RICHARD SAYS
2020 Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 14%
Margaret River, Western Australia. RRP $40
Cabernet Sauvignon is the King of red grapes (usually blended in Bordeaux), and Margaret River is where most top-shelf Australian Cabernet is grown – with honourable exceptions in the Yarra Valley and Coonawarra. Fortunately, there’s a generous trickle-down from the flagship and reserves to affordable-for-mortals wines.
Here comes value – a vibrant colour leads to seductive, floral violets, blackcurrant, mixed spices and plum. This is hauntingly textured with lingering, persistent dark fruit flavours supported by powdery tannins, ending crisply. It’s a wine to revel in, instantly attractive but easy to admire the complexities that reveal themselves with each further taste.
Conclusion: This very classy wine has definite cellaring potential, but there is no need to wait – although a decant and swirling in a large glass will help. Made with care and flair, it will wonderfully match a roast lamb (or backstrap or chops – or pretty much any protein, but with the drive to suit a mixed mushroom risotto too. Reward yourself!
Grant Faulkes Says
- Torbreck “Hillside Vineyard” 2021 Shiraz Roussanne
- ABV 15%
- RRP $32
Just a few weeks ago I was fortunate to spend some time with a member of the Torbreck team and go through a tasting of some of their latest 2021 releases. It was such a treat. In my little opinion, Torbreck offer such value for money. Their wines are worth double the RRP’s, and I rarely say that about an RRP. I’ve never tasted a Shiraz Roussanne before but I found this drop very similar to a Shiraz Viognier and winemaking is basically the same, with 95% shiraz and just a splash of Roussanne juice to add aromatic lift and perfumed notes. Skins are also added to co-ferment along with the shiraz. The wine is so precise, bursting with enticing cherry blossom aromas and a heady ripe punch. The palate is plush, bright, lively and the chalky tannin supports an elegant texture. There’s more than enough typical heavy ‘Barossa’ fruit to frame the pretty background. This wine spent 14 months in large French oak foudres and is vegan friendly. It’s such a well put together wine, as is every Torbreck drop I’ve ever had.
Side note, the 2021 throughout most of Australia was an incredibly strong vintage. Always buy with confidence!
Pair with: Slow cooked BBQ spare ribs with coleslaw and mac n’ cheese
