2002 Pretty Sally Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

Halliday Wine Companion

• By James Halliday
  3/25/2005, (See more on Halliday Wine Companion...)

  (Pretty Sally Estate Cabernet Sauvignon) Subscribe to see review text.

RJonWine.com

• By Richard Jennings
  2/23/2013, (See more on RJonWine.com...) 90 points

  (Pretty Sally Cabernet Sauvignon Estate) Bricking very dark ruby color; menthol, tart red currant, dried tobacco, mint nose; tasty, mature, tart currant, menthol, tobacco, cedar palate with near medium acidity; medium-plus finish (13.5% alcohol)

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  2/10/2010, (See more on Garagiste...)

  (PRETTY SALLY Cabernet Estate) Cabernet Deal Dear Friends, What was once $25-30 is now $7.99. The economy has taken its toll on yet another entrant as Pretty Sally prepares to close its doors. We've enjoyed working with this winery in the past but their inventory is now priced at pennies on the dollar (similar to Havens) and this deal was too good to pass up. The 2002 Cabernet was an ambitious wine for Pretty Sally when it debuted. Estate bottled and coddled from the get-go (to reflect a passion for Left Bank Bordeaux and the distinct terroir of Victoria), the wine was supposed to be their flagship and it was never intended to be offered for under $25. In addition, extract was never the goal of this wine, balance and elegance were. With that in mind, we've offered the wine 5 or 6 times over the years and the price keeps going down (even though the wine is arguably at peak now). One of the more controversial examples we've ever offered, I've received more complaints about this wine than any I can remember. Customers have either loved it or disdained it and there's been very little middle ground. The interesting thing about the complaints is that all of them have been from wine offered in the same lot a few years ago. I haven't been able to trace a single complaint from any of the other parcels we've offered (of the same wine, same vintage). Either a bad run was bottled at the winery or something else occurred in transport. The complaints are diametrically opposed to the typical reaction to the 2002 Pretty Sally Cabernet which include a Bordelaise persona, varietal harmony and a unique touch of mint associated with the vineyard (the 2002 version is very similar to the 2004). The wine has good complexity and is a top choice as an everyday example - that was at $15-17 (which was already $10 under the normal cost of $25-30). At $7.99, I'll let you make up your own mind. This parcel comes from the same original winery stock as our very first lot (5-6 years ago) - most of the strong accolades for the wine have come from bottles off of this original parcel so this round of bottles should be quite strong. For $7.99, there's not much of a gamble (especially if you lean toward the lean and varietal arm of Cabernet rather than Marquis-Phillips). This wine has impeccable provenance directly from the source (at an absolutely crazy price): 2002 Pretty Sally Cabernet Sauvignon (Victoria/Pyrenees) Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Aus6234

RJonWine.com

• By Richard Jennings
  5/23/2009, (See more on RJonWine.com...) 88 points

  (Pretty Sally Cabernet Sauvignon Estate) Nice herbal, black fruit, eucalyptus and olive nose; tart plum, graphite, olive and mienral palate; medium finish

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  1/16/2008, (See more on Garagiste...)

  (PRETTY SALLY Cabernet Sauvignon Estate) 2008 DOTY Dear Friends, Normally, I would devote a long-winded diatribe to something like this but it’s such a crazy deal that it doesn’t need a lot of explanation. This wine is a strong contended for 2008 DOTY (Deal of the Year) and we’re not even through January (remember the 1990 Clos Baudoin Vouvray - a wine we acquired last February and it still ended up the best deal of 2007 - this is close to that level). If you like Cabernet Sauvignon and Left Bank Bordeaux in particular, this wine combines elements of St. Estephe, Spring Mountain and it’s home state of Victoria to give the taster a cool climate experience that is far more complex, complicated and savory than the price-point. Normally line-priced with the Shiraz (you can look up pricing and whatever reviews you need to), this is almost 70% off on a perfectly stored wine that is just coming into its own. I was initially prompted to seek this out by what I thought to be random email requests over the last several months for this wine, but they were actually based on a review posted on one of the cellar software sites (not sure where?). I’ve had the wine many times and we’ve offered multiple vintages in the past but this price is downright insane. The wine is so worthwhile, I wish I could offer more than one case/person but I need to be fair to everyone (please limit requests to one case). This vintage is considered one of the best examples of well-priced varietal Cabernet in the Southern Hemisphere - not for it’s massive size and weight but for it’s true reflection of character and potential to gain subtlety and nuance with age. Often called the Montrose of Victoria, I think you will understand why once you taste it (although, to give this wine its true due, you should try it over 2-3 days). It has the best of the New World with feet firmly planted in the old and I think it will shock a large number of you. Inexpensive house wine anyone? ONE SHIPMENT ONLY at this price directly from the source with perfect provenance HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for style, complexity and cool-toned magic well beyond its tarrif: 2002 Pretty Sally Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (Victoria) Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Aus9878