"The Balnaves family, Coonawarra and Cabernet Sauvignon are concentric circles, indivisible from one another,” declares James Halliday. So true: they’re Coonawarra to the core. Doug Balnaves and children Kirsty and Pete were all born in Penola and the winery sits at the heart of the famous Terra Rossa strip, where Doug started planting vines in 1976. Former Qantas Winemaker of the Year Pete Bissell is the other essential piece of the puzzle, helping this producer to the title of James Halliday Winery of the Year in 2008. 

Includes 4.2% petit verdot, hand-picked, a long maceration on skins, matured for 18 months in 66% new (French) Chateau barriques from Sylvain and Taransaud. The highly expressive bouquet of cassis, mulberry and herbs married with oak feeds into a powerful palate where savoury tannins brook no argument about their purpose in life. They need petting and soothing for a minimum of 5 years before this comes back into the Balnaves family orbit. Drink to: 2045; Price when Tasted: $90.00; Date Tasted: Mar 2017; Alcohol: 14%; Rating: 97 Points; James Halliday Wine Companion