St Hugo Coonawarra Cabernet Vertical spanning 3 Decades (Merce's Castle): Did not start well as the cork had been leaking and was completely saturated. However, managed to pry out in one piece. An initial taste revealed a tight but unoxidized wine so there was some hope. Deep red in colour and after a 2 hour decant a wine displaying soft savoury dark fruit aromas was revealed. On the palate there was lots going on … a very complex, elegant, well balanced wine deeply flavoured with a long finish of soft, silky tannins. Interesting 18 years ago I wrote this wine was the “complete package” and based on this bottle I would still agree with those words. No rush to drink this vintage as it has many years ahead of it and well cellared bottles could even improve further. Wine of the flight and night for me and a few others.
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Wet moss and mint, tobacco and rich blackcurrant aromas. Tannins still play a prominent part on the palate but do not totally dominate proceedings. I would be interested to see this in 5 years time as I think it was good on the night, but may look better with time.
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12/2/2023 - sthugo wrote:
St Hugo Coonawarra Cabernet Vertical spanning 3 Decades (Merce's Castle): Did not start well as the cork had been leaking and was completely saturated. However, managed to pry out in one piece. An initial taste revealed a tight but unoxidized wine so there was some hope. Deep red in colour and after a 2 hour decant a wine displaying soft savoury dark fruit aromas was revealed. On the palate there was lots going on … a very complex, elegant, well balanced wine deeply flavoured with a long finish of soft, silky tannins. Interesting 18 years ago I wrote this wine was the “complete package” and based on this bottle I would still agree with those words. No rush to drink this vintage as it has many years ahead of it and well cellared bottles could even improve further. Wine of the flight and night for me and a few others.
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9/29/2011 - samh00 wrote:
Drinking very well now and over the next 5 years or so.
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9/27/2008 - Berry Cellar wrote: 70 Points
Probably past it. Cork disintegrated and wine lacked flavour. Still drinkable but only just.
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9/16/2007 - wmr wrote: 89 Points
Some brick red colour forming, relatively clear very little sediment. God nose with some. Good length with mellow tannins.
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4/9/2007 - CamWheeler wrote: 88 Points
Wet moss and mint, tobacco and rich blackcurrant aromas. Tannins still play a prominent part on the palate but do not totally dominate proceedings. I would be interested to see this in 5 years time as I think it was good on the night, but may look better with time.
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