Angus thought he had spent $450 on a bottle of wine from 1927. Then Master Sommelier Carlos Santos revealed that the label did not tell the whole story.
In this episode of Got Somme, Angus and Carlos open a rare Seppeltsfield 1927 Para Liqueur Tawny and investigate what the date on the bottle actually means. Is the wine genuinely almost 100 years old, or does it contain only a small portion of wine from 1927?
Carlos explains how these historic Australian fortified wines were blended, why the year represented the oldest component in the bottle and how ageing in oak transforms a dark red wine into an intensely concentrated Tawny.
They also explore the difference between Tawny and Ruby fortified wines, how long an opened bottle can last, the best temperature for serving fortified wine and what food you should pair with it.
Was this historic bottle worth $450? Watch until the end for Angus and Carlos’ verdict.
- What “1927” actually means on a bottle of Para Liqueur Tawny
- Whether this wine can genuinely be called nearly 100 years old
- The history of Seppeltsfield’s iconic bell-shaped Para bottle
- Why Australian producers no longer use the word “Port”
- How Tawny fortified wine ages in oak
- The difference between Tawny and Ruby styles
- What happens to wine after it is bottled
- How long fortified wine lasts after opening
- The ideal serving temperature for Tawny
- The best food pairings for old fortified wine
- Whether a $450 bottle of Australian wine is worth the money
00:00 The mystery of the 1927 bottle
00:57 Angus discovers the wine may not be 100 years old
02:03 Opening the Seppeltsfield Para Liqueur Tawny
03:05 Why Australia cannot call it Port anymore
03:47 What the “1927” label actually means
04:00 How different vintages may have been blended
05:25 The history of the bell-shaped bottle
06:35 Can fortified wine become too old?
07:14 How Tawny ages and concentrates in barrels
08:02 The difference between Ruby and Tawny
09:11 How tertiary flavours develop
10:20 Why more people should drink fortified wine
11:00 How long does it last after opening?
12:16 How can fortified wine attract younger drinkers?
12:40 The best food pairings
13:48 Why “room temperature” is terrible wine advice
15:17 The final verdict
Angus paid $450 for what he thought was a nearly 100-year-old bottle of wine. Master Sommelier Carlos Santos reveals what “1927” actually means on this rare Seppeltsfield Para Liqueur Tawny and explains how to serve, store and pair one of Australia’s most historic fortified wines.
Seppeltsfield 1927 Para Liqueur, Seppeltsfield Para Tawny, 100-year-old wine, Australian fortified wine, vintage Tawny, rare Australian wine, old wine tasting, Master Sommelier, Carlos Santos, Barossa Valley wine, Tawny versus Ruby Port, fortified wine food pairing, how long fortified wine lasts, Got Somme podcast.
Learn more about the history of Seppeltsfield Para Tawny
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