"Wow. This baby hit an immediate gong from the past: it reminded me of the great Dorrien Cabernet Seppelts made in the ‘seventies through the ‘eighties. Like vividly. Shouldn’t be surprising – although they’re five kilometres apart, both vineyards grow in similar recent alluvium following creeklines. Or grew. Those old Dorrien vines grew great wine until after one corporate buyout the new mob thought the yields were too low so in went the bulldozers. No more trophies for those guys. Which memory only serves to make this little vineyard, and this delightful glass of its fruit, all the more especial. It is a treasure. First, it has all those gloomy, moody nightshade glints: angular, granular aromas. Tourmaline; garnet.
Second, it follows that straight away with a basement of slurpy blackcurrant cassis. Like four-X Ribena. There are shades of aniseed balls and blackstrap licorice in there, too, in careful insinuation, then marshmallows. It’s amusing as much as authoritative. And those tannins are furry and soft rather than sharp like that glinty aroma suggested. It’s all this, plus that juicy underlay that makes the wine magnificent. It rolls on and on, luxurious, regal: a lot more Mark 10 than E-Type on the big cat scale. It’s the sort of grand whooshy ride that sticks fondly in the memory. Like a voyage. A luxury cruise."
Philip White
Vegan-friendly
