Second last bottle from my restock. Appearance: deep mulberry core, ruby rim. Nose: more savoury that fruit now: roasted meats, cassis, blueberry, smoke, sage, a hint of eucalyptus, leather and nicely fragrant. Medium+ body. Rich and concentrated. Fades a bit on the finish, but otherwise good balance. Tannins have softened. Nose is more appealing than palate. Very good.
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Appearance: dark ruby. Nose: concentrated blackcurrant and blackberries and very earthy. Palate: medium to full bodied, oak is noticeable, smooth but pronounced tannins. Powerful long finish.
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Tasted twice out of two different bottles and this vintage just didn't impress me. Dark ruby in the glass. Opens up after 2-3 hours of decanting - black berry fruit, cedar, tobacco, caramelized chocolate, eucalyptus. Quite advanced on the nose, but I get this on all Coonawarra Cabs. Mellow in the mouth, soft tannins and medium acidity. Not much depth, nor grip. Medium lenght. Tastes quite ordinary when taking into consideration that this is $100+ retail.
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Good balance. Typical Coonawarra notes with mint, eucalyptus, blackberry. Still young, and if the elements evolve at the right pace, this could become exceptional.
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Coonawarra Roadshow (Town Hall, Sydney): Red rather than black fruit, a little earthy, cedar, leather, slight muted on the palate it's a little sour and the fruit is muted as well. Meh.
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Consumed from cellar on 4 Feb 2018. Appearance: dark core, inky black/mahogany, small rim of crimson. Bright appearance. Nose: intensely perfurmed, classic Cab Sauvignon/Merlot nose - cedar, blackcurrant and mulberry balanced with earthy and savoury notes. Palate: medium weight, smooth tannins balanced by good acidity, good length. Excellent length. Should drink well for 5+ years. I wish I had more than one bottle left in my cellar!
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I have a good box and a dud box of the '08 First Growth. This must be from the dud box. Not as bad as some bottles, with a smattering of cassis, dark cherry and plum, but tannins intrusive, and generally flavour not there. Quite unlike the flavoursome good stuff. If you see some '08 First Growth offered at amazing prices, caveat emptor, as there is some dud stuff floating around.
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Nose dominated by cassis. The palate follows with dark fruit to the fore: black currant, blackberries, plums and sour cherries. The tannins are firm and a little chalky/grippy. Some spice notes as well. I guess this is still a young one.
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Gorgeous. Lovely Coonawarra Cabernet nose - plenty of cassis and blackcurrant. Loads of sweet, ripe fruit on the palate. Very good length, with a bit of grip, but the tannin's very well integrated. If I have a criticism it's that the wine lacks a bit of concentration, but then, the delicacy is admirable, given the fruit density. A lighter style, but a very drinkable one.
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Much better than the first bottle I drank. Cassis, blackberries and a hint of oak on the nose. Good fruit core with solid acid line on the palate. Slightly grippy tannins.
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Coonawarra Roadshow (Ivy, George Street, Sydney): red fruit compote, slight reductive perhaps with agitation more black fruits start coming out. In the palate juicy, fleshy, slight tobacco note to the dark fruit then grippy tannins, spice, fruit carries. Needs a good decant to open but nice.
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A 007 Licence to Kill 95/100 (4.2/5.0) from me. This was my second bottle of this Aussie Cab Sauv legend. Woolworths Wine Group have been shifting these 08s between $38 and $55 a bottle, depending on the deal and outlet. Which is great for the everyday man wanting to spend a bit more to try such a wine. I see from the reviews below many of those people are happy, as am I.
It's aged so well, right in my personal sweet spot of 5-8 years. The classy fruit dominates the nose and palate. I'd liken it to James Bond: ageing, but athletic and alluring, and classy with a bit of an edge. For me, the 08s are drinking so well now. Balancing the black fruits with the secondary ageing characters from the French Oak. But maybe 2018 is the year to really enjoy these great WineMarket bargains. Enjoy if you got these too.
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2/16/2024 - Dave Dewar Likes this wine:
Wonderful. And at its peak. But it had a somewhat short cork, and the wine had travelled nearly all the way to the top. So drink up!
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3/26/2023 - BAJRiley Likes this wine: 91 Points
Second last bottle from my restock. Appearance: deep mulberry core, ruby rim. Nose: more savoury that fruit now: roasted meats, cassis, blueberry, smoke, sage, a hint of eucalyptus, leather and nicely fragrant. Medium+ body. Rich and concentrated. Fades a bit on the finish, but otherwise good balance. Tannins have softened. Nose is more appealing than palate. Very good.
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8/4/2021 - colinscellar Likes this wine: 88 Points
Unpleasant first sips (opened and poured) but improved with air.
Blackberry and eucalyptus on the nose. Same again in the mouth along with chocolate. Fairly soft tannins.
Not bad but seems a bit prematurely aged, especially given it's under screwcap.
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5/28/2021 - BAJRiley Likes this wine: 91 Points
See previous note. Some leather and black olives as well in this tasting.
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1/15/2021 - BAJRiley Likes this wine: 91 Points
Appearance: dark ruby. Nose: concentrated blackcurrant and blackberries and very earthy. Palate: medium to full bodied, oak is noticeable, smooth but pronounced tannins. Powerful long finish.
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3/9/2020 - grapenomad wrote: 85 Points
Tasted twice out of two different bottles and this vintage just didn't impress me. Dark ruby in the glass. Opens up after 2-3 hours of decanting - black berry fruit, cedar, tobacco, caramelized chocolate, eucalyptus. Quite advanced on the nose, but I get this on all Coonawarra Cabs. Mellow in the mouth, soft tannins and medium acidity. Not much depth, nor grip. Medium lenght. Tastes quite ordinary when taking into consideration that this is $100+ retail.
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12/2/2018 - Andrew67 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good balance. Typical Coonawarra notes with mint, eucalyptus, blackberry. Still young, and if the elements evolve at the right pace, this could become exceptional.
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8/10/2018 - chatters wrote:
Coonawarra Roadshow (Town Hall, Sydney): Red rather than black fruit, a little earthy, cedar, leather, slight muted on the palate it's a little sour and the fruit is muted as well. Meh.
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2/4/2018 - BAJRiley Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consumed from cellar on 4 Feb 2018. Appearance: dark core, inky black/mahogany, small rim of crimson. Bright appearance. Nose: intensely perfurmed, classic Cab Sauvignon/Merlot nose - cedar, blackcurrant and mulberry balanced with earthy and savoury notes. Palate: medium weight, smooth tannins balanced by good acidity, good length. Excellent length. Should drink well for 5+ years. I wish I had more than one bottle left in my cellar!
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9/17/2017 - jskuek wrote: 89 Points
Elegant but it does not show much of characters. definitely way over-priced in my opinion.
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3/20/2017 - AnonymousCoward wrote: flawed
I have a good box and a dud box of the '08 First Growth. This must be from the dud box. Not as bad as some bottles, with a smattering of cassis, dark cherry and plum, but tannins intrusive, and generally flavour not there. Quite unlike the flavoursome good stuff. If you see some '08 First Growth offered at amazing prices, caveat emptor, as there is some dud stuff floating around.
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1/31/2017 - jskuek wrote: 90 Points
Excessive oak, dark fruits, sour plum, lively mid palate with decant dryish finishing.
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1/2/2017 - AnonymousCoward Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nose dominated by cassis. The palate follows with dark fruit to the fore: black currant, blackberries, plums and sour cherries. The tannins are firm and a little chalky/grippy. Some spice notes as well. I guess this is still a young one.
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10/23/2016 - Nostromo99 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Gorgeous. Lovely Coonawarra Cabernet nose - plenty of cassis and blackcurrant. Loads of sweet, ripe fruit on the palate. Very good length, with a bit of grip, but the tannin's very well integrated. If I have a criticism it's that the wine lacks a bit of concentration, but then, the delicacy is admirable, given the fruit density. A lighter style, but a very drinkable one.
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9/17/2016 - AnonymousCoward Likes this wine: 91 Points
Much better than the first bottle I drank. Cassis, blackberries and a hint of oak on the nose. Good fruit core with solid acid line on the palate. Slightly grippy tannins.
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8/12/2016 - chatters wrote:
Coonawarra Roadshow (Ivy, George Street, Sydney): red fruit compote, slight reductive perhaps with agitation more black fruits start coming out. In the palate juicy, fleshy, slight tobacco note to the dark fruit then grippy tannins, spice, fruit carries. Needs a good decant to open but nice.
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8/12/2016 - Andrew67 Likes this wine: 93 Points
A very nice example of a Coonawarra cabernet. Limited notes but I will say it needs decanting to open up. Its also still quite young.
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2/19/2016 - Wozza Likes this wine: 95 Points
A 007 Licence to Kill 95/100 (4.2/5.0) from me. This was my second bottle of this Aussie Cab Sauv legend. Woolworths Wine Group have been shifting these 08s between $38 and $55 a bottle, depending on the deal and outlet. Which is great for the everyday man wanting to spend a bit more to try such a wine. I see from the reviews below many of those people are happy, as am I.
It's aged so well, right in my personal sweet spot of 5-8 years. The classy fruit dominates the nose and palate. I'd liken it to James Bond: ageing, but athletic and alluring, and classy with a bit of an edge. For me, the 08s are drinking so well now. Balancing the black fruits with the secondary ageing characters from the French Oak. But maybe 2018 is the year to really enjoy these great WineMarket bargains. Enjoy if you got these too.
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5/15/2014 - JerM wrote: 94 Points
(Mich&Bo@LangtonsVI) Similarly restrained as the 2010, dark fruits, but seems more youthful than 2010. Yummy!
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10/4/2012 - chatters wrote:
Langtons cellar club tasting october 2012 (Roof Terrace Australian Museum): Black concentrated jammy fruit, vanilla and coconut. Far too young.
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