Spent the weekend in Bundaberg for a conference. This is a town famous for its rum, of which I can’t say any passed my lips during our stay. We did however find a restaurant that had a pretty decent list of wines at pricing that was outrageously good value.
1994 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (6/17/2014)
We had two magnums of this after the 96 from the same format and both of them were quite a bit fresher. They both had complex aromatics of smoky minerals, fig, ripe peach, mushroom and toast. In the mouth the wine is rich with good power and at its heart there is a sweet core of orchard fruits. The finish is still lively with a suggestion of citrus and length of flavour is excellent.
1995 Domaine Dujac Morey St. Denis - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis (6/17/2014)
Spicy, smoky, meaty, sappy, fruity, whole bunchy, rose petaly, slinky, silky…yummy.
1995 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d’Ampuis - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (6/17/2014)
Smoky and meaty with some vanilla, liquorice and raspberry fruit. A little heavy in the mouth with plenty of leather and tar development. Nice wine but doesn’t feel like its going anywhere special.
1996 Cullen Wines Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot (Diana Madeline) - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (6/17/2014)
From magnum this was fantastic. It is a wine of impeccable balance. You get perfectly ripe cassis fruit that is texturally creamy. There’s a touch of earth and a little tobacco to the flavour profile. It is voluminous, coating the palate with fruit and savoury things and finishing with bright acidity and tannins that are sweet and round
1996 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (6/17/2014)
From magnum this was developed but still quite enjoyable. There are notes of crème brulee, butterscotch, fig, toast, mushroom, and ripe peach. It is full in the mouth with acidity that is gentle. Length of flavour is decent.
1996 Penfolds Shiraz St. Henri - Australia, South Australia (6/17/2014)
Drinking really well right now. There’s still plenty of blueberry and blood plum fruit coupled with some leather and chocolate development. It is nicely balanced and the ripe fruits are underpinned by minerally acidity. There’s a refreshing crispness to the finish and plenty of savoury nuance once the wine is swallowed.
1998 Jim Barry Shiraz The Armagh - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley (6/17/2014)
Still very fresh with ripe blueberry, cassis and blood plum fruit that just stops short at being dare I say ‘slutty’. It is a crowd pleaser, big and dense with creamy oak and sweet, round tannins. It still should continue for another decade or two.
Wow I can’t believe you found that list in Bundy- that is better than many Brisbane restaurants.
regards
michel
Nice work Jeremy. I am also surprised you found those wines in Bundaberg. I couldn’t agree more on the 1996 St. Henri, I had a glass with a handful of wine mates a couple months ago and it was easily our WOTN.