Coldstream Hills Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

We loved this wine in 2003. It was a classic new world Cabernet Sauvignon: fruity and full and smooth, with good length, structure, and balance. We drank mostly new world reds then, but it was probably our single favourite wine. We bought perhaps half a dozen bottles and continued to love it through 2005 or so. But then around 2006-7 we drank a bottle that made us think it was past its prime. The delicious fruit seemed to be fading, and other interesting characteristics hadn’t developed to take its place.

Fast forward to December 2008. I’m not sure if the wine has changed or we have, but we opened our last bottle and really enjoyed it. The bright fruit of a few years ago had taken on a more subtle, stewed character, and herbal and other flavours become more prominent. It’s still lush and long and nicely balanced.

In his usual style, Norman subjected the group to a mini-interrogation on the wine (which all but he tasted blind, naturally). We were evenly divided as to whether it was a new world or old world wine. Apparently, it now has characteristics of each.

We sometimes wonder how long to cellar particular bottles. If a wine is meant to be drunk young, we're all for that; but if it is likely to improve with age, we're willing to wait; and we're not always sure. In this case, my preference for drinking a bottle every year or so during the window recommended by the winemaker seems to have worked out reasonably well.

Price: $44
Value: 4/5
Score: 92
Alcohol: 13.5%
Region: Yarra Valley, Australia
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasted: Dec 17 2008
UPC: no longer available