TN: Katnook Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 (and some TV's)

[Martin Phillipson]

Had a bottle of this on Saturday..in a word yummo.

Katnook Estate Cabernet 1998

Nice ruby red colour in the glass, but the nose wasn't what I was expecting at all. It smelled like an older wine, lots of leather and smoke on the nose. Very appealing, just not what I was expecting.

In the mouth, beautifully balanced with some refreshing acidity but a wonderful cherry flavour..yes cherry. Really nice fruit. Also those leathery earthy notes as well. Very nice.

The finish was long and pure and this was a knockout match with some nice roast beef.

Here's the thing though. This tasted like a really good aged Italian wine. If I'd have drunk it blind I would have sworn it was a good Chianti or maybe even a solid Brunello, but wouldn't have picked it as a Coonawarra Cab. Again, not complaining because it was delicious, but unexpected.

Anyone else ever notice this flavour profile in a Coonawarra cab?


TV's

Peter Lehmann Barossa Riesling 2005

Nice wine, but fairly strong kero in here. Better with food.

Delta Vineyards Pinot Noir 2005 (NZ)

Wow, great value pinot here (oxymoron??). Lovely smooth wine with plenty of pinosity (i hate that word) and was better the next day. Very nice indeed for about $20.

Katnook Founders Block Shiraz 2004

Nice. Been reading good things about Coonawarra Shiraz in 2004 and this was certainly on the money. Lovely ripe fruit, nice oak treatment giving it a tasty caramel edge. Smooth. Very good drinking and prob a good short term cellar prospect.

Cheers

[Mahmoud Ali]

Coonawarra cabernets tasting like Chiantis? Now I'm going to have to re-arrange my cellar. Those Coonawarra imposters have for years been silently lying alonside those other cabernets in the wine crates.

I'll teach that 98 Katnook, I'll put him between the 97 and 99 Nipozzano Chianti Riserva by Frescobaldi. That might bring out the 'macho' in him.

Sorry, I haven't tasted the 98 Katnook.

Cheers............Mahmoud.

[Ian S]

I recall it being pretty big but well balanced on release with impressive depth of flavour.

I've got a couple of bottles of this, so might crack one soon to make the comparison (we do drink a reasonable amount of Italian wine).