Hesketh Penola Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Since buying Parker Coonawarra Estate some years ago Jonathon Hesketh has got himself access to some serious fruit from Coonawarra – the good stuff. And this wine has been given the Rolls Royce treatment too with a fair whack of new French oak thrown at some classy fruit. 2018 is also a very good vintage with the nearby Southern Ocean cooling it down while other areas of Australia baked.

It’s a beautiful example of Coonawarra with bright, sweet leafy blackcurrant fruits with great purity plus some cedary oak in the background. On the palate it is like all good Coonawarra should be – dry and mid-weight, with juicy, unforced fruit and finishing with a savoury touch of Terra Rossa earth. It looked even better on day two showing this wine is a keeper.