I was chatting with Andrew Calabria after the Fontanafredda Barolo vertical, and he mentioned how amazed his family were at the trove of ancient McWilliams fortifieds they’d uncovered in the (recently purchased) old Hanwood winery. What a pleasure that some of that gloriously mature material is getting some love, released here as the McWilliams Hanwood Estate Rare 20yo Tawny.
As ever with these Riverina/Rutherglen fortifieds, this is incredibly luscious and confoundingly intense. Dark, treacly brown, heading to black, with a whiff of volatility to mark the age. It’s fresh though, rather than stale, and the vibrancy of the honeycomb meets treacle meets butterscotch palate is seriously unctuous. In some ways, it’s too sweet, too butterscotch rich, and caramel, but that sheer volume of expansive flavour fills our nose/mouth senses. Maybe a bit singular, but the concentration is just super. Great to see this old fortified getting celebrated properly.
Best drinking: now. 18.5/20, 94/100. 19.5%, $80. McWilliams website. Would I buy it? A glass after dinner thanks. Although, it’s not in the same realm as the otherworldly Morris Old Premium rare Tawny which is only $20 more.
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I was at the McWilliams Hanwood cellar door in Griffiths many years ago and remember tasting through some of the specialty sherries and port. They were impressive. Of particular interest to me were the sherries, a whole host of them, show reserves and museum release, each one impressive in their own way. Quality sherry is a long lost art of the Australian wine industry. I brought a few of them back to Canada, in particular Lindeman’s and Yalumba.
Articles like this only serve to remind me, yet again, of how foolish I was not to have bought the McWilliams sherry when I had the chance. If any of them, like this tawny port, come up for sale do not hesitate as I highly recommend them.
By the way, the person serving us at cellar door was a young lady who was engaged to one of the McWilliams. I think I took notes but don’t know where they are.