-
95
/ 100
Decanter -
94
/ 100
The Wine Front
Red
Classification
Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety
2008
Vintage
750ml (Bottle)
Bottle Size
Australia
Country
South Australia, McLaren Vale
Region
14.5%
Alcohol %
15 Plus Years
Cellaring
Scores
95 / 100"Cabernet is an underrated wine in the d’Arenberg portfolio, but shows structure and perfume as well as the winery’s characteristic abundance of flavour. The balance of this wine is impressive, with cassis and bramble fruit, attractive oak, supple, medium-weight tannins and refreshing acidity."
- Decanter
94 / 100
"McLaren Vale is not especially well known for its Cabernet, and maybe it’s an example of a wine that says more about its region than the grape from which it’s made, but that’s as it should be. Blackcurrant, blackberry, truffle, cedar and menthol. Here we have a leviathan – a big tannin wine – chewy, rugged and concentrated with depth that can only just be fathomed. Long and impressive with a slick of tannin to close. It’s got plenty to give and should cellar magnificently."
- The Wine Front
Tasting Notes
The nose is dark and alluring with varietal cassis, edges of tobacco and a beautiful leafiness that flows into more delicate notes of violet. The nose is fiercely varietal with complexity that draws you back for another look. The palate is focused with a sweet fruit core of blackcurrant and wild berries that are dense and concentrated. The darker edges on the nose deliver on the palate and give the wine a deeper dimension with notes of dark chocolate. There is a lovely graphite texture and flavour that runs through the palate before the powdery and chalky tannins kick in for a very long finish. The fruit tannins are wonderfully alive and give considerable structure to the wine. There is a staggering intensity to the palate, yet the wine remains in balance with immense structure from the lively fruit tannins. This wine will age well for up to two decades, providing immense joy along the journey.
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity
- Smooth
- Complex