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NNT wine club, June 2023: Maturation comparison

Brisbane

Tasted June 10, 2023 by colinscellar with 109 views

Flight 1 (2 notes)

White
2019 Grosset Riesling Springvale Clare Valley Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
89 points
Some florals with fresh lime juice. In no way unpleasant, but currently so fresh as to be lacking character. Drunk next to the 2009 and I see the 2019 drunk today as a missed future opportunity.
Not sure how to score that.
White
2009 Grosset Riesling Springvale Watervale Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Watervale
92 points
Kerosene nose, Bickford's lime cordial palate, acidity softening but very present.
Textbook Clare Valley Riesling for me and in it's prime drinking window. Likely to stay on the plateau for at least several years, but there's currently a great tension between maturing richness and youthful freshness so I think the wine can only go downhill from here and there's no benefit in waiting longer.
1 person found this helpful Comment

Flight 2 (2 notes)

White
2018 Pewsey Vale Vineyard Eden Valley Riesling Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
90 points
Muted nose, maybe needed more time to open up. Sweet fresh lime. looking surprisingly developed for a relatively young Riesling under screwcap, probably at or near its peak now.
White
2002 Pewsey Vale Vineyard Eden Valley Riesling Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
88 points
Soggy cork may have contributed to an underwhelming bottle. Kerosene, preserved lime but surprisingly dry rather than mature sweetness. Not unpleasant but definitely past its best.

Flight 3 (2 notes)

White
2022 Tyrrell's Chardonnay Vat 47 Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
91 points
Stonefruit nose with sweet vanilla, butter and ripe lemon. Very pretty, quite generous Chardonnay. Should age well but very enjoyable now too.
2 people found this helpful Comment
White
2017 Tyrrell's Chardonnay Vat 47 Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
90 points
Seemed a bit muted next to the 2022. Primary fruit a bit lacking. Ginger spice oak character.
1 person found this helpful Comment

Flight 4 (2 notes)

White
2017 Tarrawarra Chardonnay Reserve Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
90 points
Leaner style Chardonnay with lemon and grapefruit, ginger, and pointy acidity. Cool year maybe? Seems a touch under-ripe.
White
2005 Tarrawarra Chardonnay Reserve Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
93 points
Initially there's ripe stonefruit, hints of lychee and banana; with a bit time in glass the tropical notes faded a little into orange and mandarin citrus. Still so much primary fruit! Acidity holding together nicely, some oak spice. In great condition.

Flight 5 (2 notes)

Red
2012 Best's Great Western Pinot Noir Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
89 points
Note rather muted. Tart cherry and raspberry fruit. Still in good shape for a 10yr old entry level Pinot.
Red
2020 Best's Great Western Pinot Noir Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
91 points
Drunk next to the 2012 and the fruit and floral prettiness of the nose was the big difference that made this seem the clear better vintage. Sour cherries, some fresh heraceousness.

Flight 6 (2 notes)

Red
2010 Dry River Pinot Noir New Zealand, North Island, Wairarapa, Martinborough
flawed
Corked :(
Not heavily tainted but the trademark TCA nose was there and the flavours were just non-existent. Sad.
Red
2019 Dry River Pinot Noir New Zealand, North Island, Wairarapa, Martinborough
91 points
So much more fruit power and concentration than the Bests from the previous flight. Quite a red fruit profile with tart raspberry and sour cherry. Some herbaceousness. Alcohol seems a touch hot? Enjoyable now but surely wants time.

Flight 7 (2 notes)

Red
2013 Seppelt Shiraz St Peters Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians
92 points
Tart blackberry, white pepper, licorice. A good wine but looked like a sharper leaner year next to the more plush and generous 2018, which everyone preferred.
Red
2018 Seppelt Shiraz St Peters Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians
93 points
Sweet blackberries and black cherry but with fresh acidity. Plush mouthfeel, decadent. Young but still very enjoyable drinking.
1 person found this helpful Comment

Flight 8 (2 notes)

Red
2001 Wendouree Shiraz Malbec Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
92 points
Ripe raspberry - slightly cordialled, blackberry, licorice. Classic Wendouree looking immortal, drunk next to 2012 and there was barely any difference in colour/maturation.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2012 Wendouree Shiraz Malbec Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
92 points
Still almost purple. Ripe raspberry and blackberry, cool cedar/menthol notes. Lovely but needs time.
1 person found this helpful Comment

Flight 9 (2 notes)

Red
2012 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 407 Australia, South Australia
91 points
Classic blackcurrant, hints of greenness. Has barely budged, should last decades.
Red
2019 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 407 Australia, South Australia
91 points
Drunk alongside the 2012 an 2019 seems the riper, more generous of the two vintages. Better drinking to open today but probably doesn't have the same cellaring potential.

Flight 10 (2 notes)

Red
2002 Yalumba The Signature Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
89 points
A distinctive nose of cloves that I don't remember from The Signature. Not unpleasant but something about this bottle just didn't seem quite right. Alcohol seemed a bit hot.
Red
2012 Yalumba The Signature Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
92 points
Dark fruit profile with Blackberry and some black plum. Looking in great shape.
1 person found this helpful Comment

Flight 11 (2 notes)

White
2016 Yarraloch Chardonnay Stephanie's Dream Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
91 points
Ripe Chardonnay style with lots of peach and vanilla and a air bit of malo. Pleasingly generous.
White
2004 Yarraloch Chardonnay Stephanie's Dream Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
88 points
Drunk next to the 2016 and the 04 is clearly past its best. A fair bit of oxidised sherry character and washed rind/gruyere rind nose.
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