rutherglen

From two recent dinners

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1995 Christoffel-berres Erdener Pralat Spatlese Riesling 8%
Mosel, germany

A glowing deep yellow with some amber, indicating age (early 2000s). Cumquat, honey, petroleum, camphor, smoke, high residual sugar, low alcohol. German for sure, Spatlese at least, perhaps Auslese? Palate is luxurious, and beautifully balanced. Revealed as older than my guess. It’s a magic site, and the label is charming.

Drink to 2030, 94 points

2021 Ch Suduiraut 14%
Sauterne, France

Vanilla, vitality, rich and pure botrytis. Apricot, citrus, quince, with some very attractive green notes in the mix. Palate is opulent, viscous – all quality here and sublime length. But young – 2017? Unveiled, it turns out even younger, already approachable without guilt, but a long life beckons. Very little was made due to a combination of frost and mildew – but this is brilliantly assembled. 100% semillon, 138 g/l rs.

Drink to 2045, 94 points

2004 Stanton and Killeen fortified 18.5%
Rutherglen, Victoria, 8 gold medals and 4 silvers
30% shiraz, 21% touriga, 19% Durif, 10 tinta cao, 10%tinta roriz, 10%tinta barocca

It seems I reviewed this wine in 2018. Tonight, the cork has done its duty;  the wine is densely coloured with just some trivial ruby bricking on the meniscus; it’s thriving with dark cherry, raspberry, blueberry and sweet spices; it’s soft, civilized, and balanced with a mix of sweet and savoury; talcy tannins, fine spirit and fruitcake spices now with plum and blackberry joining in – combining very satisfactorily. And there’s no rush.

Drink to 2034; 93 points

An Oz model VP

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Stanton and Killeen Vintage Port 19%
Rutherglen

Served blind. Medium ruby colour with clean spirit; blueberry, red liquorice, roses, sweet cherry liqueur, camphor and spices. Very concentrated, fresh VP style with integrated tannins – but with different tannins than Portugal, and a little sweeter. Setting origin aside, a marvellous wine, with some light chocolate vanilla crème, and plum adding to the intrigue. Australian – probably Stanton and Killeen – 2005? was my conclusion.

Unveiled, it proved older than anticipated, and clearly on a monster plateau. I last wrote about this wine in 2018, and I was delighted to taste it again. (60% Shiraz, 25% Touriga, 5% each of tinta cao, tinta barocca and Durif). The back-label had a litany of its well-deserved wine show successes. A piece of history, and a great success in provoking memories plus providing enormous drinking satisfaction.

Drink to 2035 or longer- 96 points

Surprises recently

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1972 Gayfers Durif Port
Rutherglen (Chiltern)

I wrote about this wine in June 2017, but this time – served blind- it presented very differently. Such is life, when dealing with a 50-year-old wine from a winery that made way for a highway. This time around, I was puzzled by the tawny, aged colour with an amber rim; sweet fruited (pulled me to Australia as its origin) with dried fruit peel and a lot of vanilla (pulled me away from a VP style), but missing the rancio/acidy to point at a tawny. Regardless, it provided genuine drinking pleasure and bafflement after the reveal.

Drink now (or sooner, based on this bottle) – 88 points

2007 Ch de fargues 13.9%
Sauternes
This was a hasty replacement for a 2005 Ch Doisy Daene that was a bit limp; faint TCA was suggested, but it looked quietly oxidised to me which robbed its vibrancy– cork frailty in both instances. But the de Fargues was a brilliant backup. Not easy to find in Australia, but the few bottles I have tasted have been memorable.

This was a deep burnished gold colour, with an unmistakable Sauternes origin- apricot, yellow peach, vanilla icing, orange blossom; lively with spices and bitter orange notes on the syrupy palate. Power with balance. A sublime and lengthy finish. While ravishing now, I would drink up if you are fortunate to have any bottles handy.

Drink to 2023, 95 points

A freak fortified

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Morris Old Premium Rare Liqueur Topaque 17.3%
Rutherglen, Victoria

This wine is the comrade of the muscat, but made made from muscadelle, picked when very ripe, fortified and barrel aged. It was made by David Morris, no doubt using some material from the stewardship of the legendary Mick Morris. And “rare” is the classification used by most Rutherglen producers to indicate the top quality level.

The wine is a deep, dark amber colour, with khaki showing on the rim; it looks old and concentrated. Away we go with malt, jersey caramels, dried fruits, a touch of butterscotch and some nuts. The palate displays mastery of the style; it’s very sweet, but there is ample acidity to keep the balance; the spirit performs its task of letting the fruit power shine. The material is old and barrel-aged but remains fresh thanks to immaculate blending with more youthful material. The flavours are ridiculously persistent and compel luxuriating in the wine’s complexities.

The wine is bottled in batches – this is altogether a marvel – a world-class wine at a paltry RRP a smidge over $100 for 500ml. Once opened, the wine can be kept for weeks – but not at my house.

No need to cellar- and this wine deserves 97 points.

Another Rutherglen ripper

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1978 Morris Vintage Port
Rutherglen, 62% Shiraz, 17% Cab Sav, 17% Bastardo (touriga), 4% Durif

A recent auction purchase, the level was down slightly (but good for age), the cork was slightly raised, and proved soggy. But the wine was just fine.

Great colour for age- liquorice, plum, blackberry, camphor, mixed spices; palate powerfully packed with mixed dark fruit as above; mocha, and spirit seamlessly melded in. Clearly Australian, and a wine of depth and charm. Tasters were totally surprised by the final options question on its age “1978, 1982 or 1986”, as the colour in no way indicated a >40 y/o wine. Indestructible, given the less-than-perfect storage evidenced by the slight ullage and condition of the cork. My assumption is that the Cabernet and Durif components were to bolster the tannins, and the Touriga to add floral and spice notes; and a great result from the blend overall.

Drink to 2035, 93 points

Two very different Oz fortifieds (inc one fail)

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seppelt 1983 para

1983 Seppelt Para Liqueur (single vintage Tawny) 20.5%
Barossa, released around 2004, with no further improvement once bottled. Grenache, likely with Shiraz (and maybe something else). A bit of breathing helps. Gosh this is good.

In the familiar bell-shaped bottle, the colour was a deep khaki with a telltale olive green rim,  Floral and decadent, displaying very fire brandy spirit; caramel, vanilla and almond. Fresh and delicious, mocha, spices, salinity, and citrus peel, with a generous, lasting set of flavours. I have reviewed the 1976 and 1991 before – the line provides marvels of consistent pleasure, with the 2003 available on the Seppeltsfield website for $105.

Drink now (but any decent unopened bottle will safely keep).  94. points.

1977 morris VP

1977 Morris Vintage Port
Rutherglen (70% Shiraz, 30% Bastardo -aka Touriga)
Faded label, with a marginally raised cork, and the level was high shoulder but no dramas.

Still a deep red/black colour! Mocha, brandy, sweet brambles and blackberry; palate is sweet and syrupy, but defiantly fresh, sweet fruit and mellowness. Indestructible.

There were – alas – some cork artefacts present – I struggled to disentangle cork taint from corky/woodiness, and about and hour later reluctantly conceded that that very low-grade TCA was present, But very few would still resist drinking the wine. Such is life under the arbitrary hands of cork deities. Despite this “fail”, other bottles are worth seeking out.

No score but drink to 2035.

One from Rutherglen

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2004 morris VP

2004 Morris vintage (port) 19.4%
Rutherglen, Victoria. 58% Shiraz, 26% touriga, 16% durif

Gold medals at credible shows across six years. Decent cork. Twenty years old, and plentiful sediment.  Very dense youthful black/red colour; violets, plum, fig, dark cherry, sweet spices. Here’s a wine that is relatively soft and approachable, yet has all the structural elements that hold my attention and augur well for the future; high class spirit is melded with the plentiful fruit power; the palate is voluptuous, fresh, and with fine, fine tannins to encourage another taste. Hard to resist (and I still have a few bottles).

Drink to 2034 (very conservatively), and 93 points

Catch-up on recent drinks

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2007 knebel spatlese

2007 Knebel winninger Rottgen Riesling Spatlese 11%
Mosel; 47 g/l residual sugar; gold colour honey.

Wax, apple and the surprising blackcurrant. Palate is still lively with sweetness ameliorated by acidy; palate is all about mixed apple and stonefruit (yellow peach and apricot); chewy, varietal and authentic.

Has seen better days however; drink up 90 points

2015 sauternes pair

2015 Ch Doisy-vedrines 13%
Sauternes 80% semillon, 15% sav blanc, 5% muscadelle

Light bright colour, light-weight aromatics of slightly green pineapple, vanilla bean icing sugar and preserved lemon. Palate shows almond meal, citrus nectarine. Ligher style than the next wine, but balanced and authentic. Ready for business, and will be consumed with great pleasure.

Drink to 2030, 92 points

2015 Ch Suduiraut 14%
Sauternes; 94% semillon, 6% sav blanc; 18 months in oak (50% new, 50% one year old) 138 g/l residual.

Served masked- I last tasted this wine around a year ago, and my notes are thankfully similar. Sauternes with a deeper colour than the wine above; crème brulee, quality oak, ginger spices, botrytis dustiness, light floor-polish VA present but under control; great density and integration. Cumquat and vanilla, liveliness, texture and persistence. Very decadent and pleasurable. Around ten years old?

Drink to 2037, 95 points

2007 croft vp

2007 Crofts Vintage Port 20%
Portugal

Served masked – Deep red colour with camphor, cherry and blackberry plus floral headsy spirit. Dense, with dark fruits, small berries and cocoa. Portuguese varieties for sure; and the spirit leans me to Portugal, BUT there;s not the drive, complexity or tannin for its suspected age (my guess was early 2000s). So, Australian. When revealed, this was quite a disappointing result for a  respectable VP vintage (and the other bottle I tried was similar).

Drink to 2030, 89 points

NV Morris Old premium “rare” Muscat 17%
Rutherglen.

Served masked. Luminnous dark, and very dense colour. Raisin, orange peel, roses, toffee, bitter chocolate. High-quality neutral spirit, It’s a meal in a half a glass if you are greedy. Concentrated raisins, and dried fruits with spices. It sits on the palate and the flavours dwell for ages. Not just about using old material, as the style needs the masterful touch of freshness too. Around 350 g/l residual sugar, but the acidity absolutely obliterates any cloying.

This wine is world class, and continues to be a bargain (a meagre $120 for a 500ml bottle, that will last for weeks if – unlike me – you have the will power to resist).

Drink now, 96 points

Four fortifieds

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2005 S&K vp

2005 Stanton and Killeen Fortified 18.5%
Rutherglen, VP style; 32% Shiraz, 32% Durif, 16 % tinta cao, 10% touriga, 10% tinta roriz
Vintage rated 9/10. 1 trophy and 12 gold medals on the label.

I drank this youngster, as a recent bottle from a dinner looked a bit burned/baked. Youthful colour- morello cherry, rhubarb, violets, plus juniper. Palate is raspberry, blackcurrant lavender, camphor, red liquorice. Supple, with super spirit selection and integration. Look at the range of descriptors – always a sign of quality!

Drink to 2035; an easy 95 points.

1985 morris vp

1985 Morris Vintage Port
Rutherglen, 54% Durif, 46% Cab sav

Good colour for age, dense and intensely flavoured; dark berries. Sweet, chalk, coffee, mocha and just thrilling spirit integration. Balanced and delicious.

Drink to 2035, 93 points

1980 sevenhill vp

1980 Sevenhill Vintage Port 19.4%
Clare Valley, Shiraz
I seldom see this style from the area; and I was wary despite a cheap price at a recent auction. The cork was adequate; the colour is a quite developed ruby/tawny – plus plentiful sediment; there is sweet brandy spirit overlaying mocha and some dark fruit and chewy sweet spices; but really the spirit leads the charge here. The label quaintly claims “should be bottle aged for at least eight years” and forty-four years certainly exceeded the winemaker’s intentions. Regardless, it’s alert, and while it should have been consumed many years ago it does not fall into the curio category where excuses are easy to find. It’s still a solid, drinkable wine.

Drink now (sooner if you can), 85 points

NV Kopke Ten years old Tawny 20%
Served blind; Pale colour, roses, fruitcake, spices and some rancio. Sweeter on the palate than expected; with cinnamon, light and expressive, gentle and civilized. Citrus and toffee; light on its feet. Not enough acid for Madeira, not enough aldehydes for sherry, not the sweetness for muscat or topaque, I settled on a tawny style, but without the richness for Australia. I settled on 20 y/o Portuguese. Close enough!

Kopke is not in the first rank, but this was a super example, where the blend over-delivered on the reputation.

Drink now, 93 points (and I hope pricing is reasonable)

Welcome back to Australia?

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Winter, and fortifieds exert their willpower, with somewhat disappointing outcomes from recent auction purchases.

1992 All Saints Vintage Port 18.5%
Rutherglen
|A cooler year, with some remarkable local red wines made – but not every wine can be a winner. Here, the colour is respectable, there is sweet brandy spirit, but the dark fruit struggles to keep up. Sound, and utterly unexciting.

Drink now, 84 points

1987 Sevenhill Vintage Port 18.5%
Clare Valley
Oxidised, not rated

1991 campbells vintage port

1991 Campbell’s Vintage Port 18%
Rutherglen (70% touriga, 30% Tinta cao, Souzao etc)
Deep red with bricky edging. Back in the land of fruit vibrancy – sweet red cherry, blueberry, sweet spices; excellent spirit. Fruit compote pie, with soft, fine tannins, and supple texture. Very satisfying, in terrific condition for age, with just a minor, forgivable miss in the complexity stakes. Drink up while it retains freshness.

To 2030, 91 points