Capel Vale, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

Hmm, interesting, more developed than expected. Ever so slight brick red to brown edge gives it away. And then slightly stewed fruit on the nose but in no way prune like. I’d so guess this was Bordeaux under cork not Margaret River under screwcap. 13.5% alcohol may be part of the equation. It’s rather fine, complex. 2011 the drought continued in WA (whereas rain made a sad vintage for South Australia). I’m thinking this is less about vintage and more …

Pop and poured. Full bodied with vanilla notes. Spicy and silky with dark fruits. After two hours, some tea with dry finish.

Beautifully balanced, elegant and poised. Medium-bodied blackcurrant, black cherry, hints of red fruits, bay leaf, gravel and vanilla. Seamless complexity. Medium plus length. A treat.

Upon opening I was a bit disappointed. Harsh, dry features grip you up front and the fruit didn't come to the rescue. Give it a few days and strawberry fruit and delicate tannins welcome you with grace and balance. This suggests a long aeration is required. I would give it 3-4hrs as a rough guide. It didn't blow me away wanting to buy more in a hurry but the last sitting did draw me in for a few glasses. This …

Medium to full bodied. Some reductive pong on the nose that closes off with time to reveal red berries, hints of aniseed, cedar and some shoe polish. Quite spicy on the palate with black pepper and violets, dried herbs, some bay leaf and a core of juicy red and black currants and blackberries. Silky tannins and a polished texture. There are hints of vanilla and a solid backbone of cedar. This is still very primary; many, many years left. A …

Not the same flavour density as the 2012. Still good though

90 cab 7 franc 3 Verdot - ohh Wah. Got some brown boot polish, ripe sweet black fruits, coffee caramalised, gentle dark olive, light tomato leaf, those tannins have integrated beautifully, Still needs more time

Cape Mentelle Masterclass (Winesquare, Pyrmont Bridge Road) : From magnum. Blackcurrant, cassis but, perhaps, a little riper. Cream, vanilla, sweet spice, pencil shavings. Juicy, bit of mid palate scoop, sweet blackcurrant fruit and a little spice. Tannins are drying and quite talc textured. Touch of alcohol warmth on the finish. Fruit persists. Hmm.

Fairly mute nose, with time you can coax out some (over) ripe dark berries, cassis. To taste its pretty oaky and unexciting -theres nothing wrong with the wine, but I was hoping for a bit more.

After 4 days in the fridge this had really smoothed out. Still a ring of fruit but so deeply ingrained in leather wood and spices. Very satisfying.

Deep purple and dense. Almost getting towards a sweet wine in consistency. Quite oaky to start but not sweet, in fact well built in fruit and tannins, chocolate, leaves, grainy. Deeply harmonious nose. Still potent so got smoother on the third night. Restrained and quite Bordeaux like more Right than a Left.

Exceptionally earthy complex flavour. Very typical of Margaret River Cabernets. Rich berry flavour present with a hint of oak in the aftertaste. Will improve with age - was a premature opening but most enjoyable none the less.

(Langtons w Mich&Bo) Classic cigar box, expressive sweet capsicum, and elegant green stems. textbook Margaret river.