Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon 2006 Thursday, Oct 12 2006
Tasting Notes and Hunter Valley and Australia and Wines of the Month and Tip Top Tipple and Variety and White and semillon et al
Tyrrell’s Vat Semillon is at the very top of my Hunter semillon tree. No doubt makers like Thomas and Meerea Park are hot on the heels of the big one but Tyrrell’s own nearly all the great vineyards. I love Mount Pleasant Lovedale but I am still a Vat 1 man. Vat 1 A No. 1 Mister. Me love you long time! It is interesting to see the effect of the recent very hot dry compressed vintages on Hunter semillon. It’s resulting in more fruit flavour, softer acidity and unheard of approachability in the young wines. I think they will age too.
Aromas of sweet lime/lemon, white peach, beeswax, honey and herb. On the palate tight and very fresh yet bursting with intense citrus and peach fruit with a sprinkle of green herbs and lanolin. Soft but crisp acidity. Perfect balance. Clean long limey finish. Now or later. What a fantastic wine.
Rated : 96 Points
Tasted : Oct06
Alcohol : 10.7%
Price : $22
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2006 - 2016
Source : Winery Sample
Visit winery website
Print this article
eMail this article
15 Responses to “Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon 2006”
October 12th, 2006 at 7:13 pm
Oh..I’ll also try this bottle over the next few days. See what happens.
GW
October 12th, 2006 at 10:30 pm
You’re right. I have never seen so much fruit and puppy fat in such a young Vat 1 and that’s going back to 1972!!
I don’t think it’ll be a 20 year jobby, probably peak at about 7-8 years and stay on a plateau for another 5 years - the stelvin will sure help.
I remember drinking quite a few 1965 Lindemans whites - another drought year - with nearly 20 years on them and still drinking beautifully so who knows. Though I think 2006 is more like 1966, drought plus lots of heat - and the Lindies of that year was just starting to fall apart in 1978 (12 years). I know cos i had it for my wedding reception!!
Cheers
Paul
October 12th, 2006 at 10:39 pm
What a great post. It’s comments like this that make running this site worthwhile. I even feel ever so slightly humble…and you know that I am but a simple journeyman!
GW
October 12th, 2006 at 10:54 pm
hahahaha. Well laddy in 20 or so years you’ll be writing similar reminiscing bullshit!!
Cheers
Paul
October 12th, 2006 at 11:54 pm
Gary
Where can this wine be bought?
October 13th, 2006 at 8:07 am
PV,
He he. I’m already doing it!
James,
Cellar door now or join the Tyrrells Private Bin club on the website and get stuck in. You get to buy all the Tyrrell’s Vat wines very early (with the bonus baroque label) at greatly reduced prices…and cellar em yourself. I would imagine that this would be released in its $45RRP format in about mmmm six or so years. You can only buy wines in dozen lots but they do have some mixed case offers. The price is $275 per dozen. I have more Tyrrell’s in the cellar than any other winery…second highest is Leeuwin Estate Art Chardonnay ..bloody JP!
GW
GW
October 13th, 2006 at 11:08 am
Tasted this one at the cellar door and knew right away I had to have some. Its rare in recent times that I feel the urge to drink hunter Semillon young, however I constantly hear the two bottles of Vat 1 06 in the cellar calling my name.
For what its worth, I would have bought a case had I not been saving money for overseas trips, weddings and mortgages
October 13th, 2006 at 11:11 am
Get your priorities right Muzza!
GW
October 13th, 2006 at 1:05 pm
I have had the opportunity to open a bottle of this wine since my cellar door visit two weeks ago and am now happy to pronounce this wine, “Taittinger of the Hunter Valley”… so elegant, complex, fine, long and feminine. 96/100 (18.9/2) from me as well.
Similar to Gary, I don’t think this wine can get any better and am not sure how it will fill out with age, so… buy 3 cases and drink a bottle on the 15th day of every 3rd month. It will be a great decade!
Adair
October 20th, 2006 at 9:14 am
Singing with the chorus here on the quality of Tyrells sem & Vat 1 in particular - and with the latest releases/purchases Tyrells have vaulted over Penfolds to become top dog in my cellar as well (humble though it is).
Although Tyrrell’s mail list order form seems very insistent about strict dozens, when i ring they’re always very accomodating; 2 of these, 3 of those is no problem. Also, they’re one of the relatively few makers from whom I buy both reds and whites…
Oh, and on another note, I think JO has been a little harsh on his ranking of Vat 1. I’ll tip it to go to “No 1″ in the next book. After all, Petaluma’s Tiers scores a top gong with 93,96,96,93,97 from 02-98, whereas Vat 1 has 97,95,96,95,95 to offer from 99-95. Where’s the justice, eh?
regards,
Graeme
October 20th, 2006 at 9:51 am
Tiers! First good one is the 2002!
GW
November 22nd, 2006 at 7:08 pm
I now realise that I am a champ at picking good sem.
March 12th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Whenever I come home with flathead, snapper or morwong after a day’s fishing, nothing beats Tyrrells Vat 1 with some age. An old Clare riesling will however sometimes push the Hunter aside. The 1986 Vat 1 for example is still amazingly fresh although the fuller 2006 might greet the fish a lot ealier than 2026!
June 23rd, 2007 at 10:28 pm
GW
What is the mail on the 2006 Hunter reds? Tyrrells The 4 Acres shiraz is tempting me…
Chris
June 24th, 2007 at 11:58 am
Good vintage. Hot and dry though. Not as strong as 2005 or 2007 by the looks of it. I’ll have the 4A and V9 on the way in a bit.
GW