Reviewed 25 April 2011

Home Brand and Own Brand products have received a significant amount of attention since Coles slashed the price of “Coles” milk. This is not the forum to discuss the positives and negatives of the issue, but I raise it because of Coles’ and Woolworths’ involvement in wine retailing. Coles (Owned by Westfarmers) operates under the Vintage Cellars, Liquorland and First Choice banners, whilst Woolworths has Dan Murphy, BWS and Woolworths Liquor.

For several years, there have been numerous Home Brand, Own Brand and clean skin wines available from these and even smaller independent retailers. Some of these have been recommended in these pages before.

What has changed though is the increasing amount of wines made exclusively for the big retailers under the producers own name. A stunning example of this is the Kirihill shiraz reviewed below. What a steal this wine is! The other wine of note was the Earthworks shiraz which appears to be an own brand. Both wines are available from Vintage Cellars exclusively.

These are not great wines, but they offer fantastic drinkability. At the other end of the spectrum, the Mandala Butterfly is a beautiful wine and the Mount Horricks the best cabernet I have seen from this producer for several years. Enjoy…

Reviewed

Mandala – Cabernet Sauvignon – Butterfly – 2008 (18.3). Shy and reserved, though there are hints of blueberries. Really high quality fruit here and very slick wine-making. The palate is silky, supple and quite seamless, though there are very fine, almost powdery tannins that build on the finish. The length, structure and mouth-feel are first class. A superb wine, but give it plenty of air if you intend to drink this in the next few years.

Mount Horrocks – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2009 (18). Classic nose of Clare Valley cabernet, showing mint, eucalypt and a core of sweet red fruits. Textured and long, this is a fine wine of real interest. Silky mouth-feel and supple oak make for an excellent finish.

Ferngrove – Cabernet Sauvignon – Majestic – 2008 (17.5 – 18+). Wow, really leaps out of the glass. Concentrated, dense and chewy, the toasty oak dominates the finish now. Powerful fruit and a classy finish suggest that this is going to be really good in a few years. A serious wine. 3 gold medals.

Cumulus Wines – Cabernet Sauvignon – Climbing – 2009 (17.5). Lovely ripe fruit on the nose, with mint, spice and a touch of leather. Continues on the palate with good density of fruit. A quality wine displaying skills in the vineyard and the winery. Long and elegant close. This is a fine wine.

Howard Park – Cabernet Sauvignon – Scotsdale – 2009 (17.5). This is an Interesting wine. Medium bodied fruit and excellent balance. Textured and silky mouth-feel with a long finish that is elegant and persistent. Needs a few years to evolve.

Kirrihill – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2009 (17.5). Crushed ants, blackcurrant and a touch of cassiss to open. Powerful palate that is all about ripe fruit, though the finish is textured, dense and fine. The silky tannins are firm, but there is excellent fruit quality. This received extra points for being a good drink right now! $12 from Vintage Cellars only.

Vasse Felix – Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot – 2009 (17.4). Concentrated fruit suggestive of a cooler area. Dense and powerful, but really tight and young. Medium bodied with a slightly savoury finish and fine tannins to close. Has potential, but I need to see this again.

Laurance – Cabernet Sauvignon – Icon – 2009 (17.3). Dense and complex nose. Really draws you into the glass. Concentrated blackcurrant and a touch of crushed ants. The finish is fine and the fruit elegant, though the structural components close down the finish. Well made, with quality fruit, this will be even better in 5 years. (I liked this despite the unusual bottle that may prove difficult to cellar).

Howard Park – Cabernet Sauvignon – Leston – 2009. (17.2). Dense and a touch dusty to open. Ripe fruit tending toward the plum spectrum, but with lovely red fruits opening up on the palate. Very good length, ripe tannins and structure, this needs a few years to open up and show its best.

Mandala – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2008 (17.2). Slightly dusty cabernet nose over a core of ripe fruit. Blueberry, blackcurrant, spice and cedary oak. The finish is firm, and the oak grip is a bit dominant at present. Good quality fruit has been handled well. Should evolve well in the medium term. (This was drinking beautifully after a couple of days on the tasting bench).

Earthworks – Cabernet Sauvignon – Barossa – 2008 (16.9). Forward fruit that is quite straightforward, but with obvious appeal. Packed with juicy fruit on the palate. Very good everyday red that has a soft and round finish. Benefits from having an extra year in bottle compared to most here. Value at $12.50.

Willow Bridge – Cabernet/Merlot- Dragonfly – 2009 (16.6). A sound, if somewhat commercial wine style. Balanced, long, juicy and not to complicated, this is good current drinking and should be excellent value.