Robert Oatley Finisterre Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
- 91
- $45
- Drink by: 2023 - 2029
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The Oatleys source far and wide and they have some seriously good wines from Western Australia. This is from the Frankland River region of the Great Southern, from vineyards with an average age of 45 years. Two to three weeks post fermentation maceration and then 18 months maturation in a mix of new and older French barriques.
Opaque red in colour. Soft, dark fruit notes. This has taken the low key approach with notes of tobacco leaf, cloves, blackberries. There is good structure here, a wine of mid length. Firm tannins. At the moment, a little straightforward, which cabernet can be, but there is a heap of potential. The structure is in place. Expect this to step up over the next five to eight 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.
