1996 John Riddoch Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
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Tasting notes
From a classic South Australian vintage and cooler for Coonawarra, this 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon John Riddoch has good generosity of fruit with ripe open knit aromas of blackberry, black cherry and cassis. There is also a marked cedary oak edge, although it lacks quite the precision and focus of the best years. A fleshy, attractive texture is then matched by dusty, ground spice nuances with grainy tannins and fresh acid, providing the backbone for a firm finish. This wine is at peak but will hold for a little while longer.
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Cabernet has been planted in very heterogeneous areas in Australia and not always in the best spots. Styles have gone in phases and fashions: early on in Coonawarra many wines were made in a rather unripe imitation of Bordeaux, but now styles have become more much regionally specific in Coonawarra and elsewhere and much more successful. Winemaker Sue Hodder. 1996 was one of the coolest vintages for a decade. This was one of my favourite wines of the tasting – it was just so distinctive and complex and expressive. Intensely aromatic – a little touch of leafiness and eucalyptus. Smooth chocolate textured. Fresh and deeply textured. Hard to believe it is already 12 years old. But there are beginnings of leather and cedar box. Concentrated yet lovely purity and freshness. With time in the glass, some gently meaty and savoury notes emerge but so fresh and young. Intensity and purity come from the location and have been preserved by the winemaking. Firm and dry and so fine. Delicious. Structured and elegant. (JH) £20
Saturated deep ruby. Sexy aromas of black raspberry, cassis, toffee, baking spices and cocoa powder. Primal, very concentrated cassis and blackberry flavors are currently dominated by a powerful spine of acidity. Extremely unevolved but structured for long aging in bottle. Finishes with huge, tongue-coating tannins and slow-building, extremely long dark berry flavors.