Rosemount, Traditional, McLaren Vale

At this age one should expect some bottle variation. Straight after opening the wine was very astringent with a fair bit of acidity, new rubber on the nose, liquorice and baking spice. It became good to very good and was delicious 3 hours later.

1998 vintage

I really did not know what to expect here and despite a browny/red colour the nose was positive and healthy. A remarkably rich wine and almost port like whilst initially I thought of fair quality but after a time it was clear this was not now, if ever, a food wine with little acidity or balance and by the end it was rather sickly in flavour. Could not even finish it which says it all.

1998 vintage

This really opens up after two hours. After one hour it is complex but lacking structure and verve. Then it comes and the complete wine emerges. Medium tannin medium plus acidity. Great fruit, balance and structure.

1999 vintage

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot blend. This is an intriguing combination of traditional claret (elegance) with something of the richness of McLaren Vale. If this sounds like a compromise infact it's a great success. Drinking well now but will last well at this level for 3-5 years I think.

1999 vintage

Still very refined although becoming a bit thin. Medium body with nice nose and color. Probably at or near it's end of life.

1998 vintage

Weekly tasting group #176; Mature New World wines (@ WW) : A somewhat special experience: At first the bouquet was very tertiary with tea, celery and currants. On the palate also celery, tea and cold coffee, some mocha and hardly any fresh acidity and completely melted tannin. However, after some more air time the wine became more fresh and improved considerably. Completely ready now and no score from me, but if you have any; try it and if necessary give …

1999 vintage

Well-aged nose, combining strong elements of fruit, oak, and alcohol. Notes of blackberry, bramble, eucalyptus, and charred wood. Palate is smooth and slippery, with a touch of glycerin thickness. Tannins are mostly resolved but still strong, and acid is also good. Powerful flavours of blackberry, black cherry, bay leaf, and liquorice, complemented by strong vanilla oak. Very good, but won't last much longer.

1998 vintage

Hope the rest of mine are as good. Seemed to be at peak or at least not much beyond that.

1997 vintage

This 25 anniversary vintage bottle was very aromatic and savoury. Still it's a beauty. Just needed some air. Brick colour for a Port-like nose. Delicious. On the palate rich and complex. Over the hill? Don't think so. Even with fifteen years, give it a try. Keeping the faith on Aussie elegance. Esta botella del 25 aniversario fue muy aromática y sabrosa. Todavía es una belleza. Sólo necesitaba algo de aire. Color anaranjado para una nariz a Oporto. Deliciosa. En boca …

1998 vintage

Sorry drank these at varies stages and neglected to record them. All can recall is they were delicious, and a big fat juicy Aussie wine.

1999 vintage

80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Petite Verdot. Mid neck fill. Excellent deep purple color with orange rims. A nice core of ripe fruit on palate with dusty tannins. No heat - 13.9% alcohol. Slightly beyond peak with hints of oxidized fruit. Nothing to be gained by holding on to this one. Some sediment. Would love to put this in a flight of 97 California Cabs! Drink up!

1997 vintage

Dark red. Dark black cherry fruit and something that smelled of earthy potatos. Quite nice black cherry flavours. Not too ripe but not too complex either.

1999 vintage

Bill's Monthly Lunch - September 2012 (Vancouver, BC) : Tasted blind. Dill on the nose with maturing dark red fruits and hints of earth. Soft tannins and fairly retrained in the mouth although the nose indicated a more lush and concentrated style. Blend of cab sauv/merlot/petit verdot. Very good.

1999 vintage

Very fragrant. Well aged. not a lot of tannins left. Pleasant but not very vibrant

1999 vintage

Losing intensity and falling rather thin - still somewhat flavorful but passed it's prime.

1998 vintage

If you have one of these still drink it now. It's excellent full mouth, grreat fruit and finish. Patience pays dividends. 2 hours decanted an still drinikng it 4 hours later

1999 vintage

Very full and fruity which is surprising for its age. Very little tannin. Easy drinking and quite pleasant.

1999 vintage

Good wine, just a bit fore-square. Chunky, dry fruit, tannins. One dimensional, but no faults.

1998 vintage

Drank this with a line up of older Bordeaux and it held its own but was noticabley different as it had no Cab Franc but instead was blended with some Petit Verdot. Dark with an interesting nose, well polished and muted fruit with a touch of anise. This ws the wine tht several of the wives at the table kept going back to. Not powerful but very smooth with a medium finish. Very pleasing to drink.

1997 vintage

Last bottle. Thought may have waited too long but while likely not to get better still great. Nice fruit and deep inky color. Nose opens up after a few minutes still very smooth.

1997 vintage

Tina and I shared this bottle with Brian and Tisha Galloway before I left on my second deployment of 2008.

1999 vintage

Great flavors of blackberry and plum with a hint of black cherries. Amazingly fresh and fruity for its age.

1999 vintage

Amazingly smooth wine. Well integrated cherry and raspberry flavor with a hint of eucalyptus and spice.

1999 vintage

My last bottle: Very deep and dark, blackish mahogany, with fade at rim. Ripe, warm climate fruit shows the cabernet sauvignon dominating on the nose. The American oak is nicely restrained. Fullish body, ripe and concentrated. The quite simple fruit is really mellow now, though the acid sticks out a bit. Quite plummy in the mouth, despite the dominant varietal. The fruit fades at the end. Still, very good plus.

1997 vintage

This has improved greatly since the last bottle I had. On the nose, cedar and plum. On the palate, dark, dark plum, bordering on prune. Nice toasty oak. Some earthy notes come through. Beautiful complexity and balance.

1999 vintage

Deepish, dark mahogany colour. Warm climate Bordeaux-blend nose, black fruit, obvious American oak. Soft mouth, fully resolved tannins, good sweet Cabernet fruit. A bit oaky, a bit rough in the middle palate and ends jaggedly. While there is still plenty of fruit, the wine is starting to thin out and dry up. Only good. Drink-up.

1998 vintage

Mystery horizontal that ended up as Australia 1997s (Hughes House - Chicago IL) : Double blind tasting. Simple fruit with a really dominant spicebox, I had trouble identifying if this was more Cabernet or Syrah! A very nice drinking wine but nothing special.

1997 vintage

WineFlock - 1997 Australian Horizontal (My House) : Group #8, My #7 - Full deep red color. Clean zingy red fruit nose. Lovely black cassis fruit with graphite nose and a really long finish. Suprisingly good.

1997 vintage

Deep rich ruby color with nose and flavor to match. Wonderful ripe cherries and plums with perhaps a hint of chocolate. Nicely balanced, full bodied with with some soft tannins. Lingering finish. Would still age nicely for a few more years.

1998 vintage

Fairly heavy leather taste initially. After decanting for a few hours, it mellowed nicely. Oaky with firm tannins, some dark fruit.

1999 vintage

Dark, deep nose of black cherry, blackcurrant, some mocha and the barest hint of leather. Full bodied and rich, with a satiny mouthfeel. Loads of ripe black fruits in the mouth, yet manages to stay fairly elegant with a medium level of acidity. Low tannin level. Excellent balance and a medium-long finish. Very enjoyable wine.

1999 vintage

Nice wine... Great flavors cherry and blueberry. Pleasant moderate finish. I would buy this again.

1999 vintage

Odd and a little bretty on day one. Not giving much now and I cannot see it improving.

1999 vintage

Interesting and enjoyable - well worth $12. Very fruit-forward. Nose of plum, cola and stewed tomato (but not in a bad way). Pepper notes on finish. Stayed interesting over 3 days. Might get a few more bottles.

1999 vintage

Deep, dark cherry skin red, fading at rim. Typical, mature, South Australian warm-climate cabernet-blend nose of very ripe and welcoming fruit. Oak is nicely restrained. Full body. Starts nicely, but finishes raspy and acidic. Soft tannins, but initially, this wine still seems quite brutal. Time in glass heals these wounds and the wine eventually won me over with the quality of the fruit. The wood is very nicely judged. I agree with the observation that this wine is just a …

1998 vintage

No notes, but this was a rich, smooth, medium-full bodied wine. Tasted more like a rhone blend (the GSM?) than a Bordeaux blend on the first night, but much improved on the second night. Nice texture and balance. Still some tannins and oak (tar notes, along with the blackfruits), so it will last a while yet, I would think. But very nice now!

1999 vintage

Not decanted, served at cellar temperature. Medium to light bodied. Very lively despite 8 years of bottle age. The oak is still a little too distinct on the palate but the bright red fruit is still the star attraction. I suspect that the oak will not integrate further. A very nice wine but just shy of exceptional.

1997 vintage

Drank on halloween 2005...excellent

1999 vintage

WS

1999 vintage

Dark, brick red color. Pleasant nose of oak and red currant. Mouth coating, rich, smooth taste. No bitterness or noticeable tannins. Good from the start through the medium length finish. Very nice.

1997 vintage

sweet round loamy red fruit. still quite lively

1998 vintage

Solid wine. But I don’t remember much about it!

1997 vintage

NobleRottersSydney - Rosemount wines with Neil Hadley MW (Darling Mills, Glebe) : Quite vegetal & herbaceous. Only OK – and quite underwhelming beside the previous & following wines.

1997 vintage

zin-like fruit-bomb with approachable tannins; definite berry

1995 vintage

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Rosemount, Traditional, McLaren Vale

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