Drank this during a wine dinner at Phoenix Garden (Ngee Ann City). Theme of the Evening: Langton's Exceptional Cabernet Dinner. Wines were served two at a time for comparison and contrast.
A true-blue cool climate wine. Had several vintages of this wine previously and the consistently and well-crafted structure never fails to amaze me. Precise, focused with no excess. The fruits have taken a backseat for the secondary notes (cedar, dark spices, minerals) to take the lead.
Tasted alongside the 2001 Greenock Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Roennfeldt Road. This felt like an honest, straight-talking chap trying to make a speech to sell his ideology to a crowd in a crowded space alongside a sly, smooth-talker salesman.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
{cork, 14.5%} Still deep ruby, some fading at the rim. Mature nose of currants, dark chocolate, and some leathery old wine qualities. Medium weight, medium finely dusty tannins, medium acidity. Still with plenty of life, although I doubt there’s more interest of complexity to come. Finished quite dry and maybe a touch hollow. Decanted just before consumption; immaculate cork, no ullage, minimal sediment. Very good overall but not a life-changer.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
NobleRottersSydney - Christmas Lunch 2019 (Geoffrey's place): [Graeme] {cork, 14.5%} Double-decanted three hours earlier. Youthful for 18 years despite a developing character; there’s still plenty of capsicum and black olive notes. Palate is medium/full-bodied, powerfully weighted, but remains on the dark-green end of the spectrum. Has plenty of chalky tannin still kicking in, a medium length finish, and lots of presence on the mid-palate. But it’s still a bit edgy; certainly not a wine you wallow in, or marvel at the flavour dimensions on offer. No, sit up and pay attention – this is serious. Not a lot of payback for the years cellared so far; it’s long odds to get a truly great cabernet out of this. Will keep, may improve, maybe, just, with luck. I wouldn’t want a case of it though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
very little has changed since my note of April 2017 , except that this is my last bottle decanted for 3 hours, should have been longer as the wine continued to open up in the glass still has another 5 years til full maturity
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From magnum which was partially decanted for a couple of hours. Blackcurrant over cherry and berry, sweetly spiced with a little pepper, cedar, leather and a herbaceous, pyrazine underpin. with time some pencil shavings and meaty notes. On the palate it's juicy, ripe and pretty much completely glorious. Tannins are silky and the whole travels long. Utilised to wash down a pretty handy lamb shoulder stew to celebrate RWC ticketing success.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A great Domaine A, unlike the last bottle. Full nose of cassis, roses, dark berries, leather and tar. It’s an intoxicating nose. The palate follows with fine, smooth tannins, mild mouthfeel, leading to a long savoury finish. Great drinking.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A bit funky on opening, but that blew off. Great, complex nose of cassis, dark berries, cherry, slate-like mineral, leather and dried herbs. Palate is exceedingly smooth with firm but supple tannins. The finish is just great - still fruity, but goes on for a while. Bottle is probably good for another 5+ years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
colour good density verging on inky with bricking on the edges bright and clear 15/15 Nose wow one wiff and I am n Bordeaux The website informs me that the wine has some Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cab Franc in the mix too. It tastes and smells of essence of blackberry, mulberry, violets, capsicum ,chocolate and mint. At 16 years of age, the secondaries of truffle and leather cigar box are developing 28/30 Palate full flavoured , silky ,tons of complexity ,dusty dry tannins on the finish 41/44 Overall my first Domaine A very impressive , would love to try this along side a Bordeaux 10/11
Grapemates Christmas Party 2016: From magnum. Charcoal, stalk, herbs, asphalt and floral notes. Palate has good structure, with plenty of tannin as well as lean but savory fruit. I like the poise and balance of this wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A fitting 100th tasting note. I've been making my way through a glut of Domaine As in the last few months. This comes in behind the '00, it's very similar in profile but doesn't quite have the freshness or staying power. Good drinking at the price point I picked this up for.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wine-Pages Offline - London (Vinoteca, Soho): {cork, 14.5%} (me!) Purporting to drink wines in palate-weight sequence and starting with a wine claiming 14.5% alcohol seems capricious to say the least; but I was prepared to have faith in Domaine A’s philosophy. And it must be said, this really doesn’t betray than much ethanol; instead it has an only slightly-developing nose of ripe dark fruit, black olives and tobacco. The palate has lovely leafy cabernet fruit, no warmth, but a rather astringent finish; the medium chalky tannins are persistent, and the medium-length finish coats most of the tongue. This is pretty decent I reckon, steering a mid-course between old- and new-world styles. It doesn’t really justify its price either at home nor in the UK, it must be said; but perhaps that’s a function of its barely-2000-dozen annual production. Still, nice to drink, now and for another decade at least on this showing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wonderfully elegant. Just so pretty and balanced and full of class; subtle cold berries and tobacco fruits, light tannin. Defines elegance in every way. Doesn't quite have the staying power of the 1997. Drink now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
very dark. the nose keeps changing, with blackcurrant, eucalyptus, leather, smoke. full bodied, a bit sweet and overripe, big structure. a notch above australia, but not on par with top class bdx. the alcohol sticks out, and the fruit is too ripe.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really enjoyed this. Classic dusty cab nose, delicious dark fruit with great length. In some ways it was more advanced than I had expected, but also in a great place. Ready to go now based on this bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep rich dark red berries. The nose is lovely. Intriguing beautiful floral. Decanting for 1 hour allowed the depth of quality to rise through the glass. On the taste it is instantly smooth, beautifully balanced, simplicity is it's strength. A mix of sweet dark and red fruits. Extremely well made in a new world style. Definitely a good wine moment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wine Education Service - Tasmania (LSE): Inky, strong indication of age. A developed nose, animal and vegetal notes, quite attractive. Still quite fruity, very soft tannins, concentrated, very long.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
WES - Tasmania (LSE Holbourn): Very Intense and long legs (14.5%). Somewhat spirit like nose, rich. Dry with soft firm tannins on the palate. Richness following through, concentrated long. Quite a "loud" wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
not a sign of evolution on the rim, even some purple reflexes on ruby background. quite dense. complex nose of backcurrant with notes of eucalyptus, dark coffee, vanilla, cedar perfectly balanced mouth with raspberry acidity, tannins still present but very fine. very long. this is a very elegant wine, with lush fruit but perfect sense of proportion. definetely european. I would be curious to see it blind-tasted among first growths.
A very rich, full and attractive wine. Plums & spices; ripe black fruits and a touch of secondary development. The finest of dusty tannins on the palate, medium-full body, and a long even finish. Still elemental in many ways. A triumphant wine, and one for the future. The current 'museum release' at the winery!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mild dirty fruits on the nose and I can pick up some bottle age character. Palate shows minerals and mild oxidative notes. Fruit is soft but classic. Needs time and the 2002 Stoney is a much better bet right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Firmer and more structured than the 1999, and I dare say will live considerably longer. Cold tea and slightly grainy tannins, but very much in balance. Not fruity although the cassis clearly stands out. Medium weight at best but very well weighted at that.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Winery visits Jan 2008 (Tasmania): {cork, A$65} This is in fact a Bordeaux blend, with merlot, malbec and PV totalling just under the 15% that would cause the labelling laws to step in. Seems very austere after the lushness of the straight merlot, but despite the more herbal accent to the fruit it does possess an almost liqueur-like richness of fruit. The tannins are powerful but not aggressive. It is relatively expensive I guess, but it’s unlike pretty well any other Australian cabernet available. Quality stuff, and worth buying bearing in mind something of a price premium for the limited nature of the Estate’s production.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
12/13/2023 - stayhappy21 wrote: 91 Points
Drank this during a wine dinner at Phoenix Garden (Ngee Ann City). Theme of the Evening: Langton's Exceptional Cabernet Dinner. Wines were served two at a time for comparison and contrast.
A true-blue cool climate wine. Had several vintages of this wine previously and the consistently and well-crafted structure never fails to amaze me. Precise, focused with no excess. The fruits have taken a backseat for the secondary notes (cedar, dark spices, minerals) to take the lead.
Tasted alongside the 2001 Greenock Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Roennfeldt Road. This felt like an honest, straight-talking chap trying to make a speech to sell his ideology to a crowd in a crowded space alongside a sly, smooth-talker salesman.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2021 - graemeg wrote:
{cork, 14.5%} Still deep ruby, some fading at the rim. Mature nose of currants, dark chocolate, and some leathery old wine qualities. Medium weight, medium finely dusty tannins, medium acidity. Still with plenty of life, although I doubt there’s more interest of complexity to come. Finished quite dry and maybe a touch hollow. Decanted just before consumption; immaculate cork, no ullage, minimal sediment. Very good overall but not a life-changer.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/16/2019 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Christmas Lunch 2019 (Geoffrey's place): [Graeme] {cork, 14.5%} Double-decanted three hours earlier. Youthful for 18 years despite a developing character; there’s still plenty of capsicum and black olive notes. Palate is medium/full-bodied, powerfully weighted, but remains on the dark-green end of the spectrum. Has plenty of chalky tannin still kicking in, a medium length finish, and lots of presence on the mid-palate. But it’s still a bit edgy; certainly not a wine you wallow in, or marvel at the flavour dimensions on offer. No, sit up and pay attention – this is serious. Not a lot of payback for the years cellared so far; it’s long odds to get a truly great cabernet out of this. Will keep, may improve, maybe, just, with luck. I wouldn’t want a case of it though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2019 - LindsayM Likes this wine: 95 Points
very little has changed since my note of April 2017 , except that this is my last bottle
decanted for 3 hours, should have been longer as the wine continued to open up in the glass
still has another 5 years til full maturity
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2019 - chatters wrote:
From magnum which was partially decanted for a couple of hours. Blackcurrant over cherry and berry, sweetly spiced with a little pepper, cedar, leather and a herbaceous, pyrazine underpin. with time some pencil shavings and meaty notes. On the palate it's juicy, ripe and pretty much completely glorious. Tannins are silky and the whole travels long. Utilised to wash down a pretty handy lamb shoulder stew to celebrate RWC ticketing success.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2017 - AnonymousCoward Likes this wine: 91 Points
A great Domaine A, unlike the last bottle. Full nose of cassis, roses, dark berries, leather and tar. It’s an intoxicating nose. The palate follows with fine, smooth tannins, mild mouthfeel, leading to a long savoury finish. Great drinking.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/22/2017 - AnonymousCoward Likes this wine: 91 Points
A bit funky on opening, but that blew off. Great, complex nose of cassis, dark berries, cherry, slate-like mineral, leather and dried herbs. Palate is exceedingly smooth with firm but supple tannins. The finish is just great - still fruity, but goes on for a while. Bottle is probably good for another 5+ years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/26/2017 - LindsayM Likes this wine: 94 Points
colour good density verging on inky with bricking on the edges bright and clear 15/15
Nose wow one wiff and I am n Bordeaux The website informs me that the wine has some Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cab Franc in the mix too. It tastes and smells of essence of blackberry, mulberry, violets, capsicum ,chocolate and mint. At 16 years of age, the secondaries of truffle and leather cigar box are developing 28/30
Palate full flavoured , silky ,tons of complexity ,dusty dry tannins on the finish 41/44
Overall my first Domaine A very impressive , would love to try this along side a Bordeaux 10/11
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
12/21/2016 - CamWheeler wrote: 91 Points
Grapemates Christmas Party 2016: From magnum. Charcoal, stalk, herbs, asphalt and floral notes. Palate has good structure, with plenty of tannin as well as lean but savory fruit. I like the poise and balance of this wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/6/2016 - Jimmy_D Likes this wine: 93 Points
A fitting 100th tasting note. I've been making my way through a glut of Domaine As in the last few months. This comes in behind the '00, it's very similar in profile but doesn't quite have the freshness or staying power. Good drinking at the price point I picked this up for.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2015 - BPej Likes this wine: 95 Points
Intense dark fruits, dried herbs, long and structured. Could go another 10 years easy but it drinking great now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2014 - graemeg wrote:
Wine-Pages Offline - London (Vinoteca, Soho): {cork, 14.5%} (me!) Purporting to drink wines in palate-weight sequence and starting with a wine claiming 14.5% alcohol seems capricious to say the least; but I was prepared to have faith in Domaine A’s philosophy. And it must be said, this really doesn’t betray than much ethanol; instead it has an only slightly-developing nose of ripe dark fruit, black olives and tobacco. The palate has lovely leafy cabernet fruit, no warmth, but a rather astringent finish; the medium chalky tannins are persistent, and the medium-length finish coats most of the tongue. This is pretty decent I reckon, steering a mid-course between old- and new-world styles. It doesn’t really justify its price either at home nor in the UK, it must be said; but perhaps that’s a function of its barely-2000-dozen annual production. Still, nice to drink, now and for another decade at least on this showing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/21/2014 - StewartWent wrote: 91 Points
Wonderfully elegant. Just so pretty and balanced and full of class; subtle cold berries and tobacco fruits, light tannin. Defines elegance in every way. Doesn't quite have the staying power of the 1997. Drink now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/3/2013 - chatters wrote:
Post Wine-Ark Supper with the boys - October 2013 (Fix St. James, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney): Funk, herbaceous notes, leather, muted bramble, some slight toast and cream notes. On the palate the wine is juicy, dry with flavours of muted black fruits, leather. The wine is balanced and subdued with a long finish. Nice
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/5/2013 - elledeca wrote:
very dark. the nose keeps changing, with blackcurrant, eucalyptus, leather, smoke. full bodied, a bit sweet and overripe, big structure. a notch above australia, but not on par with top class bdx. the alcohol sticks out, and the fruit is too ripe.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2011 - bendid wrote: 92 Points
Really enjoyed this. Classic dusty cab nose, delicious dark fruit with great length. In some ways it was more advanced than I had expected, but also in a great place. Ready to go now based on this bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/23/2011 - martinnugent wrote: 94 Points
Deep rich dark red berries. The nose is lovely. Intriguing beautiful floral. Decanting for 1 hour allowed the depth of quality to rise through the glass. On the taste it is instantly smooth, beautifully balanced, simplicity is it's strength. A mix of sweet dark and red fruits. Extremely well made in a new world style. Definitely a good wine moment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2011 - tendring Likes this wine: 89 Points
Wine Education Service - Tasmania (LSE): Inky, strong indication of age.
A developed nose, animal and vegetal notes, quite attractive.
Still quite fruity, very soft tannins, concentrated, very long.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2011 - hadwin Likes this wine: 91 Points
WES - Tasmania (LSE Holbourn): Very Intense and long legs (14.5%). Somewhat spirit like nose, rich. Dry with soft firm tannins on the palate. Richness following through, concentrated long. Quite a "loud" wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2010 - elledeca wrote: 94 Points
not a sign of evolution on the rim, even some purple reflexes on ruby background. quite dense.
complex nose of backcurrant with notes of eucalyptus, dark coffee, vanilla, cedar
perfectly balanced mouth with raspberry acidity, tannins still present but very fine.
very long.
this is a very elegant wine, with lush fruit but perfect sense of proportion. definetely european.
I would be curious to see it blind-tasted among first growths.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
1/4/2010 - graemeg wrote:
A very rich, full and attractive wine. Plums & spices; ripe black fruits and a touch of secondary development. The finest of dusty tannins on the palate, medium-full body, and a long even finish. Still elemental in many ways. A triumphant wine, and one for the future. The current 'museum release' at the winery!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/19/2009 - hadwin wrote: 93 Points
Darker and more intense than the 03, good cassis, richer. Black pepper and spice with some chocolate notes (“a more masculine wine”)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/4/2008 - StewartWent wrote: 89 Points
Mild dirty fruits on the nose and I can pick up some bottle age character. Palate shows minerals and mild oxidative notes. Fruit is soft but classic. Needs time and the 2002 Stoney is a much better bet right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2008 - StewartWent wrote: 90 Points
Firmer and more structured than the 1999, and I dare say will live considerably longer. Cold tea and slightly grainy tannins, but very much in balance. Not fruity although the cassis clearly stands out. Medium weight at best but very well weighted at that.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/10/2008 - graemeg wrote:
Winery visits Jan 2008 (Tasmania): {cork, A$65} This is in fact a Bordeaux blend, with merlot, malbec and PV totalling just under the 15% that would cause the labelling laws to step in. Seems very austere after the lushness of the straight merlot, but despite the more herbal accent to the fruit it does possess an almost liqueur-like richness of fruit. The tannins are powerful but not aggressive. It is relatively expensive I guess, but it’s unlike pretty well any other Australian cabernet available. Quality stuff, and worth buying bearing in mind something of a price premium for the limited nature of the Estate’s production.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment