1999 Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz

[Dang]

A wine is memorable for a couple of reasons: its quality and the moment of consumption. It was July 2007, when we moved to our present house. You know how stressful a move is, with about 30 cases of good wine. Our friends suggested a restful retreat. So we booked into the Num-Ti-Jah lodge, a chalet in the Rockies on the shore of glacier-fed Bow lake. Dinner that night was served with the '99 Moonambel that I brought with me (bison and moose steaks). After dinner, our waiter suggested that we took two Riedels to enjoy the left over wine by the lake. Full moon showed the path to the simple picnic table by the cold glacier water. A glorious wine with the most glorious sight in the Rockies.
Today it is somewhat the 13th anniversary of the move. And what is better to celebrate with my second '99 Moonambel. Perfect cork leads to deep red purple that belies the age of the wine. Leather, cedar, cloves, anise, chocolate follow a mouthful of fruits that lingers in soft tannins. Perhaps a few years left, but it is my last! My next Moonambel is the 2012. Wonder when I get to taste it.

[Rory]

Great notes Dang!
Enjoyed the story.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Thanks for the note Dang, quite evocative, though how you had leftover wine after the steaks is puzzling to me. By the way, I visited Dalwhinnie back in 2001 and it is quite likely that it was the 1999 that I tasted at cellar door. It was very good and you note makes me regret not having any. My boot was pretty much full and I had hoped to find some on my return to Sydney but it never happened.

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

[phillisc]

I purchased a mixed dozen of 97 Dalwhinnie Shiraz and Cabernet as part of the beginnings of my Victorian odyssey and also a lad's birth year. I have completely forgot about them...based on your note the Shiraz may still be faring well, the Cabernet potentially less so. Will need to have a look at one.
Cheers Craig

[Mahmoud Ali]

Craig,

I wouldn't be too worried about the '97 Dalwhinnie, even the Cabernet. If I remember correctly, Dalwhinnie is right next door to Taltarni and their cabernets are legendary for their longevity. The 1997 vintage was disparaged at the time but I recall a number of wine people at home in Edmonton in the early 2000s, remarking about how they preferred them to the 1998s. Well made wines from 1997 can be very good, Cellar Tracker notes seem to suggest that the Wynn's Black Label Cabernet from the 1997 vintage is receiving scores similar to the 1998s.

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

PS: Do let us know how you get on with the '97n Dalwhinnies.

[brodie]

Drank a bottle of the 1997 Dalwhinnie Shiraz yesterday for lunch. In great shape. Lovely mature Moonabel dark fruits, nice integrated tannins, good length. Very satisfying and traveling very well, plenty of gas left in the tank. No rush IMHO

Brodie

[sjw_11]

Nice note Dang... I also have the 2012 Shiraz, as well as some of the 2010. None opened yet, so your note and Brodie's comment on the 1997 gives me comfort there is no rush!

[phillisc]

Drank a bottle of the 1997 Dalwhinnie Shiraz yesterday for lunch. In great shape. Lovely mature Moonabel dark fruits, nice integrated tannins, good length. Very satisfying and traveling very well, plenty of gas left in the tank. No rush IMHO

Brodie

Very good timing Brodie, when next down in the cellar will dig one out...always had a feeling that these will turn out ok.
Cheers Craig

[JamieBahrain]

Drank a bottle of the 1997 Dalwhinnie Shiraz yesterday for lunch. In great shape. Lovely mature Moonabel dark fruits, nice integrated tannins, good length. Very satisfying and traveling very well, plenty of gas left in the tank. No rush IMHO

Brodie

Great. I kept 4 of 6 because I suspected they'd show well much further on.

Their 97 cabernet is one of the most unbalanced local expressions you can find. Structure far in excess of fruit quality. Have kept a few for fun to see where they end up.

[brodie]

Drank a bottle of the 1997 Dalwhinnie Shiraz yesterday for lunch. In great shape. Lovely mature Moonabel dark fruits, nice integrated tannins, good length. Very satisfying and traveling very well, plenty of gas left in the tank. No rush IMHO

Brodie

Very good timing Brodie, when next down in the cellar will dig one out...always had a feeling that these will turn out ok.
Cheers Craig

Quite a lot of sediment, so definitely stand up for at least a few days and decant for an hour or two before drinking.

[Willard]

Thanks for the note Dang, love stories behind a wine.

[Gianna]

Great story Dang.
I don't recall the exact year, but it was somewhere in the mid-90's. After running through a massive downpour to get to Walter's Wine Bar in Southbank, Melbourne, 2 friends and I finally sat down and shared a Moonambel Shiraz. I don't recall the vintage.
Although I always liked wine, it was that particular bottle on that particular day, that got me hooked. Since then, I've been on an eternal quest to keep finding wines that simply blow you away and mark a special occasion. I think I find about 1 or 2 yr these days and that keeps the quest alive.