The Auswine Forum

I had a birthday during the week, and went camping with a friend, and drank some very good wines.

00 Tyrrells Vat 1 semillon
2 bottles. Both drinking fantastic currently. At their peak.

99 Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon
10 years old, and not ready to drink yet. Needs at least 5 more years.

99 Charles Melton Sparkling Shiraz
Starting to taste a bit old, but will hold. Very good.

94 Seppelts Show Sparkling Shiraz
Wow! Really complex, rich and works every sensor on the palate.
Up there with the best I have had.

01 Charles Melton Sparkling Shiraz
So different to the Seppelts. More savoury and minerally, and has years to go.

04 Kilikanoon Oracle Clare Shiraz
First night. Big monster that needs taming.
2nd night. Better, but still needs time.
3rd night. This is much better. Shows what it will be like in a few years.
Very good wine.

97 Greenock Creek, Creek Block Shiraz
Bit hard to remember, but it was opened with the following wine, and left it for dead. In its drinking window, and was a really good drink.

97 Dead Arm
Ran a poor second to the Creek Block.

05 Kolts Pagan Shiraz
Always a favourite for me.

Hi Brucer

Clearly camping and drinking good wines are a good birthday mix.
I've tasted the Tyrrell's 2000 Vat 1 over the last few years and feel that it's really just into its drinking window.
My notes from the last one in Nov 2008 were...

Tyrrell's Vat 1 2000
Pale straw with lemon lime and a little brioche on nose. Showing some nice flavour now. Mostly lemon lime with clean acid finish. Intense and now into drinking window but will develop for another 10 years.
95

Fortunately I've got 10 left so I'm planning to drink 1 a year.
Cheers Keith

Sounds like a great birthday, many happy returns, belatedly. The Oracle 04 is as massive a wine as described in your post. I've a bottle or two stashed, reckon it needs at least 5 years yet. Maybe I'll take a bottle with me next time I go camping

Cheers

daz