This is the fourth in a series of tasting notes that will attempt to give a personal view of how a number of Australian wines are ageing.

De Bortoli wanted to do a bit of a promotion here in Adelaide and decided to team up with Chris Jarmer @ Air restaurant on North Terrace and present a tasting of their famous Noble One Botrytis Semillon.

It was an excellent evening and a rare opportunity to try these wonderful wines that were superbly matched with an array of fine food. All were served from 750ml bottles and each flight was introduced by the winemakers, either Julie Mortlock or Nick Guy. I believe all past vintages were sourced from the winemakers private cellars. None of the wine was out of its drinking range and all, including the 1982 still had many years of life left in them.

FIRST FLIGHT with a selection of Antipasto
Well, these were well matched... Metwurst, pickled vegetables, sundried tomato etc. all went very well with the wine.

1982 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina
The first vintage and still going strong. Smokey brown with a light viscous, rich palate of toffee and honeysuckle. Medium body and a good finish.
Current Auction price (375ml): $40
Current Auction price (750ml): $55

1987 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina
Dark amber/brown. My favourite for the flight and second favourite for the night. Dense rich, full bodied with lovely flavours of honeyed fruit, ripe melon, raisins and orange marmalade. clean and fresh with and excellent, crisp finish.
Current Auction price (375ml): $20
Current Auction price (750ml): $40

1991 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina
Darker brown. A bit more reserved than the others with a well balanced palate of apricots and honey with spicy oak on the finish.
Current Auction price (375ml): $30
Current Auction price (750ml): $50

SECOND FLIGHT with Leek, Onion & Gruyere Tart with Rocket Salad
Yum, this was a great match of food with this flight of wonderful wines.

1993 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina
Browny gold, A wonderfully rich and complex nose of cumquat, lemony oak and melons with a striking palate of banana, oranges and figs on a slightly lean finish.
Current Auction price (375ml): $25
Current Auction price (750ml): $40

1994 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina
Excellent wine. The standout of the evening. A browney, golden color with a rich, luscious texture and mouthfilling flavours. Complex remnants of pineapple, creme brule, apricots, melon and buttery cashews lingered on the palate for an eternity.
Current Auction price (375ml): $30
Current Auction price (750ml): $40

1998 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina
Slippery with some pleasing flavours of orange and oaky lemon. Finishing quite dry with some spicy oak on the finish.
Current Auction price (375ml): $30
Current Auction price (750ml): $50

2000 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina
A superb wine with a lush, full bodied, complex palate of apricot, vanilla oak and slight nutty caramel flavours. Will age harmoniously like the 1994
Current Auction price (375ml): $20
Current Auction price (750ml): $35

THIRD AND FINAL FLIGHT - Sicilian apple cake with panacotta gelati & caramel sauce

2001 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina
Darker in color than the 2000 or 1998. Honeyed and lush orange flavours integrated into tropical fruit mix and a long plush, citrus finish.
Current Auction price (375ml): $20
Current Auction price (750ml): $40

2002 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina
Lush, rich and complex, with quite a bit of well integrated oak and acid in evidence. Will be a pearler after a decade or so.
Current Auction price (375ml): $ Available retail
Current Auction price (750ml): $ Available retail

2003 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina
Lovely with very few harsh edges, slippery and smooth but perhaps without the acid to go a long way. Drinking superbly now. Apparently this will be partly released in stelvin.
Current Auction price (375ml): $ Available retail
Current Auction price (750ml): $ Available retail

Copyright © 2005 Mark Wickman, All Rights Reserved
About the Author
Mark Wickman is the owner and manager of Wickman's Fine Wine Auctions. You may reproduce this article providing you credit the author, email the author with the details of where it will be published and and add a link to the authors website
(http://www.wickman.net.au )