Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot 2004 Wednesday, Mar 12 2008
Tasting Notes and Australia and Margaret River and Wines of the Month and Tip Top Tipple and Variety and Red and cabernet et al
A big wine from a big year. This is 81% Cabernet, 14% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 100% Margaret River. Of recent vintages it reminds me most of the brooding 2001 rather than the charming 2003.
Strong and ripe with blackberry, cherry, dark chocolate, violet, some eucalyptus and a good measure of cedar/vanilla oak. On the palate full bodied and generous with flavours of cherry, plum and mulberry, some chocolate richness, a bit of floral mouth perfume, a little tobacco savouriness and sweet vanilla oak in support. It has plenty of ripe earthy gravelly Margaret River tannin, balanced acidity and takes a long line through the mouth. A powerhouse with high potential. Be patient with this one - it needs time to unfurl before it really flies.
Other vintages : 2003, 1998, 1996
Rated : 95+ Points
Tasted : Mar08
Alcohol : 14.2%
Price : $60
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2014 - 2024+
Source : Winery Sample
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March 12th, 2008 at 10:19 am| Quote |
GW,
You have not been overly effusive with your comments about this wine. Comparing your review of this wine with your review of the 2003 vintage (and forgetting about scores), it seems to me that you definitely preferred the 2003. If so, you are going against the hype I’ve seen for the 2004 vintage.
My question is this - if you could choose only one of these wines to have in your cellar, which would it be? 2003 or 2004?
March 12th, 2008 at 1:18 pm| Quote |
Tricky question. Well I have had the 2001 and 2003 again recently and I love them both. I bought 18 of the 2001, 6 of the 2003 and will buy about 3 of the 2004. That’s due to a reduced requirement as much as anything else mind you. The 2003 held more immediate appeal for me but the 2004 should be the better long term wine. Depends what you want to do really.
GW
March 12th, 2008 at 4:20 pm| Quote |
Gary,
I’m new to your site, though I’ve been a reader of your reviews. While this is often discounted below RRP, with the 2004 at $60 RRP, do you still find it fair value against the likes of John Riddoch, Parker FG and even it’s own, slightly more expensive peers, Cullen and Moss Wood? I think the Voyager Chardonnay is still exellent value against it’s peers, but with Cullen widely available at $80, it has a significantly stronger track record
March 12th, 2008 at 4:34 pm| Quote |
Yeah. I think it is still competitive against its peers and has been more a matter of the price catching up with the likes of Cape Mentelle and other premiums. The quality is there and the track record since 1998 (98 and 99 are a bit bretty but still excellent to my tastes) is impressive. The great leap forward came in 2001 I would say and that wine stands shoulder to shoulder with the other top end wines in 2001. If you pick the VE up for around $50 I reckon you are still doing pretty well. I’d also much rather have the 2004 Voyager than Moss Wood. I think it’s a superior wine.
GW
March 12th, 2008 at 11:15 pm| Quote |
I’ve 4 on the way; paid $45, an amount I rarely pay for any wine these days unless the price is very good or better. With the broad-based, very positive critical plaudits I’ve seen, I couldn’t resist getting some to compare at a future time to a bottle of Cullen DM 04.
March 15th, 2008 at 11:38 am| Quote |
GW, why no review of the 2001 vintage?
March 15th, 2008 at 11:47 am| Quote |
Time..and I tend to concentrate on writing up new releases rather than stuff from the cellar (or the wines that I drink). Since the 2001 was released pre this site starting there is not a note. Although I had had the wine since I did not bother to write it up (like lots of things). Don’t have time.
GW
March 17th, 2008 at 9:40 am| Quote |
I recently picked up some 03 (screwcap) @ $34.99 and I would expect the 04 to be available from discount merchants, like Winestar, at a similar price discount to retail. While its great to support cellar doors, not so when their markups are 25% or more, which was the case with the 03.
March 17th, 2008 at 9:45 am| Quote |
I’m not sure I’d call WineStar “a discount merchant” but I’d agree with the sentiment generally.
GW
April 16th, 2008 at 9:02 pm| Quote |
I agree the 2001 was one of the best value wines on the market compared to the other M.R. cabs. When was the last time Voyager made a bad wine?