A visit to Mitchelton & Tahbilk
Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:18 pm
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Sean wrote:Tahbilk
I knew I wouldn’t get through all the wines that I wanted to and while I made it to the Reserves this time, I didn’t try the 95 or 96 cab/shiraz blends, which was a pity. There are more back vintages on tasting (and to buy) right now and a big 20 yr museum tasting coming up in February (I was told), so some stock clearing must be going on. I always love visiting this winery, but lunch at the Wetlands Cafe and a river cruise was not only very pleasant, it gave me some understanding of the river environs and its importance here.
2001 Tahbilk Marsanne - A bit tight, citrusy, some typical honeysuckle character, but not ready yet in my opinion.
1997 Chateau Tahbilk Marsanne - This is in its prime and in another dimension, which is what this style of unoaked marsanne is really all about when it gets to this stage, a deep gold colour, mellow, with marmalade and honeysuckle and drinking beautifully now.
2008 Tahbilk Roussanne - A light straw colour, clean, very floral and tangy, with good acidity.
2004 Tahbilk Roussanne - More yellowy colour, with that floral character, honeyed and richer on the palate.
2007 Tahbilk Riesling - Little colour, clean, limey, citrusy fruit, but a bit dilute tasting.
2001 Tahbilk Riesling - This has filled out, yellowy straw colour, a bit of kero, but lively, lime fruit and some honey in the mouth.
2007 Tahbilk Sparkling Marsanne - A bit like soda water at first, with lemony fruit.
2005 Dalfarras Marsanne Viognier - (I had a btl of this with lunch.) A bit of colour, clean, still some citrusy acidity, with peaches and other stonefruit.
2007 Tahbilk Cabernet Franc - Nice purpley colour, mulberry and red fruits, good aromas, but light palate.
2007 Tahbilk Tempranillo - Red fruits, really lovely aromatics, a bit savoury in the mouth with dry tannins.
2007 Tahbilk Sangiovese - This is very bright and appealing as a young wine, spicy, with cherries, some tannins and noticeably persistent flavours.
2005 Tahbilk Shiraz - A dark red colour, a bit rich and plummy, great blackberry mid-palate flavour, and typically firm, but not over the top, tannins.
2005 Tahbilk Cabernet Sauvignon - Good purple colour, blackcurrants, mint, a bit leafy and tannic and just feels like it will develop and build over time.
2003 Tahbilk ESP Shiraz - Red and licoricey dark fruits come up out of the glass and fill the mouth, big, soft flavours and surprisingly smooth and velvety supple, though some big, dusty tannins are lurking in there as well.
2003 Tahbilk ESP Cabernet Sauvignon - A bit volatile, this smells like sweet berries and spirity plum pudding, with rich fruit, some blackcurrant flavour in the mouth and very dry tannins, which is not the oak, and seems unbalanced.
2003 Tahbilk 1860 Vines Shiraz - A lighter one this time (but I might’ve said that before about one of these and been totally wrong), earthy and spicy aromas, but much more berryish, licoricey, with a hint of old, cedary oak on the palate and the gentlest imaginable tannins, which must make it very tempting to drink now.
Sean, thanks for the reports on the Tahbilk, especially the marsanne. I have been drinking the marsanne in vintages I can get starting with the 1995. There has been Tahbilk importer problems in the states so I have missed out on some vintages. I sure wish there was some way I could get the missing vintages. I appreciate what the Purbricks do with their shiraz too. Many OZ shiraz that we get here in the states are as "RP" says "Gobs and gobs of fruit" and this is not the style I like best. Tahbilk shiraz are IMO more Northern Rhone like than most from the same area. Anyway, thanks again for the reports.