Settled Aussies

 There’s a lot of talk in and about the Aussie wine industry and the styles that are made.  It seems that elegance and finesse is becoming the only place to be, and the traditional wines of old are less desirable by the world.  That’d be a shame as the good old fashioned wines have their place in the world.  Sure the styles are gradually evolving and better wines the result.  But I reckon it’s good to be inclusive and each style for what it is.  The Aussies are going through a bit of a tough time in their wine life, and they’ve got to get to a position of being more comfortable with themselves.  Then the world will accept them more so.

We finally caught up with our Little Aussie Battler after a little break.  She’d worked through some life turmoil too, and she’s in a really good space.  We missed a significant event by a few days, so we were in catch up mode.  We celebrated with some Aussie wines very much settled in themselves, as she was

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One of my favourites and a classic, a 2006 Penfolds ‘Bin 389’ Cabernet Shiraz.  A baby by all means, even though it has seven years of age.  Black hearted in colour and character, packed full of dense fruit and sweetness, perfectly moderated by fine, dry tannins.  More Shiraz than Cabernet tonight with spices and a black pepper line.  Still tight, but oozing fruit lusciousness in the glass.  Nice integrated oaking, but definitely there.  Baby Grange?  Quite possibly, and this will keep another 20+ years, maybe even longer.  A match with the venison.

Then a birth year wine, for the Battler and one year older than Donski.  A 1972 Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon.  Still dark ruby at the heart of the glass with some garnet/bricking on edge.  Wonderful nose, still fresh with lovely cedary fruit aromas, soft red currants, and a whisker of resinous oak.  No green, no stalkiness, no animal funkiness.  Clean as a whistle.  Still commanding presence on the palate, but the tannins resolved.  Cedar and resin again, the mouthfeel soft and dry, but not drying or dried out.  A little more fruit sweetness and length would make it a super star instead of just a near star.  A treat to see a wine in its fourth decade.