Salil Benegal
Salil Benegal
A few of us gathered to open Wendouree last night. We had some nice starters - a bottle of Tarlant La Vigne d'Antan (98/99 vintage blend disgorged in 2004) showed beautifully with a nice blend of developed savouriness, youthful fruit, and doughy flavours, and a 1996 JJ Christoffel Erdener Treppchen Spätlese was outstanding with intense acidity and sweetness perfectly balanced.
But this was the main event:
The two Shiraz Malbecs were both fantastic. The 1998 showed more developed flavours and a bit more ripeness - a bright floral aspect to the aromatics over ripe dark berried fruit, but with those Wendouree signature of eucalyptus and more savoury, almost bitter earthy and tree bark-like notes. The 2001 showed more tannin and the fruit was a bit more restrained. The eucalyptus, mint, and other herbal and earthy elements were much more prominent here, and this was my favorite of the pair.
The two Shirazes were another gear up in terms of intensity and power, though showing very similar flavour profiles to the blends. The 1997 Shiraz had a slight touch of VA to it, though it didn't detract much - still an excellent wine with lots of savoury complexity around its rich fruit and herbal notes.
The 2001 Shiraz was on another level though, and one of the very best wines I've had this year. Fresher and more focused on the palate, and showing amazing depth and complexity that I can't fully describe. But it was one of those wines that had me forgetting everything else any time I smelled or tasted it. All four made for a truly thrilling wine experience and and I wish these wines aren't so impossibly hard to find. (I'll treasure my last couple of bottles.)
For afters, we also had a bottle of a 2000 ZH Clos Jebsal SGN that was very good, though surprisingly advanced and dark, and finished with a few drops of a 1969 Springback single malt (bottled in 2000) while watching Golden State finish off the Cavs.
But this was the main event:
The two Shirazes were another gear up in terms of intensity and power, though showing very similar flavour profiles to the blends. The 1997 Shiraz had a slight touch of VA to it, though it didn't detract much - still an excellent wine with lots of savoury complexity around its rich fruit and herbal notes.
The 2001 Shiraz was on another level though, and one of the very best wines I've had this year. Fresher and more focused on the palate, and showing amazing depth and complexity that I can't fully describe. But it was one of those wines that had me forgetting everything else any time I smelled or tasted it. All four made for a truly thrilling wine experience and and I wish these wines aren't so impossibly hard to find. (I'll treasure my last couple of bottles.)
For afters, we also had a bottle of a 2000 ZH Clos Jebsal SGN that was very good, though surprisingly advanced and dark, and finished with a few drops of a 1969 Springback single malt (bottled in 2000) while watching Golden State finish off the Cavs.
