d'Arenberg High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

As a young wine, the Cabernet Sauvignon from d'Arenberg's High Trellis paddock has a dense crimson red colour with purple tinges.

The High Trellis has a typical young Cabernet Sauvignon attack on the nose; lifted mint and capsicum Cabernet edges above a rich, ripe blackberry, plum and liquorice base. Lighter typical cassis and blackcurrant aromas are also evident. A little smoky vanillin oak and cinnamon smells are usually present on top of brooding violet scented fruit and sweet cedar aromas.

On the tongue, mouth filling sweet blackberries, plums and blackcurrant flavours are highlighted by the rich, strong mid palate. Mulberry-like fruit continues from the mid palate balanced by finely structured and firm fruit and oak tannin on the typically long, fresh young tangy finish.

After time in bottle d'Arenberg's High Trellis Cabernet develops brick red-brown colour and classical, elegant cigar-box, tobacco, coffee and mocha smells. With significant bottle age d'Arenberg's High Trellis is invariably supported by aromas of violets, truffles, cooked beetroot, toffee and stewed rhubarb. These characters continue onto the palate where serious cashewy, black olive, liquorice and earthy chocolate flavours can be found after time. The wine's new oak overlay evident when younger, evolves into a consistent, evenly weighted rolling, cedary coffee-bean, mocha soft dusty length followed by an invariably vibrant fresh acid - tannin finish.