No bull, just horseradish: Angus the Bull Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Angus the Bull Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (Various Regions)
14%, Screwcap, $19.95
Source: Sample
www.angusthebull.com

When this sample arrived it came with a bottle of horseradish cream. Naturally the horseradish went straight into the fridge and the wine into the pile. That was 6 months ago…

Flash forward to now with the glass in front and you know what? I’ve just realised that the horseradish is still sitting in the door of the fridge 90% full. It’s still sitting there because, like this Cabernet, it just looks a bit pedestrian – it’s a horseradish without bite, which means it is a failure. Thankfully I still have plenty of hot English mustard to go around…

To be fair I’ve spotted this Cabernet in internet wine land for sub $18 a bottle, and for that it’s fair drinking. This 2011 will be the last ‘multi-regional’ Angus the Bull as it will go to being a richer Central Victorian wine from 2012 – I’m more looking forward to trying that.

What this does have is plenty of flavour – a big, bold and curranty blokes wine, and anything but a shrinking violet of an ’11. The problem is that it tastes sweet, the style is all juice, no tannins, which really annoys after about the first glass. Sure it’s pleasant – and the intentions are good – but underneath, this is as bland as the horseradish. Drink early.


Drink: 2013-2015
Score: 15.5/20, 86/100
Would I buy it? No.