Plantagenet
had to make a tough decision about the choice of wines to present with the
Celebration. Given the extremely compressed timeframe, the absolute number of
wines presented during the Masterclass session had to be limited. Should the
tasting cover all of the five principle varieties (riesling, chardonnay, pinot
noir, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon), and, if so, what vintages should be
featured? For each of the shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, four decades were
covered, the wines standing proud.
I
may well have been in the minority, and, in any event, am hard to please when
it comes to pinot noir made in marginally warm regions. So much so it serves
little purpose to comment further on the pinot noirs.
The
chardonnays simply serve to show that screwcaps are essential once the
chardonnay is more than five years old, and absolutely so when it is 10 or more
years old; thus the ’93 and ’00 Chardonnays were proof positive that cork is an
unfriendly closure.
Which
leaves the rieslings, the shirazs and the cabernets, the three best varieties
of Plantagenet, and which, in the wisdom of hindsight, should have been the
only three presented in the Masterclass, the compensation being an additional
eight vintages to be split between the big three.
Here
follow my tasting notes using a 5-star system, and if you think the allocation
overly generous, let me simply say that the chardonnays and pinot noirs racked
up everything from 1, 2 and 3 stars.
Riesling
1990
Full
gold colour, with a faint touch of copper; there is a distinct honeyed edge to
the bouquet, with a hint of toast in the background; still lively thanks in
part to crisp acidity, but is fractionally past its best, and no two bottles
will be even remotely similar to each other. Cork
4+
stars
1994
Bright,
full gold; some oxidation/cork issues on the bouquet of the first bottle, led
to a second, and then a third, and it was with the last that we saw the wine as
it should be, with honey and lemon zest flavours on a quite firm palate, which
grew and grew in the glass. Cork
4.5
stars
2006
Gleaming
gold-green; the fragrant, citrus-driven bouquet has great varietal expression,
and appears at its peak; the palate lives up the promise of the bouquet, having
entered into what will be a long plateau of perfection. A tasting note in March
’07 (94 points) suggested the wine would live to 2016, and that now seems conservative.
Screwcap
5
stars
2012
Served
at a great dinner at the end of the day, and I have nothing to add to the
tasting note ex the 2014 Wine Companion.
Simply, a great wine. Bright straw-green; one whiff and one sip will tell you
why this wine should have won trophies, including that for Best Wine of Show in
the Qantas Wine Show of WA ’12. The colour and bouquet promise much, but the
sheer quality of the lime-filled palate, with bursts of crunch acidity and
green apple takes it out of the ordinary. The drink to date will prove to be
conservative, but reflects the pleasure the wine gives right now. Screwcap
5
stars
2013
The
wine is predominantly sourced from the Wyjup Vineyard, and its 43-year-old
vines, fleshed out with lesser amounts from two local vineyards which add
complexity to the profile. The wine is a little bit behind the all-conquering
'12 Riesling, but is seriously good, with a fragrant, flowery, lime
blossom-filled bouquet, a long palate gaining strength and energy on the
finish, with touches of slate and talc forming part of the impact of acidity.
Screwcap
5
stars
Shiraz
Here
the decision was to go back even further in time, and struck a rich seam of
gold.
1977
Deep,
healthy colour; rich black fruits, pepper, spice and licorice on the bouquet,
then a layered, rich palate. A great Australian dry red, and, if the corks are
sound (or the wine is given a new cork with a prayer for no TCA), has years
left in front of it. Cork
5
stars
1990
Lighter
colour than the ’77, but the hue is vibrant; a fragrant bouquet of red and
black fruits is an entrancing introduction, followed by a supple, medium-bodied
palate, and there are savoury/spicy nuances to give complexity to the red fruit
core. Cork; the same comments apply as for the ’77.
5
stars
2005
A
re-release from the cellar, marking the start of a policy of holding back wines
for later release exclusively from cellar door and restaurants. When first
tasted in March '08, I gave the wine 96 points, and it has fulfilled all of the
promise it then held. It has a super-complex black cherry, blackberry, licorice
and spice bouquet, the palate with more of the same, augmented by tannins of
the quality rare in shiraz; all-in-all, strongly reminiscent of the wines from
Hermitage in the northern end of the Rhone Valley. Screwcap
5
stars
2012
Not
bottled at the time of the tasting, but already blended for bottling. Vivid
colour; the fragrance is similar to that of the ’90, with red and black fruits;
the beautiful, medium-bodied palate is supple and long, oak merely a bystander.
Screwcap.
5
stars
Cabernet
Sauvignon
Here
the master plan of one wine from each of four decades came to fruition.
1989
Still
has good colour; the bouquet has a vibrant display of varietal aromas, the
palate fleshing these out with flavours of cassis, redcurrant, and touches of
mint/leaf; fine tannins underwrite a gently savoury finish. When tasted in
October 1994, the wine was awarded four stars and rated as somewhat past its
best. The only reconciliation is the dreaded cork. Cork
5
stars
1995
Good
hue; a very fragrant, elegant and almost perfumed bouquet, which, together with
the palate, had an astonishing amount in common with the ’89; finished with
silky, fine-grained tannins. When first tasted (October 1997) damned by faint
praise. Cork
5
stars
2005
Outstanding
colour for an eight-year-old wine, still purple-crimson; the palate currently presents
something of a tug-of-war between the fruit, oak and tannins, but is balanced,
and has years left in front of it. Screwcap
4.5
stars
2012
Not
yet bottled but, like the Shiraz, fully blended for bottling. Vivid colour; has
exceptional texture, structure and balance to an intense, layered palate.
Screwcap
5
stars
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