2020 Balnaves Cabernet Sauvignon

96 pts
Top class Coonawarra Cabernet from one of the region's icons.

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Sale price$40.00
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Description

If you looked up Coonawarra Cabernet in the dictionary, there could well be a picture of this wine.

Sourced primarily from the Dead Morris and Old Paulownia blocks, with a touch of Petit Verdot for added complexity, Balnaves perfectly captures the essence of classic Coonawarra Cabernet. 

This Cabernet spent 18 months maturing in tight-grained French oak, over half of which was new, lending the wine its fine mocha-coffee nuances and extra structure. Expect an intense bouquet of cassis, violets, and blackberry, with underlying notes of graphite and vanilla oak. The palate delivers a rich tapestry of dark fruits and spice, all wrapped up in finely tuned tannins that promise graceful ageing.

A classic Coonawarra Cabernet and a beautiful one at that. Drink now or cellar with confidence.

96 points
"This wine is perfectly structured and flavoured. Blackcurrant, dark chocolate, bay leaf and violet flavours come threaded with tobacco and assorted fragrant herbs. It's all built on tannin, in a way, and yet regardless the fruit flavours flood straight through, like a wave. Stand atop the bow of this wine, peer out towards the horizon, and that's where this wine's future lies."
- Campbell Mattinson (Halliday Wine Companion)

96 points - "Cabernet sauvignon co-fermented with 11% petit verdot, with extended time on skins. Matured for 13 months in 54% new French oak barriques. This wine is perfectly structured and flavoured. Blackcurrant, dark chocolate, bay leaf and violet flavours come threaded with tobacco and assorted fragrant herbs. It's all built on tannin, in a way, and yet regardless the fruit flavours flood straight through, like a wave. Stand atop the bow of this wine, peer out towards the horizon, and that's where this wine's future lies." - Campbell Mattinson (Halliday Wine Companion)

94 points - "Black fruit, tobacco, cocoa and vanilla, some mint, slight floral top note, even some liquorice and spice. It does show some mocha vanilla oak, but it sits well within the wine, and what I like about this most, is its thick ferrous tannin, kind of imperious in nature, if you take my meaning. Acidity is balanced, there’s choc-cherry and blackcurrant flavour aplenty, and the finish is long and firm. Excellent." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

Customer Reviews

Customer Reviews

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Emmely G.
Stunning wine

What a delightful wine.
Everything you want from a Cabernet Sauvignon. We had it with Christmas lunch and everyone was in love with it.

Background
The Balnaves Coonawarra Vineyard was established in 1975 and is situated at the southern end of the Coonawarra Terra Rossa strip. The family, which has been associated with the district since 1855, remains fully committed to a high level of hands-on involvement, with Doug, Annette, Kirsty, and Pete Balnaves at the helm.

Vineyard Notes
The 2020 vintage was characterized by small berries with thick skins, resulting in wines with fine tannins and tight structures. Our best Cabernet Sauvignon from the Walker and Dead Morris vineyards (89%) was co-fermented with 11% Petit Verdot, undergoing extended maceration on skins.

Winemaking
The 2020 vintage produced small berries with thick skins, leading to wines with fine tannins and tight structures. Our best Cabernet Sauvignon from the Walker and Dead Morris vineyards (89%) was co-fermented with 11% Petit Verdot and underwent extended maceration on skins. The wine was then matured for 13 months in 54% new French oak barriques before bottling in October 2021.

Tasting Notes
With a vibrant hue and lifted violet perfume, the palate showcases intense mulberry fruit. This plush fruit is beautifully balanced with subtle, smoky French oak and complex, chewy tannins.

Price Bracket $41 to $50
Type Red
Body Full Bodied
Variety Cabernet Sauvignon
Country Australia
Region Coonawarra
Australian State SA
Feature High Score
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
Critic Score 96
Alcohol 14%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2020
Closure Screw Cap

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