February 1, 2024 - Tasted after 90 minutes of air. Huge hit of eucalyptus on the nose here. Dark ruby color. Black cherry fruit. Drying tannins. Not too complex. Still I enjoy this and giving it some good points just for the nose alone...
November 3, 2023 - Wow. Four years later. Such a huge difference and evolution of this wine. Black cherry and blackberry fruit and spice have emerged along with leather and tobacco in subtle notes. My score has skyrocketed since the last taste four years ago. I think this wine still has longevity and would benefit from 2-3 more years of cellaring. One bottle to go. I’ll report back in 2026! (Ps. Drink it now and you will be very happy, but be sure to drink at least an hour after opening the bottle)
February 11, 2022 - Best after 1 hr decant
January 15, 2021 - Popped and poured. Wow a big hit of eucalyptus on the nose. Very powerful. Some spicy red berry fruit. Well balanced. Based on the thick legs on this I would guess this has plenty of alcohol but it is carried effortlessly by the powerful fruit. Very nice effort.
November 26, 2020 - This is a truly superb Coonawarra Cab, amongst the best Cabs I've ever tasted from anywhere, and a reminder to me of why Coonawarra is my favourite Australian wine region. The authenticity is a good deal of what sets it apart. This is a Cab driven by the iron minerality that distinguishes Coonawarra. There's ripe blackberry and cherry, mild brown spice, mint, and vanilla, but tasting that strong iron note is like drinking the essence of the soil, the blood of the region's veins. If you like that, as I do, this is magnificent. And the balanced harmony matches the authenticity: the sweet fruit and savoury notes, the fine acidity and fine-grained tannins, the mineral core and everything swirling around it, all is so well integrated. If there's a shortcoming, it might be the lack of complexity in terms of secondary notes, but the depth and length are both excellent. I'd put this solidly in the 91-92 range, and for just $20 that also makes it one of the best values I've ever found.
October 25, 2020 - Tasted on day 2. Plenty of eucalyptus. Some dark currents. Good persistence. Very nice balance. Not overdone like so many Aussie wines.
September 19, 2020 - Got this bottle out of the Top 100 list and was pleasantly surprised by the concentration and elegance of this wine. Excellent drinkability, inviting aromas of dark fruits. Voluptuous with balancing acidity, notes of plum, black currant, thyme and chalk. Paired with duck breast.
May 14, 2020 - Dark purple color. Not much smell. Lots of wood and tannin, but not as much fruit as I like. After all, wine is made from fruit, n'est pas? Maybe I'm coming down with coronavirus and am losing sense of smell and taste? Most other reviewers seem to like this wine a lot more than I. Will try it again tomorrow after vacuvin and overnight.
April 12, 2020 - This needs food! A very Old World style of Cab; lots of grippy tannins and acidity. Sandalwood, clove, and lavender on the nose. Medium to full body, with flavors of blackcurrant, spice, flint, and the cooling signature Coonawarra eucalyptus/menthol note. Finishes long. Paired beautifully with lamb shoulder chops - the tannin and acid cut right through the unctuous lamb fat. I might buy a couple more bottles of this vintage to see if the tannins calm down with a bit more age.
February 22, 2020 - Tannic and very juicy. I really enjoyed this wine. It’s a really nice drink.