Dinner at Kai Garden. Decanted 2 hours prior to dinner. Deep purple. Soft texture, tannins already well resolved. Medium body. Generously fruited, with plums, blueberries, no vegetal notes here. Eucalyptus note on the finish. Already approachable despite its youth. Leans more towards grace rather than power. A beautiful wine, a worthy winner of the Jimmy Watson prize and in my opinion, as good as the best Cabernet Sauvignon aristocrats in Margaret River.
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A quick blind taste. Although still a pup, this is an excellent full bodied Cabernet and one that speaks very clearly of Margaret River with its gravelly tannins and salty black olive and seaweed. Immediately appealing and recognisable, I will wait a year or two more for some detail to emerge in what is a wine of great length, density, and balance. I can see how it went well in wine shows. My friend would call this a ‘show pony’. 94 now, but likely a point to come with age. I should have bought more of this. I suspect low scores here so far are from those not familiar with the Margaret River style- this screams place and a very high quality wine. Thank you Duck.
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This is one of two ventures into Aussie Cab. So far, not great. Required a double Vinturi to make it even drinkable and you would have never identified this as a Cab. There are way better wines available in this price range.
Significantly better than my first bottle. This bottle actually tasted like a Cabernet (as opposed to the Leewin Estate at nearly 2x the price). Good fruit, soft tannins. Good QPR.
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2h air for this Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River. Medium-dark ruby color. Blackberry and blackcurrant, coffee, leather, white pepper, eucalyptus and hints of cedar. Creamy and lush on the palate, medium-full bodied, with fine-grained tannins, black fruit and pepper. Not quite as good as I recall, but still satisfying at the price.
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deep purple on opening, red fruits, cedar, spice almost pepper on the nose, juicy palate with medium tannin weight, balanced lingering tannin finish. Drinking well now but plenty of time for development ahead
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This is one of my first tries at an Aussie Cab from supposedly a region where this wine does well. Well, I was not very impressed. It had a very unusual flavor that was pretty off-putting. I will withhold final judgement after a few more. I have 5 more bottles, and I hope they are better.
A fair middling wine, not overly ripe at 14% alcohol, but not overly interesting either. My earlier tasting note describing this as a 'glop' of wine still holds true.
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Medium/Deep Ruby color, verging on purple. Aromas of dark plum, black currant, white pepper, minerals and eucalyptus. Juicy dark fruits on entry, eucalyptus in the mid-palate, velvet texture. Firm tannins add structure without interfering with the flavor.
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This tastes weird. It doesn't taste like a cabernet sauvignon. Oh sure, it's a hearty red, but it's a glop of wine, without varietal identifiers. I stocked up given the good price and the Jimmy Watson trophy, but honestly, Jimmy's reputation was leveraged. I'll try again, but this doesn't taste like any cabernet I've ever tasted before.
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2h air. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 14 months in oak (40% new). Medium/Deep Ruby color. Aromas of plum, black currant, vanilla, white pepper and just a hint of eucalyptus. Juicy dark fruits on entry, velvet texture. Firm tannins add structure without interfering with the flavor. Drinking well right now!
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Tasted blind Vs 2015 and 2014. The 2016 was head and shoulders above the others which were dominated by secondary flavours (spice, cedar, menthol, etc.) This wine had a depth of flavour and velvet texture showcasing the reserve wine that was declassified and blended here. I gather that the winery regrets this move, but what's done is done and this wine benefits greatly. Tastes much better than its lowly labels would suggests. I'm not surprised in the least that it won the Jimmy Watson trophy last year. A great wine.
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COLOUR: Deep red with purple hues. BOUQUET: The wine offers vibrant, characteristic aromas of blackcurrants, mulberries and Satsuma plums, with lovely floral elements and hints of mocha chocolate, cinnamon and spice. PALATE: Full-bodied yet refined, the lively palate offers a core of inky forest fruits, boysenberries and blackcurrant pastilles framed by understated cedar/spicy oak. The wine has a wonderful density, is well structured and layered with plump, jubey fruits, ripe tannins and a lingering Cabernet finish.
CELLARING POTENTIAL : Vibrant and robust in its youth, this is a wine which will certainly benefit from further bottle maturation and will cellar comfortably for 10+ years.
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9/2/2023 - wine hoarder Likes this wine: 92 Points
A solid cab from Margaret River. Good value for money. Good for another 5 years.
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7/23/2023 - A_Steady Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice, I think it’s a wine that was made to drink young and it didn’t disappoint. Very easy drinking with nothing sticking out- smooth and moorish
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4/23/2022 - SGoenophile Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dinner at Kai Garden. Decanted 2 hours prior to dinner. Deep purple. Soft texture, tannins already well resolved. Medium body. Generously fruited, with plums, blueberries, no vegetal notes here. Eucalyptus note on the finish. Already approachable despite its youth. Leans more towards grace rather than power. A beautiful wine, a worthy winner of the Jimmy Watson prize and in my opinion, as good as the best Cabernet Sauvignon aristocrats in Margaret River.
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12/21/2021 - wjmckibbin@gmail.com wrote:
Jimmy Watson winner
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8/13/2021 - SLOFred Likes this wine: 87 Points
Just not my style. Still need to be impressed with Aussie Cab. This was very vegetative, like a 1970's Monterey county Cab.
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4/26/2021 - SLOFred wrote: 87 Points
I'm just not a fan of Aussie Cab. Reminds me of a 1980's cabernet from Monterey County, very vegetative.
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4/23/2021 - Screwcaps Likes this wine: 94 Points
A quick blind taste. Although still a pup, this is an excellent full bodied Cabernet and one that speaks very clearly of Margaret River with its gravelly tannins and salty black olive and seaweed. Immediately appealing and recognisable, I will wait a year or two more for some detail to emerge in what is a wine of great length, density, and balance. I can see how it went well in wine shows. My friend would call this a ‘show pony’. 94 now, but likely a point to come with age. I should have bought more of this. I suspect low scores here so far are from those not familiar with the Margaret River style- this screams place and a very high quality wine. Thank you Duck.
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9/15/2020 - SLOFred Does not like this wine: 86 Points
This is one of two ventures into Aussie Cab. So far, not great. Required a double Vinturi to make it even drinkable and you would have never identified this as a Cab. There are way better wines available in this price range.
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7/15/2020 - SLOFred wrote: 87 Points
Hard to identify as a cab. Much like my first bottle, unlike my second bottle. Not sure this is a worth a second purchase.
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6/16/2020 - SLOFred Likes this wine: 90 Points
Significantly better than my first bottle. This bottle actually tasted like a Cabernet (as opposed to the Leewin Estate at nearly 2x the price). Good fruit, soft tannins. Good QPR.
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5/19/2020 - daveyk39 wrote: 88 Points
2h air for this Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River. Medium-dark ruby color. Blackberry and blackcurrant, coffee, leather, white pepper, eucalyptus and hints of cedar. Creamy and lush on the palate, medium-full bodied, with fine-grained tannins, black fruit and pepper. Not quite as good as I recall, but still satisfying at the price.
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4/10/2020 - JTAFcellar Likes this wine: 92 Points
deep purple on opening, red fruits, cedar, spice almost pepper on the nose, juicy palate with medium tannin weight, balanced lingering tannin finish. Drinking well now but plenty of time for development ahead
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4/9/2020 - Gdubya Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice bit of grape juice. Medium bodied, fine tannins. Perhaps a little bit simple but drinking well now.
Good QPR if you can still find some
92-93+
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1/22/2020 - SLOFred wrote: 87 Points
This is one of my first tries at an Aussie Cab from supposedly a region where this wine does well. Well, I was not very impressed. It had a very unusual flavor that was pretty off-putting. I will withhold final judgement after a few more. I have 5 more bottles, and I hope they are better.
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1/7/2020 - der Schmecker wrote:
A fair middling wine, not overly ripe at 14% alcohol, but not overly interesting either. My earlier tasting note describing this as a 'glop' of wine still holds true.
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10/8/2019 - daveyk39 wrote: 90 Points
Medium/Deep Ruby color, verging on purple. Aromas of dark plum, black currant, white pepper, minerals and eucalyptus. Juicy dark fruits on entry, eucalyptus in the mid-palate, velvet texture. Firm tannins add structure without interfering with the flavor.
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8/29/2019 - der Schmecker Likes this wine: 84 Points
This tastes weird. It doesn't taste like a cabernet sauvignon. Oh sure, it's a hearty red, but it's a glop of wine, without varietal identifiers. I stocked up given the good price and the Jimmy Watson trophy, but honestly, Jimmy's reputation was leveraged. I'll try again, but this doesn't taste like any cabernet I've ever tasted before.
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8/17/2019 - daveyk39 wrote: 90 Points
2h air. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 14 months in oak (40% new). Medium/Deep Ruby color. Aromas of plum, black currant, vanilla, white pepper and just a hint of eucalyptus. Juicy dark fruits on entry, velvet texture. Firm tannins add structure without interfering with the flavor. Drinking well right now!
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6/21/2019 - startinoz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted blind Vs 2015 and 2014. The 2016 was head and shoulders above the others which were dominated by secondary flavours (spice, cedar, menthol, etc.) This wine had a depth of flavour and velvet texture showcasing the reserve wine that was declassified and blended here. I gather that the winery regrets this move, but what's done is done and this wine benefits greatly. Tastes much better than its lowly labels would suggests. I'm not surprised in the least that it won the Jimmy Watson trophy last year. A great wine.
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6/10/2019 - BlackMamba wrote: 91 Points
Showing better that time, maybe needed a bit of bottle time.
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5/14/2019 - A_Steady Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice but hollow on the middle of the palette and only medium finish.
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4/30/2019 - Puneeshk wrote:
TASTING NOTES
COLOUR: Deep red with purple hues.
BOUQUET: The wine offers vibrant, characteristic aromas of blackcurrants, mulberries
and Satsuma plums, with lovely floral elements and hints of mocha
chocolate, cinnamon and spice.
PALATE: Full-bodied yet refined, the lively palate offers a core of inky forest fruits,
boysenberries and blackcurrant pastilles framed by understated cedar/spicy
oak. The wine has a wonderful density, is well structured and layered with
plump, jubey fruits, ripe tannins and a lingering Cabernet finish.
CELLARING POTENTIAL :
Vibrant and robust in its youth, this is a wine which will certainly benefit
from further bottle maturation and will cellar comfortably for 10+ years.
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4/26/2019 - BlackMamba Likes this wine: 89 Points
Disappointed, I will need to try again, but no, I didn't see anything out of the ordinary nor great.
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