2019 Balnaves of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon

A blend of 95.2% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4.8% Petit Verdot matured for a period of 18 months in tight grained French oak (52% new). Dense midnight black core with a dark red black tinged hue. Generous blackcurrant, dark chocolate and liquorice aromas flow out of the glass intermeshing with vanillin cedar, subtle earth, light tobacco and mint notes. Rich and bold across the medium to full bodied palate, opulent blackcurrant, choc mint and liquorice flavours overlay earth, vanillin cedar, traces of leather and spice. A sturdy tannin structure lends a firmer feel to the long expressive and generous finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 14.5%

Other Reviews…..
Fruit from the Dead Morris and Old Paulownia blocks. Cabernet co-fermented with 4.8% petit verdot. Matured for 18 months in French oak (52% new). The indefatigable fruit here is a solid match for the oak – at no point does it wither beneath the weight of it. This is a classically styled, almost old-school cabernet, but it has been handled with class. That fruit, as mentioned, is glorious. A beautiful wine which will no doubt age gracefully. Drink by 2037.
95 Points
Erin Larkin – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion