Melbourne Street Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Australia
80 points 13.5% $4
Provided quite nice perspective. Quite different from claret. But surprisingly good for the super low price – MSWC have chosen well.
Sweet forward berry fruit (ribena), fairly alcoholic. A sweet wine dolled up with added acid. Drink now, don’t age.
Chateau Thieuley 2003
Bordeaux, France
86+ points 12.5% $18
A loose knit medium bodied Merlot dominant blend. With some burnt dried 2003 flavours, but reasonably fresh acidity and nice drying fruity tannins on the finish. With breathing and food this wine improved. Pretty good for the price, and the hot difficult vintage. Drink over the next 4 years.
Chateau Patache d’Aux 2000
Medoc, Bordeaux, France
82 points 13% $20
This didn’t show well, the remains of a bottle that had been open for 24 hours. Fairly rustic wine, cabernet dominant, not charming at all, and showing oxidation. Hard to drink without food. See previous review.
Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal 2001
Pauillac, Bordeaux, France
90 points 12.5% $50
Dark, young with noticeable French oak. Fresh, good energy, concentrated, fairly deep wine. Classic Pauillac blackcurrent style with charred oak smokey background. Has all the ingredients for age yet the fruit is quite delicious now with food. Fine, modern within a classic style. See previous review.
Mitchelton Cabernet Sauvignon ‘print series’ 1994
Nagambie, Victoria, Australia.
83 points 13.5% $35
Oddly out of place, or perhaps just odd. Some people didn’t like the aged character, others noted the strange lack of development and complexity for a 12 year old wine. A hard linear style of cabernet, strong but simple. Noticeable greeen herbs.
Don Melchor cabernet sauvignon 2000
Puente Alto, Chile
87 points 13.5% $45
Closer to claret than the Australian wine. But in a more cuddly soft warm style. Very noticeable oak, though quite enjoyable oak flavours. Stood up well in this company in spite of the slightly commercial style. See previous review. Drink now.
Chateau Langoa Barton 2001
Saint Julien, Bordeaux, France
88 points 12.5% $60
This was a surprise to me. Surprisingly concentrated, even ever so slightly syrupy fruit, modern blueberry tones. Not what I expected from this less concentrated vintage, nor this producer. While it should age quite well, I’m not sure I like this somewhat souped up style.