June 1, 2023 - A good wine. Needs 2-3 hours to open up.
December 18, 2022 - Solid showing, regional and very good juice. Needs some time to shine. Should be great in 5.
June 9, 2021 - Drank this after the 2014 straight cab sav. Lots of similarities but at the moment I preferred the first wine which is just drinking wonderfully. I think, however, this wine will end up in a better place but unlike screwcaps below I reckon it is best held for a few more years, at least. If I did not have the comparison I would have said it is great now and go for it. This wine has a bit more tannin, oak and structure and I still find it a touch tight and lacking any secondary development. Easily 94. lovely.
May 16, 2021 - Takes an hour or two, but this is ready. Enjoy now over next 2-3 years.
The Duck nailed this one when he said ‘if this was Bordeaux you’d pay much more and probably score it higher’ such is the taight medium body, perfect balance, and fine tannin and acid profile. One of those wines where it’s hard to pick whether it’s elegant ‘new world’ or modern ‘old world’.
This took on more fine cassis liqueur and mushroom tertiary character as it opened up over 3 hours. Black tea tannins, olive and ‘wet cement’ gave clear suggestions of place and grape variety.
Was an interesting counterpoint to the young, polished and broad shouldered Woodlands Emily 2018 from the more northerly and warmer Margaret River region.
November 19, 2020 - Rich red fruit transitions to blue. More savoury than gravelly tannins with black olive tapenade and bay leaf. Finish fans out wide, still quite fresh, with flecks of tomato paste and leafy bush and mushroom reduction. An ever so slight eucalyptus note through the finish but not distracting. Very good length. A bargain on clearance at Dans. Will drink remaining from now over the next 10. From memory as good as Houghtons Gladstones from the same vintage despite the distance between Margs and Mt Barker. Better oak handling too. Tastes exactly as you hope it would based on the region and vintage. Excellent. 94.
April 18, 2020 - Needs more time.
Still a bit closed and tight.
Feels big and would need 3+more years.