TN: 91 Wynns Centenary Shiraz-Cabernet
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:36 pm
1991 Wynns Centenary Shiraz-cabernet (Coonawarra) {cork, 12.5%, A$40 on release}
Garnet, not actually fading, but with that slightly aging look about it. A lavishly rich and perhaps surprising nose of classic developed cabernet cassis notes, underpinned by plenty of quality oak. Surprising because cabernet is only one third of the blend, but an I choose to believe it’s indicative of the characteristic stamp of Coonawarra on cabernet sauvignon. The palate is rich and long, with the pure blackcurrent and faint herbaceousness of the cabernet capped by the twist of shiraz red berry & spice at the very end of the finish. A really lovely wine. Strong grainy tannins still remain and run the length of the palate, the wine finishes quite cool by modern standards, with supporting acidity (the rather soft cork clings to little tartaric acid crystals). None of the palate is ignored; the wine is medium to full-bodied, but doesn’t scream or bludgeon its way along the palate, but rather strides with authority and confidence. If you’re allergic to oak then it’s not for you, but if you’ve even a little tolerance it’s hard to resist the allure. For all that, there’s still plenty of fruit here, I can see this aging with some interest for another 5-10 years quite happily. Stakes a grand claim for the value and quality of the traditional Australian cabernet-shiraz blend.
Cheers,
Graeme
Garnet, not actually fading, but with that slightly aging look about it. A lavishly rich and perhaps surprising nose of classic developed cabernet cassis notes, underpinned by plenty of quality oak. Surprising because cabernet is only one third of the blend, but an I choose to believe it’s indicative of the characteristic stamp of Coonawarra on cabernet sauvignon. The palate is rich and long, with the pure blackcurrent and faint herbaceousness of the cabernet capped by the twist of shiraz red berry & spice at the very end of the finish. A really lovely wine. Strong grainy tannins still remain and run the length of the palate, the wine finishes quite cool by modern standards, with supporting acidity (the rather soft cork clings to little tartaric acid crystals). None of the palate is ignored; the wine is medium to full-bodied, but doesn’t scream or bludgeon its way along the palate, but rather strides with authority and confidence. If you’re allergic to oak then it’s not for you, but if you’ve even a little tolerance it’s hard to resist the allure. For all that, there’s still plenty of fruit here, I can see this aging with some interest for another 5-10 years quite happily. Stakes a grand claim for the value and quality of the traditional Australian cabernet-shiraz blend.
Cheers,
Graeme