2016 Zema Estate Cluny Cabernet Merlot

One of Coonawarra’s long standing Estate’s, the Zema family having been crafting wines from their vineyards for nearly 40 years. The family arrived from Italy in 1953 bringing with them a wealth of traditional vineyard practices and experience. In 1982 they purchased their first 20 acre property, located in the heart of the famed terra rossa strip adjacent to Coonawarra landmarks Mildara, Rouge Homme and Wynns. Eight acres were already planted to Shiraz, the remaining 12 acres were subsequently planted to Cabernet Sauvignon.

A great value Coonawarra blend that's velvet smooth and shows great finesse.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 9% Malbec and 6% Cabernet Franc matured for 16 months in French and American oak. Midnight black in colour with a deep dark red hue. Sailing from the glass is a wonderful array of red to black currant and mulberry aromatics which are followed up by spicy vanillin cedar, tobacco and subtle bay leaf notes. Mid weighted with an elegant yet generous feel, the palate features ripe red and black currant fruits over mulberry, cedary tobacco characters, gentle earth and spicy bay leaf. Supplely textured it has velvet smooth tannins and finishes with a long aftertaste that shows great finesse.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 14.5%

Other Reviews….
Still bright colour. Zema is Coonawarra's long-term consistent producer of this blend. This is elegant to the point of understatement, and equivalently balanced. In the final analysis, it lacks that last 5% to get it into gold medal territory. Drink by 2029.
94 points
James Halliday – Australian Wine Companion

Chunky, rich, bold red. Done well. Balanced. Thick set tannins in a meaty soup of dark berries, mocha, vanilla, clove and cinnamon spice. Fat, strong, big. Feels good in its way, marches to its own beat, lots of good and complex flavour. Delivers a huge hit of ripe red wine so very well. Old school-good school. Line up. A banger.
93 points
Mike Bennie – The Wine Front