Unfinished tasting note
Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2003 11:44 pm
Now I'm not trying to weasle a bottle of 389 out of Gavin for this post. Just thought I'd like to share this experience and maybe find out if anyone has had anything similar happen to them.
On wednesday the Canberra leg of the Penfolds wine clinic was held at the National Press Club. I took along a few old bottles I had which included a '79 and '82 Grange, and a few old Bin 389's.
I sat next to a trio of farmers who had an esky full of white capsuled soldiers which were looking a little worse for wear. I waited around 45 minutes after my alotted time before my name was called, and went in to see Don Ditter. Very nice bloke, I must say. As he was checking and tasting the bottles, I realised that the two Granges I had were made whilst he was chief winemaker at Penfolds. I asked for his impression of the vintages, and we got talking about the '82. He mentioned that James Halliday never really liked that vintage. Something I didn't know. Both my Granges passed (the 389's were not opened) and I was on my way. Topped up, recorked, and out the door. I was carrying the bottles in a layered foam container, the type you get from Dan Murphy's. As I was walking to the car, I noticed a fire truck pull up to what turned out to be a false alarm. As I was crossing the road I shifted my hands on the box, and for a second must have thought I was holding a proper wine carton. My left hand shifted higher on the container, the bottom layer became seperated and gravity did the rest. As I felt it go I lowered the container as much as I could to reduce the height but it was too late. I soon had three bottles of old Penfolds on the asphalt, one broken. I felt numb. My senses shut down, all except my sight. I couldn't believe what had happened. It was 10 seconds or so before I snapped out of it, putting down the remainder of my container and setting about salvaging what lay on the road. Luckily for me, my Grange was on the top layer, but the three bottles of wine that suffered were two 1970 Bin 389s and one 1967 Bin 389. The '67 had broken. I brushed off the two '70's and placed them back in the container. The '67 was all over the road and as I was picking up the glass I thought to myself, "This is such a waste, I have to try to experience this wine somehow!". Picking up the largest portion of unbroken bottle, I swirled my finger around in the remaining liquid. Having no regard for any risk of suspended glass fragments, I tasted the wine from my finger, which gave me bugger all. The only thing I could do was smell. I brought the broken bottle to my face and inhaled thru my nose. I'm sure the firemen thought I was crazy (as probably many, if not all of you reading this also think). The note is below. As embarrassment set in, I quickly grabbed my remaining wine and the broken glass and scurried off to the car.
So what I'm left with is an incomplete tasting note for 1967 Bin 389. I've been gathering old 389's for a vertical tasting with a few mates later this year and I'm on the lookout for another '67. I don't think that there are too many left in good condition though. Notes are as follows:
A: Earth and leather with developed fruit but showing some promise for what might have been experienced on the palate.
Jamie
On wednesday the Canberra leg of the Penfolds wine clinic was held at the National Press Club. I took along a few old bottles I had which included a '79 and '82 Grange, and a few old Bin 389's.
I sat next to a trio of farmers who had an esky full of white capsuled soldiers which were looking a little worse for wear. I waited around 45 minutes after my alotted time before my name was called, and went in to see Don Ditter. Very nice bloke, I must say. As he was checking and tasting the bottles, I realised that the two Granges I had were made whilst he was chief winemaker at Penfolds. I asked for his impression of the vintages, and we got talking about the '82. He mentioned that James Halliday never really liked that vintage. Something I didn't know. Both my Granges passed (the 389's were not opened) and I was on my way. Topped up, recorked, and out the door. I was carrying the bottles in a layered foam container, the type you get from Dan Murphy's. As I was walking to the car, I noticed a fire truck pull up to what turned out to be a false alarm. As I was crossing the road I shifted my hands on the box, and for a second must have thought I was holding a proper wine carton. My left hand shifted higher on the container, the bottom layer became seperated and gravity did the rest. As I felt it go I lowered the container as much as I could to reduce the height but it was too late. I soon had three bottles of old Penfolds on the asphalt, one broken. I felt numb. My senses shut down, all except my sight. I couldn't believe what had happened. It was 10 seconds or so before I snapped out of it, putting down the remainder of my container and setting about salvaging what lay on the road. Luckily for me, my Grange was on the top layer, but the three bottles of wine that suffered were two 1970 Bin 389s and one 1967 Bin 389. The '67 had broken. I brushed off the two '70's and placed them back in the container. The '67 was all over the road and as I was picking up the glass I thought to myself, "This is such a waste, I have to try to experience this wine somehow!". Picking up the largest portion of unbroken bottle, I swirled my finger around in the remaining liquid. Having no regard for any risk of suspended glass fragments, I tasted the wine from my finger, which gave me bugger all. The only thing I could do was smell. I brought the broken bottle to my face and inhaled thru my nose. I'm sure the firemen thought I was crazy (as probably many, if not all of you reading this also think). The note is below. As embarrassment set in, I quickly grabbed my remaining wine and the broken glass and scurried off to the car.
So what I'm left with is an incomplete tasting note for 1967 Bin 389. I've been gathering old 389's for a vertical tasting with a few mates later this year and I'm on the lookout for another '67. I don't think that there are too many left in good condition though. Notes are as follows:
A: Earth and leather with developed fruit but showing some promise for what might have been experienced on the palate.
Jamie
