Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Lots of freshly picked blackcurrants, Chinese spices, iodine and a graphite edge. Medium to full body, no shortage of crunchy blue fruit, structured tannins and a chewy finish.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Deep ruby color; oaky aroma, black fruit; medium to full bodied, packed on the palate; dry, medium acidity, good balance; bright and lively on the palate; black fruit, licorice and oak; medium finish. (Tasted: April 13, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Fancy French oak marks the nose of the flagship 2015 Alena Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Cedar and vanilla notes mingle with tobacco and cassis in this crisp, streamlined, medium-bodied red. The tannins are firm, imparting a sense of austerity to this aristocratic Cabernet. Personally, I'd like to see more fun and flesh, but there's no denying that the wine is well made and should have at least a decade of longevity.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
As the most important area of wine production in Victoria today, the Yarra Valley is most popular for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which account for over half of vineyard acreage. A gentle, rolling and rural region alongside the Margaret River, the Yarra Valley has a cool maritime climate with a lengthy growing season, perfect for these cool-climate varieties.
Two styles of Pinot Noir are possible here. The warmer Lower Yarra Valley with sandy, loam soils, produces plush and fruity Pinot Noir while the cooler, higher-elevation Upper Yarra Valley with soils of young red basalt, produces more angular and mineral-driven Pinot Noir.
Yarra Valley Chardonnay is among the best in Australia. To preserve the floral aromatics and fresh citrus flavors for which this area’s Chardonnay is so appreciated, time in barrel is restrained (though barrel fermentation is common). The best Yarra Valley Chardonnays display brilliant acidity, leesy characteristics, citrus, stone fruit and flavors of ginger and spice.
Shiraz and Cabernet find success in parts of this region as well.