The Auswine Forum

Hi there Torb

After trying this wine tonight I would say there would'nt be "too many" wines at this price point better regardless of variety. You try a fair bit more wine than me so it is a big call for me to make, though certainly the best at that price I've had.

I don't make those sorts of calls rashly and am a hard man to impress, but the value on this one was indeed impresssive.

I also tried this one tonight. Seemed a bit closed at first, but was much better after 3 hours in the decanter. I’d say it’s up there with some of Majella’s better efforts. Better than the 2002 vintage. Although I’d rate it as excellent, there are quite a few excellent 2001 vintage WA cabernets around the stores at the moment that I think would be pretty close in terms of quality and price. I’m thinking of things like Voyager Cab Merlot, Howard Park ‘Leston’, Plantagenet, etc.


Bill

To be honest I think the 02 Cabernet is underatted. I tried a bottle near release and was not impressed compared to their normal std of this wine. Last week I drank one and liked it much much better. Nothing wrong with this wine. How JO rated it less than 01 Malleea I will never know.

If the 03 improves in 12 months as much as that 02 did, it will be the ultimate.

It's amazing what another twelve months in the bottle can do for newly released wines.

I buy Majella every year as their quality just tends to wobble about at a high level, there's not too many lows with this label.

The 1997 Shiraz is a favourite grab from the cellar at present and recent bottles of the 2000, 2001 and 2002 have all gone down well at dinners.

A quick look at the 2003s showed them to be every bit as good as TORB has written.

Like Kalleske Clarry's, the Musician from Majella is a must buy in the under $20 bracket, so much bang for your bucks with these two wines, love 'em.

Anonymous wrote:To be honest I think the 02 Cabernet is underatted. I tried a bottle near release and was not impressed compared to their normal std of this wine. Last week I drank one and liked it much much better. Nothing wrong with this wine.

I'd agree with you. I only had it on release (and had an 01 open at the same time for comparison), but drank it over a few nights. On the first night the 02 didn't seem upto the standard of the 01, so I can understand JO's rating if he only tried it from a freshly opened bottle. However by the 3rd night, the 02 actually looked better than the 01. So my impression is that the 02 is up there with the standard of previous vintages, but probably just needs more time in bottle to show at it's best.

707 wrote:I buy Majella every year as their quality just tends to wobble about at a high level, there's not too many lows with this label.

I agree also. Very consistant high quality, even in poor vintages like 02. What do they do different to everyone else in Coonawarra??

707 wrote:The Musician from Majella is a must buy in the under $20 bracket, so much bang for your bucks

I don't really agree with you on this one though. I wasn't that impressed with it. I mean it's a good quaffer for the price, but it's nowhere near the standard of the caberent (but then I quess you wouldn't expect it to be given that it's much cheaper). Saltram Mamre Brook Cab 02 gives a lot more bang for the buck than this IMO. That's what I'd call a "must buy" (as long you you don't mind American oak ).

Bill

Three things Majella do really well that makes them consistently good.

They grow their own grapes and are obviously excellent viticulturalists on a good patch of the Coonawarra cigar. Great viticulture is the key to making great wines.

They are fastidious in the winery and have a great winemaker.

They want to make the best wine possible rather than making a wine to a set standard and don't cut corners under the direction of corporate accountants.

TORB wrote:I don't make those sorts of calls rashly and am a hard man to impress, but the value on this one was indeed impresssive.

Torb how long do you think this will cellar for given its from the dreaded 03 vintage?

Anonymous wrote:
Torb how long do you think this will cellar for given its from the dreaded 03 vintage?

See the last post on the previous page, it has my full tasting note.

As far as the "dreaded 03 vintage goes" there were some very credible 03's in Coonawarra, especially the Shiraz. Normally when wineries talk about "volume being way down by quality being very good," I take it with a very large pinch of salt but many of the 03's I tried in Coonawarra are worth buying.