2001 Yarra Valley Cabernet Blend

This Bordeaux look-alike, a blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 16% Merlot, and 7% Malbec, offers a tightly knit bouquet of white chocolate, dried herbs, sweet berry fruit, and a hint of oak. This restrained, elegant, medium-bodied, moderately tannic wine boasts beautifully pure flavors as well as impeccable winemaking. By Australian standards, it is not an exuberant effort, but it possesses both class and depth. One to two years of patience is suggested. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2014. Importer: Rob McDonald, Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 258-9552