Montana Marlborough Rhine Riesling 1981 – 1994

Here are my brief comments of a tasting of some of the earliest Montana Marlborough Rhine Rieslings, the last bottles of these from my old cellar. Most of these wines have been tasted and noted here before, and all are in reality well past their best now, but surprises are always in store. The wines were tasted oldest to youngest and in groups of three:

1981: Deep golden orange colour, this is shy, but with a solid and densely presented nose of slightly spoilt beeswax, not quite clean. Medium-dry, this is rather light in flavour, over-ripe citrus fruits, lozenges, soft in mouthfeel, but still with acidity. Honied notes on the aftertaste. This has residual honey characters showing some integrity. 10.5% alc. 13.0/20
1982: Deep golden orange with a little yellow. This shows sharp oxidation on bouquet, some caramel coming through. Medium-sweet to taste, a honey and oxidative amalgam remains on palate along with crisp acidity. There is good mouthfeel, but unfortunately the oxidation is too prominent. Front label deteriorated, alcohol % unreadable. 12.0+/20
1983: Deep golden orange colour. Some TCA and soft oxidation to the fore, but with nuances of toastiness and a little kero. Medium-dry, this has an elegant proportion and fine textured mouthfeel and core. Toasty elements with oxidation, but still with acid vitality. This bottle faded and probably tainted. Past low shoulder ullage equivalence. 11.5% alc. 10.5/20

1984: Deep golden orange colour, the nose has an unusual mix of herbaceous, sappy and herbal aromatics alongside lozenge and caramel, and a nuance of oxidation. Off-dry, this is light-bodied, thin, herbaceous in flavour with harsh acidity. Weak and watery in the wine department, and reflecting the cool vintage, but curiously not dead. Unpleasant. 11.5% alc. 9.5+/20
1985: Bright golden-yellow with lemon hues. This has a soft, gentle and integrated nose with wild honey and toast notes, building in depth. Medium-dry, this features succulent honey and sherbet flavours with toast, underlined by clean, soft acid. Quite complete and without overly broad, this is extremely developed, but still very attractive. This became dry with air time. 12.0% alc. 18.5-/20
1986: Deep golden orange in colour, not bright. The bouquet is marked by sherryish oxidation, quite firm and hard. Medium on palate, oxidation rules, but there is a lively sweetness and succulence from an esters lift that provides a modicum of appeal. 12.0% alc. 12.0/20

1987: Light golden yellow colour, this has freshness and an elegance on bouquet, honey, toast and some dried flowers. Medium in sweetness, there is some weight and a core to the palate line, with flavours of honey, sherbet and esters, the acidity quite soft. A touch drying on the finish, but in remarkable condition, showing no oxidation. 12.0% alc., 13 g/L rs, TA 7.5 g/L, pH 3.38. 17.5-/20
1988: Deep, orange gold in colour, the nose is sharp and oxidised, and quite light in expression. Medium-dry, this is very light in weight, but showing honey and lozenge flavours and burnt honey, the oxidation present, but not rampant. Good acidity carries the finish with length. Cyclone Bola vintage, with a little effect in Marlborough only. 12.0% alc., 12 g/L rs, TA 7.5 g/L, pH 3.4. 11.0-/20
1989: Deep, golden orange colour, this has a full, broad and open nose of caramel and toffee, with over-ripe tropical fruits, suggesting botrytis. Medium in sweetness, the palate is soft and gently presented, showing light and attractive flavours of toffee and burnt honey, a little flabby, but with residual acidity. No noticeable oxidation, but the fruit has pretty much faded. 12.5% alc., 14 g/L rs, TA 7.5 g/L, pH 3.4. 15.5/20

1990: Light golden-orange colour with yellow hues. This has a light honied nose with notes of caramel and an element of oxidation. Medium-dry and light weighted, honey and toast flavours feature, and attractive caramel notes emerge. The palate verges on thinness and the acidity is somewhat flat, but the softness and delicacy are positives. 11.5% alc., 13 g/L rs, TA 7.1 g/L, pH 3.2. 12.5/20
1991: Bright, light golden yellow colour. The nose is composed of yellow florals with honey, alongside notes of toast with fresh herbs. Medium-dry to taste, this is an elegantly proportioned wine with subtle and ethereal flavours of flowers, lime fruit and honey. The toasty characters are restrained. Fresh, lively acids are present, but in the final analysis somewhat on the thin side. 12.0% alc. 15.5/20

1993: Deep, light golden colour, the nose is marred by TCA cork taint which results in a herbal grubbiness to the aromatics of ripe citrus fruit. Off-dry to taste, this is light and even in expression, with gentle honey and toast notes to the citrus fruit. The TCA intrudes and builds in dirtiness and flattens the palate. 12.0% alc. 11.5/20
1994: Bright, even, light golden yellow colour, this has a fine and tightly bound bouquet, somewhat shy. Limes, honey and subtle toasty aromas are melded together. Medium-dry, this is gentle and easy, light in body, and quite subtle in flavour expression. Yellow florals, hints of honey, some lusciousness, and gentle nuances carry through on a good finish. There is balanced acidity contributing to the harmony, but in essence uncomplicated. Pleasant and textbook stuff, but in good condition for its age. 11.5% alc. 16.0+/20

There you are. They've all gone now. Phew! But wait.....there's other treasure to come...