WOODLANDS 'MARGARET' 2008

(Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Malbec)

- Margaret River, WA

- $32-$45

- Screwcap

- 13.5%alc

I continue to be gobsmacked by the value of Woodlands' deeply complex, perfumed and elegant Margaret Reserve, arguably Australia's most undersold cabernet blend. Even in a slightly off year (only by Woodlands' own lofty standards), it's simply irresistible at such a ludicrous sale price.

Absolutely enchanting, with a piercing scent of dry, spicy cedar wood cutting through its soft floral perfume of crushed dark berries edged by black olives, licorice and dry leaf, the 2008 Margaret reveals a complex combination of both aggressive and feminine attributes on the nose, but it's a happy marriage indeed. When it enters the mouth, it does it graciously and sensually, unravelling a deep, silky and supple array of blackberry, mulberry and dark cherry flavours which emanate with a seductive smoothness, depositing tastes of violets and dried herbs over melting chocolate through the finish. Complementing its progression is a seamlessly integrated, velvet-like expression of ripe tannins and fresh acids, whose inputs harness and maneuver the wine elegantly, without displaying a forceful impression of strength. It just lacks the exceptional length and tightness of the best vintages, but at $32, who's complaining?

ü+ Deliciously ripened, deep, sensual, silky and very stylish, the 2008 Margaret is thoroughly Woodlands. Young cabernet blends like this are rare in Australia. Embrace them when you can, and they might grow. Drink to 2020.

94 points

www.woodlandswines.com

JACOB'S CREEK RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009

- Coonawarra, SA

- $12-$21

- Screwcap

- 14.0%alc

What a delight to see Jacob's Creek issue their Reserve range shmick new labels clearly emblazoned by a region of origin. As an ever curious consumer, the more transparency with regional sourcing the better I say - I mean, I probably wouldn't have bought this wine under the old label.

Jacob's Creek's 2009 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon smells like a joyous little dob of sweet Coonawarra simplicity in a glass. Think ripe black plums and raspberries risen by sweet notes of mint/menthol and a wafer-like expression of creamy vanilla oak to boot. Its nose is only marginally put off by a whiff of alcohol etching alongside its menthol, but unfortunately, its palate doesn't follow through on the fragrant promise. There's some winemaking polish on show in its initial push of creamy oak driven black/redcurrant flavour, but then it hits a bump in the movement, first by revealing a raw edge to its fruit, and then by finishing loose and fractionally thin with lingering nuances of both the baked and sweet 'n' sour kind. Structure doesn't help out either. To track this wine as a curve...

X It appears I was overly optimistic on this one. I had grand visions of a mini-St Hugo I did. But on drinking, those visions folded faster than Superman on laundry day*. Drink to 2014.

85 points

www.jacobscreek.com

DOMAINE A CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2005

- Coal River Valley, TAS

- $85

- Cork

- 13.0%alc

Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon is a highly desired Australian wine, defined as much by its mystery as it is by its greatness. The legend of Swiss-born Peter Althaus crafting a cabernet of Bordeaux-like quality, from a part of the world where only the brave persevere with the style, is one of Australia's greatest wine tales.

Rather loose and unsettled at first and in dire need of a serious decant (5+ hours might do it!), Domaine A's 2005 takes an age to compose itself, but when it does, it reveals an immensely deep, alluring fragrance, which manages to balance contradictory scents from both the meaty/leathery and leafy/herbal spectrums. Any indication of 2+ years in new French oak is held well in check, as its nose is best described as autumnal, with murky suggestions of damp, earthy soils and brown leaf litter interspersed by brighter notes of blackcurrants, pepper berries and menthol. The longer it stays in the glass, the more hints of cigar-box, chocolate and spice begin to emerge. Eventually it finds its way into my mouth, where it unfolds a majestic display of black, briary berry flavours gripped by a first-rate tannin structure whose focus and persistence are exquisite. It becomes impressively dry and savoury towards the finish, flaunting a long and layered assortment of cedar, cigar-box and granulated coffee notes that do share space with an edge of aniseed. Unsurprisingly, for a wine of its magnitude, it's completely apparent that its best days are yet to come.

ü+ Patience reveals Domaine A's 2005 to be a beautifully deep, aromatic cabernet blend with the length, complexity and structure to rival Australia's very best. In all respects, it's a seriously confronting wine. Drink 2015-2025.

96 points

www.domaine-a.com.au

WYNNS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009

- Coonawarra, SA

- $20-$35

- Screwcap

- 14.0%alc

It interested me to see Wynns dub their new green label cabernet sauvignon 'The Siding'. According to a winery rep, too many consumers were referring to the wine as the green label, which, in Wynns' opinion, is a bad colour to be associating with cabernet sauvignon. On the basis of some 54 vintages, black seems a much better colour match for Coonawarra cabernet.

Perhaps showing more malty notes than I recall in recent vintages, Wynns' 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon nonetheless remains typical of the label's pedigree. It presents an evenly ripened yet well contained fragrance of blackcurrants which edge slightly towards red, boosted by aromas of licorice, toasty cedar/vanilla oak and a faint thread of dry leaf; no mint. The palate itself is just so Wynns. There's a genuine depth and richness to its pulsating core of medium-medium/full bodied regional berry flavours, which although silky to commence, quickly move into a much drier, dustier landscape, forged through the finish by smatterings of dry cedar and a particularly grainy extract of gritty tannins tightly checked by cutting acids. The final impression is very dry, savoury in a mineral way and most of all, physical.

ü+ Structurally, the 2009 is a notable step up from the 2008, but the overall consistency of this wine is incredible. Wynns must possess some sort of factory line for producing flawless Coonawarra cabernet, black-toothed Oompa-Loompas and all. Drink to 2027.

92 points

www.wynns.com.au

COLDSTREAM HILLS RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2001

- Yarra Valley, VIC

- $45-$65

- Cork

- 14.0%alc

Judging by the labels on Coldstream Hills bottles, James Halliday isn't just something of a Richie Benaud-like figure in Australian wine, he's also a very talented photographer. Halliday's image of an airborne kangaroo on the 2001 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is an absolute beauty in my eyes. [click image for larger picture]

Still holding a faint crimson tinge to its hue, Coldstream Hills' 10 year old Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is initially pongy, mature, feral and animal-like on the nose, but a bit of decanting transforms its aroma agreeably, revealing a more stable, multi-faceted fragrance of bold plums, dates, roast meats/smoky bacon, fennel, mushroom and menthol, which admittedly, continuously blows off a fair whiff of barnyard pong. Blessed by the benefits of bottle age, its well controlled mouthfeel contradicts its rather dark, untamed scent. It's somewhat silky in a thin manner and elegantly compact at first, but then it literally blows open as it moves expansively into the mouth, unleashing a smooth and savoury array of juicy meats and dark fruits washed over by leathery tones. With its width, volume, lingering notes of choc-licorice/menthol and an ultra-fine sprinkling of the most minute, yet essential tannin, the back palate really steals the show here. It's like a 6 font exclamation mark with a 16 font dot.

O Quite meaty, pongy and showing the signs of a hot year, Coldstream Hills' 2001 Reserve doesn't exactly display the elegant characters typical of Yarra Valley cabernet, but its feel and shapely finish help refresh the palate with a synergistic groove. It's a fine example of how wines 'open up' with age. Drink to 2013.

91 points

www.coldstreamhills.com.au

MOUNT AVOCA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009

- Pyrenees, VIC

- $25-$27

- Screwcap

- 13.5%alc

Mount Avoca picked the fruit for their 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon across 2 phases in late March. A small amount was picked earlier to capture cabernet's structure and greener aspects, with the balancing richness and ripeness provided by later picked fruit. Add to that 15 months in new and used French and Hungarian oak as well as a splash of cabernet franc (10%), and it certainly sounds like a cabernet constructed with ample character in mind!

Well ripened yet genuinely controlled for its hot season, Mount Avoca's 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon backs its plush blackcurrant and raspberry scents with chocolatey tones, hints of gumleaf and calm vanilla oak, yet nothing terribly sharp, pointy or piercing, as its aroma floats gently like a cabernet-soaked cloud. Its charmingly bright fruit takes centre stage on the nose, but on the palate, there's a variety of features playing in harmony, namely richness, suppleness, structure and length. It's simultaneously creamy and supple, willowy even, but the wine's impact through the back palate, defined by by a wonderfully even, flared-out coverage of ultra-fine, dusty, gripping tannins, punctuates the package in a truly explosive manner. It finishes in classically regional style; chiselled, imposingly dry and marked by lingering notes of juicy dark fruits and dry eucalyptus leaf.

ü+ From Mount Avoca's fantastic trio of 2009 estate reds, this is the pick for me. You couldn't ask for more from a $25 Pyrenees cabernet - really. Throw some in the cellar or drink some now, John Harris, take a bow. Drink to 2024.

94 points

www.mountavoca.com

TAYLORS JARAMAN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009

- Clare Valley/Coonawarra, SA

- $20-$35

- Screwcap

- 14.5%alc

Taylors continue to roll the dice against modern trends, by releasing a 'premium' wine range sold on blending the fruit of two different regions. I feel it's a practice where if it works, it works (I thought Hardys' award winning 2006 HRB D637 Shiraz was more than worthwhile by the way), but if it doesn't...

Combining 64% Clare Valley fruit with 36% Coonawarra, Taylors' 2009 Jaraman Cabernet Sauvignon presents a softly fragrant nose with choc-mint and biscuity vanilla oak aromas leading the way, but underneath that, its dark fruit seems a bit thin and jammy, with a conserve-like expression of blackcurrants and cherries graced over by a warm note of menthol. Its palate sits quite plump and rich initially, pumping out a syrupy, tarry taste of solid blackcurrants coated in soft vanilla oak, but as it lengthens it thins out in a less than convincing manner, becoming notably lean, loose and disparate to finish. There's a slight undertone of baked/jammy fruit in the aftertaste, but the real surprise here is how passive its structure is, forcing me to consider Taylors' 2009 Jaraman Cabernet Sauvignon as no more than a short term drinking prospect.

X An all too straight forward, unsophisticated and earlier drinking cabernet, which doesn't really warrant its $30 RRP tag. Drink to 2014.

87 points

www.taylorswines.com.au

TAYLORS PROMISED LAND CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010

- Clare Valley/Padthaway, SA

- $7-$15

- Screwcap

- 13.5%alc

When I'm on the hunt for a good, cheap red, I'm often left wondering where the wines labelled 'South Australia' actually come from. My mind almost always automatically thinks; 'Riverland', so it's pleasing to know Taylors' 2010 Promised Land Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the more premium regions of Clare and Padthaway.

Chocolate coated plum and prune scents adorn the 2010 Promised Land Cabernet Sauvignon, with maybe a faint touch of spicy wood and a minor trace of something green, minty or menthol-like. The green notes disappear after an hour of decanting. In fact, it's all very simple and if anything; barely varietal. Its medium-bodied palate is predictably smooth and approachable initially, but it does show a rather ill-defined, stewy, raisined fruit character, which admittedly, brightens up nicely towards a more red fruit-like profile with a bit of air. Unfortunately, its finish is loose and short on genuine length of fruit, revealing disparate hints of date and menthol underneath an undoubtedly basic structure. As a cheap-Tuesday rump steak-night wine there's some consolation value here (I know, that's how I drunk it), but other than that, there's just not enough going on to see it to stand up on its own.

X When I saw the regional sourcing for the 2010 Promised Land Cabernet Sauvignon my hopes were raised, but in the end, it's just another generic, cheap red devoid of genuine interest. Drink to 2012.

84 points

www.taylorswines.com.au

WENDOUREE CABERNET MALBEC 2008

- Clare Valley, SA

- $85

- Cork

- 13.9%alc

Wendouree is an Australian winery of Grand Cru-like status. Their reputation is such that nearly all their wine sells out to mail order customers, with very few ever making it to retail shelves. Those that do make it into stores tend to undergo a noted price hike, of around $30 or more. As is the norm on this website, the price stated here is retail.

Perhaps a little constrained now, Wendouree's 2008 Cabernet Malbec nonetheless smells like a caged beast waiting to strike. It's deeply scented, beautifully ripened and even a touch savoury for what was a troubled year across South Australia, as calm, floral whiffs of eucalyptus, lavender, tea and tobacco leaf carry its plush mulberry and pastille blackcurrant aromas with regal grace, whilst finely honed French oak provides no more than a support role, imparting a further lick of savoury quality. Its delicious palate is surprisingly medium-weighted and supple, with a leathery/earthy interplay of dark fruit flavours driven deep into the mouth by a corkscrew-like penetration of structure, drilling the back palate with a one-two punch of dry, dusty, spiky tannins and refreshing acids, leaving a lingering note of licorice-tinged old-vine fruit to pass. For all its quality, there's no doubt its best years are yet to come.

ü+ I'll admit I hesitated when it came to buying Wendouree's 2008s, but I'll never doubt that magical vineyard again. Brilliant. Drink to 2028.

95 points

VASSE FELIX CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008

- Margaret River, WA

- $30-$45

- Screwcap

- 14.5%alc

As Australian Wine Journal gathers age, I'm hoping, or perhaps assuming, my readers will recognise there are some wines I buy practically every year. Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon is certainly one such wine. In theory, Vasse's Cabernet should've benefited immensely from the perfumed nature of the Margaret River's 2008 cabernet crop, so this purchase was always destined to occur.

Ooooh - rich, brambly blackcurrants, mulberries, black olives, graphite and well toasted cedar/mocha oak, all expressed with floral/herbal accents and a risen, savoury intensity - this is classic, unmistakable Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon people. It's about as appealingly aromatic as Australian cabernet gets for me at this price. Fortunately, the palate doesn't disappoint either, especially if bright and assertive Margaret River cabernet is your thing. It's a bit juicier and perhaps plumper than the classic 2004 (95pts) and 2007 (93pts) wines, but its toasty dark fruit flavours are still forged onwards and into the mouth with searing intensity, by a rather mouth puckering, almost astringent acid structure which merges seamlessly with bony, drying tannins, whilst flavours of juicy, genuinely savoury regional fruits marked by cedar and dried herbs return to provide vibrant lasting impression.

ü+ A bit fuller and juicier than I anticipated but nonetheless as fragrant and assertive as I hoped, Vasse's 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon shouldn't disappoint its legion of followers. Drink to 2023.

93 points

www.vassefelix.com.au

LEASINGHAM BIN 56 CABERNET MALBEC 2008

- Clare Valley, SA

- $15-$27

- Screwcap

- 13.5%alc

Just as I was regaining the love for Leasingham wines; both high end and low, the brand goes and hits a hurdle. A whole row of them even. Key vineyards have been sold, the winery's been sold off, there's been a recent change of ownership and even Leasingham's website is under construction now. For the sake of one of Clare's most significant names, I do hope these hurdles can be cleared.

In keeping in tune with some of Leasingham's recent successes, this Bin 56 looks and smells joyously bright, without a shred of the over-ripeness found in many of South Australia's 2008s. Menthol-tinged scents of cassis, mulberries and red plums leap from the glass in a magnificently fruited, vivid style after an hour in the decanter, with a secondary accompaniment of soft vanilla/mocha oak thrown in for good measure. A smidgeon of the region's classic eucalyptus also appears, siding with its menthol aromas nicely. Thankfully, these characters slide into the mouth with ease, as it unfolds a silky, medium-bodied palate defined by its vibrancy. If anything, its menthol/eucalyptus touched berry flavours only lack the complexity and integrated elegance of reserve labels, but it still finishes beautifully long and imposingly dry, revealing earthy tones underneath a nervy yet merging structure of gripping acids and tannin, helped into place by some thoroughly modern winemaking polish. It's quite amazing really; a genuinely happy surprise.

ü+ Brightly fruited and flavoured, tight and dry, the 2008 Bin 56 defies my expectations of its vintage and price immeasurably. My fingers are steadfastly crossed for the future of Leasingham now. Drink to 2020.

92 points

www.leasingham-wines.com.au

CULLEN DIANA MADELINE 2008

(Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot)

- Margaret River, WA

- $90-$130

- Screwcap

- 12.5%alc

No list of Australia's top wines would be complete without Cullen's Diana Madeline. Alongside Mount Mary's Yarra Valley sourced Quintet, Cullen's flagship represents the very pinnacle of Australia's cabernet blends class. Both Cullen and James Halliday have made mention of a differently styled 2008 Diana Madeline, delivered by the application of new winemaking equipment.

Seductively perfumed and fragrant, yet elegant and controlled, Cullen's 2008 Diana Madeline shows everything you'd expect from the label and its season, albeit in a much gentler, even more feminine manner than usual. Its aromas of cherry, blackberry and mulberry are expressed with an edge of genuinely ripened, sweet fruit, complementing its 12.5%abv, but also with an additional interweaving of the savoury, earthy notes typical of Cullen's reds, and a clean air of the freshest cedar/pencil shavings-like oak (14 months French - 48% new). A touch of dry leaf may also rear its head. In the mouth, it's definitively elegant, gentile, fine, long and tightening, with a light to medium-bodied filling of character so understated, that it's hardly a cabernet for the tasting circuit. For a young blend containing 14% merlot, one could be forgiven for anticipating more juice, or richness, but as the wine transgresses from front to back palate, there's a wonderful consistency to its physicality; a beautifully articulated progression, punctuated stunningly and gracefully at its climax by the perfectly concealed, sensuously dry and lithe acid/tannin structure found exclusively in Cullen's bio-dynamic beauties.

ü Right in Cullen's modern groove. A scene setter. Poles apart from the norm of Australian cabernet. Lady-like, intelligent, stern and composed. Drink to 2024.

95 points

www.cullenwines.com.au

CLIMBING CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009

- Orange, NSW

- $21.95

- Screwcap

- 13.5%alc

Considering Climbing is the 'up-market' label (or uphill even, its vineyard extends to 600+ metres above sea level), you could say the entire Cumulus range is sold at very reasonable prices, which helps keep the emerging wines of Orange within reach of the everyday drinker. Consumer accessibility should only benefit a region seeking greater recognition, so long as the wines provide pleasure of course.

Although fractionally thin on depth of fruit, the nose of Climbing's 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is unmistakably cabernet. It's pleasingly floral and leafy around the high tones, with an aroma of vanilla/cedar oak passing through a fruit profile that displays both red and black berries. It enters the mouth with silky touch, unfolding a surprisingly savoury, earthy mouthful of forest berries back-ended by slightly raw cedar oak. To finish, it lengthens in a much drier, earthier and altogether physical manner, courtesy of a notably pushy extract of grippy, sandpaper-like tannins directing the show, and yes; they do require time to settle, even for tannin-loving me.

ü Climbing's surprisingly savoury, central ranges NSW cabernet sauvignon is a bit dry and assertive right now, but a short stint in the cellar should pay dividends. Otherwise, just pull out some deliciously fatty red meat. Drink 2013-2017.

90 points

www.climbingwines.com.au

CHAPEL HILL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008

- McLaren Vale, SA

- $25-$40

- Screwcap

- 14.5%alc

You gotta give credit to Chapel Hill. In a region where shiraz is boss and grenache, sangiovese and tempranillo are emerging as future stars, Chapel Hill has bravely come forward saying; 'hey, we're giving good old-fashioned McLaren Vale cabernet a serious shot'. Carefully avoiding over-ripeness has been a real key to Chapel Hill's recent success with the variety.

In what is usually a battle between regional strength and varietal character within McLaren Vale cabernet, (hot) seasonal variation may just have won out here, but this open and generous cabernet expresses all 3 elements with well conceived integration and undoubted drinkability. It's deeply scented with dark plums, olives and touches of meat, revealing very rich, ripe cabernet fruits joined by a classy fragrance of lightly smoky, chocolate/coffee oak. Essentially, the ripe fruits and splendid chocolatey tones translate into an ultimately big, smooth, rich and satisfying palate, which is just too big, smooth and rich to be truly exceptional. Its red plum, cassis and sour-edged black cherry flavours are entrenched in a sumptuously creamed texture and pushed long by smooth vanilla oak, enduring notes of olive and an equally smooth, polished cut of velvety tannins, but it takes time to show true dryness and grip. However, at no stage does the wine appear over-ripe and it's certainly a pleasure to drink.

ü A top effort from a difficult season for McLaren Vale cabernet (this wine was picked late Feb/early Mar) which only underlines Chapel Hill's progress with the style. The 2008 is a real crowd pleasing Aussie red, devoid of the excessive ripeness found in so many McLaren Vale cabernets that year. It's a nice wine, but not a great cabernet. Drink to 2018.

90 points

www.chapelhillwine.com.au

VASSE FELIX CABERNET MERLOT 2008

- Margaret River, WA

- $17-$26

- Screwcap

- 14.5%alc

The Margaret River's oldest winery; Vasse Felix, produces 3 variations of the region's red specialty. For my money, Vasse's middle-tiered Cabernet Sauvignon typically over delivers, the reserve-level Heytesbury delivers as it should, while the cheapest wine; the Cabernet Merlot, can be something of a let down. Clearly I'm hoping the excellent 2008 vintage has produced a Cabernet Merlot wholly deserving of the Vasse Felix name.

Much more in the house style than previous releases, the 2008 Cabernet Merlot happily sprays a potently herbal, leafy perfume over its evenly set, dusted blackberry and redcurrant aromas. Backed by additional notes of toasty cedar/chocolate oak and a surprising whiff of spice, it's piercingly aromatic in a fashion bound to be recognised by Vasse followers. Thankfully, the palate mirrors the nose with a flawless display of 'bang for your buck' Vasse quality. Its medium-bodied, deliciously sour-edged black/redcurrant flavours wash down the palate with toasty cedar/coffee oak and herbal side plates, before its long extension builds with impressive dryness, laid out by an ever present, lively acid grip and ultra-fine, intensifying tannins. It is intense and perhaps edgy in its youthful state, but there's also a richness, elegance and completeness that was lacking from the label's recent outings.

ü+ You gotta love it when a label turns things around on you, in a good way. The 2008 is the best Cabernet Merlot I've had from Vasse Felix, and the first one I'll be buying more than one of. It's pure Vasse at a paltry price. Drink to 2018.

92 points

www.vassefelix.com.au

MITCHELL HARRIS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009

- Pyrenees, VIC

- $24.95

- Screwcap

- 13.5%alc

John Harris won me over with his grown up, sophisticated approach to the consumer friendly styles of rose and sauvignon blanc recently, so it's only natural my expectations sit high before sampling his take on the rather more classical drink of Pyrenees cabernet sauvignon.

Initially, Mitchell Harris' 2009 seems a touch ripe and meaty to me, but patience and deeper inspection reveals it to be a level playing field of rich Pyrenees cabernet sauvignon, sitting on the more open and generously fruited side of the fence. There are clear, regional whiffs of eucalyptus leaf and mint casting their scents across a dark, rich nose loaded with bursting blackberries, dark plums and light cedar with a hint of licorice. Its oak influence is clearly a passenger along for the ride (18 months in 5-8 year old French), so any impression of cedar is equally as likely to be from cabernet fruit as it is wood. Throughout the palate it's medium-full bodied, sumptuous and velvety, with a persisting presence of joyously ripened, juicy dark regional fruits that tighten up with real grip through the finish, courtesy of a pleasingly assertive extract of dry, dusty tannins playing a timely counterpoint to its inescapable richness. And all this achieved at less than 14% alcohol...

ü+ For a tidy $25 this considerately oaked red provides some of the richness of dark, regional quality I've come to expect from more feted Pyrenees' cabernet labels, yet with the balanced ripeness and dry tannin structure that has evaded many throughout the drought years. Like Mitchell Harris' other new releases, the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is a pleasure for serious winos. It's good now, better in 10 years. Drink to 2019.

91 points

www.mitchellharris.com.au

MT JAGGED SINGLE VINEYARD RESERVE CABERNET MERLOT 2007

- Southern Fleurieu, SA

- $36

- Screwcap (Stelvin-Lux)

- 14.0%alc

Located south of Mount Compass on the main road to Victor Harbor, Mt Jagged is arguably the most prolific producer in South Australia's Southern Fleurieu Peninsula; an emerging region from where I've yet to experience a cabernet truly deserving of the 'Reserve' tag. Mt Jagged's 2007 Reserve is a single vineyard, co-fermented cabernet merlot aged in French oak (20% new) for 12 months.

Even with the back label's recommended decanting, Mt Jagged's Reserve smells about as evenly balanced and settled as the Australian cricket team XI. Its poor form is played out by a soupy, stewy, thinly scented fragrance bowled over by dehydrated olive and herb high notes, with whiffs of raspberry and date expressed in a sticky, jammy fashion. Any hopes of the palate making a second innings comeback are quickly dismissed once the wine hits the mouth. It's thin as can be, showing no signs of mid-palate stuffing or textural interest, while its poorly ripened, stressed fruit component goes on to finish with an imbalanced, acid dominated aftertaste underlined by salty, soupy flavour. Jagged by name, jagged by....

X Very, very difficult drinking at the price. Rest assured I won't be seeking out any 2007 Southern Fleurieu cabernets in a hurry. Drink now.

82 points

www.mtjaggedwines.com.au

KNAPPSTEIN ENTERPRISE VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008

- Clare Valley, SA

- $37-$46

- Screwcap

- 14.5%alc

The Enterprise is Knappstein's single vineyard, reserve level cabernet sauvignon. Its fruit source is a low yielding, 40+ year old dry grown vineyard planted over Terra Rossa soils at the northern end of the Clare Valley.

Deeply coloured, dark and inky to gaze upon in the glass, Knappstein's 2008 Enterprise has happily gifted minty-cabernet-loving-me a surprisingly minty fragrance considering its hot year. Beyond its minty lift there are glossy notes of black/purple berries, violets and smooth vanilla/chocolate oak, which thankfully, bare no suggestions of dead or over ripe fruit. On entry to the palate it's pleasingly silky, juicy and almost fluffy, before its slick array of minty dark berry and vanilla oak flavours become grittier as the wine moves to a more sour-edged, astringent finish thanks to a convoy of powdery, sandpaper-like tannins and clear acidity. There just seems to be something missing in the wine's transition from sensuous fore-palate to coarse climax, a missing link if you will, which, if anything, probably speaks of the often discussed deficiencies of cabernet sauvignon's mid-palate more than anything else.

O Knappstein's Enterprise is a freshly fragrant, silky 2008 Clare Valley cabernet that does defy its season somewhat, however, its flip-side reminds me why some no longer find one-day cricket inspiring. It starts exciting and ends with a flurry, but what happened in the middle section again? Drink to 2013-2020.

89 points

www.knappstein.com.au

JOSEPH MODA CABERNET SAUVIGNON MERLOT 2008

- McLaren Vale, SA

- $57.50-$90

- Screwcap

- 14.5%alc

The highly innovative Joe Grilli makes his iconic Moda Cabernet Merlot in the Italian Amarone style. After harvest the grapes are air dried on outdoor racks (for around 2 weeks) to increase skin to juice ratio, concentrating the flavours in an almost raisined fashion. The resulting wine is a lusciously rich, ripe dry red which seems to overcome difficult seasons with absolute ease. Just ask popular UK critic Oz Clarke, who recently named Joseph's Moda as the world's second best wine!

In tune with other Moda wines, the 2008 is aromatically deeper than a rabbit's hole. Its typically moreish, ultra-ripe raisin, chocolate and leather aromas have already set themselves in for the long haul, while drier, dusty notes of tobacco and herb straddle the higher tones as an essential counter balance to the smooth richness residing beneath. The palate manages to be extravagantly luscious, smooth and rich without being heavy, jammy or offensively ripe whatsoever. Then considering its generous proportions, it's amazingly balanced and even, saturating the palate from front to back, as lingering touches of tobacco leaf and incredibly polished and smooth, powdery tannins ride like surfboards along its tidal wave of massively deep, dense flavour. It isn't exactly the medium-bodied, elegant cabernet many Australians are looking for, but it's near impossible not to be impressed.

ü+ The 2008 continues a run of consistently delicious Moda wines from up-and-down McLaren Vale cabernet vintages. How does Joe Grilli do it, and why aren't there more imitators? There may be nothing plain about Moda, but it's just plain yum. Drink to 2024.

95 points

www.primoestate.com.au

RINGBOLT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008

- Margaret River, WA

- $16-$25

- Cork

- 13.5%alc

I've long suppled at the teat of Yalumba's foray into Tasmanian sparkling wine through the Jansz label; and now, with the 2008 Ringbolt, I'm starting to become a regular follower of Yalumba's venture into the fine world of Margaret River cabernet sauvignon.

With the fierce leap of a pouncing tiger, Ringbolt's 2008 delivers the aromatic intensity of an incredibly fragrant, well defined wine. Regional and smoky, its beautifully spoken aromas of char-grilled meats, violets and dried tobacco leaf lead the performance, with the backing notes played by varietally correct blackberries and fresh cedar oak. On entry to the palate it's agreeably smooth and rich, but it flows on fractionally ripe and meaty, as its flavours of dark currant fruits and dried leaves are drawn nicely down the palate by rich, bitter dark chocolate tones. The tannin extract isn't particularly physical or commanding, yet it does finish adequately dry in more of a crisp, silky linen-like fashion, making it an ideal Margaret River cabernet for drinking over the shorter term.

ü Thanks to a beautifully fragrant opening, I can't help but be a little disappointed by the smooth, rich, ripe and rounder aspects of the palate here. Having said that, it is priced accordingly and makes a smart choice for anyone after a sound Margaret River cabernet to drink tonight, with good company. Drink to 2015.

90 points

www.ringbolt.com