Back in 1999, Prince dominated the airwaves and pre-millennium fever swept the world. We looked forward to millennium eve with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. 1999 was also a pretty decent vintage in many parts of southern Australia.
Our first ‘head-to-head’ tasting takes us back to the 1999 vintage and pairs two Cabernet-based wines from a couple of Australia’s premier wine producing regions; the Yarra Valley and Margaret River. We’ve selected two top shelf producers, Yarra Yarra and Voyager Estate.
Over a decade in bottle has seen the tannins melt into the background, yet both wines remain primary fruit driven, with no secondary complexity to speak of. Both are good wines, but one would want and, indeed expect, a bit more by way of interest given their status and price-tags. Perhaps a couple more years in the cellar will reveal whether Australia can measure up to Bordeaux in the Cabernet stakes?
1999 YARRA YARRA CABERNETS
Producer: Yarra Yarra Vineyard
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon et al
Vintage: 1999
Region: Yarra Valley, Victoria
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Format: 750ml
Date tasted: 15 September 2011
Tasting Note:
Mid ruby fading slightly at the rim. Aromatic nose of moderate intensity revealing mulberry and blackberry fruit intertwined with charcoal, mint and hung meat/charcuterie. Dry, medium bodied, plenty of up-front acidity, elegantly constituted, soft barely perceptible tannins, sweet fruited but savoury; mulberry, bilberry and blackberry. Although more than a decade post-vintage, the wine is still very much primary fruit driven, though the tannins have softened and are fully integrated. It will be interesting to see if secondary complexity develops. As it stands, it’s drinking well now, but should improve with another 2-3 years cellaring.
Score: 16.5/20
1999 VOYAGER ESTATE CABERNET MERLOT
Producer: Voyager Estate
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon et al
Vintage: 1999
Region: Margaret River, Western Australia
ABV: 14.2%
Closure: Natural cork
Format: 750ml
Date tasted: 15 September 2011
Tasting Note:
Deep ruby fading very slightly at the rim. Bold, forward nose of briar, cassis and lead pencil. There’s just a hint of green peppercorn. The palate is medium to full bodied and primary fruit driven; plum, briar and cassis. As is the case with the Yarra Yarra, the tannins are soft and fully integrated, yet the wine offers little by way of secondary complexity. Perhaps that will emerge with a few more years bottle ageing?
Score: 16/20
Our first ‘head-to-head’ tasting takes us back to the 1999 vintage and pairs two Cabernet-based wines from a couple of Australia’s premier wine producing regions; the Yarra Valley and Margaret River. We’ve selected two top shelf producers, Yarra Yarra and Voyager Estate.
Over a decade in bottle has seen the tannins melt into the background, yet both wines remain primary fruit driven, with no secondary complexity to speak of. Both are good wines, but one would want and, indeed expect, a bit more by way of interest given their status and price-tags. Perhaps a couple more years in the cellar will reveal whether Australia can measure up to Bordeaux in the Cabernet stakes?
1999 YARRA YARRA CABERNETSProducer: Yarra Yarra Vineyard
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon et al
Vintage: 1999
Region: Yarra Valley, Victoria
ABV: 13.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Format: 750ml
Date tasted: 15 September 2011
Tasting Note:
Mid ruby fading slightly at the rim. Aromatic nose of moderate intensity revealing mulberry and blackberry fruit intertwined with charcoal, mint and hung meat/charcuterie. Dry, medium bodied, plenty of up-front acidity, elegantly constituted, soft barely perceptible tannins, sweet fruited but savoury; mulberry, bilberry and blackberry. Although more than a decade post-vintage, the wine is still very much primary fruit driven, though the tannins have softened and are fully integrated. It will be interesting to see if secondary complexity develops. As it stands, it’s drinking well now, but should improve with another 2-3 years cellaring.
Score: 16.5/20
Producer: Voyager Estate
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon et al
Vintage: 1999
Region: Margaret River, Western Australia
ABV: 14.2%
Closure: Natural cork
Format: 750ml
Date tasted: 15 September 2011
Tasting Note:
Deep ruby fading very slightly at the rim. Bold, forward nose of briar, cassis and lead pencil. There’s just a hint of green peppercorn. The palate is medium to full bodied and primary fruit driven; plum, briar and cassis. As is the case with the Yarra Yarra, the tannins are soft and fully integrated, yet the wine offers little by way of secondary complexity. Perhaps that will emerge with a few more years bottle ageing?
Score: 16/20
