Community Tasting Notes 1

• David Lole Likes this wine: 97 points

  February 23, 2012 - In 1993, I was lucky enough to be given a bottle of this fortified shiraz from the late Chris Killeen from his family’s “bond store” - an odd free-standing old red brick building located near the cellar door on the Stanton and Killeen property just west of the township of Rutherglen. I remember Chris speaking fondly of this vintage, of the wine’s calibre, its amazing freshness and of the considerable way it still had to go (i.e. develop/mature) in the bottle. Some years later I opened that bottle and, not surprisingly, found the contents to be precisely as Chris had predicted.
  
  So it was with great anticipation I purchased another bottle of this possible nectar from auction a few months ago for the princely (sic) sum of $19 (plus a small buyer’s fee). And when opened, what a wine it (still) is. Decanted at 5 p.m. last Saturday and drunk many hours later with members of my local wine tasting group, this wine makes some radical statements about the region and this period in fortified wine history. Namely, the quality of vintage fortified (dare not I mention the word “port”) from Rutherglen and from this era is generally nothing short of spectacular. Over the last year I have tried this wine style using a variety of red grapes (including some of Portuguese origin) from this amazing wine region made by Lindemans (1967), All Saints (1965, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972), Chambers (1971, 1972), Campbells (1965, 1972) and now this Stanton and Killeen from 1972. The 1972 Campbells took out my WOTY award for the highest pointed wine in 2011. I rate the ‘72 S&K VP as good, perhaps even a tad better! Most of the above mentioned VP’s scored well above 90 points in my official rating with many sitting around or above 95. (Please try and remember I do not hand out such high scores with gay abandon). This feat almost defies logic and boggles my brain as, not only have all been purchased from unknown previous owners and of uncertain provenance, but never in my lifetime to date have I scored so many wines similar in style and of such considerable age at such consistently high ratings. “But that’s what port is all about”, I hear the cynics cry. But compare this performance to the supposed legendary fortifieds of Portugal and even the great names from McLaren Vale and I promise you the same consistency over so many vintages listed above does not apply anywhere to the same degree.
  
  So this wine will take some considerable beating in my wine of the year awards and if it does get pipped, whatever does the pipping will be well worth the experience! Without waxing lyrical, the Stanton & Killeen Gracerray 1972 Vintage Port fully deserves the 97 point rating I awarded it last Saturday night. To date, the only wine I have rated higher here is the phenomenal 1975 Chateau d’Yquem at 98 points. So my most humble thanks to Chris Killen all those years ago, may he continue to rest in peace, knowing what joy he, his forbears and hopefully, his descendants, have and will bring to those who sample these wonderful fortifieds from the winery of Stanton and Killeen.

  1 person found this helpful Comments (1)

Pro Reviews 0

• No pro reviews found.

Wine Definition

• Vintage 1972
• Type Red - Fortified
• Producer Stanton & Killeen
• Varietal Shiraz
• Designation Vintage Fortified
• Vineyard n/a
• Country Australia
• Region Victoria
• SubRegion North East
• Appellation Rutherglen

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0
• In Cellars 0
• Consumed 0

Food Pairing

Who Likes This Wine

More About This Wine