(goût de terroir)

testing the extent to which terroir shows through in the glass

reading
the fine print
coonawarra and
margaret river cabernet
How different are the Cabernets of Coonawarra and Margaret River?
Andrew Jefford, fresh from a year down under, searches with
Stephen Brook and Anthony Rose to find a print of terroir

Comparing the Cabernet-based partiality as “very palatable, with

wines of Coonawarra and Margaret a fragrant bouquet, an excellent
River is one of the greatest tasting wine.” The fact that Coonawarra
opportunities Australia can offer was actually ill suited to producing
the rest of the world. Cabernet, of fortified wines meant that
course, needs no introduction here. viticulture subsequently languished.
Every widely planted grape variety Sheep vastly outnumbered vines
has its devotees, but if there is such throughout most of the first half
a thing as a world benchmark for of the 20th century. The arrival in
gastronomic red wine, one that 1951 of Samuel Wynn and his
offers the perfect combination of son David, though, galvanized the
weight, structure, tannic mass, somnolent pastoralists, and the
balance, and refreshment in Wynns’ championing of the
combination with food, it will relatively new concept of an
likely be (in whole or in part) from “estate wine” was perfectly timed
the improbably muscular offspring for an Australia that, by the mid-
Original illustration by Charles Martin, L’Art de Boire, Etablissements Nicolas, Paris, 1920
of juicy Cabernet Franc and 1960s, was drinking more unfortified
perfumed Sauvignon Blanc: wine than fortified.
Cabernet Sauvignon. Margaret River is a newer
The variety is the third most-planted in Australia, with discovery. Lupin researcher John Gladstones had sniffed
27,309ha (11,052 acres) bearing fruit. In terms of tons out its potential by 1965 or so, marshaling climate data that
crushed, neither Coonawarra nor Margaret River is a big suggested a number of parallels with Bordeaux. He also
hitter; in quality terms, by contrast, the two regions are recalled the summer fruits of his childhood, grown in
dominant, with top producers in each making the country’s Karridale: “Their rich aromas seemed to far exceed
reference Cabernets—and those that achieve the highest anything produced in Perth.” The local medical community
prices both in retail and later at auction. adopted his suggestions more enthusiastically than the
Coonawarra is, by age, the senior partner. You can still dairy farmers and loggers. Perhaps that was no bad thing;
down a beer in the Royal Oak Hotel in Penola, and it was they knew the taste of fine Bordeaux. Within a few years,
probably beer that was drunk there on July 31, 1890, when Gladstones’s predicted “table wine of very high quality
the enterprising John Riddoch conducted the ballot for the indeed” brimmed in local glasses.
first blocks of what was later to become the “Coonawarra In terroir terms, the two regions contrast. Climatically,
fruit colony” (4ha [10 acres] each for £100, on easy terms). Coonawarra is cool, windy, and moderately maritime, with
Riddoch himself always had wine in view. His own marked seasons. (Its heat degree day summation is 1,337,
first vintage was 1895, which he described with proud with 1,593 sunshine hours.) Margaret River is warmer and

1 8 2 THE WORL D O F F INE WINE I S S U E 2 9 2 0 1 0

 c o o n awa r r a
intensely maritime, with mild, wet winters and generous,
though always tempered, summer heat (heat degree day
summation of 1,596, with 1,626 sunshine hours).
In soil terms, the famous red “cigar” of classical
Coonawarra (a strip of imperceptibly raised land roughly
12 by 1.25 miles [19 by 2km], tapering to half that width at the
The aim of our tasting was threefold:
to gauge how good the wines were; to see if we could find
a sense of terroir and of regionality in them; and to see if
one region performed better than another
extremities) is a mineral sandwich: wind-blown red loess
on top, basement limestone underneath, with hard calcrete
between the two—a problem for the early fruit farmers,
and still in need of ripping today. It’s one of Australia’s
youngest vineyard soils; the maritime retreats that left this
land high and dry occurred only around 600,000 years ago.
Margaret River’s geology and soils are vastly older—
some 30 million to 40 million years in their present form.
It’s a bigger area (roughly 62 by 17 miles [100 by 27km])
and thus has more internal variation, but the classic soil
type you see recurring throughout Margaret River, as
indeed over a vast area of wine-growing Western Australia,
is lateritic gravel: heavy, buckshot-like, iron-rich nodules
over a clay base.
The aim of our tasting was threefold: to gauge how good
the wines were; to see if we could find a sense of terroir and
of regionality in them; and to see if one region performed
better than another.
All three tasters felt that the potential of these regions
was exceptionally good and their suitability for Cabernet
beyond question. Both Anthony Rose and Stephen Brook
felt that this potential was well realized, praising the
wines’ consistency. I found the wines less consistent and
feel that more fastidious viticulture and a softer, less
forceful winemaking approach would improve the quality
levels further.
All three tasters hoped to find crisper and more
memorable regional distinction than we did. There are
two possible explanations. One is that we are insensitive
or inadequately experienced tasters of these wines. A
second is that the print of terroir in these wines is less
pronounced than it is commonly assumed to be, for reasons
either connected to natural conditions themselves or
because winemaking approaches do not yet respect the
inviolability of the raw materials as thoroughly as they
might. The print of terroir emerges most clearly in
unadjusted or minutely adjusted wines.
We all expected the battle to be an even one. In the
event, Coonawarra emerged clearly victorious, with seven
I S S U E
a n d m a r g a r e t Ri v e r c a b e r n e t
of the top ten wines and 13 of the top 20, despite a slightly
g oÛt de te rroi r
higher number of entries from Margaret River. Why? My
own view is that the fruit qualities of Coonawarra are simply
so extraordinary that it would be very hard for any region
in the world to beat it in any context (and blind tasting
without food is just such a context) when fruit is one of the
principal poles of attraction. Margaret River must defer to
Coonawarra in point of fruit. But when you are looking for
breadth, depth, and texture behind the fruit, then Margaret
River begins to look more compelling and complete,
supposing that these qualities have been allowed to emerge
via fastidious viticulture and harvesting, and over the
course of long fermentations with minimum adjustment.
When all is said and done, though, both regions produce
resonant and memorable Cabernet, as the notes for our top
wines indicate. The historical record for both regions, too,
is unambiguous: Great Coonawarra and Margaret River
Cabernet both age superbly, and the finest bottles can be
cellared with confidence.
Average and range of scores
Average Range
Stephen Brook 15.5 12–18
Andrew Jefford 14 11.5–17.5
Anthony Rose 17 15–18
All wines 14.5 13–17.5
Andrew Jefford’s top wines
Rosemount Show Reserve Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
2005 (Coonawarra) 17.5
Balnaves The Tally Coonawarra Reserve Cabernet
Sauvignon 2007 (Coonawarra) 17
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
(Coonawarra) 16.5
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon John
Riddoch 2003 (Coonawarra) 16.5
Yalumba Menzies The Cigar 2006 (Coonawarra) 16.5
Clairvault Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River 2005
(Margaret River) 15.5
Bellwether Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
(Coonawarra) 15
Cullen Diana Madeline 2005 (Margaret River) 15
Cullen Diana Madeline Margaret River 2007 (Margaret River)
15
Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
(Margaret River) 15
2 9 2 0 1 0 THE WORL D O F F INE WINE 1 8 3
(goût de terroir)
stephen brook’s verdict
I found this a fascinating tasting. I
have visited both Margaret River and
Coonawarra, though I wouldn’t pretend
to be an expert on either. I have had
more exposure to the latter, and have
long admired the wines. Wynns
Coonawarra Cabernet has a near-
permanent place in my cellar, because
it’s a wine I have bought and enjoyed
over two decades. Perhaps it was foolish
of me to try to identify the origin of
each wine—I knew I was overreaching
myself, but it’s fun to try. As was
predictable, I made rather a fool of
myself and misattributed many of the
wines. But no matter.
The discussion after the tasting
did highlight why making a clear
identification is very far from easy. I
associate Coonawarra with a hint of
herbaceousness—not always, but often.
I don’t mind a hint of it; I do mind when
it becomes strident and veers into overt
greenness. But as Andrew and Anthony
reminded me, herbaceousness can also
be characteristic of Margaret River, and
that is perfectly true. But the discussion
also brought out the appealing textures
of Margaret River wines—and that, for
Top wines
Punters Corner Sovereign Coonawarra
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
(Coonawarra) 18
Gralyn Estate Margaret River Cabernet
Sauvignon 2007 (Margaret River)
17.5
Rosemount Show Reserve Coonawarra
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
(Coonawarra) 17.5
Sandalford Prendiville Reserve Margaret
River Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
(Margaret River) 17.5
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet
Sauvignon 2006 (Coonawarra) 17.5
Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 (Margaret River) 17
Rosemount Show Reserve Coonawarra
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (Coonawarra) –
17.5
SB: Very deep red. Opulent and toasty
blackcurrant nose, stylish and hedonistic.
Suave and rich, concentrated and dense, with
a sweetness and intensity that are linked to
some fine acidity. This is classy and vigorous,
finely crafted, and well balanced. The oak is
pronounced, but there is sufficient fruit to
support it. Sheer pleasure. Good length.
Margaret River? 17.5
1 8 4 THE WORL D O F F INE WINE
me, was also an indicator of origin (even
if many of my guesses were wrong). I
was pleased to discover that Coonawarra
fared especially well in the tasting,
because it’s a region that appeals to me.
I hope my Australian friends won’t feel
slighted if I conceive of it as Old World
Cabernet from a New World region. At
its most refined, Coonawarra is quite
Bordelais in its focused fruit, tannic
structure, and ability to age. I have far
less experience of mature or aged
Margaret River Cabernets to say whether
the same is true of that region.
Clearly both regions have a great
deal to offer. As is often the case in
Australia, overripeness is a hazard that,
for me, can seriously mar the pleasure
of a wine. Even with Cabernet, I would
rather be refreshed than knocked to the
ground. Overripeness did feature in a
few wines, and that troubled me more
than occasional herbaceousness. But
overall, these are wines that I can and
do drink with great pleasure. Margaret
River may have more cachet and glamor
these days, but I can’t help feeling that
Coonawarra is still underrated as one of
the world’s great Cabernet zones.
Malone Wrattonbully Cabernet
Sauvignon 2005 (Wrattonbully) 17
Vasse Felix Margaret River Cabernet
Sauvignon 2007 (Margaret River) 17
Yalumba The Menzies Coonawarra
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
(Coonawarra) 17
Watershed Awakening Margaret River
Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Margaret
River) 17
Lenton Brae Wilyabrup Margaret River
Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Margaret
River) 16.5
The Redman Coonawarra 2002 (CS/
Shiraz/Merlot) (Coonawarra) 16.5
AJ: Saturated black-red. Lots of blackcurrant,
though in fact it’s the moist licorice that
dominates the aromas. Vibrant and arresting.
Vivid, deep, dark, leathery, full-bodied,
warm, and welcoming, this is a generously
and lushly crafted Cabernet of real class.
Structured, full, deep, with its acid component
relatively high in the international context,
yet not excessive for Australia; this is one
of the biggest-boned wines in the tasting.
Admirable wealth and stature, built on the
Continental scale, and providing enjoyable
I S S U E 2 9 2 0 1 0
drinking, with its wonderful fruit purity
the main talking point. Ample tannins;
discreet earthy or mineral qualities. Overall,
a satisfactory, textured, and balanced
wine of real generosity. Wrattonbully?
Coonawarra? 17.5
AR: Good, youthful ruby color; notes of
coffee, mulberry, and blackcurrant on the
nose; good concentration of cassis-like fruit
quality, very nice freshness, supple, textured
tannins, and juicy acidity. Overall, very well
balanced and approachable now. Margaret
River? 17
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet
Sauvignon 2006 (Coonawarra) – 17.5
SB: Very deep red. Firm dense black-cherry
nose. Voluptuous and fleshy, with ample
concentration and density; the sumptuous
fruit is supported by firm, ripe tannins that
give it a certain solidity. This does have some
depth and grip, combining opulence with
structure and even severity. This is an
imposing wine that still has a long way to go,
and it seems entirely in balance. Good length.
Margaret River? 17.5
AJ: Saturated black-purple. Initially rather a
sweaty (screwcappy?), slap-happy cast to
the nose, but underneath that (once you’ve
given it a chance to clear) you find svelte,
ermine-lined blackcurrant of real class.
Deep, almost truffley. Engaging. This is
very deep, dark, and full of undercurrents
(or undercurrants; perhaps both). Not
excessively acidified, and the fruit qualities
are outstanding. Limpid, poised, and deep,
and this fruit has a compelling quality to it—
the kind of thing you want to keep sipping.
Perhaps overslender and only shyly tannic,
so the overall effect is pristine and noli me
tangere; but within this tasting, this is
an impressive wine. Those dark, truffley
blackcurrants are beautifully shaded with
licorice. Coonawarra. 16.5
AR: Deep ruby hue; intriguing character of
licorice spice, cedar, and cassis on the nose.
Richly concentrated cassis-fruit quality here,
nicely tinged with cedary oak spice, with a
textured quality of tannin and freshness of
acidity that’s really just starting to come into
its own. Drinking nicely now but still vigorous
and lively, and it should drink well for a good
5–10 years yet. Impressive and serious wine.
Margaret River? 18
Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet
Sauvignon 2004 (Margaret River) – 16.5
SB: Very deep red. Dense, brooding, cassis
nose. Rich, suave, juicy, but also has ample
freshness and lift. The oak is well integrated,
as are the tannins. Not the most complex of
Cabernets, but it has some purity and drive.
Drinks well now, but no reason to suppose it
won’t hold for some years to come. Quite
good length. Coonawarra? 16
AJ: Saturated black-purple. Intense, warm,
savory blackcurranty scents. Lovely ripeness
and fruit purity. Vivid, lively, clean, deep,
chunky, with the usual press of edgy acidity

giving it its stark balance. This is nonetheless
a wine of real fruit wealth and purity. Pristine,
dark blackcurrant, cherry, and early-season
plum; textured tannins; incipient fruit
sweetness. With a more relaxed and sensual
balance, this would merit an outstanding
score. Coonawarra. 15
AR: Good, youthful color, shading to ruby/
garnet; fine, fresh, mulberry-fruity aromas;
very vibrant and juicy mulberry and
blackcurrant fruit on the palate. This wine has
excellent concentration and flavor, with well-
integrated oak and a lovely, juicy, moreish
quality, in both its texture and flavors.
Beautifully crafted, this has some of the
elegance of, for example, Margaux, with a
touch more Australian generosity and
opulence—and yet, thanks to its elegant,
(seemingly) natural acidity, it’s drinking
beautifully and should do so for another five
years. Margaret River? 18
Yalumba Menzies The Cigar 2006
(Coonawarra) – 16.5
SB: Opaque red. Dense, inky, black-fruits
nose, with an appealing chalkiness. Ripe
and rounded, medium-bodied, sweet and
charming; quite a forward style, though there
is sufficient tannin to give it some grip. But
there’s little complexity here, and it’s far from
layered, but it has finesse and persistence.
Not for the long haul, perhaps, but very
appealing now. This also gained length of
flavor with aeration. Margaret River? 16
AJ: Very dark black-red, with the emphasis
on black. Lovely nose, with great generosity
but great purity, too. Long, pencilly
blackcurrant, attractively muddied by sweet
dust and warm earth. I assume this is
Coonawarra/Wrattonbully, and it seems to
me to have all those SE of SA virtues as
presently defined. Something a little richer
(mint chocolate?) as it lingers in the glass.
Very long, very pure, very poised, very classic.
You simply can’t fault outstanding fruit
qualities of this order, and the winemaker has
managed to guard that purity right the way
through the palate. I’d love, though, for the
wine to have a softer, less insistently acid
balance and for it to have more textured
richness. It is a marble statue as it is, and not
a living, breathing body ready to seduce or to
engage with food. Nonetheless, very good in
this class. Coonawarra. 16.5
AR: Dense and deep-hued youthful ruby, this
looks almost forbidding in the glass; there’s
dark berry fruit, raisiny fruitcake and spice on
the nose—almost Porty in other words,
though, to be fair, not baked or jammy—while
the palate shows good richness of cassis fruit,
well-applied oak, quite firm, chunky tannins,
and slightly mouth-puckering acidity. A well-
crafted style that should age well but needs
food to show at its best. Margaret River? 17
Balnaves The Tally Coonawarra Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Coonawarra)
– 16
SB: Opaque red. Muted, black-fruits nose,
c o o n awa r r a a n d m a r g a r e t
inexpressive now. Soft, rounded, juicy,
quite full-bodied, with ripe tannins in the
background. There’s a slight earthiness that
gives some grain to the texture. Quite forward
and accessible for a young Cabernet, and it
lacks some drive and persistence. It has
charm and ripeness but not as much
complexity as I hoped. Quite long. Margaret
River? 14.5
AJ: Deep, saturated, black-red. Interesting
and unusual melange of mixed black fruits
(blackcurrant, sloe, damson), with something
almost marine and iodine-like. Not a hugely
articulate or focused aroma, but unusual and
quietly and darkly intriguing. After a while,
the iodine drifts toward high-mass incense:
a little welcome exoticism. Excellent tannic
mass here, integrated with splashy
blackcurrant fruit in customary high-acid
style, and with the well-chosen and well-
handled oak providing some exotic richness
and depth. The impressive core of fruit
continues to drive the palate, but in contrast
to so many, the high acid doesn’t prove
wearying, since it is integrated to generous
tannins and backed by some intrinsic richness.
I suspect (though this is only wine number 4)
that this will prove to be one of the most
food-friendly wines in the tasting, and it
certainly has impressive aging potential.
Great wealth, depth, and impact. Margaret
River. 17
AR: Dense and youthful in color, this wine is
intense and packed with aromas of cedary
oak and blackcurrant; a tad obvious, perhaps,
but intense nonetheless, smelling very
“Australian” in that “big country” way. It’s
chock-full of cassis-fruit flavors, very
concentrated and powerful, with lots of oak,
blackcurrant, with dry tannins and firm acidity
on the back palate. A big, could-only-be-
Aussie style that needs seven years. I would
be surprised if it weren’t Coonawarra, but life
is full of surprises. 16
Bellwether Coonawarra Cabernet
Sauvignon 2006 (Coonawarra) – 16
SB: Very deep red. Muted, blackcurrant nose.
Suave and rounded, but concentrated, too,
with some grainy tannins and integrated oak.
There’s a welcome intensity that makes up
for what seems, at present, to be a lack of
complexity and nuance. It’s drinking well now
but will certainly hold for some time. The wine
is at ease with itself—not great or deep, but
satisfactory within its own terms, and highly
enjoyable. Good length. Margaret River? 16
AJ: Saturated black-red. Ripe black fruits,
sweet spice, and more menthol than in any
wine so far. It would be hard not to ascribe
this to Australia in an international Cabernet
tasting. And nothing wrong with that: I love
that sticky-sweet tube-clearing gum-leaf
note, though it may be slightly overdominant
here. Very Vicks VapoRub. Cool, firm,
mentholly as the nose is, some tannins but
an absence of ripe fruit at the core. The wine
is poised and fresh, with lots of Cabernet
character and a coal/charcoal style I
I S S U E 2 9 2 0 1 0
Ri v e r c a b e r n e t
particularly like; good textural depth and
g oÛt de te rroi r
length, too. So, there’s lots to praise—but I
just wish it had a slightly more amply
proportioned body to fill out the edgy
contours. It’s just hard to warm to that
finishing acid tang. I feel that this could
potentially be a much better wine than it is;
good vineyards behind it. Margaret River. 15
AR: Very dense, deep, youthful, ruby purple;
this has an abundance of mint and eucalyptus
on the nose, and yet it’s not green but
evidently very ripe and powerful. The fruit is
concentrated and rich in cassis and black-
cherry flavors, while there’s a firm backbone
of tannin and acidity, along with a fair whack
of oak in the mix. While it’s a classic Australian
style that, though Bordeaux-style, couldn’t
be more different from Bordeaux if it tried, I
find the chewiness of the firm tannins and
acidity a tad overt. Coonawarra? 16.5
Lenton Brae Wilyabrup Margaret River
Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Margaret River)
–16
SB: Deep to very deep red. Voluptuous nose,
black fruit, with a hint of herbaceousness.
Opulent and rounded, with ample weight of
fruit and plenty of bright acidity to refresh
the palate. Perhaps it lacks a little density of
texture, but in all other respects the wine
seems balanced and succulent. Good length.
Probably Coonawarra but by no means
certain. 16.5
AJ: Dark black-red, though less saturated in
color than [Penfolds Coonawarra 2008].
Some vegetal notes evident, though discreet,
so the overall impression is of field-freshness
rather than out-and-out capsicum. Black
fruits behind, and also a treacly earthiness, a
savory quality, almost a little dirty (which I
like… as long as it’s a little). Touch balsamic,
too. A complex and generally enjoyable
aromatic profile of nascent complexity.
Intense, good depth of blackcurrant and
plum-skin fruit; plunging acidity tends to
dominate the palate, leaving a rather chilly
impression, but some palpable tannin and
extract help balance this out. The fruits are
spiced by the end; just a hint of earthiness,
too. In context, a sound wine, with better
complexity than many of its peers. Margaret
River. 14.5
AR: Dense in color, this has lots of sweet,
cedary oak and chocolate on the nose, a
lovely dark-berry and blackcurrant fruit
succulence of silky tannin and fresh acidity.
Very nice overall balance with, despite the
opulence, an elegant Margaux-like character.
The oak is quite evident but not excessive in
a young wine, and it should integrate with the
tannins and acidity. Margaret River? 17
Penfolds Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 (Coonawarra) – 16
SB: Very deep red. Lovely sweet cassis nose;
shrieks Cabernet, even though dosed with a
fair amount of new oak. The distinct mintiness
suggests Coonawarra. Fairly rich, but the
tannins are still quite hard, though balanced
THE WORL D O F F INE WINE 1 8 5
(goût de terroir)
by pronounced acidity. This needs time but
shows great promise, and there is some
sweetness and charm on the finish, which is
fairly long. 17
AJ: Dark black-red. Black fruits (blackcurrant,
blackberry) overlain by a dusty sheen. Some
spice; a meaty depth behind, too. Rich,
complex, and attractive, with impressive
harmony for such a young wine. Oak evident
via that spice, but not exaggeratedly
dominant. Sweet fruits, some (adjusted?)
tannins of powdery style, the usual bright
acidity, though this is happily not raw or
excessive here. The overall effect is plush and
pure, with lots of crowd-pleasing style: a chic,
bright bottle. Not much sense of terroir or
latent complexity, though. Chocolaty notes to
finish. Coonawarra. 14.5
AR: Good, vivid, youthful color, notes of spice
and mint on the nose, with an underlying
cassis-like character; promising and inviting;
sweetly opulent blackcurrant fruit, very nice
richness and cassis character, and cedary
integration. The tannins are initially supple,
but then the backbone comes through with
good balancing freshness and the structure
to age. Coonawarra? 16.5
Punters Corner Sovereign Coonawarra
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
(Coonawarra) – 16
SB: Opaque red. Lush, heady opulent nose,
with a lot of toasty oak. Very concentrated,
with powerful tannins, spicy and intense, with
pronounced acidity. Though this is a touch
effortful, it has real force and power. There’s
an imperious quality to the wine that is
most impressive, and it makes no attempt to
be charming or winsome. Very long, grainy
finish. Margaret River? 18
AJ: Saturated black-red. Meaty, subtle, full,
earthy; ripe black fruits backed by chocolate.
Attractive and complex aromatic ensemble.
Concentrated, but rather hard on the palate,
with excessive acids clamping everything in
place. Good tannins, however, and fine fruit
definition and purity, with a kind of latent
creamy sumptuousness behind. First-class
raw materials, which cry out for a gentler,
more attentive, but less forceful winemaking
approach. A potentially outstanding wine of
finely judged ripeness actually rendered
overconcentrated, overly intense, and overly
edgy in vinification. Margaret River. 14.5
AR: Very dense color, shading to garnet;
intriguing savory/sweet nose, quite meaty in
character, with some Bovril stock lurking in
there; some dark berry fruit on the palate;
tense, bittersweet chocolate, a degree of
chewiness of tannin, and an impression of
dryness on the back palate. There is good
fruit here, but it’s just a tad dry and charmless,
with slightly tart acidity. Coonawarra? 15
Sandalford Prendiville Reserve Margaret
River Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (Margaret
River) –16
SB: Very deep red. Hefty oak nose, with
considerable power and a swirl of black fruits
1 8 6 THE WORL D O F F INE WINE
and chocolate in the glass. Super-ripe and
super-rich, yet not jammy or extracted.
There’s surprising minerality alongside the
concentrated fruit, and there’s no lack of
acidity either. This does have complexity and
grip, and it tastes younger than it probably
is. Fine potential here. Vigorous and long.
Margaret River? 17.5
AJ: Saturated black-red. A lovely cascade of
black-fruit aromas: simple, pristine, focused,
pure. All tinged by that lovely end-of-summer,
late-evening burr; autumn fruits, with dusk
drawing on. As so often, the palate fails to
deliver on the relaxed, undulating richness
promised by the aromas; this is quite tightly
blackcurranty, the acid holding everything
in a bit of a clench. Good wine, but
overcontrolled. Long, but all the length is
acid-derived, whereas the aromatic profile
suggests that the unadulterated fruit would
have had plenty of length of its own to deliver.
Coonawarra. 14
AR: Good, vivid, youthful color, overtones of
mint and blackcurrant on the nose tinged
with mint and spicy cinnamon and vanillin
oak; very approachably juicy and moreish,
intense cassis-fruit quality, attractively framed
by vanillin oak spice and marked fresh juicy
acidity. Approachable now, but the substantial
tannin and evident firm acidity suggest
good aging potential for five years plus.
Coonawarra? 17
Watershed Awakening Margaret River
Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Margaret River)
– 16
SB: Very deep red. Sweet, generous, oaky
black-fruit nose, opulent and aromatic. Rich,
plump, and concentrated, with a good deal of
oak, firm but ripe tannins, and good weight of
fruit. Though very ripe, there is no jamminess,
and there’s a sturdy structure to support the
sumptuous fruit. Balanced and long, with
some slight minerality and ample grip on the
finish. Margaret River? 17
AJ: Saturated black-purple—the darkest wine
of the tasting so far? Dark blackcurrant fruit,
some leafiness, some sweatiness (screwcap?),
but there is an impressive volume of aroma
here, and you can really smell the Cabernet
charging out with vegetative as well as fruit
force. The aromas imply a palate of energy
and power. Almost a link to young Douro Port
in terms of this vegetative/fruit force. A hint
of sweet dust, too. After the overall thrust
of the aromas, the palate is disappointing—
there just isn’t the textural depth or intensity
of fruit to make this a great Cabernet. It
has energy and poise, but high acidity
combines with the vegetal spectrum to chilly
effect, even though it drives a long palate.
Coonawarra. 14
AR: Good, youthful ruby; a touch of herb and
capsicum on the nose; good quality of cassis
fruit on the palate. Nice fruit opulence and
concentration, with a stylish touch of oak and
a natural feel to the acidity and balance.
Flavors lengthening on the palate, with quite
firm, ageworthy tannin and an underlying
I S S U E 2 9 2 0 1 0
herbal note whose freshness, combined with
the backbone of this wine, suggest good
aging potential. Margaret River? 17
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet
Sauvignon John Riddoch 2003
(Coonawarra) – 16
SB: Very deep red. Pure and lifted cassis nose,
with a slight herbaceous minty tone. Medium-
bodied, supple, and moderately concentrated,
with firm tannins supporting the fruit. Indeed,
it’s a touch extracted given the modesty
of the fruit, and there is some lack of acidity
and zest. This seems fully ready. Pleasant but
unremarkable. Coonawarra? 14
AJ: Dark black-red. Age has brought a
resolution to these aromas, as well as a
warm harmony that, again, underlines the
extraordinary potential of these two regions.
Fruit sweetness and freshness both,
combined with a creamy wealth and incense
spice notes—all come together here. Deep,
tangy, savory; a wine of remarkable depth
and authority that has held on to its textures
remarkably well, too, and would provide great
mature drinking just now. It is too acid, and
the acid suffocates the natural allusiveness of
this beautifully ripe fruit, but aside from that,
this is very impressive and underlines the
natural authority that Cabernet fruit from
both regions delivers. Coonawarra. 16.5
AR: Good color, shading from ruby to garnet;
quite subtle aromatic quality, fresh and
berry-like; fair berry fruit quality on the
palate, with savory, dry blackcurrant fruit,
well-integrated oak, and good juicy acidity.
Evolution is bringing additional savory
characters, albeit a tad dry and chunky on
the finish. Margaret River? 17
Yalumba The Menzies Coonawarra Cabernet
Sauvignon 2005 (Coonawarra) – 16
SB: Very deep red. Oak dominates the nose,
though there are some herbaceous tones,
too. Less full on the palate than the nose
suggests, but this is nonetheless concentrated
and fleshy, with good acidity and ripe tannins.
Still youthful and brisk, though a touch sweet
on the lovely blackcurranty finish. Has
panache and length. Coonawarra? 17
AJ: Saturated black-red. Lots of open-pored,
friendly, blackcurrant-pastille fruit; easy,
gentle, fragrant; milk chocolate, touches of
spice. Lively, fresh, relatively simple, elegant;
piles of acidity as usual. Some tannins. This is
another wine rather marshaled into technical
rectitude, though the fruit purity is remarkable
as so often for both these regions, and you
feel that so much more could be achieved
with a more fastidious and non-interventionist
approach. Coonawarra. 14
AR: Intense youthful color, and equally intense
dark berry fruits on the nose; very fine berry-
fruit concentration, with a seamless palette of
cassis and black-cherry fruit flavors; the
texture is lovely, really succulent and juicy
and full of delightful fruit flavor in which oak,
tannin, and acidity are seamlessly integrated.
Excellent wine. Margaret River? 17.5

Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
(Margaret River) – 15.5
SB: Very deep red. Sweet, elegant
blackcurrant nose, with lift and purity. Sleek
and silky attack, with a graceful lightness of
touch. The wine itself is concentrated and far
from light, but it doesn’t seem effortful or
strenuous. The acidity gives freshness and
finesse. Eminently drinkable and full of charm,
this is a slinky little number I could easily get
used to. Quite good length. Coonawarra? 17
AJ: Saturated black-purple. Classic
blackcurrant fruit, a touch leafy and a touch
sweaty, but cinnamon and coriander-infused,
vivacious, engaging, and attractive if you
don’t mind the leafiness. Intense, but that
intensity is acid-driven, without fruit sweetness
clinging to it and perfuming it. Long, formal,
correct, but the palate lacks the charm and
seductiveness the nose promised, principally
because acidity is clamping everything in
place. All this makes it merely varietal. Yet the
fruit quality is outstanding: bright, focused,
and vivacious; and the oaking has been very
well managed. Margaret River. 13
AR: Mid-ruby in color, showing some
evolution; some herbal, leafy undertones on
the nose, a hint of greenness; similarly on the
palate, a nice quality of blackcurrant and
berry-fruit sweetness underscored by slight
herbal, minty tones, with good supple tannins
and balancing fresh acidity, then a touch of
dryness on the finish. Overall, though, a nicely
juicy and approachable style that’s halfway to
Bordeaux. Margaret River? 16.5
Clairvault Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Margaret River 2005 (Margaret River) – 15.5
SB: Very deep red. Reserved nose, with fine
blackcurrant fruit and a hint of volatility.
Medium-bodied, reasonably fresh, sweet and
direct, with integrated tannins. However, it is
also one-dimensional, and the sweetness of
fruit overrides other components. So, there’s
little complexity and a distinct linearity. To
put it another way, it’s rather boring. Moderate
length. Coonawarra? 14
AJ: Saturated black-purple. Smoky, rich, and
dark. Full ripeness achieved here, and I get
that wonderful sense of an old, respiring
warm land at the end of a hot summer’s day
which is so endearing in great Australian reds.
There’s the gum trees at the vineyard’s
edge, too: very subtly mentholly, but well
incorporated into the whole, freshening the
fruit notes and anchoring the wine in place. A
truly lovely aromatic profile. As usual, a little
more acidic on the palate than one would like
after an aromatic profile of that richness and
breadth. Pure, clean, curranty, correct, but
perhaps held in check. One gets the sense
that Cabernet grapes in this place would like
to do more. Nonetheless, a well-judged, well-
crafted wine imbued with a sense of place.
Coonawarra. 15.5
AR: Mid-ruby, starting to shade to garnet
in the glass; appealing, sweet cassis fruit
on the nose, starting to show some
mature characters; equally pleasant juicy-
c o o n awa r r a a n d m a r g a r e t
fruit sweetness on the palate, nicely integrated
oak, quite cassis-like and spicy in its flavor
profile, with nice ripeness, integrated oak,
and fresh, slightly bitey acidity. Seems a tad
anodyne but is one of those seamless sorts
of wines that grow on you and finish with a
surprising degree of confidence. 16.5
Cullen Diana Madeline 2005 (Margaret
River) – 15.5
SB: Very deep red. Dense, black-cherry and
plum nose. Sweet and zesty attack, with a
surprising amount of acidity carrying the
fruit, as well as some discreet tannins. But it’s
one-dimensional, despite some coffee tones
on the mid-palate, and I don’t find much
depth or complexity. It strikes an appealing
note, but there are no chords to fill it out.
Moderate length and a slack finish.
Coonawarra? 14
AJ: Saturated, dark black-red. Sweet, warm,
rich; fine leather and incense spices. A
beautifully composed aroma of great charm
and seductiveness. Tangy, edgy; mid-depth
of blackcurrant fruit, with slightly burned
edges. Lush and deep, vivid and long, with a
moderate acid balance in the Australian
context and satisfactory tannic mass.
Satisfying and sound, though lacking
sumptuousness and finesse and never quite
matching the aromatic promise. I’m being
tough, though; this is impressive, chunky
Cabernet with plenty of extract; a good food
partner. Margaret River. 15
AR: Good, youthful ruby, nicely evolved
aromas, showing blackcurrant and a touch
of mintiness; very ripe on the palate, with
substantial chocolaty sweetness of dark berry
fruits but behind it a slight chunkiness of
tannins and astringency. It’s quite traditional
in style (Australia not Bordeaux), a tad
foursquare, and seemingly just a little tart on
the finish. Coonawarra? 17
Cullen Diana Madeline Margaret River 2007
(Margaret River) – 15.5
SB: Opaque red. Dumb nose. Very ripe
cherries and blackberries on the palate, which
is concentrated and bright. It seems a touch
overripe, with some alcohol showing, but
it has exuberance and flesh. Hedonistic
and enjoyable, though I would prefer more
nuances, texture, and complexity. Quite good
length. Margaret River? 15
AJ: Dark black-red. An interesting fruit shift in
this wine compared with many of its peers:
not so much blackcurrant as black cherry and
plum. Some sweet oak shaping for prettiness.
An engaging and charming aromatic profile.
Less violently acidic than many, this continues
the aromatic theme with a fruit-dominated
palate of some richness and subtlety. There is
some textural tannin to lend the wine food-
friendliness and complexity, and the fruits
modulate toward a classic graphite-cedar
melange at the end. Balanced, accessible,
and attractive wine of enduring merit, though
without the finesse to win a truly high score.
Margaret River. 15
I S S U E 2 9 2 0 1 0
Ri v e r c a b e r n e t
AR: Good, youthful, ruby hue; this is quite
g oÛt de te rroi r
sweet and spicy on the nose with a feeling of
power and super-ripeness to it; and it is
opulent, sweet, and ripe on the palate, with a
chocolaty undertow, but certainly not cooked
or overripe, just dropping below the threshold
to deliver plenty of appealing black-cherry
jam fruitiness that’s nicely framed by oak and
acidity, finishing just a tad dry and hot.
Coonawarra? 17
Malone Wrattonbully Cabernet Sauvignon
2005 (Wrattonbully) – 15.5
SB: Very deep red. Splendid, vibrant, black-
currant nose, with some smoky oak. Very
rich, voluptuous, creamy; very ripe without
being jammy; this is a sensuous expression of
Cabernet, with enormous appeal. There’s not
a great deal of evident structure or tannin,
but there is ample concentration, and I don’t
doubt that this has the tenacity to develop
further. Good length. Margaret River? 17
AJ: Saturated black-red. Lots going on here
but rather a muddle: pastille-like blackcurrant
fruits, but a very dusty element, too, and
something darker and more treacly.
Nonetheless, I much prefer this to the simpler,
overly pristine aromatic profiles. Edgy, acidic,
herbaceous, a touch petrolly. All of these
elements corrode the intrinsic purity of the
fruit and the lovely milk-chocolate richness
of the best elements of it. Those best elements
have real grace and charm. Mixed ripeness,
surely, which a more selective approach
might rectify—or an overgenerous hand with
acid additions. Coonawarra. 12
AR: Youthful ruby in color, there’s an
intriguing malty/savory tone behind the
more obvious berry-fruit characters and
licorice’s spicy oak on the nose. Fine cassis-
fruit concentration and opulence here, lovely
complexity in its evolved richness of fruit
flavors, fine succulence of texture, lovely
freshness and balance, topped off on the
finish with savory qualities. This has plenty of
life in it and should mature into a ripe old
age. Coonawarra? 17.5
Parker Terra Rossa Coonawarra Cabernet
Sauvignon 2004 (Coonawarra) – 15.5
SB: Very deep red. Sumptuous and oaky
blackberry nose. Firm attack, with distinct
tannins and acidity supporting the stern black
fruits. The texture is juicy, though, despite the
concentration of flavor, and the fruit carries
through to the finish. There’s little subtlety
here, and the fruit may be a tad too ripe, but
this is a serious wine with personality and
persistence. Margaret River? 15.5
AJ: Saturated black-red. Lots of herbaceous
notes here. These provide a lift to the
blackcurrant fruit, but they also mitigate its
purity. The fundamental cassis enchantment
remains. Textured and deep, yet as so often
the depth and length are functions of the
acidity, rather than being based on the throb
of wonderfully handled and grown fruit
given lengthy vinification. Nonetheless, acid
aside, this is a wine of remarkable fruit purity
THE WORL D O F F INE WINE 1 8 7
(goût de terroir)
anthony rose’s verdict
This was a very good tasting, with an
exceptionally high level of quality
consistency. I am convinced that there
are other areas that produce fine
Cabernet in Australia, too—notably
Eden Valley, for instance. Nonetheless,
the tasting demonstrated that Margaret
River and Coonawarra are by and large
preeminent when it comes to fine
Australian Cabernet Sauvignon. Perhaps
the biggest surprise was that distinctions
between the two regions, and the search
for a specific terroir character, were not
as easy to put your finger on as might at
first have appeared.
Hindsight, they say, is a wonderful
thing, and it is no bad thing when it
blows away your preconceptions, as it
did in this tasting. We all thought it
would be a fun exercise to try to work
out which wine was Margaret River and
which Coonawarra, and I fell into the
trap of believing that it would be more
self-evident than it was. Of the 32 wines,
I was right about half of the time, with
egg on my face the other half. There
were seven Coonawarra wines I thought
Top wines
Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet
Sauvignon 2004 (Margaret River) 18
The Redman Coonawarra 2002
(Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz/Merlot)
(Coonawarra) 18
Woodlands Colin Margaret River
Wilyabrup Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
(Margaret River) 18
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet
Sauvignon 2006 (Coonawarra) 18
Malone Wrattonbully Cabernet
Sauvignon 2005 (Wrattonbully) 17.5
Yalumba The Menzies Coonawarra
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
(Coonawarra) 17.5
Xanadu Margaret River Cabernet
Sauvignon 2007 (Margaret River)
17.5
Zema Estate Coonawarra Family
Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
(Coonawarra) 17.5
Cullen Diana Madeline Margaret River
2007 (Margaret River) 17
and impressive tannic wealth in the
Australian context. It lacks extract and
savory depth, but the fruit qualities are
potentially remarkable—so remarkable,
indeed, that they need to be qualified by
extract and savory qualities if they are not
to seem simple and one-dimensional.
Margaret River. 14.5
1 8 8 THE WORL D O F F INE WINE
were Margaret River and, conversely,
nine Margaret River Cabernets I placed
in Coonawarra.
Why? I think because little clues
you give yourself about perceived
terroir can easily play tricks when there
are so many other factors at play.
Neither Margaret River nor
Coonawarra are the cohesive regions
that their names alone might lead you
to believe. Both have their cooler and
warmer sites, their pockets producing
distinctive styles, their older and
younger vines; and Margaret River, in
particular, has expanded considerably
in area. Vintage variation accounts for
differences, too: 2006, for instance,
was cold in Margaret River but beautiful
in Coonawarra; 2007 was excellent in
Margaret River, with Coonawarra less
even. Changes in viticulture have altered
styles, bringing extra ripeness, for
instance, where previously the vine
struggled. Add to that the significant
contribution of winemaking to wine
styles, and trying to pick terroir can
become a minefield. And so it proved.
Cullen Diana Madeline 2005 (Margaret
River) 17
Lenton Brae Wilyabrup Margaret River
Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Margaret
River) 17
Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
(Margaret River) 17
Parker Terra Rossa Coonawarra Cabernet
Sauvignon 2004 (Coonawarra) 17
Rosemount Show Reserve Coonawarra
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
(Coonawarra) 17
Sandalford Prendiville Reserve Margaret
River Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
(Margaret River) 17
Watershed Awakening Margaret River
Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Margaret
River) 17
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet
Sauvignon John Riddoch 2003
(Coonawarra) 17
Yalumba Menzies The Cigar 2006
(Coonawarra) 17
AR: Good depth of color; very nicely evolved,
savory aromatic character; initially this comes
across with an attractively evolved sweetness
of dark berry fruits. It then rapidly turns
savory, and while it just starts to pinch the
mouth a little with its slight astringency, its
concentration of cassis-fruit flavor and good
oak integration makes it a very nicely evolved
I S S U E 2 9 2 0 1 0
red that’s ready to drink now, albeit at its
peak. Margaret River? 17
The Redman Coonawarra 2002 (Cabernet/
Shiraz/Merlot) (Coonawarra) – 15.5
SB: Very deep red. Some greenness on the
nose, which may or may not be acceptable,
depending on individual tastes. Medium-
bodied, sleek, and surprisingly fresh, this has
fine-grained tannins, ample sweetness of
fruit, and good acidity. There’s a menthol
tone, as well as blackcurranty fruit, but
it’s less evidently green on the palate than
on the nose. The mid-palate shows more
elegance than weight, and it does lack
some persistence and staying power. But it’s
a pretty wine, with considerable charm.
Coonawarra? 16.5
AJ: Very dark black-red. Ample fruit, but
the fruit has a kind of tinned or
contained quality that lacks end-of-season
resonance. Far too acidic, alas. The acid
levels suffocate everything. Beneath the
acid, you can see warm, supple, evolved
fruit of real articulacy and ripeness trying to
emerge; good textural tannins, too. But this
must be pushing 7g/l final acid, and it’s far
too much. Coonawarra. 11.5
AR: Ruby/garnet in color; beautifully evolved;
complex aromas of coffee, dark chocolate,
and cassis, with both evolved characters and
a sweet, red-berry fruit quality, combining
beautifully in a seamless, Bordeaux-like style
that spells complexity and class, thanks to a
lovely red-fruit quality in which the sum is
greater than the parts. Margaret River? 18
Xanadu Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 (Margaret River) – 15.5
SB: Very deep red. Subdued nose of black
cherries and cassis, with a whiff of oak.
Full-bodied and suave on the attack, with
opulence and a distinct luxuriousness. The
fruit seems very ripe, as are the tannins, and if
at present it seems excessively sweet (though
neither jammy nor obviously alcoholic), I
guess that will integrate and harmonize
before too long. Quite feminine, if one is still
allowed that term, and none the worse for it.
Good length. Margaret River? 16
AJ: Deep black-red. Sweet oak and limpid
black fruit. Pure, long, rather featureless, but
classic Cabernet all the way down the line.
Some pencilly finesse emerges with time
in the glass. Pungent, acidic, intense, and
long as a consequence of the acidity, with
penetrating, rather hard blackcurrant flavors.
Not a lot to say apart from that. Plain, correct,
unseductive. Coonawarra. 12.5
AR: Good youthful color; attractively aromatic
nose combining hints of cedary oak and a
touch of mint. Lovely, opulent dark-berry and
blackcurrant fruit juiciness, with a moderate,
cedary, oak veneer, very succulent and supple
tannins, and what feels like a very natural
balancing freshness on the finish. The flavors,
the style, and the balance are all very good
here, with a subtle finish that adds grip, but
not too much. Margaret River? 17.5

Gralyn Estate Margaret River Cabernet
Sauvignon 2007 (Margaret River) – 15
SB: Very deep red. Closed nose. Rich but
stern, very concentrated, almost austere, with
a pronounced minerality; a touch of iron on
the palate. This has depth and character but
still seems very youthful. There’s none of the
sweetness and accessibility that give a slight
vulgarity to some of the other wines. It’s less
overtly fruity, less friendly, but has distinction
and should develop, in time, into an elegant
and harmonious wine. Coonawarra? 17.5
AJ: Dark black-red. Strange ashy scents. You’d
guess this has been bushfire-affected, but I’m
not aware of any problems of this sort in these
areas. Herbaceous underneath; the ensemble
rather unattractive, unclassical, unalluring.
Something a touch fecal there, too, though
this is the merest hint, and in a wine with more
satisfactory primary aromas it might even add
some complexity. After a while in the glass,
the ashiness clears (a reductive issue?), but
the herbaceousness, of course, remains. More
tannic than some; customarily acidic. Some
edgy blackcurrant crouching underneath the
acidity. Lacks flesh, richness, depth, and
sensual allure. A crunchy, bracing kind of Cab.
That fecal back-note is still apparent on the
palate. My score reflects my uncertainty about
its long-term future. Margaret River. 11.5
AR: Mid-ruby in color, this is relatively evolved;
distinctly minty on the nose, perhaps a little
on the green side, even, while the palate,
which also shows underlying green notes of
mint and capsicum, has an attractively sweet
quality of concentrated blackcurrant fruit
and chocolate to it. It is firm in its tannins and
acidity, leaving you with a slight mouth-
puckering sensation of excess acidity, but it
should balance out perfectly well with food.
Feels like Coonawarra. 16.5
Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
(Margaret River) – 15
SB: Very deep red. Discreetly opulent nose,
with a good deal of smoky oak. There’s a
combination of ripeness and herbaceousness
that seems contradictory but is appealing
nonetheless. Broad and rounded on the
palate, with a slight lack of concentration and
grip. The fruit is sweet and silky, with sufficient
acidity to carry it through to the finish. It’s
almost too finely tuned, too sleek, and a bit
more muscle and grip would not go amiss.
Moderate length. Coonawarra? 15.5
AJ: Dark black-red. Rather general, rather
vague, with a kerosene-like touch. Machine-
harvesting and rough handling? Curranty,
tangy Cabernet. Simple but not unpleasant.
Tastes inexpensive, though correct. It has
some length. The terroir probably deserves
a little more effort than this, however.
Margaret River. 12
AR: Mid-ruby and quite evolved in color;
attractive mulberry-like nose and fruit, with a
pleasant, opulent quality to it; very supple,
easy tannins and a nicely approachable style
overall, with a light touch of spice to the
mulberry fruit. Margaret River? 17
c o o n awa r r a a n d m a r g a r e t
Vasse Felix Margaret River Cabernet
Sauvignon 2007 (Margaret River) – 15
SB: Very deep red. Muted and dense nose,
with black fruit and a dash of herbaceousness.
Rich, ripe, and juicy; abundantly fruity but
with pleasing acidity, too. This has verve and
drive and an appealing mintiness on the
finish. It’s not hugely complex, but the wine is
in balance and has the structure to go the
distance. Good length. Coonawarra? 17
AJ: Saturated black-purple. Some aromatic
breadth here and a more exuberant ripeness
than many. Warm, savory, slightly sweaty
(screwcap again, or handling?). Some vanilla;
a malty sweetness, too. Not bad, though
not classic. Edgy, acid, loose, light: lacks
concentration of fruit, depth, and texture.
Instead, you get brisk, light-footed, and lively
wine, with plenty of blackcurrant-pastille
fruit. A nice varietal in the Australian idiom,
but surely these regions should be able to
achieve a bit more than that? Coonawarra. 12
AR: Good, youthful ruby hue here. Intense
nose, attractively aromatic, with the scent of
licorice spiciness, cedary oak, and black fruits;
this has a very good, ripe, rich blackcurranty
fruit quality; well concentrated and intense
on the palate, with a very succulent quality of
tannin and freshness. The slightly bitey acidity
on the finish suggests quality winemaking
to bring an extra dose of freshness and
agreeability, but it’s very well crafted.
Coonawarra? 16.5
Xanadu Exmoor Drive Margaret River
Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Margaret River)
– 15
SB: Very deep red. Lush, dense, inky nose,
solid, quite oaky. Surprisingly sweet on the
attack, and the texture is luminous—except
that this is presumably a young wine, and it
seems quite forward. The acidity is quite
jagged and may well have been added, and
at present the wine lacks harmony. It could
also do with more concentration of flavor. But
this sweetness and lack of depth suggests a
more commercial style. Margaret River? 15
AJ: Deep, pure, glowing purple-red. Quite
sweet oak here, and relatively simple fruits
beneath; very blackcurranty. Attractive,
happy-go-lucky scents. Vivid, lively, enjoyable,
though fundamentally simple wine. The
acidity is tempered and not excessive,
allowing a sense of natural primary-fruit
sweetness to come through. But it doesn’t
rise above the level of the well-made varietal;
the only nod to terroir is that the variety is
obviously happy in this location. Some gentle
shaping tannins. Coonawarra? 13.5
AR: Youthful color, though showing a hint of
evolution; attractively berry-fruity nose, with
nicely integrated oak and licorice spice; on
the palate, the berry-fruit richness is tempered
by juicy fresh acidity and well-integrated oak,
with an emphasis on blackcurrant flavors. The
overall impression is of a good Bordeaux
style, quite firm, with a shade of dryness on
the finish, but appealing in a moderate, claret-
like way. Coonawarra? 16.5
I S S U E 2 9 2 0 1 0
Ri v e r c a b e r n e t
Woodlands Colin Margaret River Wilyabrup
g oÛt de te rroi r
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (Margaret River)
– 15
SB: Very deep red. Sweet, intense, black-
currant nose. Suave and velvety attack, with
luscious fruit but, fortunately, no jamminess.
It’s a luxurious style, as wine to wallow in, and
it does seem to lack some nuance and edge.
Despite some acidity on the mid-palate, the
finish is somewhat abrupt. It’s hard to fault
the fruit quality, but there is some blandness
here. Moderate length. Margaret River? 15
AJ: Saturated black-purple. Another rather
kerosene-like muddle: unresolved mixed
ripeness. Tangy, light, petrolly, and simple,
though full of the effortless varietal character
that both regions can deliver. Once again, the
soils and skies deserve a little more effort
than this. Acid tang dominates the finish.
Margaret River. 11.5
AR: Quite evolved in color; the nose, too,
with its attractive fragrance, suggests a
degree of maturity, with its leafy mulberry-
like undertones; very appealing, with an
almost deceptive fruit richness and flavors
in Bordeaux-style mold, and mulberry and
blackcurrant fruity opulence; there’s very
good oak integration, which tempers the fruit
with an attractive succulence of texture and
a natural feel helped in part by its savory
acidity. Coonawarra? 18
Fraser Gallop Wilyabrup Margaret River
Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Margaret River)
– 14.5
SB: Very deep red. Lush, oaky, cassis nose,
with coffee tones from the oak, and showing
intensity and purity. Ripe and juicy, almost to
excess; indeed, that sweetness of fruit is at
the expense of other components in the wine.
This may be a crowd-pleaser, but it would
fatigue my palate quite quickly. Moderate
acidity, too, and an overall lack of zest and
complexity marks the wine as a whole.
Modest length and a slack finish. Margaret
River? 14
AJ: Dark black-red. Fresh, agreeable, slightly
leafy; classic blackcurrant; some plumpness
suggested here, too. Not hugely subtle, but
satisfying. Deep, medium depth of fruit, but
hard acidity gives this blackcurrant a slightly
metallic, hard edge. Acid-powered length on
the palate. Good purity and precision; some
sweet frosting to the fruit, though this is kept
in the background by the acidity. Overall, this
is a lively, bright, glittering kind of Cabernet
that clatters through the mouth; I would
prefer a little more depth, richness, texture,
and sumptuousness. No ambiguity about the
varietal, though. Coonawarra. 13.5
AR: Deep, rich color; good, fresh, and intense,
leafy, cassis aromatic quality here; very nice
sweet-fruit succulence, with the accent on
black berry fruits; nicely integrated sub-
threshold oak that’s clearly helping to round
out the tannins, while the texture overall feels
supple and nicely balanced. There’s some
firmness on the finish—a combination of a
slight tannin-and-acid structure, but it’s nicely
THE WORL D O F F INE WINE 1 8 9
(goût de terroir)
in harness with the fruit, leaving you with a
feeling of satisfaction. Coonawarra? 16.5
Parker Terra Rossa First Growth
Coonawarra 2004 (Cabernet/Merlot)
(Coonawarra) – 14.5
SB: Opaque red. Slightly cooked nose—
plums and black cherries. Soft, rounded, and
rather soupy, this lacks acidity and flair. It
tastes as if it was made from fruit that had
been picked too late; it’s floppy and cooked
and doesn’t develop on the palate. The finish
is sweet and fairly short. Margaret River? 12
AJ: Saturated black-red. Lots of ripeness
here: dark, treacly, yet very attractive, too,
with lots of twiggy autumnal complexities.
Burnt blackberry, rummaged earth, a kind of
pond of black fruits bubbling gently in the
late-season warmth. Enticing. All those late-
season fruits captured on the palate… yet
the bolt of adjusted acidity running through
them have deprived them of their natural
resonance and reverberation. The overall
result, despite those wonderful fruit
characters and well-extracted tannins, is
hard and simplifying. Such a shame. Another
potentially outstanding wine deprived of its
natural articulacy by intervention. Margaret
River. 14.5
AR: Dense, rich ruby in color; attractive spice
and dark fruits on the nose; this has quite
firm, cassis-fruit flavors, with firm tannins and
quite marked acidity, the dryness and slightly
pinched acid character suggesting a feeling
of compensation for a warm-climate style.
Coonawarra? 16.5
Zema Estate Coonawarra Family Selection
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (Coonawarra) –
14.5
SB: Very deep red. Lush, toasty, blackberry
nose; teems with fruit. There are coffee and
menthol tones that give the nose some lift,
too. Distinctly sweet on the palate, with high,
surely added acidity. This is far too
aggressive, and the toastiness also dominates
the palate. Stylistically, this is all over the
place and seems cobbled together. Cloying.
Coonawarra? 12
AJ: Dark black-purple, saturated. Vivid and
penetrating blackcurrant aromas of soprano
style, quite edgy and jittery, almost yogurty.
Penetrating, though, and with soft meatiness
behind. Not a rich or complex nose, but
striking. Very intense, though much of this is
acid-derived. Some tannins; some chocolaty
depths to the fruit. Impressive, but lacks
natural articulacy; rather cranked up and
forceful. The raw materials look extremely
good, however, and with a gentler and subtler
touch, this could easily become fine wine.
Margaret River. 14.5
AR: Dense, dark ruby; quite intense aromatic
quality, with loads of mint, mulberry, and
blackcurrant; powerful fruit concentration on
the palate, with dense, rich, cassis-like and
pruney fruit framed by cedary oak and very
well-crafted tannins and fresh acidity. A wine
with the concentration of fruit and backbone
1 9 0 THE WORL D O F F INE WINE
for aging for a good ten years—and possibly
a good deal longer. Classically Coonawarra?
17.5
Devil’s Lair Margaret River 2004
(Cabernet/Merlot) (Margaret River) – 14
SB: Very deep red. Very oaky black-fruits
nose. Ripe and plump, and close to jammy,
with a soft texture. But it has ample
concentration and some density, and the
tannins, though ripe, give some fine-grained
nuances to the otherwise bland texture.
A touch too sweet and sedate for my taste,
but many will enjoy this style. Margaret
River? 14.5
AJ: Saturated black-red. Fresh, lively, a touch
grassy, a sense of mixed ripeness and the
heterogenous crop. Deep, edgy, acidic; lacks
the purity of fruit that both regions can so
easily deliver. Aussie Cabernet from fine
vineyards on autopilot. Needs more ripeness,
depth, and texture, with the intricacy that
comes from care at every stage of the
process. Coonawarra. 12
AR: Dark, evolved color, quite meaty and
sweetly dark-fruity on the nose; nicely evolved
fruit character, with undertones of maltiness
and pomegranate; good, opulent fruit richness
here, nicely evolved blackcurranty red that
maintains its character and freshness while
the suppleness of tannin and marked, fresh
acidity make their contribution. A deceptively
subtle style that doesn’t hit you over the head,
but you know you could enjoy it with a meal.
Margaret River? 16
Redden Bridge The Crossing Cabernet
Sauvignon 2005 (Wrattonbully) – 13.5
SB: Very deep red. Rather jammy nose, with a
good deal of oak. Soft, juicy, rounded, but too
ripe and sweet for my taste. There is some
intensity of fruit and good acidity, but it’s
one-dimensional, and the jamminess is off-
putting. Moderate length. No real personality,
so I have no idea where it comes from. 13
AJ: Dark black-red. Earthy, warm, fat,
generous, unusually blowsy for this
context but attractive withal, with a warm,
woody edge. Lush, vivid, both very ripe and
acid-tweaked, with a mid-palate absence.
Simple, tangy, generous, but it lacks
refinement, density, finesse, and poise.
Margaret River. 11.5
AR: Good color; some coffee and chocolate
aromas mingled with mulberry fruits;
something rather animal in there? Plenty of
sweet mulberry fruit on the palate, quite juicy
in texture, finishing with quite chunky, dry
tannins; seems to have all the parts that add
up to a coherent whole. Coonawarra? 15.5
Vasse Felix Margaret River Cabernet Merlot
2007 (Margaret River) – 13.5
SB: Very deep red. Some stewed fruits and a
good deal of oak on the nose. This Portiness
may initially be appealing, but it seems too
much of a good thing. Super-ripe attack,
voluptuous and close to jammy, this seems
overdone, and a lack of acidity doesn’t help.
I S S U E 2 9 2 0 1 0
There’s a slight weediness on the finish, too,
as though the wine is being strung out on a
thread of sweet fruit and little else. Moderate
length. Coonawarra? 13
AJ: Glossy, saturated black-purple. A strange
melange of almost burned black fruits plus
a petrolly, kerosene-like note presumably
related to fruit shading in some way. The
unattractive scents of mixed ripeness, in
sum: A sorting table might have helped.
Much the same on the nose: very petrolly
and livid, though the depth of pure
blackcurrant that is hidden amid the
muddle is impressive. Potentially good wine
that needed a much more fastidious
approach than it got. Coonawarra? But it
could be either… 11.5
AR: Mid-ruby, showing a degree of evolution
in the glass; this is quite spicy and
blackcurranty on the nose; the palate is
showing signs of evolution, with a nice, gentle,
succulent fruit quality, slightly dry tannins,
and puckering acidity behind the blackcurrant
fruit sweetness. An attractive style that is
already approachable now but needs food to
show at its best. Coonawarra? 16
Commentary (after the wines’ identities
had been revealed)
SB: I was pretty impressed. What struck me
was how consistent the wines are. There were
only a couple of wines I thought were really
outstanding, but everything was pretty well
made. These were all highly enjoyable, highly
drinkable wines. The counterpart was that
there was a certain sameness to them. Even
though we got two (or even three) regions
represented, stylistically there aren’t huge
variations. It is not a bad thing, because this
is an artificial context, lining up 32 wines and
tasting them one after the other; for the
consumer, that’s not going to be an issue.
AJ: You didn’t get a sense of Margaret River,
of Coonawarra…?
SB: I had a stab at identifying each.
AJ: So, what were your principles of
identification?
SB: Essentially I said to myself, “This is
probably Coonawarra; and if it’s not, it’s
Margaret River,” rather than the other way
around. That herbaceousness that you can
get in Coonawarra was in some wines.
AJ: So, you associate herbaceousness with
Coonawarra? Quite often in Australia it’s
associated with Margaret River.
SB: I tend to find it more in Coonawarra. To
me it’s not disagreeable. There was one wine
I thought was distinctly green, but other than
that I find that slight herbaceousness quite
attractive.
AJ: Herbaceousness is a recurring element,
regardless of whether it’s from Coonawarra
or Margaret River.
AR: That’s an intriguing issue, really…
Herbaceousness, greenness. I think that
both Margaret River and Coonawarra have
elements of greenness, but I think the
greenness in each is different. My general
feeling, and I could be completely contradicted

by the results, is that my Coonawarra
greenness tends toward a more eucalypty
kind of greenness, whereas my Margaret
River greenness stems from a more herbal
sort of greenness. And both have elements of
terroir about them, inevitably.
AJ: Particularly the eucalypty one, surely,
because the vineyard wine you can rectify
with canopy management or whatever, but
the eucalypty one is part of the terroir.
AR: Depending on the results, I feel I got
more eucalypt from the Coonawarra style,
and a little more pyrazine-like, possible
greeny, from the Margaret River.
AJ: Is that a distinction you would recognize,
Stephen?
SB: Not particularly, no… I’m not saying it’s
not there, though. I associate Margaret River
with a bit more weight of fruit than
Coonawarra. That’s another way in which
I thought I could distinguish the two. But I
am not as refined in my appreciation of
herbaceousness as you!
AR: Presumably you’ve both been across to
Bordeaux to taste the 2009s.
SB and AR: Yes.
AJ: What about greenness in that context?
Let’s talk a little more about greenness.
AR: They’re calling 2009 Bordeaux a
California vintage. Maybe they should be
calling it an Australian vintage. But I think
there is a level of greenness that’s acceptable,
that adds freshness, that adds a bit of
complexity, when it’s not wholly ripe, but ripe
enough, and if on the palate it can deliver a
satisfying degree of fruit quality—which I
think it can do in Bordeaux, and it can also do
in Australia.
SB: If it’s green pepper, that to me is excessive.
But that’s an extreme. Otherwise, I agree. A
little bit of vegetal quality can give a slight
twist to the wine.
AJ: But is it something that you actually want
as a complexing factor in great Cabernet, or
is it something that should be excluded
altogether?
SB: If it’s there and it’s not particularly
intrusive, it’s fine. It’s not something that I
would particularly look for or mark down.
AR: I think a small seasoning element of it is
fine. It’s when it becomes obvious and over
the top that it becomes unacceptable.
AJ: My view, for what’s its worth, is that it’s
best not there. In all of my great references
for Cabernet, herbaceousness does not play
a part in any note. I love your distinction,
Anthony, and I think it’s very valid. I
absolutely subscribe to the Margaret River/
capsicum/shaded fruit, especially when you
go south of Wilyabrup, because that’s when
it becomes a real problem, and Coonawarra
being more the minty eucalypt. And if it’s
minty eucalypty, for me it’s not herbaceous,
it’s something else. And it’s a terroir character
that you can find in Australia and in California.
I’ve got no objection to it, and it’s part of the
composition; it can add immeasurably to the
complexity of the wine. I’ve been to vineyards
in Victoria, and they are surrounded by
c o o n awa r r a a n d m a r g a r e t
eucalyptus trees, but they are different
varieties and you don’t get any eucalyptus
at all. The AWRI has done quite a bit of
research in Western Australia, actually, and
the results show quite clearly that the vines
situated closest to the eucalypts have more
character than those 15m [50ft] away. It’s
quite provable. But it may be that there are
chemical components in the aromatic
spectrum of wines that we associate with it
that aren’t derived from that.
SB: I marked down a lot of wines that I
thought were overripe. I’m far more bothered
by that.
AJ: Well, we got slightly sidetracked on that.
Let’s go to Ant now and get overall opinions.
As fine wines, how good are these? That’s the
main question.
AR: Well, overall, I really enjoyed these wines;
and overall, they provide a huge amount of
satisfaction. There is a lot of generosity of
fruit, a lot of opulence, richness, flavor, and
stylishness. Certainly there are stylistic
differences, but I was very happy and very
impressed by the general level of quality.
AJ: Any other issues?
AR: I was making a division in my own mind
between the levels of ripeness that we were
tasting. My feeling was that there were some
wines that tended toward the overtly
blackcurrant, blackberry, and other strong
fruit flavors, and in my head I thought that
these were probably more Coonawarra in
style. On the other hand, there were wines
that had a more integrated character in terms
of fruit and tannins and acidity. They showed
very well in an overall balanced style, and I
tended to think of those as more Margaret
River styles, though I may be wrong. I felt
there was something close to Bordeaux,
especially to Margaux—an elegance, a
savoriness, a balance that I really enjoyed.
AJ: We all seem to be saying that Coonawarra
is purity of fruit, length, and line, and Margaret
River is a bit more opulent in texture.
AR: Not necessarily more opulence, but
perhaps a bit more depth, texture, complexity.
Coonawarra perhaps has a bit more obvious,
enjoyable, dark-fruit character.
SB: I agree with your characterization,
Andrew, yes.
AR: Can I tempt you into saying that one is
better than the other?
SB: No! [All laugh.]
AJ: What about acidity?
AR: I think acidity is definitely an issue. With
Bordeaux, you tend to assume that acidity
is natural. With Australia, there’s always a
question mark at the back of your mind as to
what extent the acidity is natural and to what
extent added. There were some wines that
clearly did pinch and pucker the mouth. They
felt like they’d been overacidified.
AJ: As dinner wines, how do they work?
SB: Very well, except for those jammy wines.
There were wines where I noted the acidity,
and in one or two instances I thought there
was added acidity; not so satisfactory, but
that, for me, lifts the wine—that’s precisely
I S S U E 2 9 2 0 1 0
Ri v e r c a b e r n e t
the reason they’re so enjoyable with food,
g oÛt de te rroi r
because they’re ultimately refreshing rather
than fatiguing. It’s got to be well integrated
in the wine, though, just as tannins have got
to be well integrated.
AJ: What about other elements, such as
alcohol, extract, richness, tannin, and so on?
SB: There were one or two wines where I
thought there was just a trace of alcohol on
the palate—but it was nothing like California
Napa Cabernet, where you’ve quite often got
that rasp of heat and raisins.
AJ: Can you draw some more comparisons
between California and Western Australian
Cabernet?
SB: I think there is a stylistic tendency to go
for overripe fruit in California, especially in
Napa Valley, and it’s complicated by the
American critics, many of whom like big,
jammy monsters. Except for a couple of
wines, that wasn’t a problem in this tasting.
And you mentioned tannins: I thought the
tannins were quite well integrated. There
weren’t many wines that felt overextracted; I
thought people had quite a soft touch. This
is why I liked these wines, why I liked this
tasting. The wines were well balanced and
harmonious. The one point I would make is
about oak. Frequently I would write “oaky” or
similar, which is something you hardly ever
do when you’re tasting Bordeaux or California
now. But I’m not sure the wines had more
new oak treatment here than they would
have in Bordeaux or California or other wine-
producing areas. The oak just seemed to be
more present.
AJ: What about the middle palate? Because if
you’re noticing oak, often the middle palate is
a little recessive.
SB: That may be part of it. I think it’s a little
to do with structure—not necessarily the
proportion of oak being used, but the fact
that the wine may lack the density to absorb
the oak. So, I agree, yes, it’s related to the
middle palate. You have a lot of sweet fruit, a
bit of fruit intensity, but not a lot of depth of
fruit or structure. In those instances, it’s not
surprising that the oak is more obtrusive
than it would be in a wine with more grip.
AR: I agree. A lot of my notes refer to oak.
Generally speaking, though, I felt that the oak
was pretty well handled. I got the feeling that
they are very aware of it in Australia and of
how they use it.
AJ: When you’re talking about Cabernet from
Coonawarra and Western Australia, you’re
talking about much less grotesquery than in
other regions. However, to me there is still a
big gulf between the way these wines taste
and the wines from contemporary Bordeaux.
Do you think that these two regions are
performing at their full potential? And if not,
how could they do that?
SB: I think that they are both making very
good wines, and I dare say they could make
even better wines. I am not one of those wine
critics who like to lecture the winemakers.
·
I think they’re both doing pretty well.
AR: I agree.
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