Standish 2019 collection

It seems an age since we launched the new, 2019 collection from Standish (14 February). We prepared and decanted the wines the day prior to sampling however, our plans were put out of sorts. Kent, and more specifically, the area which is home to our HQ received a substantial dumping of snow rendering travelling to work unsafe for my team. I drove in and spent much of the day sampling and jotting my notes down before carefully transporting them home for a little extracurricular activity.

I had four lavish, open bottles and had no intention of introducing them to my sink. Instead, I spent the next three days re-sampling and enjoying the quartet at my leisure. I will say that it is most unusual for a wine to survive aeration for 96 hours or for a wine to show little deterioration. Perhaps, and by Sunday teatime (decanted on Wednesday) a few bottles were a little jaded (emphasis on ‘little’), but all-in-all they were glorious.

We received two bottles of each wine, by air and two weeks prior to our tasting. As planned, we kept one quartet aside for a future tasting (this week) and the others were sampled for our pre-arrival offer. I previously reported on the perils of wine travelling by air – particularly after a recent bottling. Sample set one showed no signs of spoilage and they certainly showed no signs of being muted, they were beautiful and I made detailed tasting notes which confirmed the same.

Wines of this concentration will not change over a few years, let alone three months however, I was keen to see if twelve weeks of R&R would offer subtle changes to the feel and approachability. We will be conducting the same sample test with the 2019 Utopos collection as these were sampled straight after their respective bottling. From the get-go The Schubert Theorem was my wine of choice and delivered everything that I could ever wish for in a young, Aussie Shiraz. My verdict did not change until three days later when The Relic came ‘alive.’ Normally, this is the one wine that I struggle with the most however, and after 72 hours, it was glorious and sampled / drank better than my original notes. With this knowledge, one could open both bottles - enjoy The Schubert Theorem over the first one to two days, whilst The Relic is quietly preparing itself to deliver a wondrous experience a few days later.

Sample set two: These were re-sampled over 72-hours (Monday to Wednesday) as I was keen to see if my views remained firm. Moreover, and despite the obvious concentration levels, I wanted to see (if only for myself) whether three months would make a difference. I am experienced with sampling ‘young’ wines; Bordeaux En-Primeurs (for 17 years) has taught me much, although the controversy of sample presentation versus what is actually bottled remains, and always will be, a bone of contention. Of course, these are not barrel samples. Instead, these are bonafide ‘bottled’ examples which are a year further down the track than the aforementioned Bordeaux.

I had a good chat with Dan (Standish) last week. We spoke about all and sundry – the weather, Covid and Brexit (as you can imagine and Zoom tastings. For the record and despite lots of arm twisting, Dan has no intention of hosting one. He will happily jump on a plane and present in person however, the thought of hosting a tasting in front of his laptop makes his toes curl! We spoke about the irksome nature of wine brokers and the destruction they can bring to their family business (and to their global agents). We also spoke of his own 2019 cellar door sales, which launched a few weeks back. Dan informed me that his Lamella offering sold-out in under one hour (to quote him).

Our original shipment is close to selling out – 3,202 bottles have been sold which is a tremendous result. We have requested a second order for an additional pallet (576 bottles) of The Standish, The Relic and The Schubert Theorem however, the Barossa has gone rather quiet on me!

The pallet of Standish The Standish has been pre-sold to one of our trade customers. As such, there isn’t a huge amount left for this year… I did not request an extra allocation of Australia’s most sought after wine, Lamella, as I know the answer – a little dignity is in order. Our allocation was cut by 50% and except for one customer, all 2018 buyers snapped up their 2019 allocation. A tiny provision was and is set aside for the ‘4-pack’ collection. I am genuinely sorry, but and for new buyers, this is the only way you will be able to purchase the 2019 Lamella. That said, there is no hardship in owning the remaining three!

How were my ‘new’ findings? After three days of sampling, I found very little difference between both sets. To some degree, this has demonstrated that one to two weeks (post arrival) rest, is sufficient time to sample recently airfreighted wines. I will add a caveat, my own jury is yet to decide on the 2019 Utopos wines. I was not expecting a change in flavour profiles. In fact, my detailed tasting notes could not be improved save for subtle tweaks which would appear more pedantic than necessary. Essentially, each tasting note is now formed following six separate days of sampling, and I am entirely satisfied that each note provides a detailed look at their respective qualities.

This has been a truly fascinating exercise as I know Standish wines well. The 2019 vintage is summarised as texturally lavish, ripe, generous and structured. There is a close link between the winemaker and the wine which I particularly love – the sensitivity and nurturing is quite frankly astonishing. The coolness and gentle polish juxtapose the obvious richness with an almost magical and effortless wave of a wand.  It is clearly evident that each wine has its own personality and provides a story of all of its own. For me, I believe Standish wines are ahead of most Australian wine producers and is where smart buyers go to purchase ‘great’ Australian wines. I have said it before and I will say it again, these are as good as Hill of Grace and Penfolds Grange – simply, infinitely cheaper.

There are some important footnotes: Decanting times are crucial – I strongly recommend a minimum of 24 hours, but you must control the aeration. I decanted for 12 hours and sealed the wine each night with a light veil of cling film, before tackling the next day. As I write, I am sampling wines which have been opened for 72 hours – they are as fresh / brisk and alive as the first minute I poured them. Glassware choice is critical – if you want to put my notes to the absolute test – you must serve them in Zalto Bordeaux glassware. Of course, the wines will be a joy in most respectable glassware, but they will not be the same (a huge subject we will be tackling soon).

Which one do I prefer? In truth, I love them all however, each day provides me with a different experience. Day one: I still maintain that the Schubert Theorem is the one to enjoy out of the blocks, however I have reduced my opening score ever so slightly from 100 to 99-100 points as I do not believe this one wine is superior to the others. Lamella is quite honestly the most mesmerising but requires a minimum of 24 hours. The Relic (with its 1% addition of Viognier) is so pleasurable and requires the full three days. And finally, to Standish The Standish, which and despite my original declaration provides all-round and unconditional satisfaction. I believe this will be the greatest wine from the 2019 collection. Let’s mark this note and return in 10-20 years to see if I am correct.

I live with Aussie Shiraz daily, nevertheless this experience has ignited a new flame. I plan to tackle the 2017 and 2018s next week, as it’s been a while. It’s a worthwhile exercise whilst I sleep and breathe the 2019s…

Enjoy them all,
Stu

£85.50 per bottle

£400.00 per case (6x75cl)
IN BOND

£85.50 per bottle

£400.00 per case (6x75cl)
IN BOND

£85.50 per bottle

£400.00 per case (6x75cl)
IN BOND