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92
/ 100
James Halliday's Wine Companion
Red
Classification
Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety
2021
Vintage
750ml (Bottle)
Bottle Size
Australia
Country
South Australia, Barossa Valley
Region
14.5%
Alcohol %
15 Plus Years
Cellaring
Scores
92 / 100"All estate-grown cabernet sauvignon fruit; the breakdown this year from the Elderton vineyards in Craneford (52%) and Nuriootpa (58%). Aged in predominantly older French oak puncheons for 16 months. Deep crimson with a purple edge and opulent aromas of rich blackberry, black cherry and blackcurrant fruits with hints of dark spice, cedar, vanillin, purple floral tones, crème de cassis and a mere whiff of scattered herbs. Impressive fruit and tannin ripeness and a lovely blackberry/blackcurrant pastille finish."
- James Halliday's Wine Companion
Tasting Notes
The Ashmead family purchased their first estate vineyard in the middle of Nuriootpa in the late 1970s and since making their first wine from the 1982 vintage, have developed a great reputation and an enviable history of success. The 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon won the prestigious Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy in 1993, showcasing Elderton’s ability to make great Cabernet. The season leading in to the 2021 harvest presented with sufficient rain and calm conditions allowing for decent flowering and fruit set heading into the ripening season. The solid base for this wine comes from our Nuriootpa vineyard which delivers a stunning cassis-driven fruit depth coupled with long savoury tannins. The slightly higher elevation of our Craneford (Eden Valley) vineyard offers another layer of vibrancy and freshness coupled with a slatey cool finish. We have 3 new plantings of specific clones of Cabernet Sauvignon from which we also took our first fruit this year. We are pretty excited about the potential of these vines in further developing our Cabernet Sauvignon to ensure the best and most honest expression of the variety.
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity
- Smooth
- Complex