Shopping

Don't you love shopping when the new releases come in? I do, but I dread the bill at the end. This was made a little better this month as Vintages had a wee sale, I guess to clear some of their warehouse space for spring arrivals. Hey, if it's any good, 20% off is nothing to sneeze at (although 50% off would bring it in line with the civilized world).
Soooo, what to open? This is important, because if the first few that get sampled are any good, I can go back and stock up before they're cleared out.
I felt like a big wine, so I went for the Aussie Cab. I was hoping that the Leconfield, Coonawarra, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 was better than earlier vintages which have been hit and miss. It's a shame, because the Coonawarra terroir is known for favouring Cabernet Sauvignon. This one opens with an initial whiff of chalk but cassis and hints of cedar quickly waft up. On the palate, this is classic Cab - cassis that bathes your mouth, even becomes a little tart on the finish just like my mom's good blackberry pie (that hasn't been sweetened too much!!). There are dusty tannins to back it up as well. This is no one-dimensional fruit bomb. All in all, a "good" wine, but it needs some time as it feels a little awkward right now. So, throw it in the cellar for a couple of years or decant it for a couple of hours. Price is OK for what it is, on sale for $24.
Cheers!!