Appellation Australia

Alongside the 1944 Seppelt Sparkling Burgundy that I spoke about in the previous post, we had a number of other icon wines, including 2 bottles of the incredible Seppeltsfield 100yo Para.

• 2000 Bay of Fires Arras EJ Carr Late Disgorged – Australia, Tasmania
  Wow. Stunning nose with great depth and power, there are aromas of toast, apple pie, lemon, pear, peach and some crème caramel notes. The palate is deliciously rich with enough acidity to keep it flowing across the palate. Fantastic stuff that I wouldn’t hesitate to put up against very good Champagne. 93/100

• 1997 Tyrrell’s Sémillon Vat 1 – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
  Colour looked fairly youthful. Reticent nose, there is some lemon and light toast. A little bit flat on the palate, lacking drive and either brightness or development. Not nearly as good as a bottle in June last year but much better than the badly corked bottle in March last year! 88/100

• 1995 Penfolds Chardonnay Yattarna – Australia
  Bold nose of spice, honey, hazelnut and toast. Rounded and showing lovely richness on the palate, it still had enough drive and acidity to carry the flavours into a long finish. Has aged really well and is great for drinking right now. 90/100

• 2005 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series – Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
  Oats, lemon, oak and spices on the nose. Very appealing palate, it is finely balanced between some ripe fruit, bright acid line and great length. Has really started to come together and show some of its potential since I last tried it a couple of years ago and another couple of years should see it improve further. 92/100

• 2005 Giaconda Chardonnay Estate Vineyard – Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth
  The nose was a little bit rubbery to begin with, but it quickly dissipated to show gunsmoke, vanilla, slate and some wax. The palate is decidedly rich but it has the acidity to handle it. For me it had the edge in texture over the 05 Leeuwin AS it was served next to, but it still needs a few more years to be at its best. 92/100

• 2002 Brokenwood Shiraz Graveyard – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
  First vintage of this wine under screwcap. Some floral notes with plum, cranberry and plenty of Hunter Valley style leather and earth. The fruit is definitely light-medium weighted but there is enough there that it isn’t an issue for me and it melded well with the more earthy elements. Very good for the vintage, this is a relatively short term drinking prospect and I think it was showing really well right at the moment. 91/100

• 1994 Henschke Shiraz Mount Edelstone – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
  Corked. At first I thought it was only light, but it got worse and more noticeable quickly. NR/100

• 1996 Rockford Shiraz Basket Press – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Raspberry and blackberry on the nose, with cherry, leather and light licorice aromas. The palate is wonderfully balanced and refined, there is great depth to the fruit and it has excellent structure. Superb and really starting to live up to its early promise. 93/100

• 1993 Penfolds Grange – Australia, South Australia
  86% Shiraz and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon. Blackcurrant, plum, vanilla and cinnamon aromas. Palate has good powerful fruit and very good length, but the depth of a top Grange isn’t quite there. Drinking well now and over the next 5 years. 91/100

• 1995 Mount Mary Quintet – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
  Raspberry, spice and violets on the nose. The palate is light bodied and reasonably well balanced, for me though it doesn’t really have enough interest, there isn’t great complexity or all that much depth. 88/100

• 1986 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon John Riddoch – Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
  Not a sound bottle. “Capsicum disaster” was my description, but there was some peppery and graphite aromas in the background. The palate was even less appealing unfortunately. NR/100

• 1975 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec Shiraz – Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
  Deep red coloured, it looked about 5-10 years old, not even close to 38! Tobacco, blackberry, some violets and quite earthy aromas. Palate is medium weighted and is quite enjoyable without feeling especially resolved or deep. Should continue to drink well for quite some time still, but I can’t really see it lifting greatly from here. 90/100

• 1967 Lake’s Folly Cabernets – Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Pokolbin
  The first commercial release from Lake’s Folly. 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Shiraz according to the label. Very typical nose of the Hunter Valley – leather, spice, earth as well as some cherry and smoke. Probably not at its very best on the palate but it is doing more than just hanging on, there is some length to it and there is balance even though it started to fade slightly after time in the glass. Another piece of history and a real treat to try. 91/100

• 1996 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon Moss Wood Vineyard – Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
  Graphite, cedar, cassis and blackberry aromas. Has a bit more fruit power than the 96 Cullen served next to it, but it is well restrained and structured. Shows excellent length. I couldn’t split this and the Cullen the last time I tried them side by side (around 6 years ago), and I still can’t, both are excellent and with time on their side. 92/100

• 1996 Cullen Wines Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot – Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
  Tobacco, chocolate, blackberry and a light kirsch note. Medium bodied and really very well balanced, this is progressing very nicely since I last tried it about 6 years ago. It is still primary but it is coming together and integrating as hoped. Give it some more time and I think it should get even better. 92/100

• 1888 Seppelt 100 Year Old Para Liqueur Vintage Tawny – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  A heady and intoxicating mix on the nose of raisins, caramel, coconut, ginger, rancio and dark chocolate – each note is so powerful it is as though it could stand on its own. Incredible richness and concentration on the palate with a balancing level of acidity that seems beyond belief. Unstoppable length, even after swallowing the wine has coated the mouth and persists brilliantly. Awe inspiring stuff. Right up there with the 1880, but the barest touch behind the 1905. 98/100

• 1908 Seppelt 100 Year Old Para Liqueur Vintage Tawny – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  There is a hit of VA to begin with that subsides to show a nose with lots of spice – cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and pepper as well as cedar, milk chocolate and pencil shavings. The palate has a touch more freshness than the 1888, without perhaps having the same unfathomable depth, but it is exciting all the same, with brilliant length and power. There is a slight spirity note to the palate but it barely detracts from this treasure of Australian wine. 94/100

• NV Morris Tokay Old Premium Rare Liqueur – Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen
  Only had a small taste of this, but it was very good and held its own against some incredible wines. Ginger, caramel and chocolate aromas. Very smooth and well balanced on the palate with depth as well. 92/100

• 2002 Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Odyssey – Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
  Cherry, strong blackcurrant, tobacco and obvious but not overpowering oak influence. Palate has bold ripe fruit but there are savoury undercurrents that keep it interesting. The tannins are assertive but they do not dominate. I would give it another 5-6 years to give it time to develop before looking at it again. 91/100

• 1995 Kay Brothers Shiraz Block 6 Amery Vineyards – Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
  Lots of chocolate, blackberry and cherry on the nose, with some US oak and pepper. Still youthful on the palate, with powerful fruit, plenty of tannin and good length. I think it could use some more time, probably another 6-7 years to fully develop. 90/100

• 1997 Yeringberg – Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
  White pepper, earth, vanilla and graphite aromas. Very good focus and balance on the palate, this is drinking well now and should continue to do so over the short-medium term. 91/100