A group convened on a perfect sunny afternoon on Bill Spohn's riverside patio last week to look at a bunch of old Aussie's--the cutoff vintage for qualifying wines was 1997. The wines were served in pairs. 1991 Chateau Reynella Chardonnay McLaren Vale
A cellar surprise for Bill found when he recently moved houses. But a good one: yellow-gold color, lemon curd and apple sauce, clearly old but not oxidated. More interesting than attractive, though. Especially when Coop unveiled:
2006 Tyrrell's Chardonnay Vat 47 Hunter Valley
Plagiarizing Coop's own note: Clear bright medium yellow. Intense nose, smoky oak, lemon, lemon cream pie, apple and vanilla. Rich lemon curd flavours with a bit of smoke on the finish. Rich but dry finish.
1978 Taltarni Cabernet Sauvignon Pyrenees
Musty, funky. There's still some fruit underneath but it's fully mature verging on necrotic and would have been better years ago.
1988 Taltarni Cabernet Sauvignon Pyrenees
Sweet cedar, bell pepper and a whiff of musky men's cologne on the nose. Pleasant fruit but lighter-bodied, more like cab franc.
1990 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon John Riddoch
Cassis and eucalyptus segue into dark red cherries and rare prime rib on the long finish. A impressively youthful wine that's seemingly immortal--I've had other bottles in the past and they don't really change much, they just get older.
1990 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707 South Australia
Lifted notes of eucalyptus with notes of red plums and black currants. Intense concentration and seductive tannins. Exceptional.
1992 Wolf Blass Black Label South Australia Cabernet-Shiraz Blend, Red Blend
Not a fan--perhaps I should have given it more points just for survival, but I thought it too acidic with scorched flavors on what fruit I could find.
1993 Rosemount Estate Syrah Balmoral McLaren Vale
Had a history with this long ago, and tasting it again was a reunion with an old friend. Jammy blue fruit on nose and palate, compellingly rich and round with standout notes of boysenberry and blood. Plush, velveteen finish.
1996 Penfolds Bin 389 South Australia Cabernet-Shiraz Blend, Red Blend
Overheard: "sex in a f---ing glass." Berry notes, coffee, silky mouthfeel, acid and tannins just right. At a perfect place in every way for this wine, everything you'd want here IS here. My second to last bottle from a case purchased in Alaska two homesteads ago. This and the 707 tied for WOTN.
1996 Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz E & E Black Pepper
Plums, malt, charcoal, earth and sweetly lactic fruit. No pepper! A very good showing, just a little out-performed in this set by the near-perfect 389.