Waverly Estate is reputed to be the only winery in Australia that specializes in selling aged wines. The tasting room (or cellar door as the Aussies call it) staff on duty the Monday we visited them was so phlegmatic as to verge on rudeness, but perhaps they were just worn down after what apparently had been a very busy weekend. In any event, the wines were quite impressive.
Semillon (Hunter Valley) 1996: An attractive gold. Fig and honey flavors, with a slightly soapy note. Quite good in its own unique way, although aged Semillon is not really my cup of tea. Grade: B+
Chardonnay (Hunter Valley) 1996: At age 9, this lightly oaked Chardonnay was still going strong. Great stone fruit flavors and aromas. Quite delicious and very drinkable. Grade: A-
Chardonnay (Hunter Valley) 1992: Proof positive that good Chardonnay is capable of long aging if one avoids excessive oak and malolactic fermentation. California winemakers should take note. Less outgoing than the 1996, but still impressive for its flavors and not just its advanced age. Pears and honey. Grade: A--
Cabernet Sauvignon (Hunter Valley) 1994: Outstanding. Classic Hunter Valley sweaty saddle, along with blackcurrants and prunes. Not at all reminiscent of aged claret, but nevertheless a age-worthy example of what Australia can do with Cabernet. Only the dauntingly high price of shipping back to the states ($200+ per case) kept me from buying some, as it was incredibly fairly priced at around A$50. Grade: A
Hermitage (Hunter Valley) 1994: The name hearkens back to an earlier time when Australia (like California) used European place names rather than varietal labeling. This Shiraz offers up a distinct whiff of the barnyard and, on the palate, mushrooms, truffles, and prunes. A bit feral, this big wine impresses. Grade: A-/A
Port (Hunter Valley) 2002: It seems a bit odd that the youngest wine we were offered was made in a port style, but this Cabernet Sauvignon-based dessert wine is easy to drink now. It's quite sweet, offering up currants, plums, and an oddly white wine-like suggestion of stone fruits. Grade: A-
This is a must stop in Hunter for any fan of aged wines, especially well cellared red wines. The wines themselves are very reasonably priced at around A$45-55 per bottle, which is a bargain considering the amount of capital these folks tie up by cellaring their wines for a decade or more before releasing them. Unfortunately, I found the costs and risks of shipping back to the States simply too daunting. Readers with deeper pockets than mine, however, would do well to give it some thought.
