Coonawarra Roadshow
A boat in the harbour
Tasted Sunday, August 31, 2025 by chatters with 52 views
Introduction
I must confess the idea of being stuck on a boat in the harbour for four hours with 150 other wine tasters and drinkers did fill me with trepidation but this tasting is such an excellent opportunity to look at the Cabernets of Coonawarra
Flight 1 (56 Notes)
Closing
Actually this was really good as there was plenty of room and seats so people could just relax and chill out whilst I tasted in a frenzy...
2020 Balnaves of Coonawarra The Blend Coonawarra
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Medium minus intensity jammy black non delineated fruits, a little sweet spice. Juicy, tangy, slightly dilute, tea textured tannins, simple. Meh.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2020 Balnaves of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Caramel oak, sweet spice in charge of the muted black fruit behind this. Juicy, oaky palate, woody grip, caramel, fruit plays second fiddle, meh.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Balnaves of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon The Tally Reserve
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Oddly this smells less oaked that the 2020 Cabernet, black hued fruits are non delineated. More of the same on the palate, it's a little flat though. Bah.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2018 Bellwether Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Blackcurrant, cedar, slight eucalyptus, sweet spice, a sense of concentration. Juicy, taut, slight alcohol warmth, surprisingly soft tannins, muted blackcurrant, Hmm.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2008 Bellwether Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Medium minus intensity aromas are slightly reductive, with agitation a little blackcurrant and bramble and slightly earthy notes, cedar and sweet spice. Juicy black hued fruits are muted here as well, again surprisingly soft tannins.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2023 Bowen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Slightly jammier on the nose than previous tastings, blackcurrant, earthy, mint. Fresh, fleshy and juicy on the palate, silky textured rasp, alcohol warmth on the finish. Hmm today.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2021 Brand & Sons Cabernet Sauvignon Silent Partner
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Blackcurrant compote tends to jammy, cedar, slight mint. Juicy, fleshy, blackcurrant fruit, grainy tannins, S'okay.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Brand's Laira Cabernet Sauvignon Blockers
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Blackcurrant ,mint, slight eucalyptus, smidge of sweet spice. Juicy, fleshy, blackcurrant, non intrusive alcohol warmth, silky tannins, very slightly dilute. S'okay.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Brand's Laira August Tide Dry Red
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Smells a little lean and green, spicy, non delineated fruit. More of the same on the palate. Not very nice.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Brand's Laira Cabernet Sauvignon 1968 Vines
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Meaty, savoury, funky, muted blackcurrant, creamy, oak caramel, sweet spice. Juicy, plentiful tannic rasp, a little too worked from the fruit. Bah.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2018 Brand's Laira Cabernet Sauvignon One Seven One
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Baked red black fruits, sweet spice. Medium plus intensity acidity, out of whack, red and black fruits here as well. Bah.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2021 Carlei Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Medium minus intensity aromas show some farty wild ferment, muted black fruits. Medium plus intensity acidity, chalky grainy tannins, fruit sits behind this, structured. Time.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2021 Carlei Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Medium minus intensity aromas, oak a little more obvious, dusty spice. Black hued fruits and, well, something 'off'…perhaps a little volatile? Quite lean on the palate, over controlled woody tannins and little else. Nah.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 DiGiorgio Family Cabernet Franc
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Touch of carbo crush, pretty fruit lozenge, slight sweet spice. Lean on the palate. A touch meh.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2018 DiGiorgio Family Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
blackcurrant, a little Ribena, mint, muted cedar and sweet spice in support. Juicy, medium plus intensity acidity, a little chocolate, silky tannins though grippy and drying, dark fruits, Nice.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Earthy, black hued fruits resolve into blackcurrant, behind this oak offers cedar and a little sweet spice. Slightly grainy tannins, slightly dilute black fruits, simple, clean.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Katnook Estate Shiraz Prodigy
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Polished oak, sweet spice, plums have a jammy quality. In the mouth it's juicy with those plums and a little prune and damson, polished oak, integrated tannins.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Odyssey
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Blackcurrant, slight cherry, polished oak is integrated, a little earthy spice. Slightly sour acid lends red currant underpin to the blackcurrant, tannins are drying coarse woody flour textured tannins, alcohol warmth on the finish. Hmm.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2002 Katnook Estate Shiraz Prodigy
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Toast, slight burnt coffee, muted black fruits, cedar. Lean, slightly tart, a touch over the hill.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Koonara Cabernet Sauvignon Wanderlust
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Medium minus intensity aromas are slightly dilute, lean, red over black hued fruits, chalky tannins.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2020 Koonara Cabernet Sauvignon Ambriel's gift
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Medium minus intensity aromas, slight blackcurrant, simple, a little dilute smelling, palate is far better, dense, chewy tannins, blackcurrant fruit. Simple but nice.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2023 Leconfield Lonicera
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Pretty red plums, quite jubey, nice nose. Juicy, jubey, pretty, lovely, simple, charming.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Leconfield Cabernet Franc
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Touch of 'medium dry red', quite simple. Oddly smoky notes. <shrugs>
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Muted blackcurrant, a little herbaceous underpin. Slightly jammy fruits with herbaceous notes, a little over pressed I think; hard and overdone. Bah.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Lindeman's Cabernet Sauvignon Trio St. George
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Slight perfumed black fruits have a red fruit underpin, slightly herbaceous notes. Juicy, slightly green on the palate, tannins in charge touch of red and black fruit.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Lindeman's Pyrus
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Red over black fruits in the compote space, touch of plum and cherry, sweet spice. Medium plus intensity acidity, fruit is non delineated on the palate, silky tannins, a bit anonymous but that may be the company it's in today.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Lindeman's Trio Shiraz - Cabernet Limestone Ridge Vineyard
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Blackcurrant, slight pepper, plums, sweet spice, cedar. Juicy plums on the palate, slightly bitter tannins. Nah.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2021 Majella Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Black fruit concentrate, eucalyptus, cedar. Medium plus intensity acidity feels adjusted, woody tannins, a little red fruit underpin to the black hued fruits. Hmm.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2018 Majella The Malleea
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Earthy, blackcurrant, Ribena, sweet spice and, surprisingly, slightly funky notes. Medium plus intensity feels adjusted here as well - perhaps, in both cases, a little clumsily. Slightly lean, red hued fruits over black, slightly grainy tannins. Bah.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2017 Majella Cabernet Sauvignon GPL68
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Cedar, black hued fruits, sweet oak spice, a little blackcurrant, earthy notes. Lashings of grippy tannins close down the palate, fruit is slightly muted behind this. 8 years has done this no favours…yet…one of the minor drawbacks with screwcaps. Bah
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2016 Redman Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
red hued fruits, a little green herbaceousness shows some peppermint tea. Lean and red hued on the palate, not much fun for me I'm afraid.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Parker Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Cool Climate
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Herbaceous and lean smelling, wet earth, muted black fruits. In the mouth it's juicy, slightly tart, lean and quite tight; tannins are grippy, chewy and close down the fruit with some alcohol warmth on the finish. Meh.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Parker Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Terra Rossa
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Graphite, earth, muted red and blackcurrant. More of the same on the palate, slightly lean. Meh.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Parker Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 95 Block
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Slight violet, plums, earthy, meaty slightly farty notes, dusty spices. Juicy, fleshy, plummy and spicy, grippy drying tannins, alcohol warmth on the finish, big and bold. Woof.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2021 Parker Coonawarra Estate First Growth
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Muted black hued fruit, sweet spice, savoury underpin, very slight earth, cedar and cigar box. Juicy, tangy, blackcurrant, silky tannins have a little rasp, black hued fruits, well made, slight alcohol warmth. Nice.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2019 Patrick Cabernet Sauvignon Home Block
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Graphite, pencil shavings, eucalyptus, slight blackcurrant, a little pyrazine. Super tannic, dark hued fruits, some chocolate; both milk and plain. Out of whack at the moment but time should help this or a good decant. Plenty of pleasing complexity.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2019 Patrick Cabernet Sauvignon Two Blocks
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Medium minus intensity blackcurrant, mint, graphite. Super juicy but slightly muted red over black fruits on the palate, coarse flour textured tannins dry out the finish unfortunately. Hmm.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2013 Patrick Cabernet Sauvignon Grande Réserve
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Blackcurrant, cedar, sweet spice, quite bold. Fresh smelling, juicy, oak, still present offering caramel, sweet spice, that oak is a little overdone, blackcurrant behind this. Hmm.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Raidis Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Billy
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Slightly farty blackcurrant fruit, slight compote, cedar. Juicy, initially, non delineated fruit then drying grippy tannins, silky textured. <shrugs>
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2018 Raidis Estate The Trip
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Earthy blackcurrant, eucalyptus, cigar box, cedar, mint. Juicy, very slightly tart, blackcurrant had a sense of jubey freshness, surprisingly silky tannins. Alcohol warmth on the finish carries all long. Hmm.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Redman Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Red hued fruits, a little green and lean. A touch tart on the palate. Not very nice at all.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon The Pastoralist
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Farty and funky black fruits show dusty blackcurrant backed by sweet spice. Juicy, fleshy, muted fruit, simple. Meh.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon The Federator
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Dusty oak spice, blackcurrant a little baked note. Oddly the palate is quite lean, lacking generosity bit with alcohol warmth. Nah.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2021 Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon The Author
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Dusty & earthy, muted black fruit, oaky spice. More liquorice on the palate over black fruit with a fair lick of alcohol warmth. Bah.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2021 Whistle Post Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Medium minus intensity aromas of red and black fruits that are a little dilute smelling, sweet spice. Red hued fruits on the palate, grainy tannins. Meh.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2018 Whistle Post Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Muted slightly reductive, black fruits, sweet spice. Soft and round on the palate, a little red fruit underpin to the darker fruits, drying but silky tannins. It’s a little indifferent for me.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2013 Whistle Post Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Earthy, pencil shavings, blackcurrant, red currant, a little mint, juicy medium plus intensity acidity, plenty of silky texture, oak lends coffee and chocolate, muted fruit.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2024 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Franc Single Vineyard Limited Release McKillop
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Pencil shavings, blackcurrant leaf, fresh blackcurrant, earthy underpin, nice nose. Promising. In the mouth it's wetly dilute, slight tart, lean, grainy tannins, so disappointing.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2023 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon The Original
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Blackcurrant, herbaceous, mint, touches of forest floor almost. It's a little leaner than I remember, plentiful grainy tannins. Non intrusive alcohol warmth on the finish. Hmm.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vineyard Childs
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
blackcurrant, earthy, touch of eucalyptus. Nice nose but (again) it's quite lean and unpleasant on the palate.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2022 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Shiraz Michael
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Blackberry over plum, a little olive tapenade and slight pepper. Juicy, silky tannins, quite fresh, a little peppery note. Quite Northern Rhone. Quite impressive.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2021 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon John Riddoch
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
A little graphite, black hued fruits, cedar, a little fruit compote underpin. Juicy with red and black fruits, cedary, silky talc textured tannins, long, balanced better tasting today.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2009 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon John Riddoch
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Served blind as they Wynns mystery wine. Eucalyptus, mint, blackcurrant, cedar, very pure cabernet nose. Juicy, textured grip carries long, black fruit on the palate as well, alcohol warmth is well managed. Nice. I went with John Riddoch 2010.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2021 Zema Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Slight jammy blackcurrant, a little sweet spice, simple. Juicy, fleshy, slight dilute, touch of okay clumsiness. Bah.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2018 Zema Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Family Selection
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
blackcurrant with red currant underpin, earthy, forest floor. More concentrated than the estate but not overtly oaky, cedar, slight spice. Juicy, fleshy, plentiful drying grippy tannins fruit muted but present. S'okay.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2020 Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon The Federator
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
blackcurrant, cedar, slightly smoky, earthy, forest floor. Juicy, slightly soft, black hued fruits, silky tannins are surprisingly drying, fruit persists. S'okay.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No