Windance Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

A clear, deep, garnet wine with pale tears developing. Clean, medium (+) intensity nose, developing with black currant, cassis and dried herbs – vanilla evident from oak treatment.

Dry with medium+, firm tannins, medium acid and high alcohol (14.5%). A medium+ bodied wine with medium+ finish and medium flavour intensity of black fruit, black olive, cedar and bramble.

This is a very good wine (92 points), high-priced ($42) drinking well now, but will show improvement through to 2025.

This is a good example of a Margaret River cabernet, perhaps a little more balance between tannin and fruit would have made this a great wine. Will benefit from decanting.

Di Giorgio Tempranillo 2013

Di Giorgio Tempranillo 2013
Di Giorgio Tempranillo 2013

A clear, medium, ruby wine with pale rim and few, thick tears evident. Medium intensity nose clean and developing with red berry fruits, savouriness, cedar and a hint of white pepper.

Dry with medium+ smooth tannins, medium acid and medium+ alcohol (14%). A medium bodied wine with medium finish and flavours of red berry fruit (cherry) and oak characteristics (vanilla) on the palate.

This is a very good wine (92 points), mid-priced ($23) and will drink now, but may improve into 2020. Some decanting may help as it definitely opened up after a few minutes in the glass.

This wine will complement food perfectly especially the richer, meatier dishes and cured / smoked foods. An obvious match would be Spanish food like chorizo and jamon but it would equally pair roast lamb and Italian foods.

At this price point I would encourage you to make this your go-to everyday red!

Fun facts: Tempranillo is the fourth most planted grape in the world although we only have just over 700 hectares under vine in Australia. If you have ever had a Rioja then you would have had Tempranillo as it normally comprises 60%+ of the blend.

Mulderbosch “Faithful Hound” 2011

mulderbosch fh11A clear, deep, ruby wine with a few thick legs developing. Medium+ intensity nose clean and developing with a cassis, black currant leaf, hint of liquorice and cedar.

Dry on the palate with medium+ acid, alcohol (14%) and high chalky tannins. Full bodied, with medium+ flavour and long finish. The palate is a little overweight in acid and tannin but blackberry, mulberry fruits evident with vanilla and hint of spice (pepper?).

This is a very good wine (92 points), a Cabernet Franc dominated Bordeaux blend (a nod to Fronsac perhaps?) that punches about its mid-priced category (ZAR 150 but around AUD 22 locally). Can drink it now but it has the potential for aging 5 to 10 years.

Kalleske “Clarry’s” GSM 2015

A cleClarrys GSM 2015 1ar, medium, purple wine with thin pale legs. On the nose clean and developing with a medium intensity of raspberry, backed plum and cloves. Some oak treatment evident.

A dry wine with medium+ fine tannins, medium acidity and a medium body. The finish is a little longer than the body would suggest. Flavours on the palate support the nose, crushed red spectrum berries (raspberry) and plum, and some savouriness in the mix. Medium+ alcohol (14%).

This is a very good wine (92 points) that integrates the three grapes well in the Southern Rhone style and drinks better than its price (mid-priced) would suggest. Can enjoy it now but it has the potential for aging 5 to 7 years.