James Halliday Wine Companion 2019

96 / 100

“Deeply coloured, this is classic Coonawarra cabernet with cassis, mulberry, mint and dried bay leaf coming together with fine but firm tannins to present and intense, earthy wine that doesn’t even flick the needle of dead fruit/high alcohol. It thus has a certain austerity of the kind you once found in classed growth Bordeaux from good vintages such as ’70. To: 2035”

Wine Details

• Region Coonawarra, South Australia
• Vintage 2015
• Type Red Wine
• Variety Cabernet Sauvignon
• Volume 750ml
• Alcohol Volume 14.5%
• PH

  3.50 g/l

• Standard Drinks 8.6
• Acidity

  6.17 g/l

• Closure ScrewCap
• Background

  The Balnaves Coonawarra Vineyard was established in 1975, and is situated at the southern end of the Coonawarra Terra Rossa strip. The family, which has been associated with the district since 1855 and Doug, Annette, Kirsty and Pete Balnaves remains fully committed to a high level of ‘hands-on’ involvement.

• Vineyard Notes

  Vintage 2015 was cool with very slow ripening after a warm Christmas, with low night-time temperatures allowing for good maturation. Cabernet Sauvignon from our Walker Cabernet vineyard (97.3%), was blended with (2.7%) Petit Verdot, from Dunstan.

• Winemaking

  This wine spent 18 months in tight-grain French oak from Taransaud, and Berger and Sylvain cooperages, before bottling in December 2016.

• Tasting Notes

  Deep rich red in colour, the nose is very perfumed with aromas of blackberry, violets, cassis and graphite combined with fine mocha-coffee French oak. The palate is structured and elegant with ripe cassis fruit and a fine tannin finish. This wine will reward careful cellaring, and we recommend decanting before drinking