September 11, 2022 - Dark ruby to the rim. Blackcurrant and cedary notes with whiff of menthol. The palate is robust medium to full body with ripe blackcurrant and blackberry and cherry with a wonderful spicy note. My last bottle but this wine still has plenty of life. Long, satisfying finish.
January 24, 2022 - I had a few members of the Tasting Group crew join me in a sort of, "help me drink down my cellar" gathering. Everyone had an opportunity to dig through the cellar and select a bottle of their choosing; the identity of the wine was kept from everyone else and then presented double-blind though, since the bottles were being pulled from my cellar, it wasn't a true double-blind situation for me. This was poured into a decanter and served within two hours of opening. The wine poured a deep ruby color, slightly turbid with a nearly opaque core. On the nose, the wine bursting with dark-over-red fruits; black currants and black cherry along with tobacco, bell pepper, leather, coffee, and baking spices. On the palate, the wine was dry and the structure was, overall, quite firm. The fruit set was confirmed and while the wine came across as vinous and fully mature, there was a rather remarkable freshness about it...and almost ageless quality. The tannins and acid were so refreshing. And then there was the texture which, I have to say, was quite noble. It was really hard for me to get away from the Left Bank in Bordeaux, from a great, warmer vintage. The question was: St. Julien or Pauliiac. I called 2000 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. I don't hate my call. This was a banger and going back to my notes, I really liked it back then too! It's worth mentioning that the Stelvin enclosure is the real deal folks. This has aged beautifully and has years and years to go. I wish I had more. Alas, this was my last bottle.
January 11, 2022 - Outstanding! Still full of tannins and needs to breathe before drinking. Very full bodied and one of the better/best Australian cabernet sauvignons. Have one more bottle left from my trip to the D'Arenberg tasting room in Adelaide, will wait a few more years to enjoy it. Wish I had more.
January 8, 2022 - Delicious! Dark red, full of tannin. Definitely a hint of pepper, dark berries. Very harsh rig out of bottle, but mellowed after 20-30 minutes. Still has a few years ahead of it, wish I had more. Will save my last bottle a few more years.
April 30, 2021 - Dense, dark red. White pepper, dark fruit and green peppers on the nose. Flavours of green peppers and dark fruits. Silky and rounded texture. Firm tannins with a long, smooth finish. Lovely. Drinking well.
January 19, 2021 - Appearance: med garnet
Nose: med+ intensity, eucalyptus, plum, chocolate, lavender, blackberry, black cherry, earthy dusty, toast, minty, cedar, five spices, dry orange peel, tomato leaf. It’s developing.
Palate: dry, high acidity, high tannins very fine and smooth, high alcohol (14.5%) but doesn’t feel high as the high acidity balanced it well. It has some plum on the palate and some mushroom at the end of the finish. It has med+ finish.
Overall, very good wine. It’s better than the last bottle we tried last year. It still has the same issue of the flavours gap at the middle palate but not as problematic as the last one because the flavour intensity is there to hold. I was planning to save this bottle for longer given the screwcap, but my wife cracked open by accident for blind tasting, so just enjoyed it then. After all, happy wife, happy life!
Dispensed into small bottle and tried again on day 3. It’s even better with charming notes of mushroom, wet leaves and medium roasted coffee beans. Tannins are even better integrated. Increase the rating to 94pts.
April 11, 2020 - Appearance: deep garnet
Nose: medium intensity; aromas of mint, eucalyptus, chocolate, kirsch, black currant, tomato leaf, cedar, toast, nutmeg. It's developing.
Palate: dry, high acidity, high tannins (still very chalky and grippy), high alcohol, full body, medium plus flavour intensity, flavours much aligned with nose, the finish is medium plus (but at the shorter end).
Overall, it's a very good wine. Can drink now but has potential for further ageing. 6 mths since last bottle. The finish is still a shortcoming comparing to the other elements of this wine. Very minty and eucalyptus on both nose and palate, interesting characters given it's from McLaren Vale instead of Coonawarra. A solid wine but lack of surprises.
January 26, 2020 - Australia day 2020, BBQ lamb, BQ corn on the cob, salad.
Decanted for twenty minutes, an hour sitting in the glass, then an hour tasting.
Powerfully alcoholic on the nose, very complex with red and black fruits, cedar, bay leaves.
Powerful tannins in the mouth, red fruits and Cranberry, dark bitter chocolate, coffee grounds, juicy.
To be honest it probably overwhelmed t the lamb a little. After the BBQ we had a bowl of dates, blue cheese, candied orange with dark chocolate and a vintage cheddar. All of these bought different flavours and depth to this wine.
I have 3 bottles of this left and I think I will wait at least another 3 years before the next one as this has the tannin and alcohols to stay on its journey through time.
Appearance
Clarity : Clear
Intensity : Deep
Colour
Red : Ruby
Nose
Condition : Clean
Intensity : Pronounced
Aroma Characteristics: Black Fruit, Red Fruit, Violets, Bayleaf, Tobacco, Leather. Cedar, Oak, Tomato leaf
Palate
Sweetness : Dry
Acidity : High
Tannin : High
Body : Medium
Flavour: Cranberry, Pomegranate, Red fruit, Chocolate, Tomato leaf
Length : Long
June 16, 2019 - Delicious, clearly an age worthy bottle, fruit, graphite, long finish.
March 3, 2019 - Dark ruby, almost bloody. Black fruits and violets, lots of ripe blackberry and blackcurrant, spice and tannins which are still present. Lots of life and vigour.