Fox Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2002
Fully matured. Medium ruby with garnet rim. This bottle of Fox Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2002 noses elements of blackberries, roasted nuts and dark chocolate. The mineral taste, as well as the soft, textural tannins, enhances the wine’s richness and length, giving a soft yet structured finish. Medium bodied; some elegance in the McLaren Vale style; ABV14%. From a good year, this rare wine listed on Christie's auctions 2016 and BidforWine 2015.
Some of the fruit is from a premium McLaren Vale vineyard planted in 1910, hence concentrated flavours. Full of gnarly old vines, this vineyard has been lovingly restored to prosperity by three generations of the original owner, Pasquale Malgieri's, who introduced me to some my first quality sips of wine from McLaren Vale. The vineyard site has a northerly aspect with east-west planted rows to help protect the fruit from the hot summer sun. The alluvial fan clay soil allowed the vines to establish a deep root system. Access to reliable, good quality water provides a measure of drought tolerance for the grapes, made notable by the high quality of fruit produced during the recent run of dry vintages. This Reserve Shiraz is not only a forerunner in developing the reputation of Fox Creek but also the McLaren Vale region; showcasing exceptional fruit quality, structure, complexity, balance, elegance, length of flavour and approachability when young with cellaring potential. 2002 is an excellent vintage in McLaren Vale.
The scores are:
JH 92 Points, Medium to full-bodied; black fruits interwoven with savoury tannins and a touch of regional chocolate.
WE91points, The nose is beautiful, showing spice, meat and bramble atop red plum fruit. This is an elegant wine on the palate, feminine-sized rather than brawny, with more spice and red plum flavors. Finish is subtle, with a surge of flavor at the very end.
