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2007
Thornbury - Merlot
Interest wine. Geoff Kelly raves about it, but the overwhelming impression is acid, leaning to tartness/sourness. Wonderful concentration, lovely dense nose of fruit, florals, pepper. Slightly lifted. Palate is concentrated claret, more cab sav than cepage would suggest. after 5 days progressive sampling and chilling it is opening up, but good points aside, practically undrinkable as a pop'n'pour.If GK is right this wine will soften out yet maintain its freshness and be unbelievably good in 10 to 15yrs. If he's wrong the fruit and tannins will disappear and leave a bottle of acid. I'm tempted to get a case just for my own education rather than enjoyment - I can't see it coming together, personally
2006
Pegasus Bay - Riesling Late Picked Aria
Less intense honeyed apricot flavours than previous vintages, and without the crisp acidity providing balance it makes a slightly cloying, disappointing effort.
2000
Pegasus Bay - Riesling Late Picked Aria
Browning, the concentration of colour suggesting a darker brown than it perhaps is (c.f. the 1999). The nose of raisins, honey, and musk manages to seem fresher than the 1998 or 1999. On the palate the freshness is evident (though nothing like the burst of the 2007, of course) showing what perfectly mature Aria is all about. The weightiest of the 4 wines, there is a faint oiliness to the texture which is very appealing. The wine remains balanced between sweet front and clean back, a hint of fruit, but mostly bottle-age flavours dominate. Drink now.
1998
Pegasus Bay - Riesling Late Picked Aria
Quite browned, but 'saved' by not having a strong concentration of colour like the 1999 or 2000. Therefore the lightest of the 3. Raisins most evident on nose, with hints of honey, marmalade and musk. The lightest of the 3 on the palate, too. However, in contrast to the 1999 this grand old lady has aged gracefully, and the experience is all better for it. Much like looking a weathered old black and white photo of some beauty from another age, one can appreciate the beauty of what once was, but is (sadly) no more. Without the romantic descriptions one might be tempted to use terms like 'overtly raisined', 'flat', 'slightly cloying' but I shan't disrespect her in that way.
1999
Pegasus Bay - Riesling Late Picked Aria
Colour heading into the overally brown, the darkest of the 3 (1998-2000). The 1999 had a funky odour at first, but it did blow off after 10 mins or so leaving raisins, smoked honey, and musk. Still impressive wieght on the palate, but the flavours have saddly deteriorated too far down the raisined path. A bitter aftertaste completes a disappointing experience, and without the cleansing acid the palate becomes booged down quickly.
