St. Huberts Cabernet Sauvignon 1994
I've drunk plenty of Cabernet from this excellent estate (1977 was my first vintage) and this outstanding example continues the wonderful tradition I've come to appreciate for well over twenty years.
Although fully mature and somewhere towards the end of its peak drinking window, the wine still holds a deep ruby/dark red core with plenty of aged hues in the edges, an initial awkward and disjointed bouquet that quickly transforms into something quite sensational and, lastly, delivers the knock-out punch with a palate that has just about everything you'd be looking for in a twenty dollar bottle of cabernet.
Open now for 24 hours (cork back in, left in fridge overnight and brought back to room temperature this evening), the nose displays immaculate Bordeaux-like nuance of violets, weedy blackcurrants, freshly-turned damp earth, cedar, pencil lead and a touch of barnyard. Likewise, the palate is similarly endowed, of medium-body, terrific line, wonderfully smooth, lithe and balanced, gliding through the mouth with such ease and equilibrium. The phenomenal sweet blackcurrant fruit of last evening has now been replaced with a gorgeous set of savoury secondary characters that ring true to a fifteen year old cabernet. There's still sufficient grip to suggest there's some life remaining, although the several bottles resting in the bat cave will probably see the light of day over the next year or three. Leaves a beautifully sustained finish that lingers interminably, almost continually begging you to take another sip. 93 points. 13.0% A/V
