This wine is something of an enigma. Having tasted it twice now (the first was the 2005 vintage reviewed here) my unequivocal conclusion is that it deserves a place among Australia’s best cabernet sauvignon wines. Yet little seems to be written about it, it is from a largely unknown wine region (east Gippsland) and bottles seem thin on the ground. If you know more, please chime in. It closely resembles a left bank Bordeaux in style, right down to the label, the bottle and the red capsule.
The 2010 vintage of the McAlister tasted here is a blend of 43% cabernet sauvignon, 35% cabernet franc, 20% merlot and 2% petit verdot. It has aromatics of tobacco, earth and blackcurrant. The palate is quite elegant, medium bodied and has long length. Delicious drinking now, it should cellar well.
Rating: Very Good
Abv: 13.5%
Price: $50s
Vendors and website: Good luck
Tasted: 2016
