Sir Ian Botham Coonawarra Cabernet 75cl 2014

Intense, dark blood red with ruby and garnet hues. The aroma’s immediately announce the variety, displaying intense characters of blackcurrant, red berry, black olive and a subtle hint of menthol. Combined with the nutty oak aroma’s, this wine delivers a complex yet elegant bouquet. The palate of this wine has a perfectly aligned structure, weight and intensity creating a backbone for longevity. The aromas on the nose follow through onto the palate and these full bodied, spicy flavours combined with pin point acidity and firm, grainy tannins deliver a wine of stature and grace.

The fruit for this wine is grown on the premium vineyards within the heart of the Coonawarra region.

Season 2014 in Coonawarra will be described by most as one of the longest on record starting Mid February and finishing in the first week of May. The season started with the winter season which was the second wettest in the last 28 years providing a very welcome recharge to the underground aquifer. Spring in Coonawarra saw the rainfall continue with almost double the long term average falling. January and early February were hot and dry, however with good water availability and accurate early weather forecasts the fruit was well protected. The warm weather brought the ripening of many of the varieties on rapidly. But the cool nights and moderate days that the Coonawarra region is famous for soon rolled in around mid to late February. The reds, especially Cabernet benefited significantly from the cool slow ripening period. The region was also blessed to have only received small falls of rain over this period meaning fruit quality was sound right to the end.