Mount Mary Quintet 2005

Team tasted 2006 Quintet, which is bigger than the vintage 2005. Here, as rightly put by Wine Enthusiast, the 2005 presents as a medium-bodied, nicely rounded Left-bank Bordeaux style, which still resonates an individuality of place though.

With tones of violet, light toasted oak, cedar and blackcurrant, the palate flavours are delicate, with cedar, light liquorice, mulberry and blackcurrant evident. Years of bottle ageing, it has got by now with marring cedary, meaty notes with cherry fruit and graced with touches of cinnamon and mushroom. Balance and with quite some complexity, it is elegant with style, focus and restraint. The length and intensity of the palate on this medium bodied Cabernet blend is more than adequate. Tannins are real fine.

To Team, it would seem that Vintage 2005 is closer to the ideals of John Middelton and is more suitable to the French palated, if you allow simplistic labeling for a cause. The 2005 vintage is more enjoyable as it is less demanding.

Vintage 2005 could be a controversial wine, if you read Robert Parker’s WA #161 and the writings of Andrew Caillard’s, who classified the wine ‘Exceptional’ in Langton’s. James Halliday did award a score of JH95(2009 Australian wine Companion), one point higher than Vintage 2006.That’s the fun part of wine tasting.

From a supply point of view, Vintage 2005 produced only 30 cases. So this vintage is almost mythical. IT is made from Cabernet sauvignon (46%), Merlot (26%), Cabernet franc (18%), Malbec (5%) and Petit verdot (5%). The fermentation regime is similar to that of the Pinot, although slightly longer fermentations are employed (up to 12 days). This is followed by 22 months of barrel maturation, with 25% of the blend in large format oak (1500L or larger), and 30% in new barriques (225L).