1998 Aussie Showdown dinner

Jade Palace Restaurant
Tasted Friday, July 12, 2013 by hkm520240 with 670 views

Flight 1 - Tasmania vs. Margaret River (2 Notes)

  • 1998 Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points

    Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

    Open for bottle breath since 1 pm and serve as the first wine.
    Dark ruby with slight brick red edge, showing an expressive nose of blackcurrant, eucalyptus, herbs, subtle oak and hints of vegetal and leafiness.
    The palate is soft, subtle and elegant with blackcurrant, earth, smoke, tar and earth. A nice long finish with fine and supple tannins.
    Group prefer Voyager Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot which is more robust in style. But this is definitely good and drinking well now.

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  • 1998 Voyager Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 92 Points

    Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

    Open before dinner for bottle breath and serve as 2nd wine for the night.
    Dark ruby with glossy crimson hue, open up nicely for tasting with lots of minty character on the nose along with blackcurrant and cedar oak.
    It has robust but smooth palate contributed by its age, with cassis, minty eucalyptus and hints of oak and earthiness. Layers fruits and seamless mid-palate extend into a long lingering finish with fine tannins.
    Showing very well for the night and the group preferred this to Domain A. A Margaret River victory for this flight!

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Flight 2 - Cabernet Malbec vs. Cabernet Shiraz (2 Notes)

  • 1998 Lindeman's Shiraz - Cabernet Limestone Ridge Vineyard 91 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra

    Open before dinner for bottle breath and serve as 3rd wine for the night.
    Still very tight when just poured into the glass and it gradually open up after nearly 2 hours. On the nose, dark fruits and vanilla interwoven with chocolate and hints of spice. Rich entry and exhibits dark fruits on palate along with cherry, dark plum and spice.
    Long finish with soft subtle tannins.
    It needs time to open up so naturally it can't match the Wendouree that immediately open for business with long bottle breath.

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  • 1998 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 94 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley

    Open for bottle breath since 1 pm and serve as the 4th wine.
    Dark garnet with crimson hues, very old world nose, complex, elegant with dusty notes, tobacco, black fruits and subtle minty savoury notes.
    On peak right now, rich fruits, smooth, elegant and softly extend its seamless mid-palate to a long aftertaste and fine and ripe tannins.
    This was preferred by the group than Lindemans Limestone Ridge, not only more expressive and showing better but also more concentrated and complex.

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Flight 3 - Hill of Grace vs. Grange vs. Tahbilk 1860 (3 Notes)

  • 1998 Henschke Shiraz Hill of Grace 97 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley

    Open before dinner for bottle breath and serve as 5th wine for the night. This flight is tasted blind (along with Grange and Tahbilk 1860)
    Beautiful ruby red, bright and clear with glossy hues, lifted nose of red fruits, plum, dark cherry, and roast herbs.
    On peak right now and still plenty of primary fruits. Rich and ripe fruits on palate and yet balance, elegant and harmonious with a touch of feminine. It has fresh acidity with soft and seamless mid-palate, flavour profile is well integrated with blackcurrant, spice and subtle oak. Fine and smooth tannins with long persistent aftertaste.
    This wine has given me a huge surprise when tasted blind, for it is so approachable now without the need to decant and a complete opposite style to some of the iconic Aussie Shiraz like Penfolds Grange, Chris Ringland and Clarendon Hills Astralis. Yet could win many hearts with its beautiful balance and length.

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  • 1998 Penfolds Grange 97 Points

    Australia, South Australia

    Decanted before dinner for almost 2 hours and served as 6th wine. This flight is tasted blind (along with Hill of Grace and Tahbilk 1860).
    Darkest colour of tonight, black and opaque with purple-crimson hue, still very youthful and can't believe this is 15 years old.
    It is still tight when poured into the glass, so I let it continue to develop. Lots of black and dark dark fruit on the nose, with blackberry, blueberry and chocolate.
    Big and masculine on palate and yet balance with adequate structure. The oak influence is still quite prominent, suggesting that the wines is good now but will continue to improve and integrate better. Long and strong finishing with ripe and chewy tannins.
    Amazing wine making skill, still backward and has years to come. I really admire Max Schubert, for created Grange with secret recipe (fruits often sourced from multi-region) as oppose to other top Shiraz produced from single vineyard like Hill of Grace, Chris Ringland and Astralis.

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  • 1998 Tahbilk Shiraz 1860 Vines 91 Points

    Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Nagambie Lakes

    Open for bottle breath since 1 pm and serve as 7th wine. This flight is tasted blind (along with Hill of Grace and Grange).
    Agreed that it will be unfair to put Tahbilk 1860 in this flight against the other 2 super iconic wines, but I thought it may turn out interesting results. After-all it has nothing to lose with price tag just fraction of the other 2.
    Dark garnet with lots of sediments, showing nose of blueberry, cherry and spice. Medium bodied, posses fresh acidity, with cherry, blackberry and subtle smoky oak. It has a nice length with soft tannins, although not as intense as the other 2 and a bit lean too.
    This is good on its own but not when compare to the other 2 heavy weight counterpart. Most taster were able to identify this wine when on blind, no real surprise after all all the wines are having very distinctive style.

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Flight 4 - McLaren Shiraz vs. Barossa Shiraz (2 Notes)

  • 1998 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm 92 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

    Decanted before dinner for nearly an hour and served as 8th wine.
    Dark inky core with slight crimson red at the edge, the nose is still quite oak dominance with blackberry and dark plum.
    Robust and balance on palate, showing ripe fruits, blackberry, plum and toasted coffee notes.
    Rich mid-palate with long finish and soft grippy tannins

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  • 1998 Elderton Shiraz Single Vineyard Command 95 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Barossa

    Decanted before dinner for 2-3 hours and served as 9th wine.
    Dark garnet with crimson hue, robust and expressive nose showing blueberry, black berry, plenty of chocolate notes, integrated oak and hints of spice. Very powerful and dense palate, with dark fruits, blueberry and blackberry. Still has good balance, with good sense of elegant. Long finish with fine tannins.

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