Elderton Retrospective Tasting Event – thoughts on the wines from Allister, Jodhi and Ron
When planning our cellar door events for the coming spring / summer, we thought it would be really interesting to look at some museum wines. So we have created the Elderton Retrospective Series!
We will be just as excited as you to see where these wines are in their evolution – we’ll be looking at all the favourites from the Estate and Exceptional Sites Ranges all the way to our flagships Ashmead Cabernet Sauvignon and Command Shiraz. We invite you to join us for one of the upcoming tasting experiences where we will open six back vintage wines from across our range – all the details are at the bottom of this post.
The first Elderton Retrospective Series event was held on 27 August 2022, and today Allister, Jodhi and Ron are sharing their thoughts on the wines we opened:
Museum wine tastings
1998 Ashmead Cabernet Sauvignon
Wow, so complete. Rich, plush and delicious. Nose of dark fruits, some mint and licorice. Blackberry once the air has hit it. Palate is complex, rich and sweet fruited, with licks of leather and rubbed tobacco. Long finish with acid still delicately poised.
Our recommendation – drink now or in the next 10 years
1993 Command Shiraz
Sweet earth aroma with hint of smoked meats and stewed forest fruits. Palate delicate with summer berries and red cedar lifted from the sweet macerated fruits. Lingering tobacco and cedar on finish. Handled decanting well, and still looked reasonably solid after an hour or two in the glass.
Our recommendation – drink now
1991 Estate Shiraz
A rockstar after 30 years in the bottle. Perfume is subtle and quite fresh. Acid and tannin has some perceptible structure though integration is all but complete. Palate is pure, earth and macerated red fruits with a pleasing dusting of oak on the finish.
Our recommendation – drink now
2004 Ode to Lorraine
Bottle slightly compromised from wine travel up the cork.
Time has mellowed this wine nicely, with aromas of truffle and porcini which announces the character clearly. Dark plum and cassis with crushed aromatic spices garnish a viscous and persistently rich palate. Finish is clean smooth and lingering.
Our recommendation – drink now or in the next 2 – 5 years
2012 Neil Ashmead Grand Tourer Shiraz
Gunpowder, burnt fig, and dark red fruits on the perfume. Palate of quince, prune and tobacco with a strong yet silky grip. Great minerality in this wine. Dark chocolate and espresso notes linger. A mid weighted, modern and delicious Shiraz that has got plenty of legs left in it.
Our recommendation – drink now or in the next 8 – 10 years
2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Fully ripe aromas with elegant character. Blueberry and dried plum flavours compliment a fine chalky feel finishing with black currant and mulberry. A great result from a much warmer than average harvest.
Our recommendation – drink now or in the next 3 – 6 years
Elderton Retrospective Tasting – upcoming event dates at Cellar Door
The upcoming dates are:
Saturday, 5 November 2022
Saturday, 25 February 2023
Saturday, 23 April 2023
Saturday, 27 May 2023
Where: Elderton Cellar Door
Time: 11am
Duration: 1.5 hours
Each session we’ll select different vintages to explore in the Elderton Retrospective Tasting Flight which will include 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.
