This year Tahbilk, formerly known as Chateau Tahbilk, celebrated its 150th anniversary with extensive vertical tastings which you can read about on their website here. The estate has been owned by the Purbrick family since 1925 and, today, the company is in the hands of 4th generation winemaker Alister Purbrick. In May, Purbrick was in London to show a mini-vertical of Tahbilk Marsanne at a “History and Heritage” tasting presented by Australia’s First Families of Wine, of which Tahbilk are members.
Marsanne – aged vines
Tahbilk have the world’s most extensive single holding of this niche Rhone variety. It was originally planted in the 1860s with so-called ‘White Hermitage’ cuttings from the St Huberts Vineyard in the Yarra Valley. The oldest surviving vines date back to 1927, which makes them among the oldest on the planet – according to Purbrick, “even Michel Chapoutier, who imports it, hasn’t managed to find older Marsanne!”
And ageworthy wines
So the vines age well in the Nagambie Lakes, but what of the wines? For Purbrick, older wines are characterised by honeysuckle and toast but nonetheless, though “Marsanne evolves, it stays true to its fruit.” Couldn’t have put it better – these are wines with a long window of drinking opportunity! Here are my notes, concluding with a special release, the “1927 Vines.”
Tahbilk Marsanne 2008 (Nagambie Lakes, Victoria) – a tight nose with honeysuckle hints which follow through on the stone-fruited (apricot and peach) and warm stones mineral palate. Very good. RRP £9.99
Tahbilk Marsanne 2007 (Nagambie Lakes, Victoria) – very lime/citrus focused with perfumed melon and mineral hints. A pup.
Tahbilk Marsanne 2004 (Nagambie Lakes, Victoria) – a ripe, peachy nose and palate with more than a hint of brulée. A lovely sweet core to this, though the finish is long and pretty with talcy layers. Very good.
Tahbilk Marsanne 2002 (Nagambie Lakes, Victoria) – showing its age more with golden glints, this is a real peach-fest on the palate, peach close to the skin and stone though, so retains balance. Good.
Tahbilk Marsanne 1997 from magnum (Nagambie Lakes, Victoria) – this really put me in mind of a Coteaux du Layon sweetie from the Loire, save for the fact it’s dry! It’s got that tufa/earthy/white porcini quality with ripe apricot, slightly singed. Good penetration and length too. Very good. Drinking really well now.
Tahbilk Marsanne 1992 (Nagambie Lakes, Victoria) – deep golden with peach marmalade and fine apricot preserve, the type used to glaze patisserie. Holding together well.
Tahbilk 1927 Vines Marsanne 2000 (Nagambie Lakes, Victoria) – produced exclusively from the estate’s original 1927 vines and not made every year, though it shows lemon curd and tufa on the nose, the palate is another story. Breathtakingly youthful, this early-picked Marsanne is characterised by vibrant, mouthwatering shots of fresh lemon and lime with a structuring, pithy undertow – persistent and tight. A keeper!
Sarah Ahmed
The Wine Detective
(Wines tasted 14 May 2010)
