A great value for Cabernet, thanks to the “Chairman’s Selection” program. The bottle is packed with the kind of menthol-smooth structure that makes Cab Sauv’s a great dinner wine. Classic notes of currant and cedar are balanced out with oak notes of cardamom and sweet woodruff. There is a hint of the forest here, like the Wissahickon Valley Park in the fall.
This is a medium-bodied bottle with nice but uncomplex tannins. Round and smooth and just a slight nod toward decadence. Drink this now and into next spring.
This winery dates back to 1862 and is named for its location: Upper Tintara in the McLaren Vale. Aussie place names are awesome, aren’t they? Along with its name, the winery was notable for its gravity flow winemaking setup. It was cutting edge then and still in use today.
Amazingly, a bottle from that era still exists. An 1867 Cabernet blend labeled as “Claret” and valued in the high five figures. It is the oldest bottle of Australian wine in existence. Is it still any good? If they send it to me, I’ll be happy to review it here. I’ll let you know how that works out.