Talking Tahbilk, beginners luck & a Marsanne vertical

My interest in wine really took off when I attended a wine tasting course with The Wine Education Service in the late 90s.  Before that, I inhabited a fairly sad and narrow groove as far as wine was concerned.  Back then, Marsanne was an exotic unknown.  Tahbilk (then called Chateau Tahbilk) provided my introduction to this white Rhone variety, as luck would have it, shortly before it popped up on my first blind tasting.  I reckon successfully spotting it gave me the confidence to take my palate seriously and, as you know, the Ahmed taste buds have since run riot!  So the Wine Education Service and Tahbilk between them sowed the seeds for my switch from a career in wine to law.

This year, Tahbilk celebrated its 150^th anniversary.   In May, 4^th generation winemaker Alister 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.  Check out my tasting notes here, together with Purbrick’s insights on the variety.

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!