Description

Tahbilk Cabernet is just about the perfect mature Cab. It’s got the pure blackcurrants, the fine, cedary oak, the cloves, mint and spice. It is earthy and savoury with mouthcoating tannins and fresh acid. The best thing about this Tahbilk Cabernet is it is ready to drink now; the bottle-aging has mellowed it out and offers you the classic old Cabernet flavours of leather and tobacco.

Tahbilk Museum Release Nagambie Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, and all wines are eligible for at least 5% off any six bottles. And 10% off any 12 bottles. Some wines will be at a more significant discount and not subject to further discounts.

Tahbilk, formerly Chateau Tahbilk, was established in 1860. In 1925 it was purchased by the Purbrick family and is still in the family to this day. Their 1214 hectare property includes 200ha of vines. Tahbilk has a strong history in quality wines made from the Rhone varieties, especially Shiraz and Marsanne. Both of which age with grace and reward your patience. They are also capable of making great Cabernet too.

Tahbilk also works hard on conservation. They are carbon neutral and have rehabilitated the Wetlands on their property.

Tahbilk Museum Release Nagambie Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Wine review

Ben Canaider
The Spectator Australia
“Tannin. It’s all about tannin. Dryness. Texture. I drink this wine a lot (I cellar Tahbilk), and I often serve it with my fave Cru Bourgeois Bordeaux – being Chateau Cissac. One’s the Tahbilk of Bordeaux, the other’s the Haut-Medoc Cissac of Central Victoria.
Capable of long cellaring, this Tahbilk has had just enough time under its belt to be doing the Bordeaux thing that Bordeaux does so well. Secondary flavours of leather, tobacco, truffle and cedar. Cook some roast scotch fillet with Madeira sauce.”

Nagambie Lakes

It is rather unfair, but not many people really consider Nagambie Lakes as a wine region. Let alone consider the quality that the region offers. As a sub-region of Goulburn Valley, Nagambie Lakes has a warm, temperate climate with below-average rainfall that helps to make top-level Shiraz. Especially from old-vines, Shiraz is a must-try. In its day, the Mitchelton Print Label was as good as any Shiraz in Australia. But Tahbilk has cornered the market on an expression of Marsanne that pays dividends when cellared for the long-term.

Cabernet Sauvignon

The noble variety of Bordeaux’s left bank. Firm tannins, a streak of acidity and punctuated by flavours of cassis, violets, spice and leather. The best examples can age for the long term. Although Cabernet does often require blending with Merlot, Cabernet Franc or Shiraz to fix the hole it has in its middle palate.

Australian Wine

The invasion of “Sunshine in a bottle” put Australian wine on the map.  The fruity, easy-going, somewhat samey wines were endearing for a short time. Then the next big thing knocked them off their perch.

This forced producers to increase quality and emphasise the distinctive terroirs of Australia. Of which, there are many. And many more yet to be discovered.

Wine

Wine is the result you get from fermented grape juice. There is proof of wine production dating back 8000 years ago. Fashions, innovations and many other factors have influenced the way wine has evolved over the years.

The wine grape is impressive. It contains everything you need to make grape wine except for the yeast, which lives on the outside of the skins.

Human inputs can influence the final product, including the viticulture (growing) choices. And the winemaker can shape the wine to a point too.

The best wines of the world often refer to terroir. Terroir is a French term that refers to all the climatic, geological and topographical influences on a specific piece of land. And it is true that neighbouring vineyards, grown identically, can taste noticeably different.

Red Wine

Fun fact; most of the colour for wines comes from the skins. There are only a handful of grapes that have red juice. Alicante is the most well known of these grapes.

By macerating the juice on the skins, the wine gains tannin and flavour. Certain compounds change the chemistry of the wine too.

Red wines tend to have higher alcohol. More tannin and more oak flavours compared to other styles of wine. But the thousands of grapes and terroirs they grow in influence this.

The Wine Depository

I, Phil, have been running The Wine Depository since 2011. The Wine Depository exists to make sure you are drinking the good wines. You can browse and pick what is interesting to you. Or you can make contact with me. I’ll make sure you get what you want, to your palate, to your budget and to your door.