Vintage Australian Tasting at Wine Watch

This tasting has become an annual event, featuring mostly wines that are over 10 years or older from the Australian continent. Many have criticized the wines of Australia that they will not age for the long term, but this is the fourth tasting that we have done since Robert Parker did his review featuring some of the top level Aussie wines that were over 10 years old and most of the best wines were still drinking very nicely. We have experienced the same phenomenon but we are still in our beginning stages of our scientific process of tasting through the top wines from the land down under that are reaching their peak years of maturity. Join us as we taste through eight of Aussies finest to see if they are standing up to the test of aging in bottle like the top wines from France, Italy and California. Wine Watch Caterings Toni Lampasone will be serving a few small courses to accompany the tasting wines, the fee for this event is $75 + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463. Tasting Wines: 2000 Munari Shiraz Central Victoria Price: $36.00 2001 Munari Shiraz Central Victoria Price: $45.00 This vintage will measure up to some of the greatest ever for southeast Australia. Mint chocolate chip cookie highlights surround the sweet black cherry/blackberry fruit in this little treasure. Thick, velvety texture on the tongue, a hedonistic wine gorgeous forward fruit, ripe but not over the top. Finish 45+ EXCELLENT + 2000 Three Hill Shiraz Margaret River Price: $45.00 1997 Cullen Cabernet/Merlot Margaret River Price: $49.25 2002 Bowen Estate Shiraz Coonawarra Price: $31.25 2001 Trevor Jones Shiraz Wild Witch Barossa Price: $71.25 2001 Marquis Philips Integrity McLaren Vale Price: $220.00 Quantity in Stock: 4 (99 points) The 2001 Shiraz Integrity (100% Shiraz) is virtually perfect. Both Sarah and Sparky Marquis, who have made some great wines, consider this the finest they have ever produced. I can't disagree, and those who love big, rich, concentrated, multidimensional Australian Shiraz may think I underscored it by a point. It possesses an inky/purple color as well as a magnificent nose of white flowers, blackberries, cassis, and a hint of espresso. Dense, with thrilling levels of concentration, a multi-tiered mid-palate, and sweet tannin in the 50-second finish, this wine was made from relatively young vines, and the alcohol is a lofty 16.2%, but that's irrelevant when tasting a wine that is this perfectly balanced and compelling. Anticipated maturity:2004-2020. Wine Advocate #143, Oct 2002 1999 John's Blend Langhorn Creek Australia Price: $50.75 Quantity in Stock: 10 1999 Greenock Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Roenfelt Reserve Barossa Price: $375.00 Quantity in Stock: 3 (97 )The 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Roennfeldt Road is a 100% Cabernet from 65-year-old vines cropped at .75 tons of fruit per acre that spent 36 months in 100% new oak. The most extraordinary Cabernet Sauvignon produced in Australia, it possesses superb creme de cassis and black fruit characteristics interwoven with notions of graphite, minerals, spice box, cedar, and mint. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025.Wine Advocate # 161 Oct 2005 Buller Calliope Rare Muscat Australia (375ml) Price: $82.50 Quantity in Stock: 3 (96 Points) The Calliope Rare Muscat’s light amber color is followed by an intoxicating fragrance that includes scents of prunes, figs, maple syrup, molasses, and gobs of fruit. The glycerin is extraordinary, the acid level provides freshness and definition, and the finish lasts over a minute. This blend represents the newest bottled offerings from this Rutherglen producer, an area that produces spectacular fortifieds, especially the Muscats and Tokays (actually Muscadelle). Its freshness, good acidity, soaring aromatics, and unctuous flavors must be tasted to be believed. Wine Advocate # 161 Oct 2005 R.L. Buller & Son was founded in 1921 by the grandfather of Andrew Buller, the current winemaker. The winery remains one of the benchmarks in the production of fortified sweet wines from the warm terroir of Rutherglen. Wine Advocate # 181 Feb 2009 Menu