Wynns Coonawarra Estate – Cabernet Sauvignon (2003) (Black Label)

With a name like Wynns Coonawarra Estate you would be forgiven for thinking this wine hails from the Coonawarra region of South Australia, well, you’d also be correct ;). This Cab Sauv has a fantastic nose – black berries combined with two year old bush fire zone complete with hint of road tar.

Having loved the 1997, I’m expecting this one to be pretty damn good, and thus far its holding up to that expectation – relatively smooth tannins on the initial palate complete with liquorice then this wine seems to lose its way a little – it does not have the fantastic aftertaste of the ’97 it seems to just up and die as I sit here waiting for it to kick in, the mid palate while nothing spectacular is pleasent with fruit and wood being present, but I can’t help but be disappointed by the failure of the back palate to kick in, hoping that it will improve with a little more opening up – but not holding out for it to be great. 2003 was not noted for being a phenomenal year in this region, I’d be inclined to check out the 2004 which is said to be a corker for Cab Sauvs’ from the Coonawarra and potentially even 2005 and 2006.