Barossa Valley $50.00 original price tag

This Cabernet Sauvignon comes from ancient vines, planted sometime in the mid1800’s, hence the title Ancestor Vine.

An Ancestor Vine is defined as a vine that is older than 125 years of age.

In the glass the wine is still a bright darkish purple red in colour.

The sweet purple fruit aromas of violets, plum, a raw red meat smell lurked in the back of my mind. The smell oak and black cherries, linger and filled the nostrils all the way to the back of the head.

I drank a large glass then put the cork back in and let it breathe overnight in the bottle.

Next day the wine had opened up and tannins softened, the fruit had become riper and full flavoured and had developed a dusty mid palate that I loved. The aromas of violets and plum had become more intense washing the plate with light cleansing acid.

Truly a wonderful example of what Barossa Valley can do with Cabernet Sauvignon in a vintage that will go down in history as the driest, earliest and quickest vintage in memory.

For myself I found this wine to my style and liking and what do you eat with such a bottle of wine?

BBQ lamb cutlets, naturally!

Why not have a stunning bottle of red with a BBQ?

Especially when you are having lightly char-grilled pink lamb cutlets with a warm potato & pea salad.

Once again, a food & wine match made in heaven. Remember keep the food simple and the wine great.

Michael Lillis

The Rot has set in.