Henry's Drive deceptive in its looks and taste as to its age

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 6:16 am

So this rather smooth, reasonably developed Aussie Cabernet was poured at the tasting last night. The question master asked "Is it 2002, 1996 or 1993". Of about 70 people in the room, about 60 went 1996. Those who went 2002 were jokingly mocked. But they were right. The question master said if he hadn't seen the label he would have gone 1996 too, based on the wine in the glass.

It was dense and inky with a blackish red core but developed in its colour with a red brown rim and no hints of youth. Smelling and tasting of raspberry jubes, currants, tar, leather and saddle with well integrated cedary oak and smooth fine tannins, a savoury herb character and little primary fruit, it's a stylish wine, drinking beautifully now.

With all its lovely developed characters we'd be raving over this if it was a 1996 vintage wine, but I think it's surprisingly developed for a 2002. If I was buying I wouldn't want to cellar for very long at all - I'd want to open it and drink it as accompaniment to a favourite Australian Woman's Weekly recipe of about 25 years ago, a leg of lamb roasted with red currant jelly and rosemary.

Cheers,
Sue

PS I guess about 4 bottles of this were opened on the night.

Red Bigot · Post by **Red Bigot** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 7:02 am

Sue,

I haven't tried this and have never bougt more than a couple of Henry's Drive for tastings, however I did try the 2002 HD Reserve Shiraz 2002 at the NWS a couple of weeks ago. It was in the class that produced the Best red of the show trophy (Wolf Blass 2002 Shiraz/Viognier) and failed to score a medal (45 pts). My scribble says "16.0%, Overripe, OTT", I didn't like it at all, but I didn't make note of the colour.

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 9:06 am

Brian,
This was Cabernet from the Padthaway region and was carrying 14.5% alcohol according to the label.
Cheers,
Sue

markg · Post by **markg** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 10:11 am

Sue,

I loved their 2001 Reserve Shiraz, I still have some in my cellar plus some magnums. I last popped one of these a few months ago and I thought it was wonderful and rich and has years more life ahead of it.

When the 2002's came out I got some of each of the cabs and shiraz's thinking that they would be better than the 2001's - Nope, the opposite, tasted side by side the 2002's appeared one dimensional and didn't seem to have any where near the promise of the 2001's - I put it down to bottle shock and have been debating whether to try the others in my cellar again after reading all the rave posts about them on the ERP board, but after your comments I am not so sure I want to open any now ....

Tom Pedersen · Post by **Tom Pedersen** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 8:13 pm

Hi Sue,

I had the 2001 on my desk in july with other 2001 Henry's Drive wines. The Cabernet Reserve 2001 also had a very developed color and was nothing like the deep purpur color of the Shirazes. I thought it was very odd. Much to my surprise it improved a lot in the opened bottle over 3 days - showing the best in the last glass.

Tom