I like this wine for many reasons though I must express up-front that I favour, full, ripe styles and want first and foremost, a good glass of flavour. There is room for lightness and delicacy and qualities that can appear only in wines made in cool climate though I do not want winemakers attempting to bring these out in warm climate regions. With that said McLaren Vale borders the Southern Ocean which modifies the heat and thus the way flavours are expressed.
Go further south along the Fleurieu Peninsula and out to Kangaroo Island and the cooling impact on flavour is very apparent. Thus, this wine shows the flavour build-up of heat with a complex overlay of cooler aromas and flavours. The type region for cabernet and related varieties is Bordeaux which adjoins the Atlantic Ocean and time and again we see how a similar setting brings out the best in this variety. Interestingly McLaren Vale is further south than Margaret River a fabulous location for cabernets which show cooler flavour expressions than those of McLaren Vale, I suppose because the inland heat is not trapped like it is in McLaren Vale. So you will find lots to enjoy in this delicious wine.
