Abbott's Prayer 2001 - In my opinion one of the few Australian merlots I consistantly enjoy ( 2001 vintage pushing 90% melot with the remainder mostly cabernet and a touch of cabenet franc ). The merlot shines in this vintage - powerful and perfumed ripe blackfruits, floral and leafy with deft oak usage. A long backbone of cedar oak is filled with a silky layer of sweet and dense blackfruits, the tannins are more powerful than usual, ripe, gravelley and building on the backpalate. Good length.
Very good and I may add a few bottles to the cellar.
Mont Edelstone 2001 - Back in form for mine. A solid Mt Edelstone with complex oak nuances on the nose and atypical Henschke shiraz notes of rich blackfruits, spice and anise. Smooth palate texture with similar flavour profiles to the nose; a hint of blackpepper too. Long tannins complete with a hint of austerity in the finish- time should build a very good, but not exceptional, 2001 Mt Ed.
Hill of Grace 2001 - A bit early and am happy with any who may disagree in the future- but a good but not great HofG. To be fair, it was a hot day and I am not sure how long the bottle open. But in youth, the flavour profile not the rich and unctuous blackfruits of the stand out vintages, more a bright cherry spectrum like a recently consumed 95 ( again the bottle could have been open for awhile ). First class oak in evidence, the finish is long and harmonious.
Cyril Henschke 2001 - 90% cabernet this vintage. Good variatal characteristics- leafy cassis and black plums, not the same opulence on the palate ( again the bottle may have been open some time and a warm cellar door ) with herbs and dry, cedary oak more in evidence than the expected sweet blackfruits. A long and crafted finish.
I walked out with a six pack of MtEd 2001 and some HofG 1999. At $320 a bottle ( next day discovered cheaper in Brisbane
) I would suggest a try before you buy, somehow, with HofG.
