Monthly tasting - Cabernet Sauvignon / Blends

Theme: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, or a blend with Cabernet Sauvignon the dominant variety.

As usual, attention wavered over the night and I didn't take down any notes for:
- Wynns Black Label Cabernet 2010 (88?) [RS];
- Lindemans St George Cabernet 1998 (91?) [N];
- Burton Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 (89?) [N].

Score in parentheses are hazy recollections.

The usual Champagne flight to start proceedings.

• NV Jean Milan Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Symphorine Blanc de Blancs Brut 89 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Tasted blind. Rich and opulent on the nose and the palate, rounded acidity has been balanced by a reasonable dosage. Not much in the way of autolytic notes. Guessed that this was a Pinot Noir-dominant vintage Champagne, revealed as a NV BdB. An enjoyable Champagne, retail ~AUD 90 - at its price point, it is a little bit more ready to drink compared to a Bollinger NV or Charles Heidsieck NV, which from memory are a little bit more energetic acidwise and probably need a bit more time to round out. [SL]

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All the wines here were shown individually by each participant, however they've been aggregated in one flight for efficiency.

• 1980 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 88 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra

  Tasted blind. Capsicum, leather and cassis nose, showed clearly its Coonawarra origins. Slightly flat on the palate, typical aged Coonawarra Cab notes and all in all in reasonable condition for its age. A pleasant wine in its twilight years. Unknown provenance, drink up. [TK]

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• 2004 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 407 89 Points

  Australia, South Australia

  Tasted blind, under cork. Almost opaque and without any bricking. Wears its Penfolds origins boldly, with ripe blackcurrants and prominent toasty burnt oak notes. Chalky mid to full-bodied tannins (likely a good dollop of added tannins?). Persistent blackcurrant fruit. In a good spot and will carry further ageing, although suspect it will just mainly soften. Should go another 10 years comfortably. [DS]

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• 2006 Jim Barry Cabernet Sauvignon The Benbournie 90 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley

  Tasted blind, this wine definitely got a few participants excited. Opaque. Blackcurrant topnote with expensive French oak seasoning, has a polished and textured flow with fine-boned tannins, intense blackcurrant, earth and graphite notes. It's luxurious and while it shows its 15.5% ABV slightly, it's overall reasonably balanced in its genre and fans of fuller-bodied wines will really enjoy this one. Cork. [CL]

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• 1996 Howard Park Cabernet Merlot 93 Points

  Australia, Western Australia

  Tasted blind. Elegant, balanced yet with persistence, there's cassis and cedar on the nose; midbodied with very good length, fine-boned tannins yet still with some grip, refined and pure cassis fruit. Tasted this for the first time 11 years ago and this was wonderful back then, the wine has held well for the most part. [mine]
  
  Note: this bottle was in flawless condition and an excellent cork - probably a best case scenario.

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• 1998 Huntington Estate Cabernet Sauvignon FB 16 92 Points

  Australia, New South Wales, Central Ranges, Mudgee

  Tasted blind. Elegant blackcurrant nose. Light to medium-bodied, good fine acid spine and resolved tannins, balanced and elegant with not a hair out of place, at a plateau and best to enjoy now. 12.5% ABV, lovely aged wine from Huntington, who have usually delivered the goods in lower alcohol vintages compared to warmer ones. [PI]

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• 2005 Château Gloria 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  A somewhat controversial wine, the final bottle after an evening of mostly Australian Cabernets and Cabernet-dominant wines. The majority of the table guessed this as Australian (except the author of this TN, haha). The wine is almost opaque, garnet with a faint bronze hue. Topnotes of cassis interspersed with graphite and cigar box. Medium to full-bodied, savoury and still tightly wound with slightly chunky tannins, the spirity and charred oak finish is low rent and mars the overall experience. There's clearly still the structure for further ageing, however I don't think the finish will ever ameliorate. [SL]
  
  Note: this tasting note taken on the 2nd night after opening, 1/3 bottle remaining.

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These two were served together after the Huntington. Intention was to compare the ages of the wines from different regions.

• 1991 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra

  Tasted blind. Cassis, and that bright green capsicum nose. As per previous bottles of 91 Wynns tasted in the past 5 years, persistent cassis, leather and sprightly acidity. Wonderful. Very consistent considering the modest price. Unsure if there is much upside to further cellaring. Provenance believed to be sound, with the same owner since release. [SL]

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• 2001 Château Lagrange (St. Julien) 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Tasted blind. Dark fruits with a pronounced earth note. Silky texture on entry before some surprisingly potent tannins lock on in the midpalate, tight orb of blackcurrant, graphite and kirsch. [SL]

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The Coonawarra Cabernets were the easiest wines to pick blind, partly because of having more experience with aged bottles. Many aged wines that were very pleasant and a pointe. Lovely company as usual and tasty cottage pie.