by Geoff Kelly
Wines
suited to cellaring are not necessarily expensive, stand out in judgings, or
initially appeal. Geoff draws on 40 years of cellaring wines, plus
wine-writing, research and judging experience, to suggest a few which will
reward over time…
A couple of the wines encountered in
the Easter Show seemed to me really worth cellaring, and may be of interest.
2010 Matua
Valley Syrah
Hawkes Bay
Reserve
After some years of rather modest
wines, lately there have been some exciting new developments at Matua Valley.
One example is this lovely fragrant syrah. It is not the deepest, darkest or most oaky syrah around (praise be),
and its elevation with a part-stainless-steel component may not guarantee the
longest cellar life (more than 10 years), but with its lovely varietal
florality and berry, lightest sweet black pepper and cassis palate, and
affordable price, who cares. Cellar 3 – 8 years. Retail: $14.95
2009 Church Road Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot Reserve
Colour is sensational midnight-dark
magenta. The bouquet is darkest black
doris plums, cedar, and cassis, and the palate is velvet, extraordinarily rich
by New Zealand
standards. The best of the Church Road Cabernet / Merlot Reserves are quite
simply some of New Zealand's
best Hawke's Bay / Bordeaux
blends. This wine is as good as any Tom,
so far, and will cellar remarkably well, for 10 – 30 years (if you like really
old wine).
Retail: $43.95, Special Price: $32.95
2007 Guigal Cotes
du Rhone
Over the
years Guigal's Cotes du Rhone has built up an enviable reputation as a
good-value and reliable wine. In fact it has been rather changing its character,
from a grenache-dominant wine a generation ago, to one which now is more syrah-dominated.
Unfortunately the southern Rhone is a bit hot
for quality syrah, so one has to check this Guigal offering more carefully
nowadays. The 2007 is a very good one,
soft, slightly savoury, versatile with food, and cellar-worthy. Just ensure you
decant it before serving, so it has a chance to breathe. Retail: $26.55, Special Price $21.55
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