56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc. Because I care, I just nipped down to the cellar to open a bottle of the 2020 Coleraine to compare and contrast with the 2021. The 2020 is packed with tannin, texture, earthiness, and power, while the 2021 is brighter, a bit more frisky in acidity, with more leafy perfume. A little more flamboyant, but equal. It’s not a competition, more of a love in. The 2021 may well be the ‘better’ wine in time, though it’s kind of hard to tell, and may just come down to personal preference. Release date for this in Australia is February 2023. Dark and intense, lots of perfume, red and black fruits, tobacco, a leafy pop that’s pure varietal class, creamy oak, lead pencils, aniseed and spice. Medium to full-bodied, a flood of flavour, super ‘mineral’ feel to the acidity, tannin is superb, and the finish is so long. Light but so dense. There’s a fresh raspberry juiciness here too, and an extra dimension of tension and energy. All the graphite and presence. Incredible wine. Drink: 2026 - 2045+. GW 97+
