Terre à Terre Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (Wrattonbully, SA)
14.5%, Screwcap, $35
Source: Sample
www.terreaterre.com.au
Sourced from Xavier Bizot’s close planted Wrattonbully vineyard (which is across the road from his father in law Brian Croser’s Whalebone vineyard), this is in absolute top form this vintage, those tannins in absolutely outstanding form.
Xavier believes that those tannins are largely vineyard derived, as this really isn’t treated differently to many other Cabernets from neighbouring Coonawarra. Think hand picked fruit, a slow fermentation/maturation in old oak for 13 months and then 8 months in a near-new 4000L foudre (what a sexy word foudre is. So French).
What I like also is the freshness – it’s a minty wine, no doubt, with pencil shavings oak in there too, though complemented by fudgey, rich-but-savoury fruit. Perhaps the oak is a little dominant on the palate, but gee, that mid palate generosity and lingering tannins more than make up for it. A real slow-burner of a wine this one, and did I mention those lingering, fine-but-firm tannins.
Perhaps a little too much richness and mint juxtaposition here for absolute greatness, but gee, it is a pretty solid wine. Much to like and much to come.
Drink: 2014-2020+
Score: 17.7/20 92/100+
Would I buy it? For the cellar perhaps. Just a glass for now.
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