2006 Anwilka

The 2006 Anwilka is a wine that I feel has not really kicked on with maturity in bottle. Compared to more recent vintages, this lacks a little presence on the nose, quite gamey and tertiary in style, touches of cigar humidor developing in the glass. It is quite sweet on the entry with vestiges of blue fruit, soft in texture and needing more grip towards the finish. There is a slight greenness that is becoming more pronounced with age. Drink soon.

Fleshy, brambled blackberry fruits, balanced and restrained, with an earthy smokiness, carefully-chiseled chocolate shavings, great texture and finesse. Winemaker Trizanne Pansegroux. 50% new oak, one year barrels for the rest. Still well structured, with plenty of tannic hold, a great moment to drink.

(a blend of 66% cabernet sauvignon, 29% shiraz and 5% merlot) Bright medium ruby. Cassis, licorice and bitter chocolate aromas, along with a whiff of geranium. Densely packed but suave and fine-grained, with dark fruit and licorice flavors complicated by a Medoc-like weediness. Very smooth and vinous, conveying an impression of energy but also a faint green streak. Finishes broad, with a fine dusting of tannins and a repeating greenness.