I can remember many years ago when I bought some road maps for a planned trip to ‘the mainland’ (Google Maps was a mere figment of somebody’s imagination back then). You know, those ones that folded out to the size of a small dining table and never folded back the same way. I can remember knowing where I wanted to go and marking on the map how I wanted to get there, and the places I wanted to see on the way. It was part of the fun of the trip. Mind you, it was always handy if you had a navigator in the passenger seat.
These four wines seemed to take me vicariously, one after the other, firstly to Mudgee then ultimately to the Huntington Estate Cellar Door. The aromas providing the start of the pleasurable journey and the flavours taking me to the final destination with Tim Stevens pouring the wines with the enthusiasm of a proud father telling me all about his ‘children’.
Region: Mudgee, NSW Price: $32 each Source: Samples thanks kindly to Huntington Estate
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
Very much enjoyed this wine. What you got from the aromas, you taste on the palate, and youthfulness appears in both of these zones. Dark fruits and berries coat the palate, tannins are ever-present but don’t detract from the terrific fruit maintaining its presence on the long finish. Smooth with a ‘cool Cabernet’ feel about it. Delicious!
2018 Shiraz
Such a lovely colour. So lush looking. Plenty being offered on the nose when swirled in the glass with rich black fruits and a slightly earthy note too. Palate presence aplenty! Generous and juicy dark fruits, there’s a sweet/savouriness appeal to it, oak and tannins show their hand but are not a distraction and finishes nice and long. A good’un for sure.
2017 Bin 13 Shiraz
A lovely, fresh start to this wine. Again, youthful in appearance and on the nose where it reminded me of a homemade dark berry compote. As with the previous wine, plenty of flavoursome, primary fruit on the palate. Rich dark cherry, a plum-like ‘fullness’ yet medium bodied in weight, there’s a delicate spiciness that runs nicely parallel with the lovely fruit characters and it has good length too. Mm, mmmmm!
2019 Cabernet Shiraz
Displaying a brighter colour than the previous three wines, it overtly shows its youthfulness. Same on the nose where it seems more ripe red fruit dominate but with a richness to it. Juicy, ripe berries of all sorts dominate on the medium bodied palate. A lovely delicate spicy note appears too while the oak and tannins aren’t shy as they make themselves comfortable without being a nuisance to the fruit. ‘Unsettled’ was a word that came to mind when I first tasted this wine, but it certainly appreciated a good swish ‘n’ swirl in the glass, which proved to be very beneficial. Good gear.
Words from a Wine Glass 