1999

1999 was an excellent Vintage with warm weather and moderate rains throughout the growing season. Maturity occurred earlier than usual with Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon both showing full flavour development and intense colour.

The 1999 Mudgee Gold is deep purple/black in colour with aromas of ripe blackberries, cassis, mint and eucalypt with rich chocolate and mocha complemented by sweet vanillin oak.

A rich, full-bodied wine exhibiting a soft yet generous palate with plum and blackberry primary fruit characters with underlying spice. A typically Mudgee fine grained tannin structure and lifted vanillin/toasty oak add to the complexity of the Wine. This Wine shows great structure and length of flavour, and will undoubtedly develop into a Mudgee classic.

The final blend of the Wine is 55% Shiraz and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Cellaring suggestion: To 2014.

Original artwork by Georgia Mansur.

Analysis:
Vol. 750ml Alc. 13.5% Total Acid: 6.4g/L pH: 3.4 Preservative (220) added.

2000

The 2000 Vintage was somewhat difficult, with abundant autumn rains. Mudgee’s quality Vineyards shone through and the better Wines produced from this Vintage relied on older, early ripening vines, producing clean and vibrant fruit. This Wine emphasises Mudgee’s primary, fruit-driven style.

The 2000 Mudgee Gold has rich red-purple colour with fresh strawberry and oak aromas lifting a well structured wine.
The wine is elegant, giving the maximum statement of Mudgee fruit flavour with complexity and understated finesse. A medium-bodied wine showing primary red berry fruits with an elegant palate. The solid acid backbone and soft tannins make this a modern style of wine.

Cellaring suggestion: To 2008.

Original artwork by Lucy Watts.

Analysis:
Vol. 750ml Alc. 13.5% Total Acid: 7.1g/L pH: 3.4 Preservative (220) added.

2001

2001 was a hot and dry Vintage and the resulting Wines were full-bodied in a traditional Mudgee style. Older vineyards survived and flourished under the often hostile conditions.

The 2001 Mudgee Gold is deep crimson to brick red in colour with traditional Mudgee flavours of liquorice chocolate. This slightly old-fashioned dry-red style wine is a provincial style that has been trademarked by Mudgee over the past decades. It is dense with a full berry and spice nose. The structure is powerful. It has strong mid-palate acidity and typical Mudgee fine-grained tannins that will soften in time. A wine for carnivores, it will develop wonderful leather characters with bottle age.

Cellaring suggestion: To 2012.

Original artwork by Jo Sawyer.

Analysis:
Vol. 750ml Alc. 14.0% Total Acid: 5.8g/L pH: 3.5 Preservative (220) added.

2002

2002 was a cool vintage with a long, slow ripening autumn. It was, in many ways, a unique vintage that produced tight, long-lived wines.

The 2002 Mudgee Gold is dense purple in colour with aromas of strong berry, hints of prunes, and a dried skins (almost Amarone-like) character and perfume. Hints of mint, originating from the ripe Cabernet Sauvignon grapes underscore the wine.

The assertive alcohol and fine tannins will make this wine more approachable in time. The acids and tannins in 2002 were the most distinct for some time, and this structure will melt away to reveal supremely elegant fruit.

Watch this Wine develop into something no-one in the world can reproduce.

Cellaring suggestion: To 2014.

Original artwork by Jennifer Bennett.

Analysis:
Vol. 750ml Alc. 14.0% Total Acid: 6.8g/L pH: 3.4 Preservative (220) added.