Description

Tahbilk Marsanne is an iconic wine in Australia. While it is pleasant enough when young, Tahbilk Marsanne becomes something else with 5 – 10 years in the bottle. The simple flavours of youth are shed, and a whole range of complex flavours come through and the mouthfeel changes.

Tahbilk Marsanne Museum Release 2014 smells of melon, honeysuckle, lemon, lanolin, with a toasty/flinty edge. In the mouth, this Tahbilk Marsanne is steely initially, it has a creamy feel which is balanced by soft acid. There is a pleasant lingering floral note on the finish.

Drink this Tahbilk Marsanne from now, but it will last for another decade or two in a good cellar.

Tahbilk Marsanne Museum Release 2014, and all wines are eligible for at least 5% off any six bottles. And 10% off any 12 bottles. Some wines will be at a more significant discount and not subject to further discounts.

Tahbilk, formerly Chateau Tahbilk, was established in 1860. In 1925 it was purchased by the Purbrick family and is still in the family to this day. Their 1214 hectare property includes 200ha of vines. Tahbilk has a strong history in quality wines made from the Rhone varieties, especially Shiraz and Marsanne. Both of which age with grace and reward your patience. They are also capable of making great Cabernet too.

Tahbilk also works hard on conservation. They are carbon neutral and have rehabilitated the Wetlands on their property.

Tahbilk Marsanne Museum Release 2014 Wine review

Christelle Guibert
Decanter.com
90 points.
“The estate has the world’s largest single holding of Marsanne – and the vines (dating back to 1927) are among the oldest in the world. This is crisp and fresh with lemon curd, herb and restrained tropical notes. The textured palate has a soft honeysuckle breeze on the finish.”

Nagambie Lakes

It is rather unfair, but not many people really consider Nagambie Lakes as a wine region. Let alone consider the quality that the region offers. As a sub-region of Goulburn Valley, Nagambie Lakes has a warm, temperate climate with below-average rainfall that helps to make top-level Shiraz. Especially from old-vines, Shiraz is a must-try. In its day, the Mitchelton Print Label was as good as any Shiraz in Australia. But Tahbilk has cornered the market on an expression of Marsanne that pays dividends when cellared for the long-term.

Marsanne

Marsanne is a white variety from the Rhone Valley. Marsanne offers honeysuckle, florals and a streak of acid. It is often the backbone of a blend with Viognier and/or Roussanne. Marsanne ages incredibly well and, after 5-10 years, is a wine that is as complex and appealing as any other white wine you’ll find.

Australian Wine

The invasion of “Sunshine in a bottle” put Australian wine on the map.  The fruity, easy-going, somewhat samey wines were endearing for a short time. Then the next big thing knocked them off their perch.

This forced producers to increase quality and emphasise the distinctive terroirs of Australia. Of which, there are many. And many more yet to be discovered.

Wine

Wine is the result you get from fermented grape juice. There is proof of wine production dating back 8000 years ago. Fashions, innovations and many other factors have influenced the way wine has evolved over the years.

The wine grape is special. It contains everything you need to make grape wine except for the yeast, which lives on the outside of the skins.

Human inputs can influence the final product, including the viticulture (growing) choices. And the winemaker can shape the wine to a point too.

The best wines of the world often refer to terroir. Terroir is a French term that refers to all the climatic, geological and topographical influences on a specific piece of land. And it is true that neighbouring vineyards, grown identically, can taste noticeably different.

White Wine

It is interesting to know that you can make white wine from almost any grape. The colour comes from the skins, and if there is no contact, there is no colour. White wines tend to be delicate, perfumed, higher in acid and lower in alcohol. It seems for this and many other reasons, it is hard to make an incredibly impressive white wine. But those that have mastered the art are indeed some of the best winemakers in the world.

It is a falsehood to think that white wine does not age as well as red wine. But it is correct that white wine, as a rule, doesn’t age for as long.

The Wine Depository

I, Phil, have been running The Wine Depository since 2011. The Wine Depository exists to make sure you are drinking the good wines. You can browse and pick what is interesting to you. Or you can make contact with me. I’ll make sure you get what you want, to your palate, to your budget and to your door.