1992 Petaluma Coonawarra Red Museum Release

Notes sourced from Petaluma.

1992 may be recognised as the greatest vintage of the past fifteen. In an era in which there are few bad (1993 and 1989) and many excellent, (including 1980 and 1986, the wonderful 1990), the yet to be acclaimed 1994, 1992 in Coonawarra wears high expectations.The 1992 vintage experienced a cool spring and early summer which delayed harvest until late March and April. The Cabernet (75%) was mulberry ripe but retained a hint of the spiciness and capsicum flavours of a cooler season. The Merlot (25%) was almost rotten ripe and provides the blend with the palate richness, and blackberry jam sweetness to fill out the Cabernet's austerity.Two years in nevers and Alliers barriques has contributed deeply integrated cedar oak characters This is a recent re-release of Petaluma's Coonawarra blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Vintage 1992. This is a long-term wine now beginning to express some of the fleshiness and creaminess it will acquire with future cellaring. Unusually for a Petaluma it reveals a brambly, almost wild and meaty expression of blackberry fruit supported by cedary and vanilla oak, some leathery bottle development and a faint background suggestion of eucalypt. It's restrained, stylish and very reserved with a nutty, savoury finish and long, dry finish of tight tannins. It rates around 19.2/20 and will drink at its best from 2004 onwards.