The Auswine Forum

It's been almost two years since I had lunch with Kabminye owner Rick Glastonbury, and we finally caught up at an instore Saturday. The range of wines is ever increasing, with new vineyards and new ideas resulting in quite a number of very small-production wines in addition to the established Hubert & Barossa Shiraz, Schliebs Block & Irma Adelaide blends. The 2003 Hubert & Barossa Shiraz are yet to be bottled so weren't available for tasting, and all of the wines are now sealed under screwcap.

2006 Kabminye Pinot Blanc: From a rare planting of the genuine white Pinot grape (not grey). Pale straw colour. Fino-like nose, quite yeasty and dry but maybe a bit more floral; the palate's just as bone dry, long and crisp with just a touch of mineral, dry dirt and green apple.

2006 Kabminye White Frontignac: Deep clear straw/green colour. I only finished my last bottle of the 2005 vintage this week which was just as fresh as at release; this one is tighter and a little less perfumed, with more passionfruit and mineral/bathroom scents. This would also be a perfect match for Thai food, especially red curry.

2005 Kabminye Grenache Carignan: Dark red. Sweet raspberries and a bit of white pepper and spice, just a touch meaty with breathing; negligible oak very easy to drink, a great short-term wine with casserole/stews or gourmet sausages.

2004 Kabminye Schliebs Block Mataro Carignan Cinsaut Black Frontignac: Dark red with a touch of brick. Floral/spicy nose that's just a little jammy/porty this time, maybe not surprising since it’s over 15.5% alcohol compared to 14.5% for the 2002 & 13.5% for 2003. The palate's more advanced than I was expecting, leathery and a little meaty/stewed with some clean oak and a touch of chocolate on the finish. I was honestly a little disappointed after the very high standard set by the first two vintages.

2004 Kabminye Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon: Dark red/purple. Solid plum fruit with just a little mint and dark chocolate backed by sweet coffee oak, the use of a continuous press has resulting in a wine with surprising grip for something medium-weight, finishing with firm tannins.

2004 Kabminye Cabernet Sauvignon: Inky red/purple. Very minty/peppery nose with black cherry/blackcurrant fruit, the two years in French oak hogsheads and barriques not evident, as is the 15.1% alcohol. Like the Shiraz Cabernet this was from a new vineyard source with the fruit extracted by continuous press, and was initially going to be another HWG Reserve Cabernet; this was superb and my favourite of the bunch, one of the best '04 Barossa Cabernets I've tried.

2006 Kabminye VLH Muscat Blanc (375ml): Pale-mid gold colour. Late-picked but no botrytis, this wine was sweet with citrus/apple fruits and good acidity, a clean, crisp style but lacks the real plush feel and depth of a great sticky.

2005 Kabminye trex doux Muscadelle (375ml): Dark gold colour. Like the previous wine there was no botrytis and it was late picked; there the similarities end. The sugar in this wine is off-the-scale and takes no prisoners, with buttery/tropical and toffee scents on the nose, pineapple, sugar and creme brulee on the palate, the finish surprisingly long & lingering.

2005 Kabminye Vintage Fortified Shiraz: Inky red/crimson with a touch of purple. Very clean and surprisingly approachable VP, with clean scrubbed dark/chocolaty blackberries and just a touch of prune, well balanced but maybe a touch lighter and shorter than the top ones I've tried this year. Bloody good though, and dangerously easy to drink.

Cheers,
Ian

Ian

Good notes. I tried the Pinot Blanc also today, must admit not overly convinced as I felt it just a touch too blanc/bland and whilst nicely dry and elegant just didn't do it for me.

The 04 Cabernet, agreed, was great and quite well structured. Lots of stuff going on with it, but not so certain about it's long term potential.

I also enjoyed the 04 Schliebs over the 03 as I found it more forward and full and a more textured mouthfeel.

I also stand corrected about the 05 VP, it was that definitely.

They do a very nice lunch at the winery- we spent a few lazy hours there and had a nice time, strolling from table to tasting counter and generally soaking up a rare shiny day in an Adelaide winter.

The Pinot Blanc was a hard one to get a grasp on, as I've tried noting else quite like it - maybe like a Fino it's best suited to something like Tapas?

It was an unusual range as everyone seemed to have a different favourite wine, it's just that diverse! Mine was the Cabernet, but then that's not really that surprising given my bias. I opened a bottle of the 2003 Schliebs Block tonight, and again like it better than the '04 - after having the last of my 750ml '02s in Brisbane last month (the magnums are even better) I'm still at a loss why the '04 just doesn't do it for me, but I'm pretty convinced.

Lunch up there in winter is always fantastic, although the day we were there the hares had just arrived through the door and we missed out on the signature dish. They already have them in now, and will for about the next six months so we won't miss out this time.

Cheers,
Ian

I was also present at this fabled "in store" as you so delightly put it Ian.

This is the fourth time that I have had a tasting of the Kabminye wines and the third time that Rick Glastonbury has been completely off-hand towards me.

I think he needs to work on his customer service skills as much as he needs to work on his lack lustre wines.

They lack a sense of terroir and definition in his wines but having said that to him at least he is trying and perservering with non-utilitarian varietals.

steeley wrote:I was also present at this fabled "in store" as you so delightly put it Ian.

This is the fourth time that I have had a tasting of the Kabminye wines and the third time that Rick Glastonbury has been completely off-hand towards me.

I think he needs to work on his customer service skills as much as he needs to work on his lack lustre wines.

They lack a sense of terroir and definition in his wines but having said that to him at least he is trying and perservering with non-utilitarian varietals.

Rick's always been very enthusiastic and strong-willed about his wines, so I can see where this can rub people the wrong way - that said it's a similar story for quite a few other owners/winemakers.

To be honest the wines were definitely more hit and miss with me this time, and the omission of any samples of their two straight Shiraz was a very questionable move.

Cheers,
Ian