Vertical tastings, not easy to come by, are great opportunities to identify a producer's style, while also appreciating vintage variations. I was lucky to recently participate in a vertical tasting of Mount Mary Quintet from this iconic producer of the Yarra Valley. The Quintet has never been a top pick for me. This tasting has told me why. These wines only come into their own once they are at least 10 years old - and I never had the patience. This tasting spans vintages from 2017 to 2002.
The youngest wine, the Quintet 2017, was the least impressive. The wine is red fruited, with red cherry and raspberry flavours. The fruit has great purity and is enriched by mocca flavours. I notice a whole in the mid-palate, typical for Cabernet Sauvignon, even though the Quintet includes Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Hard to know if the wine will integrate as well as the older ones on tasting, but judging the wine as it is, I give it 93 points.
The Quintet 2013 impresses with quite a purple colour. The wine is very aromatic on the nose. In the mouth, it feels a little leaner. This is supported by some blue fruit flavours, which add to the raspberry, plum, and mocca character. In this wine, the different grape varieties are well integrated, and the mouthfeel is seamless (95 points).
The Quintet 2012 is very different. This is quite a big and fruity wine; concentrated, yet very balanced. There is cassis and graphite on the palate and some muskiness. This is complex, with a long finish (97 points).
When we come to the Quintet 2005, we notice a difference due to age. This is now a wine on the plateau of development. It is very settled, a bit more linear than the bigger mouthfeel of the 2012. This wine is dark fruited and very elegant. It offers less generosity than the 2012, but a long and silky finish (95 points).
The Quintet 2002, from a cooler year, is still very much alive. The colour is still dark and intense, not at all flaky. This wine could be taken for a 1st or 2nd growth Bordeaux. Layers of red and black fruits are very smooth on the palate; chocolate and hints of muskiness. I detect some bret, but at this level it is not distracting. This is a beautiful aged Yarra Valley Cabernet (96 points).
What are the key takeaways? As already mentioned, this wine should be drunk at 10 years plus. Also, as others have suggested, high quality aged Cabernet tends to end up in a similar spot (of taste).
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