September 14, 2023 - (SYP) unbranded cork. Opened 1.5 hours before serving
Not as fresh as the '05 served alongside. Blackberries and a touch of soy sauce. Ripe, chewy and dry.
March 3, 2021 - NobleRottersSydney - regional Oz shiraz (Fix, St James, Sydney): {cork, 13.7%} [Graeme] Double decanted at 5pm and smelt iffy. Three hours late seemed little better. Fungal and manky! Not obviously corked, or oxidised. Dirty somehow. Stewed, baked fruit on the turn. Medium dusty tannins, medium weight. But minimal fruit flavour – all indeterminate, even a bit acetic. Dirty leather. Short finish. Well under par. Ullage perfect, cork looked immaculate. My cellar for the last twenty years; conditions aren’t perfect, but not bad enough to cook this. Ah well.
December 17, 2019 - Tasted with The Truth, a ‘middle aged’ Wendouree in its prime. Some ageing on the rim, otherwise dark deep hues.
Trademark savoury nose. Walnut, bay leaf, touch dusty and earthy, medium intensity red to black fruits lurking beneath.
More fruit-driven palate, entering an elegant age. Sinewy but not muscular. Loaded with dark spicy fruit, full-bodied, with a shot of acid emerging later. Satisfying and complete.
Drinking well now but 20+ more years ahead, when its deep complexity should surface. If 1998 shades 99 as a vintage, it should be superb (although Wendourees from milder years really float my boat).
May 2, 2018 - Deep ruby with colourless rim. Pnp immediate intense nose of eucalyptus, mint, ripe blackcurrant, plum juice, dark chocolate, sweet vanilla, caramel candy with some smokiness. Mid weight and refreshing on palate with some grippy tannin, layer by layer of developing flavours emerging such as dried black fruits, prune, minerals, black tea, liquorice. Very long and elegant. In a good place now, no rush to drink up.
April 28, 2018 - Wonderful shiraz, with beautiful spiciness and elegance. Great wine with years ahead of it.
April 3, 2016 - Excellent medium bodied style, lovely cigar box and tobacco notes, great length with hints of eucalypt. Brilliant wine right in the sweet spot.
ps perfect cork with about 2ml of bleed
September 18, 2015 - Faded label. Concentrated flavour (blackcurrant, oak) but weak body - little acidity, no structure. Drinkable, but disappointing considering the (presumed) expense.
October 15, 2014 - "2015" Sydney International Wine Show - stewarding notes; 10/11/2014-10/16/2014 (Blue Mountains, NSW): {cork, 13.7%} (me) Pouring my wine for the great and good I didn’t get to really analyse it properly myself; but the overwhelming impression was of an immense and brooding mouthful of dark menthol shiraz, with quite fierce tannins and a generally disjointed quality. Perhaps a decent decant would have helped; on this occasion you’d conclude that it’s a big, dark, austere shiraz, tannic and brooding, in need of another decade in the cellar. Not much to show for a decade’s cellaring; lucky I have another pair of bottles…
November 28, 2012 - Prior tasting notes apply. Unbelievable difference between this and the 2001 which doesn't rate a mention. This is good stuff however.
September 30, 2012 - Super smooth and elegant red. Didn't expect tis to be so integrated and drinkable. Explains the mystery around this winery and at 13 years its at its peak. Probably still has some legs but why wait when it is this good.