Ranked #11 of 53 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot from Coonawarra
93/100
4.5 Stars
Huon Hooke
Medium dark red purple. Excellent colour. Very good blueberry and cassis aromas. Palate is elegant and medium full-bodied, with lovely softness and balance. Soft, smooth and savoury at the same time. Balanced and finishes with good firm, clean, persuasive tannins. Deep, intense and elegant, but also young and fresh, needing more time.
Tasted: 21/07/2008
Drink: N/A
94 Points James Halliday
Youthful hue; vibrant, blueberry fruit is slightly dominated by lavish levels of new wood; however, beneath there are ample levels of fruit, with an almost velvety texture and slightly chewy tannins; very long finish. Drink to 2020.
Source: James Halliday. March, 2008
93 Points James Halliday
New oak, black olive and a little cassis; the palate is plump and generous, with a tightly wound core of fruit providing the backbone for longevity. Drink to 2016.
Source: James Halliday. February, 2009
I was a great fan of the 2004 and this 2005 is equally as good. It’s a great combination of elegance and power. It tastes dark and olive-like, its blackcurrant-y heart peppered with spicy, smoky oak. All that said, this wine is more about structure and texture than flavour: it flows beautifully through the mouth before straightening up and reaching out through the finish. It’s a cracker.
Rated : 96 Points
Drink : 2013 - 2023
Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front, 7 May 2008