The Auswine Forum

Holy lead tannins !!
Do not open for 4-6 years......
Silly me, again. My friend wanted this wine over all the others in my collection tonight, an unusual selection considering he's a big Barossa Shiraz butch.
I think he's confused this bottle with the 'Michael Shiraz', but I open because it's the third time he's suggested it, and it's Christmas..
Decanted for 3 hours, it wasn't until the third hour this wine became drinkable, it was hard as nails and the fruit was tight. My friend suggests this wine is giving him a headache in the first hour so we put it aside. I'm not finding it enjoyable either, drinking it is a bit masochistic.
This is a CLASSIC though, if it didn't finally give in to some ripe fruit, I would've thought it was a Bordeaux if tasted blind.
Blackcurrant, tar, dry pruney leather, minty anise and tobacco with extremely dry and forceful minerally tannins on the palate.
The finish was tight and those abrupt tannins made it rather nasty, yet the fruit may have some more potential in a few years when those tannins lighten-up.
Right now it's still a very hard drink of Cabernet.
I had no idea what a monster this wine was.

I wish I would've waited, as this was my only bottle
Cheers,
Mishy

Agree with you on this one, it really is an excellent Cabernet and in another 7-10 years we'll be claiming it as a classic.

My two x six packs are tucked away deep in the cellar just so I don't get tempted. Thanks for your warning, I'll be even stronger in my resolve now.

bdx if tasted blind?

hmmm remind me not to put you on my options team

Yeah its a super wine, I agree with you. Loved it bought it, keeping it a while yet

agreed with your assessments. Opened a bottle of 88 and it is still youthful. Tannins is still very noticable so is the fruit. Drank over 5 hours, I enjoyed the most out of this wine after 4 hours. A great Wine. Sadly.. no more 88 left in my cellar.

Rob,

I haven't had the 88 yet, but have a few bottles at home. What are your thoughts for the drinking window ?

Thanks

Mike

Open a bottle of 87 vintage few weeks ago and it was beautiful. Decented for an hour , smooth and excellent balance. At its peak now and will hold for at least another three years.

I have the '98s, and after this experience I won't be opening untill 2010 at the earliest.

Mishy, totally agree with your experience about the 96 JR.

I found the 98 was just as closed and tight. It took hours before the wine opened to any fruit, but it has great structure and will undoubtedly become a classic wine to swoon over in the next 5 years.

FWIW, I bought both cases for $50 pb and IMO that is an excellent price for a wine with such pedigree and longetivity. The wait will be painful, but worth it in the long run.

Mike Hawkins wrote:Rob,

I haven't had the 88 yet, but have a few bottles at home. What are your thoughts for the drinking window ?

Thanks

Mike

Hi Mike,

Opened 2 bottles of 88 this year 6 months apart, both showed up nicely. The tannins has softened nicely, but still noticible. It is at its peak IMO, but will certainly hold for another 3 years. If you have mutiple bottles, open one and see it for yourself. Do decant it !

Quoted by Gianna:
FWIW, I bought both cases for $50 pb and IMO that is an excellent price for a wine with such pedigree and longetivity. The wait will be painful, but worth it in the long run.

Well Gianna, who can argue such logic?
My '96 was 70$, it would've definately been more worth it if I had waited.

Mishy, You don't post on the Squires board anymore

Thanks Rob,

I only get back to my cellar in Sydney once a year, so I get to be a bit choosy about what to drink. I'll try one and report back in April.

Mike

Moving to New York - what a way to make sure you keep your mits out of the cellar!

Do you spend the year figuring out what to try when you do finally open the cellar or is it just impulse at the time?