Rather muted nose. Some pencil shavings and cassis. A little drying on the palate, which lacks the lush fruit it had when young. A decent wine, but lacking much length and interest. This was better in its youth. (90 Good wine)
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{screwcap, 13.5%} 70% cabernet, the rest evenly between merlot and Malbec. Deep garnet with just enough fading to confirm a decade’s age. Lots of black fruit, blackcurrant jam, black cherry. Hint of herbs without being olive green. Super-fine dusty tannins, low/medium acidity. Medium weight, medium length finish. Very good, if not quite exciting; I have a sense of this being a more impressive cuvée in earlier years. Not about to fall over at all, but probably not worth keeping if you’re anticipating more complexity.
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Screw cap. PnP. Blue and black berries, cassis, hints of cedar. Relatively primary still. Good intensity on the medium weighted palate. Slightly gritty tannins bring up the long finish. There’s plenty of material here for more development, and probably with an upside too.
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Drunk over 2 nights. Still tastes quite young with grippy, tarry tannins which coat the back of the throat (not always in a good way). Nice but not blown away. Probably has many years ahead of it
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More primary than I was expecting, black fruited cassis flavours, black olives, a little eucalypt, cedar and earthy tobacco flavours. Chalky but balanced tannins, lovely long finish. This is still such a young wine, feels like it has a healthy life ahead, screwcap should ensure this holds for much longer. Will be terrific in another 5-10 years.
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Good fruit depth on the nose, but it is a little tarry / dark fruited.
Somewhat more appealing fruit on a the palate, and with a pleasing leafy / subtle green pepper edge, but it does need to shake the oak off. That said, there is good acidity and enough tannin lurking behind the fruit, to suggest that another 5,10 or 15 years might be ideal
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NobleRottersSydney - with Moncur Cellars (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {screwcap} [Aaron] By contrast, the 2011 does show an extra element of maturity (screwcaps are not time-capsules). Similar nose by aroma, and the palate too, but it also shows musk, big red fruits in a partly-developed form. Medium-full body; bigger then the 2015, with a medium-long finish and great mid-palate richness. Clearly the superior example; this will sail through another decade easily. Fine example of an Oz bordeaux-blend.
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blackberry, bay leaf, dark choc, tobacco, light cedary earth, does have a light green herbal minty flow to it. Lovely lead pencil, lithe tannin that tug on the tongue strings. A lovely thing. Always think Cab should have a min limit 10yrs in bottle before approaching. This one is good to go if you like primary fruit biz, but could benefit from some more time to let those savoury characters roll in.
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Dark fruit, cedar, some dustiness. Ripe, and quite sweet fruited. Almost veering towards Napa here. Silky and rich, nose revealing a lot of complexity at the end of the glass. (92 Very good wine)
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Wow, what the hell happened here?! Last time I had this wine it was awesome. This bottle however.... not good at all. Flat, kind of acidic and the flavours are greatly subdued. Finish is really quite abrupt.
I'm putting this down to a bad bottle and/or my poor storage conditions. Such a shame!
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Great wine. I went back to Vintage Cellars today and bought the 4 bottles they had left and have an order in for the 2012....... Complexity, character, interest, power, subtlety - everything. Insane QPR.
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Smashing wine drunk way too young. Stuffed full of Margaret River goodness, this has so much depth and richness but a long a balanced palate and finish. Really needs many more years to show its best, wouldn't go near this again for at least 5 years.
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Big oak, massively rich fruit but still balanced and elegant. Dusty tannins even with a day open and plenty of airing. This has a very long life ahead of it. Great effort.
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Immediately appealing. Fragrant, with black and purple fruits. The palate is terrific. Mid weight and juicy, it carries complexities already - earthy, cedar notes, olives, saline. So well balanced. Will be interesting to follow this wine over the next decade and more.
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Hint of mauve. Confection.Dark chocolate. Blackcurrant /blackberry/ cherry liqueur. Pencil shavings. Cigar box. Black olives. Wet earth. Well balanced. 16 degrees C. Riedel bordeaux glasses. Best at 75 minutes in the decanter.
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Colour : inky crimson colour Nose : aromatic black current , mulberry, subtle violet, cedar, mint and spice Palate : med to full body, great balance , rich fruit, great length but a little dry on the finish Probably needs another couple of years to come together
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Mauve edged. Unintergrated and young. Black olives,blackcurrant ,blackcherries bordering on maraschino. It displays a wet earth character which I associated with Margaret River. There are also seashells and chocolate. Young and vibrant with lots of tannin but there is an underlying elegance. Brilliant wine.
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Mauve edged wine. Blackcurrant jam,blackberries,dark cherries,black olives. Also plum raspberry and liver pate. Pencil shavings and cigar box. Best after one hour in decanter stored at 16 degrees C. Riedel bordeaux glasses.
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This is a difficult stubborn wine that is inherently wonderful but is still closed. There are crimson hues on the semi opaque body without any mauve edge. The nose is closed on opening. The wine needed 105 minutes in the decanter to reach its peak and still was partly closed. It then faded at 120 minutes. It revealed plum blackcurrant dark cherries black olives tomato vine mint and floral notes consistent with ripe to very ripe cabernet/merlot. There was also pencil shavings cafe au lait dried herbs and on the palate liver pate and seashells. The palate was medium bodied and elegant. Served at 16 degrees C out of Riedel Bordeaux glasses. Not being a professional I can only guess that the wine needs a few more years to open out.
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Impenetrable purple black. Cassis, bay leaf and violet nose. Fresh, intense and bslanced palate with dark berry fruit and licorice, fine grippy tannin, and bright acid. Clean lingering finish. Another great wine from this label. Very young yet already enjoyable.
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more savoury, ripe blackcurrant fruit, eucalypt, mint and slight cedar. In the mouth juicy black fruit and eucalyptus then chalky tannic structure and joined by alcohol warmth on the long finish. Hmm
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9/7/2023 - G.M. wrote: 90 Points
Rather muted nose. Some pencil shavings and cassis. A little drying on the palate, which lacks the lush fruit it had when young. A decent wine, but lacking much length and interest. This was better in its youth. (90 Good wine)
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7/29/2023 - graemeg wrote:
{screwcap, 13.5%} 70% cabernet, the rest evenly between merlot and Malbec. Deep garnet with just enough fading to confirm a decade’s age. Lots of black fruit, blackcurrant jam, black cherry. Hint of herbs without being olive green. Super-fine dusty tannins, low/medium acidity. Medium weight, medium length finish. Very good, if not quite exciting; I have a sense of this being a more impressive cuvée in earlier years. Not about to fall over at all, but probably not worth keeping if you’re anticipating more complexity.
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7/2/2022 - dbriscoe Likes this wine:
Really enjoyed
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1/8/2021 - ProfByron wrote: 89 Points
Still rather closed. I expect large rewards for leaving this win in the cellar for 3+ more years.
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9/14/2020 - fizz wrote:
Screw cap.
PnP. Blue and black berries, cassis, hints of cedar. Relatively primary still. Good intensity on the medium weighted palate. Slightly gritty tannins bring up the long finish. There’s plenty of material here for more development, and probably with an upside too.
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12/24/2018 - Gdubya Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drunk over 2 nights. Still tastes quite young with grippy, tarry tannins which coat the back of the throat (not always in a good way). Nice but not blown away. Probably has many years ahead of it
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12/2/2018 - deverett wrote: 93 Points
More primary than I was expecting, black fruited cassis flavours, black olives, a little eucalypt, cedar and earthy tobacco flavours. Chalky but balanced tannins, lovely long finish. This is still such a young wine, feels like it has a healthy life ahead, screwcap should ensure this holds for much longer. Will be terrific in another 5-10 years.
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8/4/2018 - johnm1234 Likes this wine:
Very nice red!
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6/7/2018 - Ian S wrote:
Good fruit depth on the nose, but it is a little tarry / dark fruited.
Somewhat more appealing fruit on a the palate, and with a pleasing leafy / subtle green pepper edge, but it does need to shake the oak off. That said, there is good acidity and enough tannin lurking behind the fruit, to suggest that another 5,10 or 15 years might be ideal
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5/7/2018 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - with Moncur Cellars (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {screwcap} [Aaron] By contrast, the 2011 does show an extra element of maturity (screwcaps are not time-capsules). Similar nose by aroma, and the palate too, but it also shows musk, big red fruits in a partly-developed form. Medium-full body; bigger then the 2015, with a medium-long finish and great mid-palate richness. Clearly the superior example; this will sail through another decade easily. Fine example of an Oz bordeaux-blend.
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4/18/2018 - VinCapitan wrote: 92 Points
blackberry, bay leaf, dark choc, tobacco, light cedary earth, does have a light green herbal minty flow to it. Lovely lead pencil, lithe tannin that tug on the tongue strings. A lovely thing. Always think Cab should have a min limit 10yrs in bottle before approaching. This one is good to go if you like primary fruit biz, but could benefit from some more time to let those savoury characters roll in.
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5/30/2017 - Mic Mac Likes this wine:
Good, but not as excellent as I recall. Maybe need more time to open up.
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9/2/2016 - G.M. wrote: 92 Points
Dark fruit, cedar, some dustiness. Ripe, and quite sweet fruited. Almost veering towards Napa here. Silky and rich, nose revealing a lot of complexity at the end of the glass. (92 Very good wine)
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7/11/2016 - fizz wrote: 89 Points
Rich black fruits, lush palate, true to its grape. No rush with this.
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1/30/2016 - 99tollap wrote:
Wow, what the hell happened here?! Last time I had this wine it was awesome. This bottle however.... not good at all. Flat, kind of acidic and the flavours are greatly subdued. Finish is really quite abrupt.
I'm putting this down to a bad bottle and/or my poor storage conditions. Such a shame!
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12/5/2015 - Mic Mac wrote: 94 Points
Great wine. I went back to Vintage Cellars today and bought the 4 bottles they had left and have an order in for the 2012....... Complexity, character, interest, power, subtlety - everything. Insane QPR.
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8/16/2015 - deverett wrote: 93 Points
Smashing wine drunk way too young. Stuffed full of Margaret River goodness, this has so much depth and richness but a long a balanced palate and finish. Really needs many more years to show its best, wouldn't go near this again for at least 5 years.
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7/20/2015 - 99tollap wrote: 93 Points
Big oak, massively rich fruit but still balanced and elegant. Dusty tannins even with a day open and plenty of airing. This has a very long life ahead of it. Great effort.
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5/24/2015 - TimWray Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted with reece at Street Rundle street
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10/6/2014 - fizz wrote: 92 Points
Immediately appealing. Fragrant, with black and purple fruits. The palate is terrific. Mid weight and juicy, it carries complexities already - earthy, cedar notes, olives, saline. So well balanced. Will be interesting to follow this wine over the next decade and more.
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9/29/2014 - Indran Rajendra Likes this wine: 97 Points
Hint of mauve. Confection.Dark chocolate. Blackcurrant /blackberry/ cherry liqueur. Pencil shavings. Cigar box. Black olives. Wet earth. Well balanced. 16 degrees C. Riedel bordeaux glasses. Best at 75 minutes in the decanter.
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9/8/2014 - TiggerK wrote: 92 Points
Big fan of this wine, seems earthy, balanced, nicely ripe but not too much, quite harmonious. Drink now or over next 20 years, should age well.
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7/28/2014 - LindsayM Likes this wine: 92 Points
Colour : inky crimson colour
Nose : aromatic black current , mulberry, subtle violet, cedar, mint and spice
Palate : med to full body, great balance , rich fruit, great length but a little dry on the finish
Probably needs another couple of years to come together
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7/13/2014 - Indran Rajendra Likes this wine: 98 Points
Mauve edged. Unintergrated and young. Black olives,blackcurrant ,blackcherries bordering on maraschino. It displays a wet earth character which I associated with Margaret River. There are also seashells and chocolate. Young and vibrant with lots of tannin but there is an underlying elegance. Brilliant wine.
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4/20/2014 - Indran Rajendra Likes this wine: 96 Points
Mauve edged wine. Blackcurrant jam,blackberries,dark cherries,black olives. Also plum raspberry and liver pate. Pencil shavings and cigar box. Best after one hour in decanter stored at 16 degrees C. Riedel bordeaux glasses.
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4/9/2014 - Indran Rajendra Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is a difficult stubborn wine that is inherently wonderful but is still closed. There are crimson hues on the semi opaque body without any mauve edge. The nose is closed on opening. The wine needed 105 minutes in the decanter to reach its peak and still was partly closed. It then faded at 120 minutes. It revealed plum blackcurrant dark cherries black olives tomato vine mint and floral notes consistent with ripe to very ripe cabernet/merlot. There was also pencil shavings cafe au lait dried herbs and on the palate liver pate and seashells. The palate was medium bodied and elegant. Served at 16 degrees C out of Riedel Bordeaux glasses. Not being a professional I can only guess that the wine needs a few more years to open out.
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12/3/2013 - Indran Rajendra Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine still is subdued after one hour. It has purple hues. Blackcurrant salty seashells. soft mouthfeel. Perhaps needs a few more years?
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9/21/2013 - startinoz wrote: 93 Points
A very good, serious cabernet. Cigar box on the nose. A bit of acidity then fruit starts to build in intensity. Great effort. 93+
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9/20/2013 - G.M. wrote: 92 Points
Impenetrable purple black. Cassis, bay leaf and violet nose. Fresh, intense and bslanced palate with dark berry fruit and licorice, fine grippy tannin, and bright acid. Clean lingering finish. Another great wine from this label. Very young yet already enjoyable.
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6/6/2013 - chatters wrote:
more savoury, ripe blackcurrant fruit, eucalypt, mint and slight cedar. In the mouth juicy black fruit and eucalyptus then chalky tannic structure and joined by alcohol warmth on the long finish. Hmm
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