Chateau Tanunda The Chateau Barossa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

This is a single vineyard wine from an estate which, in remarkably quick time, has gone from ‘interesting’ to ‘improver’ to ‘icon’. The warm Barossa might seem like a strange place for Cabernet but, over decades, it has proved itself here – and this example is from the cooler Eden Valley sub-region. Sure, very different to what you might find in Bordeaux or Coonawarra or Margaret River, but that is fine. It does work better in some vintages than others, but then you can say that about any variety anywhere. Grapes are not crushed but destemmed, before spending a week on skins in open fermenters, enjoying ‘regular batonnage’. Basket pressing follows before 18 months in a mix of new and older French barrels. 

A very dark red colour with flavours of black jellybeans, plums, aniseed, leather, cold tea notes, cigar box tones and black fruits. Decent length here with fine tannins and a finish which lingers. An attractive, nicely structured, generous Cabernet for drinking any time from now for the next 5-6 years.