Flametree Cabernet Merlot
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 4:11 pm
Flametree Cabernet Merlot 2007
What are the chances, would it ever have happened before, you drink and try the Jimmy Watson winning wine on exactly the same day that it was announced as the winner! Well, that’s what happened last night.
Of course, on most other occasions the Jimmy Watson winning wine is a barrel sample, it is an unfinished wine, and its 12 months or two years before the wine is released and available.
However, this is not the case with this year’s winner, the Flametree Cabernet Merlot 2007. The wine is bottled, released and available. Not just that but by some coincidence, a sample of it was on yesterday’s auswine tasting panel’s collection of wines to try out, planned long before any news of Jimmy Watson came through! Hence, we tried the wine on the day it was announced as the winner!
Like all auswine tasting panels the wines are all served double blind, that is, no one knows what wine it is, even what type of wine it is. So it is assessed, and notes taken and discussed as an unknown glass of wine.
Here are our notes
Vibrant red purple colour, almost glowing, really inviting colour. The nose is superb, its really aromatic showing violets, blackberries, plums, small berries, showing great lifted fruit characters, a hint of spice, a tiny leafy/herbal edge with really well integrated oak. Almost smells like it may have a touch of Petit Verdot in there (although nothing on the label says so). It is quite layered and complex already, with something different each time you approach it.
The palate is really impressive … its young obviously, and intense but medium weight and really well balanced. All those fruits follow through from the nose, and the wine is really quite long on the finish, although still not as integrated as it will be. The flavour is intense, full of dark fruits, with some cedary/pencil notes. However, the tannin profile I really enjoyed, fine tannin, almost savoury tobacco accented tannins, and some really well judged acid give this wine structure and a framework to age really well.
Drinking really well now, but with great medium term cellaring potential.
So there we are, the panel unanimously loved this wine and were impressed by it, with the notes taken before its identity was disclosed.
Does it deserve the Jimmy Watson? Well, I didn’t try the other wines of course, but this is really good wine indeed. Its more varietal and true than the last couple of JWT winners (good red wines both, but not particularly varietal as Cabernets). I would recommend it as a great wine buy, trophy winner or not, and as a great each way purchase, fun when young, but with cellaring potential
At about $25.00 per bottle it’s a serious bargain I think!
BTW, on a good tasting panel night some other wines impressed. No detailed notes yet but
Hoddles Creek Pinot Blanc 2008 is quite a sensational wine, full of interest, very classy and with an almost ‘European’ style and finesse to it! Great work the D’Anna’s, we loved it!
Also standout was the 2006 Torbreck the Struie! When Torbrecks get it right, they really get it right, great wine, intense but with balance and style, lovely wine that continues the trend of 2006’s top end Barossa wines being really impressive!
What are the chances, would it ever have happened before, you drink and try the Jimmy Watson winning wine on exactly the same day that it was announced as the winner! Well, that’s what happened last night.
Of course, on most other occasions the Jimmy Watson winning wine is a barrel sample, it is an unfinished wine, and its 12 months or two years before the wine is released and available.
However, this is not the case with this year’s winner, the Flametree Cabernet Merlot 2007. The wine is bottled, released and available. Not just that but by some coincidence, a sample of it was on yesterday’s auswine tasting panel’s collection of wines to try out, planned long before any news of Jimmy Watson came through! Hence, we tried the wine on the day it was announced as the winner!
Like all auswine tasting panels the wines are all served double blind, that is, no one knows what wine it is, even what type of wine it is. So it is assessed, and notes taken and discussed as an unknown glass of wine.
Here are our notes
Vibrant red purple colour, almost glowing, really inviting colour. The nose is superb, its really aromatic showing violets, blackberries, plums, small berries, showing great lifted fruit characters, a hint of spice, a tiny leafy/herbal edge with really well integrated oak. Almost smells like it may have a touch of Petit Verdot in there (although nothing on the label says so). It is quite layered and complex already, with something different each time you approach it.
The palate is really impressive … its young obviously, and intense but medium weight and really well balanced. All those fruits follow through from the nose, and the wine is really quite long on the finish, although still not as integrated as it will be. The flavour is intense, full of dark fruits, with some cedary/pencil notes. However, the tannin profile I really enjoyed, fine tannin, almost savoury tobacco accented tannins, and some really well judged acid give this wine structure and a framework to age really well.
Drinking really well now, but with great medium term cellaring potential.
So there we are, the panel unanimously loved this wine and were impressed by it, with the notes taken before its identity was disclosed.
Does it deserve the Jimmy Watson? Well, I didn’t try the other wines of course, but this is really good wine indeed. Its more varietal and true than the last couple of JWT winners (good red wines both, but not particularly varietal as Cabernets). I would recommend it as a great wine buy, trophy winner or not, and as a great each way purchase, fun when young, but with cellaring potential
At about $25.00 per bottle it’s a serious bargain I think!
BTW, on a good tasting panel night some other wines impressed. No detailed notes yet but
Hoddles Creek Pinot Blanc 2008 is quite a sensational wine, full of interest, very classy and with an almost ‘European’ style and finesse to it! Great work the D’Anna’s, we loved it!
Also standout was the 2006 Torbreck the Struie! When Torbrecks get it right, they really get it right, great wine, intense but with balance and style, lovely wine that continues the trend of 2006’s top end Barossa wines being really impressive!