Wine Tasting

Wine Tasting, a pretty broad statement. I’m sure that most if not all of you tasted wine in an informal setting. I’m sure too that most of you have either been on a wine tour, visited a wine cellar, wine bar or ALL of the above and experienced some of the formalities in their tastings. Noting colour, clarity, aroma/bouquet, grape type, hints of fruit, coffee, chocolate, sour grapes etc. Well, Applewood Probus Tastings, from my experience, incorporates some of this formality but REALLY we are just tasting the wines. We do use an evaluation sheet so that you may score your impressions on each wine tasted WRT Appearance; Aroma/Bouquet; Taste/Texture; After-taste any more. It is amazing how at times the scores can be so similar OR, SO very polar opposite amongst the group, which causes immediate “guffaws” and discussion.

Personally, the tastings have exposed me to wines that I may not have otherwise tried as well as helped me develop a “do not purchase list”. Above all, it’s a great social gathering in a very informal setting where there is a good group of guys, plenty of conversation, opinions and laughter. There are currently 5 tasting groups consisting of 8 - 9 members The current wine group leads are: Mike Read, Mike Preston, Reg Perkin, Bill Tourgis and Dave Stubbert. They meet at once/month at least 8 times/year (usually excluding July/Aug) One group meets on a Tues; 2 meet on a Wed; 2 on a Thurs.
Each member hosts at least one month with the other members contributing $20 - $25 (the group’s decision) to the host to cover the cost of the wines (typically $10 - $20 per bottle), cheese ,crackers etc. There are those who prefer to participate occasionally who are on a “Spares” listing.

The wine groups are encouraged to invite spares as well as those of other groups to make up their usual compliment (due to absenteeism). Probus has a mantra to further socialization. If there is an interest to change to another group let it be known to the Group organizer or myself and we will try to make it happen.

PLEASE TASTE RESPONSIVELY
Cheers,
Mike Preston

Group 5 - July 2024

Group 5 meet July 18 for wine tasting. Five people showed up and spent several hours outside tasting a variety of red and white wines. Complimentary foods were served with the wine and the group rated the wine by itself and with some of the foods available.
The wines were ranked as follows:
WHITE
1. Ruffino Lumina Pinot Grigio IGT LCBO#:589101 $15.80      12%   6g/l
Pronounced aromas of fresh-cut lemon, gooseberry and a touch of herbs. Vibrant and fresh on the palate, with mineral notes on a clean finish.

2. Henry Of Pelham Chardonnay VQA    LCBO#:291211   $15.95   13%    6g/l
Pale golden yellow; green apple, grapefruit & pears with hint of spice on the nose & palate; dry, fresh & zesty.

RED
1. Masi Campofiorin IGT   LCBO#: 155051   $25.00   13%   5g
Masi created Campofiorin in 1964, utilizing the rich residual pomace leftover from Amarone production to add depth to their Valpolicella. What they created is now called Ripasso, one of the most famous Italian wines. The wine is dry and medium-bodied with fig, cherry and spice flavours. Pair with lamb and polenta.

2. Henry of Pelham Baco Noir VQA     LCBO#:270926    $16.95   13%   14g/l
Baco noir's wild berry and smoky notes are deftly handled at Henry of Pelham, where this grape has become a recognized specialty. Deep ruby red colour with purple hints; smoky, prune aromas with spice, floral and chocolate notes. Extra dry and medium-bodied with pronounced chokeberry flavours lingering on a smoky finish

3. Peninsula Ridge Merlot LCBO#:61101   $16.95 VQA       13.1% 6 g/L
Medium ruby in colour with aromas of red fruit, herbs, berry, spice and watermelon. Medium-bodied, quite ripe and silky, it ends with toasted spices and harmonious tannins.

4. Château des Charmes Gamay Noir VQA   LCBO#:57349 15.95 13   2 g/l
Ruby red colour; fresh plum and red fruit aroma with a note of toast; plum, red berry, toast, cedar and cherry in flavour, medium body, clean dry finish5.

Garry Jenkins

Group 5 - June 2024

We gathered around John's backyard patio table to experience a somewhat different wine tasting event. Selected foods were matched with lighter style wines and the results of the group are documented in the attached chart.

Wines were selected following recommendations from a book by Dornenburg and Page entitled "What to Drink with What you Eat".

The big winner was Lobster with Chablis wine. With the weather being very warm and threatning rain, cool white and rose wines were drunk with enthusiasm while devouring the different foods.Rain poured down 10 minutes after everyone left. The only ones that got wet was the clean up crew.

Attendees were Garry Jenkins, Joe Reid, David Stubbert, Don Hare, John Mark and special guest Peter Crawford.

John Mark

Group 2 - May 2024

We met at Peter Crawford’ s home to taste good wine, share great cheeses and more importantly have conversations with friends.
Those present included Bob Weese, Jim Christie, Mike Preston, Bob Ewart, Tony Hart, Peter Crawford, Hugh Turner , John Mark and Ron Kawchuk.
The tasting criteria was wines priced under $20 and rated above 90.

1. An Australian Shiraz. Chocolate Factory rated 93 and priced at $19.95.
2. A Portuguese wine Terra Lenta rated 90 with a $13.95 price.
3. An Argentina wine Armando rated 92 at $14.95.
4. From Spain Tempranillo Crianza that rated 92 and priced at $13.95.
5. This Chilean wine called 8 grapes with a 92 rating and $17.95 price.
6. Another Spanish Valdelana Crianza rated 93 and price of $18.95.

Needless to say they all tasting very good but these experts chose the Shiraz as the best of the group but value for the money was given to Terra Lenta from Portugal.
A good time was had by all!

Peter Crawford.

Group 1 - May 2024

Eight members of Wine-Tasting Group 1 met on May 15 at the home of Denis Bailey. We compared 6 red wines: 3 monovarietal examples from 3 different countries, and 3 blended wines from the same countries. The monovarietal wines selected are dominant in their respective countries: Sangiovese in Italy, Tempranillo in Spain, and Carménière in Chile. The blended wines contain a major proportion of the same wine as the monovarietals but also contained portions of other wines. The added wines are intended to enhance the features of the wines, creating a more complex and balanced taste.

We were generally surprised that the monovarietal wines from Italy and Spain tasted similar to each other. Only the monovarietal from Chile had a distinctive taste. Furthermore, the blended wine from each country could not be readily distinguished from the monovarietal wine from the same country. It was generally concluded that the monovarietal wines and the blended wines from Italy and Spain all tasted similar to one another.

The failure to distinguish these wines may be attributable to the lack of expertise among the tasters. However, our expertise became more apparent in tasting the monovarietal and blended wines from Chile. They were were similar to each, but they had a distinctive taste that distinguished them from the Italian and Spanish wines. Our inability to detect distinctive features among most of the wines examined did not inhibit an otherwise wide ranging and stimulating discussion, admittedly mostly on non-wine related topics.

   # Name of wine                           Type                                                                                     Country                                  Price

     1   Prugneto Romagna                 DOC Sangiovese Superiore Monovarietal: Sangiovese               Italy                                  $19.85
     2   Monte Antico Blend                 Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon                                     Italy                                  $15.95
     3   Montecillo Rioja Reserva        Monovarietal: Tempranillo                                                            Spain                                  $19.35
     4   Beronia Rioja Reserva            Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo                                                   Spain                                  $23.95
5   2022 Luis Felipe Edwards      Terra Vega Carménière Monovarietal: Carménière                       Chile                                  $14.00
6   Novas Gran Reserva              Carménière Cabernet Sauvignon Organic                                Chile                                  $18.00

D. Bailey

Group 5 - April 18, 2024

The following wines were taste-tested at the home of Joseph Reid, by Applewood Probus Wine Group 5. Your host takes no credit for the wine descriptors which came his way prior to the tasting.

One Pound Per Acre Chardonnay- South Australia; LCBO # 32828; $9.95; fresh and crisp, aromas of tropical fruit; an LCBO best seller, with great customer reviews; winery gets its name from the initial cost per acre to buy the land.                                                                                                                      Group’s average score- 83

Big Head 2022 Chardonnay Stone- NOTL; not available at LCBO; $29.80; deceptively juicy and pleasing; hand picked and whole cluster crushed in mid-October, 2022; fermented in concrete, then cold stabilized in stainless steel.                                                                                                       Group’s average score- 86

Duca di Saragnano Alchymia Primitivo- Puglia; Vintages # 636613; $19.95; fruity and full bodied; ripe but balanced; excellent customer reviews.                                                                                                         Group’s average score- 89.3

Remo Farina Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2019- Veneto; Vintages # 999946; $24.95; smoky plum flavour; medium bodied; the dried Amerone grape is fermented (“repassed“) a 2^nd time.
                                                                                                                                Group’s average score- 87.5

Orso Bruno Old Vine Zinvandel- Puglia; LCBO # 31808; $10.95; a surprisingly good wine for the price.
                                                                                                                                Group’s average score- 89.0

Ricasoli Rocca Guicciarda Riserva Chianti Classico- Tuscany; Vintages # 943613; $24.95; ripe and layered with red fruit, chestnut and floral notes; from the oldest winery in Italy, where, in 1872, the blend for Chianti was created.                                                                                                            Group’s average score- 84.2

Joseph Reid

Group 1 - April 2, 2024

5 members of our group met on April 2 at the home of Ken Foxcroft in Oakville; with Mike Read away in Arizona and Alan Lytle away in the UK, joining the group was Justin Foxcroft (Ken’s son who is a wine agent). The theme of this tasting was a “Giro d’Italia.”
This event included tasting wine, cheese and charcuterie from different wine regions in Italy.
The following wines were tasted:
Chliarli Castelvetro (red sparkling/palette teaser) from Emilia Romagene
Fazi Battaglia La Passerine (a light wine from Marche)
Nebbiolo D’alba Brumo (a robust red wine from Piedmont)
Alchymia Primitivo (a red wine from Puglia) **
Nicosia Contrada Monte Gorna (Etna red wine from Sicily)
Falconi Castel Del Monte Ross Riserva ( a light red wine from Abruzzo)
Babbino di Gran Selezione Chianti Classico (the classic red wine of Tuscany)
Frascabaldi Pomino Vin Santo (a sweet dessert wine from Tuscany)
** star of the tasting
Ken Foxcroft

Group 2 - February 28, 2024

On Feb 28 eight of us us met at Ron K's condo on a warm (for February) and cloudy day.

We sampled 6 wines from 6 different countries. All were very drinkable with ratings between 13.9 and 16 out of 20.

The favourite was 2020 Vicente Faria Lisbon by Night ($10.95) from Portugal. It was also the lowest cost wine.

Second was Meiomi Pinot Noir ($23.95), a popular red wine produced in California.

Tied for 3rd were "Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 (on sale $14.95) from Australia

and Cigar Box Pinot Noir (on sale $12.95) from Chile's famed Casablanca Valley

Chateau Puyfromage Albert Signature 2019 ($34.99 online) from Bordeaux was a disappointing 5th

Chianti Classico Primocolle Villa Cerna 2019 (vintages $19.95) from Italy was ranked lowest

Group 3 - February 21, 2024

Group 3 wine tasting group met on February 21st, hosted by Reg and Alison Perkin in their condo at The Fairways. Present were Jack Doney, Don Steen, Doug Gilpin, Paul Walters, Neil Paget and Marty Wanat. Replacing vacationing Bryce Atkinson was Jim Davidson.

Reg decided to explore the world of MALBEC, a red wine associated primarily with Argentina. Argentina is a large country in the southern hemisphere, long in the north/south direction; so the north part closer to the Equator is warm , including some desert, and the southern part is colder. Malbec grapes are grown in all the regions of Argentina and the grapes and the wines they produce reflect the differences in the climate.

Five of the six Malbec wines tasted were from Argentina and one from France. They were, in order:

No.	Wine	Rank
1	Malbec Canale Patagonia Est Intimo (Hum) LCBO 144725	6
2	Vida Organico Malbec LCBO 17753	4
3	Pineraie Cahors (Ch. Pineraie) Malbec - France LCBO 78725	5
4	Nieto Senetiner Malbec LCBO 32145	2
5	Tapiz Alta Collection Malbec LCBO 450155	3
6	El Esteco Malbec LCBO 113191	1

Commentary: Our tasters were very pleased with the quality of the Malbec wines we tasted, and the prices were very reasonable, all in the $15 - $20 range. The top rated # 1,2,3 Malbec wines were all from the central region of Argentina. The # 6 rated wine was from the colder south of the country.

Reg Perkin

Group 3 - Jan 17, 2024

Probus Winetasting Group 3 met on January 17, 2024, hosted by Doug Gilpin.
Six red wines of different varieties were sampled and are listed below in order of the group's preferences:

No.	Wine	Score	Price
1	Luigi Bosca Malbec, Argentina	121.5	$19.95
2	Seven Falls Merlot, Washington	120.0	$22.95
3	Irving Spring Hill Sheraz, Australia	115.5	$19.25
4	Pound Cake Cabernet Sauvignon, California	115.5	$19.95
5	Roux Pere et Fils Pinot Noir, France	107.5	$19.05
6	Falesco Valpolicella Ripossa, Italy	104.5	$18.95

The tasting, attended by the regular members Marty Wanat, Reg Perkin, Jack Doney, and the host, enjoyed the pleasure of guests Richard Kitney, Paul Moore, Mile Preston, and Jim Christie.

Doug Gilpin

Group 2 - November 22, 2023

Wine Group 2 was hosted this month by Bob Weese at the Chartwell Grenadier in Bloor West Village. The group turned out in full strength and tasted Syrah/Shiraz wines from several countries. The original home of Syrah is the Rhone Valley in the south of France but the wine has spread to many places around the world including Australia where it’s called Shiraz. The six wines tasted were at a variety of price points, from $9.95 to $38.95.

Wits End Luna Shiraz, Australia -- $15.95
Caliterra Tributo Syrah, Chile -- $18.95
Vidal Reserve Hawkes Bay Syrah, New Zealand -- $29.95
One Pound Per Acre Shiraz, Australia -- $9.95
St. Joseph Rouge (Louis Bernard), France -- $38.95
Cathedral Cellar Shiraz, South Africa -- $17.95

The wines were all very drinkable but our group again demonstrated its expertise by ranking the cheapest wine in first place and the most expensive in last place!!!

Group 3 - November 15, 2023

Our group met at my home on the afternoon of November 15th. Neil Paget was warmly welcomed back to our gathering after many weeks of radiation treatment. Reg Perkin, Bryce Atkinson and Paul Walters were unable to participate, however Peter Crawford and John Spence were very willing spares and excellent contributors to our tasting.

Six Cabernet Sauvignon wines from different areas were selected and their respective rankings are enclosed. The individual scoring results were extremely close and the winning wine was Chateau Pey La Tour from France.

Everyone enjoyed a great afternoon!

Commentary: Our tasters were very pleased with the quality of the Malbec wines we tasted, and the prices were very reasonable, all in the $15-20 range

The top rated # 1,2,3 Malbec wines were all from the central region of Argentina. The # 6 rated wine was from the colder south of the country.

Reg Perkin

Group 2 - November 23 2023

Wine Group 2 was hosted this month by Bob Weese on Nov 23/23 at the Chartwell Grenadier in Bloor West Village. The group turned out in full strength and tasted Syrah/Shiraz wines from several countries. The original home of Syrah is the Rhone Valley in the south of France but the wine has spread to many places around the world including Australia where it’s called Shiraz. The six wines tasted were at a variety of price points, from $9.95 to $38.95.

Wits End Luna Shiraz, Australia -- $15.95
Caliterra Tributo Syrah, Chile -- $18.95
Vidal Reserve Hawkes Bay Syrah, New Zealand -- $29.95
One Pound Per Acre Shiraz, Australia -- $9.95
St. Joseph Rouge (Louis Bernard), France -- $38.95
Cathedral Cellar Shiraz, South Africa -- $17.95

The wines were all very drinkable but our group again demonstrated its expertise by ranking the cheapest wine in first place and the most expensive in last place!!!

Group 2 - October 2023

Wine Tasting Group 2 met on October 25^th with 6 attendees: Jim Christie, Bob Weese, Bob Ewart, Hugh Turner, Peter Crawford and Victor Fornasier.

The tasting consisted of 5 Pinot Noir wines from 5 different countries and one non-Pinot just to confuse everyone. Only one participant was able to identify the non-pinot, well done Hugh!

As usual the cheapest wine, Cigar Box Pinot from Chile was rated the best… or it could be because it was the last one tasted?

Tasting	Name	Country	Price	Group Rating
1	Oyster Bay Pinot Noir Marlborough 2021	New Zealand	$22.95	14.5
2	Mirassou Pinot Noir 2021	USA california	$17.95	13.5
3	Henry of Pelham Pinot Noir VQA 2021	Canada Niagara	$17.95	15.0
4	Planeta Frappato Sicilian Vittoria 2021	Italy	$24.95	14.8
5	Philippe De Rothschild Pinot Noir Pays 2021	Southern France	!15.55	15.2
6	Cigar Box Pinot Noir 2022	Chile	$14.96	16.5

Group 5 - October 2023

We came together in full force in October for what turned out to be a spirited tasting. The host added in two white wines, one from Croatia and one from South Africa and a blockbuster of a Zinfandel from Lodi, augmenting the stunning array of bold red wines put forth by Bob from our aborted attempt at holding a September event. We debated the merits of a more structured, Robert Parker inspired sensory analysis and scoring system, but rejected it for something a lot less involved and a lot more fun.

Group discussion centred around the horrific current events and the chaotic state of the world. All acknowledged that the hatred and mistrust demonstrated of late, is just too difficult to understand and does not bode well for the future of the world.
The theme of the tasting was Classical styles vs. winemaker intervened Newer World styles. Predictably, the tasters preferred the bolder, more flavoured styles by 2 to 1.

Below are the wines we tasted, from most popular to least popular.

1. 7 Deadly Zins 2018 - Zinfandel - 15% ABV Michael David Wines, Lodi California $24.95
2. Robert Mondavi Private Selection - Bourbon Barrel-Aged Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
14.5%ABV Robert Mondavi Wines - Central Coast California $22.95
3. Pietra Pura Mandus - Primitivo Di Manduria 2021 14.5% ABV Rocco del Macie, Tuscany Italy $18.95
4. Boschendal Sommelier Selection Chenin Blanc - 2021 13% ABV Boschendal Winery -
Western Cape, South Africa $19.95
5. Arboleda Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 - 14.5% ABV Eduardo Chadwick & Robert Mondavi producers - Aconcagua Valley, Chile $19.95
6. Stina Cuvee White 2021 12.5% ABV 70% Posip, 20% Vugava, 10% Chardonnay
Bol, Croatia Central & South Dalmatia $21.95

David Litner

Group 5 - October 2023

Five of us and guest, Jim Gola, enjoyed a leisurely rainy afternoon on Oct 26.

We sampled Australian wines: Several Cab Sauvs and one Shiraz.

Overall the favourite was #6, with the inexpensive Shiraz #5 a close second, though all the wines were deemed "good" by those present.

WINE TASTING - AUSTRALIA

Wakefield Promised Land Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Medium ruby; floral, cassis and cedar aromas; these reappear on the palate along with black cherry and a hint of juniper on the smooth finish. $14.95

Victoria Park Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 This deeply-coloured wine hails from South Australia, and takes its name from a park honouring Princess Victoria, before she became Queen. Expect the fruit character of warm climate cabernet sauvignon; prune and floral aromas and flavours, with notes of smoke, mint and black olive. Pair with grilled burgers or ribs. $14.95

Zonte's Footstep Blackberry Patch Cabernet 2019 Bright, purple wine, Joven in style with a lifted estery spicy raspberry bouquet and a light, nicely textured, palate lifted with dark fruit flavours. Score - 96. (Winestate, July/Aug. 2021) $19.95

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz/Cabernet 2019 First crafted in 1976, this classic Australian blend of Shiraz and Cabernet has always been a favourite. Supple and concentrated, with toast, cedar, black plum, vanilla and herbal tones, it's a wine with broad appeal. It will be superb with pepper steak or grilled ribs. $17.45

McGuigan Black Label Shiraz 2021 Black cherry red colour; lifted aromas of red berry and fruit, touches of mint, toast and blood orange; dry, medium bodied, rich and rounded with ripe red berry and fruit, hints of herbs and a soft pleasant finish. $9,95

Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Attention to detail creates the quality and consistency that Wolf Blass wines are known for. Yellow Label Cab is made with fruit from Australia's Langhorne Creek and McLaren Vale regions. Enjoy flavours of coffee, smoky oak, black plum along with floral and wild honey notes. A superb pairing for roast lamb with rosemary. $18.00

Group 2 - September 2023

Wine tasting group 2 met on September 27th to sample white wines.
Those attending were Mike Preston, Jim Christie, Bob Weese, Bob Ewart, Hugh Turner and Peter Crawford.

Wines tasted:

Mare do Siena Pinot Grigio, Italy at $9:95
Santiago Sortesele Pinot Grigio Italy at $18:95
Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough NZ at $21:95
Te Henga Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough NZ at $15:95
Cave Springs Riesling, Ontario at $14:95
Willm Riesling, Alsace France at $22:95

As a group we generally found it more difficult to distinguish the appearance and aroma of these three different white wines, but in terms of taste and overall impressions the Rieslings and Sauvignon were preferred. Top choice was the Alsace Riesling.

The group had a lively discussion on the state of the nation and were able to consume a fair amount of cheese. A good time was had by all.

Peter Crawford

Group 5 - September 2023

Group 5 July 2023 Wine tasting.
Our theme for this tasting was wines of the Southern Hemisphere. We didn’t try to compare wines since there were three varieties. Instead, each was judged on its own merit and whether we enjoyed the wine. The white wines had a lower score than the reds. This may have been because one of the group is not a big fan of whites and rated them lower, thus lowering the overall score for them.   Overall, the wines rated fairly well.
1 Santa Rita Secret Reserve Sauvignon Blanc   LCBO#: 16189 OUR SCORE 83.6
Flavours Herbal, Grapefruit, Gooseberry Alcohol/Vol 13% Maipo Valley, ChileSugar Content 2 g/L Price $15.8
An elegant sauvignon blanc from the Casablanca Valley, one of Chile's cool-climate areas devoted to producing high-quality white wine. A crisp, zesty palate follows the intense aroma of citrus, passion fruit and herbal tones with flavours of tropical fruit, lime and green fruit. Enjoy on its own or with shellfish.
2 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc   LCBO#: 308288 OUR SCORE 85.0
Flavours Herbal, Kiwi, Citrus Alcohol/Vol 13% New Zealand Sugar Content 3 g/L     Price $20

Pale straw colour; pronounced grassy and gooseberry aromas with white peach and citrus notes; dry and crisp with grassy and citrus flavours with a zesty lime finish.
3 Bodega Toro Centenario Malbec   LCBO#: 12452   OUR SCORE 88.2
Flavours Red Fruit, Juniper, Berry             Alcohol/Vol 13% Mendoza, Argentina
Sugar Content 6 g/L             Price: $12

An approachable and flavourful malbec from the famous Mendoza region. Expect aromas and flavours of ripe red fruit, juniper, mixed berries and plums with notes of herbs. Rich, smooth palate with balanced acidity and notes of red fruit, berries, juniper and herbs on the finish. Great with grilled or bbq lamb, beef or ribs.

4 Trapiche Pure Malbec LCBO# 370924   OUR SCORE 86.6
Flavours Floral, Berry, Bread                       Alcohol/Vol 14% Argentina
Sugar Content 4 g/L                       Price: $19

Trapiche is Argentina's leading exporter of wine. This malbec shows a commitment to pure fruit flavours. An opaque, deep ruby with purple hues; upfront aromas of berry melange, rye bread crust, red fruit, plus hints of bloor orange. The palate is dry, finely textured and brimming with flavours of plum, blackberry and spice.

5 Yellow Tail Cabernet Sauvignon LCBO#: 621623 OUR SCORE 89.0
Flavours: Floral, Prune, Candy                   Alcohol/Vol 13.5%                   Australia
Sugar Content 10 g/L                     Price: $13

Deep purple with intense aromas of prune and candy/vanilla. The palate is rich with confectionary black fruit, black olive and wood spice. The finish is rich and mellow.

6 Angus The Bull Cabernet Sauvignon LCBO: 605615   OUR SCORE 89.6
Flavours Chocolate, Cedar, Plum            Alcohol/Vol 14%                        Australia
Sugar Content 2 g/L                   Price: $20

The philosophy behind this Australian cabernet sauvignon was to create the perfect pairing for beef. They succeeded! Deep ruby colour, with aromas and flavours of chocolate, cedar, black plum, floral and herbal notes. Medium to full-bodied and smooth, with a long finish, this is made for grilled steak and roasted potatoes