Surprisingly youthful colour, bright and dense with very little browning. Black currants, cedar and capsicum nose with a hint of leather, and still some primary fruit. Palate is more of the same and amazingly fresh. This is an excellent vintage of this wine, 12.5% so not over ripe or excessively hot and it gives the wine its elegance. Disgraceful cork, btw. If you have any the cork will let you down before the wine will so I say drink up.
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saved probably the best wine of my year to the last week of the year! Just a stunning aged Cabernet, bayleaf and savoury herbaceousness, carried with enough fruit still hanging around to provide balance, sublime length. Thank you cork gods!!
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Christmas 2017: No formal note as drunk with Christmas lunch.
From magnum, and still showing very young for a wine this old although I would drink up as even in magnum this is getting towards the end now. Probably served a degree too warm and could have done with a brief decant.
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Blind Champagne Tasting: Eucalyptus, roses, redcurrant and cedar. Fresh and lean on the palate, there is savoury character to it. Tannins are really fine and the wine is in a really good spot for drinking now.
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Interesting. If tasted blind I would not have guessed this a being 23 years old!! Has held up unbelievably well, great cellaring work by supplier - undoubted quality. Convinces me of ensuring proper conditions for wines in years to come. Opened up very well after a few hrs in carafe. No fruit bomb just a great quality top shelf red from a small little reasonably well known region of delivering quality wines.
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Solid is the word that comes to mind, both in its structure and taste and in its overall performance. Has aged well, and carried none of the vanilla / oaky coating of its breatheren such as Pyrus.
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OK, so first let me say I am an unconditional old world snob, and a particular Burgundy fan. And I rarely rate wines higher than 94/100. With that backdrop, I thought this wine was one of the most enjoyable Australian wines I have had in some time, mostly because there was no oak in it. Also no vanilla. Straight up old world taste. Well done!
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Bright red and clear with no visible signs of aging. Musty, barnyard nose. Classic cabernet indicia of flinty iron, cassis, cola, chocolate, some earth, barnyard and a dusty texture.
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This was indeed a surprise. Beautiful colour a good sign - good storage. Bouquet was fresh, lots of fruits, a hint of mocca and tobacco. Tinge of vanilla. Good balance with the flavours well integrated. Good complexity to hold your attention. Nice finish. An enjoyable drink. This was a magnum.
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Well, well, well... A little non-descript at first, coming straight out of a cool cellar. Really came alive with time and temp. Excellent clarity. Medium ruby red, showing burnt orange. Slightly sweet red berry and cedar bouquet, plus something else that I can't put the words to. Flavor, complexity and balance carry through to the palate. Soft tannins to close. Great with filet, even better after. Easy on the alcohol (13%), which I prefer. No need to rush with the next three, but I can't imagine seeing much improvement over this. We'll see what tomorrow brings with this bottle. Pretty special stuff...
Had the last glass on Day 3. "More" sums it up. Depth, body, character, complexity, flavor. I did enjoy this Coonawarra Cab...
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decanted 5 hours prior drinking; ozzie fruit bomb; strawberry oak nose & finish; medium tannins; enough balance to benefit more cellaring; a real marvel
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1/17/2020 - Geoff7777 wrote:
Surprisingly youthful colour, bright and dense with very little browning. Black currants, cedar and capsicum nose with a hint of leather, and still some primary fruit. Palate is more of the same and amazingly fresh. This is an excellent vintage of this wine, 12.5% so not over ripe or excessively hot and it gives the wine its elegance. Disgraceful cork, btw. If you have any the cork will let you down before the wine will so I say drink up.
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12/27/2018 - theporkrail Likes this wine: 97 Points
saved probably the best wine of my year to the last week of the year! Just a stunning aged Cabernet, bayleaf and savoury herbaceousness, carried with enough fruit still hanging around to provide balance, sublime length. Thank you cork gods!!
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12/25/2017 - Cooky474 wrote: 91 Points
Christmas 2017: No formal note as drunk with Christmas lunch.
From magnum, and still showing very young for a wine this old although I would drink up as even in magnum this is getting towards the end now. Probably served a degree too warm and could have done with a brief decant.
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4/10/2016 - Tony Molester Likes this wine:
Great bottle drinking well. Seemless tannins, green capsicum nose, plush texture, leather, graphite, long finish.
Drink or hold to 2022
12.5%abv
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8/4/2015 - casper01 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great Bottle
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5/23/2015 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
Blind Champagne Tasting: Eucalyptus, roses, redcurrant and cedar. Fresh and lean on the palate, there is savoury character to it. Tannins are really fine and the wine is in a really good spot for drinking now.
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12/19/2014 - cshall Likes this wine: 92 Points
Interesting. If tasted blind I would not have guessed this a being 23 years old!! Has held up unbelievably well, great cellaring work by supplier - undoubted quality. Convinces me of ensuring proper conditions for wines in years to come. Opened up very well after a few hrs in carafe. No fruit bomb just a great quality top shelf red from a small little reasonably well known region of delivering quality wines.
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9/2/2013 - Dubie wrote: 90 Points
Solid is the word that comes to mind, both in its structure and taste and in its overall performance. Has aged well, and carried none of the vanilla / oaky coating of its breatheren such as Pyrus.
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9/2/2013 - Dubie wrote: 89 Points
OK, so first let me say I am an unconditional old world snob, and a particular Burgundy fan. And I rarely rate wines higher than 94/100. With that backdrop, I thought this wine was one of the most enjoyable Australian wines I have had in some time, mostly because there was no oak in it. Also no vanilla. Straight up old world taste. Well done!
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10/31/2011 - vine20 wrote: 91 Points
Bright red and clear with no visible signs of aging. Musty, barnyard nose. Classic cabernet indicia of flinty iron, cassis, cola, chocolate, some earth, barnyard and a dusty texture.
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2/2/2009 - t-slow wrote: 94 Points
This was indeed a surprise. Beautiful colour a good sign - good storage. Bouquet was fresh, lots of fruits, a hint of mocca and tobacco. Tinge of vanilla. Good balance with the flavours well integrated. Good complexity to hold your attention. Nice finish. An enjoyable drink. This was a magnum.
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12/4/2008 - Nanook wrote: 93 Points
Well, well, well... A little non-descript at first, coming straight out of a cool cellar. Really came alive with time and temp. Excellent clarity. Medium ruby red, showing burnt orange. Slightly sweet red berry and cedar bouquet, plus something else that I can't put the words to. Flavor, complexity and balance carry through to the palate. Soft tannins to close. Great with filet, even better after. Easy on the alcohol (13%), which I prefer. No need to rush with the next three, but I can't imagine seeing much improvement over this. We'll see what tomorrow brings with this bottle. Pretty special stuff...
Had the last glass on Day 3. "More" sums it up. Depth, body, character, complexity, flavor. I did enjoy this Coonawarra Cab...
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5/29/2006 - deanrobinson wrote: 93 Points
beautiful cabernet - thoroughly recommend it
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1/23/2006 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
(Original Release Bottle) - Pencil shavings, cedar, cassis. Lovely complexity on the palate, great length. Super stuff.
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1/5/2003 - SadEdjo wrote:
now much more subtle but profound - a genuine winner
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4/18/1998 - SadEdjo wrote:
still lots of fruit & vanilla
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4/27/1997 - SadEdjo wrote:
decanted 5 hours prior drinking; ozzie fruit bomb; strawberry oak nose & finish; medium tannins; enough balance to benefit more cellaring; a real marvel
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