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Australian Cabernet: Tasting, February 2003
Although the best known Australian red wines are made using the Shiraz grape - with Penfolds Grange undoubtedly the most iconic - there is a wealth of other red varieties which are responsible for some lovely wines from this continent. Although there are some brilliant wines made from Grenache, such as Tim Adams Fergus and the wines of Clarendon Hills, as well as some good Pinot Noir from relatively cool regions such as Mornington Peninsula, it is Cabernet Sauvignon that takes second place behind Shiraz.
My personal preference is for relatively cool climate Cabernet Sauvignon, such as the wines of Cape Mentelle and Leeuwin Estate in Western Australia, rather than those from hotter climes. That isn't to say there aren't some fabulous wines from Australia's longest established regions, but I find more elegance and balance in the wines of the Margaret River region than in those of McLaren Vale and Coonawarra.
Having said that, in this tasting wines from Coonawarra and McLaren Vale easily outshone the Cape Mentelle Cabernet, which was the lone representative of the Margaret River region. All the wines below were tasted blind, and the notes written up just as I made them at the time. (26/2/03)
Australian Cabernet - Tasting Notes
Tasted in February 2003. Click
to locate stockists.
Rosemount Cabernet
Sauvignon Show Reserve (Coonawarra, South Australia) 1997: Mature colour, a dark
bricking red. Sweet, cedary spice on the nose, with some fading notes of fruit.
Nice texture on entry, although a touch chalky. Soft tannins and acceptable
acidity. Roasted fruit flavours, leather and cedar. A short finish. Pleasant
drinking, but lacks interest. Drink over the next one to two years. 15.5/20
Cape Mentelle Cabernet Merlot (Margaret River,
Western Australia) 1997:
This wine shows some maturity, with light bricking of an otherwise garnet red
hue. Roasted vegetable aromas, but still some red fruits in the background, also
smoky liquorice. It has a fairly firm, rounded texture, and plenty of acidity.
Deliciously sweet, roasted plum fruit, with a soft tannic backbone. Perhaps a
little disjointed towards the finish. Drink up. 15.5/20
Redbank Winery Sally's Paddock Cabernet
Sauvignon (Pyrenees, Victoria) 1997: Good depth of colour, cut through with
a tinge of maturity. Sweet, roasted blackcurrant and blackberry fruit on the
nose, with a slightly confected cough-candy edge, although this was not
sufficient to cause any distraction. Elegant on entry, balanced and very fluid,
although this leads into some dilution evident on the midpalate. It fattens up
in the glass though, and develops a firm, appealing texture. Lovely extract,
sweet yet spicy fruit, and correct acidity. Good length. This has really moved
on from when I last tasted it in 2000, when it was just a bundle of summer
fruits and toasty oak. Although there is a touch of tannin in the finish, I
don't think this will make any major improvements. Drink up over the next year
or two. 16/20
Yalumba Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra,
South Australia) 1996: A good colour. Lots of sweet fruit on the nose, raspberry and
blackcurrant, with a fruit pastille intensity. Lovely texture, with very ripe and
sweet fruit. The tannins are ripe and firm, with a reasonable level of acidity.
The necessary structure for some further development in bottle is present.
16+/20
Wolf Blass
President's Selection Cabernet
Sauvignon (Barossa, South Australia) 1996: Obvious maturity on inspection - a tawny, deep red hue. Some
complexity on the nose, with sweet roasted vegetables, and cooked plum and
blackcurrant fruit. Full bodied, with an almost velvety texture, and fully
integrated tannins. Soft, balanced, with the flavours of gently advancing maturity.
Surprisingly forward for a 96, but very enjoyable nevertheless. Short
finish. Drink up. 16/20
Château Reynella Cabernet Merlot (McLaren Vale,
South Australia) 1996: Deep red-purple - not the vibrancy of
youth, but no real maturity either. An impressive nose - packed with dark, sweet
and smoky black fruits, currants and plums. Dense, tarry notes, but with elegant
floral elements also. Sweet, rounded texture on the palate, but this sweet fruit
is underpinned by a firm, tannic structure. Unbelievably there are still some notes
of youth - coffee grounds for instance - alongside the intense, brawny fruit.
Correct acidity for the style, which is opulent and creamy. Delicious now, but
will improve for three to five years at least. 17+/20
Hardy's Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra, South Australia) 1995: Plenty of colour, with just a
tinge of brick red maturity. Initially fairly hard and charmless, it opens out in
the glass, giving aromas of roasted dark fruits, minerals and violets, and even
a touch of toffee still. Remains quite hard on the palate, with some firm,
stony fruit, but very appealing nevertheless. Still has some hard tannins in the
finish. Correct acidity. Should continue to improve over the next couple of
years at least. 16.5/20
