TN:86 tyrrells Vat 1,83 Palmer, 86 Beychevelle, 86 Wynns JR

[PaulV]

Our eldest daughter turns 21 this year and her twin brother and sister also turn 18 years so over recent months to celebrate their journey,have had various celebratory wines of their birth years. At the time of purchase up to 18 years ago, you wonder if both the wines you selected and your cellar conditions will be up to to it. While there have been a couple of duds these are the wines to date that have shone.

1986 Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon I actually thought I had the last one of these at on offline last year but as if often the case with a chaotically organised cellar found one hiding in the back of the chardonnay section.
Unlike many other vintages of this wine I have never had a dud 1986 – must have been a good year for portugese cork trees. Still green gold with a rich complex nose of nuts, toast and fresh limes. While the nose is wonderful the palate is no let down. Medium to full –bodied but with a streak of minerally acid. Lovely long palate. Wondeful

1983 Chateau Palmer Second of a case when 2nd growth Bordeaux could be had relatively cheaply. Palmer is often thought of as a burgundy lovers claret due to the high merlot content and Margaux’s very stony, gravely soil which makes “feminine” styled wine.
An absolutely stunning, aromatic, sensual, sexy wine. Still quite deep red ruby colour with some slight browning. Nose of roses, cedar , cherries, earth and asian spices. Just so aromatic. Heaps of fruit, full -bodied and still fleshy. Excellent grip and so well balanced with a long and tasty finish. As good as it gets. Exceptional

1986 Chateau Beychevelle The year and maker ensured that this wine was far more muscular and characteristic of what is thought of as the archetypical claret – leaner, dryer but with more cedary drier complexity and nice tannin grip. Might I add it was no worse for these characteristics. More tobacco and cedar and other tertiary smells. Medium bodied and again dark berry fruit with cedar and spicy, mature cabernet complexity. More ready than the Palmer but on a plateau for the next 10 years at least. Lovely drinking. Outstanding

1986 Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon An interesting counterpoint to the Beychevelle. Much bigger in every way. Colour is still quite deep red. Strong berrynose with eucalypt and spicy oak and slight cedar. Rich, medium to full-bodied palate maybe a bit foresquare and simple. Lovely long finish. Lovely to drink on its own or with cheese – unlike the Beychevelle which cried out for food. In its way also Outstanding

Still got some other ’86 Henschke’s, Penfolds, Wwynns and a couple of ’83 sauternes to try.

I would encourage all new parents to do the same and put down various wines of their children’s birth years to share as they reach adulthood. From mine and our friends experience, most kids only start appreciating wines from their late teens at the earliest, so they must be wines that will last at least 25 years – a tall order but not impossible.

Cheers

Paul

[markg]

Nice one, I have been doing the same for my kids as well as my anniversery.

[Kieran]

Hmm...I suspect I'm collecting wines for my anniversary by accident - maybe 2002 was well-chosen.

Kieran

[JamieBahrain]

Thanks for your notes Paul.

These vintages seem like yesterday-must be getting old

Were the duds local wines?

[PaulV]

Thanks for your notes Paul.

These vintages seem like yesterday-must be getting old

Were the duds local wines?

Yeah , know how you feel - it seems like yesterday I bought those wines.

About the duds - yep predominantly oz wines - maily because of cork failure leaving oxidised wines - Penfolds have a lot to answer for for the crap corks they put in allegdy wines to cellar. But a 1983 Ch Coutet had so much sulphur that it killed all the fruit.
C'est la vie.

Cheers

paul