1957 ««««« Drink now.
Medium-deep brick crimson. Fragrant redcurrant, chocolate and crème brûlée aromas. A lovely mature wine with sweet fruited redcurrant and chocolate and crème brûlée flavours. Fine loose-knit slinky, almost silken textures, mineral soft acidity and attractive mid-palate viscosity/creaminess. Finishes slinky dry. A lovely old fragment of history.
1958 ««« Past.
A favourite vintage of St Henri winemaker John Davoren. Was beginning to fade some time ago.
1959 «««« Drink now to soon.
Medium-deep brick crimson. Fresh tertiary chinotto, cola, roasted chestnut and walnut aromas with faint leafy/tarry notes. Attractive cola/chinotto and leafy herb garden flavours, fine loose-knit chalky sappy textures and integrated fine fresh acidity. Quite leafy and cabernet-like at the finish. Could hold but best to drink now.
Suspended rather than animated wine with lovely melting softness and sweetness. (NB)
Smoky tobacco, dried cherry and exotic spices with hints of red berries. Expansive and creamy with fine cocoa tannins. (JR)
1960 TO 1961 Past.
Not tasted for a while but most bottles are probably just holding or faded.
1962 ««««« Drink soon.
Medium-deep brick crimson. Lovely rose garden and dried herb aromas with chinotto, leaf and espresso notes. Well-concentrated rose garden, dried herb and redcurrant fruits with walnut and espresso notes. Finishes bittersweet and long. Very expressive wine with the smell of autumn leaves and the coming winter.
A remarkable old wine with real substance, depth and texture. (JH)
Spicy floor polish, cloves, coffee beans and dried herbs. Slightly grippy tannins, but a lovely savoury finish balances it all out. (FW)
Watch out for 1962 half bottles most are in truly excellent condition. (PG)
1963 «««« Drink now to soon.
Medium-deep brick crimson. Maderised tawny aromas with autumnal leaves and chinotto notes. Concentrated and sweet with cola, chinotto, sous bois and tawny maderised flavours and fine powdery tannins. Probably better cellared bottles around.
Still harmonious and gentle in structure with silky textures, moreish sweetness and succulence. Valedictory tannins cling tentatively at the finish. (NB)
Fading quickly. Catch it while you can. (JR)
1964 TO 1965 Drink now to past.
Fully mature and generally now well past their best.
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