A couple of dinners/luncheons this week with just about everything opened of excellent/outstanding quality. The standout was the surreal 1985 Mount Mary.
Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Cru "Clos des Chenes" 1997 - an excellent pinot from an almost universally maligned vintage. Ready to go, mostly bing cherry fruit, some lovely earthy/sappy undertones on an elegant frame with very good grip on a sustained and balanced departure. 90 points.
Mount Mary 1985 Cabernets - positively brilliant offering still going strong and with plenty of juice in the tank. Holding a remarkable hue, some barnyardy notes interdispersed with deepset blackcurrant and plum fruit with traces of cedar, cigar box, olive, sweet earth and dried herbs - remininscent of a top St. Julien. Similarly-etched palate, plenty of herb- and earth-tinged black fruits, medium-body, marvellous line, outstanding structure, still very much alive and a svelte, sexy finish of considerable duration. Almost exceptional. 94 points. Drink now -2014.
Orlando Lawsons Padthaway Shiraz 1991 - incredibly dark, deep colour. Nose reeks of dill, cedar, vanilla, tarry blackberry fruit, creosote with strong top notes of menthol, peppermint and a little eucalyptus. Boldly fruited on the palate with plenty more of the same tarry new US oak and resolute matching acid and tannin holding the wine together. Not a style I'm not particularly endowed to but, technically, a very good example of Aussie shiraz from a very good year, although other bottles from my stash have been somewhat better. 89 points. Drink now - 2016+.
Seppelt Dorrien Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 - brimming with gorgeous sweet chocolatey black fruit, savoury French oak and riddled with exemplary fine-grained tannins. Seemingly, has not budged for years, sitting on an extended drinking plateau. Complete, beautifully wrought and testimony to the old vines from whence it came. 91 points. Drink now - 2012.
Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon 2004 - of very good/excellent quality (as generally is the case) but the really big news here is I bought this for 8 bucks a bottle and it's now in screwcap!
Vincent Girardin Mersault 1er Cru "Perrieres" 2004 - a seriously good example laden with nutty oak, butter, slightly reticent green stone fruits but possesses a very classy palate; wonderful creamy mouthfeel, excellent structure and terrific length. Enjoyed it greatly but I don't think this is for the long haul. 92 points. Drink now - 2012.
Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 1996 - mature hue, nicely structured wine, probably nearing its peak drinking window. I was slightly taken back by an offputting tarry/creosote oak character that marginally spoiled what was otherwise an excellent example. 90 points.
). BTW, I paid a little over $60AUS for this late last year on the secondary market.
). I'm constantly amazed at just how inexpensive so many of these great Hunter Semillons are. Meanwhile, RP's critiques on Mount Mary unfortunately haven't done much to lower their value in the US. Still bloody pricey here, which is unfortunate. (Oh well, at least I have my Coonawarra Cabs. Thinking of popping the top on one of my Parker Terra Rossas in the next week or so...)