TN: Devils Lair Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

[Waiters Friend]

This Margaret River winery was originally set up by a successful WA brewer (who then established Giant Steps in the Yarra Valley). Devils Lair is now part of the Treasury Wine Estate empire.

Deep purple red with a purple rim. Complex nose with cassis, blackcurrant, tomato leaf, and some savoury developed characters. The palate is rich and full with ripe dominant fruit over grippy tannins and supporting oak.

This is probably at its peak now. 2011 was a cracker vintage in the West, and it shows in this wine.

Cheers
Allan

[swirler]

Agree 2011 is a great vintage in MR, especially from cooler or earlier picked sites.

I'm surprised the wine is at its peak. I'd assume '11 MR cabs are just entering their drinking window that will be open for at least a decade depending on how you like your wines.

[Waiters Friend]

Swirler

You may well be right. I have a few more of these, so we will find out the empirical way.

In the past, however, I have been caught out by some MR cabernets (at the upper end) that were on the decline at 10 years. It has led to a degree of caution in my estimates. Possibly the impact of screwcaps may also affect longevity.

Cheers
Allan

[swirler]

Yes. It's always good to open a bottle every few years to make sure. I'm usually mildly surprised how slowly most wines develop.

[Waiters Friend]

Second half of the bottle is being consumed now after being left in the decanter since Saturday night. This looks even better now than it did on opening and decanting. It's softened a little, with the fruit and cassis flavours more apparent on the palate. Now a hint of dark chocolate too. Nice.

[conformistpete]

This almost tempted me to open some of my 11s but I think it can wait.

I did have a 10 Cabernet Merlot from Cape Naturalist that was starting to age quicker then I expected but the straight Cabernet from the same producer was fine.

[swirler]

Pete, that's my experience. The lesser wines, often cabernet merlots IME are entering the drinking window, but the more serious, often straight cabernets (in my cellar at least), whilst not undrinkable, have a long life ahead.

[rooman]

Swirler

You may well be right. I have a few more of these, so we will find out the empirical way.

In the past, however, I have been caught out by some MR cabernets (at the upper end) that were on the decline at 10 years. It has led to a degree of caution in my estimates. Possibly the impact of screwcaps may also affect longevity.

Cheers
Allan

Allan

Whilst I have not tried the Devils Lair CS 2011 I regularly find that decent cab savs are often in a hole at around the ten year mark. More than once I have worked my way through a case, decided at around the ten year mark that the wine is average and best for cooking only to discover out around 15-18 the wine re-emerges like a swan from its chrysalis. I found it recently with a 12 pack of Petaluma Coonawarra 2001 and Voyager 1998s and 1999s. Its one reason for sticking with recognised names like Wynns, Moss Wood and Cullen etc and good vintages at least in terms of buying 6 and 12 packs.

Mark

[Waiters Friend]

Again, possibly right, Mark. Also my previous poor experience with some of the wines you mention might be at least partially down to cork - not taint (they were fine there) but premature ageing.

[rooman]

Again, possibly right, Mark. Also my previous poor experience with some of the wines you mention might be at least partially down to cork - not taint (they were fine there) but premature ageing.

Yeah it just seems that cabernet particularly goes into a terrible hole for a number of years where it just looks dead. the hole is far worse that what you see with the likes of shiraz and pinot.

mark