TN: Kabminye new releases
Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 9:31 pm
It'¢s only been about six months since I last posted tasting notes on Kabminye, but this week saw the launch of their much anticipated 2002 reds. The wines got a mixed reaction Thursday night, but seemed to be better accepted Saturday when the weather was a little warmer. In comparison to the Winery's inaugural 2001 vintage releases, the reds seem to have a lot more noticeable oak and alcohol, with the notable exception of the Hubert.
2004 Kabminye Three Posts Eden Valley Riesling: Very pale green colour. The nose is far more floral and flamboyant than the 2003, with crisp banana, bubblegum and lime blossom characters. There'¢s a hint of coarseness/bite on the nose and palate accompanying the sweet fruit, like there’s a bit of excess sulphur, but owner Rick Glastonbury said that's unlikely given the squeaky clean treatment and time in the bottle. Good length, but accompanied by slightly hot alcohol (12.5%), which was common to a lot of the range.
2004 Kabminye Illona Cabernet Sauvignon Grenache Rose: Deep clear raspberry colour. Very perfumed but tight and reserved nose of rosehip, musk, and Turkish delight. The palate is just as fruity and sweet, and also reserved with a healthy dose of crisp acid, which softens a little with air. The wine is far more reserved and structured that the Turkey Flat, and seems to fall somewhere between a Rose and dry red as a result.
2002 Kabminye Schliebs Block Mataro Carignan Cinsaut Black Frontignac: Dark, clear red/purple colour. This was the same vintage as six months ago, as the 2003 isn't ready for release. The nose is again perfumed, but more savoury/funky this time around, with raspberries, some floral/musk and smoky/meaty nuances. The palate again is savoury/meaty, but isn't as sweet with ripe raspberry the main character, finishing long with more noticeable acid and alcohol (14.5%) than before.
2002 Kabminye Irma Adeline Shiraz Mataro Grenache Marsanne/Rousanne/Ugni-Blanc: Deep red/purple. While the nose of the Schliebs Block shows no oak, the 15 months in 50% seasoned French oak dominates this at first with coconut standing out. As the wine breathes, the nose becomes more nutty and savoury with hints of chocolate, but it needs a lot of time to settle down and fully integrate.
2002 Kabminye Barossa Shiraz: Inky red/purple. Matured in new American oak, not surprisingly shredded coconut characters dominate the nose. The fruit pokes through at times, with exceptionally sweet plum, black cherry and medicinal/aniseed characters. The palate is big and bold, finishing with coffee oak and is more than a little hot; while it's labelled as 14.5%, Rick freely admitted it's closer to 15%, and it really shows, especially if you go back after the following two wines. It was a controversial wine on Thursday night too, as there was a bit of speculation about bottle volatility, TCA and possible Brett.
2002 Kabminye Hubert Reserve Shiraz: Inky red/purple. Rich coffee and spice from the French oak dominate the nose at first, with the blackberry & olive fruit coming through with breathing. Like the nose, the palate is a quantum leap over the Barossa Shiraz, with a slowly evolving, massive-layered structure and magnificent length without an accompanying leap in alcohol (14%). Rich blackberry characters with hints of black olive and heavy, integrated tannins drive the palate, with coffee oak lingering on the aftertaste.
2002 Kabminye HWG Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: Inky purple/black colour. Like in the blind line-up at the Black Tongues last month, this had an elegant nose of mint, coal, tea/greens and menthol, some dark chocolate, and finally some coffee from the two years in American oak. The palate was more predictable this time around, with those cassis, chocolate and minty/green characters featuring on a grand scale with no noticeable hole mid-palate, and finishing just a touch hot (14.5%) with fine tannins.
Cheers,
Ian
2004 Kabminye Three Posts Eden Valley Riesling: Very pale green colour. The nose is far more floral and flamboyant than the 2003, with crisp banana, bubblegum and lime blossom characters. There'¢s a hint of coarseness/bite on the nose and palate accompanying the sweet fruit, like there’s a bit of excess sulphur, but owner Rick Glastonbury said that's unlikely given the squeaky clean treatment and time in the bottle. Good length, but accompanied by slightly hot alcohol (12.5%), which was common to a lot of the range.
2004 Kabminye Illona Cabernet Sauvignon Grenache Rose: Deep clear raspberry colour. Very perfumed but tight and reserved nose of rosehip, musk, and Turkish delight. The palate is just as fruity and sweet, and also reserved with a healthy dose of crisp acid, which softens a little with air. The wine is far more reserved and structured that the Turkey Flat, and seems to fall somewhere between a Rose and dry red as a result.
2002 Kabminye Schliebs Block Mataro Carignan Cinsaut Black Frontignac: Dark, clear red/purple colour. This was the same vintage as six months ago, as the 2003 isn't ready for release. The nose is again perfumed, but more savoury/funky this time around, with raspberries, some floral/musk and smoky/meaty nuances. The palate again is savoury/meaty, but isn't as sweet with ripe raspberry the main character, finishing long with more noticeable acid and alcohol (14.5%) than before.
2002 Kabminye Irma Adeline Shiraz Mataro Grenache Marsanne/Rousanne/Ugni-Blanc: Deep red/purple. While the nose of the Schliebs Block shows no oak, the 15 months in 50% seasoned French oak dominates this at first with coconut standing out. As the wine breathes, the nose becomes more nutty and savoury with hints of chocolate, but it needs a lot of time to settle down and fully integrate.
2002 Kabminye Barossa Shiraz: Inky red/purple. Matured in new American oak, not surprisingly shredded coconut characters dominate the nose. The fruit pokes through at times, with exceptionally sweet plum, black cherry and medicinal/aniseed characters. The palate is big and bold, finishing with coffee oak and is more than a little hot; while it's labelled as 14.5%, Rick freely admitted it's closer to 15%, and it really shows, especially if you go back after the following two wines. It was a controversial wine on Thursday night too, as there was a bit of speculation about bottle volatility, TCA and possible Brett.
2002 Kabminye Hubert Reserve Shiraz: Inky red/purple. Rich coffee and spice from the French oak dominate the nose at first, with the blackberry & olive fruit coming through with breathing. Like the nose, the palate is a quantum leap over the Barossa Shiraz, with a slowly evolving, massive-layered structure and magnificent length without an accompanying leap in alcohol (14%). Rich blackberry characters with hints of black olive and heavy, integrated tannins drive the palate, with coffee oak lingering on the aftertaste.
2002 Kabminye HWG Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: Inky purple/black colour. Like in the blind line-up at the Black Tongues last month, this had an elegant nose of mint, coal, tea/greens and menthol, some dark chocolate, and finally some coffee from the two years in American oak. The palate was more predictable this time around, with those cassis, chocolate and minty/green characters featuring on a grand scale with no noticeable hole mid-palate, and finishing just a touch hot (14.5%) with fine tannins.
Cheers,
Ian