2011 Domaine Mega Spileo Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Cave

Community Tasting Notes (5) Avg Score: 91 points

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  10/11/2020 - apple1813 Likes this wine: 92 Points

  2011 Domain Mega Spileo Grand Cave Cabernet Sauvignon was showed great balance among dark fruits, oak spices and tertiary flavours. The developing Greek Cabernet Sauvignon was clear and medium garnet in colour with traces of fine sediments. On the nose, notes of blackberries, ceder wood and smoke jumped out of the glass, followed by leather, anise and Oriental spices. The mouthfeel was dry and rather full-bodied, balanced with medium-high levels of acidity and structured tannin. Complex flavours of dried blackcurrant, cassis and earth transitioned to Pu'er black tea, graphite and saline minerality in a long remarkable finish. It would be fun to append it to a Left Bank Bordeaux-themed blind tasting.
  
  From the information on the back label, the vines were grown at an altitude of 780 to 880 meters on sand and clay incline. The wine had been aged for 16 months on fine lees in new French oak barrels, followed by another 24 months of bottle aging. The Holy Monastery of Mega Spileo has been producing wines for over 500 years.
  
  Every time I revisit the wines of Mega Spileo, I am impressed by the complexity, depth of flavours and mineral sensation. Despite its stellar quality, it was retailed below CAD 30 at the provincial liqour store. The 2012 vintage of this wine will be released at the end of October, and I cannot wait to grab a bottle that time.

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  2/29/2020 - apple1813 Likes this wine: 92 Points

  2011 Domain Mega Spileo Grand Cave Cabernet Sauvignon was complex, developing and structured. The Greek Cabernet Sauvignon was clear and deep ruby in colour with a thin amber rim. It took an hour in the decanter to open up complex aromatics of dried blackcurrant, earth and toast, followed by leather, cigar box and preserved citrus fruit. The mouthfeel was dry, rather full bodied, with medium-high level of acidity and high level of finely grained tannin. The attack was supple, and it gradually developed into flavours of dried blackberries, Pu'er black tea, smoke and salty minerals in a lingering long finish. The acidity and tannin structure, and the positive development in the decanter promised at least another five years of bottle ageing.
  
  From the information on the back label, the vines were grown at an altitude of 780 to 880 meters on sand and clay incline. The wine had been aged for 16 months on fine lees in new French oak barrels, followed by another 24 months of bottle aging. The Holy Monastery of Mega Spileo has been producing wines for over 500 years.

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  12/14/2019 - acheng wrote: 90 Points

  Classic Bordeaux nose well developed tertiary profile already. Drink now.

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  10/19/2019 - apple1813 Likes this wine: 92 Points

  2011 Domaine Mega Spileo Grand Cave Cabernet Sauvignon was complex, elegant and mineral driven. The Greek Cabernet Sauvignon was clear and deep ruby in colour without any sediments. The absence of sediments was quite surprising given its 8 years of age. The bouquet was complex, with leather, French toast and anise spices, followed by aromas of blackberries and dried dark cherries. On the palate, it was medium bodied, spicy with medium-high level of acidity and medium-high level of silky fine-grained tannin. Intense minerals with a touch of saltiness, flavours of ceder wood and dried blackcurrant lingered in a medium-long finish.
  It was a great bottle of old-world Cabernet Sauvignon with great elegance, balance and minerality. I would have guessed good bottle of Saint Julien in a blind tasting. The 14.5 % alcohol was nicely concealed in the great complexity, minerals and balance.

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  10/2/2019 - Double-A Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Aromatic, toasted bread, licorice, currant and mineral nose. Broad and drying palate; firm and savoury with red berry and spice flavours; very long, complex finish.
  4.5/5

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