Australia once built its wine reputation on thick, sticky-sweet wines — big favorites in the English trade of the 19th century. Today, many of us tend to think “Shiraz” when it comes to its signature red wines, but those in the know also flock after an assortment of beautiful wines made from old-vine Grenache and Mourvedre. An even simpler truth is that there are memorable wines made from all the great vinifera grapes down under, and lovers of Cabernet Sauvignon can also spread their wings in this promised land.
The McLaren Vale region, south of Adelaide and east of Gulf Saint Vincent, makes excellent Cabernet Sauvignon and one of its oldest wineries has kept quality high while not raising prices in over a decade. It’s Tintara Wines, established in 1861(!), and making exciting bottlings at all price points.
2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Tintara, McLaren Vale, South Australia $19 srp
An inky black to garnet color. Expressive “plump” nose of blackberries, smoke, tobacco and dark chocolate. Flavors are juicy rich, with black cherry, currant, licorice and wet earth components. Spicy oak surrounds this wine that already shows much of its hand. (I recently drank the 2003 version of this wine and it had aged gracefully, howing excellent complexity.) It’s a very versatile wine. Drink now-2020.
89/100 points
