James Halliday Wine Companion 2020

96 / 100

The more concentrated wine of the three Bordeaux-inspired wines outside of the Tally Reserve. Black olive, bay leaf, graphite and cassis swirl about, bolstered by a sheen of sexy oak, following an extended 18 months in French gear (50% new). This is a crowd-pleaser already, with ample fruit and coffee grind tannins tapering to a long finish. This said, it will age prodigiously

August 2019

Wine Details

• Region Coonawarra, South Australia
• Vintage 2016
• Type Red Wine
• Variety Cabernet Sauvignon
• Volume 750ml
• Alcohol Volume 14.5%
• PH

  3.58 g/l

• Standard Drinks 8.6
• Acidity

  5.68 g/l

• Closure ScrewCap
• Winemaking

  Vintage 2016 was warm early, with night time temperatures later in the season. Cabernet Sauvignon from our Walker Block, Old Paulownia vineyard and Dead Morris vineyard (97%), was blended with (3%) Petit Verdot, from Dunstan. This wine spent 18 months in tight-grain French oak from Sylvain, Taransaud, and Berger cooperages, before bottling in December 2017.

• Tasting Notes

  Deep rich red in colour, the nose is very perfumed with aromas of wild blackberry, lavender and red fruits combined with fine vanilla French oak. The palate is structured and elegant with ripe cassis fruit and a fine tannin finish.

• Peak Drinking / Cellaring Potential

  This wine will reward careful cellaring, and we recommend decanting before drinking. Optimum at 10-12 years after vintage