Chateau Reynella McLaren Vale Basket Pressed Cabernet Sauvignon, 1994

You can spend a lot of money on Australian wine and get less enjoyment than I received from this Cabernet, purchased for less than $10 some years ago. As the label points out, gentle basket pressing of the juice is used to ensure a rich wine with fine tannins as opposed to the inky blockbuster that is more typical of Aussie aspirations.

Chateau Reynella's 1994 Cab has thrown a thick crust on one side of the bottle but is still deep and dark with hints of amber at the rim. The bouquet is classic McLaren Vale: black currants, mint, violets and dark cherries. The oak is fully integrated into the mature scents. In the mouth, the wine is medium bodied with well defined flavors, a good fruit-oriented mid-palate and a long finish. I get a hint of sea salt on the mid-palate that turns into a ripe berry finish--very satisfying. The tannins have melted, leaving a lovely wine--a good match for filet mignon with Niman Ranch apple-wood smoked bacon.