Lot 40 2005 McLaren Vale Cabernet
- Vintage: 2005
- Appellation: McLaren Vale, Australia
- Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
- Alcohol by volume: 14%
- Production: 3,500 cases
- Release date: August 30, 2007
- Online availability: Sold out
Taste: Nose of ripe fruits, violet and classic McLaren Vale eucalyptus and mint. Fleshy and ripe on the mid-palate showing ripe plum, chocolate and hints of cassis. Finish is long, deep, and succulent. This a beautiful cabernet and quintessential Australia.
Cameron Confidential: The first couple of days of my trip to Australia were pretty much a disappointment in terms of sourcing. A couple of guys just didn’t pan out and Jay and I were frustrated. Winemakers Lance and John picked us up from our hotel the third day and took us out to McLaren Vale where we sized up Lots 40 and 41. We got these wines from a high-end custom crush facility not unlike the Napa Wine Company in Napa Valley. There are literally 50+ wineries that all make wine under one roof, including several growers who prefer to make the wines and then sell them in bulk. The reasons for this are much the same as for growers here in CA, excess supply of wine leads to extremely low, can’t make money, grape prices. Smart guys find great winemakers and have the grapes crushed and fermented at facilities such as this one. Typically, the wines get picked over by the big guys in the spring but our Australian connection used to move the bulk of these wines for the world’s largest wine broker and we got first crack at these wines in January.
