The reds, from the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (4/5 $38/$30.40) with its pronounced varietal character through the 2007 Shiraz (4/5 $35/$28) and 2008 Cabernet Merlot (4/5 $25/$20) were impressive styles, while I was less convinced by the 2008 Classic Dry Red (3.5/5 $20/$16). Tempranillo fans should be impressed by the 2009 Tempranillo (4/5 $25/$20), though varietal sceptics might disagree.
Overall, however, as much as the wines impressed I found myself scratching my head and pondering whether I was missing something. A bridge too far on the tasting trail, perhaps, but maybe it's a case of too-high expectations and severe burnout in the taste buds. Too much of a good thing, and all that.
Given those factors, I wasn't keen on tasting anything more, and we headed into downtown Margaret River, stopping at the Tourist Information for details we needed to plan Thursday morning's Lake Cave excursion and other minor details, then headed off to base camp for the next two nights at Margaret River Tourist Park.
Once we'd settled in, thoughts turned to dinner, and since we hadn't formed any definite plans we walked back into town, partly to work up the appetite and partly to avoid driving over darkened unfamiliar roads at night.
A walk up and down the main street failed to produce anything that grabbed Madam's imagination, so we found our way into the Settlers' Tavern, where the food turned out to be excellent and the drinks options were more than merely interesting. Hardly surprising, really, given the fact that the establishment had picked up the Best Pub Restaurant List gong at the Gourmet Traveller Wine Wine List of the Year Awards.
Madam's catch of the day went down rather well, as did Hughesy's 300 g Scotch fillet with accompanying mashed potato that operated on a whole different playing field to the old-style mash I’m used to. After a cleansing ale I couldn't resist a glass of the Forester Estate Alicante Bouchet, a full-bodied red as opposed to the Rockford tannin-free take on the teinturier variety.
We weren't, however, inclined to hang about inside as the external temperature plummeted (any delay would only mean that it'd be even chillier when we finally ventured outside) and we made our way home at a brisk walk that threatened to develop into a trot as we entered the home straight. Once inside it was a case of on with the old reverse cycle and an early night with a good ten hours' sleep to prepare for a second day on the tasting trail.