Parker Estate First Growth 2020

First Growth celebrates its 25^th vintage release with the 2020 vintage and it’s a ripper. It’s pure, 100% Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon as evidenced by the strong, invigorating herbal presence. A rush of thyme, rosemary, fennel mesh with mulberry, black berry and loganberry aromas – quite an exotic, attractive berry feature – and warm woodsy spice notes. Still a mere babe at this young age, such is always the case with First Growth which is traditionally built for the long haul. The palate opens invitingly in crushed leaves, fennel, thyme and herbals surrounding black fruits, bay leaf and cedar. Tannins are bold. Herbals amplified on the finish. Resist the urge to open now, if you can. Further time in bottle will be rewarded big time.

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic