Saltrams Mamre Brook Cab. Sav. 1996.

I last reviewed this wine in 2008 and at the time noted that it seemed to have lost some it its intense fruity flavour and suggested that it was on the downward curve and shouldn't be cellared for too much longer.

This bottle had been hiding in the corner of our cellar undisturbed for a further 13 years and I opened it without too much expectation. Pulling the cork released a pleasant fruity whiff to the nostrils and a small sip confirmed it to be "drinkable"

In fact, it was most delicious, complimenting the rump steak dinner we enjoyed with it. The cigar-box and spice-like flavours a little more prominent perhaps give the wine an elegance and brooding quality that would have stood up well against some of the top European wines of similar age. At 25 years old, I guess this wine is a good example of the quality of South Australian wine being produced at reasonable prices in the late 1990's.

It's interesting to note that the current vintages on sale in NZ are only about $10 more than one paid in 1998 and it's cheaper to buy here than from the vineyard in Australia! Whether the same care and quality goes into making it, who knows!