Aged and graceful cabernet and shiraz wines from Mountadam, Kilikanoon, Dowie Doole and Tornielli

A 95-point cool-climate cabernet leads a special line-up of aged red wines, including a complimentary bottle of a Clare Valley classic that won Gold at the Decanter World Wine Awards.

Don’t judge these Aussie reds by their age.

It’s the simplest advice but often not easy to put into practice.

All you have to do to heighten your enjoyment of big-hearted Aussie reds such as shiraz and cabernet is to wait – just wait a year or two before you open the bottle.

Most estate range wines are offered for sale about 18 months to two years after the vintage, following a period of maturation in oak barrels. If you can cellar these types of wines for a year or two more, they will soften further and add a little more complexity to their flavour.

Of course, not everyone has the patience or resources to plan ahead – which is where good wine merchants such as The Australian Wine Club come into play.

Our special offer this week features four wines, spanning in age from four years to seven, that are all drinking absolutely beautifully right this minute. We’ve done the waiting for you! We’re also throwing in a complimentary bottle of gold medal-winning Kilikanoon Morrison Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, which normally retails for $55 a bottle.

Leading our super affordable aged reds offer is a four-year-old cabernet sauvignon, rated 95 points by James Halliday, produced by one of my favourite wineries in high-altitude Eden Valley, Mountadam.

Mountadam was founded in 1972 by legendary wine entrepreneur David Wynn after an exhaustive search for a high-altitude site capable of producing cool-climate wines of elegance and structure. He chose to plant his vineyard at the highest point in the Barossa’s Eden Valley, about 550m above sea level, naming the area High Eden, which was formally recognised as a subregion in 2001.

Mountadam ended up in the hands of Möet Hennessy Wine Estates in 2000 before being purchased by Limestone Coast graziers and grape growers David and Jenni Brown, who have invested in the winery to lift quality and uphold Wynn’s original vision.

Their daughter, Caitlin Brown, is now leading Mountadam’s winemaking efforts after completing a Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology at the University of Adelaide in 2016. She worked vintages at Leeuwin Estate in Margaret River, Sidewood Estate in Adelaide Hills and at Killian Hunn Baden in Germany before becoming Assistant Winemaker at Hardys Tintara in McLaren Vale.

“Coming back to Mountadam has been special as it’s a pretty unique place and such a beautiful property,’’ she told me. “We’re a lot lower-yielding than, say, the Barossa Valley floor but we rarely have frosts due to the windy conditions.”

Caitlin says the high altitude and later ripening period mean the grapes develop concentrated fruit flavours as well as having high levels of natural acidity.

“Eden Valley wines tend to age really well due to the natural acidity so I’m all for drinking these wines with a little age on them,’’ she says.

So, don’t let age be a barrier to anything at all – especially the enjoyment of these lovely cabernet and shiraz wines.

Mountadam Vineyards Eden Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Exceptional cool-climate cabernet made from low-yielding vines that are about 40 years old. Flavours of cassis, red and blackcurrants and a touch of varietal capsicum, balanced beautifully against the French oak (60 per cent new). Four years into the wine’s life, subtle secondary flavours such as cigar box and leather are emerging. There’s a brightness to the 2018 driven by refreshing natural acidity, indicating years of drinking pleasure ahead. Awarded 95 points and a red star for exceptional value by team Halliday. 15% alc; RRP $28 a bottle.

SPECIALS $21.99 a btl in any dozen; $21.99 a btl in aged reds dozen

Allinda Limited Release Yarra Valley Syrah 2016

From a vineyard free of chemical fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides comes this finely layered cabernet blend (cabernet sauvignon 47%, petit verdot 26%, cabernet franc 17%, merlot 10%). Showing off the complexity of cool-climate Yarra reds, you’ll find cherry and berry scents leading to ripe fruit flavours and hints of cigar box, bay leaf and mint on the palate. High-quality boutique wine. Double gold at the Melbourne International Wine Show. 14.5% alc; RRP $35 a bottle.

SPECIALS $26.99 a btl in any dozen; $21.99 a btl in aged reds dozen

Dowie Doole DD McLaren Vale Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2017

A velvety blend of cabernet sauvignon (45%), shiraz (28%) and merlot (27%) from the Blewitt Springs and Tatachilla subregions of McLaren Vale. A heady waft of aromas lift from the glass: cassis, plums, eucalypt, dark chocolate and nutmeg. Deep black fruit flavours stream across the palate, with nicely aged tannins offering structure and a long, weighty finish. Matured in French and American oak for 24 months. 92 points from Team Halliday. 14.5% alc; RRP $30 a bottle.

SPECIALS $22.99 a btl in any dozen; $21.99 a btl in aged reds dozen

Tornielli Family Wines Duality Langhorne Creek Shiraz 2015

 

Another underrated wine from South Australia’s Langhorne Creek that over-delivers on value. Plums, aniseed, licorice and choc-coated coconut on the nose, with a palate of rich fruit and chocolate flavours knitting together with vanilla and coconut. Silky tannins in place now, seven years after vintage. A burst of lovely natural acidity shows there’s plenty of life left. Too good for the price tag. Double gold at the China Wine & Spirit Awards. 15% alc; RRP $29 a bottle.

SPECIALS $19.99 a btl in any dozen; $21.99 a btl in aged reds dozen

AGED RED DOZEN Three bottles of each wine above for $21.99 a bottle PLUS One complimentary bottle of Kilikanoon Morrison Clare Valley Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2018. Won Gold at Decanter World Wine Awards; rated 96 points by Ray Jordan at Winepilot. RRP $55 a bottle.

Order online or telephone [phone] Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm AEST. Deals only available while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine.