Colour: Golden with slight brownish tinge. Nose: Butter, peach, stewed pears and nutmeg. Palette: Rich, butterscotch, butter, honeydew, still holding a bit of lime in the aftertaste. Right at the end of it's drinking window. Because of the cork this vintage is really hit and miss. I'm running 50-50 at the moment as to what gets poured down the sink and what gets enjoyed. Still considering the price this just reinforces my view that this is the best value white wine to cellar on the market.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
APPEARANCE: Deep to medium deep golden colour. No sediments. Driven cork. NOSE: Initially; lots of waxy notes, some fresh butter and a hint of flint smoke. Then yellow cherries and yellow plums appear. With time and air come white peach, pear and red apple as well as hints of almond and marzipan. (89-90p) TASTE: A slightly matured but vital and fresh fruitiness, with yellow cherries and yellow plums in spades. Slightly underripe mango. Medium to medium rich body. A little, mild fruit stone bitterness on the mid palate (alongside the fruitiness) and in the exit and the rather long aftertaste. (89p) OVERALL: Pure drinking pleasure. TOTAL SCORE 89 points. Appears to be on the younger side of mid age (served blind I think I would have guessed 8-10 years rather than 18), with an estimated remaining drinking window until at least 2025, probably longer.
UPDATE 10.03.2020: Ten days after opening, the nose has developed the fruit notes further, into more tropical sweet, ripe fruits like mango, honeydew melon and a smoky hint of Lapsang Souchong. Wonderful. (90-91p). The taste has not changed much other than perhaps presenting a little softer mouthfeel. (remaining at 89p). I up the TOTAL SCORE by 1 to 90 points.
Uncorking was problematic. Cork seperated halfway and had scungy oderous Gray brown sections. Base of cork was Gray and smelt unpleasant. Had to dig it out with a spoon handle. On pouring the 2002 Marsanne, of which I still have 8 bottles, the last vintage with corks. From 2003 on all have Stelvin/screw caps. I have half a dozen of those. The nose is weak, musty and unfortunately missing the full flavourful bouquet of a healthy Marsanne. NOT a nice drop and as I was having it with our Christmas dinner and a major disappointment and embarrassment. A very good illustration of why Stelvin Caps are an essential on good quality wines. I remember when Stelvin Caps were first started being used on quality wine around 15 years ago it caused a bit of an uproar as only soft drinks and cheapies had screw caps. This Tahbilk 2002 Marsanne, one of my favourite drops, is a good reason why Stelvin are now used on Australian wines almost exclusively. I know in Europe at, least any wines without a cork are viewed with suspicion, as "only Plonk and Soft drinks have screw caps". I'm looking forward to trying the rest of my 2002 Cork closure Tahbilk Marsannes over the next month or so, with my fingers crossed that they haven't been corked and exhibit the wonderful full flavours of a mature Marsanne that I so love.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep, dark yellow. Much like previous note. Open nose of peach and balsamic tones. A touch of oxidity. Good mouthful of peach and honeysuccle fruit. Complex. Long slighly bitter finish. Drink soon.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark, deep yellow. Open nose of peach, honey with a slight touch of oxidaty. Full mouthfeel, concentrated, some acid left with a long salty, honeysuccle finish. Good wine. Drink up.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.
5/20/2020 - corkus Likes this wine: 89 Points
Colour: Golden with slight brownish tinge.
Nose: Butter, peach, stewed pears and nutmeg.
Palette: Rich, butterscotch, butter, honeydew, still holding a bit of lime in the aftertaste.
Right at the end of it's drinking window.
Because of the cork this vintage is really hit and miss.
I'm running 50-50 at the moment as to what gets poured down the sink and what gets enjoyed.
Still considering the price this just reinforces my view that this is the best value white wine to cellar on the market.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2020 - SAND Likes this wine: 90 Points
APPEARANCE: Deep to medium deep golden colour. No sediments. Driven cork.
NOSE: Initially; lots of waxy notes, some fresh butter and a hint of flint smoke. Then yellow cherries and yellow plums appear. With time and air come white peach, pear and red apple as well as hints of almond and marzipan. (89-90p)
TASTE: A slightly matured but vital and fresh fruitiness, with yellow cherries and yellow plums in spades. Slightly underripe mango. Medium to medium rich body. A little, mild fruit stone bitterness on the mid palate (alongside the fruitiness) and in the exit and the rather long aftertaste. (89p)
OVERALL: Pure drinking pleasure. TOTAL SCORE 89 points.
Appears to be on the younger side of mid age (served blind I think I would have guessed 8-10 years rather than 18), with an estimated remaining drinking window until at least 2025, probably longer.
UPDATE 10.03.2020: Ten days after opening, the nose has developed the fruit notes further, into more tropical sweet, ripe fruits like mango, honeydew melon and a smoky hint of Lapsang Souchong. Wonderful. (90-91p). The taste has not changed much other than perhaps presenting a little softer mouthfeel. (remaining at 89p). I up the TOTAL SCORE by 1 to 90 points.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
12/24/2017 - Frank S. wrote: flawed
Re: Corked 2002 Tahbilk Marsanne.
Uncorking was problematic. Cork seperated halfway and had scungy oderous Gray brown sections. Base of cork was Gray and smelt unpleasant. Had to dig it out with a spoon handle. On pouring the 2002 Marsanne, of which I still have 8 bottles, the last vintage with corks. From 2003 on all have Stelvin/screw caps. I have half a dozen of those. The nose is weak, musty and unfortunately missing the full flavourful bouquet of a healthy Marsanne. NOT a nice drop and as I was having it with our Christmas dinner and a major disappointment and embarrassment. A very good illustration of why Stelvin Caps are an essential on good quality wines. I remember when Stelvin Caps were first started being used on quality wine around 15 years ago it caused a bit of an uproar as only soft drinks and cheapies had screw caps. This Tahbilk 2002 Marsanne, one of my favourite drops, is a good reason why Stelvin are now used on Australian wines almost exclusively. I know in Europe at, least any wines without a cork are viewed with suspicion, as "only Plonk and Soft drinks have screw caps". I'm looking forward to trying the rest of my 2002 Cork closure Tahbilk Marsannes over the next month or so, with my fingers crossed that they haven't been corked and exhibit the wonderful full flavours of a mature Marsanne that I so love.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/22/2017 - vassnesen wrote: 89 Points
Deep, dark yellow. Much like previous note. Open nose of peach and balsamic tones. A touch of oxidity. Good mouthful of peach and honeysuccle fruit. Complex. Long slighly bitter finish. Drink soon.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/17/2017 - vassnesen wrote: 89 Points
Dark, deep yellow.
Open nose of peach, honey with a slight touch of oxidaty. Full mouthfeel, concentrated, some acid left with a long salty, honeysuccle finish. Good wine. Drink up.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment