I was in the mood to try something off the beaten path, and I found this in the locker the other week. The color is still darkish purple-red, with just a touch of lighter bits around the edges of the glass.
It starts off with an intense minty nose that only grows into an even more intense minty/eucalyptus aroma that begins to add some road tar and herbs behind the mint. The flavors follow the nose, with quite a bit of ripe berry fruit and tangy acidity. But it’s not an alcoholic Aussie oozemonster by any means; 13.6% alcohol per the label. I understand the Wendourees can be closed and tannic when young, but this bottle is really starting to show very, very nicely. It still could probably improve with another 5-10 years in the cellar, and a “wow” to “wow plus” for me. It would be fantastic with marinated grilled lamb.
Bruce
It seems that talking about Shiraz around here is pretty much akin to having a disease. But thanks for the enjoyable note.
Bruce,
Thanks for opening a bottle and posting a note. Nice to see someone posting a note on a 1996 Wendouree. Sounds like it is just starting to show the early signs of some maturity. The drinking window for Wendourees is typically vintage +20years onwards. Sounds like your bottle is consistent with this…
1996 is my elder son’s birth year. I was on the Wendouree mailing list back then and bought a bunch of the 1996’s (3 1/2 cases I think). The straight shiraz was A$30, the shiraz mataro $29 and the shiraz malbec $27. Also bought the cab sav and the cab malbec. All are still sleeping in my Melbourne storage unit, waiting patiently. I have a lot of Wendouree that is ageing slowly but surely waiting for its time…
I love the unique Wendouree character and style, glad you liked it…
Cheers Brodie
Thanks also. Wendouree is a producer that is essentially unknown here, but to a small number of people. The very few Wendouree wines I’ve had have all been outstanding or better. Really unfortunate they can’t be found here.
As far as I know, Wendouree is not imported to the U.S. I believe this must have been part of an order I sourced many years ago directly from Australia.
Bruce
Winex had a stock of misc. Wendouree I grabbed back in 2005, and I’ve run across a couple of bottles on Winebid. Very rare to find any here, you did well to buy some back then.
Have a single bottle of 99 Shiraz/Malbec (son’s birthyear). Bought it for $25 way back and glad I did. I’ve heard they age forever. Wish I had bought more.
Hi Mark, pretty much. If you are looking for a wine that your son can confidently drink on his 40th or 50th birthday, then Wendouree is a really good option. I have 1999 Wendouree’s for my younger son as well as it is his birth year.
Brodie
Thanks for the notes, Bruce. I’m a big Wendouree fan, but as you note, they are hard to come by there days Stateside (along with Rockford and several other of my Oz favorites)
I’ve liked all but one of the bottles I’ve had (and I suspect bad storage on that auction purchase). Almost impossible to find here (not that I have any trouble finding other things to drink).
Thanks Bruce. I think I have one bottle of Wendouree that I sourced at Winex around the time Alan mentions above, plus a couple of bottles I bought when in Australia for my honeymoon a decade ago. Have yet to try any of them, given the reputation that the wines need extreme age.