2001 Patina ‘Museum’ Cabernet Sauvignon
$55.00
The 2001 Cabernet grapes came from an Orange vineyard and were less ripe than the field sample had indicated resulting in a wine that was quite high in acid and tannin making the wine too sharp when young but great attributes for a long living wine. I think it is drinking quite well now, albeit more of a French than Australian style.
Product Description
Winemaker: Gerald Naef
Colour: Red to brick red.
Aroma: The nose is very complex showing primary fruit characters of herbs, plum, black currant, prunes, cherry and oak characters of tobacco, pencil shavings, cloves and cedar and savoury aged characters of soy, ink, toffee, walnut and coffee grounds.
Palate: The palate is amazingly fresh and light for this aged wine, starting with inviting ripe fruit leading to good acid and fine tannin mid palate flowing through to a long finish with hints of sour cherry.
Winemaking: My focus was on any winemaking aspects that would soften the herbaceous characters of this early picked cabernet. It was cold soaked to bring out the darker fruits; pressed off skins when nearly dry and left in oak for a considerable time.
Cellaring: Time has done this wine well and it is difficult to know how long it will keep improving. In a blind tasting I would likely categorise it as a much younger wine. It has developed a distinct crust in the bottle adding to the romance of opening it now, but I wouldn’t be in a hurry, it should continue to evolve favourably for a number of years.
My focus was on any winemaking aspects that would soften the herbaceous characters of this early picked cabernet. It was cold soaked to bring out the darker fruits; pressed off skins when nearly dry and left in oak for a considerable time.
Time has done this wine well and it is difficult to know how long it will keep improving. In a blind tasting I would likely categorise it as a much younger wine. It has developed a distinct crust in the bottle adding to the romance of opening it now, but I wouldn’t be in a hurry, it should continue to evolve favourably for a number of years.
