that I have a great interest in, and eight vintages between the first one in 1987 up to 2013 including a magnum of the 1992.

The original wine was made solely from the Mt Camel vineyard (near Mt Ida), which had salinity issues leading it to become non-productive. The 1992 magnums were the last vintage purely from this vineyard, and it was not made again until 1997 when John Ellis went into an arrangement with Athol Guy (of The Seekers) to source from a new vineyard Athol's Paddock - vintages between 1997-1999 are solely from this vineyard. From 2000 onwards it became a multi-vineyard blend between Athol's Paddock, the original Mt Camel Vineyard, and a few more vineyards around Heathcote they were able to source from.

Thank you Brodie for the note on the 1992 magnum, I had a check of mine from the cellar the other day and put it back in the dungeon. Sometime I got to get around to opening that vertical, plus a few of the Macedon sparkling I have collected over the years. It should make for an interesting tasting...

[img]https://i.imgur.com/QbL838P.jpg[/img]

Cheers,
Ian

Hi Ian, thanks for the details on what happened since the 1992 was released. The two magnums of the 1992 are the only wines from Hanging Rock in my cellar.

I forgot to mention it says 12.5% alcohol on the label and it certainly tasted fresh and lively.

Brodie

Out of interest, I got my magnum during a footy trip to Melbourne in 2000 from a bottle shop in Swanston Street and flew it back with me. The cost was $100.00, so you did pretty well to get them for $54.00 back in 1997 (either that or I got ripped off!)

[paulf]

They were certainly a bit bigger in the 2000s. I had a look at the ones I have sitting within easy access
2002 - 14.0%
2003 - 15%
2006 - 14.5%
2008 - 14.5%
2009 - 14.5%
I have magnums of the 03, 04 and 05 which I got buying en primeur from the winery. If you bought a dozen en primeur then they sent you a magnum of a previous vintage up front which wasn't a bad deal as the wines were $35ish when buying as part of that offer.