A full throttle Hunter Valley red which appears to show a bit of prickly volatile acidity and has certainly seen its fair share of American vanilla essence oak – so, not a style of wine that usually wins me over…yet this has aged very well.
It blooms with violets and baked black fruits, the indelible stamp of coffee cream wood sitting just above attractive regional leather and sweet earth. It’s certainly evolved a fair bit but more in terms of structure and texture with masses of primary fruit still on display. Powerful and velvety in the mouth but not heavy or ponderous. Feels great actually. A spicy and persistent finish with a bit of alcohol bite. Easily forgiven though. On the basis of this bottle, the wine has years ahead of it; cork permitting. 92 Very Good
Region: Hunter Valley
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Cork
Price: $35
Tasted: November 2012