Ashbrook Estate Reserve cabernet sauvignon 2021

The '21 vintage was quite cool, but the interesting thing is, the longer these wines have been held back in bottle, the better they present. And here is a classic case. It's really starting to tick into the ideal drinking phase, and yet it's hardly showing the development you might expect. Dominant cabernet, with petit verdot, cabernet franc and merlot making up the balance. Intense blackcurrant notes on the nose, a little leaf, dark plum and chocolate all swirling through a complex aromatic weave. The palate is a medium- to full-bodied expression of the variety, with energy and drive. Balanced with subtle cracked-seashell acidity and some lightly cedary oak characters.