Brown Brothers Koombahla Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon became a well-known fine wine around Australia and overseas during the 1970s and 1980s. The vineyard, owned by the Darling family and located at Whitfield in the haunches of the Australian Alps (Upper King Valley), was named after a magnificent heritage-listed Koombahla tree ( Eucalyptus mannifera ssp mannifera , also known as a Brittle Gum). This spectacular corner of north-eastern Victoria is one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. Brown Brothers continues to be one of Australia’s most important family wine companies, with an enlightened generation of women in leadership roles. Meanwhile, the 1970-established Koombahla Vineyard continues to yield fruit for the Darling Estate Wines and other local wineries. 1978 Brown Brothers Koombahla Individual Vineyard Cabernet Upper King Valley – Victoria 1 Medium-deep colour. Lifted, slightly prickly red cherry, black olive, meaty aromas and flavours. Voluminous, chocolaty and leafy with the volatility becoming more pronounced in the glass (imported by Walter Siegel, London, UK). Disappointing. I was surprised to find a commercial Hardy’s Nottage Hill Shiraz in this line-up and hardly expected it to perform. During the 1970s, Hardy’s moved away from the bottom end of the market to concentrate on the more premium sector. This wine was probably made primarily at Hardy’s Tintara winery in McLaren Vale. The bottle was clearly a sample, brought in by the Australian Forwarding Agency, so presumably this belonged to a stash of bottles for assessment by Averys of Bristol. In any other cellar, this wine might have fallen over already, but this was not the case. (This belonged to a lot comprising the above Koombahla Cabernet and a 1975 Laira (Coonawarra) Private Bin Shiraz Cabernet (which was poured but had turned to vinegar!). 1979 Hardy’s Nottage Hill Shiraz South Australia 4 Medium crimson. Surprising fruit-driven wine with strawberry, red cherry/kirsch/Black Forest-like aromas. Moderately concentrated but smooth and unbroken with attractive fruit development and slinky long textures. Very good freshness, complexity and flow. Who would have thought?
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The Vintage Journal – Australian Wine Through 30 Bottles
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