Exotic spice. Cedarwood. Rich and creamy, coconut chocolate with Sweet stewed black fruit and a long finish. Tasted against a bunch of old Bordeaux in 2024, and able to detect the sweet fruit in the palate. It was a telltale sign of an Australian red. Many others thought it was an aged Bordeaux, and rightly so, as it is fashioned after the Bordeaux's "First Growth." It has everything a rich Bordeaux might taste like, with the distinctive sweet fruit. 95 points. Jan. 21, 2024
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Medium ruby in the glass. Aromas of boiled red and dark fruits pepper and cigar box. Tasting the wine really impresses silky smooth blanket that envelopes the senses. Long complex finish with a hint of sweet fruit. Gorgeous wine
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Deep ruby, with browning fading edges. Deep fresh eucalyptus aromas and flavours, as well as savoury nutmeg spices and ripe blackberry. Silky tannins and mouthwatering acids, and some alcohol heat that seem to provide good energy. Lengthy and fairly complex. Good!
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PnP that was at its peak performance on day 3. I took a small, 1,5oz pour on day one - not having it, just too wound up, and most especially the sensation of (very, very creamy) wood was just too overbearing. Day 2, this had relaxed only a little, but more importantly, the nose was hinting at what might be to come, so back in the fridge, with 3/4 of the bottle remaining. Day 3, now we're talking. New world-ish on the palate at first, but by the end of the bottle, I was overjoyed. The nose, and its eucalyptus notes kept me swirling and sniffing for the better part of a few hours. I was one glass into it, and I was already lamenting the fact that this experience would come to and end. Not quite as precise as the '96, but will be equally long-lived, or near enough, anyway. New Fr. and Am. oak, only 4k cases produced; CS, Merlot, CF. No mention of abv% on front or back label, though it comes across as 14,0-14,5. Bravo, Chris Cameron (winemaker). Drink now thru 2032. highly recommended
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Visitors from Wellington - final dinner (Wanaka Wedge House, Queensberry, Central Otago, New Zealand): Last bottle, best bottle. Drinking extremely well - totally taut, youthful and classic. Masses of US and French oak frame the intense clarity of the fruit. Classic Coonawarra in that it shows some herbal aspects, but also gorgeous ripeness. So true to its terroir, and has aged to grace. Compared to the stunning Sami-Odi 2013 drunk the night before, this felt more "traditional" (albeit very refined), but equally riveting.
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Powerful but old fashioned nose of cedar, dried tobacco, cassis, and blue flowers.
Sweet but not jammy fruit. Very black fruited with cassis in the mid palate and juicy blackberries at the end. Good acid presence but for me it seems to separate a little at the end of the palate.
Quite a nice old fashioned but new world fruited wine. Remind me a bit of some of the more traditional Napa producers. Glorious nose that doesn't quite follow up with on the palate, but a fine wine nonetheless.
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Pale garnet, felt almost gone at the beggining, light, cherry like aromas, high acidity, resolved tannins, 20min started to open up, body came together, way more intensity, mocha, caramel like aromas, dark cherry, beautiful wine. I would drink now, will not improve
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Incredibly beautiful wine that is not over extracted or too rich. There is fantastic balance that reminds me of an old world style bordeaux with a touch of Australianesque fruit. There are notes olives, bell pepper, and hints of baking spices. The acid is perfectly pitched while the tannins fine. For people who enjoy old school style Bordeaux Blends this is a great wine to pick up. There is still enough life to hold for 5 years easy but there is no reason to hold any longer.
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very consistent with my last note: dark red with brick rim - mature cabernet nose with abundant cassis and blackberries, but not overly complex aromas - the real beauty of this wine is in the mouth, with full bodied rich sweet cabernet fruit, great acid fruit balance, and fully resolved tannins - 20 second finish - drinking beautifully now though will hold at this level for at least another 3-5 years, if not longer
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Aromas of mocha latte, hints of Cabernet graphite, green pepper. Cooling dark fruit. It shows a blend of classic Bordeaux Cabernet and sweeter fruit. Spicy and complex, with many layers to dive into. This showed the most development over three hours, with the final glass being the best. Long finish.
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Stunning bottle, in perfect shape. Classic (and classy) Aussie Cabernet, with huge American Oak character, that is beautifully complemented by the focused and ripe Cabernet fruit. Tangy and long finish (20+ seconds). Superb aged character adds depth and complexity to a wine that is true to its history and cepage, but has also transformed. A point, but bottles in this condition should go another 5 years.
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dark red with brick rim - mature cabernet nose with abundant cassis and blackberries, but not many complex aromas - the real beauty of this wine is in the mouth, with full bodied rich sweet cabernet fruit, great acid fruit balance, and fully resolved tannins - 10 second finish - drinking beautifully now, see no reason to wait further though I'm sure it will hold at this level for at least another 3-5 years
Clear, deep garnet to thin rim. Clean, medium, fully developed nose of bramble, cassis, cedar and a hint of eucalypt. Dry, medium acid, medium fully integrated tannins, medium alcohol (13.5%), medium body, medium intensity flavours of blackberry, currant, cedar, field mushrooms.
Very good, all in balance, but lacking anything special at 19 years old, this is still dark fruit driven, but is a bit past peak.
Cork.
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I had this bottle open for 8 hours. It showed exactly like my last bottle, so please reference those notes.
This wine was clearly quite young and, in addition to being a bit primary, showed a touch of heat. Nonetheless, it was a rich, ripe, satisfying drink that will remain enjoyable for 20 years and might even get better.
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This wine had a purple/red center with just a slight oranging at the rim. This wine is clearly still quite young. But after 5 hours of air, the nose exhibited blackberries, cherries, coco powder, soil, and a hint of Provencal herbs.
This went through a number of phases as it aired. While this wine changed a lot, it was gorgeously balanced in each phase. As time went on the tannin and the acidity slowly built. The tannin remained rounded and attractive and the length became impressive.
This wine appears to have the balance to get better with age. While it is still a bit grapey and mono-toned now, if it continues to develop nuance, it may pick up a couple points. However, I would say we are looking at the low end of RP's original assessment of 95-97 points, at best.
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Initially opened with some cigar and leathery notes, colour was still crimson and dense. Drank well but really opened up after 1.5hrs in a decanter. Then perfectly aged Cabernet notes of cassis, blackberries and menthol came forward with silky well resolved tannins. Wish we'd waited before we drank most of the bottle.
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A very pleasant surprise, brick red color with no signs of fading. This was the highest score we have given this wine. Lots of upfront fruit in the nose and flavor. Black cherries, blackberries, and coffee in the nose, blackberries, currants, plums, and black cherries in the flavor. A nicely balanced wine with a medium to long finish.
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This bottle was surprising fresh and youthful. Looked aged, but the nose was floral, with red and dark fruits. There's also cassis and cedar here. The palate is very varietal. The finish still carries some fine tannins that give a nice strength and carry. Delicious.
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AGM 2016 (Ruth Chris): Screw-cap. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of mint, grilled bell peppers, leather, tobacco, black pepper, earth. Developed. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (13.5%), firm high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of mint, grilled bell peppers, black pepper, blackcurrant, blackberries. Long finish. Very good quality. Still clear distinct Cabernet Sauvignon fruit despite the age. At peak drinking, not for further ageing. Mainly a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, with small amounts of Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc.
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Terroir-istes International - Australia-Bordeaux Blends (Groot Constantia): (Tasted Blind): A deep garnet-coloured wine. A savoury approach with warm fruit aromas reminiscent of stewed plums and blackcurrant pie combined with fresh earth, dried undergrowth, forest fruits and dried meats. The palate shows some wood bark and oak elements, which is interesting given its potential age, and the tertiary mix. Flavours of Christmas cake, raisins, dates, dried figs, cinnamon stick and mocha, and a continuous undergrowth character. A warm alcohol sensation countered with a fresh acidity, yet only light tannins close with orange and chocolate towards a chili chocolate. It is relatively complex and classy yet showing some signs of age.
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This has a very cool-climate feel to it, yet showes a clear Australian footprint. Cassis, grilled pepper, sandalwood, mint, tea tree?, ferrous minerality, resinous oak. Seems more Cab Franc than Sauv at the moment.
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Another lovely mature Aussie Cab. Decanted 30 mins. Lots of developed flavours mixing harmoniously with the dwindling red and blue fruits. The savoury tones are dominant today. The gentle tannins still carry the wine to a fine and elegant finish.
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Perfect cork. Ripe black fruits with plenty of cedar on the nose. the palate is ripe and filled with lots of cedar spice. The oak is well balanced by the fruits and gives the palate a medium bodied feel. There is also a high note on the palate like some alcohol lift without any warmth. The finish has a nice gentle tea-like tannin grip. Another few years would do no harm it seems, although it's really nice now.
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Not decanted. This was my second bottle, and both came across as slightly past peak. There's nice rustic Coonawarra flavors of red tea, cola/anise, eucalyptus, and very strong green tannins. An elegant mouthfeel and quite complex, just lacking fruit at this point in its life. Drink now.
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2014 Birthday Wine Dinner (Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck, Asia Square): Dark ruby core with crimson tinge, it looks more youthful than the 98 Mondavi Reserve. Nice and expressive nose, rich cassis, black currant, dark plum, vanilla oak and just a touch of eucalyptus. Rich and concentrated palate, medium+ bodied with layers of cassis, ripe berry fruits, vanilla, tobacco and eucalyptus. It has good substance on mid-palate, long persistent finish with fine and ample tannins, could still hold for another 5 years with ease. My 3rd time having this wine and it never fail to impress me. To me, Parker 1st Growth and John Riddoch are the 2 finest Cab (blend) produced from Coonawarra.
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This was still coming into age, at least another 5 years that it will come of age. Took awhile to evolve. Lovely dark fruit aromas. Still quite a bit of dark fruit on the palate. Nice long palate. On its way to extraordinary.
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From 75cl, perfect cork. Plenty of powdery deposit, but decanted clear. Super-ripe blackberry fruit, glycerine, velvety texture, very concentrated. Big fleshy Coonawarra red. Decent balancing acidity. Lacking the sheer excitement of my two previous bottles some years ago, but still fresh enough to promise a further 5-10 years of residual enjoyment. If I possessed further bottles, I'd drink them sooner rather than later. 90P
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Some sweet fruit, tobacco and earth on the nose. Medium bodied with good structure, a touch of american oak, red and black fruits and a nice finish. Blind, most thought younger mountain cab. 92 points
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Mature bottle of Aussie cab. Aromas of black and blue fruits, overlaid by cedar, tobacco, cassis, hints of mint. Palate was fine and elegant, but still juicy. Finished long. Terrific bottle, in its prime.
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We are not the right people to rate this wine as it is not our style and thus we will not. The start was quite all out, big and full of ripe fruit dynamics, light oaky nose and a big sweet core of ruit. With time it relaxed but never shed the sweet core that sort of dictates the style here. Not confectionary or anything like thta but a bridge too far for us.
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Much better than I remember the last bottle consumed in July . It took about an hour to shake off some funk but really opened up - a deep colour with wonderful red fruits .
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APPEARANCE: clear; medium garnet; medium legs & tears NOSE: clean; medium intensity; flavour characteristics: black fruits (blackcurrant, black cherry), red fruits (strawberry), sweet spices (oak, vanilla), cedar, leather, tobacco; fully developed PALATE: dry; medium+ acidity; full body; medium+ tannin; medium alcohol; long finish; medium+ flavour intensity; flavour characteristics: as per nose: black fruits (blackberry, black cherry), strawberry, white pepper, forest floor, tobacco. READINESS FOR DRINKING: Can drink now but has potential for further aging FURTHER REMARKS: Tasted for the 2nd time and first impressions onfirmed. Excellent wine, well balanced! Gives great satisfaction so highly recommended!
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thought this would suffer after a couple of bottles of excellent '02 burgundy but not at all - dark with a small amount of bricking . A bit of spice and mint with a good balance and length - Coonawarra at it's best . Why don't I have other vintages in the cellar ?
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Excellent cabernet that is very much true to its style. Classic Coonawarra cool climate cabernet aged in American oak. Minty eucalypt, licorice cool climate cedar notes but plenty of first class fruit quality. Slightly obvious toasted American oak to the fore balances beautiful lifted black berry sweet fruit. Super clear and defined nose and mouth that shows impeccable wine making. Excellent wine that speaks of its place and style and as a consequence displays different aroma and flavour spectrums from France and California... Certainly approaching maturity but had plenty of time in hand. My wife felt it was worth about 87 points as this style is not so appealing to her, although she appreciated the quality of the wine. How one rates the wine will certainly depend on one's tolerance for American oak and the dill and coconut notes that this implies. Could be worth holding further to see what kind of additional complexity develops. 91+
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A&F's Post-Confinement Party (Asia Grand, Odeon Towers): This was the best showing yet of this wine, and it was excellent. The nose showed lovely aromas of ripe cassis, cooked meat, some earth and a nice touch of tobacco. Very Bordelais, and I would probably have guessed it as such if not for a certain ring of sweet oak that pointed more at Italy or the new world than the left-bank. The palate was beautiful too, almost glowing with pure, juicy flavours of sweet casses ringed by orange peel and tobacco leaves. Across the midpalate, vibrant acidity and fine, chewy tannins had integrated beautifully into the wine, making it a real pleasure to drink. It finished beautifully too, gliding away into the distance, where the fresh fruit was kissed by a touch of earth and the tiniest hint of eucalyptus. This was at a great place for drinking right now and immensely enjoyable. I would probably have rated it even higher if not for the fact that it was rather less complex than the great Bordeaux, Italian or Napa examples. Nevertheless, this was a joyeous expression of the Coonawarra terroir and a fine example of what can be achieved on the Terra Rossa. Yum.
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Super iron filled herbal notes. High toned notes. Sharp laser beam of sour cherries and plums. Some garrigue but lots of sour plums. A bit of creme de cassis and hint of mint. Tasting youthful.
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Minimal bricking. Opens with aromas of cedar, blue fruit, tobacco, chocolate and a tinge of green. The palate is fresh, medium bodied and finishes smooth and fine, with a high toned lift. It more than resembles a fine Bordeaux. Drinking well now.
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Dark colour. Sweet fine nose, sherbet zing, very fragrant, blueberry, mulberry. Supple attack, fleshy mid, crisp bitey finish, good tannins, deep blue black berries, inky violet flavours with fine subtle oak, cedary briary depth.
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This wine is in a great place, and probably has a decade of life ahead. It has great fruit, with a bordeaux-like nose. A bit of the earth, with some dusty spice as well. this is what cabernet should taste like. More old world than new.
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Wow! Rich, delicious ripe dark fruit with cassis, hints of sweet spice, leather, earth and licorice. Wonderful finish that last for 30+ seconds. Unusual wine that drinks like a fruit forward Bordeaux and is at it's peak (I believe).
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Lunch at Asia Grand (Asia Grand, Odeon Towers): I have had the privilege of having this wine several times in the past few years and almost every bottle has been excellent. This was no exception. It had a beautiful nose that was pure Coonawara, with lovely ripe cassis aromas accompanied by notes of earth and tobacco, black tea and eucalyptus, and little bits of leather and meat. This bottles had actually developed rather more secondary characteristics than I remembered from past experiences and was realy quite noce. The palate was delicious as well, filling the mouth with lovely ripe cassis flavours laced by fresh acidity and melting, velvety tannins. This was at a wonderful place at the moment with everything nicely integrated and in perfect balance. The finish rounded the wine off with a touch more complexity, showing a touch of sweet spice and some tobacco smoke curling around a core of dark chocolate and black cherries. Long, juicy and delicious, this was gorgeous stuff. I thought this was clearly new world, and clearly Coonawarra when blind, but that could have been a function of having had it quite a few times before - it was to the wine's credit that part of the table thought that it may have been a ripe Bordeaux, and a good one at that.
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rich, deep and characteristic eucalyptus Cabernet - really tasty. Slightly smoky, cedar character - but confused as to how this gets 95 - 98 in Parkers WA. Good, not great
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From 75cl. Decanted clear leaving powdery sediment in bottle. Obviously fully mature - gorgeous orange bricking to rim. Scent/taste/finish slightly more evolved than recorded in my TN on 12.11.2010: the acid comes through even more stongly; the finish is literally mouth-watering, minutes-long. Look forward to my final bottle, but no hurry.
Sorry, fellow CT people: the wine in MY glass this evening is delicious, an successful Aussie impersonation of a Bordeaux first growth in a supremely ripe vintage. It has a distinct Coonawarra terroir note and reminds me of other delicious 1998 Coonawarra "Clarets" I have had the pleasure to drink over the last decade, but with more restrained alcohol, and a uniquely glowing, long, resonant finish. Perhaps I just got lucky and bought these bottles in perfect condition - or perhaps my esteemed fellow reviewers are comparing this wine to a Napa Cab on steroids(?) or Chateau Lafite 1982 (OK, now I'm getting sarcastic, sorry...). In my opinion it is at the upper end of "outstanding" without being "extraordinary". So 94P
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Decanted 1 hour. Lovely wine today. Still has plenty of fruit to taste, with complexities like chocolate, pencil shavings, cedar and purple flowers. Good length and elegance.
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Nice old-world-style Aussie BDX blend. Musty nose of cassis, spearmint and cherries. Soft, ripe, juiicy, fresh palate of ripe, sweet cherries, cassis, chocolate, caramel and fresh bell peppers. Vibrant core of sweet red cherries carries through to the mid-palate, which ends somewhat suddenly. This was the best bottle of this I have drunk--others were not so sweet and fruity as this. I am not too carried away by this, but it can hold its own with many BDX GCC. (4 views)
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First Growth Night 2011 (PRIMA): Tasted blind at first growth night, and despite the name, it was the ugly duckling. Nose of spearment, mint, and cedar (per Brian). Mouth - sweet in comparison to the '1855 classified' other first growths. Very caramelly. Clearly overoaked. Though not bad, lacking the complexity or depth of a fine wine. Parker scored this 95-97 points? What was he smoking? Perhaps it originates from the early Australia hullabaloo which has clearly blown over. Of note, it appears that I have had this bottle before commenting 'drinking fine but nothing to write home about'.
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2011 Simple Series V: Benchmark Aussies 10-Years and Older (The Moomba @ Circular Road): Alcohol :: 13.5% Complex nose of tobacco, cigar box, roasted herb laced on a bed of sweet dark fruits, plum and currant. This too is quite sweet on the palate but well underpinned by the acid backbone for not being flabby and remained fresh, just doesn't possess the same level of substance as the 2000 with slight short finish. Buy - No.
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Night of Benchmark Aussies (Moomba Restaurant): Extremely young with the tannins still unresolved. I like the nose of this, very vibrant and fresh. A very classic Bordeaux blend. Hold for a few more years.
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2011 Simple Series V: Benchmark Aussies 10-Years and Older (The Moomba, Circular Road): Good, but a little disappointing - this was the weakest showing of a 1998 First Growth I have had so far. The nose was very similar to the 2000 we had alongside. Tobacco scents, cigar, slightly less ripe on the cassis notes, but very nice and just as Bordelais as the first wine. I thought this had perhaps the best nose of the three First Growths, the most expressive and complex at any rate. The palate was rich, ripe and very yummy with its juicy cassis notes. It was also rounder, more elegant than either of the other two wines, and a bit more structured too, with a touch of tannin in there. In a sense, this was the oldest wine, but tasted the youngest. However, what set it apart from the other great bottles I have had in the past was a spike of alcohol that threw the balance in there, slightly more than either the 2000 or 2001 showed as well. The finish was also slightly shorter, ending with a touch of heat. Pity. Overall, a nice, yummy wine with quite a bit of quality, but not quite up to the standards I would have expected from this wine in this vintage.
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Flat on the nose, noticeable red brick at the edge in the glass, but more expressive in the mouth with a little eucalyptus. This wine seems to be nearing the end of its life. I have 3 more bottles left from a case and suspect they need to be drunk in the next few months.
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Still holding but showing it's age. Did a P&P but this wine showed best near the end of the bottle. After pouring two other bottles of other wine down the drain this wine showed well. Drink last bottle over the coming 6 months
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Very much a First Growth. Serious dark colour, starting to go brick red-orange at rim. Unfiltered! Heavy, but fine powdery - not crystaline - deposit disperses into wine despite good storage and careful handling. Next time I will leave the bottle standing up for several days before opening. A few minutes after decanting: Astonishing moccha chocolate aroma; fabulous luxury purring entry with more chocolate and pure dark soft fruit (mainly blackberry, a touch of blackcurrrant and mulberry). Two hours later: Chocolate still wildly exciting on the nose. The mouthfeel is thick, almost viscous, but without any cloying sweetness - on the contrary there is some very exciting acid action on the finish, which keeps the effect light and vibrant. Alc 13,5%, and a good thing too, just perfectly in balance with everything else. Pefectly mature, but no hurry; 3-7 years in hand. If I had managed to decant this gorgeous wine clear and it wasn't quite so thick on the mid-palate, I would mark it even higher: today 95P.
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Served and scored blind. deep jeweled ruby. Stony fruits, black cherry more than cassis. On the palate, Round and supple, with greta focus and balance. Poised even. Some semisweet choco notes, dark olives, more stony fruits, and some nice herbal notes on the back end, A real pleasure, a great drink and a welcome pleasant surprise form OZ. Well done!
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Dinner at Moomba (The Moomba, Circular Road): Last bottle, and boy this was a good showing. This is about as good a new-world Bordeaux blend as any, combining the best of two worlds - exuberant Aussie fruit paired with Bordelais balance and finesse. Lovely nose had pure, almost crystalllined cassis and plum scents, melding with a little toasty mocha note and a little touch of tea leaf and roasted capsicum. Lovely palate had lots of rich depth across its whole spectrum and a lovely juicy acid profile, all forming a backdrop for joyous cassis and plum fruit. Bright, ripe, exuberant and very yummy, almost hedonistic, and yet never once articifially sweet or candied - just a whole lot of honest to goodness fresh, juicy fruit. There was still a serious sense of structure although the tannins had softened out, so that this was all presented in a plushly wrapped, but very well-built package. Past the mid-palate and towards the finish, rather Pauillac-like flavours of tobacco, capsicum and bramble started emerging, just before more toasty mocha and a touch of vanilla peaked out at the very tail. What a lovely wine. It stood toe-to-toe with an excellent 1998 L'Evangile and did not blink an eyelid. Like chalk and cheese, but both were equally good, and equally enjoyable. While the last bottle of Terra Rossa First Growth I had seemed at peak, this could easily have gone on for another half-a-decade or more. Especially good with a rib-eye steak!
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Simple Friday Night; 7/23/2010-7/25/2010 (Moomba): Very much younger feeling than previously tasted. But still exuding very much of a modern styled top tier bordeaux character. Robust mocha, capsicums, some mintyness, lots of cassis and huge well structured mid palate. Very serious wine and as good as it gets for a bordeaux styled new world. Excellent with 10 more years of aging at least.
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Seems to be showing its age but still very tasty. Still one of my favorite Aussie Cabs. Doubt it will improve from here so drink up remaining bottles over the coming year.
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nose - a sort of alcoholic raspberry nose. sweet fruit and then oak mouth - drinking fine but nothing to write home about. i wonder if this has passed its heyday as it sounds like some people liked it a heck of a lot. A red fruity attack with some sour cherry on the midpalate, but what i'm missing her is any sign of nuance and secondary flavor that i look for in a decade aged wine.
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98 Aussies Dinner; 11/1/2009-11/30/2009 (Lucas): Round cassis covered complexly layered and compacted nose of all manners of dark ripe fruits topped up with milk chocolate and a topping of milo powder and a lift of green capsucums with a touch of eucalyptus. Gorgeous and amazing ethereally nicely ripened fruit sweetness provided tons of enjoyment. Some savory beefy undertones persist. The brightest and most polished fruit of the bunch and also the most well integrated and complete . Brilliantly made.
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Top 1998 Aussies and Others (Lucas, Klapsons Hotel, Singapore): Wow - this was ridiculously delicious, and no lack of quality or complexity either. Beautifully integrated and drinking at its peak, the wine had a lovely nose of savoury, aged-beef-like meatiness, bright rich cassis tones, earth, subtle chocolate notes and a touch of flowers. Lots of attractive depth. Really yummy on the palate too. Gorgeous balance from the attack on, it had a nice, attractive warmth and great elegance, filling the mouth with lovely flavours of berries and cassis, some stewed capsicums and a little bramble all mixed up in a complex concoction that slid down the mouth in a smooth, velvety and deliciously integrated feel. Nice long finish too, with long pulls of smoke, plums, prunes and capsicums giving the sense of this being a very complete wine. Not quite as noble and serious as the Wynns John Riddoch, but this was just oozing with seductive charm. Also, unlike the other wine, this was drinking at its absolute peak. Yum.
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Mature deep red color. Aromas of black fruits, raw meat, eucalyptus, licorice and spice. Rich, but nicely structured fruit in the mouth with good complexity and depth and soft, sweet tannins. Very sauve and surprisingly elegant. At peak.
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Popped and poured. Wow, what a stellar wine. Brooding darkness. Huge aromas of dark, dark red fruit. Really well-integrated alcohol. Amazing on the palate. Wish I had more!
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Bramble Dinner (Oak Avenue, Singapore): Bordeaux blend or not, this was clearly new world, and spoke quite nicely of Coonawarra as well. Savoury meat seasoned with rosemary on the nose, and then more typical thyme, eucalyptus and some roasted green bell pepper notes wafted around. Full of character and very inviting. The palate was just so nicely integrated - sweetish Aussie cassis and cherries mingled with more eucalyptus notes, all wrapped up in fine-grained tannins and bright but very round and juicy acidity. Really clean and clear flavours though, surprisingly, even more so than with the plummier 2004 Cos d'Estournel that we had immediately after. Lovely finish just lingers very nicely. There was some oak in there, but it was so well integrated that we hardly noticed it. Excellent with the crisp stewed pork dish that we had.
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A post-Christmas Oz wine lunch - with 3 bottles of the fabulous '98 vintage tasted . We started with the Wynn's Michael Shiraz - almost 3 years since last sampled and I was apprehensive as to how well it would have kept - no need to worry as it was just wonderful , fresh with berries and some spice . Next was a bottle of the Parker Terra Rossa First Growth - might be a similar blend of cepage but very different to any Bordeaux , very obviously from the Southern pat of the globe . A bit sweet but again a great example of what the Coonawarra's finest has to offer . We meant to stop there but as the cheese arrived we opened the Grant Burge Meshach . Hadn't opened a bottle for a while and despite being the 3rd bottle between 4 of us the quality shined through - licorice . Of the three wines three of us scored in order of the tasting with the 4th placing the Terra Rossa first . All wonderful wines and a Happy Christmas indeed to be able to experience the wines at their prime .
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And oh yeah - did I mention that this was one whale of an oaky wine?
Beneath the oak - what's left? Generic-tasting red wine with a ton of acid and little fruit and just about zero mouthfeel - certainly not any tannin structure worth pondering.
I have no earthly idea what Monkton was thinking, back in the day, when he gave this wine 95-97 points, but at the 10-year mark, I can't go any higher than 85-87 points: This is just a very unremarkable, acidic, oaky wine right now - I bet you could find 10 or 15 such wines in your local grocery store, for $14.99 or less, which, in a blind tasting, would be indistinguishable from this mess.
If you bought a bunch of bottles based on Monkton's rating, then hold for AT LEAST ten more years [and maybe more like twenty], in the hopes that the oak might blow off and that the acid might act as a preservative and keep the thing from rotting any further, and that maybe - just maybe! - the wine might develop some pleasant aromatics.
But right now, it's looking like Monkton mis-called this one almost as badly as Suckling mis-called the 1997 Avignonesi Grandi Annate - and that's saying something.
Tasted on Christmas Day, 2008, with very rare roast beef - what a let-down.
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Nice limestone, cofee and plums on the nose with just a hint of green pepper. Not as giving on the palate as the last bottle I had - lots of tannic strucute, some nice dark fruit and great texture, but was just lacking a little something on the palate.
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I got this wine as a gift for doing a good dead. It has to rank up there as one of my most favorite wines consumed. A very robust mixture of cab/cab franc and merlot. A lot of plum, black cherries and smooth tannins. The wine had aged very well, yet still had a good amount of fruit that lingered on the pallet. It was great to just slow down and enjoy the experience.
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Had this 3 years ago and was blown away then. Tonight it was a notch up. Super smooth, elegant mouth feel with a chewy mid and a 30+ second finish. Have 2 bottles left....wish I had more. up there in quality with my $200 napa bottles.
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BDX blends offline (blind) (Fairway): hmm Tanzer 89, WA 95-97... thats a large gap - and i am sowhere in the middle. my second favorite wine of the night - this was trully a beauty. clean ripe fruit, no raisins here at all, wonderfull acidity, rich favors of cassis and plum...this is just very good - and has more potential with further time. an outstanding effort.
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Intense purple colour. Dark fruit, glycerin, smoke and a bit of green pepper on the nose. Smooth, lots of fruit peeking from behind the wood. A little hot and will need time to mellow. Lots and lots of wood right now. Was expecting better.
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Retailer Tasting (Sydney): Also too warm; but finely ripe black fruits are evident in a tight, focussed and authentically-cabernet way; oak is balanced, acid refreshes. Good balance of flavour along the palate, long classy finish. Impressive stuff.
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1/26/2024 - chbeaumont wrote: 91 Points
Deep; loads of Coonawarra black fruits; sleek, bold, well balanced; plenty on finish. Reflects well on its origins. Now & next 5+ years.
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1/21/2024 - ChinaWineDude Likes this wine: 95 Points
Exotic spice. Cedarwood. Rich and creamy, coconut chocolate with Sweet stewed black fruit and a long finish. Tasted against a bunch of old Bordeaux in 2024, and able to detect the sweet fruit in the palate. It was a telltale sign of an Australian red. Many others thought it was an aged Bordeaux, and rightly so, as it is fashioned after the Bordeaux's "First Growth." It has everything a rich Bordeaux might taste like, with the distinctive sweet fruit. 95 points. Jan. 21, 2024
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1/2/2024 - gparker777 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Medium ruby in the glass. Aromas of boiled red and dark fruits pepper and cigar box. Tasting the wine really impresses silky smooth blanket that envelopes the senses. Long complex finish with a hint of sweet fruit. Gorgeous wine
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9/19/2023 - parkline_wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
@ Chambers, NYC
Such a great, singular expression of Cabernet from this great estate.
Vegetal elements come forth with the classic red/black fruit mix, maybe even eucalyptus to stay geographically aligned :)
Good structure, took a few hours to really show all of its cards, but still nice balance and a really enjoyable drink
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6/25/2021 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep ruby, with browning fading edges. Deep fresh eucalyptus aromas and flavours, as well as savoury nutmeg spices and ripe blackberry. Silky tannins and mouthwatering acids, and some alcohol heat that seem to provide good energy. Lengthy and fairly complex. Good!
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2/15/2021 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
PnP that was at its peak performance on day 3. I took a small, 1,5oz pour on day one - not having it, just too wound up, and most especially the sensation of (very, very creamy) wood was just too overbearing. Day 2, this had relaxed only a little, but more importantly, the nose was hinting at what might be to come, so back in the fridge, with 3/4 of the bottle remaining. Day 3, now we're talking. New world-ish on the palate at first, but by the end of the bottle, I was overjoyed. The nose, and its eucalyptus notes kept me swirling and sniffing for the better part of a few hours. I was one glass into it, and I was already lamenting the fact that this experience would come to and end. Not quite as precise as the '96, but will be equally long-lived, or near enough, anyway. New Fr. and Am. oak, only 4k cases produced; CS, Merlot, CF. No mention of abv% on front or back label, though it comes across as 14,0-14,5. Bravo, Chris Cameron (winemaker). Drink now thru 2032. highly recommended
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7/13/2020 - Lobonick Likes this wine: 93 Points
Startlingly good wine at its 22 years old. Balanced, powerful, and delicious.
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6/6/2020 - Marc wrote: 94 Points
Visitors from Wellington - final dinner (Wanaka Wedge House, Queensberry, Central Otago, New Zealand): Last bottle, best bottle. Drinking extremely well - totally taut, youthful and classic. Masses of US and French oak frame the intense clarity of the fruit. Classic Coonawarra in that it shows some herbal aspects, but also gorgeous ripeness. So true to its terroir, and has aged to grace. Compared to the stunning Sami-Odi 2013 drunk the night before, this felt more "traditional" (albeit very refined), but equally riveting.
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3/1/2020 - jruhmann Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastic, well balanced, and good acid allowing this wine to still be great.
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12/21/2019 - bobdobilina wrote: 92 Points
Dark claret color.
Powerful but old fashioned nose of cedar, dried tobacco, cassis, and blue flowers.
Sweet but not jammy fruit. Very black fruited with cassis in the mid palate and juicy blackberries at the end. Good acid presence but for me it seems to separate a little at the end of the palate.
Quite a nice old fashioned but new world fruited wine. Remind me a bit of some of the more traditional Napa producers. Glorious nose that doesn't quite follow up with on the palate, but a fine wine nonetheless.
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9/13/2019 - rgawlowski Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent. Ripe, brackish, mellow, balanced fruit; excellent nose and mid finish. Classy.
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7/20/2019 - marcellonegro wrote: 91 Points
Red brick colour. Amazing bouquet of eucalyptus and tart blackberry. Subdued and refined on palette with dark fruits, spice and smoke.
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7/13/2019 - Cipivts Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pale garnet, felt almost gone at the beggining, light, cherry like aromas, high acidity, resolved tannins, 20min started to open up, body came together, way more intensity, mocha, caramel like aromas, dark cherry, beautiful wine. I would drink now, will not improve
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4/17/2019 - sung251 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Incredibly beautiful wine that is not over extracted or too rich. There is fantastic balance that reminds me of an old world style bordeaux with a touch of Australianesque fruit. There are notes olives, bell pepper, and hints of baking spices. The acid is perfectly pitched while the tannins fine. For people who enjoy old school style Bordeaux Blends this is a great wine to pick up. There is still enough life to hold for 5 years easy but there is no reason to hold any longer.
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9/5/2018 - Verb Likes this wine: 93 Points
very consistent with my last note: dark red with brick rim - mature cabernet nose with abundant cassis and blackberries, but not overly complex aromas - the real beauty of this wine is in the mouth, with full bodied rich sweet cabernet fruit, great acid fruit balance, and fully resolved tannins - 20 second finish - drinking beautifully now though will hold at this level for at least another 3-5 years, if not longer
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7/4/2018 - Doc90 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Aromas of mocha latte, hints of Cabernet graphite, green pepper. Cooling dark fruit. It shows a blend of classic Bordeaux Cabernet and sweeter fruit. Spicy and complex, with many layers to dive into. This showed the most development over three hours, with the final glass being the best. Long finish.
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6/11/2018 - Marc Likes this wine: 94 Points
Stunning bottle, in perfect shape. Classic (and classy) Aussie Cabernet, with huge American Oak character, that is beautifully complemented by the focused and ripe Cabernet fruit. Tangy and long finish (20+ seconds). Superb aged character adds depth and complexity to a wine that is true to its history and cepage, but has also transformed. A point, but bottles in this condition should go another 5 years.
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4/7/2018 - iahviahv wrote: 94 Points
Beauty. Agree with last review: can still be kept a couple of years and be great.
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3/25/2018 - Verb wrote: 92 Points
dark red with brick rim - mature cabernet nose with abundant cassis and blackberries, but not many complex aromas - the real beauty of this wine is in the mouth, with full bodied rich sweet cabernet fruit, great acid fruit balance, and fully resolved tannins - 10 second finish - drinking beautifully now, see no reason to wait further though I'm sure it will hold at this level for at least another 3-5 years
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10/27/2017 - fclarity wrote: 93 Points
This wine performed exactly as before. Please see my prior notes.
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9/16/2017 - G_Talbot wrote:
Very Good.
Clear, deep garnet to thin rim.
Clean, medium, fully developed nose of bramble, cassis, cedar and a hint of eucalypt.
Dry, medium acid, medium fully integrated tannins, medium alcohol (13.5%), medium body, medium intensity flavours of blackberry, currant, cedar, field mushrooms.
Very good, all in balance, but lacking anything special at 19 years old, this is still dark fruit driven, but is a bit past peak.
Cork.
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9/4/2017 - fclarity wrote: 93 Points
I had this bottle open for 8 hours. It showed exactly like my last bottle, so please reference those notes.
This wine was clearly quite young and, in addition to being a bit primary, showed a touch of heat. Nonetheless, it was a rich, ripe, satisfying drink that will remain enjoyable for 20 years and might even get better.
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8/12/2017 - bherbst4114 wrote: 89 Points
Was on the tail end so if you have a 1998 please drink it now. Very earthy wine but also tart and fruit forward
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7/1/2017 - fclarity wrote: 93 Points
This wine had a purple/red center with just a slight oranging at the rim. This wine is clearly still quite young. But after 5 hours of air, the nose exhibited blackberries, cherries, coco powder, soil, and a hint of Provencal herbs.
This went through a number of phases as it aired. While this wine changed a lot, it was gorgeously balanced in each phase. As time went on the tannin and the acidity slowly built. The tannin remained rounded and attractive and the length became impressive.
This wine appears to have the balance to get better with age. While it is still a bit grapey and mono-toned now, if it continues to develop nuance, it may pick up a couple points. However, I would say we are looking at the low end of RP's original assessment of 95-97 points, at best.
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5/6/2017 - Thomo80 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Initially opened with some cigar and leathery notes, colour was still crimson and dense. Drank well but really opened up after 1.5hrs in a decanter. Then perfectly aged Cabernet notes of cassis, blackberries and menthol came forward with silky well resolved tannins. Wish we'd waited before we drank most of the bottle.
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4/12/2017 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 94 Points
A very pleasant surprise, brick red color with no signs of fading. This was the highest score we have given this wine. Lots of upfront fruit in the nose and flavor. Black cherries, blackberries, and coffee in the nose, blackberries, currants, plums, and black cherries in the flavor. A nicely balanced wine with a medium to long finish.
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12/29/2016 - fizz wrote: 92 Points
This bottle was surprising fresh and youthful. Looked aged, but the nose was floral, with red and dark fruits. There's also cassis and cedar here. The palate is very varietal. The finish still carries some fine tannins that give a nice strength and carry. Delicious.
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11/5/2016 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 93 Points
AGM 2016 (Ruth Chris): Screw-cap.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of mint, grilled bell peppers, leather, tobacco, black pepper, earth. Developed.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (13.5%), firm high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of mint, grilled bell peppers, black pepper, blackcurrant, blackberries. Long finish.
Very good quality. Still clear distinct Cabernet Sauvignon fruit despite the age. At peak drinking, not for further ageing.
Mainly a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, with small amounts of Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc.
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7/18/2016 - Cellar Bear wrote:
On last legs. Drink up
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6/6/2016 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 91 Points
Terroir-istes International - Australia-Bordeaux Blends (Groot Constantia): (Tasted Blind): A deep garnet-coloured wine. A savoury approach with warm fruit aromas reminiscent of stewed plums and blackcurrant pie combined with fresh earth, dried undergrowth, forest fruits and dried meats.
The palate shows some wood bark and oak elements, which is interesting given its potential age, and the tertiary mix. Flavours of Christmas cake, raisins, dates, dried figs, cinnamon stick and mocha, and a continuous undergrowth character. A warm alcohol sensation countered with a fresh acidity, yet only light tannins close with orange and chocolate towards a chili chocolate. It is relatively complex and classy yet showing some signs of age.
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4/15/2016 - jkoenen wrote: 92 Points
This has a very cool-climate feel to it, yet showes a clear Australian footprint. Cassis, grilled pepper, sandalwood, mint, tea tree?, ferrous minerality, resinous oak. Seems more Cab Franc than Sauv at the moment.
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7/4/2015 - fizz wrote: 93 Points
Another lovely mature Aussie Cab. Decanted 30 mins. Lots of developed flavours mixing harmoniously with the dwindling red and blue fruits. The savoury tones are dominant today. The gentle tannins still carry the wine to a fine and elegant finish.
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2/8/2015 - sooper65 wrote: 92 Points
Very Ozzie.
Drinking well - totally ready. Don't see anymore upside in this.
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1/13/2015 - fizz wrote: 92 Points
Perfect cork. Ripe black fruits with plenty of cedar on the nose. the palate is ripe and filled with lots of cedar spice. The oak is well balanced by the fruits and gives the palate a medium bodied feel. There is also a high note on the palate like some alcohol lift without any warmth. The finish has a nice gentle tea-like tannin grip. Another few years would do no harm it seems, although it's really nice now.
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12/17/2014 - Cellar Bear wrote: 90 Points
- Medium/Full body. Linear texture with a long finish - Still a little tight. Needs a few more years.
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11/16/2014 - sphBacchus Likes this wine: 91 Points
excellent - drinking very well .
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8/27/2014 - Giggs wrote: 90 Points
Not decanted. This was my second bottle, and both came across as slightly past peak. There's nice rustic Coonawarra flavors of red tea, cola/anise, eucalyptus, and very strong green tannins. An elegant mouthfeel and quite complex, just lacking fruit at this point in its life. Drink now.
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6/28/2014 - hkm520240 wrote: 93 Points
2014 Birthday Wine Dinner (Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck, Asia Square): Dark ruby core with crimson tinge, it looks more youthful than the 98 Mondavi Reserve. Nice and expressive nose, rich cassis, black currant, dark plum, vanilla oak and just a touch of eucalyptus. Rich and concentrated palate, medium+ bodied with layers of cassis, ripe berry fruits, vanilla, tobacco and eucalyptus. It has good substance on mid-palate, long persistent finish with fine and ample tannins, could still hold for another 5 years with ease. My 3rd time having this wine and it never fail to impress me. To me, Parker 1st Growth and John Riddoch are the 2 finest Cab (blend) produced from Coonawarra.
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5/25/2014 - dowyong Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was still coming into age, at least another 5 years that it will come of age. Took awhile to evolve. Lovely dark fruit aromas. Still quite a bit of dark fruit on the palate. Nice long palate. On its way to extraordinary.
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5/11/2014 - honest bob wrote: 90 Points
From 75cl, perfect cork. Plenty of powdery deposit, but decanted clear. Super-ripe blackberry fruit, glycerine, velvety texture, very concentrated. Big fleshy Coonawarra red. Decent balancing acidity. Lacking the sheer excitement of my two previous bottles some years ago, but still fresh enough to promise a further 5-10 years of residual enjoyment. If I possessed further bottles, I'd drink them sooner rather than later. 90P
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4/30/2014 - sastewart wrote: 92 Points
Some sweet fruit, tobacco and earth on the nose. Medium bodied with good structure, a touch of american oak, red and black fruits and a nice finish. Blind, most thought younger mountain cab. 92 points
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3/29/2014 - fizz wrote: 94 Points
Mature bottle of Aussie cab. Aromas of black and blue fruits, overlaid by cedar, tobacco, cassis, hints of mint. Palate was fine and elegant, but still juicy. Finished long. Terrific bottle, in its prime.
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12/8/2013 - Papies wrote:
We are not the right people to rate this wine as it is not our style and thus we will not.
The start was quite all out, big and full of ripe fruit dynamics, light oaky nose and a big sweet core of ruit. With time it relaxed but never shed the sweet core that sort of dictates the style here. Not confectionary or anything like thta but a bridge too far for us.
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11/17/2013 - sphBacchus Likes this wine: 92 Points
Much better than I remember the last bottle consumed in July .
It took about an hour to shake off some funk but really opened up - a deep colour with wonderful red fruits .
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9/1/2013 - GTFreek wrote: flawed
Two flawed bottles. Damn.
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8/23/2013 - Dsen Likes this wine: 92 Points
superb wine but was in very rare company that night
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6/21/2013 - SimonG wrote: 93 Points
Keith's Blind Challenge 2013 (The Square, London): Coonawarra nose. About a decade old. Nick nails it as PTRFG. Classy stuff with plenty of stuffing. ****
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3/25/2013 - @VisserMartijn Likes this wine: 94 Points
APPEARANCE: clear; medium garnet; medium legs & tears
NOSE: clean; medium intensity; flavour characteristics: black fruits (blackcurrant, black cherry), red fruits (strawberry), sweet spices (oak, vanilla), cedar, leather, tobacco; fully developed
PALATE: dry; medium+ acidity; full body; medium+ tannin; medium alcohol; long finish; medium+ flavour intensity; flavour characteristics: as per nose: black fruits (blackberry, black cherry), strawberry, white pepper, forest floor, tobacco.
READINESS FOR DRINKING: Can drink now but has potential for further aging
FURTHER REMARKS: Tasted for the 2nd time and first impressions onfirmed. Excellent wine, well balanced! Gives great satisfaction so highly recommended!
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2/24/2013 - sphBacchus Likes this wine: 92 Points
thought this would suffer after a couple of bottles of excellent '02 burgundy but not at all - dark with a small amount of bricking . A bit of spice and mint with a good balance and length - Coonawarra at it's best . Why don't I have other vintages in the cellar ?
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1/16/2013 - Marc wrote: 91 Points
Excellent cabernet that is very much true to its style. Classic Coonawarra cool climate cabernet aged in American oak. Minty eucalypt, licorice cool climate cedar notes but plenty of first class fruit quality. Slightly obvious toasted American oak to the fore balances beautiful lifted black berry sweet fruit. Super clear and defined nose and mouth that shows impeccable wine making. Excellent wine that speaks of its place and style and as a consequence displays different aroma and flavour spectrums from France and California... Certainly approaching maturity but had plenty of time in hand. My wife felt it was worth about 87 points as this style is not so appealing to her, although she appreciated the quality of the wine. How one rates the wine will certainly depend on one's tolerance for American oak and the dill and coconut notes that this implies. Could be worth holding further to see what kind of additional complexity develops. 91+
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10/17/2012 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
A&F's Post-Confinement Party (Asia Grand, Odeon Towers): This was the best showing yet of this wine, and it was excellent. The nose showed lovely aromas of ripe cassis, cooked meat, some earth and a nice touch of tobacco. Very Bordelais, and I would probably have guessed it as such if not for a certain ring of sweet oak that pointed more at Italy or the new world than the left-bank. The palate was beautiful too, almost glowing with pure, juicy flavours of sweet casses ringed by orange peel and tobacco leaves. Across the midpalate, vibrant acidity and fine, chewy tannins had integrated beautifully into the wine, making it a real pleasure to drink. It finished beautifully too, gliding away into the distance, where the fresh fruit was kissed by a touch of earth and the tiniest hint of eucalyptus. This was at a great place for drinking right now and immensely enjoyable. I would probably have rated it even higher if not for the fact that it was rather less complex than the great Bordeaux, Italian or Napa examples. Nevertheless, this was a joyeous expression of the Coonawarra terroir and a fine example of what can be achieved on the Terra Rossa. Yum.
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10/17/2012 - Alex H wrote: 88 Points
Super iron filled herbal notes. High toned notes. Sharp laser beam of sour cherries and plums. Some garrigue but lots of sour plums. A bit of creme de cassis and hint of mint. Tasting youthful.
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4/28/2012 - fizz wrote: 91 Points
Minimal bricking. Opens with aromas of cedar, blue fruit, tobacco, chocolate and a tinge of green. The palate is fresh, medium bodied and finishes smooth and fine, with a high toned lift. It more than resembles a fine Bordeaux. Drinking well now.
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4/20/2012 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark colour. Sweet fine nose, sherbet zing, very fragrant, blueberry, mulberry. Supple attack, fleshy mid, crisp bitey finish, good tannins, deep blue black berries, inky violet flavours with fine subtle oak, cedary briary depth.
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3/23/2012 - Coollawyer wrote: 91 Points
This is a beautiful wine. Black cherries and berries. Some anise and other Chinese herbs. Incredible finish and great yummy wine.
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2/7/2012 - Steve Williams wrote: 96 Points
This wine is in a great place, and probably has a decade of life ahead. It has great fruit, with a bordeaux-like nose. A bit of the earth, with some dusty spice as well. this is what cabernet should taste like. More old world than new.
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2/6/2012 - Schiffy wrote: 93 Points
Wow! Rich, delicious ripe dark fruit with cassis, hints of sweet spice, leather, earth and licorice. Wonderful finish that last for 30+ seconds. Unusual wine that drinks like a fruit forward Bordeaux and is at it's peak (I believe).
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11/25/2011 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Lunch at Asia Grand (Asia Grand, Odeon Towers): I have had the privilege of having this wine several times in the past few years and almost every bottle has been excellent. This was no exception. It had a beautiful nose that was pure Coonawara, with lovely ripe cassis aromas accompanied by notes of earth and tobacco, black tea and eucalyptus, and little bits of leather and meat. This bottles had actually developed rather more secondary characteristics than I remembered from past experiences and was realy quite noce. The palate was delicious as well, filling the mouth with lovely ripe cassis flavours laced by fresh acidity and melting, velvety tannins. This was at a wonderful place at the moment with everything nicely integrated and in perfect balance. The finish rounded the wine off with a touch more complexity, showing a touch of sweet spice and some tobacco smoke curling around a core of dark chocolate and black cherries. Long, juicy and delicious, this was gorgeous stuff. I thought this was clearly new world, and clearly Coonawarra when blind, but that could have been a function of having had it quite a few times before - it was to the wine's credit that part of the table thought that it may have been a ripe Bordeaux, and a good one at that.
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11/5/2011 - sooper65 wrote: 91 Points
rich, deep and characteristic eucalyptus Cabernet - really tasty. Slightly smoky, cedar character - but confused as to how this gets 95 - 98 in Parkers WA. Good, not great
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10/21/2011 - honest bob wrote: 94 Points
From 75cl. Decanted clear leaving powdery sediment in bottle. Obviously fully mature - gorgeous orange bricking to rim. Scent/taste/finish slightly more evolved than recorded in my TN on 12.11.2010: the acid comes through even more stongly; the finish is literally mouth-watering, minutes-long. Look forward to my final bottle, but no hurry.
Sorry, fellow CT people: the wine in MY glass this evening is delicious, an successful Aussie impersonation of a Bordeaux first growth in a supremely ripe vintage. It has a distinct Coonawarra terroir note and reminds me of other delicious 1998 Coonawarra "Clarets" I have had the pleasure to drink over the last decade, but with more restrained alcohol, and a uniquely glowing, long, resonant finish. Perhaps I just got lucky and bought these bottles in perfect condition - or perhaps my esteemed fellow reviewers are comparing this wine to a Napa Cab on steroids(?) or Chateau Lafite 1982 (OK, now I'm getting sarcastic, sorry...). In my opinion it is at the upper end of "outstanding" without being "extraordinary". So 94P
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9/18/2011 - AlanM68 wrote: flawed
Disappointingly poor. Not corked but not in good shape - thick prune-like odour and taste. S
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8/10/2011 - fizz wrote: 89 Points
Bright and deep colour. Black fruits, balanced oak and alcohol. Plenty of fruit and structure to go a few more years.
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7/14/2011 - fizz wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Lovely wine today. Still has plenty of fruit to taste, with complexities like chocolate, pencil shavings, cedar and purple flowers. Good length and elegance.
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6/9/2011 - slaughterer wrote: 91 Points
Nice old-world-style Aussie BDX blend. Musty nose of cassis, spearmint and cherries. Soft, ripe, juiicy, fresh palate of ripe, sweet cherries, cassis, chocolate, caramel and fresh bell peppers. Vibrant core of sweet red cherries carries through to the mid-palate, which ends somewhat suddenly. This was the best bottle of this I have drunk--others were not so sweet and fruity as this. I am not too carried away by this, but it can hold its own with many BDX GCC. (4 views)
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5/6/2011 - soyhead wrote: 85 Points
First Growth Night 2011 (PRIMA): Tasted blind at first growth night, and despite the name, it was the ugly duckling. Nose of spearment, mint, and cedar (per Brian). Mouth - sweet in comparison to the '1855 classified' other first growths. Very caramelly. Clearly overoaked. Though not bad, lacking the complexity or depth of a fine wine. Parker scored this 95-97 points? What was he smoking? Perhaps it originates from the early Australia hullabaloo which has clearly blown over. Of note, it appears that I have had this bottle before commenting 'drinking fine but nothing to write home about'.
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5/3/2011 - fizz wrote: 88 Points
Nothing to fault, but just expect better drinking here.
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4/1/2011 - Sleepy Dave wrote:
2011 Simple Series V: Benchmark Aussies 10-Years and Older (The Moomba @ Circular Road): Alcohol :: 13.5%
Complex nose of tobacco, cigar box, roasted herb laced on a bed of sweet dark fruits, plum and currant. This too is quite sweet on the palate but well underpinned by the acid backbone for not being flabby and remained fresh, just doesn't possess the same level of substance as the 2000 with slight short finish. Buy - No.
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4/1/2011 - Dbrane wrote: 88 Points
Night of Benchmark Aussies (Moomba Restaurant): Extremely young with the tannins still unresolved. I like the nose of this, very vibrant and fresh. A very classic Bordeaux blend. Hold for a few more years.
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4/1/2011 - Paul S wrote: 91 Points
2011 Simple Series V: Benchmark Aussies 10-Years and Older (The Moomba, Circular Road): Good, but a little disappointing - this was the weakest showing of a 1998 First Growth I have had so far. The nose was very similar to the 2000 we had alongside. Tobacco scents, cigar, slightly less ripe on the cassis notes, but very nice and just as Bordelais as the first wine. I thought this had perhaps the best nose of the three First Growths, the most expressive and complex at any rate. The palate was rich, ripe and very yummy with its juicy cassis notes. It was also rounder, more elegant than either of the other two wines, and a bit more structured too, with a touch of tannin in there. In a sense, this was the oldest wine, but tasted the youngest. However, what set it apart from the other great bottles I have had in the past was a spike of alcohol that threw the balance in there, slightly more than either the 2000 or 2001 showed as well. The finish was also slightly shorter, ending with a touch of heat. Pity. Overall, a nice, yummy wine with quite a bit of quality, but not quite up to the standards I would have expected from this wine in this vintage.
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3/30/2011 - plitton wrote: 91 Points
Deep, rich with loads of black currants. Medium bodied. Very approachable.
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3/17/2011 - fizz Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still youthful, ripe, med/full bodied. Plenty of dark fruit, layered oak and tannins giving a nice mouthfeel.
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3/13/2011 - Rupert wrote: 90 Points
Ripe, minty nose, thick blackcurranty fruit, very smooth and suave, lots of substance
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3/5/2011 - AlanM68 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Flat on the nose, noticeable red brick at the edge in the glass, but more expressive in the mouth with a little eucalyptus. This wine seems to be nearing the end of its life. I have 3 more bottles left from a case and suspect they need to be drunk in the next few months.
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1/6/2011 - Screameagle wrote: 90 Points
Still holding but showing it's age. Did a P&P but this wine showed best near the end of the bottle. After pouring two other bottles of other wine down the drain this wine showed well. Drink last bottle over the coming 6 months
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11/12/2010 - honest bob wrote: 95 Points
Very much a First Growth. Serious dark colour, starting to go brick red-orange at rim. Unfiltered! Heavy, but fine powdery - not crystaline - deposit disperses into wine despite good storage and careful handling. Next time I will leave the bottle standing up for several days before opening. A few minutes after decanting: Astonishing moccha chocolate aroma; fabulous luxury purring entry with more chocolate and pure dark soft fruit (mainly blackberry, a touch of blackcurrrant and mulberry). Two hours later: Chocolate still wildly exciting on the nose. The mouthfeel is thick, almost viscous, but without any cloying sweetness - on the contrary there is some very exciting acid action on the finish, which keeps the effect light and vibrant. Alc 13,5%, and a good thing too, just perfectly in balance with everything else. Pefectly mature, but no hurry; 3-7 years in hand. If I had managed to decant this gorgeous wine clear and it wasn't quite so thick on the mid-palate, I would mark it even higher: today 95P.
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9/21/2010 - cct wrote: 93 Points
Served and scored blind.
deep jeweled ruby. Stony fruits, black cherry more than cassis. On the palate, Round and supple, with greta focus and balance. Poised even. Some semisweet choco notes, dark olives, more stony fruits, and some nice herbal notes on the back end, A real pleasure, a great drink and a welcome pleasant surprise form OZ. Well done!
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7/23/2010 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Dinner at Moomba (The Moomba, Circular Road): Last bottle, and boy this was a good showing. This is about as good a new-world Bordeaux blend as any, combining the best of two worlds - exuberant Aussie fruit paired with Bordelais balance and finesse. Lovely nose had pure, almost crystalllined cassis and plum scents, melding with a little toasty mocha note and a little touch of tea leaf and roasted capsicum. Lovely palate had lots of rich depth across its whole spectrum and a lovely juicy acid profile, all forming a backdrop for joyous cassis and plum fruit. Bright, ripe, exuberant and very yummy, almost hedonistic, and yet never once articifially sweet or candied - just a whole lot of honest to goodness fresh, juicy fruit. There was still a serious sense of structure although the tannins had softened out, so that this was all presented in a plushly wrapped, but very well-built package. Past the mid-palate and towards the finish, rather Pauillac-like flavours of tobacco, capsicum and bramble started emerging, just before more toasty mocha and a touch of vanilla peaked out at the very tail. What a lovely wine. It stood toe-to-toe with an excellent 1998 L'Evangile and did not blink an eyelid. Like chalk and cheese, but both were equally good, and equally enjoyable. While the last bottle of Terra Rossa First Growth I had seemed at peak, this could easily have gone on for another half-a-decade or more. Especially good with a rib-eye steak!
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7/23/2010 - Alex H wrote: 88 Points
Simple Friday Night; 7/23/2010-7/25/2010 (Moomba): Very much younger feeling than previously tasted. But still exuding very much of a modern styled top tier bordeaux character. Robust mocha, capsicums, some mintyness, lots of cassis and huge well structured mid palate. Very serious wine and as good as it gets for a bordeaux styled new world. Excellent with 10 more years of aging at least.
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1/2/2010 - Screameagle wrote: 90 Points
Seems to be showing its age but still very tasty. Still one of my favorite Aussie Cabs. Doubt it will improve from here so drink up remaining bottles over the coming year.
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12/23/2009 - soyhead wrote: 90 Points
nose - a sort of alcoholic raspberry nose. sweet fruit and then oak
mouth - drinking fine but nothing to write home about. i wonder if this has passed its heyday as it sounds like some people liked it a heck of a lot. A red fruity attack with some sour cherry on the midpalate, but what i'm missing her is any sign of nuance and secondary flavor that i look for in a decade aged wine.
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11/14/2009 - Alex H wrote: 88 Points
98 Aussies Dinner; 11/1/2009-11/30/2009 (Lucas): Round cassis covered complexly layered and compacted nose of all manners of dark ripe fruits topped up with milk chocolate and a topping of milo powder and a lift of green capsucums with a touch of eucalyptus. Gorgeous and amazing ethereally nicely ripened fruit sweetness provided tons of enjoyment. Some savory beefy undertones persist. The brightest and most polished fruit of the bunch and also the most well integrated and complete . Brilliantly made.
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11/14/2009 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Top 1998 Aussies and Others (Lucas, Klapsons Hotel, Singapore): Wow - this was ridiculously delicious, and no lack of quality or complexity either. Beautifully integrated and drinking at its peak, the wine had a lovely nose of savoury, aged-beef-like meatiness, bright rich cassis tones, earth, subtle chocolate notes and a touch of flowers. Lots of attractive depth. Really yummy on the palate too. Gorgeous balance from the attack on, it had a nice, attractive warmth and great elegance, filling the mouth with lovely flavours of berries and cassis, some stewed capsicums and a little bramble all mixed up in a complex concoction that slid down the mouth in a smooth, velvety and deliciously integrated feel. Nice long finish too, with long pulls of smoke, plums, prunes and capsicums giving the sense of this being a very complete wine. Not quite as noble and serious as the Wynns John Riddoch, but this was just oozing with seductive charm. Also, unlike the other wine, this was drinking at its absolute peak. Yum.
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10/25/2009 - hsacks wrote: 92 Points
Mature deep red color. Aromas of black fruits, raw meat, eucalyptus, licorice and spice. Rich, but nicely structured fruit in the mouth with good complexity and depth and soft, sweet tannins. Very sauve and surprisingly elegant. At peak.
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10/2/2009 - billapex wrote: 94 Points
Popped and poured. Wow, what a stellar wine. Brooding darkness. Huge aromas of dark, dark red fruit. Really well-integrated alcohol. Amazing on the palate. Wish I had more!
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12/30/2008 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Bramble Dinner (Oak Avenue, Singapore): Bordeaux blend or not, this was clearly new world, and spoke quite nicely of Coonawarra as well. Savoury meat seasoned with rosemary on the nose, and then more typical thyme, eucalyptus and some roasted green bell pepper notes wafted around. Full of character and very inviting. The palate was just so nicely integrated - sweetish Aussie cassis and cherries mingled with more eucalyptus notes, all wrapped up in fine-grained tannins and bright but very round and juicy acidity. Really clean and clear flavours though, surprisingly, even more so than with the plummier 2004 Cos d'Estournel that we had immediately after. Lovely finish just lingers very nicely. There was some oak in there, but it was so well integrated that we hardly noticed it. Excellent with the crisp stewed pork dish that we had.
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12/28/2008 - sphBacchus wrote: 91 Points
A post-Christmas Oz wine lunch - with 3 bottles of the fabulous '98 vintage tasted . We started with the Wynn's Michael Shiraz - almost 3 years since last sampled and I was apprehensive as to how well it would have kept - no need to worry as it was just wonderful , fresh with berries and some spice . Next was a bottle of the Parker Terra Rossa First Growth - might be a similar blend of cepage but very different to any Bordeaux , very obviously from the Southern pat of the globe . A bit sweet but again a great example of what the Coonawarra's finest has to offer . We meant to stop there but as the cheese arrived we opened the Grant Burge Meshach . Hadn't opened a bottle for a while and despite being the 3rd bottle between 4 of us the quality shined through - licorice . Of the three wines three of us scored in order of the tasting with the 4th placing the Terra Rossa first . All wonderful wines and a Happy Christmas indeed to be able to experience the wines at their prime .
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12/24/2008 - The Vozhd wrote: 85 Points
Oak, oak, oak, oak, and oak.
And oh yeah - did I mention that this was one whale of an oaky wine?
Beneath the oak - what's left? Generic-tasting red wine with a ton of acid and little fruit and just about zero mouthfeel - certainly not any tannin structure worth pondering.
I have no earthly idea what Monkton was thinking, back in the day, when he gave this wine 95-97 points, but at the 10-year mark, I can't go any higher than 85-87 points: This is just a very unremarkable, acidic, oaky wine right now - I bet you could find 10 or 15 such wines in your local grocery store, for $14.99 or less, which, in a blind tasting, would be indistinguishable from this mess.
If you bought a bunch of bottles based on Monkton's rating, then hold for AT LEAST ten more years [and maybe more like twenty], in the hopes that the oak might blow off and that the acid might act as a preservative and keep the thing from rotting any further, and that maybe - just maybe! - the wine might develop some pleasant aromatics.
But right now, it's looking like Monkton mis-called this one almost as badly as Suckling mis-called the 1997 Avignonesi Grandi Annate - and that's saying something.
Tasted on Christmas Day, 2008, with very rare roast beef - what a let-down.
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11/24/2008 - jreis wrote:
Nice limestone, cofee and plums on the nose with just a hint of green pepper. Not as giving on the palate as the last bottle I had - lots of tannic strucute, some nice dark fruit and great texture, but was just lacking a little something on the palate.
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8/7/2008 - tobinw wrote: 95 Points
I got this wine as a gift for doing a good dead. It has to rank up there as one of my most favorite wines consumed. A very robust mixture of cab/cab franc and merlot. A lot of plum, black cherries and smooth tannins. The wine had aged very well, yet still had a good amount of fruit that lingered on the pallet. It was great to just slow down and enjoy the experience.
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9/18/2007 - dmk wrote: 97 Points
Had this 3 years ago and was blown away then. Tonight it was a notch up.
Super smooth, elegant mouth feel with a chewy mid and a 30+ second finish.
Have 2 bottles left....wish I had more.
up there in quality with my $200 napa bottles.
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2/23/2007 - Mlermontov wrote: 92 Points
BDX blends offline (blind) (Fairway): hmm Tanzer 89, WA 95-97... thats a large gap - and i am sowhere in the middle. my second favorite wine of the night - this was trully a beauty. clean ripe fruit, no raisins here at all, wonderfull acidity, rich favors of cassis and plum...this is just very good - and has more potential with further time. an outstanding effort.
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12/12/2005 - baxter67 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Superb. Sweet pure black cherries plums and figs! Super smooth tannins. Just needs a little more acidity for perfect balance. *****
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3/24/2005 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Wine tasting. Fresh black fruit aromas with minty and licorice hints. Fresh fruit, overall good balance, great length with finesse on finish.
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3/1/2005 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Bright red. Super minty eucalyput aroma. Lovely and not over the top. 3/05
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6/13/2003 - buckeye76 wrote: 91 Points
APPROACHABLE, BUT STILL A BIT TIGHT. DEEP BERRY FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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5/13/2003 - futronic wrote: 88 Points
Intense purple colour. Dark fruit, glycerin, smoke and a bit of green pepper on the nose. Smooth, lots of fruit peeking from behind the wood. A little hot and will need time to mellow. Lots and lots of wood right now. Was expecting better.
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11/10/2001 - graemeg wrote:
Retailer Tasting (Sydney): Also too warm; but finely ripe black fruits are evident in a tight, focussed and authentically-cabernet way; oak is balanced, acid refreshes. Good balance of flavour along the palate, long classy finish. Impressive stuff.
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