These notes, which also appear in the Tastings section of the site, are grouped together here for easy reference.
Tahbilk 2000 1927 Vines Marsanne (5* $45) Almost transparent pale straw colour, but there's nothing pale or insipid about the nose or the flavour of this one. Complex notes of honeysuckle and citrus up front and a long finish mean that in Marsanne terms this is probably about as good as it gets. Still another bottle to go, somewhere around 2015....
Tahbilk 2009 Cabernet Franc (4* $14.45) Predictably, given the genetic relation to Cab Sauv there are the regulation aromatic Cab notes on the nose. Across the palate it isn't an overly elegant wine, but at this price point elegance usually isn't an option. Still, there's a hint of it lurking there. Aromatic and spicy with varietal character it's got a certain raffish earthy charm. A pleasant little number that I'll be happy to revisit in the appropriate mixed dozen.
Tahbilk 2002 Marsanne (4.5* 19 points) Had been lurking in the fridge for a bit over twelve months after a lengthy spell in the Tahbilk cellars and presents a perfect argument for aged Marsanne. Varietal character to burn with the younger lemon/honeysuckle characters rounded and mellowed. Wish I had more than the one bottle. Halliday, incidentally rated it as a 90 when he tried it in 03, ascribing a drink by date of 2012. It'd be interesting to see what he'd say about it now...
More...