2018 Kirrihill The Pastor of Clare Cabernet Malbec

Dense black as night heart with a deep dark red black hue. Leading off are intense blackcurrant and liquorice aromatics which are supported by mint, cedary tobacco notes and spicy earth. Rich blackcurrant, liquorice and choc mint flavours swamp the large scaled palate with notions of vanillin cedar, earthy tobacco, subtle black olive and spicy dried herb characters lying underneath. Firms up on the finish with a robust tannin structure lending some grip to the long opulent conclusion.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 14.5%

Other Reviews…
Many of Kirrihill's reds have been hammered with too much oak, and this is not shy either, but somehow it takes everything in its stride. Maybe it's the malbec. Maybe it's magic. There's a buoyancy across the palate, velvety and expansive tannins, lemony acidity and plenty of regional accents. The most restrained of the high-end reds. But still bolshie. Drink by 2033.
95 points
Jane Faulkner – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion