At Batchelar Fine and Rare Wine we aim to promote the delights of older and more mature wine and the rewards of cellaring and patience to our valued friends and clients.
For 2009 we have prepared a mouthwatering line-up of vertical tasting experiences, selecting some of the best and most age-worthy of Australian wines as well as a few old world classics. We will sample vintages from the 1980s and 1990s and occasionally dip back into the 1970’s and beyond to see how these wines travel and develop with time in the cellar.
Each experience is limited to 10 very privileged guests. You will be welcomed with a champagne aperitif and the tastings will be accompanied by exquisite tasting platters selected to enhance the wines.
A fun and informative evening for wine aficionados and beginners alike, these tastings make a great alternative idea for a date, a superb gift for a wine loving friend and a fantastic excuse to get a few of your girlfriends together for a night out.
Places are strictly limited and we suggest an early reservation to avoid disappointment. Contact Luke Batchelar for further details on availability or reserve you space on-line now.
Mount Mary commands a mythical status among wine collectors. Quintet is a Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot blend. Owing to vine age, the wine has become richer and more complex in later years. The wine exhibits a purity of fruit, poise and structure found in few Australian Cabernets with fine-grained savoury tannins and superb length. Quintet resonates an individuality of place and quality is usually outstandingly good, although as a single vineyard wine, the vagaries of vintage can come into play. Join us as we sample 6 vintages back to the 1980’s.
Although classified as a fifth growth, Lynch-Bages is one of those properties which illustrates the single most important failing of this classification; it is outdated and in need of review if it is to really be anything other than a historical curiosity. Those in the know recognise that Chateau Lynch-Bages, under the direction of Jean-Michel Cazes and with financial backing from the AXA insurance group, often produces wine worthy of a higher classification, no matter what the label says. Many authors regard some older vintages as capable of challenging the first growths when tasted alongside one another. Join us as we taste selected vintages from the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s.
First Growth is Parker Coonawarra Estate’s flagship wine representing the finest expression of the estates winemaking skills. First Growth is made in only the finest seasons and when the vintage is deemed to have the potential to age for 15 years or more. The Parker Estate Vineyard, situated at the Southern end of Coonawarra, was established in 1985 on the rich Terra Rossa soil over limestone of Coonawarra and carries Cabernet Sauvignon as the predominant variety with minor plantings of Merlot and Petit Verdot.Each vintage small quantities of the best fruit is selected for the Terra Rossa First Growth. If in any one year the grapes do not reach the high standard set, then no Terra Rossa First Growth is made. Join us as we taste selected vintages from 2003 – 1993.
Considered one of the three leaders of the appellation of Chateauneuf du Pape, Château de Beaucastel is situated between Orange and Avignon. Yields of around 30hl/ha, 13 varieties from vines which are over 50 years old, Château de Beaucastel produces nothing but beauty each year. Very old vine Mourvèdre, producing small quantities of very intense ripened and concentrated fruits resulting in a a legendary cuvee. The fortunate few who taste this will never forget it. A rarity and in the top echelon of the Southern Rhone. Join us as we taste selected vintages from the 1980’s and 1990’s.
Established in 1880, Biondi-Santi was a winery destined for greatness. It was founder Clemente Biondi-Santi who launched his family's name in the wine business. But it wasn't until the late-19th century, with Ferruccio, that the estate at "Greppo" made its mark in viticulture history. It was then, in the renowned hills of Montalcino that Ferruccio took a clone of the Sangiovese grape, known as Sangiovese Grosso, and produced the first ever Brunello. Ferruccio's son Tancredi made the wine famous, officially classifying it as Brunello. Within a decade Biondi-Santi was receiving praise from wine-lovers everywhere. This new classifcation of Tuscan wine forever changed the Italian role in the industry. Today, it is Tancredi's son Franco Biondi-Santi who runs the estate, producing nearly 70,000 bottles a year. These remarkable Brunellos are best-known for their incredible ability to age. Even 100-year-old Brunello from Biondi-Santi shows remarkably well. Join us for a selction of vintages dating back to the 1970’s.
Dr Bill Pannell established Moss Wood in 1969 at what is clearly one of the choicest and most beautiful vineyard sites in Australia. Keith and Clare Mugford who bought the property in 1985 have taken Moss Wood to the pinnacle of Australian Cabernet Sauvignon. The combination of site, vineyard management and soil conservation has been the key to ultimate fruit quality. Longer skin contact time during fermentation and a change in encepagement with the inclusion of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot in the blend has made the wine deeper in colour, more perfumed and textured. Join us as we taste selected vintages from the 1980’s and 1990’s.
The name of Hermitage La Chapelle is linked to the little chapel of Saint-Christophe overlooking the terraced vineyards along the Rhône. Maison Paul Jaboulet Aîné has been the sole owner since 1919. The diversity of “terroirs” gives the wine an identity of its own, thanks to the blending of grapes from different plots. The Syrah vines are planted in rich and varied soils with very diverse terroirs (les Bessards, les Greffieux, le Méal and les Rocoules). It is the richness of these different terroirs that provides Hermitage La Chapelle with its complexity. Join us as we taste selected vintages from the 1980’s and 1990’s.
Angelo Gaja became a legendary figure in Piedmontese winemaking for introducing to the region such innovations as crop thinning and barrique aging. His great single-vineyard wines from both Barbaresco and Barolo are now bottled with only a broad Langhe appellation, allowing him to add a defiant smidgen of Barbera. However, Gaja Barbaresco remains 100 percent Nebbiolo and is aged 12 months in barriques and 12 months in large oak casks. Always stunning effort, the Barbaresco is the baseline if not the flagship of the Piedmonte powerhouse. Join us as we taste selected vintages from the 1980’s and 1990’s.
