Monday, 17 August 2009
Tahbilk 2008 Reds Pack
Every time the Tahbilk Wine Club booklet lands in the PO Box I’m struck by the number of interesting packages on offer, and the August/September 2009 issue was no exception to the rule. While I could have shelled out for the Cabernet & Shiraz Bakers’ Dozen (two of each wine from the 2005, 2002 and 1997 vintages with a 95 Cabernet Shiraz thrown in for good measure, very reasonable at $210), the Cellar Door Big Six at 25% off the Cellar Door price, the Chairman’s Selection (a mix of wines from the 1998 vintage and current releases) or the New Releases pack, I ended up going for the 2008 Reds pack. Two bottles of the 2008 Mourvedre, Grenache, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Merlot and Tempranillo for $135 looked like a good deal, and I’m definitely out to get the taste buds working through the less usual varietals.
It took a couple of days to get around to sampling the bottles that made up the package once it lobbed on the verandah, though. In between placing the order and delivery time I’d been struck down with what may well have developed into Swine Flu, and was under strict instructions to stay off the grog until such time as the symptoms had subsided. When things were clear I thought I’d better try something else to ensure the tasting gear was in order before I started exploring interesting varietals. The first one I tried was the 2008 Merlot, figuring that it’d be a nice match for a beef roast - in fact, as it turned out the wine was by far the better part of the deal.
Not that there was anything wrong with the beef itself, mind you, it was a matter of inadequacies in the cooking department, but the wine covered the disappointment very nicely. A very drinkable style, soft, rounded mouth-feel, berries on the nose and a touch of oak on the palate. Plenty of depth on the palate and a wine I continued to savour well after the meal was finished. It’ll allegedly last till 2013 but without a reorder I don’t think the other bottle’s likely to see September.
As a big fan of Coonawarra blackberry and mint Cabernet Sauvignon I was looking forward to trying the 2008 Cabernet Franc, particularly after recent research for Various Vinous Varieties revealed that the variety was one of the parents of Cabernet Sauvignon. In case you’re wondering, DNA research reveals that Cabernet Sauvignon is Cabernet Franc crossed with Sauvignon Blanc, and from the first whiff of the Cabernet Franc, it showed. Plenty of Cabernet varietal notes in the nose, a touch of mint as well, and quite weighty when it hit the mouth with rich berry fruit, pleasant tannins and a savoury finish. It’s nicely structured, and quite moreish. Highly recommended if you’re a Cabernet fan...
By the time Friday rolled around I was ready for another red, and thought that the 2008 Sangiovese might go well with a slow-simmered Sugo Alla Bolognese, so a walk up to the butcher on the corner for a half-kilo of premium mince and a hormone-free chook for the following night was indicated.
I was half-way through chopping onion when The Barracuda appeared on the doorstep, providing an excuse to crack a bottle of something else, and as a result the cooking process wasn’t quite as lengthy as intended though the results weren’t too shabby. But to the wine...
More…
