For instance, I recently bought a bottle of De Bortoli's South East Aus (or was it Riverina region? Doesn't matter in any case) Cab-Merlot for £5 at Asda, which was very average for this long-established family producer who can and does make lovely wines (e.g. two of their Yarra Valley Pinots also featured below) and perhaps typical of a Bordeaux-blend from what I assume are large-scale irrigated and high-cropping vineyards. Those tell-tell characters of dilute flavour and odd combo of slightly herbaceous unripe notes yet 13.5% abv, as in plenty of sugar ripeness but not the skins/tannins? This could probably be said about other similar wines I'm sure, without wanting to single them out in particular. Anyway, to illustrate my point, here's a selection of 25 better-quality and some top Aussie Cabs and Cab blends (plus a couple of Pinots as mentioned) tasted earlier this year, priced from about €12 in Ireland (I sampled these in Dublin) or £8 in the UK right up to €275 or £200-£250 (depending on vintage) a bottle for Penfold's iconic Bin 707 for instance (pic. from penfolds.com). All are 100% (or mostly) Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) unless specified...
Hardy's HRB 2007 Coonawarra (South Australia, SA) and Margaret River (Western Australia, WA) - Minty and ripe cassis nose, turning savoury vs still structured, quite concentrated with tasty finish. €25
McGuigan Black Label Reserve 2012 SA - Nice enough 'commercial' style with sweet vs savoury fruit, soft and mature vs a bit of grip, fairly easy and reasonably tasty though. €12-€15, £8-£9
Peter Lehmann Portrait 2009 Barossa SA - Sweet cassis with savoury edges, soft and silky mouth-feel with a touch of tannin, lovely sweet/savoury combo to finish. Good stuff. €17
Peter Lehmann Mentor 2009 Barossa SA - Similar but richer with delicious sweet/savoury profile, still firm and powerful palate vs lingering minty and dried cassis fruit with meaty edges, long finish. €37
d'Arenberg The High Trellis 2011 McLaren Vale SA - Minty blackcurrant with meaty edges, fair depth with chunky fruity palate and grip vs ripe finish. Nice wine. €16
d'Arenberg The Galvo Garage 2009 McLaren Vale SA: CS, Merlot (M), Cabernet Franc (CF), Petit Verdot (PV) - Enticing maturing savoury nose with ripe cassis, firm and punchy vs lush dark and spicy finish. More serious. €24
d'Arenberg The Coppermine Road 2009 (mostly CS + Merlot, Shiraz, Malbec) - Delicious maturing savoury vs lightly herby/minty, big and firm vs mature meaty vs dried cassis. Good.
Penfolds Bin 407 2011 SA - Tighter closed up style with cedar hints vs concentrated blackcurrant fruit, turning lusher on the finish yet still firm and structured; pretty classy red needing more time. €77
Penfolds Bin 707 2010 SA - Intense rich cassis, dark vs cedar-y with touches of coconut oak grain/flavour, very concentrated though with delicious fruit vs firm and closed up finish. Wow. €278
Katnook Estate Founder's Block 2011 Coonawarra SA - Maturing savoury nose with cassis, quite elegant style with tasty sweet/savoury finish and a bit of grip. €19
Katnook Estate Odyssey 2009 - Developing tobacco and wilder rustic edges vs chunky and grippy palate vs nice smoky savoury fruit on the finish. €65
Wynns The Sidings 2012 Coonawarra SA - Alluring dark cassis nose with meaty edges and minty herby tones, fairly soft mouth-feel and drinking nicely, well-balanced. €23
Wynns Johnstone Block 2004 Shiraz-Cabernet Coonawarra - Maturing aromas yet still very alive on the palate, nice silky texture and rich sweet/savoury fruit, long sexy finish. €40
Wynns Black Label 2007 - Enticing savoury cassis nose, smooth and mature vs structured and concentrated still, tasty meaty vs sweet fruit finish. €45
Wynns John Riddoch 2008 Coonawarra - Lovely intense ripe cassis and black cherry with minty vs savoury notes, closes up with firm and concentrated finish. Delicious red. c. €90
Parker Estate Coonawarra Series Coonawarra 2012 - Quite soft and mature with savoury vs sweet berry flavours, subtle finish with light grip too.
Parker Estate 95 Block Cabernet-Petit Verdot 2012 - Maturing with savoury vs minty flavour mix, attractive supple mouth-feel with a bit of structure underneath. £32
Parker Estate Terra Rossa 2012 - For the same age it's pretty structured and firm with dark vs crunchy cassis fruit, tight closed up finish needing more time. £22-£24
Parker Estate First Growth 2010 - Enticing maturing nose with sweet/savoury minty cassis vs meaty combo, grip and oomph on the finish but it's well-balanced and tasty too. £45-£55
Gatt Barossa Valley 2009 SA - Nice maturing cassis aromas and flavours, tasty sweet/savoury fruit with a little grip still, well-balanced and drinking now yet has a bit of power left. £23, €33
Gatt High Eden 2012 Eden Valley SA (vineyards at 500 metres altitude) - Leafy cassis notes leading to chunkier richer ripe berry fruit vs a touch of oak, nicely balanced though with rounded mouth-feel vs light grip and reasonably subtle overall. £23, €33
Leeuwin Estate Art Series 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec, Margaret River WA - Delicious maturing savoury cassis with herb and mint edges, still structured and grippy layered with very tasty maturing Cab fruit, powerful and concentrated yet balanced. Yum.
Thorn-Clarke William Randell 2012 Eden Valley - Ripe cassis and meaty leather notes mingle giving way to a dark and lush vs crunchier profile, punchy (15% abv) vs good depth of fruit and nice sweet/dry texture. €53
Pinot Noir
De Bortoli Windy Peak 2013 Yarra Valley Victoria - Quite sexy floral perfumed cherry fruit, silky soft mouth-feel with light grip and tasty sweet/savoury fruit combo, fresh bite too. Good. €19
De Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate 2012 - Lovely delicate intricate Pinot nose, concentrated and classy with sweet/savoury fruit balancing rich vs elegant and grip vs silky, delicious fresh even and very long. €30
Click here for my recent note on the Eileen Hardy Pinot from Tasmania.
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