An aristocratic wine that carries on the dynasty of the even-numbered vintage reign of 389, the king of the Bins. Shiraz leads out with signature black plum, pepper and dark chocolate flavours, while cabernet brings up the rear with crunchy blackcurrants, tobacco and capsicum fruit. That classic 389 backbone of steely, firm, fine tannins will ensure it holds the throne for decades. 96 Points; Tyson Stelzer

Strong purple-crimson; there is a cohesive element to the Bin releases of '08, all showing very good fruit concentration and balance, as with the blackberry and blackcurrant flavours and tannins of this wine. Excellent cellaring potential. Drinking: 2030 Rating: 95 Points; James Halliday Wine Companion 2012

2008 was a cabernet vintage for the Penfolds Bins, and it leads this blend with great poise and presence, overlaid with the black plum and pepper of shiraz. Save it for your 40th (assuming you've just turned 18). 96 Points; Wine Business Monthly

Created by the legendary Max Schubert - creator of Penfolds Grange - Bin 389 is often referred to as 'Poor Man's Grange' or 'Baby Grange', in part because components of the wine are matured in the same barrels that held the previous vintage of Grange. First made in 1960, this was the wine that helped to build Penfolds solid reputation with red wine drinkers. Combining the structure of Cabernet with the richness of Shiraz, Bin 389 also exemplifies Penfolds skill in balancing fruit and oak.

"Snugly nestled somewhere between the poise of '96 and the power of '98 Bin 389, when these Cabernet Shiraz blends were at this age in the last millennium !" "As always, the star performer in the Penfolds Bin line-up, consistently hitting the value & quality sweet-spot of Penfolds reds. Worth queuing up for..." Penfolds Chief Winemaker - Peter Gago.

The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz Bin 60A Kalimna is a blend of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (56%) and Barossa Shiraz (44%). Its blackberry, blueberry, tar, lead pencil shavings, licorice, and spice box-scented bouquet is followed by a wine boasting an unctuous texture buttressed by decent acidity as well as fabulous extract and richness. This stunning blend should have a minimum of three decades of aging potential and be a true collector’s item for many years to come. Drink 2006 - 2036; Wine Advocate # 167; Oct 2006 Robert Parker 98 points. 

The Bin 60A is already taking on the colours and texture of a sumptuous tapestry: to try and describe the myriad individual parts is to miss the point. Perfectly structured and balanced, this is a very great wine. James Halliday; Weekend Australian, Saturday 14 May 2005

A superbly balanced and assembled wine of massive power, structure and texture. Its dense aromas of brilliant cassis, violets, sweet vanilla/chocolate oak and dark olives are still closed but tightly focused, backed by undertones of white and black pepper, walnuts and prunes. Dense and deeply packed, its long and assertive palate of deep blackcurrant and plum-like flavour is framed by a firm, drying, powdery astringency, finishing with just a hint of prune and currant. A worthy and perhaps unexpected addition to this historic bloodline.” (Coonawarra, Barossa Valley, 19.4 (97/100) drink 2024-2034+) Jeremy Oliver, OnWine

I have tasted the 2004 and it is - even at such a young age - already exquisitely balanced, with a luscious concentration of black fruits but also a disarming elegance. Max Allen; Australian Magazine, Saturday 28 May 2005

Bin 60A is a combination of silky texture, powerful concentrated fruit and rare power delivered with finesse and balance..."  Ray Jordan; West Australian, Thursday 21 April 2005

This is the long distance runner with no shortage of obvious tannins at the moment, made from vines up to 60 years old in both Coonawarra and the Barossa Valley. Very dark, glossy purple. It's still very dry and chewy with massive palate impact (13.5 per cent alcohol). Very sinewy and muscular. Shades of dry port, but one that definitely does aerobics. A kick boxer of a wine. Jancis Robinson; Monday 18 May 2005

For reasons of extreme youth I never got to taste the original 1962 Bin 60A at such an early stage in its life, but I have had the opportunity of tasting mature bottles of this wine on several occasions. A bottle that I tasted in 1997 I'd rate as one of the best reds I've ever put in my mouth. Given the provenance of the fruit and the winery, I have no doubt that the '04 will be capable of ageing well in bottle for 30 years or more, especially as it has been sealed entirely under screwcap. Tim White the Australian Financial Review, June 24 - 26 2005

Assuming it goes into the bottle without losing anything (and I am willing to bet on that) the '04 Bin 60A will be a great wine cast in the '62's image and no doubt create a mad scramble when released. Huon Hooke Good Living, Sydney Morning Herald, 19 April, 2005

Perhaps the most perfectly structured dry red wine I’ve ever tasted from the barrel. This will knock the wine world to its knees. Philip White Wine Journalist, Adelaide Advertiser

The release of the 2004 Bin 60A following the epic 1962 Bin 60A is old news now, but the wine was looking very fine indeed when I tasted it so I thought I’d add a note. Blended of 56% Coonawarra Cabernet from Block 20 and 44% Barossa Shiraz from Koonunga Hill Block 56G and Kalimna Blocks 4 and 14, the wine was matured in 100% new American oak hogsheads for 13 months. Very deep purple-black in color, it offers restrained notes of game, smoked meat, earth, blackberry and black currant liqueurs, yeast, marmite-toast plus whiffs of dried lavender, cedar and bark. Very crisp, very tight and very firm, this taut medium-bodied wine is still all structure at this stage, going very long and earthy in the finish. Give it time and consider broaching it from 2014. It should drink well into the 2030s if not beyond. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate # 192 Dec 2010 Lisa Perrotti-Brown 99+ Drink: 2014 - 2030

The 1990 Bin 90A Coonawarra Cabernet - Barossa Valley Shiraz is the best Penfolds Coonawarra based wine from the legendary 1990 vintage and the last to be released, 5 years after its genesis in the vineyard. Regional Source: Coonawarra and the Penfolds Koonunga Hill Vineyard in the Barossa Valley, South Australia. Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz (Syrah) Maturation: The wine was matured in new American oak barrels for 20 months.

Simultaneously concentrated, focused and wonderfully opulent in its overt strength of deep fruit mirrored by substantial oak, the wine simply reeks of squashed ripe berries, mint and creamy, slightly varnishy oak. Massively proportioned, the palate is a powerful mix of mouthfilling black fruits, chocolate oak and enormous, balanced tannins. A definitive Australian red. (19.4, Drink 2010+) 97/100 Jeremy Oliver, OnWine

This majestic wine, from the outstanding 1990 vintage, was inspired by its famous and multi-awarded predecessors, the 1966 Bin 620 and 1982 Bin 820. These singular, special wines represent the continual striving for excellence that has marked the evolution of all the Penfolds red wine styles. The 1990 Bin 920 is a blend of carefully selected, elite quality Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz grapes from the classic red wine district of Coonawarra. Despite softness and early appeal of the Bin 920, it has the strength, structure and balance to support extended cellaring.

An earthy, spicy red with emerging forest floor and game-like nuances. Intense blackberry and stewed plum fruit is married to assertive, balanced new cedary oak. Long, intense and surprisingly elegant, the wine is still tight-knit with fine tannins and a firm, astringent finish. (18.2, Drink 2002+) 93/100 Jeremy Oliver, OnWine

Penfolds is able to source quality fruit from a diverse range of vineyard sites, including some of the best and oldest vineyards in South Australia, a tremendous resource which leads to a remarkable consistency of style. An assemblage of selected parcels of fruit from premium vineyards, Thomas Hyland combines the highly succesful Penfolds multi-district blending skills with a focus on rich and flavoursome contemporary styling. Cabernet grapes, with significant proportions from Langhorne Creek and McLaren Vale, fully ripe and varietally expressive are selected on the basis of quality and fruit character. Matured in a combination of new and prior use French and American oak.

Commemorating the pioneering spirit of Dr. Penfold's son-in-law, whose stewardship of the company from the late 1800s until 1914 saw the development of what, in his lifetime, became Australia’s most famous name in wine. Essentially fruit driven, Thomas Hyland offers a contemporary expression of varietal flavour and structure, showing the classic varietal elements of blackcurrant, cedar and fine grained tannins.

Colour is a deep red with purple hues. The nose shows sweet ripe berries with hints of nutmeg and background oak. The wine captures plum, mocha coffee and vanillin flavours. A varietal fruit lift of sweet blackcurrant, cassis and blueberry fruit, with hints of spice, boxwood and cigar. A firm palate, rich and generous with alluring varietal characters, blackcurrent and chocolatey fruit, yet one that shows the balanced Penfolds oak maturation influence. The subtle underlying French and American oak characters, delicious cabernet flavours, and ripe chunky tannins, present a wine which finishes with an excellent burst of flavour. Ready to drink now, will age beautifully, but idyllic right now with all good gastronomy

Youthful purple-red; an initially shy bouquet of medium intensity with earth, mint and red berry fruit the first impression, but with cassis coming through after aeration. A finely crafted and intense wine on the palate; there are no primary or lollipop fruit characters here, just class and quality. The tannins start appearing halfway through the mid-palate and persist on to the finish, providing the base for future development. Rating 92 Points; Drink 2009 James Halliday

Powerful, firm and ripe, with very assertive smoky oak influences over fragrant, wild berries, cherries and cassis fruit. Long, fleshy palate with sweet fruit, a slightly hollow middle and an assertive, astringent extract. 93 Points; Jeremy Oliver

Strong red-purple; spotlessly clean, ripe blackberry/blackcurrant aromas of medium to full intensity are followed by a stylish palate, with particularly soft, almost creamy, tannins, with hints of cedar and chocolate. Rating 95 points; Drink 2008 Date Tasted Oct 97 James Halliday

Very firm, smoky and leathery wine with underlying sweet small berry fruit and a powerful length of firm, drying tannins. Not as elegant or fine as some. (93/100, Drink 2007-2015). Jeremy Oliver

Cabernet Sauvignon grown to good Barossa vineyards can make the most solidly structured wines, conspicuous for their longevity. Peter Lehmann is recognised the world over as one of Australia’s great wines. Robert Parker has called it "One of the world’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon values!” The 1993 won Best Cabernet in the World at the London International. Peter Lehmann assembles batches from small vineyards into an intensely coloured Cabernet wine that oozes blackcurrants, has a richly textured palate, superb length and beautifully balanced tannins

Peter Lehmann's wines are crafted with grapes from almost a hundred selected independent growers, some quite small in production, as well as fruit grown to four company owned vineyards. Many of the Lehmann grower's families have worked the same vineyards for five or six generations. These Barossa vignerons tend to hundreds of individual vineyards that run the gamut of the Barossa. Peter Lehmann retains the best Cabernet sites in the Barossa. Fruit is fermented on skins for seven days. Following pressing, clarification and blending, the Peter Lehmann is treated to maturation in a combination of French and American oak hogsheads for twelve months prior to bottling. Alcohol

Deep black centre with a dark red rim. A classic blackcurrant nose, showing Barossa regional definition. A beautifully structured wine with undertones of chocolate and black forest fruits on the palate, it follows through with hints of violet, mint and superb cassis/ currant flavours, finishing satisfyingly firm. A wine of extraordinary velvet richness, voluptuousness and superbly controlled power, the palate is seamless, a delight to sip.

For his style, integrity and skill as a professional and artisan, Peter Lehmann has come to be known as Mentor by many of Australia's eminent winemakers. His conviction that the Barossa was capable of making the best wines in the world extended far beyond Shiraz, he always called it the Garden of Eden, a winemaker’s paradise. When it came to selecting a wine to dedicate to Peter Lehmann, it was not without a sense of irony that the choice should be Barossa Cabernet. Each year, the best of vintage is fashioned into a wine of great distinction

From exceptional, low yielding sites in the Ebenezer, Light Pass, Rosedale, Vinevale and Tanunda sub-regions of Barossa. Over the years vineyards have been identified which produce the best Cabernet wines, many planted over sixty years ago. These older, low yielding vines give fruit that displays classic lifted cassis and violet characters of great Cabernet Sauvignon. Mentor is fermented and matured in exclusively French oak hogsheads, integrating seamlessly with the powerful flavours and structure. Vinified and macerated on skins for up to two weeks with some partial barrel fermentation, followed by pressing and clarification, before maturation in French oak hogsheads for eighteen months. Alcohol 14.5%

A deeply coloured wine with dense centre. The nose exudes inviting aromas of classic Barossa Cabernet blackcurrant, mint and cedar box. The palate shows defined Cabernet cassis flavour, a touch of chocolates and vanilla, exhibiting a superb integration of oak and fruit. Mentor is designed to soften and increase in complexity, emerging as a wine of immense power and richness across the palate. Another compelling edition in a series of consecutive great vintages, highly rated by for producing wines of great depth, flavour and richness, the quality of fruit demands that it be released as a pure varietal wine. Mentor is the ideal accompaniment to goose and game, superb with braised lamb or a fine aged cheddar

Vintage 2004 was very late ripening with fruit for this wine coming exclusively from 34 year old vines from our Cellar Door block. Bunches were left out to gain tannin ripeness with the fruit harvested at 13.9 baume. The wine was fermented for 7 days on skins then pressed to new oak and matured for 18 months in new Bossuet Allier barriques before bottling in Feb 2006.

This is the first Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon made by Punters Corner. It features an outstanding deep red colour with a complex nose of dark chocolate, spice and ripe dark concentrated berries. The palate is rich and complex with dark prune, soy sauce spice flavours with a rich tannin palate typical of mature vines. This wine will reward careful cellaring for 12 to 15 years. Only 180 dozen made.

2005 Barrel Series 9 Highest Price (Record)  $33,198.75
2005 Tim White  Financial Review  94/100
2005 Campbell Mattinson  Winefront Monthly 90/100

Punters Corner Sovereign Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004; Strong, deep colour; considerably more texture, structure and concentration than the standard varietal version; a very long palate built around blackcurrant fruit and balance tannins. A triumph for the vintage. The first reserve release from Punters Corner. 14.5º alc. Rating 96 Drink 2026 $59.5 Date Tasted Jan 07  James Halliday Wine Companion 2008 

Named after the picker’s hut at the front of the property, our Hut Block vineyards are planted on sand and black clay loam soils over a substructure of clay. We think that the intensity of our Cabernet Sauvignon can be attributed to these soils, while the mild maritime climate of McLaren Vale, in which cool evening and night breezes from the gully winds moderate the day time temperatures, suits this variety. Our emphasis is on low yielding vines that are pruned and trained to allow dappled light to reach the fruit zone to slow ripening and enhance aroma and flavour.

Deep full vibrant red. Ripe fragrant cassis nose with attractive scented vanilla and coffee overtones arising from integrated oak. Long bright elegantly structured palate showing persistent varietal fruit and fine grained tannins. Appealing on release and has sufficient structure for 6-8 years of cellaring.

Bright, clear purple-crimson; the lower alcohol pays dividends with the more elegant and intense profile of the fruit flavours and the persistent high quality tannins of the kind you find in Bordeaux in a good vintage. Especially impressive for ancient mariners such as myself. Rating: 94 Points Drink: 2025 Price: $18.50 Alcohol: 14% James Halliday Wine Companion, Dec 2011

The Rosemount Regional Showcase Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon has vibrant blueberry, blackberry and cassis aromas complimented by a palate which shows distinct varietal characters that are only expressed in the Coonawarra region.

Deep, solid colour. Fully ripe Cabernet nose; notes of pencil shavings, ripe plum and boysenberry with a hint of tobacco. The palate is moderate-full bodied, dry and shows reasonable concentration. Oak is integrated well. Still youthful with some pronounced tannins but otherwise very well balanced. Wine NZ

Almost every review of this wine I had seen, apart from describing the wine as excellent in quality and a bargain so far as the value evaluation goes, made mention of its regional and varietal quality. Like a judge on 'Masterchef' all I can do is agree. Indeed it’s as if the maker has extracted the finest elements of Coonawarra Cabernet and left out the undesirable fine print. The nose is about Ribena, dried herbs and mint slice biscuits. The weight is nearing full bodied and the cassis tone continues in the mouth but interwoven with some briary and earthy tones with just hints of oak. All of this juiciness is then balanced with a line of acid and lovely fine grained tannins. Forget all of the critic’s accolades and wine show gongs; it is an excellent wine on drinkability alone. A five to eight year proposition for mine when you can brag about paying less than fifteen bucks for it! Drink: Now – 2016+; Quality: Excellent BW; WineStar© April 2011

Impressive colour and an essay of Coonawarra cabernet; essency cassis is framed by clearly defined mint and cedar; the palate is rich and chock full of black fruits, delivering a long finish full of black olive complexity; chewy, dark and tannic to conclude. Gold Sydney Wine Show '10. Screwcap. 14.5% alc. Rating 94 Points; Drink 2020 $20 Date Tasted Mar 10 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2011

This release is a real step forward for the label. Incredibly fresh and clean. This is a beautiful, fruity regional wine with lots of curranty, chocolatey flavour and fine boned tannin. You can buy here with confidence. Good fruit expression, sculptured tannin, freshness and focus. Has some lovely dusty, herbal, varietal character too - screams region and variety - and quality. Rating: 93 Points; 5 Stars for Value (@$19.50); Drink: 2012 - 2017; Campbell Mattinson & Gary Walsh, The Big Red Wine Book 2010/2011

Gold Medal - 2010 Royal Sydney Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2010 Royal Brisbane Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2010 Limestone Coast (Coonawarra) Wine Show

Halliday Special Value Star - James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2011 ("Wines considered to offer special value for money")

Fresh and clean. This is a beautiful, fruity, regional wine with lots of curranty, chocolatey flavour and fine-boned tannin. You can buy here with confidence. Good fruit expression, sculptured tannin, flavour and focus. Has some dusty, herbal, varietal character too – screams region and variety … and quality. Rated : 93 Points Alcohol : 14.5% Price : $19.50 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2012 - 2017 By Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front

2010 Jeremy Oliver - Best Australian Wines $20 And Under

Well made, flavoursome and reflective of its regional and varietal qualities, with a ripe, juicy bouquet of cassis, mulberries, dark cherries and sweet vanilla/cedar oak backed by a hint of preserved fruit, herbaceousness and briar. It's full to medium in weight, smooth and firmish, with a pleasing length of cassis/mulberry fruit and fresh, well balanced oak. Drink: 2016-2020. 90 Points; Jeremy Oliver; The Australian Wine Annual 2010

Rosemount’s 2008 Show Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is classic Coonawarra Cabernet at a bargain price. Very deep garnet-purple, it presents pronounced warm black currant and blackberry aromas with hints of cardamom, cloves, mocha and mint. The generous, full bodied palate has great structure – a solid backbone of high acid and a medium to firm level of fine, silt-like tannins. There’s a great concentration of berry and spice flavor with just a touch of Mediterranean herbs coming through in the long finish. It’s still quite youthful and will be best approached 2012-2019+. Oct 2010; 90 Points; Drink: 2012 - 2019 $US21 (21) Lisa Perrotti-Brown; eRobertParker.com # 191

The Te Mata ‘Awatea’ Cabernets/Merlot 2008 at 13.5% alc, was 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot, aged 20 months in new and seasoned French oak.  Dark, deep, black-red with purple hues, this was elegant on nose with lovely fragrant blackcurrant aromas, quite pure in expression and supported by subtle oak.  An elegant wine in mouthfeel, this was still tight with fine-grained tannins behind pure blackcurrant varietal fruit, beautifully knit and balanced.  This will cellar well over the next 7-10 years. 18.0-/20 Raymond Chan (NZ)

Strong, sweet fruit with plump, ripe berry, plum, spice, tobacco and floral flavours. An impressively dense wine with layers of flavours that nicely envelope a classy oak influence. Accessible and very attractive. Top 100 New Releases; Bob Campbell; Gourmet Traveller Wine

Little brother to Te Mata’s flagship Coleraine, and a more expressive reflection of its vintage. A particularly fragrant season shines through in lifted blackcurrant and rose petal nuances. A wine of finesse and integration, it’s drinking well now, but don’t hesitate to put a few down for the medium-term. Tyson Stelzer; Vintage 2008 RRP $46.00; Wine Business Monthly

I didn’t mean to taste/consume this Te Mata Awatea cabernet blend over three nights – daughter’s callisthenics concert, son’s birthday sleepover, dad’s recuperation from the two – but I’m glad I did. Kept getting better and better. It’s easy to be anti-oak, but when it tastes as good as it does here – I mean, really, let’s not fuss about it. It tastes gorgeous. Its cedary, smoky characters are matched of course to dusty, chewy, blueberry and blackcurrant flavours and best of all, it has a dry, tobacco-like edge. It’s fresh and polished and acidic; it needs a good lie down. Tannin is ripe and bold. All told, a classy wine. 93 Points; Alcohol : 13.5% Closure : Cork Drink : 2013 - 2019; Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front

Coleraine ’08 is a blend of 53% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot, and 19% cabernet franc. It will continue to develop in bottle and provide great enjoyment between 6 and 12 years from harvest. Coleraine ’08 has a deep magenta colour with lifted aromas of roses, blackcurrant syrup and dark chocolate. The palate shows great intensity with assertive dark fruit flavours, espresso and spice underpinned by firm tannins giving structure to the long finish.

The Te Mata ‘Coleraine’ 2008 at 13.5% alc, was 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc, aged 20 months in predominantly new French oak barrels.  Very dark hued black-red with purple hues, this has a wonderful purity of fragrant blackcurrant fruit expression on the nose which is reflected on the refined and elegantly structured palate.  Tightly bound still, this nevertheless exudes beauty and class.  The balance of the wine is quite inspirational and a model to aim for in a Bordeaux-styled wine.  Everything is in place, and this should develop over the next 12-15 years easily. 19.0+/20 Raymond Chan (NZ)

Has there ever been a more deliciously approachable Coleraine? I love it. Dense and lively red with layers of berryfruit/blackcurrent together with a more subtle influence of floral, dried spice and cedar flavours. Supple, elegant wine that will age well despite its present approachable nature. The best Coleraine I’ve tasted for a while and better, in my view, than the highly rated 2007. 95 Points; Bob Campbell MW

Te Mata is as focused on quality as it is on innovation. When winery owner John Buck made the first vintage of Coleraine in 1982, he opened the eyes of his peers to the potential for making top wine from a blend of Bordeaux varieties in Hawke’s Bay. Good wine are now commonplace, but Coleraine still leads the pack with a style that grows more refined every year. Dense and lovely with layers of berry fruit and blackcurrant, together with a more subtle influence of floral, dried spice and cedar flavours. Now - 2018. 5 Stars; Decanter Magazine

Some on the international scene liken this great New Zealand cabernet blend to Bordeaux but it’s different to most. The ‘08 has essency “New World” purity, fusing savoury austerity and fruit ripeness in excellent balance. Deliciously pristine blackcurrent, herb and cedar characters weave their way through a super-fine, middleweight wine of great length and balance. Superb. (13.5 per cent alcohol; cork) Ageing? needs time 3 - 15 years Food ideas Racks of spring lamb; Vietnamese beef grilled in mint leaves. 5 Stars; Ralph Kyte-Powell; The Age Epicure

Don’t even think about opening a bottle this year because this wine is fast asleep right now. Its Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc fruit is surrounded by assertive oak, making for a firm structure. In time it will integrate and open up to blackcurrant and capsicum fruit. 94 Points; Vintage 2008 RRP $80.00; Wine Business Monthly

Coleraine is the flagship of the Te Mata Estate range. It is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. As it unfolded it seemed terribly good. It’s a wine of layers and tannin. It tastes of dust, crushed leaves, blackcurrant and blackberry. There is some creamy, nutty, cedary oak too and a bitter, dark olive-like flavour to the aftertaste. Its tannin gives a sense of stature. Excellent. 94+ Points; Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front

Coleraine '09 is a blend of 52% cabernet sauvignon, 43% merlot, and 5% cabernet franc. It has a saturated magenta colour with concentrated aromas of blackcurrants, spice and dark old fashioned roses. The palate opens with the dense sweet, dark berry fruits indicative of a great year. The focus quickly turns to rich fine tannins that fill the mouth, leaving a lasting impression of a wine of significant ageing ability. Coleraine '09 will be considered amongst the greatest Coleraines, it will continue to develop in bottle and provide great enjoyment up to 15 years from harvest.

Dense, powerful red with classic Cabernet Sauvignon characters dominating to give the wine a cassis, floral and sweet mint character. Plenty of classy oak of course. Slightly higher Merlot percentage and lower Cabernet Franc. Lovely juicy fruit gives accessibility. Will age magnificently. Coleraine doesn't get much better than this. 97 Points; Bob Campbell MW

A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, fermented to 14.0% alc., then aged in mainly new French oak barrels for 20 months. Deep purple black-red in colour, this has a somewhat shy, raw and youthfully tight bouquet, quite ethereal and aromatic with ripe dark red berry fruit and plums and violetty florals showing. The palate features sweet, rich, near exotic red and black fruits on a very powerful, concentrated, highly extracted framework. The tannins are very fine, leaving a feeling of tight restraint and style. The finish is long and nuanced. This will live 9-15 years easily.  Mar 2011; 19.5/20 March 2011;  Raymond Chan Wine Reviews NZ

A dense, powerful red with classic cabernet sauvignon characters dominating to give the wine a cassis, floral and sweet mint character with plenty of classy oak of course. Slightly higher percentage of merlot and less cabernet franc this year. Lovely juicy fruit gives accessibility although the wine’s spine of ripe, fine tannins suggests it will age magnificently. Coleraine doesn’t get much better than this. This wine should put a gleam in the eye of collectors. Bob Campbell MW again in Gourmet Traveller

It takes a little nerve to declare a wine as the best of its type or even the best ever vintage of a certain label. But I’m on reasonably solid ground when I describe Te Mata Coleraine as Hawkes Bay’s best blended red. Coleraine has been impressing wine lovers since its first vintage in 1982. Dense, powerful red with classic cabernet sauvignon characters including cassis, floral and sweet mint flavours. Lovely juicy fruit gives accessibility. Should age magnificently. I rate it best ever. Simply the Best. Wine By Bob Campbell. Kia Ora.

This wine is made from fruit grown on the historic 150 year old Turkey Flat vineyard. The Cabernet Sauvignon vines are planted on the river flat near the cellar door where they thrive on deep soils without the need for irrigation. Cabernet Sauvignon vines produce fruit of exceptional richness and concentration when grown in sites such as this.

What sets Cabernet Sauvignon apart is its ability to travel, to set down its roots in distant lands and still produce something that is recognisably Cabernet, whatever the circumstances and conditions.

Whilst the Barossa Valley has largely earned its reputation for making bold Shiraz, this wine is testimony that the Barossa is also able to produce ‘classic’ Cabernet. The ‘Black Flat’ vineyard, behind the winery, has been producing a consistent lineage of distinctive and stylish Cabernets since 1994.

This elegant and varietal Cabernet sourced from the “Black Flat” vineyard, is infused with eucalypt from the old gums that grow along the creek bed. Red currant, cedar and subtle tobacco on the nose gives way to a long palate of fine firm tannin, cassis, wood spice and forest floor. This strictly limited release will improve with careful cellaring of up to 15 years.

Medium red-purple; in classic Turkey Flat style, with savoury overtones to the distinguished blackcurrant fruit on the bouquet and palate alike; has soaked up 20 months in French oak, the tannins fine, the finish long and complete. 94 Points; James Halliday

Vasse Felix were briefed in the seventies by Margaret River’s founding vigneron Dr Tom Cullity, to make the best possible wine. Heytesbury is a flagship regional Cabernet, the fruits of over thirty years of viticulture at Vasse Felix. Balance, elegance, complexity and restrained power are the hallmarks of Heytesbury, the direct result of an uncompromising approach to quality. Heytesbury embodies the Vasse Felix commitment to excellence, and as such is named after the Holmes à Court family company, to which Vasse Felix is the crowning jewel

Established in 1967, the Vasse Felix estate vineyard is planted at the heart of the Wilyabrup sub region, within the nucleus of premium Margaret River viticulture. Low yielding, dry grown vines planted on some of the world’s oldest soils enjoy long, warm growing seasons and cooling summer breezes from the nearby Indian and Southern Oceans. This moderating effect is responsible for grapes exhibiting exceptional concentration and intensity whilst retaining elegance and finesse. Parcels of ultra premium fruit are fermented separately in small, static fermenters to retain the unique characters of the site before being basket pressed and sent to the finest of French oak barriques

The picture-perfect season has put forward one of the longest-lived Vasse Felix cabernets to date. This is a textbook cabernet of exacting definition and precision. The bouquet has a gorgeous lift of violet petals while the palate carries all the hallmarks of blackcurrants, high cocoa dark chocolate and classic, Margaret River graphite-fine tannins. Impeccably ripe, belying its alcohol (14.5%), with confident, refreshing acidity holding it taut and fine, making for incredible line and persistence. Drinking: 2019-2034; Rating: 95 Points; Tyson Stelzer; Wine Taste - Edition 52

Black currant and leafy tobacco-like characters on the nose. Just a hint of meatiness in there as well. The palate is still quite tight but very intense and concentrated with masses of old vine Margaret River cabernet fruit. Ripe controlling tannins and fine grained oak contribute to a smoothly textured though robust and very long cabernet. Rating: 94 Points; Ray Jordan; The West Australian Wine Guide

I went to a vertical of Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon (among other wines) this week and so I’ve been going over the notes we’ve made on the wines over the years and adding some updated thoughts. The one wine that stands out from the past is the 2005, which seems much different to the way it presented as a young wine – unless it’s just in a stage. This 2009 version though – not released until November – is one to jump on. It’s a crackerjack.

It’s a blend of cabernet sauvignon (88%), malbec (11%) and merlot. It’s the first ‘standard’ Vasse Felix cabernet to be entirely matured in French oak – there’s usually some American. The run continues. The 2007, 2008 and now 2009 Vasse cabernets are all super. Love how medium-weight this is, and yet how well structured it is. Mulberry, blackcurrant, sweet cedary oak – and some green herb characters as a highlight. Tarragon maybe. Effortless wine for now or later. Carries its alcohol with ease. A gorgeous option for the cellar. Indeed, spunky. Rated : 94 Points Alcohol : 14.8% Price : $39 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2016 - 2023 By Campbell Mattinson The Wine Front

Virginia Wilcock’s outstanding red combines cabernet sauvignon (88 per cent) with 11 per cent malbec and one per cent merlot. There’s a violet-like floral lift to an aroma that includes varietal blackcurrant and a sweet, cedary character from the French oak. All these flavours flow through to the elegant palate, which, despite its supple smoothness and fleshy, fruity, core, finishes with the fine, lingering bite of the variety. It’s easy to drink now but has the intensity and structure to cellar well. Chris Shanahan

The hue is good, although is on the light side; the bouquet is fragrant, yet not especially powerful; it is on the palate that the intensity and length of the fruit takes no prisoners, blackcurrant/cassis, squeaky tannins and a spicy/savoury edge all adding interest and impact. Drink by: 2029; Date tasted: 05/Sep/2011; Price: $40.00; Alcohol: 14.5%; Rating: 94 Points; James Halliday Wine Companion