I tried two new wines last night, Rico Suter Cabernet Sauvignon/Petit Verdot and Wyndam Estate Bin 525 Shiraz Grenache.
Not sure what to make of the Suter wine (from S. Africa.) Firstly it’s 15% which is headed towards vermouth territory. Secondly they recommend serving at 16 degrees.
I’m all in favour of this last idea. In general it makes acidity more apparent, the wine taste fresher. It also makes tannins a touch more gravelly and dampens the nose. At this temp the wine tasted great, intense and fruity, and you don’t notice the huge alcohol.
So is this an attempt to cover flaws? Don’t know. I can’t decide if the wine is overpriced and pretentious are a decent drop from a small winemaker with eccentric taste. More later.
Bin 525 was a blast from the past. Big fruit, but none of that huge cough candy aftertaste of too many fruit bombs. An unashamedly Oz style wine done well. Great wine for the money, BUT it doesn’t have those gravelly tannins of the Suter. And frankly I drink big reds because I like some tannin…
Still, I’d recommend 525 without hesitation to most drinkers.