WTN: Young Cabernet, Merlot, Riesling

2005 Falesco Montiano
I've really liked Montiano in the past with a few years on it, this is my first experience with one so young. Really primary with lots of plum and black cherry fruit at first, herbal elements emerging with air and some savoury dark chocolate notes on the back end. Very glossy and rich in the mouth with the tannins barely noticeable underneath the fruit, enjoyable though not particularly complex.

2006 Wynn's Coonawarra Estate Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon
Seriously fantastic wine and drinking very well for such a young Cab combining layers of cassis, dark chocolate, cedar, earth and minty & eucalyptus notes into a seamless whole with really good length and balance. This is built for the long haul with a whole lot of tannin underneath and really good acidity, though the tannin isn't particularly obtrusive under the fruit and gives it an interesting slightly chalky texture.

2005 Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel
AP #08, very tight and unyielding initially but an hour in the decanter and some more time in the glass brought out an amazing range of flavours - peaches, mangoes, melon and various other tropical fruits mingled with honey and faintly salty mineral notes at the back end. A very big and rich wine that still feels very light and elegant with a polished, silky texture and incredible length - I get the impression this will be really amazing with time.

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks for taking one for the team on the Gunderloch. I have a couple in the celalr that I will let sleep.

Not sure what I think about you enjoying Italian Merlot. We need to get you back to the USA and drinking real wine.

I've also found the Wynn's Coonawarra Black Label C.S. to be a terrific QPR. I have one more bottle of Wynn's higher end John Riddoch but was a litle disappointed the last one I opened so will hold off a couple years before opening the one remaining.

JC
What year on your John Riddoch? They have a reputation for needing nigh on two decades to come good. FWIW I've got a bottle of the 1996 and 5 of the 1998, but haven't had one since release (I gave the 6th bottle of the 1998 away as a present). I'm starting to keep an eye out for TNs, and may well crack one in the next 2-3 years.

The Black Label is indeed a great cellar star, yet can drink too well in it's youth. I raced through a 6 pack of the 1998 and now just have a single bottle left (with a 1999 to keep it company). Keeping my eyes peeled for more, since it seems to be widely available here again after a hiatus.

regards

Ian

I will see if I can check tonight and let you know tomorrow. It may well be more than a couple years too young.

Not sure what I think about you enjoying Italian Merlot. We need to get you back to the USA and drinking real wine.

I'm flying back tomorrow, looking forward to catching up and opening some good stuff soon (with a good dose of acid and minerals ). That said, I wouldn't turn down a bottle of 97 Montiano or a Masseto or Galatrona anytime - some of the big 'superTuscan' wines I've had in the past have been really stellar.

JC, Ian - I had the '98 John Riddoch a couple of years ago and it was incredible. Still quite young but already showing a lot of depth and nuance. I'm very envious of anyone who has a bottle (I unfortunately only bought one bottle when I saw it in Chicago and had the chance to buy a bunch more - and have never seen it on the market since).

As for my one bottle, I forgot to check on it last night. Looking at past orders--it is probably either 1999 John Riddoch or the 2003. If from 2003 I will hold off on it for awhile.

JC
I'd be tempted to give even the 1999 another 5-10 years, or at least a very decent decant before drinking. Just 1 TN of the 1999 on Cellartracker (small vintage, plus 3/68 bottles consumed suggest most see this as needing longer in the cellar). No TNs on the 2003 yet (8/144 consumed with one user having had 5 of them! They must like 'em young ).

Interesting to see so many notes (35 of them) on the 1998 and a much higher proportion opened. Maybe 1998 was the populist vintage...?

regards

Ian

Thanks, Ian.

Ian

I have some of the 98,99 and 04 of the John Riddoch. I doubt I will touch the 98 for another 5-10 years and the 04 I am keeping for when I retire in another decade or so and don't buy as much wine. They are built for the genuine long haul. By way of background the 82 is seen as a true classic and people will pay a small fortune for one when they come up at auction from time to time. No one locally is drinking any of these wines.

I also have a case of the 98 Black Label of which I have tried one. I was in the local wine shop recently and they had a few book put out by Wynns on their wines. They gave the 98 BL 5 stars out of a possible 5 stars and estimate it will go out to around 2020. I will start on the case again in another 2-4 years.

Mark

Mark
The 98 Black label was brilliant through the 4 bottles I tried (the 5th was sent with the brains of the operation when she visited a friend). Of course you know and I know that cellaring is the point of these wines, but that didn't help my lack of restraint. I even contemplated the last bottle tonight, but settled for another bottle of Quinta da Bacalhoa 1983 from Portugal instead. There are plenty of other bottles in the cellar closer to peak than the Wynns.

regards

Ian

ian

I am really pleased however to see the 98 BL is drinking well. Like you I find there are about 50 odd bottles that really should be drunk asap over the next 12 months before I even get curious about other wines. Though I really need to keep my hands off the Seppelts St Peters 98 which is just gorgeous at present.

What I was really trying to achieve before was strong suggest people don't waste their time opening such young John Riddochs. If well cellared, they will easily go 20 yrs before one even needs to consider opening one.

mark

Thanks for sharing the advise. I guess that John Riddoch will be held for many more years.