The Auswine Forum

1996 Cabernet Sauvignon Tastings - Blacktongues (11th May 2005)

Finally got around to putting the notes down with my electronic ink. I am still a few blacktongues sessions behind in publishing but slowly catching up

My personal tasting notes and the voting results of the Blacktongues panel are listed below. As a comparison I have added respected wine critic Jeremy Oliver's scores and drinking windows where available. I have also included the current price these wines fetch at auction (before commission).

Jeremy Oliver Scores and drinking windows were obtained via the Onwine website at http://www.onwine.com.au/

1996 Wynns Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra (Also commonly referred
to as their Black Label Cabernet)
Dark purple color with very nice, elegant nose of plush cherry. A palate that was a bit closed at first but opened up with some very nice black fruit and subtle leather on the finish.
Personal rating: 5/10
Blacktongues panel: 3rd
Jeremy Oliver: 96 (2016-2026+)
Current Auction price: $30

1996 Mildara Robertson's Well Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
Some slight lightening of its colors on the edges with a lovely bouquet of sweet black fruits. A very nice palate, medium bodied with great intensity, nicely balanced sweet fruits and soft tannins melding with hints of developing secondary flavours and a pleasant lingering finish.
Personal rating: 5/10
Jeremy Oliver: 87 (2001-2004)
Current Auction price: $18


1996 Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley
This was the clear winner for the evening with 12 out of the 17 people there either marking it as their first or second preference for the tasting. A deep purple color with a complex nose of black currant, spices and chocolate. Wonderful sweet fruit intensity, layers of lovely black fruits, toast and smoke with an ever so long finish. Very pleasant drinking.
Personal rating: 6/10
Blacktongues panel: 1st
Jeremy Oliver: 95 (2008-2016+)
Current Auction price: $20


1996 Lake Breeze Cabernet Sauvignon, Langhorne Creek
The color was opaque purple with some lightening at the edges and a very nice nose of cedar and mulberry, developing some lovely secondary complexity. Lovely structured palate with sweet intense blackfruits, good mouthfeel and a long finish.
Personal rating: 5/10
Jeremy Oliver: No Information
Current Auction price: $10


1996 Turkey Flat Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley
Lightening at the edges with a ripe, slightly sweet nose of charry oak on a nice, smooth palate of good, intense yet elegant fruits with a long finish.
Personal rating: 4/10
Blacktongues panel: Least preferred
Jeremy Oliver: 88 (2001-2004+)
Current Auction price: $20


1996 Orlando Jacaranda Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
A dark opaque purple color with nice aromas of dark chocolate and leafy/brambly complexity. A mouthfilling wine of intense fruits, slightly one dimensional to start with but gaining savoury complexity with time.
Personal rating: 4/10
Jeremy Oliver: 97 (2008-2016+)
Current Auction price: $35


1996 Punters Corner Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
A slight lightening at the edges from an opaque purple color with complex layers of red and blackcurrant, lavender and violets on the nose. A medium bodied palate with nicely balanced, elegant fruits and integrated tannins.
Personal rating: 4/10
Jeremy Oliver: No information
Current Auction price: $25


1996 Balnaves Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
Dark purple with a sweet, dusty, slightly jammy nose. Nice sweet, intense fruits, charry oak and good length. Quite intense with perhaps another 5 years to go.
Personal rating: 4/10
Blacktongues panel: 2nd
Jeremy Oliver: 90 (2002-2005)
Current Auction price: $20

markg wrote:1996 Turkey Flat Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley
Lightening at the edges with a ripe, slightly sweet nose of charry oak on a nice, smooth palate of good, intense yet elegant fruits with a long finish.
Personal rating: 4/10
Jeremy Oliver: 88 (2001-2004+)
Current Auction price: $20


1996 Punters Corner Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
A slight lightening at the edges from an opaque purple color with complex layers of red and blackcurrant, lavender and violets on the nose. A medium bodied palate with nicely balanced, elegant fruits and integrated tannins.
Personal rating: 4/10
Blacktongues panel: Least preferred
Jeremy Oliver: No information
Current Auction price: $25

The group votes for the above wines Mark were:

Turkey Flat - 0 most, 1 second & third, 9 least preferred
Punters Corner - 1 most, 2 second & third, 3 least preferred

http://forum.auswine.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=3146

Sorry to bring this up but the Turkey Flat was clearly the least preferred wine for the Panel, no matter which methods we use to calculate the rankings.

Cheers
Ian

This brings out vividly something I've felt about Jeremy Olivers drinking windows for a while.

When he doesn't rate a wine too highly he often over-exaggerates his reduction to the drinking window. I've drunk a few bottles that by his rating must be falling over, yet they're nowhere near.

On the whole though, I find his drinking windows very useful (as long as I remember they're only educated guesses).

n4sir wrote:

markg wrote:1996 Turkey Flat Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley
Lightening at the edges with a ripe, slightly sweet nose of charry oak on a nice, smooth palate of good, intense yet elegant fruits with a long finish.
Personal rating: 4/10
Jeremy Oliver: 88 (2001-2004+)
Current Auction price: $20


1996 Punters Corner Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
A slight lightening at the edges from an opaque purple color with complex layers of red and blackcurrant, lavender and violets on the nose. A medium bodied palate with nicely balanced, elegant fruits and integrated tannins.
Personal rating: 4/10
Blacktongues panel: Least preferred
Jeremy Oliver: No information
Current Auction price: $25

The group votes for the above wines Mark were:

Turkey Flat - 0 most, 1 second & third, 9 least preferred
Punters Corner - 1 most, 2 second & third, 3 least preferred

http://forum.auswine.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=3146

Sorry to bring this up but the Turkey Flat was clearly the least preferred wine for the Panel, no matter which methods we use to calculate the rankings.

Cheers
Ian

Ian, Yes you are correct. Thank you for pointing this out. I have changed the note. The Puinters Corner was least prefered by myself, not the panel.

Ian S wrote:On the whole though, I find his drinking windows very useful (as long as I remember they're only educated guesses).

I agree Ian. He can be very accurate many times. I think I have noticed that if he does err it is usually too short a drinking window rather than too long (which is prefered)