I opened this on Thursday night after a beast of a day and on Saturday afternoon the memory of it is still putting a smile on my dial. That is the sign of a really fine wine experience. I rate this as one of my favourite drinks this year.
The 2013 vintage provided wonderful conditions across the tiny wine region of Australia. Yes it is about five thousand kilometers from Perth to Melbourne, but is that really so far? Yes, the Hunter in NSW is about 1000 kms from the Yarra Valley, but come, let us not make mountains out of molehills.
There is a very good note on this wine that it was a tremendous body double for a Left Bank Bordeaux and I agree. This is something that MM does year after year. Neither colour nor aroma nor flavour give it away as Australian. Structure too, is not obviously Oz.
I found myself absolutely reveling in the sheer purity of the expression of Cabernet in this. Nimble and lithe, it danced across my palate, but like the best memories of a glorious Autumn day, picnicking with a wonderful woman, the scent, the experience lingers and never loses potency.
Red currant, some touches of cassis that grow over a day or so open, cedar, some tobacco, leaf and a slight hint of celery leaf but the vegetal notes never threaten to distract. On day 2 this is much deeper, with the cassis becoming dominant, some jube notes. I doesn't lose its elegance but I like it better on day 1. Others will much prefer the day 2 offering.
This is a young wine. If you want the darker fruits, then you can cellar with confidence for another 10 years. It is under cork, so results will vary. A thing of beauty, this wine.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Winetasting Exclusief at Utregs Wijnhuis (Utregs Wijnhuis): [Tasted blind] I thought it was a left bank Bordeaux and I had never guessed a Bordeaux blend from Yarra Valley. Very round and silk with aroma’s of leather, black fruit (plum, cassis) and pure chocolate. Long finish
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Best MMQ experience in awhile. 375ml format. Served too cold (str8 from cellar) and first sip was very closed but rapidly showed its form. Per usual for MM on elegant spectrum but very cabernet - black and blue fruited. Deep rich colour. Refined tannins. Smoky, graphite, cedar, tobacco, leather with lovely fruit present. A great package - beautifully structured and balanced. As someone else aptly wrote very Margaux-esque.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Appearance: deep ruby Nose: medium plus intensity; aromas of toast, black pepper, cedar, tobacco, chocolate, cloves, chinese 5 spices, blackcurrant, pencil shave. It's developing. Palate: dry, high acidity, high tannins (fine-grained), medium alcohol, medium plus body, medium plus flavour intensity. Palate aligns with nose perfectly. The finish is medium plus. Overall, it's a very good wine. Can drink now, has potential for further ageing. A wine with elegance and grace. If you like intense fruit bomb, it is NOT your go to wine. It starts very closed and tight initially, but after 4 hours decanting, the wine opens up and could be easily mistaken as an elegant wine from Margaux, with charming pencil shave, earth and cedar spices. It's a sleeping beauty right now. It would be much better in another 3-5 years, except I don't have another bottle... PS. On day 2, there is some development of leather, loads of tobaccos, subtle game and truffle characters on the nose. The fruits come through more on the palate. This can stand against many classified growth in Medoc comfortably. Decided to increase the rating to 95. This wine will be better and better with further ageing.
Deeply coloured vibrant red with black core. Cassis, mulberry and sweet sherbet. Lovely sweet mulberry and black cherry intensity. Velvety soft, fine tannins, youthful bright Cabernet flavours. Drinkability is it’s hallmark, so silky.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.
12/1/2023 - Rote Kappelle Likes this wine: 95 Points
I opened this on Thursday night after a beast of a day and on Saturday afternoon the memory of it is still putting a smile on my dial. That is the sign of a really fine wine experience. I rate this as one of my favourite drinks this year.
The 2013 vintage provided wonderful conditions across the tiny wine region of Australia. Yes it is about five thousand kilometers from Perth to Melbourne, but is that really so far? Yes, the Hunter in NSW is about 1000 kms from the Yarra Valley, but come, let us not make mountains out of molehills.
There is a very good note on this wine that it was a tremendous body double for a Left Bank Bordeaux and I agree. This is something that MM does year after year. Neither colour nor aroma nor flavour give it away as Australian. Structure too, is not obviously Oz.
I found myself absolutely reveling in the sheer purity of the expression of Cabernet in this. Nimble and lithe, it danced across my palate, but like the best memories of a glorious Autumn day, picnicking with a wonderful woman, the scent, the experience lingers and never loses potency.
Red currant, some touches of cassis that grow over a day or so open, cedar, some tobacco, leaf and a slight hint of celery leaf but the vegetal notes never threaten to distract. On day 2 this is much deeper, with the cassis becoming dominant, some jube notes. I doesn't lose its elegance but I like it better on day 1. Others will much prefer the day 2 offering.
This is a young wine. If you want the darker fruits, then you can cellar with confidence for another 10 years. It is under cork, so results will vary. A thing of beauty, this wine.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2021 - ThijsV Likes this wine: 93 Points
Winetasting Exclusief at Utregs Wijnhuis (Utregs Wijnhuis): [Tasted blind] I thought it was a left bank Bordeaux and I had never guessed a Bordeaux blend from Yarra Valley. Very round and silk with aroma’s of leather, black fruit (plum, cassis) and pure chocolate. Long finish
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2020 - nwebstar Likes this wine: 95 Points
Best MMQ experience in awhile. 375ml format. Served too cold (str8 from cellar) and first sip was very closed but rapidly showed its form. Per usual for MM on elegant spectrum but very cabernet - black and blue fruited. Deep rich colour. Refined tannins. Smoky, graphite, cedar, tobacco, leather with lovely fruit present. A great package - beautifully structured and balanced. As someone else aptly wrote very Margaux-esque.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2020 - Jason Wu Likes this wine: 95 Points
Appearance: deep ruby
Nose: medium plus intensity; aromas of toast, black pepper, cedar, tobacco, chocolate, cloves, chinese 5 spices, blackcurrant, pencil shave. It's developing.
Palate: dry, high acidity, high tannins (fine-grained), medium alcohol, medium plus body, medium plus flavour intensity. Palate aligns with nose perfectly. The finish is medium plus.
Overall, it's a very good wine. Can drink now, has potential for further ageing.
A wine with elegance and grace. If you like intense fruit bomb, it is NOT your go to wine. It starts very closed and tight initially, but after 4 hours decanting, the wine opens up and could be easily mistaken as an elegant wine from Margaux, with charming pencil shave, earth and cedar spices. It's a sleeping beauty right now. It would be much better in another 3-5 years, except I don't have another bottle...
PS. On day 2, there is some development of leather, loads of tobaccos, subtle game and truffle characters on the nose. The fruits come through more on the palate. This can stand against many classified growth in Medoc comfortably. Decided to increase the rating to 95. This wine will be better and better with further ageing.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
3/23/2019 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deeply coloured vibrant red with black core.
Cassis, mulberry and sweet sherbet.
Lovely sweet mulberry and black cherry intensity. Velvety soft, fine tannins, youthful bright Cabernet flavours. Drinkability is it’s hallmark, so silky.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment