The Auswine Forum

Hi everyone.

My daughter was born last year, and I would love to buy her one or more bottles of wine that she can try from her 21st onward.

Does anyone have any suggestions for bottles that will last the distance and had a good year last year?

Thanks so much!

P

Pinot based champagnes…. Although they won’t be released for many years yet, the usual suspects such as Dom, Cristal, Winston Churchill and Krug will be in great shape if well stored. I’d be fairly confident that the regular Pol Roger and Louis Roederer vintage wines will be full of life too based on recent examples I’ve had from 90 and 96.

2020 Crawford River Riesling will be indestructible

Mike Hawkins wrote:Pinot based champagnes…. Although they won’t be released for many years yet, the usual suspects such as Dom, Cristal, Winston Churchill and Krug will be in great shape if well stored. I’d be fairly confident that the regular Pol Roger and Louis Roederer vintage wines will be full of life too based on recent examples I’ve had from 90 and 96.

Hi Mike,

Do you mind telling me when you last opened bottles of the '90 and '96 Pol Roger? A couple of years ago I had a bottle of the '98 and it was quite lovely, though more suited to those who like old Champagne. Based on what the '90 tasted like about a decade ago I am thinking of opening the '96 this Christmas season ahead of the '90. Am I doing the right thing?

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

Hi Mahmoud,

I had my last bottle of '96 Winston Churchill last year. Blew everyone awaay how fresh and powerfull it was.

Hpn3 wrote:2020 Crawford River Riesling will be indestructible

Very much agree, along with the 12, 17 and 21...cracking Riesling, on my must do, to visit one day.

Sorry, didn't read the post all the way through, 2020 will be an interesting vintage, as many wineries will have tiny yields and no doubt market forces will come into play. For a 21st, I would look at tried and true labels, standouts from Barossa, Clare. A magnum or two won't go astray either, plus something for you to drink
Cheers Craig

Paul a lot more wines will go the distance ( be drinkable ) these days due to screw cap. As to whether they improve or just offer a decent sentimental refreshment open to debate.

I’m sure this question was asked here twenty years ago for the vintages of the time. I’ve found many, many 2000’s drinking fine recently. A vintage not regarded as a long termed. 1997 for example.

It should be a very easy and very affordable project. Easily added to with specials on wines struggling to find exports. Wouldn’t hurt to add naturally long-living varietals such as Nebbiolo and Cabernet.

Rory wrote:Hi Mahmoud,

I had my last bottle of '96 Winston Churchill last year. Blew everyone awaay how fresh and powerfull it was.

I still have most of mine… possibly time to rectify that

Mahmoud Ali wrote:

Mike Hawkins wrote:Pinot based champagnes…. Although they won’t be released for many years yet, the usual suspects such as Dom, Cristal, Winston Churchill and Krug will be in great shape if well stored. I’d be fairly confident that the regular Pol Roger and Louis Roederer vintage wines will be full of life too based on recent examples I’ve had from 90 and 96.

Hi Mike,

Do you mind telling me when you last opened bottles of the '90 and '96 Pol Roger? A couple of years ago I had a bottle of the '98 and it was quite lovely, though more suited to those who like old Champagne. Based on what the '90 tasted like about a decade ago I am thinking of opening the '96 this Christmas season ahead of the '90. Am I doing the right thing?

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

I had bottles of the 90 in 2015,2017 and 2020 and the 1996 in 2019. The latter was still quite young so I’ve refrained from opening the rest. The 90 won’t get better and I’d drink i5 soonish…

Hpn3 wrote:2020 Crawford River Riesling will be indestructible

Never heard a wine described like that before, but completely understood what you mean. Bravo!

Cheers

Michael

Don't forget Vintage Ports and Vintage Fortifieds (Aus).
Mixed bag in Portugal but I'm sure some lodges will declare a 2020. Likewise with Aussie fortifieds.
Also, after standing and carefully decanting, one can enjoy a classy 21 y.o.port over a few nights, and continue to cellar additional bottles with confidence.
As I've said before, don't overlook Aussie Durifs, Rutherglen in particular.

WineRick wrote:Don't forget Vintage Ports and Vintage Fortifieds (Aus). Mixed bag in Portugal but I'm sure some lodges will declare a 2020. Likewise with Aussie fortifieds.

When it comes to Port don't forget Portuguese traditional LBVs that are bottled after the minimum four years and are unfiltered, especially from houses like Warre's and Smith Woodhouse, that would have no trouble going at least two decades.

When in doubt, go to Germany. Young people seem to value sugar more than oldies and a sweet style Spatlese, Auslesse or even a Kabinett will effortlessly age 20 to 30 years.

In that vain Quart de Chaume, Tokaj and Sauterne will only be starting their drinking windows then.

The Co-Op behind the Marc Bredif wines is regularly releasing wines with 20+ years in the bottle and putting away a young sweet 2020 would work.

I believe there are still people on this thread that rate and drink red wine, but with global warming and changing diets(less meat) I imagine the future will be white.