Henschke Mt Edelstone 95 versus St Hallett's Old Block 95.
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2004 10:53 pm
Old Vine Eden Valley versus Old Vine Barossa Floor.
Enjoyed the comparison last night in Melbourne, both bottles purchased from cellar door on release, and cellared in a commercial, environmentally controlled facility.
Both wines decanted for a couple of hours.
Mt Ed 95- Dark, red purple. Rich combined aromas of blackberry and smoke. Background earth, blackcurrant and spice. Sweet fruit flavours on the palate-licorice and blackberry. Full bodied wine, finishing with considerable length and fine grained tannins. There is some warmth at the end. The lingering smokey, blackberry flavour persistance, aswell as a Melbourne winter, makes the slight heat not unpleasant.
Old Block 95- Slightly lighter in colour than the Mt Ed. The American Oak influence dominant. Rich, creamy vanillan aromas meld with some bright berry fruit to give the Barossa X-Mas cake effect. Oak dominates the palate, some sweet berry poking through. Medium weight and with a smooth texture and seamless transition to a pleasant finish with fine tannin and acid.
Over time, the Edelstone evolved with more blackberry and ripe,plummy fruit. The combined French and American oak adding a dimension of complexity. The rich blackberry and smoke on the palate, not to be confused with charriness-there was some evidence of the latter on the backpalate.
Old Block evolved with more blackberry fruit flavours, but never to a level of power or persistance to overcome the American Oak.
My accomplices last night, enjoyed the easy drinking qualities of the Old Block-though in time, recognising the Mt Ed at another level of power and complexity.
I preferred Mt Edelstone. Not a grand vintage, but the deft combination of seasoned American and French oak, aiding complexity and complementing, not dominating, the rich shiraz fruit.
The Old Block has a few years ahead, the Mt Edelstone considerably more-but probably should be recognised as a very good effort in a tough vintage;and certainly not with the future ahead of the 94 ( which I consumed the night before ).
Enjoyed the comparison last night in Melbourne, both bottles purchased from cellar door on release, and cellared in a commercial, environmentally controlled facility.
Both wines decanted for a couple of hours.
Mt Ed 95- Dark, red purple. Rich combined aromas of blackberry and smoke. Background earth, blackcurrant and spice. Sweet fruit flavours on the palate-licorice and blackberry. Full bodied wine, finishing with considerable length and fine grained tannins. There is some warmth at the end. The lingering smokey, blackberry flavour persistance, aswell as a Melbourne winter, makes the slight heat not unpleasant.
Old Block 95- Slightly lighter in colour than the Mt Ed. The American Oak influence dominant. Rich, creamy vanillan aromas meld with some bright berry fruit to give the Barossa X-Mas cake effect. Oak dominates the palate, some sweet berry poking through. Medium weight and with a smooth texture and seamless transition to a pleasant finish with fine tannin and acid.
Over time, the Edelstone evolved with more blackberry and ripe,plummy fruit. The combined French and American oak adding a dimension of complexity. The rich blackberry and smoke on the palate, not to be confused with charriness-there was some evidence of the latter on the backpalate.
Old Block evolved with more blackberry fruit flavours, but never to a level of power or persistance to overcome the American Oak.
My accomplices last night, enjoyed the easy drinking qualities of the Old Block-though in time, recognising the Mt Ed at another level of power and complexity.
I preferred Mt Edelstone. Not a grand vintage, but the deft combination of seasoned American and French oak, aiding complexity and complementing, not dominating, the rich shiraz fruit.
The Old Block has a few years ahead, the Mt Edelstone considerably more-but probably should be recognised as a very good effort in a tough vintage;and certainly not with the future ahead of the 94 ( which I consumed the night before ).