(September 5, 2016) … A rare Monday night bottle of bubbly, and why not, we’re celebrating our anniversary. Popping the cork on a bottle of Hinterland Rose is always a treat and that it’s the 2008 makes it more interesting, so how has this wine aged? Have no fear, it’s still a beauty: raspberry, lime & orange zest with a lingering finish and outstanding acidity, plus a gentle yeastiness on the finish. This winery never fails to impress on current vintage wines and now they show off on age-ability too.
The wife prefers white, so she opted for a Kacaba 2014 Oak Aged Chardonnay (review here) while I pulled out an Aussie red from Hewittson 2006 Ned & Henry – I remember being recommended this wine years ago, so I bought a few bottles (1 for now / 1 for mid-term ageing / 1 for “let’s see”) … This is the let’s see bottle: and it is tasting better than I remember either of the previous two: nicely spiced with smoky cassis and blueberry, it’s got great smoothness across the palate, but also has a high alcohol content that seems to make itself known with each third sip … The other two are loaded with dried dark fruits.