A Western Australia Cabernet Sauvignon

And now to Australia for a Cabernet Sauvignon...

Australia Wine Regions

We have been meaning to review Australian wines for the longest time, but other series always seemed to get in the way. As you can see from the date, we did not buy this bottle last week. Now that we have started, you may expect some Australian wines in this new series. Western Australia has been producing wine since 1829. This area actually produces only a very small portion of Australian wine, but some of the best. Don’t expect miracles at this price. The reviewed wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon, one of Australia’s most popular red grapes (that goes for much of the world). While the grapes were grown in Western Australia they were fermented at a four-hundred acre wine estate on the other side of the country in the Hunter Valley near a lake frequented by kangaroos.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed The Cracker Cabernet Sauvignon Western Australia (Hope) 2004 15.3% Alcohol About $19

There were no marketing materials so let’s start by quoting from the back label. A very intense dark red, inky color this wine has amazing concentration. Once crushed in the west it spent over three days cold soaking as it was driven across to the east coast of Australia for fermentation. This journey not only enhanced the flavor concentration, it added silky, cool climate structure. The blackcurrant, menthol nose leads to a full bodied, sweet blackberry cassis and vanillin mid palate with great balance and length. This wine is an absolute “cracker”! And now for my review.

At the first sips the wine was very thick with plums, dark cherries, and tobacco. Its first pairing was with barbecued beef ribs in a sweet ketchup sauce. The wine was quite long with great balance between the acidity and the tannins that were round. I tasted lots of blackberries. The accompanying potatoes roasted in chicken fat somehow made the acidity a bit harsher but the fruit was still there; it was jammy. An overly spicy salsa with tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and cilantro took over from the wine.

The next meal involved zucchini stuffed with rice and ground beef accompanied by green beans in a tomato sauce. The wine was powerful with blueberries and showed a fine combination of acidity and tannins. This wine was chewy. Unfortunately the beans rendered the acidity a bit unpleasant. The dessert of orange fruit juice candy was not really a match but didn’t kill this Cab which remained a treat.

My final meal was composed of beef stew with potatoes. The wine was long and tasted of caramel, dark cherries, and tobacco. I added some powerful jalapeno pepper sauce but it seemed to have no effect on the wine. The oriental-style side salad with tomatoes, pimentos, and garlic gutted this Cabernet.

I ended the bottle with Matjes herring and two local cheeses. With the herring the wine was woody with good length and dark fruit. A relatively tasteless brick cheese brought an oaky taste with black cherries. When facing a somewhat tastier marbled cheddar cheese, once again I got an oaky taste with black cherries, but this time the cherries were brooding.

Final verdict. I would definitely buy this wine again, even if it won’t fit into the $15 wine category. What a great start to the Australian wines.

Access the companion wine A Red Crete (Greece) Blend

About the Author

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine French or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine websites include    www.theworldwidewine.com    with a new weekly review of $10 wines and    http://www.wineinyourdiet.com devoted to the issues of wine, weight loss, and health.

Visit his website devoted to Italian travel www.travelitalytravel.com

Feel free to reprint this entire article which must include this resource box