2016 Tahbilk Marsanne Museum Release Nagambie Lakes Victoria Australia

Most world-class wines are priced to be trophies. A precious few are still priced to be enjoyed.

The 2016 Tahbilk Marsanne Museum Release epitomizes the latter, which is why we worked so hard to score an EXTREMELY elusive allocation. Grown on some of the oldest Marsanne vines on earth and crafted by one of Australia’s “First Families of Wine” (and a Halliday Winery of the Year), this is a first-class white bearing seven years of bottle-age—and a stunning 95-point score. 

This is a bottle that wine professionals often talk about but rarely get to taste—let alone secure an allocation. It displays the beautiful ageability of old-vine Marsanne in aromas of fresh lemon peel, white and yellow flowers, honeycomb, toasted pear, and roasted almonds. With a layered texture, waxy and grippy complexity, and refreshing acidity, the wine gets more rewarding with each sip. No wonder Jancis Robinson once praised Tahblik’s Museum Release as “ridiculously underpriced.” 

Tahbilk is to Australia what Vega Sicilia is to Spain. Founded in 1860, the winery is actually four years older than Vega Sicilia, and they have the 163-year old Shiraz vines to show for it. Australian wine authority James Halliday gives Tahbilk his highest honor: a “red” 5-star rating, reserved for “a winery with a long track record of excellence—truly the best of the best.” As Jeni Port wrote in Halliday Wine Companion, “The winery should be visited at least once by every wine-conscious Australian.” 

When we last visited Australia, everyone in Victoria insisted that we visit Tahbilk and see the legendary old winery and those ancient Shiraz and Marsanne vines for ourselves—and this wine is the result of that trip.

• Fruit Intensity
• Oak Intensity
• Body
• Sweetness
• Acidity

• ABV 13.50%
• Enjoy right away
• Now – 2030
• 100% Marsanne
• Serving temperature – 48°
• Cork