Enjoyed an epic offline yesterday with old friends I hadn't seen for several months on a most beautiful warm autumn day. We started with relatively modest intentions, but after the two whites and three outstanding reds, I opened the most incredible vintage port and things just got ... a whole lot better, although I'm feeling a bit weary today, it must be said.
What was opened -
Tyrrell's Belford Semillon 2005 - still elemental with a long, long way to travel. Pristine, undeveloped unoaked Hunter semillon aromatics of straw, minerals, sunlight soap and preserved lemons followed by a stunning palate structure with bracing acidity and incredible length but with similar steely shy fruit underneath. A waste of time drinking this now if you have any idea on how (good) it will/should look in a decade. Great potential, but in a very awkward stage at present. 88+
Jacob's Creek Steingarten Riesling 2006 - another awkward wine, but in this case, in transitional mode with ugly underripe pineapple characters dominating both nose and palate. May come back with time (as many do/have). 82(?)
Elderton 2008 Sparkling Shiraz - gorgeous purple/black colour, massive fine aggressive beading, attractive aromatics and palate, jam-packed with rich, ripe black fruits, thankfully not overly sweet with excellent persistence and a friendly mildly tannic finish. Drink now - 2018+. Up there with the likes of the E&E in quality. 92
Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 1984 - a brilliant wine - fully mature and holding beautifully - smells like a formidable claret from a top year and just happens to almost taste like one too. Outstanding Coonawarra cabernet with magnificent poise and complexity, great structure and terrific length. A wonderful Coonawarra vintage now, thankfully, mainly forgotten and ignored. Drink now. 93
Houghtons Show Reserve Franland River Shiraz 1995 - without a doubt, the best WA Shiraz I've ever tried, with this bottle in perfect condition and drinking better than any of the many I've tried before. Wonderful complex sweet berried fruit has now taken over and the brazen oak of yesteryear fully integrated and now playing a quite sensational second fiddle. This has everything you're looking for in a maturing world class dry red wine - balance, finesse - controlled underlying power with incredible strains of delicacy and subtlety (the old iron fist in a velvet glove cliche.) Couple this with the finest structure and awesome length and you have an absolute joy to drink. Drink now - 2020. 95
Lindemans Classic Release Vintage Port Bin 3740 1968 - I thought it would be difficult to surpass the 1972 Stanton and Killeen Vintage Port (97 points) tried last month but this phenomenal offering almost did it in spades. Boasts the darkest saturated colour imaginable for a wine of 44 years age followed by an extraordinary bouquet of dusty licorice, cassis and anise that leapt from glass begging you to go back to it time and time again. Lift from perfectly-judged brandy spirit added the final touch to a perfect olfactory experience. In the mouth this is a tour de force of sweet fortified winemaking. Massively concentrated with flavours mimicking those found in the bouquet and blessed with sensational line and delineation, this amazing wine flows through the mouth like silk, filling every part of the mouth with richness and mind-boggling complexity, finally tapered by glorious, subtle astringency only the very best fortifieds can produce. As long as the night and boasting a finish of unmitigated beauty, this stunning example surpasses my ultimate Aussie VP's of all time - the Hardy's 1956 Museum Release Vintage Port, the 1967 Lindemans Classic Release Vintage Port Bin 3642, the Hardy's 1975 Museum Release Vintage Port, the Stanton & Killeen mentioned above and Campbell’s 1972 Braeburn Vintage Port (my wine of the year for 2011!). 99