There is a rather intemperate argument going on rec.food.cooking about
aging white wine for 12 or more years. I admit I drink mine long before
such a date but what white wines, excluding some Sauternes, Tokays and
Chateau d'Yquem, would be worth saving that long? Are there any
Australian or New Zealand wines that would be worth ageing?

--
Jim Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

On Feb 7, 3:22*pm, "James Silverton" >
wrote:
> There is a rather intemperate argument going on rec.food.cooking about
> aging white wine for 12 or more years. I admit I drink mine long before
> such a date but what white wines, excluding some Sauternes, Tokays and
> Chateau d'Yquem, would be worth saving that long? Are *there any
> Australian or New Zealand wines that would be worth ageing?
>
> --
> Jim Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland

Australian Semillon has a rep for aging well for a couple decades, and
better dry Clare Rieslings certainly can age 12 years.

To the more general question of non-dessert wines worth saving that
long, the first few that come to mind:
Chardonnay: 1er Cru and Grand Cru Burgundy. The PremOx issue has
raised questions about vintages since 96, but I've had great wines
from 80s and early 90s in last couple years. California -12 is pushing
it for most, but certainly some Stony Hills and Montelenas I've had
have lasted longer than that.
Chenin- Sec and Demi-Sec Vouvray. Huet can do 20 years without trying.
Good Savennieres can do 12, easy.
Riesling: the ultimate contender. Trimbach's Clos Ste Hune (73 is
wonderful) and CFE. Better Austrians. Thousands of Germans, at
different pradikat level.
Then there's traditional white Rioja. Pepe Trebbiano, A few Sauvignon
Blancs like Vatan (more a question of taste, I'm not so sure you gain
much after a few years). Bordeaux blanc.

Most whites won't last 12 years gracefully, but neither will most
reds. Overall, probably more reds will do 12 well than whites, but the
whites that age well are very very numerous.

Don't know about NZ whites but I've had some Australian rieslings and
semillons of of considerable age.
Hunter Valley semillons (dry) back to the 1950s have come up well. I once
had a 1934 Yalumba riesling that still had a little fruit in it - along with
expected oxidation.
I've no hesitation in recommending Clare Valley rieslings for longish
(10 -20 yrs) storage. Australian and NZ sauvignon blancs are I reckon a
drink now proposition across the board.
As a one-off the Tahbilk Marsanne - of which I've had a few decades old
offerings - age wonderfully.
French: Back in the early '80s I had a bottle of the '45 Moulin Touchais -
hardly any sign of age that I could see in colour or taste - one of the best
whites I have ever had.
Haven't seen it in Australia for years - where do they sell it?
Cheers!

Martin

www.thewineblog.net
"James Silverton" > wrote in message
...
> There is a rather intemperate argument going on rec.food.cooking about
> aging white wine for 12 or more years. I admit I drink mine long before
> such a date but what white wines, excluding some Sauternes, Tokays and
> Chateau d'Yquem, would be worth saving that long? Are there any
> Australian or New Zealand wines that would be worth ageing?
>
> --
> Jim Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland

"Martin Field" > wrote in message
. au...
> Don't know about NZ whites but I've had some Australian rieslings and
> semillons of of considerable age.
> Hunter Valley semillons (dry) back to the 1950s have come up well. I once
> had a 1934 Yalumba riesling that still had a little fruit in it - along
> with expected oxidation.
> I've no hesitation in recommending Clare Valley rieslings for longish
> (10 -20 yrs) storage. Australian and NZ sauvignon blancs are I reckon a
> drink now proposition across the board.
> As a one-off the Tahbilk Marsanne - of which I've had a few decades old
> offerings - age wonderfully.
> French: Back in the early '80s I had a bottle of the '45 Moulin Touchais -
> hardly any sign of age that I could see in colour or taste - one of the
> best whites I have ever had.
> Haven't seen it in Australia for years - where do they sell it?
> Cheers!
>
> Martin
>
> www.thewineblog.net
> "James Silverton" > wrote in message
> ...
>> There is a rather intemperate argument going on rec.food.cooking about
>> aging white wine for 12 or more years. I admit I drink mine long before
>> such a date but what white wines, excluding some Sauternes, Tokays and
>> Chateau d'Yquem, would be worth saving that long? Are there any
>> Australian or New Zealand wines that would be worth ageing?
>>
>> --
>> Jim Silverton
>> Potomac, Maryland

Just woke up (literally) - meant to put that post here - not on top - next
time.
Cheers!
Martin

"James Silverton" > wrote in message
...
> There is a rather intemperate argument going on rec.food.cooking about
> aging white wine for 12 or more years. I admit I drink mine long before
> such a date but what white wines, excluding some Sauternes, Tokays and
> Chateau d'Yquem, would be worth saving that long? Are there any
> Australian or New Zealand wines that would be worth ageing?
>
> --
> Jim Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland
>
I've had a fair number of barrel aged single vineyard chardonnays that are
over ten years. As long as the cork is intact, and the ullage isn't any to
speak of, and it has been cellared at an appropriate temp they tend to be
very drinkable. I've had some quite a bit older than 12 years.

Note this, from "Flagship Wines" flagshipwines.com regarding the Rosemount
Chardonnay.

"Hand harvested from one of Australia's oldest chardonnay vineyards, the
Roxburgh vineyard in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. This wine's unique
flavours reflect the 'terroir' and tiny yields of less than two tonnes per
acre. Fermented in new French oak with full malolactic fermentation and on
lees maturation, this complex wine will cellar for 10 years.
1998 Vintage
Warm, Dry conditions in November and December enabled favourable healthy
vine growth and berry development. The upper Hunter experienced more
favourable ripening conditions than the coastal affected vineyards down the
Valley, where rainfall was substantially heavier in the critical months
before harvest.
The favourable weather conditions allowed fruit to be hand harvested in
early February, showing great elegance and tremendous definition of varietal
flavour."

Kent





Kent