Tasting Note No.49
David Lole is a big fan of this winery and there is a reason why. The Cabernet fruit, no doubt of a great Bordeaux clone, picked from the Bouverie (est.1968) and Wyjup (est.1972) vineyards are exemplary. The grapes mostly came from the 31 year old vines and they certainly show great depth here. Wisely the wine spent 18 months in French, as opposed to American, oak. The style is extremely reminiscent of the St.Julien region of Bordeaux. This winery, if you like, can be called the Beychevelle of Australia as this vintage of this AU $30 wine is definitely of 5th growth level. Plantagenet was established in 1975. Winemaker Gavin Berry knows how to make outstanding Cabernet.
Colour black cherry red with some bricking on the edge showing its age. The nose is very similar to Bordeaux. The beautiful forest floor, capsicum and cigar box characters are here and, typically in the Australian way, are very subtle. As I swirled the glass, beautiful walnut and oak aromas rose. The palate showed perfect balance and beautifully sweet but restrained cabernet fruit. Black cherries mixed with savoury plums joyfully. Intelligently made, this medium to full bodied wine is a true pleasure to drink. Perfectly open at 5 years of age, itÂ’s so delicious now. No hot or overripe characters here, the fruit was picked at perfect physiological ripeness. Superb tannins balanced by perfect oak on the finish suggested it has at least another 5 years of life ahead. The oak was nicely integrated and the clean cabernet fruit was outstanding. A pristine wine that can (and will) challenge Moss Wood at a bargain price.
I have really enjoyed drinking this wine. An excellent wine from the outstanding 1999 vintage that I was to show overseas next year but my hosts changed the Australian Cabernets tasting to Shiraz so now IÂ’ll be drinking up all wines put aside for that tasting. I donÂ’t mind at all. This is a great start! Silky smooth and delicious.
Cheers,
Attila
Tasted: October 2004