2020 Bella Terra Cabernet Sauvignon

Carl's Wine Club: 93+pts "

This is purely Cabernet Sauvignon….powerful and grippy, yet this wine also displays freshness and elegance. I can feel the oak influence but it is not inappropriate, even shortly after bottling. The nose first offers an abundance of pencil shavings, pipe tobacco, liquorice, black currant and fresh sage while the front palate displays blackberry, black cherry, ripe raspberry and dark chocolate. The mid palate is filled with espresso coffee, fresh herbs, tobacco leaves and cedar. The finish is long and complex, spicy with white pepper and cardamon. Some extra time in the bottle will help to tame the tannins. Decanting is strongly recommended."

Tasting Notes:

This 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon displays a deep, intense garnet colour, suggesting its concentration and youthfulness. The nose opens with distinct notes of pipe tobacco, lending an earthy and smoky complexity to the wine. Intertwined with tobacco, the fragrance of liquorice emerges, adding depth. The bouquet further evolves with the presence of black currant, offering a delightful blend of dark fruit and a touch of tartness. Fresh sage leaves provide an herbal nuance, contributing to the wine's overall aromatic richness. 

On the palate, it reveals the luscious essence of ripe raspberry, delivering a burst of juicy and tangy fruit flavours. Dark chocolate notes emerge, enhancing the wine's richness and adding a velvety smoothness to the overall taste. The palate is further enriched with the presence of cherry, providing a touch of sweetness and enhancing the wine's depth of flavour. 

This 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon boasts a long and complex finish that lingers on the palate, leaving a lasting impression. The finish is marked by a delightful spice character, with hints of white pepper and cardamom. These spices add a pleasant warmth to the wine, amplifying its complexity and creating a memorable conclusion to each sip. 

Food Pairing: To complement the flavour profile of the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, a perfect food pairing option would be a grilled rib-eye steak with a peppercorn sauce. The robust and flavourful rib-eye steak, enhanced by the spicy sauce, harmonizes beautifully with the wine's rich black currant and dark chocolate flavours. The ripe raspberry notes will resonate with the succulent beef, while the pepper and cardamom spice in the wine will find an echo in the sauce, creating a harmonious interplay of flavours. 

Wine Information:

Alcohol: 14.9%

Residual Sugar: 3.0g

Appellation: Four Mile Creek