Chateau Tanunda The Chateau Barossa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
- 90
- $38
- Drink by: 2021-2027
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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.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
