Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 1986 Sunday, Dec 3 2006
Tasting Notes and Australia and Coonawarra and Variety and Red and cabernet et al
This was served blind after the Brainaire and the Mouton-Rothschild, it showed similar aged characters on the nose, but still had a core of sweet fruit. Red currants, green capsicum, rich blackcurrants, tobacco leaf and some cigar box. The palate is smooth and resolved, with the fruit balancing the secondary characters. A lovely wine, and at 12.9% abv, I wonder if more recent vintages will cellar as well. I certainly hope so.
Rated : 92 Points
Tasted : Dec06
Alcohol : 12.9%
Price : $45
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2006 - 2011
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4 Responses to “Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 1986”
December 5th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
Coincidentally I tried this on Sat the 2nd too, alongside 1986 John Riddoch and 1986 Seppelt Great Western Hermitage. The Riddoch might have been a shade finer than the black label but it was also a touch more herbal and tobacco leafy. It certainly was not three times better than the std cab (the price differential when they were released). Both were good old wines but the Seppelt eclipsed them: lovely rich dark fruits, smokey, liqourice, bark, spicy, beautifully textured and long. Another 10, possibly 20 years left in it - despite the dodgy looking cork.
December 19th, 2006 at 4:51 pm
Linc, you’re spot on with your tasting note. Had one last night with the family (one of my daughter’s birth wines and it was her birthday)and it drank superbly. Lots of tobacco leaf/old leather, dark fruits on the nose and palate -quite bordeaux except no lead pencil - and tanins fully resolved - such lovely balance and finesse. Everything I look for in an archetypal coonawarra claret.
The ‘86 has been drinking beatifully for about 4 years now and will go another 10 years with good cellaring and decent cork. As you note only 12.9% alcohol - perfect for coonawarra.
August 7th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Linc,
Tried this about 10 days ago (stumbled on the link to this from the 2005 TN). Most impressed - I think your TN is pretty spot on, and I also felt it has another 5 or so years of life without any trouble. Opened slowly, but after about an hour and a half was looking loverly. Still to try the 04 and 05 to get a feel. Hope, as you state above, the latter vintages take time as well as this one.
August 4th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Had a vertical tasting of the Black Label from 1986 to 1994 on the weekend. The standout wine was the 1990. Seemed to have a complete spectrum of flavours and length, whereas each of the others had a more limited range. The ‘86, sadly the last of 3 dozen bought in 1989, still had the cedary cigar box bouquet but the fruit appeared to be fading and the finish was fairly short. The ‘87 had an unattractive green vegetal bouquet but was surprisingly a better drink now than at our last vertical in 1997, as the wine appeared fresh and still quite vibrant in the mouth.