1993 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon

We've looked at this wine on several occasions and quite simply it does not stack up to the outstanding 1991 and 1992 vintages. The first time the ripe chocolate flavours were completely overwhelmed by a bitter astringency that can only be found in very strong bitter black coffee. Some months later another bottle appears and certainly the astringency had been reduced, but the green olive / green tea aromas persisted. We even re-tasted the wine several times during the same day to monitor the evolution of the nose and palate. It improved but the fundamentals over an eight hour period of breathing remained the same.Opaque brick red colour. Herbaceous, mint, medicinal nose with some green aromas - the first impression. The last impression of the day - tobacco, charred oak with a green tea leaf background. The palate is full bodied - lots of weight, with chocolate and earthy leathery flavours dominant. The typical complex Leeuwin palate is missing. The chocolate earth flavours persist, tannins are relatively firm with long leather / earth aftertaste. An off vintage. It happens to the best!!