This wine is Zema Estate’s Family Selection from Coonawaarra in Australia and the 2005 vintage. Famously capable of long ageing, some lesser Coonawarra cabernet sauvignons can surprise and pass their best drinking window early at around the 10 to 12 year mark. This wine however is 21 years old and is not such a wine. It has typical Coonawarra regional aromas of anise, licorice and what I call “iron earth”. It is a complex and fully mature wine. The palate is medium bodied and has good length. The acidity on the palate is a little high and separately identifiable on the finish, which detracts a little. Nonetheless, the wine is a very good one overall and, whilst it should be approaching the edge of its best drinking window, shows no sign of it. Review Rating: Very Good (★★★★, 90 points). Website: Zema Estate. Tasted: October 2026.
