- 94
- 95
2016 Balnaves of Coonawarra Cabernet Merlot
Coonawarra, South Australia,
AUSTRALIA
$27. 99
Bottle
$335.88 Dozen
Cellar: 5 - 6 Years (2026-2027)
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Stelvin
A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot matured for 12 months in tight grained French oak. Pitch black in colour with a deep dark red black hue. Pronounced ripe blackcurrant aromas are accompanied by liquorice, dark chocolate, vanillin cedar, earth and spice notes. Mouthfilling flavours of blackcurrant, liquorice and subtle choc mint overlay toasty vanillin cedar and spicy earth elements. The wines richness supported by sturdy tannins which lead into a long generous yet firmly built conclusion.
Cellar 5-6 years.
Alc. 14.5%
A sleek, taut wine of perfect proportions: 82% cabernet and 18% merlot, toned by 12 months in tight-grain Troncais and Jupiles French oak. Few in Coonawarra manage tannins like Pete Bissell. Fine-boned, ripe tannins that serve as a vector of quality, chaperoning currant, damson plum, anise, bitter chocolate and a swathe of dried herb flavours to a long, effortless finish of grace over bluster; energy over heft; a pucker rather than a rasp; a grin over a grimace. Lovely wine! Drink by 2036.
95 points
Ned Goodwin – James Halliday’s The Wine Companion
Cellar 5-6 years.
Alc. 14.5%
Other Reviews….
A sleek, taut wine of perfect proportions: 82% cabernet and 18% merlot, toned by 12 months in tight-grain Troncais and Jupiles French oak. Few in Coonawarra manage tannins like Pete Bissell. Fine-boned, ripe tannins that serve as a vector of quality, chaperoning currant, damson plum, anise, bitter chocolate and a swathe of dried herb flavours to a long, effortless finish of grace over bluster; energy over heft; a pucker rather than a rasp; a grin over a grimace. Lovely wine! Drink by 2036.
95 points
Ned Goodwin – James Halliday’s The Wine Companion