Graeme Gee
Graeme Gee
{cork, 11%} An auction buy recently. I wondered at the accuracy of the description; 'Reserve' sounds outside the purity of single-wine vision that constituted the Virgin Hills of old. Sure enough, though, Halliday's Classic Wines (3rd edition 2002) has 1993-dated notes for both a 1990 and 1990 Reserve. Although, looking at the bottle, they didn't exactly shout about it, just providing a discreet black 'Reserve' sticker beneath the capsule. Cab-S, shiraz, malbec and merlot is the field blend, for what it's worth.
Given that it's a minimally-sulphured wine, and the marginal climate of the estate, which has since seemingly faded into obscurity my expectations were low. (An estate that makes Classic Wines in 2002 - and the Langtons Classification in the early years - doesn't even rate a listing in the 2011 Wine Companion, for example.)
The wine? Pure garnet, with a bricking rim. Utterly seductive nose of composting leaves, mushrooms and earth, seriously aged, but way too fruity to be Bordeaux. The palate is pretty much tannin-free (JH noted 'low tannins' in his 1993 note; nothing's changed since), although a little astringency does eventually build. Mirror-smooth in texture, with some acidity beginning to show, it remains ripe (despite the alcohol), cool, perfectly drinkable, and very light and airy, but the enticingly mouldy flavours, which are quite well-spread over the palate, can't quite manage any kind of truly lengthy finish, which is a pity. At twenty years, the nose beats the palate hands down, but it's still a fascinating example of a wine from an estate founded on utterly pure and single-minded principles, which probably never turned a profit in its entire existance, and which has assumed the mantle of a ghost winery in recent years (even the website appears moribund since 2006...)
Probably past its best, but might live on for some time; my remaining bottle will get another few years I suspect, out of respect if nothing else.
cheers,
Graeme
Given that it's a minimally-sulphured wine, and the marginal climate of the estate, which has since seemingly faded into obscurity my expectations were low. (An estate that makes Classic Wines in 2002 - and the Langtons Classification in the early years - doesn't even rate a listing in the 2011 Wine Companion, for example.)
The wine? Pure garnet, with a bricking rim. Utterly seductive nose of composting leaves, mushrooms and earth, seriously aged, but way too fruity to be Bordeaux. The palate is pretty much tannin-free (JH noted 'low tannins' in his 1993 note; nothing's changed since), although a little astringency does eventually build. Mirror-smooth in texture, with some acidity beginning to show, it remains ripe (despite the alcohol), cool, perfectly drinkable, and very light and airy, but the enticingly mouldy flavours, which are quite well-spread over the palate, can't quite manage any kind of truly lengthy finish, which is a pity. At twenty years, the nose beats the palate hands down, but it's still a fascinating example of a wine from an estate founded on utterly pure and single-minded principles, which probably never turned a profit in its entire existance, and which has assumed the mantle of a ghost winery in recent years (even the website appears moribund since 2006...)
Probably past its best, but might live on for some time; my remaining bottle will get another few years I suspect, out of respect if nothing else.
cheers,
Graeme