Terre à Terre Red 2016

No fucking about with naming conventions, just ‘red’. I like. Rouge would have also been acceptable if you’re reading this Xavier. I always like the structure on the Terre à Terre wines, even if that means cellar time is necessary. Alcohol warmth is my only other bugbear with wines in the range, which makes the milder style here even more welcome.

A blend of Cabernet Franc 46% and Shiraz 42% from the Crayères Vineyard in Wrattonbully plus 12% Merlot from Summertown. Adelaide Hills Merlot eh? Now there’s an outlier. Spends 10 months in 40% new oak, then 18 months in large older oak. It’s such a substantial wine. Lots of French oak, complete with oak tannins too. An onslaught But underneath it’s such an even wine – perfectly weighty and quite seamless. I know comparing this to Bordeaux is lazy, but there’s plenty of ambitious Right Bank in the style here, complete with powdery tannins. It’s not there yet, but high quality.

Best drinking: wait for a few years. Or decant early. The tannins and power will ensure that twenty is a viable number. 18/20, 93/100+. 13.8%, $32. Would I buy it? I’ll take a bottle for the cellar at that price thanks. Cheers.