2021 Terre à Terre Crayères Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Shiraz Franc
This is composed and classy Aussie claret smelling: shiraz plumminess and cabernet sauvignon currantiness billowing in and out—then interleaving. Juicy currant leaf and glistening fruitcake; so both coolness and warmth. Wafts of fine, sourdough mocha oak—integrated, so a component not a feature—and a matte burnish of boot polish. There’s serious fruit here, and it smells seriously structured. Has a surprising lightness—openness—to it, and a crispness within the fruit power. Sour cherry mocha and mellow leather pippy berry fruitiness. Has width and length. Really deep and mouth-sucking through the middle with bracing cabernet sauvignon tannin grippiness to close. But this holds and extends the fruit, it doesn’t detract from it. There’s an alcohol warmth as well, which is entirely in character. 94(95)/100 (e) – 8/10 (h) – 😋😋 – $90. Will yield greater complexity with another five years in bottle.
Aussie claret.
94 Points