2015 Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon

Really rather refined and classy on the nose. Polished claret with lovely balance. Lots of acidity and tannin on the end. Chewy for now. Dusty and dry on the end. Lifted and fresh. Still a little under-integrated. Tar and cassis liqueur. Sucky-stony quality. Very refreshing. Sinewy.

Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 407 is a little reticent at this stage, offering glimpses at black berry, black plum and pencil shavings notes with hints of menthol, earth and cloves. Full-bodied, concentrated and packed with black fruits and cedary flavors, it has a firm structure of grainy tannins and loads of freshness, finishing long.

Launched with the 1990 vintage in 1993, Bin 407 was developed in response to the increasing availability of high quality Cabernet Sauvignon fruit. Autumn and early winter rainfall were above the long-term average. Rain stopped abruptly in early August, pushing Coonawarra below the long-term average due to the drier end to winter, with only light showers observed throughout spring. The dry and cool spring period affected canopy growth early in the season. Warm and dry conditions during flowering and fruit-set resulted in rapid grapevine growth and early flowering. A high rainfall event occurred in Coonawarra in January, mostly falling outside of veraison. February delivered weekend heat spikes, pushing mean maximum temperatures well above the average, resulting in early ripening and harvest. Cabernet-Sauvignon from Wrattonbully, Coonawarra, Padthaway, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley. TA 7 g/l, pH 3.62. 12 months in 25% new French hogsheads; 10% new, 18% one-year-old, 36% two-year-old and 11% three-year-old American oak hogsheads. Really rather refined and classy on the nose. Polished claret with lovely balance. Lots of acidity and tannin on the end. Chewy for now. Dusty and dry on the end. Lifted and fresh. Still a little under-integrated. Tar and cassis liqueur. Sucky-stony quality. Very refreshing. Sinewy. (JR)