I have been invited to a masked tasting and the theme is "Cabernet Sauvignon from the Clare Valley - 2000 vintage" Price is between $25 - $30.
I live in the Melbourne eastern suburbs and have looked around quite a few stores, but am having difficulty in locating a wine that fits the description and at the same time is worthy of our illustrious group .
Tim Adams Cabernet is about as close as I have got, but it is below the price range.
Does anyone know of a retailer that has a good range of Clare wines in the eastern subs of Melb. and/or a wine that fits the description?
Not sure if it's available in Melbourne but the Knappstein Enterprise Cab Sauv 2000 should be out by now (the 1999 has been around a while) and would fit that price bracket.
You may find a store which stocks Wendouree - strictly speaking on release it fits that price bracket, but you'd be up for ~$70. When last I was in Melbourne, the Nicks city store had Wendourees for sale.
Alternatively, you could try the Wolf Blass Platinum Clare Cab Sauv 2000 - only $150
As an aside, why Clare 2000 - it doesn't strike me as an exceptional vintage?
I thought the Enterprise was around the $50 mark, but I will check it out.
Regarding the selection of 2000, it is because the host has an inexpensive bottle of 2000 Clare C/S and wants us to pick it from a line up of more expensive wine - ie can we pick a cheap wine from expensive wine. Not a very conclusive or scientific tasting, but should be fun.
Your assessment of the 2000 vintage is correct. As it turned out two of our group could not find 2000 wines so they brought along a Sevenhill 1999 and a Pikes 1999. We tasted the wines "double blind" and the '99's just blitzed the 2000's - without exception. There was an expensive 2000 Clare c/s in the line up as well which some of us thought was the clean skin - no particular aroma, very short finish and no after taste. Could have been slightly TCA affected considering the price and pedigree.
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