- Yarra Valley, VIC - $21-$34
- Screwcap
- 14.5%alc
Sitting behind Coldstream Hills yet well in front of the potentially troubled Yarra Ridge, St Huberts is Treasury Wine Estate's (Foster's) second Yarra Valley based label. My pick of St Huberts' collection is typically the cabernet sauvignon; a wine that reliably reflects Yarra Valley style and elegance, and usually more so than Coldstream Hills' cabernet.
The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon is 'pretty' in the true Yarra Valley style, yet its most pronounced aromatic feature is a strong, woody, masculine whiff of cigar-box, cedar and dried leaf notes that contribute a clear sense of varietal definition to its pastille blackcurrant and black plum-skin fragrance, without veering too far into cabernet's greener aspects. With medium weight and silky elegance the palate slides in with charming etiquette, but this initial cruise forces itself home with real authority. Its deliciously dry, dusty and sour-edged cranberry, blackcurrant and cedar oak flavours become drier, dustier, more savoury and more sour-edged with penetration, as the wine marches to a fine-grained finish of spectacular length and growing complexity. Although strong to finish, its tannic influence is absconded somewhat by persisting sour-edged acids and exquisite length of full fruit flavour.
ü+ Forget the big brand association, just close your eyes, decant (maybe not in that order), sniff and drink; this is a winner in any sense. It holds its own very well in a competitive market full of smart, $25 Australian cabernets from the excellent 2008 vintage. Drink 2013-2023.
93 points
Sounds the goods CP. Will check it out, thanks.
ReplyDeletecheers
jeremy
Yeah I like it JP and as another lover of Yarra cabernet I hope you will too. The price is right. A trip back to the bottle shop will be in order for myself methinks, but those wines will be set aside for a while and not drunk anytime too soon....
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Chris P
Certainly thought the 06 was enjoyable and a wine of real character, so good to hear the 08 is shaping up well. Also great to hear they have moved to screwcap with this wine!
ReplyDeleteI too liked the 06 Red but I definitely think this is a step up. Its length is quite exceptional really. It's pretty much the cheap-ish Yarra cabernet my palate (and cellar!) has been waiting for. I never saw an 07, so I guess the 08 might be the first under screwcap? Good move indeed.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Chris P
Glad you enjoyed. There was no 2007 (crazy frost) and no 2009 (bush fires).
ReplyDeleteI kinda loved it actually ;), enough to throw some in the cellar and test my patience out anyway :)
ReplyDelete