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