Kilikanoon 'Tregea' Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Grape Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Growing Region: Clare Valley - Australia
Founder / Winemaker: Kevin Mitchell
5 Stars ★★★★★
If you have read my wine reviews over the past 25 years, you will know that I am an avid fan of Clare Valley wines. With skillful understanding you can craft physiologically ripe wines that showcase generous varietal characters while having an elegance that make them appealing in their youth and a treat for those in the know with time. It has been far too long since I was in the Clare Valley with Kevin and the team at Kilikanoon. But after closing my eyes and taking in the rich aromas and tasting this expressive wine, it was the next best thing to being there.
The ‘Tregea’ meaning homestead - Cabernet Sauvignon is only produced in the best vintages. This wine was sourced from two low yielding vineyards. One situated in the warmer Leasingham district and the other next to their cellar door in a slightly cooler, more elevated vineyard in the Skillogalee Valley.
2013 was a classic Clare Valley vintage that featured warm days and cooler night temperatures, that slowed down the harvest. And allowed both vineyards to be hand-picked at their optimum ripeness levels and maximising the development of those varietal cassis and tobacco leaf characters, defined tannins and balanced natural fruit acidity.
On arrival at the winery, the hand-picked parcels were gently crushed and fermented on skins until dry using selected yeasts. Once fermented dry, each batch was then basket pressed into a selection of new and 1 year old French oak hogsheads and allowed to mature for 18 months in their cellars. The final blend was bottled without fining or filtration. This is not only a special Cabernet it is also a limited edition, with only 3000 bottles produced.
• You will be slightly confused at first pouring this wine into your glass, as even after 7 years it has lost none of is rich colour, presenting a deep red and shining hue. On the nose your senses are enticed by wild berries, ripe blackcurrants, hints of tobacco leaf and mint chocolate all meld seamlessly, and seductively introduce you to a note of French oak.
The generous and engaging palate is textured and well structured, and showcasing those varietal cassis, plums, tobacco leaf and herb nuances along with wild, small berries all skillfully dovetailed and supported by balance fruit tannins and oak. The wine has multiple layers all kept light and fresh from fruit acidity and the unfiltered detail keeps the wines character on the plate long after you finish your sip.
This 2013 Kilikanoon ‘Tregea’ Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has 14% Alc./vol. Mild decanting for 25-30 minutes and serve in a generous glass at 17°- 18°C.
CELLARING POTENTIAL: *(Review 22/5/2020)
Mild Decanting, drinking well this season; and will age for another 6 - 7 years.
FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
Perfect wine pairing with prime cuts of meat grilled or bbq’d, wild game cuisine with a wine-jus, earthy vegetarian dishes, and aged hard cheeses - enjoy.
