Tyrrell's Vat 1 Vertical

Great tasting of this magnificent and complex wine, led with great insightful comments by Bruce Tyrrell, and his son Chris.

This was a really facinating introduction to this wine, which I only tried once before.

Really hard to assess these pre release wines, tight doesnt begin to describe them

• 2004 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Bottled a year ago.
  
  Light pale lemon-green
  Nose screams acidity, like an (oaked) Champagne barrell sample, some herbal tea
  Cheesy backbone but soaring fresh apple acidity

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• 2000 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  (Unreleased)
  Much more mellow than 2004, still screams acidity, but a smoother, more restrained and defined finish
  Still hard to evaluate

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• 1999 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  More interesting
  Wooly nose, more rounded
  Softer apple and lanolin
  Nice creamy finish, almost yeasty

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Interresting comparison between different closures, the sulphur on the screw cap let it down. Likely to be due to the individual bottle though.

• 1998 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  (Cork Closure)
  
  Fresher and younger than the 1999, depth more developed.

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• 1998 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  (Screwcap)
  Sulphur on nose that didn't blow off, less creamy than the cork sealed bottle, but brighter.

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• 1997 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Deeper colour developing
  Still a great intense freshness, but a return to the creamy texture of the 1999

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• 1996 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Better than 1997, but a similar style,slightly sweeter (was botrytis affected) but only slightly.

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• 1995 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Real secondary charchter showing, nice oily viscous tecture.
  Lovely moutfeel, a great wine to play with
  Acid drops off ever so slightly but gives great backbone

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• 1994 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Smoke (sulphur?) on the nose, again this remained
  Similar to the 1995 (wet wooly almost), but a more mature finish, very long

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• 1992 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Deepest colour, golden
  Slightest spritz, masses of honeysuckle on the nose
  Very full bodied, rich strong honey
  Exotic fruit on midpalate, blending into an ily finish
  Nicely mature, low acid on finish, shorter than 1994/5

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• 1989 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Over mature.
  Stewed confected apple, a bit of nut brittle.
  Noticably botrytis affected.
  Tiny hint of oxidation, but affects it positivly.

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• 1987 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Sulphur noticable on nose again, but only faintly.
  This was much less mature, a real baby, more like the 1997. Very strong acid and lemon oil

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• 1986 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Indian gold
  A real old (20 year plus) champagne character, very full though, like an old Bollinger.
  Also a textural element like pressed apples that have been left for a while.
  Less oilyness than the mid 90's flight.
  A real intellectual wine, layers of complexity, very strong deep finish.
  My WOTN

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• 1985 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Very similar to the 1985, old champagne.
  Higher acid than the 1986, and it popped out of balance a little as a result.

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Some real surprises, firstly the Champagne like qualities, in the baby 2004, but again in the old wines.
The change with age is facinating, a real smooth, oaked quality (no oak is used at all) steps in.
For me this wine needs at least 10 years to sing, better at 20.