The first red wine was the Art Series Shiraz. I have to admit, I cannot remember which year; it was the current release. The fruit was bright, cherry and plum flavours, and there was spice, too. This was not a bad wine, but I am not quite sure why I would buy it (91 points).
Then came the series of Cabernet. It started with the 2002 Leeuwin Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a medium bodied wine, with typical Cabernet flavours and a somewhat musty palate. It did not have a great mouthfeel and is nothing to write home about (87 points). The 2003 Leeuwin Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon was a little better. A fresher palate, with redcurrant flavours, but still a fairly thin mouthfeel leading to a dusty finish (89 points).
The 2004 Leeuwin Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon was a step up, to be expected in a great year in Margaret River. The flavour profile was not all that different from the previous year, but the wine was riper, delivering a fuller mouthfeel. The wine is quite polished and the oak well integrated (92 points).
I would rate the 2005 Leeuwin Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon on par with the 2004. Its flavour profile is of darker fruit and attractive. The wine seems to carry more acidity, yet it is an elegant wine. The finish not as long as its predecessor (92 points).
I left with the impression that the big effort into the Cabernet is paying off - to a degree. This wine was really not up to scratch until 2004. Now it is an attractive Cabernet worth considering. However, it still has a long way to go before it enters the premier league of Western Australia. The Leeuwin Cabernet does not yet have the harmony and texture of a Moss Wood or Cullen.
Overall, this was a terrific tasting.
1 comment:
Good comments - I too wasn't really convinced by the cabernets but noted their recent better showing and thought the first bottle of the 2002 poured was mildly corked. Hopefully I'll get the rest of my notes up in the next few days.
Cheers
Sean
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