The Wine Advocate | RP 89
Published: Jun 29, 2010

A slight downgrade from my original score, this wine is quite evolved, displaying ripe plum, black currant, and chocolate notes as well as hints of cedar and espresso. Soft, round, and close to full maturity, overall it is a medium-bodied wine to drink now and over the next decade or more. 
Drink Date: 2010 - 2020

Winemaker

Harvest: 25 September to 6 October
Varietal mix: Cabernet Sauvignon 58%, Merlot 42%

Tasting notes: The wine has a fine, dark red colour with a garnet tint.
The nose, both floral and full of fruit, reveals fine smoky notes.
On the palate, well-balanced structure on forward mature tannins, mingles with red fruit flavours (redcurrant, blackcurrant), liquorice and spices.
The long, lingering finish, displaying a fine harmony between round and full-bodied tannins, bodes well for this characteristic vintage.

Climatic conditions:
After a cold, dry start to the year, a change in the weather pattern brought higher-than-average temperatures and rainfall from February. Budding took place at the end of March, and the mild weather persisted through April. May and June were very warm, with average rainfall; a number of storms were recorded in May.

The first flowers appeared on 23 May. Rapid and even flowering augured well for the rest of the vegetation cycle. The first fortnight of July, cool and wet, was followed by a prolonged period of fine weather. A generally reliable indicator of future quality, the mid-veraison point was noted 7 to 8 days earlier than average for Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (4 and 5 August respectively, rather than 11 and 13), and two days earlier than average for Cabernet Franc (12 August rather than 14).

A few very hot days in late July and early August interrupted the growth of the vine, helping to concentrate sugar and phenols in the berries. The fine weather continued in September; some light rain ensured that the grapes reached full maturity. The harvest took place in good conditions, with plenty of sun during the day. The grapes were healthy, well-coloured, tannic and full of flavour.