The Auswine Forum

G'day

Over time, I've accumulated several vintages of this wine. This is my last bottle of the 2008. Decanted vigorously prior to pouring.

Deep crimson in colour. Considerable earthiness was the initial impression on the nose, but this quickly settled down to prominent blueberry, with good supporting vanillan oak and savoury developed characters. There's also some clove and touches of cinnamon. The palate has a degree of richness and viscosity, along with some dark chocolate / cocoa characters.

It's a medium bodied wine, with a medium to long finish. At 10 years of age, probably not likely to improve, but it is holding up nicely now.

Cheers
Allan

Sounds very nice Allan.

I've not had many aged mourvedres but a 2001 Spanish mourvedre at this time last year, when it was 16 yars old, was a delight. It too was medium-bodied but on the dry, dark cherry, and polished leather side of the ledger. It did need food as an accompaniment but was in no danger of falling over. Australian mourvedres may be a different kettle of fish but one pure mourvedre that completely absorbed me was a 1998 Jenke that I tasted at cellar door back in 2001. I went back the next day to buy a bottle and while retasting it met a South African gentleman who said he had also returned to taste it again. The Jenke mourvedre was made from vines dating back to the 1890s and was the only Barossa mourvedre I tasted on my cellar door visits that week. It was a very different wine, austere yet deep, more ink than fruit, rigidly structured and brooding. It seemed like a wine meant for the long haul. I felt a compelling need to own a bottle and that is why I went back the next day to buy one. From the moment I left the Barossa I regretted not having bought a second bottle.

Before I open the Jenke I will do a trial of 1997 d'Arenberg 'Twenty Eight Road' Mourvedre that I bought a pair of when in London.

Has anybody tried these wines recently?

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

Hi Mahmoud

I have no experience with Australian mourvedres over 10 years of age, and might suggest that yours are not likely to improve.

My only experience of a 20 year old mourvedre was the Chateau Pradeaux Bandol that I posted on in April this year.

Please post notes when you open yours.

Cheers
Allan

Allan, I will try to remember to post a note when I open the d'Arenberg.