We opened six of Australia’s Greatest Cabernets to see How They Compare.

 

In wine, and in life, it is vitally important to understand things in context.  It’s a simple thing to say whether or not you like something.  But how much do you like it?  Is it better than that?  Why?  Why not?  Even with the benefit of comparison, these can sometimes be difficult questions to answer.

So – in the Margaret River context, a region that excels in chardonnay and cabernet; which are the best and why?  We put five accepted superstars into a tasting together and included one beauty from the Yarra Valley (for context).  [There are more from Vic that I wanted to include, but there will be more tastings, and more opportunity, so the decision was made to tap out at six in total.]

 

They were, in order of opening:

Moss Wood 2017

Vasse Felix Tom Cullity 2016

Cullen Vanya 2017

Cullen Diana Madeline 2018

Woodlands Clementine Eloise 2016

Mount Mary Quintet 2017

 

I made a slight error here: I ordered them in order of palate weight, from finest to densest, with the Yarra Valley wine set apart from the group.  The order wasn’t quite right, because the Vanya was more ethereal than I remembered and should have been after the Moss Wood and before the Tom Cullity.  But what’s done is done.

The decision not to integrate the Yarra wine into the group was mainly down to the very different fruit profile.  The wine is totally beautiful in its own right.  I discuss this in more depth at the end of the video.

These are all magnificent wines.  The quality is pretty much on a par, meaning if you were to part with $150-550, your dollars would be spent on wines that were raised by a comparable pedigree of vines, expertly managed, and put together by very talented winemakers.  You would be purchasing based on, in my opinion, style.  That is where these wines differ.

 

 

Glass # 1

Moss Wood 2017

Berry fruits, fine purity, tremendous length.  This looks silky, slippery, red berried and fine.  John uses the word ‘willowy’, which hits the nail on the head.  Fine tannins are totally integrated.  The oak is evident, it is there, but it is lovely and well suited to the fruit.  This brilliantly long wine opens the door to the rest of the tasting.  A perfect start.

 

 

Glass # 2

Vasse Felix Tom Cullity 2016

As I mention on the video, this is one of the two wines that is in the most danger of being consumed young, such is the completeness of it now. The 2016 fruit has a salivating saltiness about it.  Led by red berries and cassis it is pure and concentrated.  This is almost shimmering in its power and drive.  It is very long through the finish; it is hard to know when it ends.  The tannins are fine, crushed powder fine.  It speaks of balance and harmony.  It manages to convey power without weight, it is medium bodied and silky.  A complex, fine and beautiful cabernet.  Utterly delicious, as well as being an excellent wine with a long-term cellaring future.

 

 

Glass # 3

Cullen Vanya 2017

Ethereal, fine and almost pinot-esque it is so silky.  The fruit never so much as peaks on the palate, as it glides effortlessly and consistently… sailing through into the very very long length.  This is zen calm, finely structured, and very long.

 

 

Glass # 4

Cullen Diana Madeline 2018

Wow.  The nose.  It is the very picture of cabernet.  Perfect, ripe, fresh, succulent cabernet.  The palate has powdery fine tannins.  Incredible density of fruit.  The texture is standout, the layers of flavour and spice seem never-ending.  Like carefully designed stairs, leading upwards.  Steps of flavour.  Very fine acid.  Hard to imagine how this could be improved.

 

 

Glass # 5

Woodlands Clementine Eloise 2016

Dense and concentrated, this is smooth, polished, plush, ripe and layered.  A tour de force of cabernet.  Speaking of Margaret River as much as it speaks of cabernet, there is an attractive powdery fine saline brush against the underside of the tongue, the tannins hold a chewy form, and retain the lingering fruit and spice flavours for a seemingly interminable time.  The 2016 has a savoury side that is incredibly appealing – like a foil character to the sweet fruit.  Everything is in balance and harmony here, a rhythmic push/pull of flavour/texture, spice/acid, chew/succulence…It really is something.  This will live and live and live.

 

 

Glass # 6

Mount Mary Quintet 2017

Plush and alluring, the perfume on this wine is simply astonishing.  Not only is this structured, firm, long and full of integrity, but it is elegant, ethereal, delicious and in danger of being drunk today (when, to do it justice it should NOT be drunk today, but in five, ten, twenty plus years time).  Florals and red berries.  Utterly gorgeous.  Wowee.  Love this. Subliminal tannins.  Unending length.  Light fine tannins around a juicy middle palate.  Finished it.

 

 

So: how are these wines the same?  Well, fruit profile is different, the tannins are different, and the texture is different.  But the length of flavour and the elegance and the pedigree are on a par.  It comes down to style and your cabernet preference.  At the end of the tasting?  My two empty glasses were the Mount Mary and Vasse Tom Cullity.

Watch the video here.