Many a wine lover can be forgiven if their personal assessment of a wine does not live up to expectations, especially when tasted some 30 years down the line. After all, when still youthful, it is difficult to judge what maturity and adulthood will bring. It is no different with wines!

A memorable tasting of three decades of Nederburg Cabernet provided a platform to re-examine the perceptions of the so-called great vintages and even some lesser ones. And, what an eye-opener it was too.

Many will remember the landmark vintages of the 1970's ? the 1974 which was fêted as the best South Africa had ever produced, and garnered for then winemaker, Günter Brözel, the 1985 International Wine and Spirit Competition Harry Waugh Trophy for best Cabernet Sauvignon amongst other awards, and the 1976 which followed closely in its footsteps. In those early days, the phenomenon of warmer, even-year vintages had already been noted and these wines were invariably held in higher regard.

Thirty years down the line, however, the tables have turned. The 1971 was still showing beautifully, with its dry, biscuity feel and elegant, dry finish, while the 1973 was similarly poised and the 1975 really made its mark with its lovely, suave, rounded fruit. The 1977, from the infamous 'downy mildew year' was very dry and austere however, and the 1979, although not a major year, nevertheless showed remarkable richness and vigour. While for many tasters the 1974 was still the star of the show, in our opinion, it did not live up to expectations and we would rather put in a bid for the 1975 if it were available. The late 1980?s saw a move towards riper fruit, new clones and the introduction of small new wood.

The difference between even years and uneven years became even more marked ? the warmer years attracting substantial praise at the time ? with the 1982, 1984, 1986 and 1988 vintages all remarkable. Twenty years down the road, however, not all the lesser years were found to be lacking. Indeed, at the tasting, the 1981 and the 1989 rose splendidly to the occasion, with 1987 following close behind. The 1982, a warm vintage with ripe fruit and good acidity, was undoubtedly the pinnacle of the 80?s and this was reflected in the scores too.

But, the change in winemaking style that was evident from the 1988 vintage onwards, showed the effect of new clones and the use of small, new oak. It was the beginning of a new era. Stellar showings of the 80s were surprisingly, 1981, unmistakably old style and charming; while the 1986, which was a hot, early vintage, delivered an unexpectedly velvety and elegant wine, far less forceful than we had anticipated, showing the effect of riper tannins and fruit harvested not over-ripe. The 1990?s brought stronger consumer demand for wines that would mature earlier, and it is in these vintages that we see a greater plumpness of fruit, bigger alcohols and more supple, approachable tannins.

While this highlights the change in style, it also clearly shows the shift in focus from the Cabernets of yesteryear, which often needed a good ten years in the cellar before drinking. The pattern of the previous 20 years of hot, even and cool, uneven vintages broke down in the 1990?s, so 1994 and particularly 1996 - with rains during the harvest - were undoubtedly lesser years. While the warmer versus cooler vintage debate continues, the 1993 (a warm vintage), which was touted as remarkably good at the time, failed to deliver during the tasting.

Surprisingly, the 1995 stood out as the star of the first half of the 90s, while the 1998, which despite being from a warmer year and still shows more tannic structure, put itself forward as the stayer of the decade. Clearly, this is a lesson in holding back better vintages like your 1998?s while you drink the 1999?s which are more fleshy, offering softer tannins and more accessibility.

What this tasting showed is that it is often hard to spot a real winner until a couple of years down the road. Many people are keen to trumpet the praises of a vintage that has barely finished fermenting and are later proved wrong in their assessments. So, trust your tastebuds and withhold judgement until at least five years have passed.