The Auswine Forum

1998 Zema Estate Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon: Deep crimson colour. Perfectly poised with sweet/earthy jubey berries and black liquorice, some camphor and bread dough notes adding complexity, and the medium-weight palate velvety and long. This is another excellent ‘98 Coonawarra Cabernet that’s living up to the early hype, and it will hold for some years yet.

Cheers,
Ian

Excellent news.

I bought one of these in my early days of wine consumption based on the Penguin Guide review. Only one because my budget was limited back then.

It's stashed away safely in a box in the cellar somewhere, I don't even know where. Hopefully the cork is behaving itself.

Ratcatcher wrote:Excellent news.

I bought one of these in my early days of wine consumption based on the Penguin Guide review. Only one because my budget was limited back then.

It's stashed away safely in a box in the cellar somewhere, I don't even know where. Hopefully the cork is behaving itself.

Your self-restraint is admirable.

The 20003 edition of Jeremy Oliver's Australian Wine Annual estimates the 1998 Zema Cabernet's drinking window to be 2007 to 2010+.

When I was in Australia I missed the 1998 vintage but bought the 1999 Zema Cabernet and Shiraz. I too am waiting a bit longer before I open the cabernet though the shiraz may be ready earlier--certainly according to Oliver.

Cheers...........Mahmoud

Mahmoud Ali wrote:The 20003 edition of Jeremy Oliver's Australian Wine Annual estimates the 1998 Zema Cabernet's drinking window to be 2007 to 2010+.

When I was in Australia I missed the 1998 vintage but bought the 1999 Zema Cabernet and Shiraz. I too am waiting a bit longer before I open the cabernet though the shiraz may be ready earlier--certainly according to Oliver.

Cheers...........Mahmoud

I had the first of the 99 Cab Savs out of my cellar recently at a dinner party and I was really disappointed. Nothing technically wrong just nothing interesting.Pretty 2 dimensional. It would be worth trying one now. Myonly hope was that it is still sleep coz if this is as good as it gets, it will become a midnight hour wine

rooman wrote:Pretty 2 dimensional.

Which two dimensions would they be?

Michael McNally wrote:

rooman wrote:Pretty 2 dimensional.

Which two dimensions would they be?

]

Obviously time and space.

Michael McNally wrote:

rooman wrote:Pretty 2 dimensional.

Which two dimensions would they be?

X & Y axis, no Z

Rooman,

I'm an optimist when it comes to Cabernet Sauvignon, especially from the more traditionally styled producers. I've seen cabs from
Australia, California, Chile, and even a Romanian, go the distance.

If you recently had a bottle of the '99 Zema Cab and found it two-dimensional then I suspect it may be closed. I'll give it some more time and then hope for the third dimension to appear.

Cheers............Mahmoud

It took quite a long time even for the 98 Zema C/S to open up for me with the earthiness subsiding a little from 2 hours after decanting, to release the berry aromas. Much nicer. Although, I disagree with it's drinking window - I feel after 2010 it's done. It's already showing hints of decline from the two bottles I've cracked this month.

Mahmoud Ali wrote:Rooman,

I'm an optimist when it comes to Cabernet Sauvignon, especially from the more traditionally styled producers. I've seen cabs from
Australia, California, Chile, and even a Romanian, go the distance.

If you recently had a bottle of the '99 Zema Cab and found it two-dimensional then I suspect it may be closed. I'll give it some more time and then hope for the third dimension to appear.

Cheers............Mahmoud

that is a good point. I increasingly think decent Aus cabs need about 12 years to fully hit their straps. I will leave the rest for another couple of years and then try again.

rooman wrote:

Michael McNally wrote:

rooman wrote:Pretty 2 dimensional.

Which two dimensions would they be?

X & Y axis, no Z

Nice one! I might use this phrase if that is okay with you.

"Maaaaate, the cabernet just doesn't have a Z axis!"

Cheers

Michael

Michael McNally wrote:

rooman wrote:

Michael McNally wrote:

rooman wrote:Pretty 2 dimensional.

Which two dimensions would they be?

X & Y axis, no Z

Nice one! I might use this phrase if that is okay with you.

"Maaaaate, the cabernet just doesn't have a Z axis!"

Cheers

Michael

Please feel free. I make it a gift on Grand Finals weekend

In the past I have found that aged Zema Cab can look like its going downhill, but is in fact closing down and will come out the other side and be even better.

In the past I have found that aged Zema Cab can look like its going downhill, but is in fact closing down and will come out the other side and be even better.

I feel after 2010 it's done. It's already showing hints of decline from the two bottles I've cracked this month.

man its hard to determine which of you guys knows the most!! just as well i havent got any in the cellar

TORB wrote:In the past I have found that aged Zema Cab can look like its going downhill, but is in fact closing down and will come out the other side and be even better.

Yeah I have been hoping that is the case. It is always hard to know with CS whether it is (a) asleep and just grumpy at being woken up too early or (b) just a lousy vintage. Given it was a good year in the Coonawarra I will just leave the rest for another couple of years and then see what happens. I did see however after my earlier post that JO gave it 88 pts which makes me a little nervous.