Pertaringa Understudy Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

This one is dubbed ‘understudy’ as it is ‘no second fiddle’. I’ll confess that I thought that was exactly what an understudy was. No matter. It is certainly a wine worthy of centre stage. It spent eighteen months in French hogsheads, 15% of which were new. Another cracking value red. Dark maroon in colour, we have flavours of black fruits, chocolate, tobacco leaf, leather, spices and dry herbs. A beautifully concentrated Cabernet, seamless in style, with excellent length. Balanced, lingering and finishing with satiny tannins. This is a terrific example of how good Cabernet from McLaren Vale can be in the right years and in the right hands. It will easily see five to six years and more in good cellars. Ridiculous value.