CHAPTER 20 | 1950s – Boom Times Again
1957 LINDEMAN’S BIN 1111 HUNTER RIVER BURGUNDY Hunter Valley, New South Wales
Hans Mollenhauer was renowned for making many great red wines during the 1950s. Originally a German food technologist, he is remembered for his ‘irascible perfectionism’. Max Lake described the Bin 1111 as ‘a flawless Pommard (only better)’. Remembering the style was burgundy, the grape variety was, of course, shiraz. This comment references the ‘Better than Pommard’ quote given to a Yering Pineau ca 1851, but it also reflects the delight in the precision and quality of the wine.
1957 PENFOLDS BIN 14 MINCHINBURY DRY RED Sydney Environs, New South Wales
The rare 1957 Bin 14 Minchinbury Dry Red, made by veteran winemaker Ivan Combet, was a special bin to commemorate the last red wine vintage at the historic Minchinbury Estate. The property, on the soon-to-be-urbanised western plains of Sydney, was originally granted to Captain Minchin, a veteran of Wellington’s Peninsular War, in 1821 by Governor Macquarie. Penfolds purchased the estate in 1912. Leo Buring, one of the great pioneer winemakers of the early 20th century, was instrumental in establishing the reputation of the Minchinbury Vineyard. At one stage, Penfolds Minchinbury ‘Champagne’ and Minchinbury ‘Trameah’ were the leading sparkling and white table wines produced in Australia during the 1950s. The Minchinbury brand still exists, but it is no longer a Penfolds wine. The vineyard was also planted to gamay, shiraz, pinot noir, and cabernet. The 1957 Minchinbury Bin 14 Dry Red was described by Max Lake in 1966 as ‘developing now into a superb true claret; complex perfume, austere flavour and austere grip on the finish’.
335
Powered by FlippingBook