1998
Wendouree Cabernet Sauvignon

BY NEAL MARTIN |&nbsp;MAY 08, 2023If
there is one Australian producer that sends a tingle down my spine more than
any other, it is surely Wendouree. There…I just shuddered typing the name.
Regrettably, my encounters are infrequent, yet bottles seem to have that
ineffable je ne sais quoi whenever they do appear.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1683322333534-wendouree_covercopy.jpg">The 1998
Cabernet Sauvignon was an outlier that a guest brought to a Bordeaux dinner
to celebrate the launch of my book. It was an inspired choice because, though
derived from the same grape variety, what it seems to do in the Clare Valley is
totally different from the Médoc. Showing little signs of aging, it has a
captivating bouquet with kirsch, aniseed and loamy scents associated more with
the Rhône than Bordeaux. In fact, it curiously brought to mind a couple of
bottles of Rayas tasted a few days earlier. The palate continues in the same
style with copious red fruit, orange rind, allspice, clove and smoke hints.
Smooth-edged and quite sumptuous with a melted quality on the finish, this delicious
Cabernet is peaking right now, but it will surely continue to mature for
another 15-20 years. 94/Drink 2023-2045. © 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.

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