Retrospective Tasting Series – museum wines tasting notes from April 2023
by Allister Ashmead
On 22 April we held another tasting in our Retrospective Series, opening some museum wines from our cellar to see where these wines are in their evolution. Today we are sharing our tasting notes about the museum wines we opened.
If you love museum wines, our Retrospective Series tastings at our Barossa Cellar Door look at museum wines from the Estate and Exceptional Sites Ranges all the way to our flagships Ashmead Cabernet Sauvignon and Command Shiraz. There is one event still remaining in this series – on 27 May – where we will open six back vintage wines from across our range – all the details are at the bottom of this post.
Museum wine tasting notes
1994 Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon
A gentile, sweet fruited Cabernet that is looking good considering it has almost 30 years behind it. It is very pretty with red fruits and the wine has very much mellowed over time. Whilst still showing good acidity, the wine now shows only the gentlest of tannin profile. A lovely walk down memory lane, but time to drink if you still have it in the cellar.
Our recommendation – drink now
1998 Barossa Shiraz
What a wine! At 25 years of age this one is a beauty. All the hallmarks of great Barossa Shiraz the wine shows layers of black plums, vanilla and Christmas cake spices. The wine is holding its structure admirably and clearly still has an immense amount of tannin holding the wine together. Such a pleasure.
Our recommendation – drink now or in the next couple of years
2001 CSM
The last bottling before this wine became the Ode to Lorraine. 2001 being a fairly hot year in the Barossa, the Shiraz component seems quite dominant with sweet plums and milk chocolate being a feature. The wine is holding its own, being soft and delicious – but I feel this is a drink now proposition if anyone still has it in their cellar.
Our recommendation – drink now
2009 Neil Ashmead Grand Tourer Shiraz
This wine got better and better in the glass as it got the chance to breathe. The wine itself was showing some mulberry and raspberry characters, with some exotic spice and orange rind coming through on the finish. The wine is showing off some classy French oak and finishes with a great acid line.
Our recommendation – hold or drink – depending on personal drinking preferences
1999 Ashmead Cabernet Sauvignon
5 Stars! This wine was such a pleasure to behold. Deep, rich, dark fruited with beautiful lush tannins ensuring the wine having wondrous structure and length. The wine is absolutely the complete package, completely showcasing the Ashmead’s dream to make a Cabernet that can take on the best of the best Cabernets of the world.
Our recommendation – hold or drink – depending on personal drinking preferences
2004 Command Shiraz
This bottle when first opened looked (tasted) pretty ordinary, however with some time in a decanter the wine transformed beautifully. So be patient and prepare ahead of time of wanting to enjoy this vintage!
The resultant wine being an outstanding example of super old vine Barossa Shiraz at its best. Big and brooding the wine is all exotic dark chocolate and fruits of the forest. Great integration of oak supplies the wine with a beautiful structure and length. A very special vintage from a very special vineyard. If these are cellared well, so good now but will go long term.
Our recommendation – hold or drink – depending on personal drinking preferences
Elderton Retrospective Tasting – upcoming event dates at Cellar Door
There is one event left in our Retrospective Tasting Series and there are limited tickets remaining if you’d like to join us.
Where: Elderton Cellar Door
Time: 11am
Duration: 1.5 hours
At each session we select different vintages to explore in the Elderton Retrospective Tasting Flight. Includes an accompanying cheese plate and at the end of the flight you’ll be invited to head to the bar for a complimentary tasting of new releases and to purchase an exclusive allocation of museum releases.
