Nose not instantly recognisable as Cabernet, with blackberry, cedar, curry leaf, soy sauce, star anise, and a hint of menthol. There’s also a delicate green note hiding in the background.
Oak tends to dominate the palate. That menthol lift picked up on the nose presents more like VA and formic acid in the mouth. Further, fine, chalky tannins provide plenty of grip, however the acidity comes across a touch lemony. Holds up well on Day 10; in fact it seems better integrated.
Opinion: Not typically varietal, though maybe that’s the point? I wouldn’t serve this in a flight of cool-climate cabernet wines because it would come across as too blocky and monolithic. Good options wine however. Good drinking in its style, and not likely to fall over anytime soon.
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Excellent aged Barossa Cabernet. Great dark fruit, lovely texture, just enough residual acidity and a wonderful long finish. Reminded me of some great days in the Napa Valley.
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Peter Lehman Masterclass (Bel & Brio, Barangaroo): Leather, blackcurrant, meaty, savoury, more savoury spice, ripe, slight caramel. Juicy, tightly tannic but silky textured, black fruit, a little jubey, a little sweet spice Leather. Hmm.
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On the nose: Black currant, leather, cedar, soil, alcohol or chili pepper, hint of eucalyptus. Quite interesting. On the palate: Black currant, dark fruit, hint of eucalyptus, soil and some vanilla. Medium + finish
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Colour: dark cherry red, turning brick red at rim Nose: plum, black cherry, black currant, cassis. A touch of capsicum. Cedary oak. Sweet spice, touch of leather and earth. Liqueured black fruit. A touch of evolved, aged character. Rich, complex. Palate: plum, black currant, cassis. Green capsicum. Liqueured black fruit. Cedary oak. A touch of medicinal character. A touch of earthy aged character too. Fine grained tannins, slightly drying. Medium acidity. 14% alcohol
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Beautifully mature Barossa Cabernet. 10 years in the bottle have seen the tannins and oak seamlessly blend with the lovely dark fruit. Gentle glycerine like mouth coating texture. Really enjoying with anti pasto. Wish we had more than just one bottle remaining ....se la vi.
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Still reasonably youthful although some aged notes starting to come through. Fruit (red and dark) still in there along with some cedar notes. Good drinking now but no rush.
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- Garnet color - Drinking on song right now, bjt many many years ahead. Dark chocolate and blueberry notes, opened up quickly, and really started to shine some hours later. The well inserted cork will no doubt go the distance. The finish medium-long, and beautifully balanced as we woukd expect from the Mentor himself.
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Red purple colour. I decanted this for about 10 hours before drinking. Quite subdued aromas of blackcurrant, chocolate, tar, cedar and vanilla. Delicious flavours of blackcurrant, chocolate, some licorice, black cherry, cedar, tobacco and nougat. Needs another five years to be at its best I think. Certainly made in that bold, Barossa cabernet style with blackcurrant liqueur and chocolatey goodness, but still retains good balance and varietal character. It's not a shiraz wannabe, which is what sometimes happens with Barossa cabernet.
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Tight and acidic when first opened - needed 2 hours minimum to open up. Ideally, I'd have let this one decant for 4+ hours or waited for another few years. Once opened up, the fruit finally started to sing. The flavors are spicy mint, blackberry liqueur, and dark chocolate. Firm tannin for a fruit-forward wine. Decent structure. Average QPR.
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Thick with fine sediment. Bordeaux-like flavour profile. Green tobacco notes dominated at first but settled down over an hours decanting. Still enough acid to require food to bring out the best of this wine.. Overall a good wine but I've had better Mentors.
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5/2/2020 - mphatic wrote:
Cork, 14% alc. Dull, dark red. Bricking at rim.
Nose not instantly recognisable as Cabernet, with blackberry, cedar, curry leaf, soy sauce, star anise, and a hint of menthol. There’s also a delicate green note hiding in the background.
Oak tends to dominate the palate. That menthol lift picked up on the nose presents more like VA and formic acid in the mouth. Further, fine, chalky tannins provide plenty of grip, however the acidity comes across a touch lemony. Holds up well on Day 10; in fact it seems better integrated.
Opinion: Not typically varietal, though maybe that’s the point? I wouldn’t serve this in a flight of cool-climate cabernet wines because it would come across as too blocky and monolithic. Good options wine however. Good drinking in its style, and not likely to fall over anytime soon.
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4/28/2019 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent aged Barossa Cabernet.
Great dark fruit, lovely texture, just enough residual acidity and a wonderful long finish. Reminded me of some great days in the Napa Valley.
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8/7/2018 - chatters wrote:
Peter Lehman Masterclass (Bel & Brio, Barangaroo): Leather, blackcurrant, meaty, savoury, more savoury spice, ripe, slight caramel. Juicy, tightly tannic but silky textured, black fruit, a little jubey, a little sweet spice Leather. Hmm.
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7/22/2017 - Patrik H Likes this wine: 88 Points
On the nose: Black currant, leather, cedar, soil, alcohol or chili pepper, hint of eucalyptus. Quite interesting.
On the palate: Black currant, dark fruit, hint of eucalyptus, soil and some vanilla.
Medium + finish
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2/7/2016 - penguinoid Likes this wine:
Colour: dark cherry red, turning brick red at rim
Nose: plum, black cherry, black currant, cassis. A touch of capsicum. Cedary oak. Sweet spice, touch of leather and earth. Liqueured black fruit. A touch of evolved, aged character. Rich, complex.
Palate: plum, black currant, cassis. Green capsicum. Liqueured black fruit. Cedary oak. A touch of medicinal character. A touch of earthy aged character too. Fine grained tannins, slightly drying. Medium acidity. 14% alcohol
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5/10/2014 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautifully mature Barossa Cabernet. 10 years in the bottle have seen the tannins and oak seamlessly blend with the lovely dark fruit. Gentle glycerine like mouth coating texture. Really enjoying with anti pasto. Wish we had more than just one bottle remaining ....se la vi.
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12/24/2013 - brisbane piefan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still reasonably youthful although some aged notes starting to come through. Fruit (red and dark) still in there along with some cedar notes. Good drinking now but no rush.
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6/29/2013 - Brettski80 wrote: 92 Points
- Garnet color - Drinking on song right now, bjt many many years ahead. Dark chocolate and blueberry notes, opened up quickly, and really started to shine some hours later. The well inserted cork will no doubt go the distance. The finish medium-long, and beautifully balanced as we woukd expect from the Mentor himself.
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7/1/2012 - azzah wrote: 92 Points
Red purple colour. I decanted this for about 10 hours before drinking. Quite subdued aromas of blackcurrant, chocolate, tar, cedar and vanilla. Delicious flavours of blackcurrant, chocolate, some licorice, black cherry, cedar, tobacco and nougat. Needs another five years to be at its best I think. Certainly made in that bold, Barossa cabernet style with blackcurrant liqueur and chocolatey goodness, but still retains good balance and varietal character. It's not a shiraz wannabe, which is what sometimes happens with Barossa cabernet.
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8/20/2011 - beerguru wrote: 82 Points
Had after a 96 cali bord blend, color seemed bright red compared to that, flavors were of spiced cherry and just slightly hot. Good for the price
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12/6/2010 - Michael6296 wrote: 92 Points
Wow.
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1/17/2010 - Gregcrick@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Exceptional. It's been a while since I drank it so no detailed notes. Needs a good airing out as it was better on day 2.
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11/1/2009 - Philly NQ King wrote: 91 Points
Tight and acidic when first opened - needed 2 hours minimum to open up. Ideally, I'd have let this one decant for 4+ hours or waited for another few years. Once opened up, the fruit finally started to sing. The flavors are spicy mint, blackberry liqueur, and dark chocolate. Firm tannin for a fruit-forward wine. Decent structure. Average QPR.
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6/22/2009 - Plusvini wrote: 87 Points
Thick with fine sediment. Bordeaux-like flavour profile. Green tobacco notes dominated at first but settled down over an hours decanting. Still enough acid to require food to bring out the best of this wine.. Overall a good wine but I've had better Mentors.
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