This wine, from the excellent 1998 vintage, was released in 2001 to
celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release of the first wines under the
Jacobs Creek brand.

Nowadays, of course, Jacobs Creek is one of the worlds most recognised
[wine] brands, Orlando (Pernod-Ricard) marketing a plethora of wines in the
Jacobs Creek range.

I was given this bottle as a "thank you" from a client, who had, in turn
been gifted the bottle five years ago: it had been stored in somewhat
less-than-ideal-but-not-diabolical conditions in the intervening years.

The cork was a little spongy, but the initial impression in the glass was
deep, inky colour - not what one might expect of a wine in its tenth year.

A ripe, savoury, fruit-intense nose, with surprising complexity

Rich and concentrated with beautifully integrated oak, blackcurrant, with a
hint of eucalyptic mint; add to that a touch of spice (cinnamon and even a
nuance of pepper?), there was also an underlying subtle sweetness, black
berry fruits (cherries and currants) underpinned with nicely resolved
tannins.

The back label states that "this wine can be enjoyed for up to 20 years" -
at the half way mark, I cannot dispute this statement.

--

st.helier

st.helier wrote on Thu, 4 Oct 2007 21:24:00 +1300:

sh> Nowadays, of course, Jacobs Creek is one of the worlds most
sh> recognised [wine] brands, Orlando (Pernod-Ricard) marketing
sh> a plethora of wines in the Jacobs Creek range.


sh> The back label states that "this wine can be enjoyed for up
sh> to 20 years" - at the half way mark, I cannot dispute this
sh> statement.

Does the lifetime quoted betray a lack of confidence given the
ages of many available French wines?

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

"st.helier" > wrote in message
...
> This wine, from the excellent 1998 vintage, was released in 2001 to
> celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release of the first wines under the
> Jacobs Creek brand.
>
> Nowadays, of course, Jacobs Creek is one of the worlds most recognised
> [wine] brands, Orlando (Pernod-Ricard) marketing a plethora of wines in
> the Jacobs Creek range.
>
> I was given this bottle as a "thank you" from a client, who had, in turn
> been gifted the bottle five years ago: it had been stored in somewhat
> less-than-ideal-but-not-diabolical conditions in the intervening years.
>
> The cork was a little spongy, but the initial impression in the glass was
> deep, inky colour - not what one might expect of a wine in its tenth year.
>
> A ripe, savoury, fruit-intense nose, with surprising complexity
>
> Rich and concentrated with beautifully integrated oak, blackcurrant, with
> a hint of eucalyptic mint; add to that a touch of spice (cinnamon and even
> a nuance of pepper?), there was also an underlying subtle sweetness, black
> berry fruits (cherries and currants) underpinned with nicely resolved
> tannins.
>
> The back label states that "this wine can be enjoyed for up to 20
> ears" - at the half way mark, I cannot dispute this statement.
>
I had a similar experience with a $4 bottle of Wynn's Coonawarra CS 1973,
that I opened in 1998. I didn't keep the notes but remember that it still
had life left and everyone enjoyed it. There was no oak left and the fruit
was amazingly "fresh".
Graham

"James Silverton" wrote ..........
>
> Does the lifetime quoted betray a lack of confidence given
> the ages of many available French wines?
>

Jim, I mulled this over for a day or two while I considering your comment,
then a response.

A shall make a couple of points:

Having now clocked up nearly 45 years as a wine drinker, and having
traversed the scale from teen totter, to enthusiastic amateur to
professional (marketer) within the industry to educated enthusiast, it is my
considered opinion that nothing has done as much to inform and educate the
novice buyer/consumer than the advent of the back label on bottles.

And while the educated buyer has no need, this has now become, IMESHO, the
most powerful influencer in respect to the buying / drinking decision.

I have spent thousands of hours in hundreds of wine retail outlets around
the world, and while I shall restrict this comment to English speaking
countries, I have never been in one shop where a customer did not pick up a
bottle and read the back label, before either putting the bottle back on the
shelf, or into the shopping basket.

I know from experience, when the winery started putting descriptive back
labels on our wines, sales tripled !!!

And I for one, applaud wine producers, large or small, who have the wisdom
and foresight to communicate with the end user.

And consider this, it is an accepted fact that upwards of 90% of all wine
sold, is consumed within 24 hours.

So, why not inform the buyer that the wine is ready to "drink now" or "will
reach optimum drinking in 5/10/20 years"?

And I would have thought that this is particularly relevant in the USA where
the number of wine drinkers is still in the low single figure %.

"Demystify the product - and double the sales" would sound like a pretty
good marketing strategy to me.

I shall pick you up on another point you made.

I live in New Zealand. How do you know the age and availability of any
French Wines here - or in any other market?

(In the case of NZ and Australia, it is negligible)

Even within the USA? How conversant are you with the stocking situation in
Omaha, Nebraska or Bakersfield, Ca?

What about Butte, Montana or Springfield, Illinois?

My point is that *you* as an educated consumer and enthusiast in Potomac,
may not need such information, but your neighbour, venturing forth into this
world-of-wine which so captivates you and I, just may appreciate all the
guidance and direction he can get, from whatever source.

With the greatest of respect (and I mean it, James) I find your comment
rather "elitist".

Regards from springtime downunder.

st.helier

st.helier wrote on Sat, 6 Oct 2007 12:43:00 +1300:

sh>

sh> My point is that *you* as an educated consumer and
sh> enthusiast in Potomac, may not need such information, but
sh> your neighbour, venturing forth into this world-of-wine
sh> which so captivates you and I, just may appreciate all the
sh> guidance and direction he can get, from whatever source.

sh> With the greatest of respect (and I mean it, James) I find
sh> your comment rather "elitist".

sh> Regards from springtime downunder.

Hi St.helier!

In making what I thought was a wry comment, I did not mean to
show eletism, far from it, and I am very grateful for the
measured response. Actually, my thought was that it seemed a
pity that the maker of an antipodean wine of probably very high
quality might sound inferior to a French one. I can't say that I
can bring myself to attend wine auctions and pay large sums of
money for "well aged" wines so I won't comment on their actual
value.

Best wishes!

Jim Silverton,
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

st.helier wrote on Sat, 6 Oct 2007 12:43:00 +1300:

sh> "James Silverton" wrote ..........
??>>
??>> Does the lifetime quoted betray a lack of confidence given
??>> the ages of many available French wines?
??>>
sh> Jim, I mulled this over for a day or two while I
sh> considering your comment, then a response.

I'd like to continue this discussion but openly on the news
group does not seem appropriate. Perhaps, you could provide an
e-mail address, even if munged like mine or use mine for
contact.

Might I say that I have always read your posts with interest and
have appreciated and benefited from your advice on NZ wines.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

"James Silverton" wrote .......
>
> I'd like to continue this discussion but openly on the news group does not
> seem appropriate. Perhaps, you could provide an e-mail address, even if
> munged like mine or use mine for contact.

Hi Jim

Drop me a quick email to

Will reply from my home address.

Regards

A B (st.h)

"James Silverton" > wrote in message
news:G66Ni.8197$P06.1548@trnddc05...
> st.helier wrote on Thu, 4 Oct 2007 21:24:00 +1300:
>
> sh> Nowadays, of course, Jacobs Creek is one of the worlds most
> sh> recognised [wine] brands, Orlando (Pernod-Ricard) marketing
> sh> a plethora of wines in the Jacobs Creek range.
>
>
> sh> The back label states that "this wine can be enjoyed for up
> sh> to 20 years" - at the half way mark, I cannot dispute this
> sh> statement.
>
> Does the lifetime quoted betray a lack of confidence given the ages of
> many available French wines?
>
> James Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland

Perhaps it's a disclaimer by the legal department. :-)

Jon