I bought a lot of 1996 Aussie reds… We were living in Melbourne at the time, I was on some good mailing lists. It was my son’s birth year and it was a really good vintage in most areas. Well those were my excuses at the time.
Time has past and I can’t believe it is now 20 years past vintage. All were bought on release (mailing list for Wendouree, Rockford and Yarra Yering). I have recently been reunited with my Aussie cellar, so when a friend decided to come over to drink some wine, it seemed like a good opportunity to try some.
Bottom line: All have aged gracefully and all have plenty left in the tank. Four very different wines, with distinct personalities and none were over ripe or over oaked or over extracted. A nice tribute to the diversity of Aussie wine makers and wine styles. All were under cork and were decanted for 2-3 hours
1996 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz: From the Barossa Valley, this is Rockford’s flagship wine and made from old vines from a variety of vineyards. This was the most mature, medium to dark red with some bricking. Nose was fruit cake and plummy red fruits. Palate was rich and harmonious with more plum and earth. Good finish with soft tannins and enough acidity to keep it fresh. A very traditional style of Barossa shiraz, a bit like a warm woolen jersey on a cold day; warm and soft and comforting. Not especially complex but very good drinking and surprisingly elegant. I would say fully mature and ready to go but will hold for 5 years
1996 Wendouree Shiraz: Famous Clare Valley winery and their most sought after wine. Made from a blend of 1910 and 1940 plantings I think from memory. Most youthful of the bunch, dark red without much sign of ageing , some eucalyptus/menthol on the nose, very powerful structured and intense with dark fruits and spice. Beautiful youthful example of a Wendouree Shiraz as it is quite approachable and very enjoyable. The rather uncompromising structure of this wine is impressive and quite along way out of the Oz mainstream. The tannins were a bit Nebbiolo like in the sense that they got more pronounced as time went on. I bought a whole case of this, this was first bottle; wait 10 years for the next bottle. Very optimistic as it has the fruit depth to handle the structure. Good for my son’s 50th I reckon.
1996 Best’s Great Western Thomson Family Shiraz:. This is Best’s flagship old vine shiraz, conveniently with the my family name. This is a bit like a half way house between the softness and plushness of the Rockford and power and structure of the Wendouree. Also a youthful dark red colour. A bit more fruity and some gentle vanilla/spice oak notes than the Wendouree on the nose. Some milk chocolate notes on the palate. Very polished and well made in a sophisticated way. Balanced and poised with lots of depth to the flavour profile. Nicely integrated and quite seamless. Lovely wine and also quite youthful, keep 5+ years easy.
1996 Yarra Yering Dry Red No.1: Definitely the odd man out. A cool climate Cabernet blend from the Yarra Valley. After the big ripe Shiraz wines this was a bit leafy and green on the nose. Palate wqas bdx like with lots of cassis. Very refined fine grained tannins. Acidity was a bit too noticeable and stuck out on the finish. Better with food for sure. Still quite young but not sure where it will go. I love Yarra Yering wines but this was a bit too cool climate for me…
Two weeks ago I went to a dinner where good wines were poured. I opened a 1996 Burge Draycott Reserve shiraz and it clearly outclassed the other wines. Thanks for these notes.
We are tooling up for a Wendouree tasting/dinner/event in early June. It’s rarer than hen’s teeth in New York and almost impossible to source, but I have one, Salil has one or two and we have found a few other people with bottles. It’s too bad that it doesn’t make it across the ocean. The one bottle I had was outstanding. A friend of mine was even unable to get a bottle when down under on business.
Not that easy to find if you aren’t on the mailing list, and getting on the mailing list is a long way from easy these days too. If you are lucky enough to be on the mailing list, the wines themselves are not highly priced considering the scarcity. I can’t think of another Australian mailing list that poses many of the challenges I read about on this board here with some of the Californian wines.
Hi Paul, ah the good old days. When I joined the mailing list in 1994, I wrote a letter to the winery asking to be added. Got an allocation the same year and received a full unrestricted allocation the second. None of this pen/crayon marking business.
Back then you could buy the Shiraz by the full case of 12 bottles. I wanted to buy all the wines being offered, so usually it meant I ended up buying 3-4 cases per year. The only wine that was somewhat restricted back then was the straight Cab Sav. I have only just started drinking the wines and so far the 20+ year wait has been worth it.
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Hi Clayton, yes both very good vintages (especially in Sth Aust). I am surprised 1994 is not on your list? Another 1990s vintage that I really like. Both 1994 and 1996 had nice balance and structure without being too big (like 1998 for example).
woah, thanks. I have a '96 Wendouree I was planning to open soon - oldest one I’ve ever had a shot at - I think the shiraz-mataro. Guess I will put it away for awhile.
I liked the 94s in their youth to middle age. The handful I have had in the last few years have seemed much more mature than the 96s. Maybe a similar weight without as much structure?
Thanks for the notes, Brodie. I have a 1999 Best’s Concongella Cabernet I’m hoping to crack into soon, which your post inspired me to do sooner rather than later.
I cracked one of my 1996 Rockford Basket Press last night, and the bottle mirrored your notes. Fully resolved, lots of plum on the nose and palate, and still a fair lift. Quite a hit at the table
Been on the Wendouree mailing list for 2 decades.
Some times considered a polarising style. Some love it and others cannot see the fuss. Latter is especially true if you have purchased a bottle from a retailer or especially from a restaurant wine list where the mark ups are eye watering. I have seen it priced at $400 a bottle when the ex-cellar door price is $50.
Then there is the issue where there is a change in style from 2002 or perhaps 2004 with more accessible wines being made. And then the move to screw caps.
Had the 2012 Best Thompson late last year. Whilst good it was not as extraordinary as the critics have annointed it. May be its just too young.
I liked the 1992 and 1995 versions. 1998 I thought was too big and brawny - sold my wines at auction and did not buy any until 2012.
The price for the Best Thompson has indeed gone up. I think the Best Bin 0 is a better QPR.
Thanks for the notes, 96 was always a very good vintage in SA and Vic. Purchased a 96 Rockford SVS Flaxman recently - will be interesting to see how that performs.
By the way attended an amazing tasting recently with Coonawarra Cabs stretching back to '59. Will post some notes when I have a chance.
As I was that “friend”, I would just like to say that that was one of my better ideas.
To me the Wendouree was very Grange like in its structure and flavour profile, and as Brodie said, although approachable now, this wine will live for decades to come.
The Rockford was the most perplexing to me, served first and blind I picked it as a cab/sav…much to Brodie’s amusement. Fully evolved, soft, savoury maybe even a little in decline?.. we will have to try that one again.
The Best’s was the most polished and new world-ish Oz, lush, plush beautifully balanced with a vibrant fruity character and great acidity.
And the Yarra, I think Brodie is being a bit hard on this wine. A great food wine just need something rich and slowly cooked to match its structure.
…now just need to work on another great idea…
