1999 Warrabilla, Petite Sirah, Victoria. Alcohol level: 12.7%. Back in the ’00-’01 era we ordered two Warrabilla Petit Verdots from The Southern Hemisphere Wine Center for $12-$15 U.S. each, along with ten other bottles. When the case came in there was a note that the Verdot was sold out, and that they were substituting the Sirah. We had not heard of a PS from Oz before, and after examining a bottle, decided to lay them down for six years or so as we normally do for PSs needing age. Doing some research tonight, I found that K&L was selling it in ’01 for $25 U.S.
To make a short story long, we opened the first of the two tonight. Wow!!! Unbelievable!!! If it is not the best wine we have had this year, it is definitely the best one under 13% alcohol. It gave lots and lots of mature black fruit on the nose and upfront. Even more fruit, along with a fairly heavy dose of pepper and spice in the aged complexity in the middle, and the finish truly lingered on and on. Yum, yum!!!
Matched it with lamb steak marinated in mint & lemon mayonnaise and grilled over charcoal, pilaf cooked in lamb stock, and sliced ripe red Brandywine tomatoes. Is it really Wednesday?
