We generally (on average and in the main) find that AUS wines drink best (and safest) at five to seven years of age, but every now and again, a true museum wine really turns our heads! Idavue Estate’s 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is one such example.
The nose of this Cab Sauv immediately greets the drinker with a broad bouquet of lively spices – surprising out of the gates for a wine of this age (a theme with this wine!) Glowing raspberry winds its way along the palate silkily smoothly before finally fading into dark forest mystery. Shades of cloves and nutmeg off in the distance engage and add nuance. While age has clearly smoothed out any Cab Sauv varietal edges, loads and loads of primary fruit remain in this wine. Fantastic length (also unusual for a wine of this age). In short, incredible flavour, power, and vigour eleven years on!
If you enjoy aged wines, this one is a blockbuster. Time has worked its magic, but Heathcote’s raw power is everywhere on display here.
Score: 93/100 (drinking in 2023)
This wine still has years to run. We’d be very curious to see how it has evolved in 3 and 5 years!
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The discovery of amazing wines like those of Idavue, a little winery run by a passionate and hospitable couple in a small country town, is #WhyWeLoveWine