Birks Wendouree - Cabernet Malbec - 2020

A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon from 1971 Western, 1975 Central and 1920 Eastern, and 50% Malbec from 1898, 1920 and 1940 Eastern vineyard plantings. No straight Malbec this year, though plenty of it in this wine, and no straight Cabernet Sauvignon either. As I most often say, the Malbec and the Cab Malbec are easily my two favourite wines from Wendouree. Lovely perfume of violet, cedar and pencils, blackberry, raspberry, plum and blackcurrant, subtle mintiness, cold brew coffee, maybe. It’s medium-bodied, dense and ferrous, all the ‘mineral’ feel with dense stony tannin, a lot of pencil character, cool fine acidity, and in a way, it comes over kind of like a Yarra Valley Cabernet as much as Clare. Finish offers excellent length, and a slick of cocoa powder tannin. It’s a less concentrated than is usual, a little more autumnal and grainy in tannin, but thoroughly charming, offering a certain ‘coolness’ in feel. Different, but excellent. 96 points by a whisker, if that makes sense. 96 Points Gary Walsh, The Wine Front