Howard Park Leston Cabernet Sauvignon

It's been a long time time since I have concentrated my efforts on Australian wines. I used to try an awful lot while living in the UK some 20 years ago, but since then it has mostly been in connection with Sommelier training.

Margaret River which is in the western part of Australia is an emerging wine district with high quality wines. Often good value for money.
It avoids the really hot temperatures due to the proximity to the sea.

The wine is blended from the best batches grown on the Leston vineyard in the Wilyabrup sub region.

Some of the grapes parcels had prolonged skin contact to extract maximum colour and tannin. The wine then spent 18 months in french oak barriques before being bottled. 40% new oak.

This is a dense and big wine. Dark fruit, vanilla and plum on the nose with some sweet mint and cinnamon as well. Big mouthful with soft delicate dark fruit and ripe integrated tannins. A well made wine indeed.

46 Aussie dollars.

Comments

Leoville Lascases 1988

Last week was a special week for me as I received my last pay check from my previous employer. An event that required some sort of celebration with some good friends. Of the many bottles opened during that evening was a Leoville Lascases 1988. This Bordeaux wine from St. Julien is second Grand cru classee but it has the quality of a first growth. This chateau was also the wine that made me change from beer to wine as I had the pleasure of tasting a Leoville Lascases 1945 back in 88. The 1945 just knocked me off my guard and I remember thinking what a fantastic wine it was and what an experience to drink this wine from the year when world war 2 ended. I was in shock and I then just decided to enter into the world of wine. I have always had a soft spot for this chateau ever since. And to my pleasure it has been performing well at much more reasonable prices than the much more expensive first growths in the 1855 classification. Nowadays a bottle of this wine costs around ...

Wine # 2 Blindtasting Ganddal

Deep dark purple colour. Dark berries, cherries and mint chocolate. Full bodied with soft tannins. Reminds me of an Amarone.. A very nice wine indeed. Panel is way out as it is from the Rhone valley. Gigondas 2009 by Guigal Score 17.60 Ca 20€ or 220 NOK

Bordeaux- Le prelat du Ch. Pape Clement 2004

This is one of two second wines of the famous and expensive Ch. Pape Clement in Graves. Although young, 2004, this wine drinks really well already if you put it on carafe a couple of hours before consumption. Dark red colour, with a very attractive smell of blueberries and dark berries, its a full bodied wine with firm but nice tannins that goes best with some food. 2004 although not the best of vintages, keep surprising me with good drinkable wines at affordable prices, because from 2005 and onwards there is a big step up in prices.... Grapes; Cabernet Sauvignon 60% and Merlot 40% Price around 20€ P+

Life is too short to drink bad wine

Search This Blog