Thompson Estate The Specialist Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

This is such an exceptional wine, but then I suspected it was going to be. Here is elegance and style, with a touch of panache that provides an exemplary example of this vineyard, this region, and this vintage. Aromas of blackcurrant, leafy cedar, oyster shell, and subtle bay leaf nuances. The palate hauls it all in tight and close, and then releases it through to a very long and powerfully sustained finish. There's a deep concentration of ripe juicy fruit in here, with a fine chalky acid supporting those fine tannins and the well-managed oak. It's certainly one of the finest examples of this wine yet released.