Winemaker Notes
Deep dark red color. Aromas of currants, blueberry and juniper, bouquet garni and fresh earth. The palate is built on lots of fresh blue and red fruits. Bright flavors with energy and verve, along with hints of dusty earth, weave through the mid-palate with complexing notes of bay leaf, juniper and green tobacco leaf. Acid is fresh but balanced whilst tannins kick in mid-palate and run along with the fruit profile. Notes of coffee grounds and chocolate add complexity through the finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Dense, almost sinewy tannins set the stage for this rustic red, with blueberry and wild blackberry flavors and dark-brewed tea details. Aromatic grace notes of dried rose petal and rosemary add some charm, as does the harmony on the finish.
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James Suckling
Fragrant, youthful and floral aromas of blue plums, violets and blackcurrants lead to a palate that has succulent, crisp and smooth, blue-fruit flavors. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Often overlooked in the Two Hands lineup because it's McLaren Vale Cabernet, the 2019 Sexy Beast Cabernet Sauvignon is a solid example of the variety at a realistic price. Hints of tea-like herbals and floral notes accent cassis on the nose, while the medium-bodied palate is crisp, linear and streamlined, coming to a long, focused finish framed by dusty tannins.
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.
Known for opulent red wines with intense power and concentration, McLaren Vale is home to perhaps the most “classic” style of Australian Shiraz. Vinified on its own or in Rhône Blends, these hot-climate wines are deeply colored and high in extract with signature hints of dark chocolate and licorice. Cabernet Sauvignon is also produced in a similar style.
Whites, often made from Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc tend to be opulent and full of tropical, stone and citrus fruit.