94 Points James Halliday
Dense red-purple; the complex bouquet has obvious charry oak, doubtless deriving from the 100 per cent new wood in which the wine has been matured. A massively concentrated palate, made in the John Riddoch fashion; a huge wine demanding time. Drink to 2020.
Source: James Halliday. February, 2002
Balnaves The Tally Cabernet Sauvignon is an award-winning wine from this distinguished family-owned Coonawarra winery located in the famed Terra Rossa strip. The 2006 vintage was awarded Cabernet of the Year by the Penguin Good Wine Guide 2009, and the 2004 vintage won Jeremy Oliver's vote as Wine of the Year. In 2008 James Halliday named Balnaves as Winery of the Year.
Since the planting of the first 5 hectares of vines in 1976, the vineyard has grown steadily and now covers a total of 56 hectares of Coonawarra Terra Rossa soil. The principal variety planted is Cabernet Sauvignon, which accounts for 70% of the area whilst the addition of Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Chardonnay make up the total vineyard area of 58 hectares.
The vineyard is divided into small blocks of between one and two hectares, which take into account depth of soil, trellis design, vine clone and row direction. The quality of wine produced from these small blocks is evaluated each year and recorded. This practice proves the validity of the French concept of "terrior" or the effect that microclimate; geological features and other factors have on the quality of the wine produced. Such effects are clearly seen in the small Balnaves vineyard at Coonawarra.
"Outstanding deep red in colour, and purple tint. Big nose of ripe fruit with grilled nuts, smokey notes, rich fruit, prunes, liquorice, tobacco combined with smoky vanillin oak. The palate is full, rich and softly textured. It has complex ripe fruit, dark seaweed characters, great length and persistence, finishing with firm tannins. Great example of Coonawarra in a hot year."
Winemaker's Notes, Balnaves