by Treve Ring | In my line of work I get to drink taste a boatload of wines, many good, most average, a lot of plonk, and a slight few, awesome…
Tahbilk Marsanne 2010 | Nagambie Lakes, Victoria, Australia | $20 +559716
Still think all Aussie wines are cheap and cheerful? C’mon mate! It’s a new day and that thinking is as dated as foam on a plate. Australia is a place of outstanding regional diversity, wine history and talent, and if you’re not open to accepting that terroir is a renewed and serious focus, then I hereby sentence you to Yellow Tail, for life!
Tahbilk {ta-BILK} is one such winery with a lineage rivaling that of our own country. The winery and original vineyards were established in 1860, and purchased by the Purbrick family, the 4th generation of which oversees operations today. Tahbilk’s ties to the rare, French-born Marsanne grape stretches back to the 1860’s when the first grapes were ever recorded. Though those initial plantings are no longer around, the Estate still produces Marsanne from 1927 plantings – some of the oldest in the world. In fact, Tahbilk claims to have the largest, single holding of Marsanne anywhere (take that, France!). Tahbilk releases library vintages from time to time (yes, even the 1927), so if you ever see “Museum Release” on the label, just trust me and buy it.
This is an idiosyncratic wine that gains so much complexity with time that it’s boggling. While juicy and bright in its youth, your patience will be exponentially rewarded (5-20 years+). The 2010 is still a junior, opening with whiffs of lemon, white peach, light petrol, marmalade and wild herbs. A medium-bodied positively oily palate bears pear, honeysuckle, earth, lemon, thyme, and stony spice. Its well-knit rope of herbal earthiness and floral perfume, bright acid and stone fruit is capped by a lengthy finish. All this for $20 and I’m pretty cheerful.
Fantastic wine. Love this and some Aussie old vine semillon’s. Also their old block shiraz is amazing. Chateauneuf du pape and other rhone whites as well. Thanks for reminding me of some delicious but underappreciated whites.